Xuantian Immortal Cultivation Record

As they spoke, the flying boat had reached the sky above the edge of the desert, but instead of flying forward, it descended and stopped in a patch of sparse grass.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators were puzzled and couldn't help but whisper amongst themselves, with some of the more impatient ones becoming noisy. However, the Core Formation cultivators from the five factions remained seated and motionless, each with their eyes closed in meditation, seemingly completely unaware of their surroundings.

At this moment, a Core Formation cultivator in the mid-stage from the Star Moon Sect stood up, first signaling everyone to be calm, and then said very politely, "Please wait a moment, I, Bi, will lead the disciples of my sect to set up a restriction for the flying boat. With this restriction in place, the flying boat will not attract large groups of fire ants when traveling through the desert. However, since this restriction is specifically used for traversing the Blazing Inferno Desert, it can only last for one day, so it cannot be prepared in advance and must be set up on the spot. Please forgive us."

The method of restraining fire ants is a top secret of the Star Moon Sect concerning the life and death of the sect. However, this kind of restriction cannot be set up by those who do not cultivate a certain technique of the sect, so there is no fear of being seen by others.

This Core Formation cultivator surnamed Bi, along with two other Core Formation cultivators in the early stage, calmly set up the restriction under the watchful eyes of everyone, rapidly casting various complex hand seals, and occasionally using some spiritual materials of not low quality to engrave within the flying boat.

After half a day, the Star Moon Sect cultivators finished setting up the restriction, and the flying boat set sail again, but instead of ascending into the sky, it sped along close to the ground, only a few dozen feet above the surface.

In this desert, above a height of ten feet, the air is filled with a kind of golden fire evil energy, which is formed by the rising flame energy from the ground intersecting with the yin energy escaping from Mount Xuanyin. In this energy, both cultivators and flying magical treasures will encounter the erosion of evil energy, resulting in destruction in severe cases and injury in minor cases. On the contrary, in the low air near the ground, although there is rising flame energy, it can still be resisted, and there is no worry of damage in a short time.

However, near the ground, there are occasional strong winds, and yellow sand dances wildly, hitting the flying boat with a rustling sound. Occasionally, half-foot-long scarlet ants take advantage of the wind to strike the flying boat, but before they can wiggle their terrifying mouthparts, they are annihilated by the flying boat's restriction.

After flying for another two hours, a sky full of yellow sand appeared in front, as dense as rain, like a curtain blocking the way. The flying boat ignored it and crashed straight into it. For a time, the sky turned yellow, and the outer shell of the flying boat was filled with "ding ding" sounds, and occasionally there would be violent shocks for several breaths. There was a sense of oppression in the flying boat. The Core Formation cultivators were fine, but the Foundation Establishment cultivators' faces changed slightly.

After a quarter of an hour, there was a loud "boom", and the flying boat seemed to break free from some kind of restraint, jumping out of the yellow sand curtain. Everyone felt a bright light in front of them, and suddenly the sky was clear and the mountains were green, and they had reached the foot of the giant peak that pierced the sky.

Everyone looked back and saw that the huge mass of yellow sand behind them seemed to be blocked by some kind of energy, stopping a hundred feet away from the mountain and no longer spreading forward.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to the scene of yellow sand filling the sky, the magnificent mountain scenery in front of them made everyone feel much lighter.

Suddenly, there were several loud "bang bang bang" sounds from behind. When everyone turned to look again, they saw more than a dozen Star Moon Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators were using their spiritual weapons to fight against dozens of scarlet ants. Although they were fewer in number than the ants, they had a set of combined attack methods. When three people's spiritual weapons were sacrificed, they could jointly release a gentle and cold light. When this light hit the ants, it would cause them to smoke miserably and collapse on the ground, making it difficult for them to cause harm again.

However, this move consumed a lot of energy. After three people used it, they could no longer use it again and had to replace it with another three people to continue. The dozen or so people cooperated with each other, and in less than half an hour, they killed more than twenty ants, and the remaining dozen or so saw that the situation was not good and fled back into the yellow sand.

The Core Formation cultivator surnamed Bi coughed dryly and said, "Everyone, the yin and evil energy of Mount Xuanyin is about to reach its weakest point, so in recent years, these fire ants have been more active, and there have been times when they have forcibly attacked the mountain. Every sixty years, there will be a few years like this, especially the year when the yin and evil energy is weakest, which is the most severe.

"The ants just now were all high-level fire ants, equivalent to the strength of the Foundation Establishment stage. However, this beast only acts on instinct, and its fighting ability is not strong, so it is not difficult to deal with. Therefore, fellow Taoists do not need to worry."

After saying that, he pointed to the upper left of the flying boat and said, "The Star Moon Hall, where my sect's mountain gate is located, is on the mountainside of the main peak in front. Because the yin and evil energy in the mountain is very heavy, in order to avoid disturbing everyone's cultivation, my sect has opened up another palace in Zhengyang Valley, far away from the mountain gate, and there is a special spirit gathering array in it. Cultivating in it will not be disturbed by the yin and evil energy."

As he spoke, the flying boat had passed below the Star Moon Hall, and before long, it went around to the back of the mountain and landed outside a valley of more than ten miles in circumference. The valley was densely covered with trees, and there were faint pavilions, towers, flying eaves, bucket arches, red walls and green tiles, and there were also flying waterfalls and springs and rain and mist between the mountain walls on both sides, which was a scene of a blessed land.

The Xuanyin Cave still needs to be opened in a few days, and dozens of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators in the valley will lead the cultivators to settle down. Although this place is not the location of the Star Moon Sect's mountain gate, it is already in the mountain after all, so it is heavily guarded and strictly regulated, and everyone is not allowed to leave their rooms, and can only cultivate or rest in their rooms.

As for the Core Formation cultivators of the five factions, they naturally received different treatment. Led by the Core Formation cultivator surnamed Bi himself, they went to a certain other palace in the mountain to settle down.

Two days later, just as Zhang Yuanjing was anxiously waiting in his room, Wang Xuanyi, the Foundation Establishment cultivator who had served him on the flying boat that day, knocked on the door and said with a smile, "Fellow Taoist Zhang, sorry to bother you. Elder Hou Zhihuan of my sect wants to gather some fellow Taoists to talk, and specifically named you, please come with me."

"Elder Hou wants to talk? I wonder what it's about?" Zhang Yuanjing stood still and did not go out, but stared straight at this person and asked calmly.

"I dare not speak rashly before the elder announces it. But I can tell you, fellow Taoist, it is a good thing, an opportunity that our Star Moon Sect is giving to you. This is only given to a select few." Wang Xuanyi still had a friendly smile and his tone was very sincere.

"A select few?" Zhang Yuanjing asked vigilantly, "Which select few?"

Wang Xuanyi said, "Neither the Star Moon Sect nor the direct descendants of the five factions. I wonder if Fellow Taoist Zhang understands what I'm saying?"

Zhang Yuanjing immediately understood that the Star Moon Sect wanted to take advantage of their position as host to carry out a final division and disintegration of the five factions' camp, and had also included himself. Of course, it may also be that his two meetings with Wu Jixiong and the others had aroused the suspicion of the Star Moon Sect, and they directly regarded him as a centrifugal element in the five factions' camp.

So he no longer asked any more questions and nodded, saying, "Please lead the way, Fellow Taoist Wang!"

Guided by Wang Xuanyi, he passed through several wooden doors and a winding corridor, and arrived at a secluded and quiet small courtyard. There were a dozen or so cultivators standing sparsely in the courtyard, and Wu Jixiong, Qing Weihong, and Lin Dushan were all among them. The three of them gave him a wink, but did not speak or dare to transmit their voices.

Zhang Yuanjing casually found a corner to stand in, and Wang Xuanyi smiled and nodded to him, then walked out of the courtyard. After a while, several more Star Moon Sect Foundation Establishment disciples each led a cultivator over. Zhang Yuanjing counted, including him, there were a total of eighteen people, which meant that nearly half of the five factions' camp was here.

At this time, an old Taoist with white hair and beard walked out of the room, it was Hou Zhihuan. This person was not tall, at most five and a half feet, somewhat hunchbacked, and his face was covered with wrinkles, looking old and dying, only his two triangular eyes sunken in their sockets, rolling with a gaze as hot as flames, making people afraid to look directly at him.

"Everyone, little friends, this old man is disturbing you!" Hou Zhihuan's voice was as loud as a bell, full of energy. Although he said it was an apology, his condescending aura was more like a lecture to juniors.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators all answered submissively and bowed in salute.

"Alright, enough nonsense, I've gathered everyone here today to say only one thing, and that is to make a slight change to the way you exchange for Enlightenment Pills." As he spoke, the old man scanned everyone, observing their reactions.

When the Foundation Establishment cultivators heard this, their expressions changed, but no one opened their mouths to ask. They were all old fellows who had cultivated for many years, and they could naturally guess that the Star Moon Sect's adjustment of the exchange method at this time would definitely not be to punish them for it, pushing them to wholeheartedly sell their lives for the five factions. Therefore, everyone held their breath and listened to what he had to say next.

Hou Zhihuan nodded with satisfaction and continued, "Everyone should know that the Enlightenment Pill only has the effect of breaking through the pseudo-core when the first pill is taken, and it will have no effect if taken again. However, this only refers to pills of the same quality. If you have pills of different qualities, then each quality of pill can be taken, and all will have an effect.

"So, in order to encourage everyone to pick Xuanyin Grass, this sect has changed the original exchange method to: one Xuanyin Grass can be exchanged for one low-grade pill, and two Xuanyin Grass can be exchanged for one low-grade pill and one middle-grade pill. If you can get three Xuanyin Grass, you can exchange for one low, middle, and high-grade Enlightenment Pill each."

As soon as these words came out, everyone immediately became agitated. Someone immediately asked, "Elder, is what you said true?"

Hou Zhihuan replied solemnly, "The Star Moon Sect will keep its word!"

Another person said angrily, "Your sect is organizing rogue cultivators to hunt us down in Xuanyin Cave, offering a price of two heads for one middle-grade pill, and on the other hand, you are using such means to lure us to pick grass. Aren't you making us stretch our necks and wait to be slaughtered?"

Hou Zhihuan rolled his triangular eyes, and his scorching gaze shot at that person's face: "What do you mean by stretching your necks and waiting to be slaughtered? If others hit you, can't you fight back! Besides, if you don't intercept and kill my Star Moon Sect cultivators, who would have to kill you! You should go to the places with more Yin Fire Bats, and you will naturally be safe! Do you understand what this old man means?"

The man was glared at by him, and shrank his head in fright, no longer speaking.

Another person asked, "Senior, are you saying that your sect's cultivators will avoid places where Yin Fire Bats appear?"

Hou Zhihuan smiled and nodded: "You are teachable!"

The Foundation Establishment cultivators twitched at the corners of their mouths, all silently slandering him for acting old. However, the Star Moon Sect's plan was also obvious, using benefits to drive and lure away these Foundation Establishment cultivators, greatly weakening the strength of the five factions, making it impossible for them to stop the Star Moon Sect's grand plan. Moreover, this was an open plot, not afraid of being known by the five factions. Even if the five factions knew, it would be too late to respond.