Chapter 151: Identity Transformation

Upon hearing this, Chen Luo’s heart skipped a beat, a sense of unease rising within him.

“Exactly as you guessed, the sect leader is nearing his end,” Daoist Wuwei revealed the closely guarded secret known only to the Divine Lake Immortal Sect’s highest echelons.

“But if the sect leader is on the brink, how did he deceive the Core Formation leaders from the Corpse-Raising Sect and Nine Poisons Valley?” Chen Luo remained puzzled. Deceiving cultivators at the same powerful level was no easy feat. If the sect leader truly faced imminent death, these two would not have missed such an opportunity.

“The Core Formation experts from Nine Poisons Valley and Corpse-Raising Sect are younger than our sect leader. They calculated his remaining longevity, which emboldened them to take action,” Daoist Wuwei explained.

“However, the sect leader possesses certain secret techniques that delayed the inevitable, leading them to misjudge the situation. They believed he had broken through in cultivation, thereby overcoming his impending fate.”

Wuwei disclosed the hidden truth shared among the top leadership of the Divine Lake Immortal Sect.

“But deception can only last so long. These secret techniques address the symptoms, not the root cause, and cannot sustain indefinitely.”

If this news were to spread, the entire immortal sect would face irreparable catastrophe.

“At most, within thirty years, the sect leader’s artificially sustained vigor will decline, and at that time, both sects will inevitably realize the truth.”

Chen Luo was stunned, never expecting the sect leader to be merely a facade.

“Be cautious, then; don’t let those old fools deceive you. Do not accept the elder’s identity token—it carries restrictions set by Core Formation cultivators. If you agree to become an elder of the immortal sect, there will be no turning back.”

“Many thanks for informing me, Shizun.”

This revelation from Daoist Wuwei helped Chen Luo avoid a significant pitfall.

Within the entire Divine Lake Immortal Sect, everyone knew that upon reaching Foundation Establishment, one automatically ascends to the rank of elder. However, none were aware of such a hidden trap lurking beneath this perceived benefit.

“Your aptitude surpasses mine, so if you wish to break through to Foundation Establishment in the future, you must seek out a third-stage spiritual vein. Achieving this condition requires leaving the Seven Kingdoms’ territory.”

Daoist Wuwei then handed Chen Luo another jade slip.

“This contains places I’ve visited before, hoping it might prove useful to you.” Having shared his secret and provided the jade slip, Daoist Wuwei saw no need to linger further.

Lifting the aura barrier around the secret chamber, Daoist Wuwei led Chen Luo back to the cultivation hall.

“Shizun, what lies beyond the territories of the seven nations?” Chen Luo had already finished reading the jade slip’s contents and noticed that it only covered the regions within the seven countries.

The Divine Lake Immortal Sect controlled three of these territories, making them the strongest among the three major sects.

The remaining four were divided between the Corpse-Raising Sect and Nine Poisons Valley, both slightly weaker than the Divine Lake Immortal Sect. This power dynamic was the primary reason why those two sects constantly sought opportunities to challenge the Divine Lake Immortal Sect, ultimately driven by competition for resources.

“I’m not familiar with the areas near the Corpse-Raising Sect and Nine Poisons Valley. However, beyond our territory, past the border mountains, there lies an ancient abandoned land. It teems with countless ghost and evil cultivators; the likes of the one you encountered in Guo Mountain County are as common as hairs on a cow. In my youth, I ventured there once and barely escaped alive,” Daoist Wuwei mentioned casually before changing the topic.

An area filled with evil cultivators? Chen Luo made a mental note.

More evil cultivators meant more conflicts, and consequently, likely more brains.

“Alright, it’s about time for you to leave. By now, news of your successful Foundation Establishment should have reached the main peak. The sect will likely send someone soon to discuss your role, and I’ve already warned you about the choices ahead.”

Daoist Wuwei did not detain Chen Luo any further.

After achieving Foundation Establishment, Chen Luo’s status became equal to that of Daoist Wuwei. In theory, he could no longer remain at Wu Dao Peak. The Divine Lake Immortal Sect had suffered heavy losses during the conflict with the three sects, leaving several peaks without a Foundation Establishment peak lord. With Chen Luo emerging as a newly minted ‘Elder,’ they would undoubtedly seize this opportunity.

They might even directly appoint him as a peak lord, offering vast resources to retain his loyalty.

The Divine Lake Immortal Sect itself operated much like a merchant clan, often prioritizing benefits and mutual interests in their dealings.

Bidding farewell to Daoist Wuwei, Chen Luo exited the cultivation hall.

Taking a deep breath, spiritual energy flowed through his nostrils, circulated within his body, and after refinement, was expelled upon exhaling. Since reaching Foundation Establishment, he distinctly felt the limitations imposed by spiritual energy. During the Qi Refinement stage, medicinal pills were sufficient for cultivation, but post-Foundation Establishment, relying solely on them was clearly inadequate.

As Chen Luo walked along the path towards the cemetery at the back of the mountain, he began contemplating his next steps.

Two cultivators dressed in the attire of Wu Dao Peak’s Inner Sect disciples approached him head-on. These two were the same individuals who had stood beside Shijie Bai Su during Chen Luo’s initial encounter with her, both being Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivators at that time.

Returning to the mountain to submit their mission report, they unexpectedly spotted Chen Luo just as they reached the entrance to the great hall.

The aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator startled them, causing them to instinctively step aside and make way.

“Uncle-Master, greetings.”

This was the tradition within the immortal sect: advancement determines seniority.

Despite once being their junior, upon reaching Foundation Establishment, Chen Luo’s status automatically elevated. Unless closely acquainted, those meeting him would invariably treat him with deference befitting a senior.

Chen Luo nodded slightly and continued walking towards the rear of the mountain.

“He actually achieved Foundation Establishment?!” Only after Chen Luo had moved far away did one of the pair lift their head, staring at his retreating figure with disbelief written across their face. “How could it happen so quickly!”

Witnessing such rapid progress from someone close by was particularly difficult for them to accept.

We’ve been working so hard, they thought.

Despite entering the cultivation path much later than them, this junior had swiftly surpassed them, reaching the perfect stage of the tenth layer of Qi Refining.

“Let’s go,” one of them said after a moment of silence, turning towards Daoist Wuwei’s cultivation hall to complete their task.

The cultivation world has always been like this - inherently unfair. All they could do was steadily progress in their own cultivation journey. If unable to endure such disparities, there would be no point in pursuing immortality.

While Chen Luo pondered his path post-Foundation Establishment, thousands of miles away from the Divine Lake Immortal Sect…

Upon learning of the sect’s victory, Huang Ying and Elder Sister Shen decided to return. During their years away from the sect, their cultivation progress significantly slowed down. In these three years, Huang Ying barely managed to break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining, while Elder Sister Shen didn’t advance at all, remaining in the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

Without access to the resources provided by the sect, their cultivation pace dramatically decreased.

At this rate, it might take another thirty years just to reach the tenth layer of Qi Refining, let alone Foundation Establishment.

Initially, their journey back proceeded smoothly. However, upon entering Western Bright Country, they unexpectedly encountered an ambush. The assailants wore the attire of Divine Lake Immortal Sect disciples, indicating they were well-informed about Huang Ying and Elder Sister Shen’s movements, knowing exactly where they planned to board a flying boat.

Boom!

A yellow spirit talisman soared through the sky and precisely landed on Huang Ying’s escape route. Exhausted from being relentlessly pursued, they were instantly wounded by the Flameburst Talisman.

“Wasting one of my damn talismans.”

Five figures emerged from different directions, completely cutting off any chance for escape.

“You guard disciples are swimming in wealth, yet you refuse even a small loan of spirit stones. Well, if persuasion won’t work, force will!” One of them glared discontentedly at the pair, their magical artifact flickering incessantly.

“Do you realize the consequences of assassinating fellow sect members? Both I and Elder Sister Shen are Inner Sect disciples,” Huang Ying said as she swallowed a medicinal pill and drew her magical sword.

On the other side, Elder Sister Shen was swiftly recovering her strength.

Throughout this relentless pursuit, they had barely gotten a moment’s rest, leaving their spiritual energy nearly depleted. Their accompanying servants had already been slain by these assailants.

“Many remnants of the Corpse-Raising Sect and Nine Poisons Valley still lurk within our borders. If you die here, who would know it was our doing?” a cold-hearted man with a sword remarked indifferently. “If not for your Inner Sect status, we wouldn’t have bothered.”

Impatience showed on another individual’s face. “Why waste time talking? Kill them and search the corpses!”

One of them immediately summoned a magical artifact and directed it towards Huang Ying. Over this period, they had engaged in numerous acts of murder and theft. In the Divine Lake Immortal Sect, as long as you paid with spirit stones, no sin was unforgivable.

“Go, get out of here!” Recovered from her injuries, Elder Sister Shen grabbed Huang Ying, channeled her spiritual energy, and propelled her away from the encirclement.

“Not one of you will escape.”

Seeing their move, two assailants swiftly took flight, directing their glowing magical artifacts at Huang Ying.

“If you want to take me down, ask my talismans first!”

Elder Sister Shen was a talisman master; when Chen Luo began learning talisman crafting, many of his initial practice templates were borrowed from her. Now facing a life-or-death situation, she couldn’t afford any hesitation.

She hastily produced over fifty Thunder-Fire Talismans.

These represented all her possessions. Not everyone could be like Chen Luo, simultaneously excelling in both pill concoction and talisman crafting, amassing immense wealth.

Even with just fifty talismans, it was enough to strike fear into the five attackers surrounding them.

“Detonate!”

Elder Sister Shen scattered the talisman papers, draining her ninth-layer Qi Refinement spiritual energy instantly. Struggling to remain standing, she unleashed the explosive power of the talismans towards the five assailants.

Ten talismans per person.

Forced by the barrage, the two assailants surrounding Huang Ying had no choice but to retrieve their magical artifacts for defense.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!

After a fiery explosion akin to thunderstorms, the five Calamity Cultivators grimaced at the now empty battlefield. One of them felt his heart bleed with anguish; each detonated thunder talisman represented money lost from their perspective.

“That crazy bitch! After her, she won’t get away.”

Transforming into five streaks of light, they pursued the fleeing pair relentlessly.

Five days later.

Ding Xiaoxia, on patrol duty outside the sect, discovered the bloodied Huang Ying. Recognizing her attire as that of a Wu Dao Peak disciple, he promptly carried her back to the mountain on his own.

Main Peak.

Clad in a long azure robe, Chen Luo once again visited Divine Lake Peak.

The news of his Foundation Establishment had already spread, yet the sect hadn’t sent anyone to approach him thus far. Seizing this opportunity, Chen Luo naturally wouldn’t let it pass.

Taking advantage of his new status, he diligently visited the main peak daily to learn divine abilities. Using his identity as a ‘Foundation Establishment Elder’ allowed him to accrue debts freely, leaving the disciple guarding the pavilion utterly speechless and too afraid to protest.

As a mere Qi Refinement disciple, who dared to question matters concerning a Foundation Establishment elder?

Within the library on the main peak,

Using his external brains, Chen Luo meticulously reviewed and recorded all remaining divine abilities and techniques, causing his personal identity token’s credit limit to severely exceed its threshold.

“Fellow Daoist Chen is indeed diligent, seeking to learn divine abilities so soon after reaching Foundation Establishment.”

An aged voice resonated behind him.

As the newcomer appeared, the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator immediately radiated out. The guarding disciple, sensing this, let out a sigh of relief and promptly left without needing any instruction from the elder.