Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Sang Za let out a wail, covering his face, lowering his head without a word, enduring the pain of his wound with clenched teeth.

He knew his father was angry now.

Sang Chen was gasping for breath, waving his hand, ”You two, go out first.”

Ahu and Abao, as if receiving amnesty, hurriedly bowed their heads and backed out of the room; now was not the time for them to stay.

After the disciples left, Sang Chen activated the Dharma Prohibition of the grotto mansion, saying with disappointment:

”Fool, when cultivators from the external continents come to the Southern Continent, they do not care that you’re a disciple of a Nascent Soul Sect, and even less that you’re my son!”

He had repeatedly warned his only son that the cultivators from the external continents had no concerns about family, friends, or sects; they acted ruthlessly, with some even being wanted tribulation cultivators from other regions.

Against these burden-free cultivators, vigilance must be enhanced.

But clearly, his son hadn’t taken the warnings to heart.

Ever since ten years ago when the sect had a conflict with the Shadowless Sect at Lantao Mountain, the sect had been engaged in incessant disputes with external forces.

Rumors circulated that the Earth Evil Sect had obtained the World Core at Lantao Mountain, putting the sect in a passive position.

Such baseless rumors didn’t significantly impact the sect but were quite bothersome.

About two years ago, some Chao Origin Stage disciples were ambushed and killed while on a mission, verified to be the act of Golden Core cultivators, casting a shadow over everyone’s hearts.

Sang Za tremblingly said:

”Father, I’ve remembered.”

His father doted on him greatly, but when in a rage, Sang Za dared not defy him in the slightest.

Sang Chen snorted coldly, stood up, and said:

”Stay put, and when I return, you’ll leave, and for three years, you are not to take a single step out of the sect.”

He walked out of the grotto mansion, putting on a kind face, and said:

”You two, keep an eye on Sang Za.”

Ahu and Abao responded in unison, ”Rest assured, Master.”

Sang Chen nodded lightly, soared into the sky riding a White Bone Skull magical treasure, and then floated away.

Abao whispered, ”What a mess, the undercurrents have been surging in the Southern Continent for years, yet there’s still no sense of precaution.”

It’s obvious that someone is stirring up trouble, causing friction between the sect and other forces.

Ahu gently shook his head, pointed at the grotto mansion, and transmitted:

”Speak less, Sang Za is small-minded; if he wants to trouble us, he only needs to provoke Master against us.”

Contempt flashed in Abao’s eyes, but he did not continue the previous topic; he had always respected this elder brother.

”Brother, do you think if Master doesn’t find the target, he’ll order us to make a trip and request other forces to assist in capturing them?”

If we’d have to run around, who knows how long it would take, and he was very opposed to that.

Ahu thought for a moment and said:

”Judging by Master’s temperament and his indulgence towards Sang Za, we won’t escape this errand.”

...

In the Quiet Chamber of the grotto mansion, Ji An was identifying the Spirit Seeds seized from the enemies; others had no use for them, so they had all given them to him.

The seeds were of various kinds; he set aside the low-tier seeds he could recognize, intending to one day find a place to casually scatter them.

Among the Tier Two seeds, there were only three types, two of which were Spirit Medicine Seeds, and these were easy to identify by their size alone.

He had no need for them, planning to leave them at the Agricultural Hall when returning to the sect.

There was a brown Spirit Seed, the size of a fingertip, of Tier Two Middle Grade, but he couldn’t determine its type.

Because its exterior, besides the swirling Spirit Light, had no other obvious characteristics, he could only discern that it was a Fire Element Plant.

He planned to plant it on Red Flame Peak after returning to see what type of spirit plant it was.

Liu Yu, seeing his actions, laughed and said:

”It seems there aren’t many Spirit Seeds that catch Junior Brother’s eye.”

Without having expanded the grotto mansion, the two of them could only squeeze in.

Ji An pinched the brown Spirit Seed and said:

”Just this one, and it’s a Fire Element Plant, not satisfying.”

His Fire Element Divine Mansion had already reached Perfection, and his need for such plants was minimal.

Fortunately, majority of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the sect cultivated fire element techniques, so they were not without use.

”Haha, this kind of thing depends on luck.”

Liu Yu leaned over, winking, and said:

”Junior Brother, after being together day and night for ten years, have you and Senior Sister had anything happen?”

After ten years of standing together shoulder to shoulder, the relationship should be very close.

Ji An grinned and laughed:

”Senior Brother’s curiosity in this matter is unexpected to me.

Could it be that during Senior Brother’s travels, he met a Joyful Union Sect disciple who moved his heart?”

He thought that although the other party was a disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall and often performed tasks outside, he was still, in essence, a cultivator devoted to bitter cultivation.

In terms of cultivation, the two were very much alike.

Thinking of the Joyful Union Sect, Ji An had a little bit of regret in his heart.

Since coming to the Southern Continent, his so-called traveling was actually akin to changing locations for his arduous cultivation.

Occasionally, he would venture out with his senior sister, traveling to the nearest Golden Lion Ridge Immortal City to purchase some Earth Soul Soothing Pills.

Due to the lack of connections with the outside world, he hadn’t encountered the famous Joyful Union Sect cultivators.

In the Western Continent, most cultivators didn’t know about the presence of Nascent Soul Sects like the Earth Evil Sect and the Shadowless Sect here, but when it comes to the Joyful Union Sect, he’s sure that over seventy percent of the cultivators have heard of it.

”Haha, don’t say, I have actually seen disciples from the Joyful Union Sect, their charm is beyond mere words.”

Liu Yu’s eyes flashed with a recollective look and quickly shook his head.

For cultivators aspiring to break through to the Golden Core, preserving Primordial Yang and Primordial Yin is an inevitable choice.

After breaking through to the Golden Core, there’s no such concern.

Ji An observed his expression and joked:

”I see the regret in Senior Brother’s eyes, to not have seized the opportunity, how pitiful.

If it were me, I would certainly grasp the chance.”

Liu Yu sneered, ”Please, I know you well.

Preserving Primordial Yang and Primordial Yin benefits the breakthrough to Golden Core, though there’s no direct evidence, it’s what the Central Continent Major Sect requires of their core disciples.

Junior Brother, I can’t believe you haven’t heard similar news.”

The two exchanged a few words, and the faded sense of unfamiliarity from years of separation vanished.

Unexpectedly, the topic turned to sect cultivators, Ji An softly said:

”Senior Brother, Senior Sister Mu has been interested in you for years. What do you think about it?”

This matter is evident to all fellow disciples, but being a private affair, no one brings it up.

Today he asked because after fighting side by side, and the topic just now brought them closer, which prompted the question.

Liu Yu remained silent, how could he not understand Mu Qingwan’s feelings? During the Foundation Establishment Stage, she went to great lengths to gather pill resources for him.

However, before breaking through to the Golden Core, he didn’t want to cross the boundary between senior and junior.

Whether his view on this emotion would change after breaking through, he couldn’t be sure.

”I have fond feelings for Qingwan as well, but fear to let down this affection.

My goal is to break through to Golden Core, if successful but Qingwan fails, witnessing a companion’s demise in one’s arms is unbearably sorrowful.”

Ji An faintly shook his head, this could very well be a fleeting romance doomed never to solidify.

Liu Yu changed the topic, stating:

”Junior Brother, I have some beast hide of a Fire Element Demon Beast at the Chao Origin Stage on hand, along with some essence blood, are you interested?”

The other party is a rather good Talisman Maker, so he thought of him first for good materials.

”Of course I’ll buy, but the payment on your reward can only be settled later.”

”No problem, this was from a Blazing Fox I killed, you can verify it.”

Ji An inspected it, and both parties agreed on the price, the transaction was completed.

”Senior Brother, I need to start making talisman ink since I’ve got the materials now.”

...

Sang Chen sped along the remnants of the disciples’ aura trail in the sky, covering a thousand miles took only a double hour.

Before even entering the Qianren Mountains, the lingering aura had disappeared without a trace.

He sighed lightly, inwardly feeling a lack of hope in finding the target.

Though having come this far, he felt obliged to search for a few days to be at ease.

The perpetrator was only a Chao Origin Stage Cultivator, likely unaware of the Golden Core Cultivator’s tracking means.

The white bone skull’s eye sockets gleamed with green light.

This was the Green Phosphorus Evil Qi condensed by Golden Core cultivators, condensing evil qi from the Five Elements or other spiritual objects is standard practice for them.

Sang Chen drove his magical treasure deep into the mountain range, and the tumultuous Gang Wind overhead was no obstacle.

Three days later, he returned empty-handed, but selectively left several Memory Stones in certain places, hoping for future gains.

...

Two years passed.

Ji An sat cross-legged in the grotto mansion, circulating the Metal Element Chapter of the Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture, patterns on his lungs emitted a crystalline brilliance.

The Metal Dao Seed shone, akin to the dazzling stars in the sky.

The White Tiger Mysterious Golden Pill was rapidly refined, strands of Metal Qi being swallowed by the core of the Divine Mansion, substantial spiritual qi converted into silver magical power, trickling into the dantian.

The Stone Turtle opened its mouth, spitting five streams of Clear Spirit Qi, the Primordial Life Fire instantly flared.

Ji An acutely sensed that the innermost layer of cyan flame no longer expanded, the absorbed Clear Spirit Qi fully transformed into red flowing flame.

’Has the Wood Element Spiritual Flame truly reached perfection?’ he delightedly thought.

Moments later, he awoke from cultivation, sighed with a sense of loss.

The last White Tiger Mysterious Golden Pill had just been refined, the Divine Mansion core’s current size was three-tenths of the total lung volume.

Rapid cultivation advancement is so intoxicating, but in the future, only the Water Element Divine Mansion can be fortified.

Finishing cultivation, Ji An exited the Quiet Chamber, seeing Han Yan and Liu Yu chatting, he smiled and said:

”You both ended Qi Eating earlier than usual today.”

”Yes, today Liu Yu and I discussed, feeling the events of previous years should be over soon, we’re preparing to go to Golden Lion Ridge to buy some pills and other resources, Junior Brother, want to join?”

”Of course I will, I have accumulated a batch of talismans that need clearing, maybe with luck, I’ll be able to buy some pills.”

Liu Yu stood up, saying:

”Then what are we waiting for, let’s go!”

The three rode the clouds, flying two hundred miles out from the Qianren Mountains, Ji An saw black smoke billowing from the southwest, and couldn’t help but feel a thrill.

In that direction lies a desolate high mountain called Fire Feather Mountain, an active volcano, and it looks like it might erupt, he couldn’t care less to continue to Golden Lion Ridge and said:

”Senior Sister, Senior Brother, there’s a sign of volcanic eruption over there, I want to check it out, are you coming?”

”Then let’s go together.”