...

Time flew by in a flash.

Less than a day after Lü Zhong reported what he had learned, a Flying Shuttle descended upon Water Summoning Village.

A Flying Shuttle was a Magical Artifact superior to a Flying Ship, its value on par with a Magical Treasure. The vessel was the size of a towering galleon, capable of carrying ten times as many cultivators as a Flying Ship, and it flew with incredible speed, rivaling the Rainbow Transformation of a Golden Core Cultivator.

Dispatching such a vessel showed just how seriously the higher-ups were taking the matter.

When Lü Zhong boarded the shuttle, he was surprised to find three Foundation Establishment True Cultivators on board.

Leading them was none other than his master, Shuini. Her eyes showed a flicker of concern when she saw Lü Zhong. Upon sensing the breakthrough in his cultivation, her delight was plain to see, as if she were the one who had advanced.

Beside her, Hong Biyun wore a pensive expression, seemingly lost in thought. She would occasionally glance at Lü Zhong and sigh repeatedly. Behind her stood Lin Zhenghe, a man with a red face and a long beard, whose expression was equally grim.

"Nephew Lü, tell us again about this Limb-Attaching Sect," Lin Zhenghe said, looking at Lü Zhong with a serious expression. "This matter is truly astounding. Without conclusive evidence, the three Ancestors above will find it difficult to make a decision."

Hearing this, Lü Zhong recounted everything he knew in full detail.

Of course, he omitted any details concerning his own secrets and his transaction with Guu Ximei.

After he finished, Hong Biyun and Lin Zhenghe still looked doubtful.

At that moment, Shuini looked at Hong Biyun and Lin Zhenghe and smiled, her expression devoid of emotion. "I, for one, believe my disciple Lü Zhong. But I can see the two of you still have your doubts. If that’s the case... why don’t we just storm Taniu Mountain, capture the Limb-Attaching Sect Cultists there, and use the Soul Searching Technique to verify it?"

"That is what we must do!" Lin Zhenghe agreed.

He might have been a good-natured man, but when it came to matters that endangered the Sect, he was more decisive than anyone.

As they spoke, the Flying Shuttle rose into the air and sped toward Taniu Mountain.

The details of the Limb-Attaching Sect’s Taniu Mountain branch were just as Guu Ximei had described. The highest cultivation level among them was only the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.

Although the Left Dharma Protector had five pairs of arms and could cast five Magic Skills simultaneously, giving him nearly invincible power in the Qi Refining Stage, he was still dismembered by Shuini in a single exchange, facing the insurmountable chasm between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment.

As for the Right Dharma Protector, his strength was even more pathetic. Even Lü Zhong could have dealt with him easily.

The Limb-Attaching Sect’s Taniu Mountain branch—with its nearly ten thousand followers and almost one thousand cultivators—was razed in less than half a day, led by the three Foundation Establishment True Cultivators and reinforced by over a hundred Inner and Outer Disciples from the Heling Sect.

The scene was a field of corpses, with pools of blood forming on the ground.

After a round of interrogations using Soul Search, they obtained a large amount of scattered information. Once the chaotic and repetitive parts were filtered out, the same answer remained.

"It’s actually the Lingyue Sect!" Lin Zhenghe said in disbelief.

"What’s so strange about that?" Shuini said with an indifferent expression. "Once the Heling Sect disrupted the regional balance of power and showed signs of rising to become a Nascent Soul Sect, you should have expected this."

Hong Biyun remained silent, but she couldn’t help but agree with what Shuini had said.

The resources in the Cultivation Realm were finite. No one would willingly allow another to compete with them for a share.

The Lingyue Sect ruled the Lingyue Domain and naturally wouldn’t want a new Nascent Soul Sect rising up under their nose. As soon as they saw the potential, it was inevitable that they would scheme to suppress it.

Lü Zhong stood by and listened, already thinking about his future path.

’The Lingyue Sect currently has a Nascent Soul True Monarch presiding over it, one who is in their prime, no less. They have at least a thousand years of life left. The Heling Sect is clearly no match for them.’

’Under these circumstances, even wiping out the Limb-Attaching Sect wouldn’t solve the crisis of annihilation.’

’It might even push the Lingyue Sect too far, prompting them to dispatch their Nascent Soul True Monarch directly.’

’I don’t know the full extent of a Nascent Soul’s power, but one thing is certain: once a Great Cultivator of that level makes a move, the Heling Sect won’t stand a chance.’

After thinking for a while, Lü Zhong suddenly laughed to himself.

’A major affair like this has wide-reaching implications. Logically, it should be the three Ancestors who worry about it, not a small fry like me who’s still in the Qi Refining Stage. Rather than waste energy on these matters, I’d be better off focusing on my Foundation Establishment.’

’I gained a lot of wealth from wiping out the Limb-Attaching Sect’s Taniu Mountain branch just now.’

’There were both Spirit Stones and Pills. The Limb-Attaching Sect could never have developed without resources. After all, Loose Cultivators aren’t fools. Why would they risk their lives to oppose the Heling Sect if there was no benefit in it?’

’Just like that, another three or four thousand Spirit Stones in the bag.’

’With the Spirit Stones I’d already saved, I’m confident I have more than enough to buy three Foundation Establishment Pills.’

’Three top-grade Foundation Establishment Treasure Pills should be enough for anyone to reach Foundation Establishment, even someone with Four Spirit Root Talent. Not to mention, I also have the Gathering Element Technique, a Secret Skill that can increase my Foundation Establishment success rate by another five percent.’

While he was lost in thought, he heard Shuini make a proposal, but it was immediately opposed by Hong Biyun and Lin Zhenghe.

Paying it no further mind, Lü Zhong returned to his cabin to rest.

...

The Flying Shuttle soon returned to the Heling Sect’s mountain gates.

Unlike usual, the atmosphere within the Sect was somewhat grim.

From time to time, streaks of rainbow light could be seen flashing across the sky, heading toward Heling Peak. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Many Inner Sect Disciples were gathered in groups, whispering among themselves and discussing the matter. Every one of them wore a worried expression; no one had expected something like this to happen.

"S-Senior Brother Lü?"

A familiar voice called out from behind him.

Lü Zhong turned around and saw it was Wei Tie, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Wei Tie had clearly chosen the Tuoyang inheritance. His iron-tower-like frame had grown even larger, reaching a height of ten feet, which made the Female Cultivator beside him seem all the more petite—though she wasn’t very tall to begin with.

"So it’s Junior Brother Wei. Long time no see!" Lü Zhong said with a smile, clasping his hands. He then looked at the Female Cultivator next to him. "Have you two become Dao Companions? Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Haha, thank you, Senior Brother Lü." Wei Tie scratched his head sheepishly, his admiration for Lü Zhong growing even stronger. His own cultivation was still stagnating at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, yet Lü Zhong had already broken through to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer and would soon be attempting Foundation Establishment.

"I, Lin Qing, greet Senior Brother Lü," the petite Female Cultivator said, also bowing gracefully.

The two greeted each other and exchanged pleasantries for a while before their conversation turned to the matter of the Lingyue Sect.

At this topic, Wei Tie sighed repeatedly. He had thought that after the Sect won the second War of the Three Sects and annexed the Golden Rainbow Sect and the Luoyun Sect, he and his Dao Companion, Lin Qing, would be able to live a quiet and stable life.

But who would have thought something like this would happen now?

"Sigh... Senior Brother Lü, what do you think we should do?"

Beside him, Lin Qing tried to comfort Wei Tie, her own face etched with worry.

Lü Zhong knew what the two were thinking. They were worried that if the Heling Sect was destroyed, disciples like them would be purged by the Lingyue Sect, facing a life-or-death crisis.

It was a perfectly normal fear to have.

After all, when a sect was annihilated, it was only natural to eliminate the remaining members.

Such things had happened countless times throughout history.

But then he remembered the proposal Shuini had made on the Flying Shuttle. He felt things probably wouldn’t devolve to such a terrible state; everyone’s lives and property might be secured.

Lü Zhong thought for a moment but decided not to voice his thoughts.

He soon took his leave and went to Wangxian Town.

Clearly, the news from above had not reached here yet. The town was still a picture of prosperity, with every townsperson’s face beaming with smiles, their hearts full of hope for a bright future.

Walking down the street, Lü Zhong saw Li Hejun dressed in a green blouse and skirt.

A playful idea popped into his head. He silently crept up and wrapped his arms around Li Hejun’s waist from behind. This gave her a huge scare, but when she smelled that familiar scent, she shyly buried her head in his chest, her face breaking into a smile.

"My lord... have you been intimate with someone else?" Li Hejun asked, sniffing him with a playfully resentful look.

"Yes," Lü Zhong said with a frank smile, holding the woman in his arms even tighter.

"Then... what about me?" Li Hejun cooed, a blush spreading across her cheeks.