Free Web NovelChapter 557: Chapter 3: Guarding the Sect
"Congratulations to Senior Brother Li on ascending to True Man!"
"Welcome Senior Brother Li back to the Sect."
"Welcome True Inheritor Li back."
...
Amidst the congratulatory voices of Biyun Sect disciples, Li Ji’an entered the Sect alongside Xiao Changfeng and landed on the Sect square, where he had once been appointed as Chief True Inheritor.
"Elders, fellow disciples, thank you for your hard work." Li Ji’an stood on the high platform and cupped his hands toward the disciples in the field.
"We, as members of the Sect, live and die with the Sect, sharing both advance and retreat." The disciples below spoke in voices like booming bells, deafening and loud.
"Excellent, you all are the future of the Sect!" Li Ji’an praised with an unchanging face and a steady heart.
Xiao Changfeng and the three Fake Pill Elders felt slightly uneasy and immediately stepped forward to explain to Li Ji’an.
"Everyone, back then, the situation was chaotic, and the major forces were at odds. To preserve the Sect’s bloodline, Supreme Elder Yun Qing had no choice but to send Li Ping’an and other True Inheritors to distant lands, enduring humiliation and heavy burdens, seeking breakthroughs for today’s return and ascension to protect the Sect.
Li Ping’an did not disappoint, forming a Middle Level True Pill without the Sect’s assistance, clearly demonstrating Supreme Elder Yun Qing’s keen vision.
From today, Li Ping’an is appointed as a Supreme Elder of Biyun Sect."
"Supreme Elder Yun Qing is wise, and Supreme Elder Li has worked tirelessly."
"Disciples pay respect to Supreme Elder Li!"
...
As a True Pill Master, his return to the Sect at this moment is a timely assistance; no one would think he came for the Sect’s Tier Three Spirit Vein Dao Field.
After the disciples paid respects, the Sect’s high-ranking members—two True Pill Masters, three Fake Pill Elders, plus the new Foundation Establishment Stage Sect Leader—gathered in the Sect’s main hall.
Xiao Changfeng was most proactive, not only arranging for Li Ji’an to stay at Yun Qing Ascendant’s Dao Field but also transferring various approval authorities and even the Token for the Sect’s Protective Array Hub to Li Ji’an.
The new Sect Leader was promoted by Xiao Changfeng from the Inner Sect disciples a few years ago. The former Sect Leader had fallen on the battlefield and had originally cultivated and designated the next Sect Leader. Unfortunately, fearing retribution when Ten Thousand Laws Palace was annihilated, he escaped among the disciples.
The new Sect Leader possesses average talent but fortunately has a stable heart nature and is quite familiar with the Sect’s affairs.
If the Sect were still thriving, it could strongly support him to form a Fake Pill.
However, given the current Sect’s conditions, it is beyond capability, and he is now stuck at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, unlikely to advance further this lifetime—probably stopping at the Late Period of Foundation Establishment.
The Sect Leader obeys Elder Changfeng’s commands, not daring to oppose.
Li Ji’an is a generation younger than Xiao Changfeng and, after several refusals, became aware of Xiao Changfeng’s concerns and temporarily accepted the responsibilities.
After all, sitting in the Sect doesn’t make much of a difference.
Not until returning to his own Cave Mansion, did Xiao Changfeng, without waiting for Li Ji’an to inquire, explain the reasons.
Five years ago, Qingmen Sect was annihilated by Blood Spirit Sect, with most stationed sect members and disciples dying on the spot.
Among the stationed disciples was Fairy Yunyao, whom Xiao Changfeng was concerned about.
This time, Xiao Changfeng made no concealment and directly expressed the mutual understanding and feelings developed with Fairy Yunyao from initial misunderstandings to feelings over time.
However, Qingmen Sect and Biyun Sect were adversaries back then, and both were True Pill Elders of their Sects, able only to conceal their feelings deeply.
Yet, seven years ago, when Qingmen Sect was destroyed, Xiao Changfeng received Fairy Yunyao’s last words, filled with sincere and deep regret.
At that time, Xiao Changfeng intended to seek her out, but with turmoil in the Sect, overturning the remaining backbone left him the only pillar. Had he departed, Biyun Sect surely wouldn’t have survived.
Afterward, Yunyao’s whereabouts were lost.
Xiao Changfeng thought she had sacrificed herself for the Sect.
Until five years ago, Golden Puppet Holy Monarch issued a decree that no longer would forces within the domain be targeted, but those with significant animosities toward Corpse Puppet Sect and Blood Spirit Sect were still on wanted lists.
Among them was Fairy Yunyao.
This rekindled Xiao Changfeng’s hope: to find Yunyao.
However, while Biyun Sect was temporarily preserved, small forces from Yellow Heaven Domain and Boundless Domain continued to threaten Biyun Sect’s survival, leaving him unable to depart.
Now, with Li Ji’an returning, he could finally replace Xiao Changfeng temporarily, allowing Xiao Changfeng to find her.
"A lifetime for a human, an autumn for grass and trees—even as a Core Formation True Man, lifespan is only five hundred years. At my current age of two hundred twenty-five, life is almost halfway over, and I hope not to leave regrets in the latter half." Xiao Changfeng said sincerely.
Li Ji’an secretly nodded. In the river of time, a year, a hundred years, or five hundred years really makes little difference; they are but a fleeting moment. As long as there is an end, the outcome is the same.
Xiao Changfeng clearly lost his drive to advance.
It’s not due to insufficient willpower, but rather his life experience and environmental influences.
With the Sect’s imprint upon him, it’s difficult to break free.
Now, the Sect’s conditions are unable to support him in progressing to the Middle Stage of Core Formation.
With life’s length fixed, filling the process without regrets naturally enhances life’s depth.
"Uncle Master, please wait a few more months, I need to visit some old friends." Li Ji’an spoke candidly.
"Ping’an, I’ve waited for several years already, naturally wouldn’t mind waiting a few more months. However, the domain environment has dramatically changed. Are you aware?" Xiao Changfeng nodded in agreement and specifically mentioned this point.
"Please guide me, Uncle Master."
"Currently, the Demon Cultivators hold great power in the domain; although the major Demon Sects won’t attack as a whole, smaller forces and demonic Loose Cultivators act unchecked. Besides, in Boundless Domain’s longstanding conduct, the weak fall prey to the strong. When disciples are killed, there’s no Sect or family seeking revenge.
Golden Puppet Holy Monarch previously issued a decree, even if a Saint Child of Corpse Puppet Sect lost in magical combat, it’s regarded as his own lack of skill. Corpse Puppet Sect won’t avenge him.
Therefore, Demon Cultivators act without care. Our Biyun Sect disciples outside have suffered many casualties.
Moreover, there are quite a few Loose Cultivators in the Core Formation Stage among the Demon Cultivators. They look down on Righteous Cultivators from Celestial Cyan Domain, even daring to test a True Man’s might with Foundation Establishment Peak Demon Cultivators.
Now that you venture out as a True Man, don’t become complacent." Xiao Changfeng immediately informed Li Ji’an of the current domain situation.
Li Ji’an nodded, having heard whispers in Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, but now the picture was clearer.
The situation is indeed chaotic.
Cultivators below Core Formation, especially those influenced by Celestial Cyan Domain’s former cultivation customs, find this environment truly distressing, having to tread carefully at all times.
Because during Ten Thousand Laws Palace’s reign, domain cultivators focused mainly on cultivation realms. Magical combat and sinister plots were relatively few.
Now faced with Demon Cultivators and Evil Cultivators specializing in harmful tactics, they inevitably suffer great losses.
However, this scenario offers fewer hidden risks to Li Ji’an now.
At least future killings won’t trouble him too much about attracting revenge.
Moreover, given the current environment, his confidence in Biyun Sect’s stability grows.
In contrast to Xiao Changfeng’s previous concerns over Demon Cultivators launching widespread attacks, enduring humiliation and burden in handling affairs.
Li Ji’an finds the present better suited to the great leader’s theory: hit hardest with a single punch rather than facing a hundred blows.
The next day, Li Ji’an left Biyun Sect and headed for Odd Stone Forest Dao Field.
If he could resolve the Nascent Soul threat posed by True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws, he could then peacefully return to the Sect to close-door cultivate, confident in facing Core Formation Ascendants with high-tier talisman materials and a large stock of puppet materials accumulated in Ten Thousand Merchants Domain!
