Translator: AnubisTL
The Azure Ridge Domain had changed hands!
This sudden turn of events plunged the rogue cultivators of the immortal realm into deep shock.
Everything had happened so abruptly, catching everyone completely off guard.
After failing to breach the Lingyun Sect's mountain gate, the Free and Unfettered Sect chose to move south, rebuilding their own mountain gate atop the spiritual vein that had once sustained the Lingyun Sect.
Their decision to settle so close to the Great Wilderness Domain stemmed from their desire to constantly monitor the region's activities.
They also feared that someone might cross the snow mountain to the south and alert the Great Wilderness Domain, so they resolved to personally guard the area.
The Free and Unfettered Sect harbored extreme caution toward the demonic path sects of the Great Wilderness Domain.
Regardless, having chosen their new mountain gate's location, the sect immediately began seizing the Lingyun Sect's former assets, recruiting disciples, and proclaiming their conquest to the world!
This process was so familiar to them that it took almost no time for the news to spread throughout the Azure Ridge Domain.
"The Free and Unfettered Sect? Where did this cultivation sect come from?"
"Hiss... They've taken over the entire Azure Ridge Domain directly. Has the Lingyun Sect been destroyed?"
"If that's the case, something major must have happened at the Lingyun Sect's mountain gate recently."
The rogue cultivators buzzed with speculation, while the cultivation clans formerly allied with the Lingyun Sect were dumbfounded.
The Azure Ridge Domain had changed hands far too frequently in recent years!
Some cultivation clans still loyal to the Lingyun Sect secretly dispatched scouts to the shores of the Boundless Sea to investigate. But after witnessing the savage wreckage and ruins, they were too terrified to venture further.
With the Free and Unfettered Sect's founding ceremony and the Carefree Old Lord's appearance in the Azure Ridge Domain, the matter was finally settled.
The Azure Ridge Domain had truly entered a new era!
During the founding ceremony, they learned the Lingyun Sect hadn't been destroyed, but under the threat of a nascent soul realm cultivator, the entire sect had been forced to retreat into their defensive formations.
Any attempt to leave the sect would likely result in death.
The revelation that the Free and Unfettered Sect possessed a nascent soul realm cultivator sent shockwaves through the cultivation world.
Such a powerful cultivator hadn't appeared in the Azure Ridge Domain for centuries!
"Patriarch Xiaoyao's cultivation is truly unfathomable. Even observing his sect's founding ceremony from afar filled me with awe."
"Exactly! Facing Patriarch Xiaoyao, I felt like an ant before a towering, boundless mountain."
"That level of power is terrifying. A nascent soul realm cultivator—their lifespan exceeds a thousand years. A true old monster!"
"No wonder the Lingyun Sect has been forced to remain within their mountain gate, not daring to venture out. The gap in strength is simply too vast."
"..."
The shock of a nascent soul realm cultivator's appearance finally forced all cultivators to accept the reality of the Azure Ridge Domain's changing landscape.
With this, the Free and Unfettered Sect's expansion in the Azure Ridge Domain smoothly progressed onto the right track.
Spirit mines in certain areas, trading markets, Spirit Herb Gardens, secret realms—all naturally fell into the Free and Unfettered Sect's hands.
After years of wandering and drifting, the Free and Unfettered Sect's disciples and elders finally couldn't help but sigh in relief, at last able to settle down.
Some rejoiced, while others grieved!
Meanwhile, a lingering shadow had fallen over the Lingyun Sect.
A heavy atmosphere hung over the entire sect, weighing down disciples, foundation establishment elders, and even several supreme elders. Their minds were far from at peace.
Faced with the Free and Unfettered Sect's threat, they dared only cower behind the mountain gate's defensive formations, not daring to venture a single step beyond.
The devastation from the great war still scarred the land outside the gate, leaving behind shocking reminders of the battle's intensity.
On Azure Cloud Peak, where Li Qing resided, a mole painstakingly climbed up, a sealed spirit letter clutched in its mouth.
"They're certainly quick on their feet," Li Qing murmured after reading the letter. "Holding their founding ceremony so soon and establishing their sect's headquarters in the Southern Domain Snowfield?"
"It seems the Free and Unfettered Sect places great importance on this border region between the two domains," he continued. "They intend to guard it personally."
After finishing the letter, Li Qing closed his eyes again, his expression calm and unperturbed.
He had anticipated this situation long ago and had secretly deployed scouts outside the sect to provide constant updates on external developments.
Though secluded within the mountain gate, Li Qing remained well-informed about the outside world.
As expected, with the appearance of the Free and Unfettered Sect's ancestor, the Lingyun Sect's prestige would rapidly erode under the pressure of a nascent soul realm cultivator. After all, a cultivation sect that dared only cower behind defensive formations could hardly maintain any credibility.
Boom!
A crimson flame erupted from Li Qing's fingertip, swiftly incinerating the spirit letter secretly delivered from the outside world into a pile of ash.
The current situation remained highly uncertain, and the looming darkness would only deepen with time.
However, if the Free and Unfettered Sect continued to press relentlessly, forcing the Lingyun Sect to the brink of destruction, Li Qing would have no choice but to inform Zhang Da in the Great Wilderness Domain.
Zhang Da still managed the black market Li Qing had established there. If the sect truly faced annihilation, Li Qing would not hesitate to instruct Zhang Da to alert the three demonic path sects in the Great Wilderness Domain.
Of course, this was a last resort, one Li Qing would only resort to under the most dire circumstances.
Once the demonic path sects of the Great Wilderness Domain turned their gaze upon the Azure Ridge Domain, the entire region would be transformed into a cursed land.
To resolve this crisis properly, Li Qing saw only one path forward: Break Core, Condense Soul, and become a cultivator in the nascent soul realm!
"Ah, I wonder how much longer it will take Fellow Daoist Tianbao to complete his task," Li Qing sighed, quickly composed himself, and closed his eyes to cultivate in seclusion.
Another half-year passed in this waiting period.
During these six months, the Free and Unfettered Sect's influence grew even stronger, and their exploitation of the other cultivation clans became increasingly brazen.
Taxes on spirit stones in the trading market were raised, and the extraction of spirit gold, spirit stone veins, Spirit Herb Gardens, and spirit rice fields became even more excessive.
In the past, the Lingyun Sect had only taken seventy percent of the clans' resources, leaving thirty percent for the cultivation clans to develop their own interests.
But the Free and Unfettered Sect's appetite was insatiable, as if they had been starving for ages. They started by taking eighty percent of the resources, and for some rare spirit gold veins, they demanded over ninety percent!
With this heavy tax, the cultivation clans dared not voice their anger, forced to endure in silence.
The rogue cultivators, who worked as laborers for other cultivation clans, fared even worse. They toiled day and night, yet reaped almost no rewards for their efforts.
"Ah, the Free and Unfettered Sect has been rapidly expanding, recruiting countless disciples and elders. They're desperately short on cultivation resources right now."
"I wonder if things will ever improve. If this continues, how are we supposed to cultivate? We might as well return to the mortal world."
"Back when the Lingyun Sect..."
"Shh! Silence! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"Just the other day, someone was ranting in a tavern at the trading market, reminiscing about the Lingyun Sect's golden age. Before long, Enforcement Disciples from the Free and Unfettered Sect dragged him back to the mountain gate for torture."
"Ugh, is that really necessary? Why has the Free and Unfettered Sect been so obsessed with hunting down Lingyun Sect's hidden spies lately?"
"Who knows? It's all a mess."
Such conversations and scenes were commonplace throughout the Azure Ridge Domain's cultivation world.
Amidst this atmosphere of widespread hardship, Li Qing in the Azure Ridge Domain finally encountered the person he had been waiting for, for three long years!
Though not quite on the verge of wearing out his eyes from waiting, Li Qing couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation when he sensed the figure concealed within the clouds above the mountain gate.
"Fellow Daoist Tianbao, you've truly kept me waiting," Li Qing transmitted through divine sense, subtly opening a gap in the Grand Formation to welcome True Monarch Tianbao inside.
In an instant, True Monarch Tianbao vanished from the clouds and materialized within the Lingyun Sect's mountain gate.
"Heh heh, Fellow Daoist Limitless, please don't blame me. The procedures for procuring the Yin-Yang Spirit Mushroom are indeed quite cumbersome, after all, it's a precious spirit herb from the merchant guild's headquarters!"
"I had only just returned to the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion in the Azure Ridge Domain when I learned of the situation at your Lingyun Sect. I didn't even have time to sit down for a cup of Spirit Ginseng Tea before rushing over to see you!"
"Heh heh, who would have thought such a cataclysmic event would occur in the Azure Ridge Domain? It seems your Lingyun Sect hasn't had an easy time of it lately!"
True Monarch Tianbao chuckled lightly, his hands clasped behind his back.
Li Qing responded with a bitter shake of his head. "The world is unpredictable. Who could have imagined that the Free and Unfettered Sect from the Great Wilderness Domain would ever come to the Azure Ridge Domain?"
"Ah, let's set that aside for now. Fellow Daoist, did you bring the Yin-Yang Spirit Mushroom I requested?"
True Monarch Tianbao burst into hearty laughter. "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Limitless, rest assured! The Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild values its reputation above all else."
"Since we signed a spiritual contract, I would never break my word!"
With that, he extended his palm, and a black-and-white spirit mushroom suddenly materialized in his palm.
The moment the mushroom appeared, the surrounding heaven and earth filled with yin-yang qi, and the temperature fluctuated between icy cold and scorching heat, creating an utterly mystical atmosphere.
Such a precious spirit herb could easily influence the surrounding environment.
The Yin-Yang Spirit Mushroom was tasteless and odorless, found only in hidden forbidden lands with extremely harsh growing conditions. It required gentle nourishment from both yin and yang qi.
Even encountering such a treasure was an extraordinary stroke of luck, let alone harvesting it. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Seeing this spirit herb, Li Qing's composure, which had remained steady for years, couldn't help but ripple with emotion.
After a long moment, once he had regained his composure, Li Qing nodded.
"Excellent! The Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild truly honors its word. I am impressed!"
Accepting the spirit herb, Li Qing clasped his hands in a deep bow toward True Monarch Tianbao.
True Monarch Tianbao stroked his mustache with a smile. "Fellow Daoist Limitless, have you found a trustworthy pill refiner?"
"Even with the pill formula in hand, refining the Dragon Transformation Pill is no simple task."
"The Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild has two skilled guest elders who specialize in pill refinement. Would you like me to contact them for you?"
As a merchant guild spanning multiple great domains, it was no surprise they had skilled pill refiners among their guest elders.
However, such pill refiners couldn't be summoned at a moment's notice. The journey across domains, combined with scheduling arrangements, would require a considerable wait.
Li Qing had no time to spare. He intended to entrust the refinement of this invaluable Dragon Transformation Pill to Dao Lord Bai Ling!
After all, as a former fifth-tier alchemist, Li Qing had absolute faith in Dao Lord Bai Ling's skills.
"That won't be necessary," Li Qing replied, rejecting the offer. "The situation at Lingyun Sect remains uncertain. Every day of delay could bring new complications. We must begin refining the pill as soon as possible!"
True Monarch Tianbao showed no offense at the rejection. He nodded.
"Under normal circumstances, I might have reservations. But given the current situation... ha ha ha! I can only trust Fellow Daoist Limitless's judgment."
His meaning was simple: with the Lingyun Sect facing such a critical crisis, Li Qing's only path to survival lay in refining the Dragon Transformation Pill and using its momentum to successfully advance to the nascent soul realm.
Both steps had to succeed; failure in either would be fatal.
Therefore, the pill refiner Li Qing had sought out at this critical moment was someone he could absolutely trust, with a success rate of at least seventy percent. Such a refiner might even have prior experience refining the Dragon Transformation Pill!
"In that case, when do you plan to begin the Pill Refinement, Fellow Daoist?"
"Once the pill is complete, allow me a glance inside the furnace to confirm the number of pills before you open it."
True Monarch Tianbao couldn't help but speculate about which mysterious pill refiner Li Qing had enlisted to assist him. However, the immortal realm was teeming with reclusive cultivators, and even the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion couldn't know them all. He suppressed his curiosity.
Li Qing took a deep breath and replied, "Now!"
Having secured the final primary ingredient for the Dragon Transformation Pill, Li Qing immediately began preparations without delay.
Inside True Lord Fu Xuan's spirit peak cave abode, Li Qing carefully harvested the Millennial Dragon Blood Vine, a spirit herb that had reached a thousand years of maturity.
The crimson vine seemed to possess a spirit of its own. The moment it was plucked, a dragon's roar echoed through the cave abode!
Roar!
However, the precious spirit herb quickly calmed down.
True Lord Fu Xuan couldn't hide the shock in his eyes. When Li Qing had first requested to harvest the Dragon Blood Vine, he had already guessed what Li Qing intended to do.
Yet he never imagined that this particular vine could actually be refined into a Dragon Transformation Pill.
Li Qing had not only discovered the pill formula but had also gathered all the other spirit herbs required, and even secured the assistance of a skilled pill refiner!
In Fu Xuan's eyes, Li Qing had become increasingly enigmatic.
Thinking of this, True Lord Fu Xuan couldn't help but ask, "Brother Limitless, are you confident in this endeavor?"
Hearing the question, Li Qing chuckled lightly. "Heh, man proposes, Heaven disposes. How could I claim absolute certainty?"
He knew that True Lord Fu Xuan's question about his confidence referred not only to Pill Refinement but also to his breakthrough to the nascent soul realm.
It was clear that Li Qing's current goal was to reach the nascent soul realm.
True Lord Fu Xuan gave Li Qing a deep look, then clasped his hands in a respectful bow, saying nothing more.
After retrieving the Millennial Dragon Blood Vine, Li Qing returned to his cave abode.
The next moment, he shook his storage pouch.
Millennial Dragon Blood Vine, Yin-Yang Spirit Mushroom, Sea Profound Ginseng Root, Eight-Hundred-Year Profound Origin Grass Juice, Pure Origin Flower Petals—everything was complete!
With all the spirit herbs from the pill formula gathered, the Dragon Transformation Pill could finally be refined!
"Senior Bai Ling, I'll need your assistance now!"
As his voice faded, a phantom-like figure materialized in Li Qing's cave abode.
Dao Lord Bai Ling nodded, observing the assembled spirit herbs. "Very well. Retrieve the Annihilation Furnace. As promised, I will personally refine this peerless great pill for you."
Given the Dragon Transformation Pill's fourth-tier status, even Dao Lord Bai Ling had to treat it with utmost seriousness. A fourth-tier pill was no common weed found by the roadside!
(End of the Chapter)
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