"Haha, you fool. You thought you were doing Junior Brother Gu a favor. By getting rid of me, you believed you’d allow Gu Changling to advance further, perhaps even giving him a chance at becoming the Daoist."

"But you had no idea that your cleverness would backfire, turning you into someone else’s blade."

The more Huang Yuanzhou listened, the more shocked he became. It was as if he had been plunged into an ice cellar; his hands and feet grew cold. This Daoist knew the affairs of the Sect’s eight peaks like the back of his hand. ’Could he have the secret support of a True Monarch Dongtian?’

’As expected, when a Lower Cultivator does an Upper Cultivator’s bidding, every step is a trap.’

Jiang Yi pondered for a moment before looking at Huang Yuanzhou.

"The Luo Clan sent you, but their true intentions lie elsewhere."

"My life or death is of little consequence. If you succeeded in eliminating me, everyone would be happy. If the plot was exposed and traced back, they could still use you, their blade, to kill Gu Changling."

Huang Yuanzhou’s brows furrowed as he mulled over these words. Suddenly, he was seized with panic, as if he had finally understood the crux of the matter.

"You’re not a complete idiot."

Jiang Yi continued.

"Gu Changling is currently the True Inheritance of Gen Feng, but his unwillingness to be my enemy means he is beyond the Luo Clan’s control."

"Keeping him around is useless, so it’s better to use me to get rid of him and then prop up the disgraced Luo Mingxuan."

"That way, I would be set against the other True Inheritances, and the descendants of the Eight Peaks True Monarchs would all feel threatened. It would be difficult for me to find any allies."

The golden light in Jiang Yi’s eyes gradually receded. He had now completely seen through the true purpose of this assassination.

Huang Yuanzhou, however, felt as if he were standing naked in a world of ice and snow, the chill seeping into his very bones.

’So, from beginning to end, it never mattered whether I could eliminate the Daoist or not. The real obstacle the Luo Clan wanted to sweep away was Junior Brother Gu!’

’The True Monarch sending Junior Brother Gu that ’Yellow Dragon Gall’ was a test... Since Junior Brother was unwilling, they decided to cut their losses and support Luo Mingxuan instead.’

’In the eyes of the Upper Cultivators, are True Disciples not even worth mentioning?’

Huang Yuanzhou’s lips trembled, a look of remorse filling his eyes.

Having roughly pieced together the plot, Jiang Yi finalized his own plan and looked back at Huang Yuanzhou.

"Do you have any last words?"

Huang Yuanzhou took a deep breath, straightened his robes, and sat down cross-legged.

"Attempting to assassinate the Daoist is an unpardonable crime. This humble Daoist willingly accepts death. My only regret is that in this life, I found no path to true Cultivation and could not fulfill my wish for long life. I must trouble the Daoist to pass this item to Junior Brother Gu."

With that, he took out a key of Jade Material from his robes and gently placed it on the ground.

Jiang Yi’s expression was impassive as he simply said:

"You may go in peace."

Then, with a sweep of his sleeve, Pure Yang Ding Fire flared up, instantly incinerating Huang Yuanzhou’s body.

A cultivator at the Twelfth Layer of Qi Cultivation was dead, his spirit dissipated. As his Qi Mechanism scattered, the Ren Water Essence Qi had nowhere to go, condensing into blossoms of magnolia and jade-like trees.

A spring then gushed forth from the ground, SPLASHING and flooding the room, eventually converging into a stream of exceptionally high-quality "Yang-attribute Spirit Water."

’The path of the Dao is truly difficult to seek.’

Jiang Yi put away the jade key and the stream of Ren Water, shaking his head with a sigh.

’To think that Gu Changling, the True Inheritance of Gen Feng, is a great Dao Material within the Sect with a profound Dao nature, one who had a chance of reaching the Perfection of Five Fates... yet he was abandoned just like that.’

’Until one becomes a True Monarch, one is always a pawn.’

Jiang Yi set aside his sighs, closed his eyes again to enter a meditative state, and begged the Celestial Book to inquire about his current Merit.

[Qi Cultivation Eleventh Layer (Eighty-Six Percent)]

’Next is to gather Sha and refine Gang, to make these Aerial Roots in my Inner Mansion grow even stronger.’

Under Jiang Yi’s focused gaze, a golden Dao lotus extended downward to the Celestial Cave and upward to the Primordial Gate, as if propping up the many layers of the Qingming.

This was the phenomenon known as "Planting a Lotus in Yang Fire, an Everlasting Azure Sky," something that could not be achieved without condensing the highest-grade True Qi.

With this golden Dao lotus rooted in his body, all kinds of Spiritual Energy nourished his Divine Sense, making it increasingly solid. It would be as easy as flipping his palm to divide his thoughts into a thousand strands and place them within the bodies of plants and beasts.

’My highest-grade True Qi can harmonize my Magical Power and channel Profound Light, allowing me to bring my Fire Element Daoist Techniques to their absolute peak.’

’Next up are ’Swallowing Sha’ and ’Refining Gang,’ to make its nature even more superior.’

Jiang Yi had obtained two Daoist Scriptures. Although he had not yet begun to study them, he had already comprehended many principles of Cultivation from them.

For example, the Twelfth Layer of Qi Cultivation was divided into many steps in ancient times. The First to Third Layers were called "Fetal Movement," the Fourth to Fifth Layers were "Induction," and the sixth through eighth layers were "Nourishing."

The current eleventh and twelfth layers are "Gang Sha."

Once the Gang Sha is formed and the Aerial Roots transform, one can forge the Dao Foundation.

After that, one can begin the Flying Foundation Establishment Realm and strive for the position of a True Master.

’The two ancient mountains, Dragon Head and Leopard Transformation, contain the Qi of Gang Sha. I can use it to fill my Aerial Roots, strengthen my ’Great Cavern Profound Nether Supreme Qi,’ and supplement my Merit.’

Jiang Yi released his Qi Mechanism and exhaled a wisp of his highest-grade True Qi. The numerous Spiritual Objects he had previously obtained from the Lan Yun River’s underwater manor instantly dissolved.

This was the advantage of having superior quality True Qi. Ordinary Cultivators refining Spiritual Objects and using external medicines often had to perform their Cultivation hundreds of times to fully purify them.

But Jiang Yi’s foundation was so profound that he was unrivaled on the Nanzhan Continent. No matter the number of Spiritual Objects, a single touch of his True Qi was enough to absorb them completely for his own use.

Such efficiency was simply incredible. Even an Ancestral Sect’s Dao Material who had condensed first-grade True Qi could not compare.

...

...

In the southeastern corner of Gen Feng lies Baichuan and the Six Ridges, the foundation of the Luo Clan.

The so-called Eight Peaks True Monarchs refer to the eight disciples who listened to the Founder’s sermons on the Dao and discussed the profound at the inception of the Innate Sect.

Their merits were immense, and all of them achieved fruition, attaining the Golden Position.

As the Innate Sect stood for ten thousand years, ruling over the Nanzhan Continent, the eight True Monarchs either perished in conflicts over the Dao or retreated from worldly affairs.

Their remaining descendants inherited their legacy, branching out and flourishing. After thousands of years of development, they gradually became a major power within the Sect.

These disciples, born into glory and even a step above the Dao Race, never lacked for resources or high-grade Techniques.

In addition, with their own clan elders providing constant, meticulous guidance, there was never a shortage of Dao Materials who distinguished themselves even in the Qi Cultivation Realm.

The various families supported each other through marriage alliances, controlling much of the authority in the Upper and Lower Courtyards. At their peak, three consecutive Daoists hailed from the descendants of the Eight Peaks True Monarchs.

This monopolistic situation was only curbed when Grandmaster Mingxuan ruled and Sect Leader Qin Baiyu rose to power.

Qin Baiyu vigorously promoted outsiders based solely on talent. Coupled with the fact that most of the original Eight Peaks True Monarchs had stepped down, a new balance of power gradually formed, with the master-disciple lineage standing in opposition to the descendants of the Eight Peaks True Monarchs.

On this day, a magnificent flying palace descended upon Nanheng Ridge.

This was an artifact for the personal use of a True Master, eight hundred paces in length and width. Inside the palace, jade-like herbs and wondrous flowers grew in abundance, and the fragrance of orchids filled the air;

Further inside, it was a scene of opulent splendor, with piles of gold and jade, surrounded by pearls and kingfisher feathers.

In the main hall, a tall, handsome man sat upright. He wore a Seven Treasures Luo Ying Magical Robe, a Duster draped over his arm.

This man was Luo Mingxuan, from the Direct Lineage of the Luo Clan, who was just half a step away from becoming the True Inheritance of Gen Feng.

After several hundred years of Cultivation, this True Master Luo’s self-cultivation was undeniably profound, yet today he found it difficult to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

’Eighty full years... I haven’t set foot on Nanheng Ridge in eighty years...’

A smile appeared on Luo Mingxuan’s face. Ever since he lost the competition for the True Inheritance position to the outsider disciple, Gu Changling, he had been demoted by his clan, sent out of the sect’s mountains to establish a separate manor and Dharma Lineage at Dangyin Ridge.

A few days ago, he had received a handwritten order from the clan summoning him back to the Sect, back to Nanheng Ridge.

This was undoubtedly a signal that the clan intended to reinstate him.

’It seems the clan elders are going to make use of me again.’

Luo Mingxuan traveled day and night to rush back to the Innate Sect, and on the way, he had already investigated the reasons for his summons.

’I told them long ago, outsiders are all ungrateful wolves. You can’t rely on them at all.’

’Gu Changling was able to reach Foundation Establishment and cultivate to the Fourth Layer entirely because of the clan’s support. But now that it matters most, he shrinks back, not daring to face the Daoist head-on.’

After the flying palace came to a steady stop, Luo Mingxuan slowly rose and, holding his Token, walked into Nanheng Ridge.

Baichuan was the residence of the Luo Clan’s descendants, the Six Ridges were the territories managed by the main and branch lineages, and Nanheng Ridge was the secluded cultivation abode of the main lineage’s clan elder, Luo Qingya.

This Grand True Master at the Fifth Layer of Foundation Establishment held immense prestige in the clan; his word was law.

’If I can get his support,’ Luo Mingxuan thought, ’once Gu Changling falls from grace, it’s a sure thing that I’ll take over as the True Inheritance of Gen Feng.’

His heart was filled with anticipation, but he forced himself to suppress it, not daring to reveal the slightest hint.

Only by leaving the clan and being far from the Sect did one learn how hard it was to obtain resources, True Skills, and Daoist Techniques. Only then did one understand the arduousness of the path of Cultivation.

Without a powerful backer or a noble patron’s support, every single step forward was fraught with a thousand difficulties and dangers.

Luo Mingxuan was welcomed into the palace at the highest point of Nanheng Ridge. Just as he stepped over the high threshold, he heard a clear laugh:

"Mingxuan, you have suffered for a long time outside the mountains."

He looked up and saw a middle-aged Daoist with black hair and a handsome beard, poised and elegant. Five clouds of celebration hovered above his head, radiating thousands of auspicious rays.

He was clearly a Foundation Establishment Grand True Master whose Merit was at Perfection and whose Cultivation was exquisite.

"Mingxuan pays his respects to the Clan Elder!"

Luo Mingxuan quickly bowed and made a Daoist salute.

"No need for such formalities. It makes us seem distant."

The middle-aged Daoist was indeed the powerful clan elder of the Luo Clan, Luo Qingya. After Luo Mingxuan was seated, he got straight to the point and asked:

"Do you know the reason you were summoned back to the Sect this time?"

Luo Mingxuan had just taken his seat when the clan elder asked this question. His heart skipped a beat. Not daring to overthink it, he replied in a deep voice:

"I, Mingxuan, was born in Baichuan and raised in the Six Ridges. My parents raised me, and the clan elders cultivated me. As long as the clan has a task for me, I will not hesitate for a moment!"

"Even... even if the clan wants me to contend with the Daoist, I will step forward and fight, loyal unto death!"