Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 2320 - 1629: Sorrow

"Thank you, teacher, for granting me this treasure. I will devote myself to diligent cultivation and serve the sect as soon as possible!"

Hu Yuan forced himself to resist the urge to open the Jade Box and once again bowed to Li Zhirui in thanks.

"I hope you do not forget your original intentions."

Li Zhirui nodded, then addressed all the disciples, "To cultivate diligently and lead the sect to greater strength is the mission of every disciple."

"Next, the nine disciples breaking through Foundation Establishment will also receive spiritual objects as a celebration."

"We disciples will surely remember this!"

Many disciples, upon hearing that there would be spiritual objects, and of considerable grade at that, felt both envy toward Hu Yuan and regret for not working harder in their cultivation before.

If they were now at Qi Cultivation Completion, or even Late-stage Qi Refining, they would have a chance to compete for the remaining nine spots, but as they were only in the Qi Refining Middle Stage, there was simply no hope for them at all.

As for those who did have a chance...

Everyone’s gaze unanimously shifted to the few people in the front row.

Li Chenyang, Zhang Que, Yun Ruoxue, Zhang He...

Among this generation of disciples, there were currently a few dozen in the Late-stage Qi Refining, with six at Qi Cultivation Completion; it was highly likely they would obtain the spiritual objects.

The remaining dozens in Late-stage Qi Refining faced even fiercer competition—they would have to fight for the last three available spots!

Although not a single disciple spoke, the lecture hall was already filled with an air of tension, as the atmosphere grew increasingly strained.

Li Zhirui observed all these changes, but said nothing. After all, a certain degree of competition and pressure was beneficial to the disciples.

Dang——

He merely tapped the Jade Bell with his finger, recalling their attention, and said, "Calm your mind and focus!"

He then began explaining the common issues that appear during the Qi Cultivation Stage, such as certain minor nodes that are often overlooked; although not cultivating them would not have too much impact, if cultivated, the foundation would be all the more solid.

It was precisely these minor nodes that allowed family and sect cultivators to consistently stay ahead of and suppress loose cultivators without guidance.

"Today’s lecture ends here. In your cultivation, have you encountered any matters you do not understand?" Li Zhirui asked.

Ever since the disciples broke through Qi Cultivation, lectures were no longer held daily. Cultivation was, in the end, a personal matter. Previously, before entering the Dao, they knew nothing of cultivation, so required step-by-step instruction, but that was a special case.

Now they were already beginners, so naturally it no longer had to be as before.

And as their cultivation increased, the frequency of lectures would continue to decrease.

When most disciples broke through Divine Transformation, daily lectures would cease altogether!

At that point, it would become more about preaching and imparting the Dao—of course, that would only occur once every few months.

After the lecture ended, the disciples raced back to Qingmiao Peak by every means possible, promptly shut their doors, and began cultivation, all fighting to break through as soon as possible.

Even those who had no chance of competing for spiritual objects this time adopted the same attitude.

Although there was no opportunity for them this time, who could know whether, at their Golden Core breakthrough, there would not be even more precious spiritual objects bestowed?

...

The rarely visited Spirit Soul Mountain welcomed a few ’honored guests’ today.

These individuals were all Heavenly Immortal cultivators from Sky Snow Mountain and Bibo Mansion.

If there was anything they shared in common, it was that they were all vassals of the Tongtian Sect!

"Say, has Tongtian Sect really not interfered or made any demands on us all these years?" A Heavenly Immortal from Sky Snow Mountain spoke, somewhat uneasily.

If Tongtian Sect were to make many demands—for example, ordering them to offer precious, rare, high-grade spiritual objects; or to help clear and capture wild beasts in the mountains; or to require them to send a certain number of disciples to serve Tongtian Sect each year...

If that was the case, then they would feel Tongtian Sect was too harsh, lacking in kindness.

But if there was nothing at all, then they felt unsettled.

Because, in their eyes, it meant that Tongtian Sect did not regard them as vassals or subordinates at all.

Between these two situations, they considered the latter far more serious than the former!

They needed to remember that there was still animosity between themselves and Tongtian Sect.

Back then, to preserve their own inheritance, they took the initiative to seek audience, becoming vassals to Tongtian Sect, thus escaping disaster.

Yet now, this situation left them filled with unease—perhaps Tongtian Sect only agreed on the surface back then, but always harbored the intention of exterminating them?

The thought that such a possibility might occur gave them chills.

The tragic fate of Yuanmu Gate that year—they had personally witnessed it.

After so many years of development, Tongtian Sect must have grown even stronger; would they eventually share such a fate?

This was why Sky Snow Mountain and Bibo Mansion had dispatched Heavenly Immortals to Spirit Soul Sect, hoping to discuss countermeasures and resolve this potential crisis.

"Is it possible that Tongtian Sect simply looks down on our little collection of spiritual objects and meager strength, and thus completely ignores us?"

The Heavenly Immortal of Spirit Soul Sect, however, remained rather calm, completely unlike the worried Heavenly Immortals from the other two sects, and replied leisurely, "To Tongtian Sect, it’s qi fortune that matters most, not spiritual objects, nor our allegiance."

These three powers of Heavenly Immortals—could they offer something impressive? Yes, but those were their bottom-most treasures, never revealed or leaked to the outside.

Except for those few spiritual objects, they had nothing else worthy of attracting the attention of Tongtian Sect.