Spring Return Valley possessed the foundation of the 【Yimu Wood】 heritage and was a renowned martial sacred land in the mortal martial world.
As long as Mount Taixuan did not intervene, it could be said to have no rivals within the territory of Huang Province.
Now that he had suddenly come up the mountain to ask for help, there was likely a good reason for it.
Li Chengxuan asked with a calm expression, “What happened?”
Hua Mingcheng took a deep breath and quietly explained the reason.
A month ago, the Heavenly Dao manifested in Nanya Province, shocking the world.
Needless to say, the Nanya Immortal Alliance was pleasantly surprised.
The Central Continent was also quite shaken.
There was a sect called the Qingyun Sect that found it difficult to gain a foothold in the fiercely competitive Central Continent. Upon hearing that Nanya Province's Heavenly Dao had manifested and spiritual energy was flourishing, they decided to relocate their sect to Nanya Province.
The location they chose was none other than Huang Province.
Mount Taixuan belonged to the Nanya Immortal Alliance.
As newcomers, the Qingyun Sect naturally did not dare to challenge the Nanya Immortal Alliance, so they seized Spring Return Valley to serve as their sect grounds.
Hua Mingcheng was an unquestioned authority in the mortal martial world.
However, facing an overwhelming power like the Qingyun Sect that had crossed over, he was simply outmatched and had no choice but to come to Mount Taixuan in disgrace to ask for help.
“Central Continent... Qingyun Sect...”
Li Chengxuan lowered his head in thought for a moment. Having no impression of them, he continued to ask, “What cultivation levels do those Central Continent cultivators have?!”
Hua Mingcheng glanced at Li Chengxuan and answered cautiously, “Reporting to Immortal Master, those ordinary disciples are all at the Qi Refining level. However, I heard them say that the Qingyun Sect has a Foundation Establishment elder presiding over them.”
“They have Foundation Establishment presiding over them...”
Li Chengxuan looked surprised and frowned. “Do you know what heritage or which Immortal Foundation they possess?!”
After all, Hua Mingcheng's ancestors included cultivators, so he knew about things like heritage and Immortal Foundations: “Reporting to Immortal Master, everyone in the Qingyun Sect practices the New Method.”
“So they are New Method cultivators...”
Li Chengxuan nodded slightly, looking at Hua Mingcheng as he said, “When a New Method sect lands in Nanya Province, the Immortal Alliance will naturally handle it.”
“As for the future of your Spring Return Valley line, there is no need to make a rushed decision.”
“Let us wait and see how the Immortal Alliance responds.”
Hua Mingcheng was stunned, left speechless.
Li Chengxuan cast a glance at Hua Mingcheng and turned to leave.
The struggle between the New Method and the Old Method had already been decided a thousand years ago.
The various Old Method sects could only eke out an existence in Nanya Province, huddling together for warmth.
All other continents and even the four seas were under the control of the New Method.
Now that a Central Continent New Method sect had entered Nanya Province, it involved significant karma.
If Mount Taixuan rashly stuck its neck out, it might be crushed to pieces.
It was better to keep a low profile.
It was best to sit back and wait for the Immortal Alliance to deal with it.
...
Side hall of the Ancestral Hall.
Liu Zhijian slowly exhaled a breath of turbid qi and opened his eyes.
“This 【Dripping Water Pierces Stone Meridian-Opening Method】 is far too tormenting!”
Just the very first step, condensing that single drop of 【Spiritual Water】, was extremely difficult.
Spiritual energy was abundant on Mount Taixuan.
Unfortunately, Liu Zhijian was a mortal of flesh and blood; setting aside absorbing spiritual energy, just sensing qi alone had caused him immense suffering.
Only after begging Li Chengxuan for guidance and going to the source of the spiritual stream on the mountain did he barely manage to sense qi.
After sensing qi, drawing qi into his body was another major trouble.
Liu Zhijian's meridians were blocked throughout his body, so even if he forcibly drew qi in, he ultimately could not store it.
The moment his mind wavered, the spiritual energy would scatter away.
“Still no good.”
Liu Zhijian looked at the spiritual energy that had scattered back into clouds and mist, frowning in thought.
“This meridian-opening method takes the imagery of dripping water wearing away stone...”
“Imagery...”
“Where does that water come from?”
“Is it really formed by forcibly drawing qi into the body to condense it?!”
Liu Zhijian was an educated man who at least understood the principle of condensation.
“This world's spiritual energy gathers around my body, but it can only form clouds and mist without being able to condense into spiritual water.”
“It must be lacking a key element—an extremely low temperature that can help turn mist into water.”
“But I'm a human, not a cold-blooded animal. Where on my whole body is there a place with a low temperature?!”
Liu Zhijian frowned and pondered deeply, but could not come up with any clues.
Just as he felt he was being fanciful and was about to give up, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, bringing back memories of his childhood.
Back then, he had been at a mountain village primary school, where conditions were harsh.
In summer, there wasn't even an electric fan, and he would feel dizzy from the heat.
His teacher would constantly repeat the phrase “a calm mind keeps you cool,” urging the students not to doze off and to listen attentively.
“A calm mind keeps you cool...”
“Isn't this a bit too metaphysical?!”
Liu Zhijian shook his head inwardly, then suddenly froze.
I'm practicing immortal cultivation; why am I worrying about something being too metaphysical?!
Liu Zhijian took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
It was as if he had returned to that hot, noisy mountain village primary school.
Liu Zhijian's breathing grew lighter and lighter.
The dilapidated desks, mottled walls, patched clothes, and even the annoying cicada chirps outside the window became increasingly clear.
The surrounding spiritual energy gathered toward Liu Zhijian.
Only this time, Liu Zhijian relaxed his mind and did not forcibly draw the qi into his body.
The cloud-and-mist-like spiritual energy passed through Liu Zhijian's body without any hindrance.
At first, there was no change.
However, as Liu Zhijian entered meditative concentration, a pleasant coolness actually arose amid the sweltering midsummer heat of his childhood memories.
That coolness was initially just faint threads.
Slowly, it expanded throughout his entire body.
Ultimately, those faint threads of coolness gathered and took shape.
Drip!
A clear, transparent drop of water slowly fell.
Liu Zhijian felt a wave of coolness in his heart and opened his eyes.
...
Ancestral Hall.
Li Chengxuan's heart stirred, and he looked toward the side hall.
“To master the basics of the meridian-opening method so quickly.”
“As expected of a child of destiny who bears grandeur and is favored by the Heavenly Dao.”
Li Chengxuan merely glanced over briefly, lost interest, rose, and walked outside.
Inside the General Affairs Hall, Immortal Alliance Deacon Xue Yang was drinking tea. Seeing Li Chengxuan appear, he put down his teacup, stood up, and saluted, “Sect Master Li, I trust you have been well.”
Li Chengxuan nodded, sat in the main seat, and asked, “Deacon Xue, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?!”
Xue Yang gave a soft chuckle and sighed, “Naturally, I have come for the Qingyun Sect.”
Li Chengxuan had anticipated this and kept his expression unchanged as he asked, “May I ask how the Immortal Alliance intends to handle it?! When will they be expelled?!”
Xue Yang avoided answering directly and instead asked, “Does Sect Master Li know of the struggle between the New Method and the Old Method back in the day?”
Li Chengxuan immediately understood the Immortal Alliance's attitude and slowly nodded. “In my earlier years, I vaguely heard Master mention it. Unfortunately, Master later drank constantly and spent his days in a stupor, so he never brought it up again.”
Xue Yang naturally knew the reason why Daoist Wu drank all day—it was merely to ease the pain from the 【Calamity of Wutu Earth】.
However, now that Daoist Wu had returned to the Central Continent, there was no point in mentioning it.
“The struggle between the New Method and the Old Method was a great calamity of Dao contention.”
“In the end, the New Method triumphed, seizing ninety-nine percent of the world's spiritual places and blessed lands.”
“We Old Method cultivators were driven to Nanya Province to barely cling to life.”
Xue Yang spoke of the past with a look of deep emotion. Seeing that Li Chengxuan showed no reaction, he continued, “In fact, after our defeat in the Dao contention back then, the New Method cultivators intended to wipe us Old Method cultivators out entirely.”
“Fortunately, a mighty figure who cultivated both the New and Old Methods stepped in to mediate, granting our Old Method sects a foothold so we could carry on our lineage in Nanya Province.”
“According to the agreement back then, Nanya Province is our Old Method cultivators' reserved territory. We may not leave Nanya Province without cause.”
“Nor may New Method cultivators enter Nanya Province without cause.”
“It has been this way for a thousand years.”
Li Chengxuan nodded in realization and asked softly, “Then what is the reason the Qingyun Sect has broken the rules now?”
Xue Yang's expression grew complex. “What other reason could there be?”
“The lord who protected us for a thousand years has fallen!”
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