Martial Immortality: Starting with the Spirit Beast Scroll

Chapter 325: Chapter 313: Earth Dark Sect

After staying at the estate for three days, Zhao Lin decided to visit the two resident cultivators who had guided him into the Chenghua Sect back then.

Discovering those with Spiritual Roots was part of the resident cultivators’ duties, but since he was back, it was only right for him to meet with them.

Zhao Lin left the mansion alone, exited the city through the north gate, and arrived at the nameless mountain outside the city.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhao. We haven’t seen you in a year, and your cultivation has already reached the Qi Refining Second Layer. This is truly a joyous occasion."

As Zhao Lin approached the thatched hut on the mountainside, Huang Zhusong and Lv Qing walked out, smiling as they spoke.

"I must thank you two senior brothers for guiding me."

Zhao Lin replied courteously.

He could now see their Cultivation Realms. The younger Lv Qing was at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, and the elder Huang Zhusong was at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

He hadn’t understood back then why the two of them were content to be stationed in the mortal world. Now he understood: it was, of course, to accumulate merit.

"To be honest, we’ve guided several disciples over the years we’ve been stationed here, but you’re the first one to come back and visit us."

Huang Zhusong said emotionally, inviting Zhao Lin to sit at the wooden table in front of the hut. Lv Qing went back inside to get a tea set and poured everyone a cup.

"I came back to visit family, so I was just in the area."

Zhao Lin thanked them and took a sip of his tea.

"Junior Brother Zhao, how is your cultivation going in the sect?"

Lv Qing refilled his cup and sat down, asking casually.

"It’s going well. Speaking of which, I have you two guides to thank."

As Zhao Lin spoke, he took out ten Spirit Stones from his storage pouch and placed them on the table.

"Just a small token of my appreciation."

The two were stunned. Huang Zhusong asked in surprise, "Junior Brother Zhao, where did you get these Spirit Stones?"

Lv Qing added, "I remember first-year disciples don’t receive a monthly stipend. Have the rules changed?"

"The rules haven’t changed."

Zhao Lin smiled. "I just happened to perform a small service, and this was the reward from the sect."

"Then we can’t accept them. You’ve just joined the sect and must be in need of Spirit Stones. You should keep them for yourself."

"That’s right. The sect provides us with Spirit Stones for being stationed here."

Huang Zhusong and Lv Qing refused.

"I have more. Please, accept them."

Zhao Lin waved his hand and insisted, "The Spiritual Qi here is thin. You surely can’t use the Spirit Stones the sect gives you freely."

Unable to refuse any longer, Huang and Lv each took five. They cupped their hands in thanks. Five Spirit Stones wasn’t a large amount, but the sentiment was truly rare.

"By the way, when I passed by Three Mountains Island, I saw that over thirty youths with Spiritual Roots were found in our region this year. I was wondering, how many of them did you two find?"

Hearing Zhao Lin’s question, Lv Qing eagerly replied, "We were lucky this year. We found four youths with the aptitude for cultivation."

"That’s great! Congratulations, senior brothers. The merit awarded for that must be substantial."

Hearing this, smiles appeared on both their faces. Wasn’t accumulating merit the very reason they endured their post here?

The three of them sat at the table and talked for a long time, with Zhao Lin asking many questions about cultivation.

Huang Zhusong and Lv Qing rarely got to interact with fellow cultivators, so they held nothing back, answering all his questions in full.

From their conversation, Zhao Lin learned that to become a resident cultivator, one needed to master three kinds of Magic: the Qi Observation Skill, the Root Inspection Skill, and the Forgetfulness Skill.

The Qi Observation Skill, needless to say, was for observing Spiritual Qi, while the Root Inspection Skill was for determining if a mortal possessed a Spiritual Root.

Used together, these were the primary methods resident cultivators used to find people with Spiritual Roots.

And the Forgetfulness Skill could erase a mortal’s memories from a certain period, used as a remedy after information had been leaked.

The three of them chatted animatedly until noon, when Zhao Lin finally got up to take his leave.

After leaving the nameless mountain, Zhao Lin paid a visit to the Xingyun Sect.

Partly, it was to visit his former martial arts masters; partly, it was to let the outside world know he was still alive, which would benefit both his family and his country.

"Elder Zhao is back!"

The moment Zhao Lin appeared, the disciple guarding the mountain relayed the news to the Sect Leader and the elders.

Although Zhao Lin had resigned from his position as Law Enforcement Elder before he left, the sect had still kept his seat as an elder for him.

Hearing the news, all the Primordial Realm elders of the Xingyun Sect gathered in the main hall at the mountain’s peak.

Sect Leader Lu Chaohuan, Inner Court elder Yang Lin, Pan Yue of Leisure Cloud Hall, the five elders of the Wuxiang Institute, and others all rushed over.

"Elder Zhao, where have you been traveling this past year? Have you had any new insights into the martial path?"

Lu Chaohuan asked.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, our Great Yue is so vast one could not travel it all in a lifetime. This junior has merely been wandering around."

Zhao Lin shook his head gently and smiled. "I’ve had some insights, but I haven’t made any breakthroughs on the martial path."

Revealing heavenly secrets would only harm this world. Zhao Lin couldn’t say more, lest he anger the Celestial Dao.

Seeing Zhao Lin refer to himself as a junior, with no trace of arrogance in his speech or manner, Lu Chaohuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled and said, "Elder Zhao, you are too modest. The sect’s current standing is all thanks to your contributions over the years."

"Sect Leader, you flatter me. Without the sect’s dedicated cultivation, I would never have achieved anything."

Zhao Lin said humbly. He had once heard that after embarking on the path of cultivation, one would come to see mortals as ants. He didn’t feel that way at all.

’The people I’ve seen these past few days are my family and friends. How could I possibly feel superior just because I started cultivating?’

’If I really thought that way, then when facing a Golden Core Cultivator, would I have to see myself as an ant?’

’Whether in the world of martial arts or the world of immortal cultivation, one must hold fast to one’s original heart, never forgetting who you are or where you came from.’

After an hour of idle chatter, Zhao Lin had a general understanding of the current situation.

Overall, the sect was flourishing. Outstanding disciples emerged one after another from the Wuxiang Institute and the Inner Court, so there was no need to worry about a shortage of talent for the next decade or two.

As the sun began to set in the west, Zhao Lin rose to take his leave.

Lu Chaohuan and the others escorted him all the way out of the main hall.

After Zhao Lin left, Yang Lin glanced at Lu Chaohuan. "Younger Brother Lu, you have the highest cultivation here. What do you think of Elder Zhao’s cultivation now? What realm has his martial arts reached?"

Lu Chaohuan shook his head with a wry smile. "I can’t see through him. I can only offer four words: ’He is beyond measure.’"

...

On an island hundreds of miles away from Three Mountains Island, two men and a woman in strange attire appeared.

The Daoist robes they wore were somewhat similar to those of the Chenghua Sect, yet also different.

The robes of the Chenghua Sect had flowing lines and a graceful, natural look. These three’s robes were cut straight and flat, appearing stiff and rigid.

Furthermore, their facial features were also different from those of the Chenghua Sect. Their noses were slightly hooked, their eyes were relatively narrow and long, and they were not tall.

"Interesting. This minor world actually has Spiritual Qi, a vast territory, and so much blood-food."

The one standing in the middle was an ugly old man, his voice as hoarse as a beast’s roar. "A place this good... should belong to our Earth Dark Sect."

The inhabited minor worlds under the Chenghua Sect’s jurisdiction were never opened to outside sects. These three had snuck into the Han Red Realm through a spatio-temporal rift and, after a few days of observation, had gained a general understanding of the place.

"Elder Song Mu is right! Only our Earth Dark Sect is worthy of such a vast land!"

The burly, middle-aged man beside him licked his lips, his scorching gaze sweeping over every blade of grass and every tree on the island.

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