Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

Below, the entire Laoshan Mountain range nestles beside the azure sea, mountains and water intertwined. The continuous mountain ranges and overlapping peaks resemble a dragon lying in the sea. The main peak of Laoshan stands majestically, piercing the sky, its summit shrouded in mist and emanating a spiritual aura. The mountainsides are covered with verdant pines and cypresses, their lush greenery carpeting the slopes, while thin clouds, like ribbons, wrap around the mountainside, making the hidden palaces and secluded valleys appear like a celestial paradise.

Master Xuanyang and his disciple Lin Yan headed straight west to Qufu.

Xuan Yang Zhenren did not have a cloud boat to support him. Instead, a faint golden cloud staircase formed by dense spiritual energy supported him and kept him steadily suspended in mid-air, following the contours of the Yimeng Hills as he walked along the clouds at low altitude.

Lin Yan followed closely behind, his plain Taoist robe fluttering in the wind. He gripped a peach wood sword tightly in his right hand, and with a flick of his left, he channeled his spiritual energy into a clear, flowing sword aura, nimbly weaving past the sect leader. Although he was only at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage, his solid foundation honed over six years of arduous training, coupled with the blessing of the "Canglan Sword Technique" personally taught by his master, True Person Guanhai, allowed him to maintain a steady and composed aura throughout, demonstrating the extraordinary skill of a disciple of the Laoshan lineage.

The first leg of this westward journey is the exit route through Laoshan. Starting from the mountain gate, we bid farewell to the coastal mountains and left behind the rugged terrain. Along the way, we encountered layer upon layer of peaks and the wind howled through the mountains, filled with the unique charm of the Laoshan landscape.

The middle section passes through the border area between Shandong and Qilu provinces, belonging to the vast hilly area of ​​the Yimeng Mountains. This area is characterized by crisscrossing ridges and valleys, deep canyons, streams flowing through the valleys, continuous hills, and secluded forests, making it a natural and rugged transitional zone between the two regions.

The final section leads to the outskirts of Qufu. The further west you go, the gentler the mountains become, the ravines gradually recede, and all you see are rolling hills and gentle rivers and lakes. As you approach Qufu, the low hills of Nishan and Fangshan surround you, and the Si River meanders through the landscape. The scenery is mild and pleasant, completely shedding the imposing grandeur of the mountains and seas, and revealing the natural beauty of the Lu region.

As they traveled, Master Xuan Yang glanced sideways at Lin Yan, whose aura was steady beside him, and slowly said, "Your master passed on the 'Canglan Sword Manual' to you, laying the foundation for your swordsmanship and helping you to uphold the correct principles and strengthen your foundation, which is already excellent. However, you are currently stuck at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment and have been unable to step into the Nascent Soul stage. The problem is not in the swordsmanship, but in the method of integrating spiritual veins with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan steadied himself on his sword and immediately cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, listening intently. Such crucial guidance on breaking through to the next realm was truly rare.

"As a disciple of Laoshan who guards the spiritual veins, you have been guarding the Hidden Crystal Spiritual Vein for many years. Your spiritual power is deeply immersed in the energy of the mountains and seas, pure but somewhat closed off. You only know how to absorb the spiritual energy of the sect's spiritual veins and your own dantian, but you don't know how to use the free spiritual energy in the world and the power of the mountains and rivers to nourish your own Dao foundation." Master Xuanyang's voice was calm, each word pointing directly to the core, without mentioning any sword techniques or moves.

"To reach the Nascent Soul realm, one must draw in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, merging it with one's own spiritual power and soul to condense the true form of the Nascent Soul. I will pass on to you the secret teachings of Laoshan, the 'Mountain and Sea Fusion Technique,' which has no moves, only the cultivation of spiritual power circulation and soul perception, to help you open up the spiritual apertures throughout your body, draw in the spiritual energy of mountains and seas and heaven and earth, and break through your current bottleneck."

After speaking, Master Xuanyang flicked his fingertips, and a pale golden spiritual light entered Lin Yan's brow. A mysterious yet exquisite method of circulating spiritual energy was instantly imprinted in his soul. It was devoid of any malevolence, gentle and profound, and in line with the spirit of Laoshan Mountain and Sea.

Lin Yan closed his eyes for a moment, instantly memorizing the method. His spiritual energy subconsciously circulated according to the *Mountain and Sea Fusion Spirit Technique*, and his previously blocked and stagnant spiritual apertures began to loosen. The surrounding spiritual energy converged towards him, and the spiritual energy within his dantian became increasingly smooth and clear. He quickly bowed and said, "Disciple thanks the Sect Leader for the great kindness of imparting this technique!"

"This is the orthodox inheritance of Laoshan. As the core of the guardian vein, you should learn it." Master Xuanyang nodded slightly. "There is no need to rush to master this method. Travel westward, sense the spiritual energy of the mountains and rivers, and slowly comprehend it. This time, the ancient spiritual energy of the Hao clan in Qufu is abundant, making it an excellent place to cultivate this technique and break through to the Nascent Soul stage."

As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them stepped into the core canyon area of ​​the Yimeng Mountains.

The terrain here is steep and precipitous, with sheer cliffs on both sides and a winding ancient path cutting through the valley. The valley is shrouded in mist and the spiritual energy is chaotic, quite different from the gentle and peaceful atmosphere of Laoshan. The air is filled with a damp, cold, and malevolent aura.

"Be careful. This place has been untouched for many years and is inhabited by high-level ferocious beasts. The chaotic spiritual energy makes it even more vulnerable to attack."

Master Xuan Yang gave a deep warning, raising his hand to cast a pale golden protective shield, enveloping the two of them. Before his words had even finished, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the dense forest deep within the canyon, and a colossal black shadow pounced out—it was a black-striped Xuan Tiger, its entire body jet black and its mane bristling like steel needles!

This was a high-level ferocious beast with a notorious reputation in the Yimeng area. It possessed immense strength, its claws and teeth were coated with potent poison, and its body exuded a violent and malevolent aura. With a single swing of its thick tiger claws, it stirred up the surrounding chaotic spiritual energy, causing it to surge violently. It leaped into the air and charged straight at the two with overwhelming force, its power far surpassing that of ordinary demonic beasts.

Lin Yan's eyes sharpened. Having just acquired the Spirit Fusion Technique, he saw it as a perfect opportunity to test his skills. With a flick of his wrist, the peach wood sword was drawn from its sheath. Simultaneously, he secretly activated the "Mountain and Sea Spirit Fusion Technique," drawing scattered spiritual energy from the valley into the sword, causing its clear sword aura to surge instantly. He then unleashed the seventh move of his master's "Azure Wave Sword Technique," Azure Wave Returning to Truth. The sword's momentum was restrained yet contained immense power, its sword aura condensed and unified, without a trace of superficiality.

The black-striped tiger roared to the sky, spewing black demonic winds as it charged towards the sword energy. Its steel-needle-like mane collided violently with the pale blue sword energy, bursting forth with dazzling fragments of spiritual light. The shockwaves scattered, causing the mist in the valley to churn. Lin Yan stood firmly in the void, his longsword flashing lightly in succession. His sword energy precisely locked onto the ferocious beast's body, and in just a few breaths, he completely shattered the tiger's intelligence.

The enormous tiger crashed to the ground, its blood splattering onto the ancient bluestone path, only to be swept away by the mountain winds in the valley in an instant, leaving no trace.

With the blessing of the "Mountain and Sea Fusion Spirit Technique", the sword moves were more powerful than before. Lin Yan understood that this transmission of the technique had truly helped him take another step forward on his cultivation path.

"Able to immediately grasp the essence and leverage it to enhance combat power, his comprehension is excellent." Master Xuan Yang's eyes showed even greater approval, and his gaze then swept over the dark corners of the cliff at the top of the valley, where several faint black shadows flashed by.

With a slight twitch of his fingertips, an invisible stream of spiritual energy burst forth, instantly obliterating the concealed auras. He then spoke in a deep voice: "These are rogue cultivators and sentries left behind by the Blood Fiend Sect and the Northern Mang Sect, not the main force of the two sects. In the previous great battle, the core forces of the Blood Fiend Sect had already joined forces with the Northern Mang Sect and escaped back to the Northern Mang territory through the spatial gate. These are merely their expendable pawns left behind in the Qilu region, specifically to scout the whereabouts of passing cultivators, attempting to cause trouble when the opportunity arises."

Lin Yan sheathed his sword and stopped circulating the "Mountain and Sea Fusion Spirit Technique." He bowed and said, "This disciple will remember the sect leader's instructions and will use this trip to thoroughly understand the newly transmitted technique, hone myself, and live up to the sect's expectations."

With a flick of his sleeve, Xuan Yang Zhenren's pale golden protective shield solidified slightly. Without lingering, he turned the cloud steps beneath his feet and quickened his pace, leading Lin Yan along. The fog within the canyon grew increasingly thick, and the cliffs on both sides were jagged with strange rocks. Apart from the lingering ferocity of the Black-striped Xuan Tiger, there was no other movement. The two sped along, completely traversing the deep canyon.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the terrain ahead suddenly opened up, the cold and malevolent aura gradually dissipated, and a warm and profound spiritual energy rushed towards them. The surrounding mountains became gentle, with rolling green hills stretching endlessly, the Si River meandering through the landscape, and lush vegetation along its banks. In the distance, the outline of the ancient city of Qufu could be vaguely seen, with its flying eaves and multi-story buildings scattered about, showcasing the profound and elegant culture of the ancient Lu region.

"This is now within the territory of Qufu, under the jurisdiction of the Hao clan. The Dongyi Mountain and Sea Alliance will be held within the city." Xuan Yang Zhenren stopped, the cloud steps beneath his feet dissipated, and all the spiritual energy around him was completely withdrawn. "At that time, forces from all sides of Qi and Lu will gather. You must strictly observe the etiquette of your sect and not act rashly."

Lin Yan then withdrew his sword energy, still comprehending the profound mysteries of the "Mountain and Sea Fusion Spirit Technique." Looking up, he could clearly sense the rich and ancient spiritual energy of the local land veins, completely different from the spiritual charm of Laoshan Mountain and its surrounding seas, yet equally profound. Occasionally, flashes of light streaked across the sky, carrying cultivators from all sides heading to the alliance meeting. A grand gathering of powerful figures from across the land of Qilu was already imminent.

"Disciple understands." Lin Yan replied in a deep voice, following closely behind Xuan Yang Zhenren, walking slowly along the banks of the Si River towards Qufu City.

Meanwhile, deep within the Yimeng Valley behind them, a surviving communication talisman, taking advantage of Xuan Yang Zhenren's inattention, transformed into a barely perceptible wisp of black light and sped towards Beiman, quietly transmitting the news of the Laoshan master and disciples' westward journey to the meeting.