Chapter 1259
Unfamiliar Senior, Chu Ling Forms Core
The figure moved with incredible speed, instantly blocking Song Yushan's retreat.
The powerful pressure emanating from the other party far exceeded Song Yushan's expectations, causing him to be surprised for a moment and instantly abandon the idea of using magic to resist the other party.
"A Nascent Soul cultivator!"
"Senior, may I ask what brings you here?"
The person before him, completely shrouded in black robes, was beyond Song Yushan's comprehension despite his fourth-level Golden Core cultivation. This indicated that the other party's cultivation was at least at the Nascent Soul stage.
Moreover, the other party deliberately blended into the caravan, seemingly not wanting anyone to know their whereabouts and intentionally concealing their identity.
Faced with a Nascent Soul expert who suddenly appeared in Funiu Mountain, Song Yushan was momentarily puzzled as to the person's identity and what his purpose was in coming here.
He had no choice but to set aside his pride and respectfully ask the man in black a question.
But when Song Yushan asked the question, the man in black robes did not answer him. Instead, he suddenly looked up to the side.
The man in black robes looked towards an inconspicuous low mountain not far from "Funiu Mountain".
".
"Qingyun Mountain", the cave at the top of the mountain.
Two figures sat together on a large bamboo chair, with fragrant spiritual tea laid out on a wooden table in front of them.
"Oh right, my husband, I've been so busy talking to you these past few days that I forgot to show you this."
As Li Xuanyi smiled and raised her hand to release a beam of light, a gray-robed figure wearing a mask quickly appeared beside her.
The masked person, though female, was a head taller than Li Xuanyi beside her, and her imposing figure was in no way inferior to that of a man.
The aura emanating from this person had reached the late Nascent Soul stage; he was the "humanoid puppet" that Li Xuanyi had painstakingly crafted over many years.
Upon seeing the puppet appear, Song Qingming, who was sitting to the side, was immediately drawn to it.
"Husband, this is something I refined a few years ago using that top-grade fourth-level ghost pill. I named her Moyi."
It took me a lot of effort to finally refine it.
"A late-stage Nascent Soul puppet, it's no worse than the one I crafted back then. I noticed your talent in this area back then, but I didn't expect you to surpass me so quickly."
Previously, when Song Qingming obtained the fourth-grade superior ghost pill from the "Netherworld Ancestor", he saw that Li Xuanyi was quite interested in the art of puppetry, so he gave the pill to her as a gift.
Li Xuanyi thought that with his and Qu Bai's guidance, she would at least be able to refine a mid-stage Nascent Soul puppet to help her improve her strength.
Unexpectedly, with the help of the two, Li Xuanyi successfully crafted a late-stage Nascent Soul puppet, which was quite beyond Song Qingming's expectations.
It is evident that his talent in the art of puppetry is in no way inferior to that of Song Qingming before him.
Upon hearing Song Qingming's praise, a hint of joy flashed across Li Xuanyi's face, and she quickly replied:
"If it weren't for my husband's strong support and Sister Siyuan's help in giving me a lot of pills, how could Xuanyi have successfully refined the black robe on her own?"
My spiritual practice has been unsuccessful these past few years; I can't compare to my husband.
Fortunately, Mo Yi didn't disappoint me; there are always trade-offs.
In recent decades, Li Xuanyi has focused her energy on crafting puppets due to her failure to break through to a higher realm. Currently, her cultivation level is still at the peak of the fourth level of the Nascent Soul stage.
Seeing Song Qingming, whose cultivation had advanced further and reached the half-step Nascent Soul realm, Li Xuanyi naturally felt the inadequacy of her own cultivation.
"You've honed your foundation quite well over the years, so I think breaking through to a higher realm should be a sure thing."
This is a mid-grade level four spiritual pill that I brought back from the Merit Pavilion of the Heavenly Imperial Sect, prepared for you.
Having spent over thirty years in the "Tianyu Sect," Song Qingming frequently visited the sect's Merit Pavilion to exchange for the spiritual items he needed for cultivation, thanks to the convenience provided by Chen Qingxuan.
The "Tianyu Sect" is the number one sect of the human race in the Eastern Phoenix Immortal Continent. The number of high-level spiritual items in the Good Deeds Pavilion is far beyond that of ordinary sects, and all kinds of pills needed for cultivation are readily available.
In addition to the pills he needed for his own secluded cultivation, Song Qingming also obtained some high-level pills that those around him could use.
With a wave of his hand, he took out a mid-grade fourth-level spiritual pill that he had prepared beforehand.
"Husband, was this prepared for me long ago?"
Looking at the precious elixir that Song Qingming took out, Li Xuanyi's eyes flashed with a glint of light, and she accepted it with great joy.
Seeing that Li Xuanyi was still looking at him cautiously, Song Qingming quickly nodded to her, which finally made her look satisfied.
"By the way, husband, does Sister Siyuan also have this elixir?"
"Hmm! It's just a mid-grade fourth-level pill. Don't worry, I brought more than one back this time, so Siyuan will naturally have one too."
"I've already reached the half-step Nascent Soul realm, so producing these spiritual items shouldn't be too difficult for me. Don't worry about me."
Seeing that Li Xuanyi still remembered to ask Huang Siyuan a question, Song Qingming quickly nodded to her.
"Yes! If it weren't for Sister Siyuan's intention to make things happen, we probably wouldn't have gotten together so smoothly."
I know my husband is a man of great affection and loyalty, and he wouldn't favor one over the other. I'm just worried that you might sometimes overlook this, so I'm reminding you.
"With this elixir, breaking through my cultivation level shouldn't be a problem, so my husband doesn't need to worry."
Judging by the time, Sister Siyuan should have finished her alchemy retreat by now. You should go and keep her company while she cultivates.
"Very well! There's been no movement in the north right now, and it should be some time before the monsters cause trouble. It's quite suitable for you to go into seclusion at this time."
In the world of cultivation, it is common for high-level cultivators to marry wives and take concubines, but it is not uncommon for them to fight for favor and affection in the harem, causing chaos and turmoil.
Zhou Ziyang, a junior disciple who lives on the other side of Qingyun Mountain.
In the years since he reached the Nascent Soul stage, he has married several Daoist partners in succession. However, due to the competition for cultivation resources, they often quarreled on the mountain, and even made a scene in front of Song Qingyu and others.
Zhou Ziyang had been troubled by this for years, so in order to calm his mind and cultivate, he simply moved his cave dwelling to the market town at the foot of the mountain.
When Song Qingming returned and heard Li Xuanyi mention this matter, he couldn't help but shake his head.
Having many partners is a joyous thing, but it can also bring a lot of troubles.
In comparison, despite having cultivated for so many years and having two Nascent Soul Daoist partners, I have little progress in my cultivation.
However, the harmonious relationship between Huang Siyuan and Li Xuanyi made Song Qingming very happy, and he never had any headaches about these things.
After staying in Li Xuanyi's cave for almost two months, Song Qingming went to Huang Siyuan's residence in the west.
However, they discovered that the cave's protective barrier had been opened, and there seemed to be no one inside.
Just as Song Qingming looked somewhat disappointed and was about to turn away, he suddenly saw a slender figure running quickly toward him from a distance.
"Greetings, Master!"
"Shang Yun, what brings you here to see me?"
Song Shiyun was a disciple that Song Qingming had recently taken in from "Funiu Mountain" several decades ago, and he was ranked fifth among his disciples.
Decades have passed, and Song Shiyun's cultivation has reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment. His once handsome face has now become more mature.
After bowing to Song Qingming in front of him, Song Shiyun said, "Master, half a month ago, my eldest brother received a message from Funiu Mountain."
They said this matter was quite important and insisted that we personally deliver it to you!
I had intended to visit you at Madam Li's cave these past few days, but for some reason, I was blocked by the cave's protective barriers, and this letter has been unable to be delivered.
"oh,.!"
Upon hearing that the letter in Song Shiyun's hand came from "Funiu Mountain", a hint of surprise flashed in Song Qingming's eyes, and he reached out and took it into his own hand.
After opening the letter and glancing at it, Song Qingming's previously calm expression suddenly turned somewhat serious.
"Tell your senior brother that if any important letters arrive from Funiu Mountain in the future, he must notify me immediately and not delay important matters!"
And regarding today's delivery of the letter, do not mention it to anyone else.
"Disciple understands!"
After leaving those words, Song Qingming flashed with light and quickly disappeared from the spot, leaving behind Song Shiyun with a somewhat helpless expression.
".
"Qinghe County" is located on a low mountain on the south side of the Funiu Mountains.
This mountain was originally a barren mountain with scarce spiritual energy. Decades ago, the Song family cultivators suddenly built a temple on the mountain and cultivated it into a second-level spiritual vein.
Since the temple was built, many ordinary people living in the surrounding area have come here out of curiosity to visit.
No one knows who spread the news, but it is said that there is a highly accomplished monk on the mountain who can not only cure diseases and ward off disasters, but also make wishes very effective.
In no time, the news spread like wildfire.
This quickly made the temple famous in the area around Mount Funiu.
Today, the temple is thriving with worshippers, and countless ordinary people from the surrounding area come to the mountain every day to make wishes. The number of monks in the temple has reached nearly a hundred.
There were even practitioners who came down from Mount Funiu and voluntarily shaved their heads and became monks there.
"Hongyun Temple" is located in front of the stone pagoda on the back mountain.
A short, bald monk sat cross-legged on a huge rock, reciting scriptures incessantly.
Not far in front of him, there were more than a dozen monks of varying ages, looking intently ahead and listening intently.
Suddenly a gentle breeze swept by, and the little monk's voice abruptly stopped.
"Master, is there anything you need?"
“When old friends come to visit, you continue to chant sutras for Buddha. I will be right back.”
After the sound faded, the figure on the stone platform in front of them had already disappeared.
The monks below, seeing this, did not find it strange at all, and began to close their eyes and chant sutras again.
In a flash, "Monk Jinyun" arrived at the stone pagoda not far away.
After taking a few steps forward, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him.
"A distinguished guest has arrived; Jin Yun has failed to greet you properly!"
"Greetings, Master!"
After returning the greeting with a bow to the person in front of him, Song Qingming turned to look at the bustling temple below and asked again:
"The master stayed behind to find a benefactor. I wonder if he has found one after all this time?"
"Alas, although I foresaw that this noble person would meet me here, I did not know when he would appear, and I have gained nothing to this day."
Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Song didn't mind and allowed this humble monk to preach here, so these years haven't been wasted.
Since following Song Qingming to the cultivation world of the "Floating Cloud Mountains," "Monk Jin Yun" has remained in Funiu Mountain. Now, decades later, with Song Qingming's help, "Monk Jin Yun" has not only recovered his physical body, but his cultivation has also returned to the sixth level of the Nascent Soul realm.
Buddhist disciples do not rely entirely on spiritual veins for cultivation; they can also cultivate with the help of incense offerings.
In the "Funiu Mountain," a place untouched by other deities, "Monk Jinyun" quickly gathered a large following, and his life was now much better than when he was wandering around.
After chatting with Song Qingming for a few minutes, "Monk Jinyun" raised his hand and took out a "storage bag" from his sleeve, and handed it to the other party.
A few days ago, a benefactor happened to come to my place, and she asked me to pass this item on to you.
"Where is she now?"
When Song Qingming asked the question, "Monk Jinyun" just smiled and shook his head.
"She left this item half a month ago and then left. She only said that she wanted me to give it to you personally, but she didn't explain anything else about it."
"Thank you, Master!"
Nodding slightly to the "Golden Cloud Monk" in front of him, Song Qingming took the storage bag from the other's hand and left Hongyun Temple directly.
In mid-air, aboard the flying boat.
As Song Qingming probed the "storage bag" with his divine sense, he saw a purple circular array plate lying quietly inside, along with an unopened letter.
".
Three years later, at the summit of Qingyun Mountain.
The clouds and mist rolled in the sky, and the sudden appearance of this "strange phenomenon of heaven and earth" quickly attracted many people.
A moment later, a figure flew over and stopped in front of Song Qingyu.
"Hey! Senior Sister Li, when did you come out of seclusion?"
Looking at Li Xuanyi, whose cultivation had successfully broken through to the fifth level of the Nascent Soul realm, Song Qingyu was slightly surprised and quickly stepped forward to cup her hands in greeting:
"Qingyu congratulates Senior Sister on your further advancement in cultivation!"
"My cultivation level is no match for yours, so please stop joking with me!"
Despite waving her hands repeatedly in response to Song Qingyu's congratulations, Li Xuanyi couldn't hide the smile on her face.
Just as the two were talking, two more figures arrived. They were Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan, who had come with them.
"Seventh Brother, Sister-in-law!"
".
Looking up at the strange phenomenon in the sky, a hint of something unusual appeared on Song Qingming's usually calm face.
"Judging from this phenomenon, it seems that she has successfully condensed her core. I didn't expect her to have such good fortune and be able to condense her core in one go. Her talent is no less than Shao Yu's."
"Hehe! It's rare for Seventh Brother to praise her like this. It seems she has succeeded."
".
Song Qingming nodded slightly, said nothing more, and turned his gaze back to the sky.
After lasting for most of the day, as the "strange phenomenon of heaven and earth" gradually dissipated, the group arrived at the entrance of the cave ahead.
Before long, a figure emerged from the cave.
"Congratulations, Junior Sister Chu, on your successful Core Formation!"
Looking at the crowd of people bowing and offering their congratulations in front of her, Chu Ling immediately raised her hand to return the greeting, then turned around and quickly knelt down in front of Song Qingyu.
"Disciple Chu Ling thanks Master and Ancestor for their support of the Great Dao!"
"Your success today is the result of your own hard work and self-cultivation. Get up!"
"Since Shaoyu achieved the Golden Core, there has been no such joyous event on the mountain for many years."
It's rare to find someone with such talent; you still need to work hard and strive to go even further.
"Thank you, Ancestor!"
Looking at the handsome face before him, Song Qingming nodded slightly, a hint of relief appearing on his face.
When Song Qingming encountered Chu Ling by chance in the forbidden area of the demon race, he simply brought her back without giving it much thought.
Unexpectedly, just over a hundred years later, this woman had already formed a Golden Core and become Song Qingyu's second Golden Core disciple, which was truly beyond Song Qingming's expectations.
Chu Ling, facing Song Qingming, the great benefactor who had brought her back from the demon realm, was also deeply moved and couldn't help but shed tears.
If I hadn't met her back then, she would probably be nothing but bones by now, and she wouldn't have achieved what she has today.
"It's a rare and joyous occasion today, so let's celebrate it properly!"
"I have already arranged a banquet at Huixian Pavilion. Let's all go and share in the joy."
Seeing Chu Ling's excited expression, Song Qingyu quickly stepped forward to comfort her and led everyone to the "Huixian Pavilion" not far away.
Upon hearing that someone on the mountain had successfully formed their core and was holding a banquet, Song Linyu, Bai Jingyun, and others, who were still busy in the market town at the foot of the mountain, also came to offer their congratulations.
Even Zhou Ziyang, a Nascent Soul elder, personally led a group to come over.
To congratulate Chu Ling on becoming a newly promoted Golden Core Elder, Nascent Soul Ancestors such as Song Qingming, Song Qingyu, and Li Xuanyi bestowed spiritual gifts upon her on the spot.
Even his fellow disciples, such as Bai Jingyun and Wei Yunlong, each sent their own congratulatory gifts.
Among them, Song Qingyu, Chu Ling's master, was unusually generous and directly gifted her a level three magic weapon of considerable quality.
This was the first time the mountain had been so lively since Song Qingming returned from the "Eastern Phoenix Kingdom." Everyone raised their glasses and drank heartily until the early morning of the following day before finally quieting down.
Not long after everyone had dispersed, two important guests soon arrived at Qingyun Mountain: Elder Li Mufeng, who had come all the way from the sect to offer his congratulations.
Since the battle of "Northern Frontier" years ago, Li Mufeng, who was seriously injured, has stayed in "Guyang Mountain" to recuperate for many years and has not left the mountain gate for a long time.
When Song Qingming, Song Qingyu, and the others saw that Li Mufeng had actually brought people to personally offer their congratulations, they were all quite surprised.
Unexpectedly, the formation of the Core Formation by a junior on the mountain would alarm this elder who rarely leaves his home.
Seeing that it was Li Mufeng who had come to visit in person, Song Qingming hurriedly instructed his disciples to set up a banquet at the "Huixian Pavilion" to welcome him.
Li Mufeng has not yet recovered from his injuries since the battle.
Not only is his hair gray, but his face also shows signs of aging, and he has long lost his former glory.
As the sect's Grand Elder, Li Mufeng was already the oldest member of the entire "Xiaoyao Sect," and now he only had a few decades left to live.
Despite having surpassed the Grand Elder in cultivation, Song Qingming still treated him with courtesy and invited him to the head seat at the banquet.
In front of his many disciples, he showed Li Mufeng ample respect.
"Junior Brother Song, when I came here I heard that a large army of demonic beasts had been discovered gathering in the Qin Kingdom to the west. I wonder what the situation is like here at Qingyun Mountain?"
"Don't worry, Senior Brother Li. Junior Brother Zhou has already arranged for people to keep an eye on things in the north, and so far there has been no sign of the demon army heading south."
"Senior Brother Song is right. The Heavenly Fox Clan was severely damaged by us last time, so they shouldn't be able to cause any trouble this time."
"Hmm! Although Tianwei is powerful, Seventh Brother's cultivation has now broken through to the half-step Nascent Soul realm, and Senior Sister Li has also refined a late-stage Nascent Soul puppet."
If he dares to come again, he probably won't be as lucky as last time.
".
Halfway through the banquet, Elder Li Mufeng couldn't help but ask about the surrounding area of "Qingyun Mountain".
Although he had long since retired and no longer concerned himself with sect affairs, he still felt uneasy about the situation in the north of the sect, having toiled his entire life.
Seeing this, Song Qingming and the others immediately answered the other party truthfully, which put Li Mufeng at ease.
Nearly a century has passed since the last "monster uprising," and the time has come once again for the "Northern Frontier" demons to march south.
However, compared to the previous fierce attack by the demon race, the Heavenly Fox Clan of the "Northern Frontier" has suddenly become much quieter this time.
Zhou Ziyang has sent out cultivators to investigate the movements of the demon race, but so far there has been no sign of a large demon army gathering.
Only from the "Wanling Sect" of the Qin Kingdom in the west, news has spread that a large army of demons is about to march south.
Although Song Qingming was somewhat surprised by the result, he was not too astonished.
After all, during the last upheaval, the "Free and Unfettered Sect" led a large army of human cultivators, not only annihilating the northern demon army but also reclaiming many spiritual mountains in the northern Floating Cloud Mountains.
They even launched a counterattack, directly penetrating the heartland of the "Northern Frontier" demon race and looting the sacred land of the "Heavenly Fox Clan."
Having lost the support of the demon race in the northern "Floating Cloud Mountains" and suffered heavy losses from the human army, the "Heavenly Fox Clan" is unlikely to recover its strength in a short period of time.
Meanwhile, the human cultivators, having reclaimed a large portion of their territory in the northern "Floating Cloud Mountains," have experienced a period of rapid growth in power over the past century.
Compared to a hundred years ago, the strength of both the "Xiaoyao Sect" and the human cultivators of the entire Floating Cloud Mountain Range has increased significantly.
With the balance of power shifting, the demon army, relying solely on the "Heavenly Fox Clan," could no longer exert any pressure on the Floating Cloud Mountains to the south.
Therefore, neither Song Qingming nor the other sect elders present showed much concern about the impending "monster turmoil".
Only Elder Li Mufeng, who had experienced too many demon clan schemes and "massive military pressure" in his life, remained very vigilant and reminded everyone again.
Although everyone felt that the other party was being overly worried, no one refuted them and all nodded slightly.
After all, Li Mufeng was still the sect's Grand Elder, and even though he was now in his twilight years, he still had some prestige.
".
As soon as the banquet ended, Li Mufeng took the initiative to come to Song Qingming's side again.
"Junior Brother Song, besides congratulating Junior Nephew Chu, there is something I would like to ask you about in person first."
Could we find another place to talk privately?
Hearing that Li Mufeng seemed to have something on his mind, Song Qingming did not think too much about it. He immediately dismissed everyone around him and led him to a side hall.
After inviting the other party to sit down, Song Qingming poured Li Mufeng a cup of spiritual tea before slowly speaking:
"There is no one else here, and I have personally set up a soundproof barrier. Senior brother, please feel free to speak your mind."
"Hehe! Junior Brother Song is reliable in handling matters; I know that better than anyone over the years."
"..." (End of Chapter)