Gu Yao walked listlessly, sighing every few steps. Xu Chen's good mood was also spoiled, and he cursed irritably, "It's just a temporary separation, not like you'll never see each other again. Haven't you guys discussed what to do in case you got separated? I haven't seen you unable to go on without that kid surnamed Chi before."
"You don't understand?" Gu Yao said gloomily, "I didn't understand either, but now I do."
"Pah! It's like a tongue-twister," Xu Chen retorted, hardly understanding, "If you can't stand it, then cheer up and hurry up to find him. Otherwise, that Chi guy might be out there flirting with others while you're not around. What will you do then?"
His tone was definitely schadenfreude. After all, he was a loner who was often forced to watch others display their affection.
Gu Yao straightened his chest, and the words that came out were still enough to make Xu Chen want to scratch him: "I told you, senior, you don't understand. Is Brother Ye that kind of person? But you're right about one thing, senior—I can't keep feeling down. I need to cheer up. We have to find a populated place first and ask where we are and how far we are from the Lingyun Sect's territory."
Xu Chen rolled his eyes in frustration, no longer wanting to leave this guy alone.
Choosing a direction and continuing on, Gu Yao didn't believe he wouldn't encounter a settlement of cultivators. The feeling of being in Wanluo Continent for the first time was similar to when he first arrived at Qianhao Continent. The spiritual energy in Qianhao Continent was richer than in Tianlin Continent, and here it was even richer than in Qianhao Continent.
After flying low for several days, Gu Yao encountered attacks from demonic beasts, which unfortunately all became his spoils of war. He also encountered a group of robbers who tried to rob him. When Gu Yao first discovered these robbers, he wasn't panicked but actually very happy; finally seeing people, he deliberately concealed his cultivation level and jumped right into their trap. Naturally, the outcome was not as the robbers had expected—they were all beaten down by Gu Yao's fists.At first, they thought they had caught a foolishly bold man, their eyes gleaming as he appeared, but when they ended up on the ground unable to get up, they realized he wasn't foolish at all; his boldness came from confidence. He looked like a pretty boy, but his fists were incredibly powerful, almost flattening them. Gu Yao got them to honestly confess everything after asking.
After interrogating them for a while, Gu Yao could finally gauge his approximate location. Leaving those people behind, he continued his journey, cheerfully communicating with Xu Chen: "I didn't expect to be so close to Lingyun Sect. My luck isn't too bad, except for being separated from everyone. I wonder if the others ended up like me or if they managed to meet up."
Finally seeing the city walls ahead, Gu Yao let out a breath of relief. As he flew closer and saw the words "Changyuan City," he descended and entered through the city gate. He didn't conceal his Nascent Soul aura anymore, so the guards at the city were very polite and let him through.
Although Wanluo Continent had Deity Transformation experts, it didn't mean that Nascent Soul cultivators had no status. After all, there were still plenty of Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators, and not every cultivator who wished to form a Nascent Soul was successful. Many were still stuck at this threshold, and in this more remote area, Nascent Soul cultivators could be quite respected.
Strictly speaking, this area was actually under the jurisdiction of Lingyun Sect. Lingyun Sect was a force with Deity Transformation experts, so many smaller sects and cultivator families were affiliated with it. Changyuan City was one such place; the families within the city and a sect called Qianyuan outside the city were all under Lingyun Sect.
Although he was in the territory of Lingyun Sect, to reach the main location of the sect would still take quite some time. The vastness of Wanluo Continent was beyond Gu Yao's imagination. Chi Changye, who had grown up in Lingyun Sect, hadn't traveled much either; most of his knowledge came from books.
Even though he was eager to reunite with Chi Changye and the others, Gu Yao didn't rush to the main sect location. He needed to inquire about the situation of Lingyun Sect first, especially about Chi Changye's mother's current status and whether she had returned to Lingyun Sect from the dangerous place as Chi Changye had speculated.
Moreover, there were some in Lingyun Sect who wanted Chi Changye dead. They would want to silence him if they knew he was back, even if it meant covering up past events.
After entering the city, Gu Yao found an inn to stay in. Places like inns and restaurants with heavy foot traffic were always good for picking up various pieces of information. So after settling into his room, Gu Yao planned to go to the nearby restaurant for a big meal to try some local specialties.
Just as he sat down in the restaurant, he heard people discussing below."Have you heard? The suitors of Miss Wu Lan, the genius of the Wu family, have all come over from Lingyun Sect. It's said that they fell in love with Miss Wu Lan at first sight. Tsk tsk, now these Lingyun Sect disciples are staying at the Wu family's home."
Hearing the name 'Lingyun Sect,' Gu Yao raised an eyebrow. What a coincidence to hear about people related to Lingyun Sect as soon as he arrived here. He wondered who those disciples might be.
"What does the Wu family say? Will they agree to a marriage alliance with Lingyun Sect? Although Miss Wu Lan hasn't joined Lingyun Sect, her status is not low either. She has been taken as a disciple by the great elder of Qianyuan Sect since she was young. If it's just an ordinary inner or outer sect disciple, even from Lingyun Sect, they wouldn't be worthy of Miss Wu of Changyuan City."
"It's said they are quite influential. The Wu family is treating those disciples like honored guests. Do you think they are just ordinary disciples?"
"Let's not talk about this; it doesn't concern us much. Let's talk about Luosheng Hall instead. Luosheng Hall is going to recruit a number of cultivators. It's said that the frontline battles are quite tense, and there's a big demand for talisman masters and alchemists."
After hearing a bellyful of gossip, including news about Lingyun Sect and Luosheng Hall, Gu Yao was so distracted that he didn't even notice whether the food was tasty or not.
"What is Luosheng Hall? I've never heard Brother Ye mention this power." And what about this frontline battle? Gu Yao was confused; what kind of battles were happening on Wanluo Continent now?
Xu Chen casually said, "Just because he didn't mention it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. How old was that kid when he left, and how much had he seen? Besides, it's common for cultivators to fight and powers to vie for territory and resources. Is there a need to make a big deal out of it?"
Gu Yao disagreed, "Senior, have you forgotten where we are? This is the territory of Lingyun Sect's affiliated forces. If Luosheng Hall existed before and was quite significant, Brother Ye should have mentioned it at least once, unless it's a new power that has emerged in the years since Brother Ye left."Xu Chen thought it made sense, "So, are you going to rush to Lingyun Sect next, or stay to find out about Luosheng Hall? They are recruiting alchemists, right? It should be fairly easy for you to blend in, right?"
Gu Yao took a sip of spiritual wine, "I haven't decided yet. Let's first see what kind of organization Luosheng Hall really is. They say the frontline battles are tense; I might end up having to go there if I join, and that's not what I want."
Xu Chen rolled his eyes. In the end, it was still about the importance of the long night. It was just that he was afraid that once he got in, it would be hard to get out, delaying his reunion with Chi Changye.
After resting in the inn for one night, Gu Yao continued to wander around Changyuan City the next day. Although Chi Changye had told him a lot, it was not as good as personal contact to feel the differences of the Wanluo Continent. Moreover, at that time, Chi Changye was either cultivating in the sect or out on experiences, focusing solely on cultivation, so he didn't know much about the outside world.
He took the opportunity to inquire about the disciples from Lingyun Sect who were visiting the Wu family and news about Luosheng Hall.
Wu Lan had an ice-type single spiritual root and didn't wait for Lingyun Sect to recruit disciples. It happened that the great elder of Qianyuan Sect was passing through Changyuan City and took a liking to the then little Wu Lan, offering on the spot to take her as his direct disciple.
The Wu family had no objections. After all, the great elder was the highest cultivator in Qianyuan Sect, and becoming his disciple could be no worse than joining Lingyun Sect because all of Qianyuan Sect's cultivation resources would be inclined towards the great elder's direct disciples. The competition would be much fiercer in Lingyun Sect without a strong background.
There's a common saying among the people that it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix, and this principle also applies in the world of cultivators.
After entering Qianyuan Sect, Wu Lan lived up to her spiritual root talent. Her cultivation speed was extremely fast. In just over a decade, she smoothly succeeded in forming her Golden Core, becoming a Golden Core cultivator and setting a new record for Qianyuan Sect.
After entering the Golden Core phase, Wu Lan's cultivation speed slowed down, which was normal. Compared to other Golden Core cultivators, her pace was still fast. Now just over thirty, she was still young in the cultivation world and already a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator with prospects of reaching Nascent Soul by fifty.
Although Wu Lan's reputation was extremely good in this area, she focused on cultivation and rarely returned to the Wu family in Changyuan City. Her master couldn't stand it any longer; cultivation also needed moderation, so he kicked her out of the sect and arranged for her fellow disciples to take her out for fun.During an outing, Wu Lan encountered a disciple from Lingyun Sect named Zhong Changhan. He was taken aback by Wu Lan's beauty, considering her a beauty that could grace the heavens. Upon learning that Wu Lan had returned to Changyuan City, he quickly followed.
Wu Lan had no choice but to comply with her parents' and the family head's requests to accompany these Lingyun Sect disciples around the city. In fact, she was not as familiar with Changyuan City as the other Wu family juniors were; she was more acquainted with Qianyuan Sect, having lived and cultivated there since she had memories.
The other Wu family juniors were also green with envy over the treatment and reputation Wu Lan enjoyed. With the resources provided by the Wu family and the focused cultivation from Qianyuan Sect, her situation really wasn't any less favorable than joining Lingyun Sect. Moreover, as soon as she stepped out, she caught the eye of an inner sect disciple from Lingyun Sect. It is said that Zhong Changhan has a significant background in Lingyun Sect, and if a marriage alliance with him were to happen, Wu Lan's status would be elevated even higher.
Zhong Changhan is also a Golden Core cultivator, but most of the Wu family juniors accompanying them were younger peers, with the majority being at the Foundation Establishment stage."Senior Zhong..."
"I've said it, just call me Big Brother Zhong, right, Junior Sister Wu?" Zhong Changhan basked in the adoration of these Wu family juniors, yet his eyes never left the cold and frosty Wu Lan. Her temperament was ethereal, and her features were as exquisitely carved as if from ice. Zhong Changhan felt that pursuing such a woman would give him a sense of conquest; those female cultivators who threw themselves at him were nothing more than playthings to him.
Wu Lan replied indifferently, "It's up to you."
The one who had just spoken was Wu Lan's younger sister, but her treatment was far inferior to Wu Lan's. Due to her average talent, she had always remained in the family to cultivate. However, because she was always under their parents' care, they doted on her more than on the elder daughter who was not often around.
But such favoritism was the last thing Wu Ya wanted. She longed for her sister's talent and the halo that surrounded her. Under such a halo, she felt like an ugly duckling, often mocked behind her back even within the family.
The Lingyun Sect, oh, how her heart fluttered at the mention of its disciples. If she could enter Lingyun Sect, could she not gain some recognition? To no longer be overshadowed by her sister everywhere?
Wu Ya moistened her lips and put on a look of grievance, "Wu Ya will listen to Big Brother Zhong. Big Brother Zhong, is Lingyun Sect really that great? I've grown up so much and have never left Changyuan City. When can Big Brother Zhong take me to see Lingyun Sect?"
Zhong Changhan looked towards Wu Lan, but she showed no reaction. Turning his head and seeing Wu Ya's face full of longing and admiration, he smiled and said, "Sure, if you want to go, Big Brother Zhong can take you there for a visit. Not to mention the outer Lingyun City, even within the sect itself, Big Brother Zhong can take you around for a tour."
"Really? That's great! You're amazing, Big Brother Zhong. You must be very important in Lingyun Sect to be able to take me inside for a tour. Not like my sister; I wanted to visit Qianyuan Sect, but she wouldn't take me."Zhong Changhan laughed and said, "What's so remarkable about that? Junior Sister Wu must have always been diligent in her cultivation, which is why she hasn't had spare time. However, there will be a selection competition in half a year, and your sister will definitely go to Lingyun Sect then."
Wu Lan didn't say whether she would go or not, but Zhong Changhan was very certain that even if she didn't want to go, the Qianyuan Sect would send her there.
Wu Ya pouted, seemingly unhappy to hear Zhong Changhan speak for Wu Lan. In her eyes, Wu Lan was deliberately pretending to be pure and noble to attract Zhong Changhan. Otherwise, if she was really unwilling, why wouldn't she create an opportunity for her own younger sister? Isn't it good to see her sister stand out?
"Why are there so many people gathered up ahead?" As they walked to a certain place, they saw a crowd causing a commotion.
Another Wu family junior glanced at the place and said, "This is Luosheng Hall. Recently, Luosheng Hall has been actively recruiting pill masters, talisman masters, and tool masters. I heard they're offering high conditions, which has attracted many cultivators to come and register. But there are probably also a lot of people just here to watch the excitement."
Although Zhong Changhan looked down on the cultivators who came to register and didn't think their skills were that outstanding, he was also curious to take a look: "Junior Sister Wu, let's go check it out too."
Wu Lan frowned slightly; she disliked places crowded with cultivators and preferred to be alone in tranquility. However, at this moment, Wu Ya grabbed her arm and said, "Sis, Big Brother Zhong wants to take a look; let's just go in and see."
Wu Lan suppressed the urge to shake off Wu Ya's hand for quite a while.
Gu Yao also arrived at this place and came over to see what the fuss was about at Luosheng Hall. The aura emanating from Wu Lan made him take another look; clearly a cultivator with an ice spirit root, which must be rare even on the vast continent of Wanluo. It seems she must be the Wu family's talented young miss. Which ones are the disciples from Lingyun Sect?