Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Jia Yu’s gaze turned somber, and he said gravely:

”According to the situation reported by Yuanhe Mountain, the demon cultivator is currently at the Chao Origin Stage. If he happens to break through to the Golden Core Level, and Master Beichen fails to cultivate a qualified successor, the northern region will plunge into complete chaos.

I wonder if you still remember, there is a group of demon cultivators lurking in the mountains of the northwest region.”

Ji An sighed lightly. A major power does not decline easily, but once the wall collapses, everyone pushes. If the Golden Core Inheritance of Yuanhe Mountain faces disruption, the situation will quickly collapse into chaos.

He could foresee the consequences. Yuanhe Mountain might activate the Mountain Protection Array and seal itself off, while the demon cultivators are likely to intervene, and Luofeng Valley would also get involved.

Other forces, whether passive or active, would all have to be drawn into a new round of interest distribution.

Ji An shook his head and said:

”It’s better not to think too much. We don’t know what will happen in the future; let the ancestors worry about that.”

Only Golden Core Cultivators can play a decisive role in the situation of the Western Continent. With his current abilities, thinking about so much is pointless.

He changed the subject and asked:

”How has the sect been faring these years?”

”Quite well. The developments at the Dan Ding Institute, Artifact Refining Hall, Puppet Hall, and Agricultural Hall have all seen significant progress.

The method you suggested seemed simple, yet greatly improved the efficiency of each department.

We now don’t need to maintain a particularly large number of cultivators, yet our overall strength has increased rather than decreased.

Time is on our side; the sect is poised to become the foremost major sect in the Western Continent sooner or later.”

Jia Yu silently added in his heart, ’If the situation at Yuanhe Mountain remains unchanged.’

Ji An smiled broadly, ”That’s excellent. There’s a great chance of achieving it within a hundred years.”

The number of sect cultivators decreased while resource output increased. After weighing the increase against the decrease, the speed of accumulating resources will greatly increase.

With abundant resources, the numbers at the Foundation Establishment Stage and Chao Origin Stage will significantly increase.

As the base of High-Tier Cultivators expands, the number of Golden Core Cultivators will inevitably grow slowly.

Jia Yu nodded proudly but then suddenly thought of something, his smile faded, and he said softly:

”About ten years ago, Liuu Suyun, my junior uncle, failed to break through to the Chao Origin Stage and soon after passed away.

Before her death, she came to see me one last time, wanting to gift you the Earth Spirit Fruit Trees planted on Red Flame Peak to repay the debt she still owed you.”

Outside the hall, a strong wind blew, and not far away, leaves swayed and collided, their sound gathered like waves. Fallen leaves drifted and were carried away by the wind, heading to unknown distances.

Ji An sighed; he had constantly witnessed his brethren departing, possibly experiencing more in the future.

”Perhaps it is the fear of death that drives cultivators to pursue immortality.

However, this long journey is not smooth; who knows how many can reach the end, or rather, if there is even an endpoint.”

In the accumulation of generations of cultivators’ remains, the cultivation realm continues to grow. Nascent Soul cultivators live for three thousand years, far from being truly immortal.

What lies above the Nascent Soul, Ji An had never heard of; he only knows there are higher realms.

Jia Yu silently sighed; his current lifespan was less than a hundred years. Witnessing cultivators leave due to lifespan reasons always brought a different kind of sadness to his heart.

He took another sip of wine, spilling quite a bit down the corner of his mouth, wiping it randomly with his sleeve:

”When did you return, and how long do you plan to stay?”

Talking more about this topic would only add to the melancholy.

”I returned three days ago, had an early meal at Red Flame Peak, then slept until yesterday afternoon, planning to stay for about a year.

Senior brother, is it convenient for me to pay respects to the ancestor now? I have something to report.”

Jia Yu took out a Communication Golden Sword, recorded some information, then activated it and said:

”Let me inquire for you. What’s the matter? You seem quite serious.”

Ji An pondered and said:

”Red Rock Immortal City in the Far North also discovered traces of a demon cultivator. I suspect they are at least at the Golden Core Level since they escaped under the pursuit of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

On the way back to the sect, I discovered traces of this demon cultivator in Silver Moon City, which is not far from the Western Continent.”

This matter does not need to be particularly confidential; at least the sect’s senior ranks should be informed.

Jia Yu expressed some disbelief and said:

”Junior brother, what evidence do you have that the demon cultivator appearing in Red Rock Immortal City and in Silver Moon City is the same?”

”This demon cultivator is different; he can use special techniques to parasitize cultivators, transforming their bodies into incubators for the demon infants.”

Ji An detailed the demon cultivator’s methods then continued:

”The methods of the demon cultivators discovered at both places are identical, so I believe they are the same.

Additionally, it is entirely possible for the demon cultivators to infiltrate the Western Continent.

If I were a demon cultivator, understanding the Western Continent’s current situation, I would surely choose to head here.”

A vast continent without a Nascent Soul cultivator overseeing it is quite unfortunate. However, this land did not originally belong to the Human Race. The region now occupied by humans is only on the fringes of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

Jia Yu’s expression turned solemn; his back straightening:

”Indeed, we must be vigilant.”

A beam of golden light flew in from outside the hall. Jia Yu reached out to catch it, verified it, then said:

”Yuxiao Ancestor is waiting for you in Wuji Hall, you should go quickly.”

”Alright,” Ji An rose and asked:

”Where is Liuu Suyun buried? I’ll go pay my respects sometime.”

The value of the few gifted Earth Spirit Fruit Trees far exceeded the value of the debt.

Actually, once the Spirit Trees were cultivated to Tier Two, attempting to transplant them back to the Silk Cave was a luxury, but nominally those Spirit Trees still belonged to the other party.

Jia Yu also stood up, looking out of the hall:

”There is no burial ground; her ashes are scattered in the vast forests among the mountains.

Someday after I depart, just scatter my ashes in the dense forests outside this hall.”

...

Ji An landed at Wuji Hall, noticed the door was open, and the blue smoke rising from the incense burners at the entrance was blown away by the strong wind. The star banner hanging inside the room fluttered wildly.

Before he could speak, a gentle voice came from inside, ”Come in.”

The voice was not loud, yet was not blown away by the wind at all.

He strode into the hall, solemnly cupped his hands and said:

”Disciple Ji An, pays respects to the ancestor.”

Master Yuxiao lightly raised his hand, ”Sit down and speak.”

”I am curious; there was a significant difference from the original planned journey, did anything happen along the way?”

”No, everything went smoothly during the travels...”

Ji An briefly recounted his experiences, then mentioned the demon cultivator matter at Red Rock Immortal City.

Master Yuxiao’s expression grew serious, ”Golden Core Level demon cultivators are not easy to deal with. If he was at the late-stage Golden Core, he could likely only ensure his survival.

The demon cultivator can actually produce Demon Puppets, and these puppets can retain their original consciousness. It’s not easy to notice that those cultivators have been ’switched,’ and that’s the most frightening part.”

He pondered for a moment and asked:

”Do you know of any defensive strategies from the Northern Land?”

Ji An took out dozens of Purifying Talismans, ranging from Tier One to Tier Two.

”They use these kinds of talismans to detect demonic qi and purify pollution. The higher the tier of the talisman, the more sensitive it is to demonic qi.

However, it can only prevent and identify, but cannot heal; if a parasitized cultivator is found, the only option is to kill them.”

Master Yuxiao activated a talisman, and the gentle golden light emitted made people feel warm.

”Using Yang’s Spirit Mechanism to perceive Yin Turbid Qi, not bad, the talisman should be useful.”

The speaker was casual, but the listener took it deeply to heart, Ji An’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, puzzled he asked:

’Demonic Qi is Yin Turbid Qi, so could it be said that the so-called demon is also a manifestation of the Dao?’

Master Yuxiao nodded slightly, ”The Dao is chaos seamlessly integrated as one. Such a state, we ordinary mortals may never see in our lifetime, and even if we see it, can’t grasp its profoundness.

When Yin and Yang move, purity and impurity are separated. Essentially, everything we see is caused by Yin-Yang Transformation.

Demonic Qi cultivates solely Yin Turbid power, thus demon cultivators can quickly advance their cultivation.

But pure Yin cannot produce life, and pure Yang cannot thrive, the price paid by demon cultivators is evident.

However, the Dao grants fifty, Tianyan operates forty-nine, leaving one to escape, the path of demon cultivation may start easy but end difficult, yet it is not an endless path.”