Chapter 123: White Robes from the Heavenly Mountains Outside Qingyang Town

Chapter 123: The White-Clad Figure of Tianshan Outside Qingyang Town

Upon seeing the few talisman apprentices outside the mountain gate, Jiang Yan furrowed his brow. Their talents were insufficient; although they had cultivated spiritual awareness, it was weak, making the likelihood of becoming full talisman masters quite slim—unless they possessed exceptionally steadfast temperaments and combined this with spiritual awareness techniques, granting them a chance to advance to first-rank talisman masters.

Of course, if they had enough sincerity, Jiang Yan wouldn’t mind accepting them into Mount Hua, but everything depended on whether their characters were determined enough.

With these thoughts, Jiang Yan finally arrived outside the training arena. At the entrance, Lin Ke stood respectfully. Seeing Jiang Yan approach, Lin Ke bowed politely. “Disciple greets the sect leader and senior uncle.”

Jiang Yan casually asked, “Lin Ke, what is your current realm?”

A faint blush appeared on Lin Ke’s cheeks as she spoke somewhat disappointedly, “Although I took the Bone-Easy Pill to improve my aptitude, for some reason, the progress in cultivating the Green Wood Formula remains slow. Compared to senior sisters, my advancement is quite lagging.”

Jiang Yan was puzzled. Lin Ke’s cultivation method was no worse than others, and her aptitude was decent. Why was her progress so much slower than Zi Su’s? He studied her carefully, and a transparent information interface appeared before his eyes.

Name: Lin Ke
Sect: Mount Hua
Position: Second-generation disciple
Cultivation: Qi Refining, Level Three
Weapon: —
Formulas: Water Transformation Formula (First-rank, Intermediate), Water Arrow Technique (First-rank, Intermediate), Green Wood Formula (First-rank)
Merit Points: —
Root Bone: 92
Attribute: Fire

Lin Ke had indeed taken the Bone-Easy Pill. Though the pill’s quality was not as refined as those consumed by Ning Qian and others, the effect was still notable, raising her root bone to 92. Even Mu Yun, after taking a superior Bone-Easy Pill, only reached 90.

However, Lin Ke’s physical attribute was fire, which clashed with the green wood attribute of the formula she was cultivating, naturally slowing her progress.

“You should stop cultivating the Green Wood Formula for now and instead focus on the Fire Separation Art. See how your cultivation speed improves. Your physical attribute is fire, so cultivating a formula of the wood attribute is not well aligned, which explains the slow progress.” Jiang Yan flipped his wrist; a manual appeared in his hand, which he handed to Lin Ke, explaining carefully.

Lin Ke was disciple to Wan’er and stationed in the alchemy room. Her future primary focus should be alchemy. Although alchemy did not impose strict requirements on the cultivator’s attributes, the potency of the pills produced was strongly influenced by the attribute of the alchemist’s own cultivation method.

Alchemists with wood or water attributes produced pills with balanced, moderate effects, especially effective in healing and restoring spiritual power.

Those with fire or metal attributes produced pills of fierce and extraordinary potency, excellent for advancement and short-term spiritual power boosts.

Alchemists with earth attributes crafted pills that combined both balanced and extraordinary qualities, complementing each other well, making them highly effective in aiding cultivators’ advancement.

Therefore, even though Lin Ke was cultivating a fire attribute method, it would not hinder her becoming an alchemist.

“Thank you, sect leader and senior uncle,” Lin Ke said, taking the Fire Separation Art manual, though with some confusion.

Jiang Yan entered the training arena, continuing, “The method you cultivate is determined by your constitution. Forcibly cultivating a method that clashes with your body’s attribute will not only slow your progress but also make it nearly impossible to establish a foundation or form a core. Your constitution is fire; switching to a fire attribute formula now will destroy your previously cultivated spiritual energy, but it will be beneficial for your future progress. So immediately cease your Green Wood Formula cultivation and switch to the Fire Separation Art.”

Lin Ke’s expression suddenly dimmed. Changing cultivation methods meant all her previous painstaking efforts were wasted. She would have to start anew from Qi Refining Level One, a great sacrifice.

“Senior uncle, am I really fire attribute?” Lin Ke asked anxiously, glancing at the three outer disciples inside the arena who were still some distance away. She was reluctant to switch methods, feeling stifled at having to start over. Moreover, detecting a cultivator’s attribute required foundation or core formation strength. The sect leader had just reached foundation, so did he really possess such ability? Doubts filled her mind.

“You should consult your master about this later,” Jiang Yan replied as he stepped onto the Six-Star Platform inside the arena. He glanced at Tang Wan standing respectfully at the gate and then turned his gaze to the three outer disciples sitting cross-legged below, preparing to teach them their first introductory cultivation method.

Within Jiang Yan’s spiritual awareness, the scene inside the Thousand Illusion Crystal Ball had already shifted to outside Qingyang Town, revealing a gathering of Mount Hua disciples.

Led by Tang Wan, a foundation-level expert, stood at the south gate; behind her were Mu Yun and others, including Zi Su and Ding Ning, all quietly waiting at the town’s edge. Notably absent were Ning Qian and Sun Yang, who were likely inside Qingyang Town gathering intelligence.

Tang Wan stood before the group, backlit by the morning glow, silently facing the direction of Qingyang Town as if awaiting something.

Not long after, Ning Qian and Sun Yang appeared, carrying Sun Yang’s father, Sun Tianpeng, who flew swiftly out of the town. Behind the three, a white-clad cultivator followed at a leisurely pace, his demeanor relaxed and carefree.

“Mount Hua boys, don’t run. A Qi Refining Level Six and a Level Four, yet you still think you can rescue someone from me, Meng? Dream on! Do you know why I told you to take this old man away? Last time I heard this old man say his son is from Mount Hua, I’ve been waiting here for you for quite some time, hahaha...” The white-clad cultivator’s arrogant laughter cut through the air. His fierce face was full of haughty disdain, watching Ning Qian and Sun Yang like a cat watching mice as he sauntered behind them.

Seeing the town’s edge, a trace of joy appeared on Ning Qian’s face. Senior aunt Wan was just outside the town. Although this cultivator was arrogant, he was only at Qi Refining Level Eight, comparable to senior uncles Nan and Mu. There was no need for Wan to intervene; either Nan or Mu could easily deal with this white-clad cultivator.

“An ally after all. But no matter, your Mount Hua sect leader died on the demon hunting battlefield. What experts could you possibly have left?” The white-clad Tianshan cultivator sneered as he looked toward Tang Wan and the Mount Hua disciples behind her, mocking them.

Before descending the mountain, the sect leader had instructed that he was merely the vanguard. The sect leader himself, along with newly appointed elders and a guest, would come to flatten Mount Hua and avenge junior brother Meng Lu and his disciples. More importantly, it was to right the injustice Lu Tiannan bore in his chest.

In the battle at the demon hunting battlefield, Lu Tiannan was thoroughly outwitted by Jiang Yan and was even driven into the demon gate, suffering severe injuries. How could Lu Tiannan not bear grudges against Mount Hua? Taking the opportunity to wipe out Mount Hua would also demonstrate Tianshan’s power to the many sects in Linqing Prefecture.

Ning Qian and Sun Yang arrived breathlessly before Tang Wan and stopped. Seeing their exhaustion, Tang Wan said nothing, merely waving them behind her for shelter.

At this moment, the white-clad Tianshan cultivator ambled forward slowly, his eyes flashing red as he looked at Tang Wan, a hint of covetousness in his gaze.

“A mere girl leading a few kids dares to provoke Tianshan? What has the world come to with these small sects...” he sneered.

Seeing Ning Qian and the others hide behind Tang Wan, she stood with her hands loosely at her sides, looking westward as if deep in thought, completely ignoring him.

Enraged, the white-clad cultivator’s tone turned scornful and mocking, “Little girl, you’re a second-generation disciple of Mount Hua? To disdain your own Meng Grandpa? After I deal with the others, tonight you’ll die without a grave.”

A flush of righteous anger spread across Tang Wan’s delicate face at his insolent words.

“Senior brother Nan, where do you think this wild dog came from, barking so foully here?” Mu Yun suddenly spoke, his gaze full of disdain aimed at the white-clad cultivator.

“Wild dogs come from the wild, and wild dog barks are naturally unpleasant,” Nan Menluo retorted coldly, mocking the cultivator.

“A bunch of trash! I’ll let you taste the power of a great sect!” The white-clad Tianshan cultivator, humiliated and furious, suddenly raised his palm. The long sword on his back unsheathed with a flash, slicing through the air. The purple blade hovered midair, shimmering as countless sword shadows rained down—Tianshan’s Cold Shadow Sword Technique, second form: Moon Moves, Stars Shake.

Nan Menluo remained motionless. His right hand formed a sword gesture with two fingers and rose high above his head. The golden flow greatsword behind him slowly unsheathed, floating overhead. Nan Menluo thrust forward with his two fingers, and the golden sword slashed in a golden arc, striking the suspended purple sword—this was the first form of the Golden Flow Sword Technique: One Sword Comes from the West.

“Clang!”

The golden sword struck with a brilliant flash, severing the purple sword in midair into two pieces, which fell to the ground.

Mu Yun’s plump body shimmered, transforming into a golden light as he darted before Tang Wan, executing the body technique Jiang Yan had just bestowed—the Ground-Leaping Golden Light Art. His palms faced upward, lifting the yellow axe on his back, which suddenly inflated to more than three times its original size. The rapidly spinning axe transformed into a light net, weaving above the group.

“Clang clang clang…”

The purple sword shadows striking against the axe emitted a dense clanging sound. Once it ceased, Mu Yun retracted his Earth-Walking Axe, which turned into a yellow streak and returned to his backpack.

“Pfft!”

The white-clad cultivator suddenly lunged forward, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood onto the ground, weakly kneeling. As a sword sect, Tianshan’s strength was concentrated in the sword. From a single encounter, his spiritual sword was destroyed by Nan Menluo, severely injuring his heart pulse.

When he raised his head again, his gaze toward Tang Wan and her group was filled with shock and fear. A small sect like this possessed two cultivators not inferior to himself. A single clash had already wounded his heart pulse. Mount Hua’s strength must be formidable. No wonder Meng Lu and his disciples had died at their hands—Mount Hua had been hiding such deep power all along.

A flicker of fear crossed the white-clad cultivator’s eyes as he glanced at Tang Wan, the standing Mu Yun, Nan Menluo, and the other disciples surrounding them. After a moment’s hesitation, he slowly stood up without even looking at the broken purple sword on the ground.

“A true expert does not reveal himself easily. You are all quite formidable. Tianshan’s Meng...” he began addressing Tang Wan and the others, drawing their attention.

But as he said his name, he suddenly paused, seeing the expressions of the group. With a swift turn, the white-clad cultivator fled backward, his figure flashing like a streak of light as he escaped.

“Coward!” Mu Yun rubbed his hands disdainfully, watching the white-clad Tianshan disciple’s sudden retreat.

“Bastard,” Nan Menluo cursed coldly, utterly surprised that a grown man would flee faster than a rabbit after a single loss. Even if he wanted to pursue now, he doubted he could catch him.

“That bastard got away!” Enraged by the white-clad cultivator’s misdeeds in their home, Sun Yang finally lost his temper, shouting loudly. His body transformed into a golden light as he and Ning Qian surged forward, chasing after the fleeing Tianshan disciple. Sun Yang had only one thought: even if they couldn’t catch him, they wouldn’t let him off easily.

The white-clad Tianshan cultivator’s figure became a white streak as he entered Qingyang Town’s paved streets. The next moment, he would slip into the town. A smug smile curled at his lips. No matter how strong those two boys were, what could they do? Once inside the town, unless a foundation-level cultivator arrived, no one could capture him.

Suddenly, by the white-clad cultivator’s ear, a clear, gentle female voice sounded…

“Stay.”