Chapter 2102: Various Plans

Floating Cloud Island, Zhenhai Palace Headquarters.

Chen Yueying sat on a bamboo chair, while Fang Ming reported to her.

"Nephew Zhao and Nephew Sun have both been transferred back. They are among the thirty-six elites of our Zhenhai Palace. I heard that Senior Brother Li has also transferred Nephew Ma and Nephew Feng back. They are likely to enter the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven for treasure hunting as well," Fang Ming said respectfully. Working in the Deacon Hall, he had many informants, making it convenient to gather information.

Zhenhai Palace had hundreds of God Transformation cultivators. Thirty-six were specifically chosen for focused cultivation. Generally, Zhenhai Palace disciples selected as one of the Thirty-Six Elites had a high chance of advancing to the Void Refinement stage.

"Nephew Ma?" Chen Yueying said slowly. "I remember he was already at the late God Transformation stage hundreds of years ago. Has he still not broken through to Void Refinement? Perhaps Senior Brother Lin is holding him back, intending for him to enter the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven for treasure hunting. It's understandable, considering that one of the survivors from the last opening of the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven was Senior Brother Lin's descendant." She then recalled something and asked, "Have Nephew Wang and Niece Wang not returned yet?"

"They should be on their way; perhaps something delayed them for a while," Fang Ming replied. Just as he finished speaking, a transmission talisman flew in.

Chen Yueying crushed the talisman; it was from Wang Changsheng. "They're back. Go bring them in," Chen Yueying instructed.

Fang Ming acknowledged and left to carry out the order.

Before long, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan entered, accompanied by Fang Ming.

"Disciples pay respects to Ancestral Master Chen!" Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan bowed simultaneously.

"Oh, you've broken through to the late God Transformation stage. Excellent! It seems you've been cultivating diligently," Chen Yueying remarked, a look of approval on her face as she sensed Wang Changsheng's powerful aura.

"This disciple firmly believes that the Heavenly Dao rewards diligence, and thus dares not slack off," Wang Changsheng humbly replied. His talent was average, so he never dared to neglect his cultivation. Even cultivators with greater talent than him trained hard, so he had to work even harder to minimize the gap between himself and others.

"It's good that you understand that. Nephew Chen must have already told you," Chen Yueying said, her voice filled with temptation. "I plan to send you into the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven to search for treasures. If you retrieve what I need, you can have anything you desire, including high-grade Spirit Treasures or Azure Moon Jade Ginseng Pills."

"Ancestral Master Chen, what exactly do you wish for this disciple to retrieve?" Wang Changsheng asked cautiously.

"The Seventy-Thousand-Year-Old Nine Lightning Bamboo. If refined into a treasure, it would be perfectly suited for enduring a Great Heavenly Tribulation. For now, you two should return and rest," Chen Yueying instructed. She added, "In a while, the Sect Master, Senior Brother, will summon you for a briefing and provide you with some training." Zhenhai Palace dispatched disciples into the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven primarily for treasure hunting, not to send them to their deaths. Therefore, training for a period was essential to increase their survival rate and concurrently gather more cultivation resources.

"When you truly enter the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven, you will also be given treasures like talismans and formations to enhance your strength and improve your survival rate," Fang Ming added.

"Ancestral Master Chen, Senior Uncle Fang, since there are so many treasures within the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven, shouldn't high-level cultivators send their avatars or clones inside?" Wang Ruyan asked curiously.

"Profound Spirit Heavenly Venerate considered this back then and set up special restrictions," Chen Yueying explained. "Avatars cannot enter. As for clones, it's harder to say, but their cultivation would be limited to the God Transformation stage at most, and they could only master a few powerful secret techniques. The Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven is a major trial for the human race of the Profound Spirit Continent. Many major forces will send people to participate, and even some non-human races will enter to search for treasures. A specialist will brief you on the specific details at that time."

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan acknowledged, bowed, and withdrew.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan appeared in a secluded manor, where pavilions, terraces, gardens, waterside structures, and oddly shaped rocks were abundant.

"The Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven – this is both an opportunity and a challenge," Wang Changsheng muttered to himself, his eyes burning with fervor. "If we can achieve great merit, perhaps we can ask for a territory to settle down and establish our family."

While it was good to seek shelter under a large tree, he preferred to be independent. During his casual chats with Sun Yang, he discovered that the factional struggles within Zhenhai Palace were severe. Currently, the Sect Master's faction, led by Song Yiming, could still keep the two main factions in check and maintain balance, but the future was uncertain.

Disciples of cultivation sects came from all corners of the world; with differing philosophies, internal strife was inevitable. Cultivation families also experienced internal conflict, though less frequently.

"This mission is not simple; we might even perish," Wang Ruyan said gravely. "However, if we can truly bring back the Nine Lightning Bamboo, we could request a territory from Ancestral Master Chen to develop our family." Cultivation sect disciples who wished to establish a family within the sect's jurisdiction needed to apply to the sect. They couldn't simply detach themselves and form a family at will. A sect was not a charity; without rules, nothing could be accomplished, and everything had its regulations.

In a magnificent palace, Song Yiming was speaking with Song Yuchan.

"Father, why is Martial Uncle Chen sending so many people into the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven this time?" Song Yuchan asked, puzzled. "Has she discovered rare cultivation resources?"

"Likely so," Song Yiming said with a hint of helplessness. "Otherwise, Junior Sister Chen wouldn't have proposed sending more people. Even Nephew Zhao and Nephew Sun have been transferred back, and Junior Brother Liu has brought back Nephew Ma and Nephew Feng, presumably also to collect cultivation resources." The native faction and the ascended faction both had their own agendas, concealing important information and planning to send their most capable disciples to search for treasures, prioritizing their personal interests over the collective good.

With him present, Hainan could currently keep the two major factions in check. However, if he were gone, it would be difficult to say. Many major sects on the Profound Spirit Continent had quickly declined after internal strife, and some had already vanished into the river of history.

"Why are you suddenly concerned about this?" Song Yiming asked curiously. "Are you planning to send someone in as well?" He had high hopes for Song Yuchan. Possessing a spiritual body, she had the potential to advance to the Mahayana stage. If Song Yuchan were to reach the Mahayana stage, she could resolve the conflicts between the two major factions, deal with disciples who harbored excessive selfish motives, and make an example of them.

Chen Yueying also possessed a spiritual body and had a greater chance of advancing to the Mahayana stage. If Chen Yueying reached the Mahayana stage, the ascended faction would undoubtedly suppress the native faction, only intensifying the conflict. If Chen Yueying were to perish during a Great Heavenly Tribulation, the ascended faction's power would be weakened, allowing the native faction to gain dominance. Song Yiming found himself in a deep dilemma.

His current desire was to maintain the status quo and allow Song Yuchan to grow.

"I've received news that a few ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs would benefit my cultivation," Song Yuchan honestly stated. "I plan to send my clone in, as it has already been cultivated to the God Transformation stage." As the only daughter of the Zhenhai Palace Sect Master, she never had to worry about cultivation resources.

"Send your clone in?" Song Yiming frowned. "That's too risky. Cultivating a clone isn't easy. I'll send someone to get them for you!"

"Father, who would you send? Can they be trusted? Who knows how many people Martial Uncle Chen and Martial Uncle Lin have swayed to their side? What if they hoard everything for themselves? Let's not. Those spiritual herbs are immensely beneficial to my cultivation; I must obtain them myself. You should focus more on training the disciples entering the Profound Spirit Grotto-Heaven, so we don't repeat the mistakes of last time," Song Yuchan subtly refused, her gaze firm.

Song Yiming nodded, agreeing.