Chapter 1782: A Long Journey (Part Two)

Li Yan had also proactively avoided using the ‘Return-Home Trade House’ to transmit messages. He had even spotted branches of that shop in two large markets but decided not to enter.

Gong Chenying had only just returned from a sect mission when she spotted the jade slip flying erratically within the restriction in front of the bamboo courtyard. Both she and Zhao Min lived in the bamboo courtyard Li Yan had originally chosen. After reaching the late-stage Nascent Soul realm, the two women would periodically head out to execute sect missions.

In the Wangliang Sect of the Immortal Spirit Realm, cultivators below the Void Refining stage were required to complete three missions every century. Previously, they had spent all their time in seclusion to break through to the late-stage Nascent Soul realm, so they hadn’t completed a single one. Now that they had advanced, they didn’t just complete the mandatory missions; they frequently and proactively went to the Mission Hall to seek out more dangerous tasks.

Arriving in the Immortal Spirit Realm had turned them back into low-level cultivators, allowing them to rediscover the feelings they had experienced during the Foundation Establishment stage. There were many more high peaks ahead that required constant climbing. Naturally, they could no longer rely solely on bitter cultivation. Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators had just begun to comprehend the Laws of Heaven and Earth, and this required more experience and insight.

Zhao Min had returned to the sect only two months ago. The mission she had executed was to capture a mid-stage Level 4 sea demon beast. This was not a mission to kill, which made it several times more difficult. Furthermore, while completing this mission alone, she had encountered a pair of sea demons fighting in the ocean. This had not been easy for Zhao Min. In the end, she had faced two sea demon beasts at once, causing significant injury to her internal organs. She had gone into seclusion to heal as soon as she returned.

Gong Chenying had similarly taken on a solo mission afterward. This was simply part of their personalities; they did not like traveling in groups. Gong Chenying’s task was to help a vassal sect of the Wangliang Sect kill the Grand Elder of a rival power. The mission had taken her twenty days. That Grand Elder was also a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and an established one at that.

Gong Chenying had waited for the perfect opportunity, but a major surprise occurred when she finally made her move. The rival Grand Elder had actually been possessed. The Nascent Soul that had taken over his body was originally at the Spirit Transformation stage. His cultivation had dropped after he was wounded while exploring a certain area, which led him to seize the body of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Using the power of that sect, he began plundering the cultivation resources of other sects to restore his original realm as quickly as possible.

The strength of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who had been possessed by a higher-level soul could not be measured by normal standards. His comprehension of the Laws was already an entire level higher. Fortunately, after following Li Yan for so long, Gong Chenying had also learned the way of the assassin. She no longer fought like a simple Body Cultivator, meeting force with force.

That single sneak attack had already wounded the man. After a bloody battle, Gong Chenying had successively employed the secret arts of the sixth layer of the Qiongqi Purgatory Art. Despite suffering from the backlash, she had heavily wounded her opponent. Finally, she used the ultimate technique of the Red Whisk Temple taught to her by Hong Yin to end his life.

For a mission of this danger level, the sect would normally have sent a higher-level cultivator to ensure stability, but no one could have predicted the changes within the mission. At the same time, the sect needed its disciples to gain experience, and higher-level cultivators were often disdainful of taking on lower-level tasks.

Thus, in just a few short decades after arriving in the Immortal Spirit Realm, Gong Chenying and Zhao Min had gained the strength to barely contend with those at the initial-stage Spirit Transformation. This had caused their names to rise in prominence within the sect, causing many disciples to once again recognize the ferocious power of cultivators from the lower realms.

This group also included Wei Zhongran, Mo Qing, and Zi Kun. Those three, however, frequently traveled together. These individuals had rapidly become the core strength among cultivators of the same rank.

Just before the two women went into seclusion, the sect leadership had come looking for Li Yan several times. However, they found that after registering his details, the disciple had hastily left the sect. It was said that he had gone to treat another disciple of the Wangliang Sect. This was confirmed by the cultivator who had originally diagnosed Bai Rou, so the sect had no choice but to drop the matter.

Consequently, the plan to find Li Yan to verify details about the great war in the lower realm and investigate his Splintering Poison Body had to be shelved. When Li Yan had first arrived, the news of the lower realm sect almost being wiped out was too significant. Even Ancestor Dacen had overlooked Li Yan’s unique constitution, and people like Wei Zhongran naturally wouldn’t go around advertising it.

After reading the contents of the jade slip, Gong Chenying immediately woke Zhao Min from her seclusion. This was the first news they had received of Li Yan in decades. However, they could guess that when Li Yan first left, he had likely gone to find Mu Sha and his mother. They knew his personality too well. Since he had brought up the matter of Mu Guyue, he wouldn’t favor one over the other, especially since there was a child of the Li family involved.

“Even if it is a second-rate sect, although they are typically controlled by Void Refining cultivators, there is still a possibility of Body Integration cultivators appearing!” Zhao Min’s eyes held a trace of worry. They were no longer the ignorant people they once were and were now very clear on the classification of sects in the Immortal Spirit Realm.

In the vast majority of second-rate sects, the strongest were at the Void Refining stage. However, there were some special exceptions that showed signs of being on the verge of upgrading to a first-rate sect.

“He has already survived so many perils. He must have a plan. With his caution, he will be able to resolve all problems just as he always has.” Gong Chenying, who still smelled strongly of blood, raised her head and looked at Zhao Min with a smile.

But in her heart, she knew that Min’er, like herself, did not believe Li Yan had entered a mere second-rate sect. It was likely a first-rate or even a top-tier sect. This was evident from the sheer value of the Moon-Gazing Pure Immortal Grass. They hadn’t spent these years idly and had inquired quite a bit about the grass.

“How is Sister Ying’s injury?” Zhao Min suddenly changed the subject.

“It’s fine. I just need to rest for a while. It was only the backlash from a technique.”

“In that case, I will go back to my cultivation!” After saying this, Zhao Min seemingly casually picked up the jade slip from the stone table and slowly walked toward the back.

There was no need for formalities between her and Gong Chenying. This wasn’t a moment of life-and-death battle where the other would lie about her injuries.

Gong Chenying watched Zhao Min’s departing back and sighed softly in her heart before standing up. She knew Zhao Min was anxious—not because Li Yan hadn’t returned, but because she couldn’t help him. Thus, she would seize every moment to cultivate. And Zhao Min’s casual pickup of the jade slip was because she missed Li Yan. Was she not the same?

“If we can cross the hardest hurdle of the late-stage Nascent Soul, how far can Spirit Transformation be…” Amidst her swirling thoughts, Gong Chenying also walked toward another room.

Everyone was cultivating desperately now. Even the once most playful Li Zhaoyan had become extremely diligent due to the matter of her master, Bai Rou. She had already been in seclusion for more than ten years, searching for that glimmer of opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul stage!