Chapter 1: Refining Qi for One Hundred Thousand Years

At the back of Tianlan Sect mountain, dust suddenly swirled up, revealing a stone door in an unremarkable spot. The door trembled, then slowly opened.

An old man emerged from within.

With his first step, his spirit glowed, and all signs of old age vanished.

His second step transformed him into a middle-aged man.

By the third step, he appeared to be in his early twenties.

“Another ten thousand years have passed! Sigh, I still haven't achieved Foundation Establishment!”

His name was Xu Yang, and he had been cultivating for a hundred thousand years.

A hundred thousand years ago, he was a founding disciple of the Tianlan Sect. His master ascended, but he remained in the Qi Refining stage.

Ninety thousand years ago, his grand-nephew ascended, yet he was still in Qi Refining.

Fifty thousand years ago, even the old dog guarding the Tianlan Sect ascended, and he was still in Qi Refining.

Thirty thousand years ago, the ancient tree at the foot of the mountain became a demon, but failed its tribulation and perished, yet he continued to refine his Qi.

Ten thousand years ago, Zhang Wuji, the 9,872nd generation disciple of the Tianlan Sect, also ascended. Xu Yang silently continued his Qi Refining.

He had been in seclusion for ten thousand years, but ultimately, he still hadn't succeeded.

He had consumed more Foundation Establishment Pills than most people would ever see in their lifetime.

When his master first took him in, he praised his extraordinary talent, but said nothing more about it upon ascending.

Xu Yang's peculiar strength was that he would never age. He could endlessly forge ahead within the Qi Refining stage.

While others reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining, and even the most gifted prodigies only reached the tenth layer of perfection before directly achieving Foundation Establishment, then forming a Golden Core, awakening a Nascent Soul, evolving a Grotto-Heaven, forging a Primordial Spirit, merging the Divine Infant with the Dao, and finally ascending to Mahayana after overcoming tribulation!

He, however, was at the 9,999th layer of Qi Refining!

“A hundred thousand years have passed, and the sect has fallen into decline!”

Xu Yang sighed. In its heyday, the Tianlan Sect was the foremost power in the Three Thousand Dao States. Now, looking at the desolate back mountain, the once magnificent halls in the distance lay in ruins; only the main hall remained, a faint echo of its former glory.

“Hmm?”

Xu Yang suddenly furrowed his brow, his gaze turning sharp and menacing.

A sect's decline was understandable, a consequence of changing eras and shifting spiritual energies. What were once sacred grotto-heavens and blessed lands had now become utterly commonplace.

Not every successive generation of disciples could be exceptionally brilliant, so their decline was not entirely blameworthy.

However, someone was actually trying to obliterate the Tianlan Sect's lineage!

And Xu Yang, he wouldn't allow it!

***

Bang!

A Tianlan Sect disciple was sent flying backward from outside the main gate, crashing to the ground and coughing up blood.

“Ling Qingshu, I told you before: marry this Young Sect Master, move the Tianlan Sect from this location, and I will ensure your sect's survival. When I become the Tianyun Sect Master, you'll be my wife!”

“I'm giving you one last chance! Otherwise, if your lineage is extinguished, don't blame me for my ruthlessness!”

A man strolled in casually. Behind him stood dozens of powerful experts, their auras terrifying.

The Yunshan Sect, a major power in Qizhou, boasted Golden Core cultivators!

They had coveted the Tianlan Sect's mountain gate for a long time. The previous Tianlan Sect Master possessed Golden Core cultivation, so they hadn't dared to act while he was alive.

But ever since the former Sect Master passed away, the Yunshan Sect had grown restless.

Today, they had completely shed their pretense!

Inside the main hall, dozens of Tianlan Sect core disciples stood. Above them, a woman of striking beauty, her eyes sharp yet tinged with despair, was the current Tianlan Sect Master, Ling Qingshu.

The strongest cultivator in the Tianlan Sect was Ling Qingshu herself, yet she was only at the Mid-Foundation Establishment stage. There were also two elders at the Early-Foundation Establishment stage.

The Yunshan Sect, in contrast, possessed Golden Core experts and dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators!

Even their weakest members were comparable to Ling Qingshu in strength.

“My Tianlan Sect does not live on its knees; it only dies standing! Liu Yunqing, come at me! You dream of making me your Sect Master's wife? You're a fool!” Ling Qingshu's eyes were resolute as she abruptly rose from her seat, refusing to yield an inch.

Her Mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation erupted. With a clang, she drew her sword!

Liu Yunqing licked his lips, his gaze scanning Ling Qingshu with lecherous intent. He chuckled, “Ling Qingshu, I want you alive!”

In a flash, two figures surged from behind him, their terrifying auras indicating they were both experts at the Foundation Establishment Completion stage!

The three immediately clashed.

Ling Qingshu was already a realm lower in cultivation, making it difficult enough to handle even one opponent.

The two who attacked aimed for a swift victory, showing no intention of holding back.

The Young Sect Master merely wanted her alive!

As the three figures moved, Ling Qingshu was sent flying back, spitting blood, her eyes filled with immense grief and indignation. Her long sword shattered instantly.

Powerless and desperate, she saw no glimmer of hope for a reversal.

Suddenly, a spark of resolve flickered in her eyes.

Even if she died, she absolutely would not fall into Liu Yunqing's hands.

Ling Qingshu immediately turned her sword to her own neck.

“Is that really necessary? Sigh...”

A sigh echoed beside Ling Qingshu.

The sword in her hand, poised before her throat, could not advance an inch further!

Ling Qingshu was startled. Who was it? She looked up to see a young man standing before her, his eyes holding an indescribable depth of age.

He had gripped her sword between two fingers.

The newcomer was Xu Yang.

“Tell me, how do you wish to die?”

Xu Yang released Ling Qingshu and slowly walked to the front of the hall.

Liu Yunqing fixed his gaze on Xu Yang, then suddenly broke into a wide smile. “Another one come to die,” he scoffed. “I thought it might be some master, perhaps the Tianlan Sect's sweeping monk, but it's just a mere Qi Refining cultivator daring to act so brazenly.”

Xu Yang nodded. “Since you won't tell me,” he said, “then I'll simply send you on your way!”

He moved, his target clearly the two individuals who had attacked Ling Qingshu earlier.

“Truly, no one can stop someone determined to die.”

“Don't interfere! I'll crush him with a single finger!”

The two men sneered. One of them instantly lunged forward, unleashing a powerful punch.

He intended to shatter this person with a single punch, ensuring that before death, the man would clearly understand the insurmountable gap between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, for anyone.

In the blink of an eye, he was before Xu Yang.

Ling Qingshu couldn't help but gasp. She had thought he was a savior; was he truly just coming here to die? To be buried with a sect whose history she barely knew?

Yet Xu Yang remained utterly unperturbed. He casually raised a hand and flicked it at the man.

The man's expression twisted in horror as an unbearable force surged up his arm.

His body erupted with a sound of shattering. Every bone in his body, including his jaw, instantly fractured. He couldn't even open his mouth, and blood continuously seeped from all seven of his facial orifices.

Remarkably, despite the horrific damage, he had no internal injuries whatsoever. With his cultivation, he wouldn't die immediately.

“First one,” Xu Yang stated calmly.

“He's not Qi Refining!” The other man's pupils contracted as he roared.

“He's a Golden Core cultivator! Only someone at the Golden Core stage could so effortlessly crush Liu San!”

“Retreat, quickly! A Golden Core cultivator is invincible!”

He was terrified, and even Liu Yunqing was stunned, retreating frantically. When did the Tianlan Sect acquire a Golden Core expert?

The problem was, in the last hundred years, the Tianlan Sect had no known Golden Core cultivators apart from its former Sect Master!

Xu Yang had a faint smile on his lips. He continued walking towards the surrounding crowd, not even pausing his steps.

“I told you,” he said, “I'm just in the Qi Refining stage!”