On his mountain peak, Yaoguang set up a communication-amplifying array and placed the jade talisman within it. Before long, two figures of light appeared.
They were Li Hanqiu and Li Qingshan.
Upon seeing Yaoguang, both Li Hanqiu and Li Qingshan's expressions lit up with joy.
Li Qingshan, in particular, couldn't hold back from asking, "Perfected Master Yaoguang... Have you really reached the Void-Piercing Realm?"
"I have." Yaoguang nodded. "However, the situation here in the Heavenly Dao Sect is a little complicated, so I can't bring you all over immediately."
"It is good to be cautious. We have always known that you are a steady person. Since you didn't notify us to come at once, you must have had your reasons," Li Hanqiu said.
He had always fully trusted Yaoguang. Yaoguang had been capable of refining a Dao Artifact, but he had endured in silence all this time. This alone showed just how astonishing Yaoguang’s composure was.
"I feel I'm still a little too weak at the Void-Piercing Realm. Once I reach the Void-Refining Realm, I should have enough strength." As Yaoguang spoke, he thought briefly and gave a relatively conservative number. "It should happen within the next ten years."
"Ten years?!" Li Hanqiu froze, then his eyes suddenly widened. "Ten years to reach the Void-Refining Realm?!"
Li Qingshan, who was beside him, also looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
They were talking about the Void-Refining Realm! The Cangwu lineage had entered the North Sea Star over a hundred years ago, yet they had not yet managed to nurture a single Void-Piercing Realm cultivator. But Yaoguang was already looking toward the Void-Refining Realm...
"Mhmm." Yaoguang nodded slightly.
The main issue was that he did not know exactly how much Merchant experience he could obtain after trading away this Dao Artifact. If it could be calculated at a hundredfold profit, with a billion Pure Yang Grand Pills entering his account, the increase in experience would absolutely allow his comprehension to reach the Void-Shattering Realm.
Once he gained insight into the Void-Shattering Realm, the path ahead would become clear. Having chosen his Dao Seed, he would soon be able to reshape his grotto-heaven and reach the Void-Refining Realm.
If other costs arose during the process and the experience was insufficient, he would have no choice but to consider other options.
He could either spend between three and ten years refining another Dao Artifact, or he could only go to the Deep-Blue Sea to kill demons.
This was also why Yaoguang had given a ten-year time limit.
"The Void-Refining Realm in ten years!" Li Hanqiu kept murmuring those words over and over.
They knew that once Yaoguang reached the North Sea Star, with its abundant cultivation resources, he would undoubtedly grow rapidly and soar to new heights thanks to his talent. But for him to reach the Void-Piercing Realm in such a short time was already unbelievable, a joy beyond expectation.
Yet now, Yaoguang actually claimed that he was confident he could reach the Void-Refining Realm within ten years?!
Even in the top great sects, Void-Refining Realm cultivators were important figures who wielded great authority, and they were part of the decision-makers within those sects. And Yaoguang only needed ten years?!
"Good! This is truly wonderful!" Li Hanqiu could not help clapping his hands, feeling both shock and delight. "Yaoguang, you don't need to worry about us. In the next ten years, focus on cultivating properly. Do everything you can to reach the Void-Refining Realm first. If you can do that, every problem we face will no longer be a problem."
"It doesn't matter. When I say I can reach the Void-Refining Realm in ten years, it doesn't necessarily mean I have to stay in seclusion for ten years." As Yaoguang spoke, he looked at Li Hanqiu. "Did the people of the Cangwu lineage find you?"
Li Hanqiu hesitated for a while before finally saying, "It doesn't really count as the Cangwu lineage. It was Wan Liugui’s lineage."
Since he had already started speaking, he no longer hesitated. "The Cangwu lineage should be considered to have split into two factions three years ago, when you reached the Void-Piercing Realm and revealed your shocking talent to the world. One faction is still led by members of the old guard, such as Greene, Li An, and others, while the other is now led by my master, Wan Liugui. They returned from the North Sea battlefield and only arrived on the North Sea Star a short time ago."
"Split into two..."
"Actually, as early as when Master returned from the Great Cangwu World to the Taiyi Immortal Sect on the North Sea Star, he already suggested to Xie Xiong, Greene, Li An, and the others that there was no need to place all their bets on Heavenly Venerable Jiang alone. He mentioned that your talent was equally astonishing and that the Cangwu lineage should nurture you. But in the end—"
"I understand." Yaoguang nodded.
He had already understood Li Hanqiu’s meaning. He also understood what the other members of the Cangwu lineage were planning.
However, in the end, he was not a native cultivator of the North Sea Star.
If he were a native of the North Sea Star, he would not have cared whether they had other thoughts internally. Since they had offended him, he would have left none alive. It was better to kill the wrong person than to let anyone go.
But as someone from the Great Cangwu World, he was still slightly more rational and paid attention to the principle that every grievance had its source and every debt its debtor. He wouldn't involve those who weren't to blame.
Besides, when they had faced Heavenly Venerable Jiang back then, without Wan Liugu's support, Li Hanqiu, a battle immortal who had just advanced to the Void-Piercing Realm and whose state had been extremely unstable, would never have been able to intimidate Heavenly Venerable Jiang, who had cultivated an Azure Golden Core.
From this perspective, Wan Liugui had helped him greatly.
"If it is only the people from Perfected Lord Wan Liugui’s lineage, I have no objection if you want to accept them."
"Really?" A hint of joy appeared in Li Hanqiu’s eyes. But he quickly added, "Do not let them interfere with your decision, and do not wrong yourself because of me, Yaoguang. If you feel that it is inappropriate, I can refuse—"
"No need." Yaoguang waved his hand.
He happened to need a group of capable people who shared his goals, whose strength was not weak, and whose loss would not leave him too much heartache. He needed them to deal with the matter of the Adamant Mountain Range.
This group had come at exactly the right time.
"Have Perfected Lord Wan Liugui bring his people over." As Yaoguang spoke, he seemed to think of something and added, "You can also bring some people from the Nine Heavens Sect... Although the situation on the Heavenly Dao Sect’s side is not completely stable yet... As long as my cultivation improves fast enough, even if some people harbor ulterior motives, they won't dare to do anything. So we can already try to begin using the Heavenly Dao Sect’s environment to train the disciples of the Nine Heavens Sect."
"Then we will do as you say, Yaoguang." Li Hanqiu nodded. "I will start arranging things immediately."
Yaoguang nodded in response.
After ending the communication, he leapt up and crossed the void, quickly arriving at the battle hall under the jurisdiction of the battle lineage.
Sensing Yaoguang's aura approaching, Zhou Xingdou, the lineage leader of the battle lineage, immediately rose into the air and came forward to greet him. "Young Sect Master Yaoguang, have you finished consolidating your realm? I imagine it won't be long before you take another step forward. This is truly worthy of celebration."
"Thank you for your kind words, Lineage Leader," Yaoguang responded politely. "I have come this time to assume the position of hall master of the battle hall."
According to what Zong Wenxian had said, their current attitude toward Yaoguang was still mainly one of observation.
If he were willing to remain a young sect master, the Heavenly Dao Sect would not mind having another Void-Piercing Realm combatant in the sect, or even a future Void-Refining Realm combatant.
But if he constantly stirred up trouble or further entangled himself with the Penglai Immortal Sect in some unclear relationship, they would do everything they could to exclude him from their circle and directly strip him of any real authority.
As for assigning him the position of hall master of the battle hall, that was an authority every young sect master had to be granted.
In this way, by controlling enough power, it would be more convenient for him to act within the sect.
"I have already prepared the personnel for you, Hall Master. Please follow me." Zhou Xingdou smiled and led Yaoguang toward a stretch of mountains.
Within the mountains, countless arrays were layered on top of each other, and waves of martial intent shot straight into the clouds.
At the far end of the sky, Golden Core cultivators could even be seen fighting, seemingly practicing divine abilities.
Having spotted Zhou Xingdou, the lineage leader of the battle lineage, the acting hall master of the battle hall quickly issued an order. Immediately, several hundred streams of light descended toward the main peak of the mountain range.
"Of the thirty-six halls of the battle lineage, more than half are on the North Sea battlefield resisting the Six Great Fiendish Dao Sects, the Nine Demon Race Lineages, and the Ten Divine Races. Only six halls are usually stationed within the sect, and among these six halls, the Heavenly Ruin Hall led by Elder Qi Sha has the strongest average combat strength." As Zhou Xingdou spoke, he used a light-based movement technique to bring Yaoguang down onto the main peak.
On the main peak, the four hundred or so Golden Core battle immortals of the Heavenly Ruin Hall had already assembled. Among them were also quite a few Radiant Sun Golden Core and Blazing White Golden Core inner sect disciples who had committed crimes and been assigned to the battle hall as punishment.
These people had already gotten into battle formation in perfect order.
At the very front stood four Void-Piercing Realm battle immortals. Although they were not within the formation, they were connected to the array art formed by the other battle immortals.
Facing this battle formation and four Void-Piercing Realm battle immortals, even a true Void-Piercing Realm cultivator would be in danger of dying facing it.
If the acting hall master, who was also a true Void-Piercing Realm cultivator, joined the formation, then any Void-Piercing Realm elder surrounded by this battle hall would undoubtedly die.
"Qi Sha, from today onward, the Heavenly Ruin Hall will be under Young Sect Master Yaoguang’s command. You were notified about this earlier, so the two of you can complete the handover now." Zhou Xingdou’s gaze fell upon a man in armor among the crowd.
Yes, armor. All astra-level protective treasures could freely change form, yet there was actually someone wearing a classical suit of armor that looked as if it would hinder movement... It was indeed somewhat unusual.
And as Zhou Xingdou, the battle lineage's leader, spoke, Qi Sha turned and slowly walked toward Yaoguang.
The instant the two faced each other, Yaoguang could clearly sense how firm and stable this Void-Piercing Realm cultivator’s grotto-heaven was.
He was clearly someone who had reached the peak of the Void-Piercing Realm.
And there was a terrifying aura about him, one that inspired dread and alarm. An aura of destruction.
"The Great Dao of destruction?" Yaoguang said.
This was one of the core Great Dao, second only to the four supreme Great Dao.
"Qi Sha is indeed a Void-Piercing Realm elder who chose the Great Dao of destruction. His strength ranks among the best, even among the many Void-Piercing Realm elders of our sect. Two demon kings and one god-king beneath died to his sword. These were all beings comparable to Void-Piercing Realm cultivators." Zhou Xingdou smiled, "Alright. The two of you should get along well from here on. I will take my leave."
After finishing the introduction, Zhou Xingdou turned into a streak of light and soon departed.
Qi Sha directly handed the hall master’s token to Yaoguang.
Once the token entered his hand, Yaoguang immediately felt the connection between himself and the several hundred cultivators of this battle hall. As long as he trained with them for a while, he would be able to fully command them, reorganize the formation easily, and kill opponents effortlessly.
What a sophisticated array. Yaoguang thought to himself.
Just as he was perceiving the array art, Qi Sha spoke. "You are Young Sect Master Yaoguang, right? I know you are extraordinarily talented, and I also know that you have a special physique, but... There is one thing I must clarify in advance."
Yaoguang’s gaze immediately fell on Qi Sha. In his heart, he had already vaguely guessed what this was about.
"Every battle hall exists to wage war against other races for the Heavenly Dao Sect, to exterminate daemons and resist the divine races. This is our true duty," Qi Sha said in a deep voice. "If you intend to use the strength of the Heavenly Ruin Hall for internal struggles over power, or to raid homes and exterminate families, then forgive me, but I will not agree, nor will I accompany you. That is all I have to say. If you are dissatisfied, you can replace this battle hall as soon as possible."
After saying this, he gave a fist-and-palm salute, then turned toward the others in the battle hall and waved. "Continue training."
Immediately, the several hundred battle hall cultivators dispersed and returned to their respective duties.
"A troublemaker?" Yaoguang smiled after listening to Qi Sha's words.
Leading a battle hall was a right that a young sect master ought to have, but Sect Master Zong was clearly somewhat unwilling to hand over real authority. Thus, a battle hall that never interfered in the sect’s internal struggles, or even in conflicts with other sects, had landed in Yaoguang’s hands. However...
"Exterminating daemons and resisting the divine races?" Yaoguang looked at Qi Sha as the man departed. "You guys are going to be very busy in the future."
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