Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

As the wind and snow gradually subsided, fine snowflakes drifted gently in the wind, settling among the thousands of peaks and valleys of Laoshan Mountain, making the sacred mountain appear even more tranquil and ethereal.

Lin Yan slowly walked out of Elder Guanhai's residence, his mind still churning with the secret his master had unintentionally revealed. The inkstone exuded a lingering warmth, and wisps of spiritual energy merged with his own bloodline, subtly drawing upon the aura from afar.

After several days of seclusion in Xuan Shui Cave, he solidified his foundation and inherited the ancient alchemy techniques. His aura became gentle and restrained, devoid of any sharpness, displaying the composure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Everyone in the sect knew he was in seclusion. The farce of Hai Lan and Su Chen's conspiracy being exposed, resulting in their disqualification, expulsion from the sect, and return to their hometowns, was no longer mentioned. Laoshan had returned to its former tranquility.

Following that subtle feeling deep in his heart, Lin Yan walked through the snow to the banks of Linling Creek.

The stream was frozen solid, like jade, with no trace of falling snow. Yun Xi, dressed in a pure white sword robe, stood on the snowy bank, diligently practicing her swordsmanship. She held her natal spirit sword, its light flowing like a cascading galaxy. Her swordplay was sharp yet understated, each move meticulously refined, resonating with the surrounding spiritual energy. Falling snow was instantly shredded into mist by her sword aura. Since Lin Yan's seclusion, she had devoted herself to this place day and night, her sword heart growing ever clearer and purer, her cultivation steadily improving. In the cool indifference of her eyes, there was now a steadfast determination to await the return of her loved one.

"You've emerged from seclusion."

Yunxi sheathed her sword, the sword light fading, and turned to look at Lin Yan. A faint warmth appeared in her usually cold eyes, and her voice was soft yet firm. No words were needed; the two already understood each other perfectly. She knew that his seclusion must have yielded results, and she firmly believed that he would return safely.

"Your seclusion is complete, and you have established your foundation." Lin Yan nodded slightly and slowly approached.

The spirit tortoise on her shoulder raised its neck slightly and let out a clear cry towards Yunxi, the ancient golden water patterns on its shell shimmering faintly. In an instant, the inkstone in Lin Yan's storage ring and the sword-shaped ink jade in Yunxi's arms simultaneously emitted a faint spiritual light of the same origin. The two auras intertwined in the air, resonating silently, confirming the deep-seated fateful bond, which was understood in their hearts without needing to be spoken.

Before long, Ye Qing, Yi Azhu, and Chen Dagang arrived one after another, and they were all overjoyed to see Lin Yan.

Chen Dagang strode forward, his honest face beaming with smiles, his voice booming: "Brother Lin Yan, I've finally been waiting for you! We can finally have a proper sparring session these past few days!"

Yi Azhu skipped over to Lin Yan's side, handed him a plump and juicy spirit fruit, her eyes crinkling with concern: "Brother, you must be tired from your seclusion. Quickly eat a spirit fruit to nourish your spiritual energy."

Ye Qing stepped forward, his expression calm, and lowered his voice to speak of the strange things he had noticed recently: "In the past few days, the outer sect disciples patrolling the mountain have discovered several unfamiliar tracks in the desolate ridges on the outskirts of Laoshan. The footsteps are disordered, unlike those of sect disciples, and they are definitely not ordinary mountain people. Elder Minglang has already dispatched more scouts to patrol, but so far there has been no discovery."

Lin Yan's eyes darkened slightly.

Two months have passed since Hailan, Su Chen, and the others were expelled. Both were ambitious and narrow-minded; now reduced to cripples and banished from the immortal sect, they would never willingly return home to live in seclusion. The suspicious traces on the outskirts are most likely the result of the two remaining secretly, unwilling to accept defeat, plotting something sinister. However, their concealment is extremely deep, leaving no trace. For now, all we can do is remain vigilant and observe the situation.

"Tell the outer disciples that they must travel in groups when they go out to cultivate in the future, and never venture into the desolate mountains alone, so as to prevent accidents." Lin Yan gently instructed, and everyone nodded solemnly, knowing that this matter was of great importance.

The group stood together on the snowy bank, chatting about their respective cultivation progress, discussing their advancements in techniques and their understanding of spells, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Having weathered many storms, this small team had long since become of one mind, supporting each other and becoming each other's strongest support.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Lin Yan returned directly to the Xuan Shui Cave in Mingxia'ao.

This cave sits atop the main vein of the Lingxi River, containing a spiritual spring. The air is thick with mist and the spiritual energy is incredibly rich, perfectly matching his pure water spiritual root. After several days of seclusion, he had already allowed this place to merge with his own aura. Stepping into the cave, the spiritual spring gurgled, and the spiritual energy rushed towards him. Lin Yan cleared his mind of distractions, sat cross-legged on the stone couch by the spring, and took out the scroll of "Canglan Shuiyun Danjing".

He slightly raised his fingertips, and a wisp of pale golden, warm innate alchemical fire slowly flickered. This was the innate alchemical fire born from the Golden Finger Technique during the Foundation Establishment transformation, perfectly matching Ling Xuanzi's alchemical lineage. Following the alchemical scriptures, Lin Yan drew upon the spiritual energy of the spiritual spring, supplemented it with spiritual herbs, concentrated his mind to control the alchemical fire, purified the medicinal energy, and condensed the pill.

Without the slightest setback, in less than half an incense stick's time, several Qi Gathering Pills, radiant with spiritual light and rich in spiritual energy, were refined, their fragrance filling the entire cave.

He has made initial progress in alchemy, refined his swordsmanship, and deepened his understanding of water-based techniques.

Lin Yan placed the pill in his palm, his eyes flashing with a restrained glint, his fingertips unconsciously tightening slightly. He could clearly sense that beneath the calm of Laoshan, hidden dangers were quietly brewing. The resentment of old enemies and the shadowy figures in the dark were all brewing an unknown storm, but he was no longer afraid.

Inside the Xuan Shui Cave, the spiritual energy of the spring gently swirls, nourishing the meridians throughout his body. Lin Yan closes his eyes and concentrates, simultaneously stabilizing his Foundation Establishment cultivation and comprehending the profound mysteries of alchemy.

"Buzz—"

Just then, a hurried and anxious communication talisman suddenly pierced the sky, traveling from the main peak straight through all the other peaks. The tremor of its spiritual energy carried an obvious sense of panic and urgency.

"Emergency summons to the main peak council hall! The Spirit Immortal Valley of Ink Mountain is under attack; the elder on duty requests reinforcements!"

Lin Yan suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of light in them, and his spiritual energy rippled around him, instantly clearing away all distracting thoughts.

Moshan Lingxian Valley is an important source of spiritual herbs for the outer sect of Laoshan Mountain. It is under the jurisdiction of Elder Minglang and is usually managed by outer sect disciples on a rotating basis, making it a peaceful and stable place. The sudden attack on it is definitely not the work of ordinary mountain bandits or rogue cultivators.

Without further hesitation, he rose and flicked his sleeve, causing the spirit tortoise to retreat into his arms for nurturing. Lin Yan leaped into the air, riding the qi that pierced through the void, and sped straight towards the main peak's council hall.

A moment later, the area in front of the council hall was packed with people.

Elder Wudao sat in the main seat, with several outer sect elders, including Danxuan, Qingxuan, and Minglang, standing on either side. All the core outer sect disciples and newly promoted inner sect cultivators were present, and the atmosphere was so heavy that it was almost oppressive.

At the entrance of the hall, an outer sect elder, covered in blood and with his Taoist robe torn, staggered to his knees. Deep claw marks, revealing bone, were visible on his shoulder, and a lingering dark, demonic aura emanated from the wounds, making his aura unstable.

This person was the steward elder who was ordered to go to the Spirit Immortal Valley in Moshan to guard and protect the overwintering spiritual herbs.

"Elder Qibing Wudao, True Man Danxuan, True Man Qingxuan, and all other elders..."

His voice was hoarse, still shaken. "I was ordered by Elder Minglang to lead eight outer disciples to inspect and maintain Lingxian Valley. We were suddenly attacked by an unknown force as soon as we entered the valley!"

Elder Minglang frowned and asked in a deep voice, "Is the other party a cultivator or a demon?"

"Unlike ordinary cultivators, and certainly not wild demonic beasts!" the guard on duty gritted his teeth and replied, "Their movements were unpredictable and their attacks ruthless. They were enveloped in a chilling demonic aura, and with a single strike, they broke through the simple barrier at the valley entrance. Two disciples died on the spot, and the spirit herb garden was trampled and destroyed! We fought desperately and barely managed to break through to deliver the message!"

A slight murmur arose inside the hall.

Within the territory of Laoshan, evil spirits have dared to trespass into this sacred land. Such rampant behavior is a major event that has not been seen for many years.

Master Danxuan's expression was grave, his voice carrying an undeniable authority as he sternly ordered: "From today onwards, the entire mountain is under heightened security. Elder Minglang, immediately dispatch more disciples to patrol the mountain and seal off the key roads surrounding Moshan. Tiesu, mobilize all members of the Discipline Hall to rigorously investigate all entry and exit routes. Wuyin, strengthen the restrictions on Broken Sword Valley and Giant Peak; there must be no relaxation whatsoever."

"yes!"

Several outer sect elders responded simultaneously, their tone solemn.

The elder on duty, having caught his breath, spoke again with difficulty, his tone tinged with disbelief:

"Master... In the chaos, I vaguely heard a voice giving orders, the accent of which was extremely familiar... It sounded like... it sounded like the traitor Hailan who was stripped of his cultivation and expelled from his sect earlier."

"Moreover, those demons moved in an orderly fashion, with a clear objective, heading straight for the Spirit Herb Valley. They were not causing chaos aimlessly; clearly, someone was secretly guiding and manipulating them!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.

Lin Yan stood among the disciples, his eyes turning completely cold, and a faint, almost imperceptible, sharp spiritual energy emanated from his body.

Everything went as he expected.

Hai Lan and Su Chen, unwilling to have their cultivation completely destroyed and be banished from the immortal mountain, took a desperate gamble and secretly colluded with demons and evil spirits, extending their revenge towards the spiritual land where Laoshan's foundation was located.

Old grudges have not been settled, and now evil has added to the chaos.

Yunxi, Ye Qing, Chen Dagang, Yi Azhu and others had also arrived and stood together beside Lin Yan, their expressions solemn.

The Grand Elder Wudao raised his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire hall. His voice was gentle, yet carried a mountain-like pressure, each word resounding throughout the hall:

"This matter is of utmost importance. Demons and evil spirits have invaded, traitors have colluded, they have insulted my sacred mountain and harmed my disciples. This enmity must be avenged, and this calamity must be eliminated."

"Pass on my order—"

"The entire mountain is on high alert. All inner disciples are on standby, ready to launch an expedition to wipe them out at any time!"