How Cloud Heaven Holy Land did things

"There's a formation blocking the way ahead."

Aboard the flying boat, Lu Changzhi looked ahead.

A formation rose from the ground, reaching into the sky and forming a colossal barrier that stretched across their path and into the distance.

The words "Cloud Heaven" were clearly visible on the barrier formed by the formation.

"Cloud Heaven Holy Land."

At the sight of those words, the elders beside him frowned slightly.

"They really have gotten involved too," one of them said.

Another elder frowned slightly:

"Sealing off such a vast area? Cloud Heaven Holy Land has gone too far."

Lu Changzhi's expression shifted slightly.

"Am I already coming into contact with a Holy Land-level power?"

The words "Holy Land" carried great weight.

To be called a Holy Land, a power had to have produced a Saint Realm expert at some point in its history.

That was by no means easy.

Otherwise, the six major powers would not have called themselves merely sects.

The flying boat continued forward.

Just then, a figure suddenly appeared before the barrier, directly in the flying boat's path.

"Halt."

The middle-aged man spoke slowly, his face stern:

"The area ahead belongs to our Holy Land. Leave at once."

"If you refuse to heed this warning and insist on proceeding, you will bear the consequences."

His voice was overbearing, his words delivered entirely as commands.

"Just as expected."

An elder shook his head and murmured.

Lu Changzhi glanced at the man and said:

"Let's go."

There was no need to get entangled with him.

He had come out this time to take on a disciple.

There was no need to start a conflict over such things.

These formations merely detected the presence of cultivators passing through.

He could easily send his External Avatar through.

After changing direction, the flying boat continued onward.

"At this rate, there's hardly any chance of finding them."

An elder frowned and spoke up:

"Cloud Heaven Holy Land has fenced off the entire central area. We can't even get in, so how are we supposed to search?"

"That's just how Cloud Heaven Holy Land does things, all right. For now, we can only hope our luck is a little better."

The elders shook their heads gently.

Their primary task was to protect Lu Changzhi; searching came second.

Naturally, they would not consider starting a conflict.

Even so, they still had objections to how the Holy Land did things.

Beside them, Lu Changzhi was much calmer.

The winner took all. It had always been that way.

Otherwise, why would all sides strive to increase their strength and power?

When night fell, Lu Changzhi controlled his External Avatar and crossed the barrier, entering the area marked off by the Holy Land.

Sure enough, it caused no disturbance.

For the next stretch of time,

he got to work on both sides at once.

He set the filtering condition to [Saint-level], simple and direct.

After that, all he had to do was fly.

One day, Mu Fan asked to leave and search on his own.

Lu Changzhi did not refuse.

Mu Fan could not be of much help by staying with him.

This way, they could improve their efficiency a little more.

As for Mu Fan's safety, Lu Changzhi was not too worried.

Given how much Mu Fan disliked trouble, ordinary trouble and danger might not even be able to catch up with him.

The days that followed remained utterly peaceful.

Cloud Heaven Holy Land's barrier never disappeared.

Nor did news come from any sect that a Saint-level genius had been found.

The genius who had been born seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Lu Changzhi was not too surprised by this.

Apart from the first one, none of the system's disciple-recruitment missions had been simple.

Last time, he had spent a full month searching before he met Mu Fan.

As for this time...

"Come to think of it, it's almost been another month."

Aboard the flying boat, Lu Changzhi calculated how much time had passed.

"System, you make the disciple-recruitment missions so difficult every time. Don't you think that makes you look weak?"

Although all he had to do was fly over an area,

flying all the time was terribly boring too.

"Master, please do not try to goad the system."

"Oh?"

Lu Changzhi raised an eyebrow. "You actually know I'm trying to goad you."

"Of course," the system replied:

"The system's abilities are very powerful."

"Prove it to me." Lu Changzhi smiled.

After a moment of silence, the system's voice rang out:

"System sprite, providing continuous navigation for Master."

"Continue straight in your current direction for two hours, then turn right and continue straight for eight hours..."

For the rest of the journey, he followed the system's directions.

Two days later, Lu Changzhi arrived above a mountain peak.

"Destination reached. Navigation complete."

"Is there something here?"

The elder operating the flying boat looked at Lu Changzhi.

Lu Changzhi thought for a moment and said:

"Let's rest here for a while. We've been flying for too many days, and it's gotten a little boring."

The elder nodded and asked no more.

Then, everyone descended to the summit.

"System, why did you bring me here?"

After examining his surroundings, Lu Changzhi asked aloud.

The area around them was utterly deserted.

"Wait."

The system spoke.

Lu Changzhi's eyes lit up slightly:

"You had this function? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"Your first free trial has ended. You may pay to use it next time," the system replied.

"All right, then." Lu Changzhi shook his head gently.

He would worry about next time when it came.

At least this time, things seemed as though they might be a little easier.

He would wait by the stump for a rabbit.

All that remained was to wait for the rabbit to come.

In the blink of an eye, a day passed.

"System, how much longer?"

Lu Changzhi asked.

"Now," the system replied.

As the words fell, something stirred in Lu Changzhi's heart.

He turned his hand, and a jade talisman appeared in his palm.

This was the very talisman he used to stay in contact with Mu Fan.

At that moment, its light was flashing rapidly.

He sent his consciousness into it, and Mu Fan's voice immediately rang out:

"Master, come save me, quickly!"

"Your very own disciple is about to die!"

Lu Changzhi frowned.

Was this what the system had told me to wait for?

Lu Changzhi immediately rose and headed out. He took out a Saint-tier flying boat, stepped aboard, and sped away as a streak of light.

"Peak Master Lu..."

The elders hurried after him, only to see Lu Changzhi become a speck of black light and disappear into the distance. They were all stunned.

That flying boat is so fast!

What kind of trouble has he run into, to actually call for help?

Lu Changzhi's heart tightened slightly as he sped in the direction from which the distress message had come.

Before long, Lu Changzhi approached a valley.

Mu Fan's figure appeared in Lu Changzhi's sight.

He was bound tightly by several strands of light and suspended in midair.

"Master, watch out! She's lying in wait for you!"

Seeing Lu Changzhi arrive, Mu Fan immediately shouted.

At the same time, the system's voice rang out in Lu Changzhi's mind:

"Target matching the filtering condition detected. Would you like to view the details?"