Divine Root Bone

As the demonic calamity subsided, the smoke and fire of war on Qingyun Mountain slowly dissipated.

However, the traces of the great battle are still visible throughout the entire mountain gate. Broken ancient trees, charred cliffs, damaged array bases, and numerous disciples lying in bed recovering from their injuries all testify to the heavy losses suffered in this battle.

Today, the main hall of Lingxiao Peak is wide open, and all disciples, both inside and outside the sect, stand in solemn rows to listen to the sect's discussion of merits and rewards.

On the jade throne at the head of the hall, Sect Master Ling Xuanchen, with a calm expression, looked at the neatly arranged disciples below and slowly spoke, his voice resounding throughout the entire hall.

"When the demonic sect attacked, all the disciples of the sect fought bloody battles to defend the mountain and vowed to protect our Qingyun Mountain Gate to the death. Everyone has made contributions."

He paused slightly, his tone carrying a hint of calm helplessness, as he tactfully described the current state of the sect:

However, the sect suffered enormous losses after this battle. As you all surely know and have witnessed.

Previously, Zhang Yang had made steady progress from the fifth level of Qi Refining to the eighth level. In order to solidify his foundation and preserve his unparalleled talent, the sect spent a large amount of accumulated spiritual resources to help him cleanse his marrow and strengthen his foundation.

Furthermore, "After the war, more than half of the sect's disciples were injured, their meridians were damaged, and their bodies were impure. They all needed continuous spiritual energy nourishment and elixirs to strengthen their foundation. In addition, the protective mountain array had been activated to its limit for days, the spiritual veins of each peak were in operation, and the expenses for repairing the mountain gate were complicated. At present, the sect's treasury supplies could only be tightened and coordinated, prioritizing the care of the disciples and the stability of the mountain gate."

His words were frank and gentle, every sentence true, yet not a single one of them directly complained about being poor.

All the disciples present understood this perfectly.

It's not that the sect doesn't want to reward us; it's just that everything is in ruins after the war, and it's already difficult enough to maintain cultivation and care for the wounded.

Immediately, the sect leader's gaze locked onto Zhang Yang, who stood tall and straight in the hall, and his tone became solemn.

"Today's ceremony is the most important event for the sect. It is not about rewarding those who have made contributions in battle, but about selecting the future pillars of the sect and cultivating them with special care."

"Zhang Yang remained calm and composed during the great battle. What is even more remarkable is that his talent for cultivation is unparalleled throughout history, and his innate talent far surpasses that of ordinary top-grade spiritual roots. He is a peerless genius that our Qingyun Sect has only seen once in ten thousand years."

Such a gem should not be overlooked!

The sect leader loudly proclaimed the final decree:

"From this day forward, Zhang Yang is relieved of his status as an inner disciple and promoted to a core disciple of the Qingyun Sect!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a low tremor resounded inside and outside the hall.

The Qingyun Sect has a strict hierarchy: Outer Sect, Inner Sect, Core Sect, Personal Disciple, and Holy Son.

Core disciples are the sect's top training echelon, and their treatment, privileges, and cultivation resources far surpass those of ordinary inner and outer disciples.

Countless disciples toiled for decades without hope of advancement, but Zhang Yang, with his newly advanced Foundation Establishment Level 2 cultivation, ascended to the top in one step thanks to his unparalleled talent.

No one in the room disagreed; everyone was completely convinced.

The ceremony was solemn and dignified, and the entire sect recognized this suddenly rising young core disciple.

At the same time, the scene changes.

Thousands of miles away, the eastern border region is isolated by mountains and barren hills, with only one isolated road leading to the outside world.

Deep in the mountains lies an extremely quiet village.

It was afternoon, and the village was peaceful and serene.

The fields are neatly arranged, smoke rises from chimneys, children play, and villagers work in the fields; the whole village is peaceful and tranquil.

Behind the village, on the mountainside, a dense, layered mass of graves covered the hillside.

Old and new earthen graves were interspersed, the air was deathly still, and the whole hillside was eerily quiet.

Deep within the desolate graveyard stood a solitary figure in white.

This person stood tall and straight, with a cool and aloof demeanor. Dressed in white, he was spotless and stood quietly among thousands of lonely graves.

One could not discern much of his expression, but sensed that this person possessed an extremely profound aura, unfathomable cultivation, and a Dao heart as steadfast as an abyss, quietly overlooking the entire cemetery.

He has been observing this place for a long time.

The figure in white stood silently before the grave, motionless for a long time.

The entire desolate mountain was deathly silent, except for the eerie undercurrents buried deep in the earth.

No one knows who he is, and no one knows why he is there.

However, if any cultivators were present, they would notice that this person was dressed exactly like the Qingyun Sect's attire.

The scene returns to the main peak of Qingyun Mountain in the Southern Region.

The commendation ceremony has concluded, and all the disciples are silent, awaiting further instructions from their sect leader.

The sect leader's gaze fell on Zhang Yang, the newly promoted core disciple, and he slowly spoke, announcing a major arrangement for the sect.

"Next month, the Black Stone Ridge in the Eastern Region will host a grand competition for all sects at the Qi Refining Realm level, with dozens of sects from the surrounding area gathering to discuss and compete."

"This competition is limited to Qi Refining disciples. Those who rank highly will receive a massive amount of spiritual resources, materials, and cultivation manuals, enough to make up for the resource shortage in our sect after the war."

"The sect has decided that you, Zhang Yang, will lead the team of outstanding junior brothers and sisters to Black Stone Ridge in the Eastern Region to participate in the martial arts competition."

As soon as he finished speaking, not a single disciple in the room raised any objections.

Zhang Yang possesses exceptional combat skills and a calm demeanor, making him the perfect candidate to lead the team.

Once everyone had calmed down, the sect leader slowly added a sentence, revealing the secret for the first time:

"On your journey to Black Stone Ridge in the Eastern Region, you will pass through a secluded mountain village called Shou'an Village."

"I have a personal disciple who was given a secret order by me to travel to the Eastern Regions to investigate this place."

"He has been secretly investigating and lingering in the Shouan Village area. When you lead your team through the area, you can take the initiative to meet up with him. When you and your fellow disciples meet, you can look after each other along the way and ensure the safety of the entire team so that you can safely reach the competition venue."

until now.

For the first time, everyone present learned that the sect leader had a personal disciple who had been living in the Eastern Region, carrying a secret mission and hiding in the shadows.

Zhang Yang stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, straightened his back, and said solemnly and resolutely, "Disciple obeys! This time, leading the team eastward, I will take good care of every junior brother and sister who are traveling with us. If any danger arises on the road ahead, I will immediately step in to protect them and do everything in my power to ensure everyone's safety. At the same time, we will do our best to compete for a higher ranking on the list and obtain more cultivation resources for the sect."

Upon hearing this, the sect leader nodded slightly, a gentle smile appearing on his face. He looked around at the group of young disciples in the hall and asked, "Although the journey to Black Stone Ridge is long, it will also provide opportunities for practical experience and broaden our horizons. Disciples who wish to accompany Zhang Yang can give their permission now."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall instantly became lively.

All the disciples knew that Zhang Yang was an open and gentle person who never bullied the weak. His talent was also extremely rare, as he could contend with a Foundation Establishment Stage 3 cultivator at the second level of Foundation Establishment. He was tall and handsome, and humble. Being able to travel and train with such a person would not only ensure a safe journey, but also allow them to observe his combat techniques at any time, which was an extremely great opportunity.

In an instant, disciples from both the outer and inner sects raised their hands and took half a step forward, fearing they would miss out on a spot, creating a lively and noisy scene.

Zhang Yang's gaze swept across the crowd, and he soon spotted two particularly eye-catching figures.

One of them was Lin Wanqing, whose eyes were bright and sparkling, her body leaning slightly forward, full of anticipation, clearly eager to try; the other was Su Qingyao from the Yunlan Sect.

After the great battle between Qingyun Mountain and the Demonic Sect ended, Su Qingyao should have returned with her sect, but a question lingered in her mind—

Inside the secret realm's side hall, Zhang Yang's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, breaking through several realms in a short period. Such astonishing speed of improvement could not have been achieved through ordinary fortuitous encounters. Curious about the secrets hidden within that side hall, she was unwilling to leave and requested permission from the elders of the Qingyun Sect to stay temporarily, keeping a close eye on Zhang Yang's movements. Now, hearing that they were to travel to the Eastern Region for a martial arts competition, she was equally filled with anticipation, standing among the crowd, her eyes gazing expectantly into the hall.

Besides the two of them, countless Qi Refining disciples in the hall were vying for a place, each with a look of longing on their faces, eager to follow Zhang Yang.

The seven elders beside the sect leader witnessed this scene, exchanged glances, and their eyes were filled with satisfaction. Zhang Yang had only been a core disciple for a short time, yet he had already gained such support from the entire younger generation of the sect, which was enough to show that he was well-liked and had the leadership qualities to coordinate and lead the team and win people's hearts. The sect could rest assured in entrusting the younger generation to him.

After the ceremony ended, the leaders of each peak began to compile a list of accompanying disciples, pack their bags, prepare provisions and medicines for the journey, and set off in formation the next morning to head to Black Stone Ridge in the Eastern Region.

At night, everything is silent.

Zhang Yang resided in Qingyun Xiaozhu, a secluded meditation cave on the West Peak. Inside, the candlelight flickered softly as he sat alone on the couch, his mind churning with thoughts.

He clearly remembered that as he broke through his cultivation realm, the sect spared no expense, providing him with all the top-grade spiritual energy they had accumulated over the years to solidify his spiritual foundation. Coupled with the numerous injuries sustained in the previous battles, which depleted the spiritual energy and elixirs, the sect's supplies were now strained, and its coffers were dwindling. He felt deeply indebted to the sect for their utmost efforts in nurturing him and longed to find an opportunity to repay their kindness.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Yang quietly got up and gently pushed open the door.

In the next room, Lin Wanqing and Su Qingyao, who were staying there temporarily, were not yet asleep. They peeked through the window paper and saw Zhang Yang go out alone. A hint of doubt crossed their minds, but they knew that Zhang Yang was of good character and acted with propriety, so they did not think much of it and just waited quietly for him to return.

As night deepened, Zhang Yang traveled alone to the Tranquil Heart Hall, where the sect leader usually sat in meditation to discuss matters.

Only the sect leader sat in the hall, slightly taken aback when he saw Zhang Yang arrive late at night. Before the sect leader could ask any questions, Zhang Yang reached into his storage bag and opened his palm. Four lustrous, translucent crystals, shimmering with faint starlight, lay quietly in his hand. These were the Time Jade Essences he had obtained in the side hall of the secret realm.

A rich, warm aura of time instantly filled the entire hall. The moment the sect leader saw the crystal's appearance, he abruptly stood up, his eyes surging with undisguised shock, and exclaimed, "This is actually the Jade Marrow of Time! Where did you obtain such a rare treasure?"

Before Zhang Yang could reply, the sect leader composed himself and slowly waved his hand: "There's no need to go into details. Everyone has their own opportunities and secrets, and I won't pry. However, this item is far too precious. Even in Zhongzhou, it's a rare treasure that countless powerful figures would fight over. It's invaluable to ordinary cultivators like us. We old folks have already reached our goals and don't need this item to aid our cultivation. You should keep it and use it to refine your own foundation."

Zhang Yang felt a surge of warmth in his heart. The Time Jade Marrow was a rare treasure that was hard to come by. Ordinary sects would definitely try every means to collect it, but the sect leader had no greed at all and was only thinking of him.

He refused to take it back and insisted on taking half a step forward, earnestly saying, "Sect Master, the sect has spent countless spiritual resources to cultivate me, and now the treasury is tight. This batch of jade marrow is of little use to me. Please accept it and distribute it to the elders and disciples in the sect who need it, so as to make up for the sect's losses."

After several attempts to refuse, the sect leader, seeing his resolute determination, could no longer refuse. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, "Since you are so sincere, I will accept both portions. Our sect's ancestor has been stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment for many years, unable to find a breakthrough opportunity. The power of time contained in the Jade Marrow of Time can help him refine his foundation. If our ancestor can use this to advance further, the overall strength of our Qingyun Sect can rise to another level."

After saying this, the sect leader took two pieces from the four pieces of Time Jade Essence, and pushed the remaining two pieces back into Zhang Yang's palm, instructing him to keep them safe for his own cultivation.

Seeing that the sect leader had already accepted half of the jade marrow, Zhang Yang knew that refusing again would only disappoint the other party's good intentions. He had no choice but to put the remaining two pieces of jade marrow back into his storage bag, bowed and took his leave, and turned back to Qingyun Xiaozhu.

Hearing footsteps outside the door, Lin Wanqing and Su Qingyao, who were in the next room, saw Zhang Yang return so quickly. Their doubts dissipated, and they stopped thinking about it. They went back to their beds and fell into a deep sleep, resting and waiting for the next morning to regroup and set off together for the distant Eastern Region.