Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 249 Sect Peak Master
The funeral music played, and a true man fell.

The Biyun Sect has played mournful music four times in recent years, corresponding to the deaths of four pseudo-Dan cultivators.

This is the fifth time!

"Another elder has fallen. Has the final battle begun?" The breaking of the soul tablets within the sect is timely, often much faster than intelligence from the front lines.

Upon arriving at the sect, Li Ji'an frowned, clearly sensing a gloomy atmosphere unlike the previous four times.

"Could it be that Elder Zhendan has perished?" His heart tightened instantly.

Subconsciously, I felt a little worried about Xiao Changfeng.

They quickly entered the sect's main hall and met with True Person Yu Dan.

"Elder Fang has fallen!" Master Yu Dan said, shaking his head with a sorrowful expression.

Li Ji'an's expression was solemn. Elder Fang was the fourth True Core cultivator to fall in this war between the righteous and the demonic forces that had lasted for more than ten years. Unlike the three True Core cultivators who had fallen in the previous Lieyang Sect and other sects, Elder Fang was in the mid-stage of Core Formation and had been in Core Formation for hundreds of years. His spells, supernatural powers, and magical treasures were all very strong.

The one capable of killing Elder Fang must be at least a late-stage Core Formation expert.

We'll have to wait for further updates to get more details.

Two months later, news from the front lines finally reached the sect after being relayed through Tianyuan Prefecture.

Two months ago, in the great battle between the two realms, the Golden Puppet Saint Monarch was the first to attack the Myriad Laws True Monarch.

Subsequently, the demonic army of the Boundless Domain launched a powerful attack on the Heavenly Azure Domain, resulting in an unprecedented battle.

All cultivators on the front lines of the Tiancang Domain were forced into battle, resulting in countless deaths and injuries.

The cause of Elder Fang's death is also clearly stated.

It was Lin Xiuzhu, the holy son of the Corpse Puppet Sect, who was clearly pursuing Xiao Changfeng. At the critical moment, Elder Fang saved Xiao Changfeng. However, during the battle with Lin Xiuzhu, he was ambushed and killed by the leader of the Blood Spirit Sect.

The Blood Spirit Sect's leader was a late-stage Core Formation expert, a near-True Monarch level master. If he were to launch a sneak attack, Elder Fang, who was only in the mid-stage Core Formation realm, would have no chance of survival.

The Supreme Elder of the Biyun Sect, Master Yunqing, arrived immediately, but it was too late. In the end, he could only save Xiao Changfeng.

The intelligence also mentioned that this attack by the demonic cultivators was completely fearless of death. Relying on demonic techniques such as corpse puppets, ghosts, and blood demons, they managed to tear a gap in the border formation of the Tiancang Domain despite being outnumbered by the Tiancang Domain army, and forced their way into the territory within a hundred miles.

However, they ultimately lacked the stamina to sustain the attack and were forced to retreat.

The entire decisive battle lasted only seven days, but the number of dead and wounded was several times that of the previous ten years.

Ultimately, both sides suffered heavy losses, and the demonic cultivators of the Boundless Domain were defeated and forced to retreat.

The only thing that made the cultivators of the Heavenly Azure Domain feel fortunate was that in the duel between the Myriad Laws True Monarch and the Golden Puppet Saint Monarch, the former was more skilled and injured the Golden Puppet Saint Monarch at the cost of self-destructing a third-grade magic treasure. The latter would need decades to recover from his injuries.

"A self-destructing magical artifact?" Li Ji'an felt a little pressured when he received this information.

Although the intelligence report praised the leader of the Heavenly Cang Domain, the True Lord of Ten Thousand Laws, by looking beyond the surface, the fact that he only managed to injure his opponent by self-destructing his magic weapon shows that the True Lord of Ten Thousand Laws was at a disadvantage in the battle and sensed the danger. Otherwise, why would he be willing to detonate a third-grade magic weapon so easily?

"If he recovers from his injuries and re-enters the Heavenly Azure Domain, would True Monarch Wanfa still be willing to fight him head-on?" This time, Golden Puppet Saint Monarch led the cultivators of the Boundless Domain with the aim of invasion, so True Monarch Wanfa could do his best to stop him. But if Golden Puppet Saint Monarch came only to devour him next time, True Monarch Wanfa might not necessarily turn a blind eye.

A year later, news of the outcome of the war between the two domains spread throughout the domain.

As the surviving cultivators in the Heavenly Azure Domain breathed a sigh of relief, countless families, forces, and households wailed in grief.

Of the four great families of the wasteland, more than half were killed or injured, and two Foundation Establishment ancestors perished: the only Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Zheng family and an elder ancestor of the Yan family.

The Qin family suffered even greater losses, with six of their nine Foundation Establishment elders dying, and even Qin Henian was seriously injured.

The number of nameless rogue cultivators who died or were injured was even greater.

Upon returning from the front lines, there was no celebration, only mourning from countless families, and the entire world draped in white mourning clothes.

On this day, the entire Biyun Sect hung white banners, and mournful music filled the sky.

Although Li Ji'an was a guest minister, he was still required to come to the back mountain of the sect to participate in the worship ceremony.

Originally, they had benefited greatly from the Dazeshan Ruins, and the core group of Foundation Building cultivators who had grown stronger through decades of seclusion were now reduced to only 40%.

Four of the fake Core Formation elders have perished, and even one of the three true Core Formation elders has fallen.

This greatly reduced the overall strength of the Biyun Sect.

After paying respects to the fallen heroes of the sect, the Supreme Elder Yunqing Zhenren publicly announced that Xiao Changfeng, as a mid-level True Core cultivator, would be ranked among the three True Core Elders and would replace Elder Fang in protecting the sect.

Furthermore, starting from this day forward, the Biyun Sect will open its doors wide to recruit talented individuals and increase its efforts in training new disciples, setting a long-term plan for the next century.

Moreover, given the performance of the Biyun Sect on the front lines, the Wanfa Palace recalled the law enforcement cultivators in Cangyun Prefecture and once again entrusted all affairs of the prefecture to the Biyun Sect, reminding them to always maintain the principle of eliminating demonic cultivators.

The sect leader then announced the future law enforcement guidelines and handed over the Law Enforcement Hall to a fake Core Formation cultivator.

To Li Ji'an's surprise, after the memorial ceremony, the sect leader called Li Ji'an into the sect's main hall alone.

"Guest Elder Li Fan greets Sect Master." Li Ji'an solemnly cupped his hands in greeting.

The sect leader smiled and nodded: "Master Li, no need to be so polite, please sit down."

"Thank you, Sect Master." Li Ji'an thanked him and sat down.

This gave him the opportunity to look directly at the supreme Biyun Sect Master, who was revered by countless cultivators throughout Cangyun Prefecture, at such close range.

In this world, whether it's a family or a power, almost everyone who handles the internal and external relationships of a power, or even has full control over the rules of that power, is usually not the one with the highest internal cultivation strength.

Besides the fact that these mundane affairs consume mental energy and affect cultivation, the ability to manage one's own power is also a skill, which is sometimes even rarer than talent in cultivation.

It is said that the sect leader of the Biyun Sect only had the talent to barely enter the inner sect back then, and he had not yet established his foundation by the age of fifty. In the end, he was valued by the previous sect leader because of his outstanding leadership ability and was carefully cultivated.

His current pseudo-core cultivation level was all pushed up by the sect's resources.

Such people are often not simple-minded, and Li Ji'an must treat them with caution.

"Master Li has been with the sect for sixty years, and his contributions to the sect are evident to all. On behalf of the sect, I, Zhang, thank Master Li." The sect leader waved his hand and summoned a copper pot. His magic power instantly boiled the spiritual water inside, and a pot of tea was brewed in mid-air.

He then poured a cup for both Li Ji'an and himself.

Seeing the sect leader offer tea in gratitude, Li Ji'an returned the gesture with tea: "Sect leader, you flatter me. I am unworthy of such praise. If it weren't for the supply of high-grade spiritual herbs from the sect and the meticulous guidance of True Person Yu Dan, my alchemy skills would have been difficult to improve, let alone my cultivation. I am truly grateful for the sect's kindness."

"Master Li is humble, polite, and of noble character, which is especially rare." The sect leader took a sip of spiritual tea.

He then smiled slightly, his manner very approachable, and asked, "I wonder if Master Li has had any requests for the sect over the years?"

"The sect has fulfilled its obligations according to the agreement, and I have no other requests. My only wish is to be able to use the third-tier cave dwelling to break through to the Core Formation stage." Li Ji'an answered with ease and frankly stated his need to form the Core.

The sect leader smiled and nodded: "With Alchemist Li's contributions to the sect, a mere third-tier cave dwelling is naturally no problem for him. However... I wonder what Alchemist Li's future plans are?"

Upon hearing this question, Li Ji'an suddenly guessed some of the cause and effect.

He had initially thought that it was Jade Pill True Person who had applied to the sect leader for him to break through to the Core Formation stage using a third-tier cave dwelling.

But at this moment, it seems that this is probably not the case.

"Reporting to the Sect Master, I am but a mere alchemist, and I have been carefully instructed by the Jade Pill Master. Regardless of whether I succeed in forming my core or not, I only hope to further study the Dao of Alchemy in the future and develop more pills for cultivators of the world that do not rely on the spiritual resources of heaven and earth," Li Ji'an replied without hesitation.

"Excellent!" Upon hearing this, the sect leader's expression turned solemn. He immediately stood up and cupped his hands in greeting to Li Ji'an.

"The cultivation world is full of strife and deceit, with many selfish individuals who try to ascend to immortality by their own power. But there is never a shortage of righteous people who seek development for all living beings."

Although my Biyun Sect is not a True Monarch Holy Sect, we have always upheld the original aspirations of our founders, hoping to do our best to create a less cruel world for the people of the state.

Therefore, this has always been the guiding principle.

To be honest, when Master Li abandoned his position as an inner disciple of the sect and became a rogue cultivator, I already categorized him as a selfish and self-serving rogue cultivator.

Unexpectedly, I misjudged him.

Li Ji'an was filled with respect and cupped his hands, saying, "Sect Master is too kind. I also have my own selfish desires; I hope to be remembered for my alchemy for all eternity."

"Hahaha, good, good! I finally understand why Master Li abandoned the sect's disciples back then?"
Yes, our sect is indeed somewhat biased in the practice of various arts, considering them minor paths.

"It seems that many talented people have been lost as a result." The sect leader stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

"Sect Master, you flatter me. Cultivating any art is based on one's cultivation level. No matter how good one's skills and talent are, if one's cultivation level is insufficient, one will ultimately not be able to make much of a difference," Li Ji'an replied.

"This is also a point where our sect struggles to maintain balance," the sect leader nodded.

After a pause, the sect leader no longer hesitated.

"Master Li, I wonder if our sect is now honored to invite you to join us? The position of Vice Peak Master of Dan Ding Peak has been vacant for a long time, and only you are qualified to take it."

"Vice Peak Master!"

Li Ji'an nodded secretly, confirming his suspicions.

It's obvious that Xiao Changfeng was behind this.

I still remember that a few years after becoming a guest elder, Master Yudan once tentatively invited him to join the sect, but only as an inner sect steward. The treatment was not much different from that of a guest elder, but the responsibilities were much greater.

At this moment, the sect leader personally promised him the position of deputy peak master.

This is the treatment given to a pseudo-core elder in a sect.

Moreover, as a special department supplying elixirs, Dan Ding Peak holds a high position within the sect.

"It is my great honor to pay my respects to the Sect Master." Li Ji'an immediately responded.

In the ensuing conversation, the sect leader became even more amiable, treating Li Ji'an as a veteran figure of the sect.

An hour later, the sect leader picked up his teacup, and Li Ji'an took his leave.

Watching Li Ji'an's figure disappear into the distance, the sect leader stood up respectfully and bowed to those behind him: "Grand Elder, what do you think of this young man?"

Then an old figure suddenly appeared: "You are calm and composed, but unfortunately your dantian magic power is weak, so the chance of you forming a pill is less than 10%."

Sect Leader Zhang nodded: "Judging from what happened to Xiao Qi back then, this boy is exceptionally intelligent and can be described as shrewd and calculating."

Master Yunqing waved his hand: "There's no need to mention Xiao Qi's matter again. Changfeng has extraordinary fortune, with all the advantages of timing, location, and people. It's fate, what can we do?"

"Yes," Sect Leader Zhang bowed in response.
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After returning to the outer peak, Li Ji'an sent a message to Xiao Changfeng to express his gratitude.

Becoming the sect's deputy peak master was beyond Li Ji'an's expectations.

Having a legitimate sect identity naturally brings far greater benefits in the next life than being a guest elder.

They can be considered to have impeccable political credentials.

Besides being the deputy peak master, Li Ji'an also used the excuse that he had lived on this peak for sixty years and had gotten used to it, so his training ground before forming his core was still here.

The sect leader even promised that even after Li Ji'an completes his pill and moves into the third-tier spiritual vein of Dan Ding Peak, the other peak will still belong exclusively to Li Ji'an.

After sitting quietly for a moment, I reviewed the details of today's meeting with the sect leader and confirmed them without a doubt.

As for the righteousness and principles mentioned by the sect leader, he did not take them to heart.

The slogans of rulers are always the most popular ones, but their real purpose is, of course, to maintain their rule for a long time.

Of course, sometimes the two are not contradictory.

Not long after, a message was received from Xiao Changfeng, who was currently recuperating from his injuries.

A month later, the Biyun Sect spread its sect plan and the latest rules throughout the state, and also announced the personnel changes within the sect. The main purpose was to demonstrate the deterrent power of the sect's Law Enforcement Hall, and to announce the new changes involving Xiao Changfeng, Li Ji'an, and others.

On that day, Li Ji'an hosted a banquet at the outer peak, inviting many high-ranking members of the sect.

The hierarchy within the sect is even more distinct. As the deputy peak master, who enjoys the privileges of a pseudo-core elder, he can only invite colleagues of this level.

Xiao Changfeng's participation in the meeting, especially his gift of a prototype magic weapon, further confirmed the rumors circulating within the sect.

"Changfeng's gift is too heavy!" Li Ji'an looked at the rope that Xiao Changfeng handed over, his brows furrowing with surprise.

During the final battle, Xiao Changfeng was enraged by Elder Fang's death. His anger turned into killing intent, and he killed at least three pseudo-core demon cultivators. This Binding God Rope was one of their spoils.

When a rudimentary magic weapon is activated in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, it can have one or two tenths of the power of a True Core Immortal. However, now that Li Ji'an has activated it in the late Foundation Establishment stage, it has thirty percent of the power of a True Core Immortal.

This prototype of the magic weapon is an auxiliary magic weapon, specializing in binding techniques. It is conservatively estimated that even a cultivator in the early stage of True Core cultivation could be bound for several breaths.

If we're dealing with a fake True Immortal, we might be able to restrain them for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

"Brother, you're too kind." Xiao Changfeng smiled freely, his attitude unchanged despite his newfound status, and he didn't even seem to care about the elders present.

This drew praise from the audience.

Everyone praised Changfeng Zhenren for his consistent, unrestrained, and open-minded nature.

After the banquet, Li Ji'an set off for the Strange Stone Forest.

During the final battle, his biggest worry was Yan Qingwan and Xiao Qiao.

I was relieved when I received his message a month ago.

Besides being grateful for the talisman he gave them, which saved them from danger, they also showed each other courtesy.

In the message, Xiao Qiao said that after she ran out of life-saving talismans, she was fortunate that Yan Qingwan was experienced and helped her evade several enemy attacks.

Yan Qingwan said that fortunately, Xiao Qiao was skilled in formations and had saved her from several critical moments with her compass formation.

This was also the result of Li Ji'an's suggestion that the two complement each other's strengths when they were conscripted to the front lines.

However, Yan Qingwan was still injured and is currently recuperating at the Strange Stone Forest.

A month later, Li Ji'an arrived at the Strange Stone Forest.

However, just as they were about to enter, they unexpectedly encountered a team of law enforcement officers from the Biyun Sect.

The leader of the team was none other than Zhao Qi, the former chief of the Dharma Transmission Hall!

(End of this chapter)