Outside the Qingfeng Sect, streams of sword light and flying magical artifacts filled the sky, but they all landed far in the distance, none daring to charge directly into the Sect’s array.

For the past two days, the Sect’s reception disciples had been welcoming guests and arranging their accommodations, running themselves ragged and talking until their throats were raw.

One of the Foundation Establishment Elders in charge of the event had been worrying for days. Just arranging the seating for the birthday banquet and assigning guest quarters had taken an immense toll on him, giving him a massive headache.

’This female disciple from the Hundred Flowers Sect was taken as a concubine by the Supreme Elder of Ten Thousand Beasts Sect last year and is apparently his favorite... Hmm, I’ll move her up two spots.’

’The Liu Family of the Double Saber and the Fragrant Pig Chen Family have a terrible relationship. They fought over a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object years ago, and several of their clan cultivators were killed or injured. What idiot put their residences next to each other? Change it immediately! Move the Fragrant Pig Chen Family to the courtyard next to the Ink Bamboo Bai Family!’

This Foundation Establishment Elder was hunched over, his face etched with worry. He looked to be in his forties, but a weary air clung to him, making him seem much older.

"Elder Ni, the Clan Leader and an elder from the Fire Phoenix Mo Family have arrived. They’ve sent their calling card at the Mountain Gate."

A disciple in the hall scurried over, picked up the wooden tablet Elder Ni had tossed on the floor, and hurried off to adjust the arrangements. At the same time, another reception disciple entered the hall to announce the new arrivals.

"Lead them to Courtyard A-5 to rest. Tell them I will visit later... On second thought, I’ll go greet them myself."

After a moment’s thought, Elder Ni rose and headed for the Sect’s entrance.

The Fire Phoenix Mo Family was on the verge of becoming the number one Cultivation Family in Black Mountain. They boasted five Foundation Establishment Cultivators and over a thousand clan members. If not for their limited resources—and the fact that the Qingfeng Sect tightly controlled the supply of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects and Foundation Establishment Pills—the Mo Family would surely have even more Great Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

On any other day, it wouldn’t matter, but tomorrow was the auspicious occasion of his Sect Leader’s one-hundredth birthday. Elder Ni decided it was best to give the Fire Phoenix Mo Family some face.

On such a joyous occasion, the top priority was to keep both host and guests happy and avoid any unpleasantness.

"Grandfather, why must I join the Qingfeng Sect? I can reach Foundation Establishment just as well if I stay with the Clan!"

Outside the Grand Array stood three cultivators—two adults and one youth. All wore matching bright red Daoist Robes, each embroidered with a lifelike, wing-spread Fire Phoenix that stretched from back to chest.

The youth, who was no more than sixteen or seventeen, was handsome and elegant. His pair of red pupils made his identity unmistakable: a direct lineage descendant of the Fire Phoenix Mo Family.

The current Clan Leader of the Fire Phoenix Mo Family, Mo Qianyuan, had a rough, brutish appearance. The arms exposed by his red Daoist Robe looked a full size thicker than an ordinary man’s. He squinted and said, "Changfei, if your only goal is to reach Foundation Establishment, then stay with the Clan. Grandfather can guarantee you a fifty percent chance of success."

"But you must remember, the Mo Family’s greatest goal for a thousand years has been to produce a Core Formation True Man!"

"I have been at the Late-Stage of Foundation Establishment for over a decade. Why do you think I still dare not take that final step to Perfection? Because the moment I do, the Qingfeng Sect will strike with the force of a thunderbolt. It will never allow a Core Formation Power to rise up in its own backyard!"

"But if I become Sect Leader Wei’s disciple, a disciple of the Qingfeng Sect, I’ll be able to reach Core Formation? Even Sect Leader Wei himself has the same cultivation as you, Grandfather."

Mo Changfei’s crimson pupils, combined with his handsome face, didn’t look strange at all. Instead, they gave him a unique, captivating charm.

"Changfei, after your bloodline was purified by the Inheritance Stele, its purity is already comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. As long as you succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment, your bloodline will be enhanced again, awakening even more of the Fire Phoenix Bloodline. At that point, it will be as if you possess a Core Formation Spiritual Object!"

"Nothing in this world is one hundred percent certain, but the opportunities that come with being the Sect Leader’s personal disciple of the Qingfeng Sect are far greater than those of being the young leader of the Fire Phoenix Mo Family... Besides, the Mo Family’s true hope lies there..."

A hazy, distant look unexpectedly appeared on Mo Qianyuan’s resolute face. His voice grew softer and softer, until the last half of his sentence was inaudible even to those standing right beside him.

"Mo Clan Leader, Daoist Friend Mo Haixin, it has been a long time. Thank you for coming to celebrate my Sect Leader’s one-hundredth birthday."

Elder Ni emerged from the Mountain Protection Array, cupping his fist in greeting from a distance.

Mo Qianyuan was, after all, one of the few Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators in Black Mountain. Since Clan Elder Mo Haixin and Elder Ni himself were both at the Early-Stage of Foundation Establishment, he dared not act arrogantly.

"Elder Ni, you’re too kind. How could we not arrive early for Sect Leader Wei’s birthday banquet!"

Mo Qianyuan grinned, his booming laugh matching his boisterous appearance.

"This is the most outstanding of my worthless grandsons. I plan to send him to the Qingfeng Sect after the new year. I’ll have to trouble Elder Ni to look after him then."

Elder Ni’s eye twitched. The Fire Phoenix Mo Family had always been proud of their special bloodline, and very few of their members ever joined the Qingfeng Sect.

For them to have the Clan Leader’s own grandson participate in the Sect’s entrance selection, their ambitions were clearly not small. ’It seems they’ve heard the rumor too.’

’These people are just indulging in wishful thinking. If my Sect Leader truly wanted to take a disciple, he would choose from among the Sect Disciples with clean backgrounds. Why would he ever pick the young leader of the Mo Family?’

While grumbling internally, Elder Ni personally led the Fire Phoenix Mo Family’s group to Courtyard A-5 on Luoxia Peak.

For Sect Leader Wei’s one-hundredth birthday, representatives from every reputable power in Black Mountain County were present; not a single one was missing.

Even powers from outside Black Mountain County had sent people to offer their congratulations.

The Hundred Flowers Sect and Shennong Valley, for example, were both powers from outside the county.

The main reason was Wei Dao himself. He had reached the Late-Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm before the age of one hundred, showing great promise for reaching Core Formation, and had earned a considerable reputation for it. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

A Core Formation True Man was a true heavyweight throughout all of Mizhou—an existence whose words were law and who could cause an earthquake with a single stomp of their foot.

Cultivators from all walks of life, arriving on streams of sword light and various flying magical artifacts, poured into the Qingfeng Sect like a tidal wave. By the time everyone had arrived and been accounted for that night, the reception disciples were shocked to find that the number of guests exceeded two hundred.

This was far more than they had anticipated, meaning they had to rearrange the banquet hall, prepare more Spiritual Cuisine for the feast, and deal with a mountain of other tedious tasks.

The next day, as soon as the sky began to lighten, the congratulatory cultivators began to filter into the banquet hall.

Bai Zichen followed his Clan Leader, Bai Xianzhong, moving with the crowd. This was the first time in his life he had ever seen so many Great Foundation Establishment Cultivators in one place.

Nearly every group leader he saw radiated the magical power fluctuations of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, forcing him to keep his own Divine Sense tightly suppressed, lest someone discover his secret.

"Chenn’er, the banquet won’t start for a while. You can walk around the area. I’m going to catch up with a few old friends."

After finding the seats reserved for the Bai Family, Bai Xianzhong spotted two Foundation Establishment Cultivators he knew and prepared to go over and chat.

"Yes."

Bai Zichen had no desire to wander off. He didn’t want to accidentally offend some Great Foundation Establishment Cultivator; the banquet hall was simply crawling with powerful figures right now.

He stayed near his family’s designated area, staring blankly at a jade pillar as thick as a man’s embrace.

"Huh?"

Bai Zichen was lost in his thoughts when he suddenly felt a rush of wind from behind. He instantly flattened himself against the jade pillar, dodging a dark figure that shot past.

"Who are you? Why did you try to run into me on purpose?"

Bai Zichen turned and looked at the handsome youth facing him, unable to suppress a flicker of annoyance.

If his Divine Sense hadn’t retained some of its warning function even while suppressed, that deliberate collision would have definitely sent him flying.