Luoxiao Grotto Heaven, vast and boundless.
As one ventures further inside, the terrain becomes increasingly perilous.
Raising one’s eyes to gaze afar, the sea of clouds churning, reveals countless towering and perilous peaks seemingly piercing the heavens like giant swords.
This scene is truly magnificent,
even Qing Jun, who was drinking meat soup while hurrying along, paused and lifted her eyes to gaze.
As for the meat soup in her hand, it was prepared earlier by Su Qingdai.
Although Qing Jun has already broken through to the Foundation Establishment Second Layer,
this medicinal dish, why not eat it... Especially since she’s just a gluttonous little dragon!
"They say there are seventy-nine peaks of Lingyun, but within the Luoxiao Grotto Heaven, there are far more than seventy-nine peaks..."
Su Qingdai, eager to demonstrate her value, voluntarily took on the role of explaining,
"The Dragon Blood Bodhi is hidden deep within the convergence of these many peaks. However, the journey will be fraught with peril; look below..."
The four of them maneuvered their magical treasures in the air, overlooking the ground.
Along the way, in the mountain forests, swamps, and ruins, the commotion of intense magical battles erupted from time to time.
Various cultivators darted through them, often driven to madness picking fights over a spirit grass or a piece of ore.
"Why are there so many unfamiliar people here?"
Qing Jun bit her finger, her big eyes reflecting countless glowing storage bags,
"When Qing Jun was queuing outside, there weren’t this many people."
The little girl was overjoyed!
These people all look so bad!
Quickly come and rob her, who looks so small and helpless; then Qing Jun will have every reason to gather all the sparkling storage bags into her satchel!
Su Qingdai sighed, lowered her voice, and explained:
"This is the calculation of the higher-ups of the sects. For this cave opening, the four sects of Yan Country plus Huayue Mansion combined have sent only about fifty core disciples inside."
"Fifty people, tossed into the cave, couldn’t even create a ripple. Besides, when it comes to the cave participants, quality is more valued than quantity. The sects take great care of their disciples’ lives; casualties among average disciples would be too high. But if they send too few, wouldn’t the abundant unexplored resources in the cave be wasted?"
"So..." Zhiwei’s gaze cleared, picking up on the nuance, "did the sects deliberately open up some slots, letting a large number of loose cultivators in?"
This point her master had explained to her before, the sects issued numerous Luoxiao Orders to the loose cultivators precisely to have them scout ahead for the sect cultivators.
Though the sects of Yan Country are not like the demon paths of Qi Country, taking their disciples’ lives seriously—they wouldn’t send them to die needlessly... But that didn’t mean they value others’ lives. Besides, the venture into the cave is also an opportunity for the loose cultivators, who all entered of their own will.
"Exactly."
Su Qingdai nodded,
"There are nearly three hundred loose cultivators mixed in this time—almost six times the sect cultivators!"
Thus, she began introducing them.
Su Qingdai wasn’t merely pointing out the inside story, but explaining the power structure among the loose cultivators to them.
She spoke at length.
Among these three hundred people, more than half are genuine loose cultivators who have clawed their way up from various markets, fearlessly ferocious;
The rest are descendants of small Foundation Establishment sects and minor cultivation families.
And among these loose cultivators, there are divisions of power and influence as well.
"Encountering ordinary loose cultivators is manageable, but there are two forces you must watch out for."
Su Qingdai’s expression turned serious,
"One is the Formless Ghost Collection, the other is the Listening Wind Pavilion."
"On the surface, these two appear low-key, seldom taking center stage. But their foundation is almost comparable to the Five Sects of Yan Country, with influence spanning across both Yan and Qi countries. According to the secret records of Medicine King Valley, they too are descendants of the lineage from Songyang Cave Heaven, though not direct descendants of the seven True Inheritors of Songyang’s patriarch... Rather, they are descendants of other lines."
"Rumors circulate that these two were founded by Formless True Man, but in truth, that’s not the case. Nonetheless, these two have very close ties, breathing as one. No wonder outsiders have such doubts."
Formless Ghost Collection... Listening Wind Pavilion?
Zhiwei and Qing Jun exchanged a knowing glance.
Their master had mentioned these forces to them before.
Both are renowned powers among loose cultivators.
Even their master had interacted with them during his loose cultivator days, but seldom since joining the Lingyin Sect.
Qing Jun pondered aloud, "Su, if these two are so powerful, why let them in? They’re not as easy to control as ordinary loose cultivators."
Su Qingdai smiled bitterly and shook her head, "There’s no choice; they are descendants of the Songyang Sect... Besides, they may know more about the Luoxiao Grotto Heaven than we do."
"Hm?" Qing Jun tilted her small face, "Aren’t you descendants of the Songyang Patriarch’s disciples?"
Su Qingdai sighed deeply:
"Although the Songyang Sect was founded by the patriarch, afterward... the patriarch seemed to have a falling out with some elders, and retreated with the seven disciples to the Songyang Cave Heaven for secluded cultivation. It was precisely due to this that in the nightmarish annihilation battle, the Songyang Seven weren’t struck immediately, allowing their legacy to persist."
"Whereas opposing forces also lost several of their most aggressive leaders... The survivors were those wise enough to remain unharmed. Having gained benefits, and with the patriarch’s disciples perishing one after another, they chose not to pursue further, fearing the patriarch’s desperate retaliation. Thus, the Five Sects of Yan Country continued to carry on."
Of course, perhaps by then, the opposition suffered heavy losses too, lacking the capacity for further pursuit, nor the confidence to withstand the patriarch’s dying counterstrike—fearless True Monarchs had already perished; those remaining, weren’t they just afraid to die?
Zhiwei, upon hearing this, immediately understood:
"So, this Formless Ghost Collection and Listening Wind Pavilion, in tracing back... their ancestors were the cultivators who stayed in Luoxiao Grotto Heaven."