Chapter 288: Rearrangement

“Could you tell me about the Blackbird Clan? And give me a general overview of the Southern Heaven Domain?” Chen Luo asked casually, choosing a random topic.

He was already contemplating the location for his Tribulation Transcendence.

He planned to diligently cultivate the Worldly Immersion Method passed down by Patriarch Gu He. Now that his Demonic Heart Art had reached this stage, he also needed to increase the frequency of his Demonic Heart Tribulation. By advancing both the Worldly Immersion Method and the Demonic Heart Tribulation simultaneously, his path through the Demonic Heart Tribulation would be unobstructed.

“Of course,” the Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator replied.

“Our Blackbird Clan is a vassal race of the Qiong Hua Sect. Our clan leader, Lady Mysterious Bird, was once the Dao Companion of Grand Void Ancestor. They cultivated together for three hundred years.”

As he spoke of this, a hint of pride flashed in the Blackbird cultivator’s eyes. In the Southern Heaven Domain, having ties to the Seven Patriarchs of Jade Purity was the highest honor.

“Later, the Ancestor and Lady Mysterious Bird parted ways due to differing ideals. When our clan faced a crisis, Grand Void Ancestor intervened to help us overcome the calamity. Since then, the Blackbird Clan has been affiliated with Grand Void Peak and become part of the Qiong Hua Sect. Not long ago, the aura of the Ghost Temple leaked, corrupting our ancestral lands. Elder Xuanyin perished, and Lady Mysterious Bird suffered severe injuries. I led the surviving clansmen to flee our homeland, but we were ambushed by powerful enemies. Forced to act, I activated the communication Magic Sword left by the Ancestor and sent a distress signal to Grand Void Peak.”

The Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator recounted the entire story.

“What do you know about the Qiong Hua Sect?” Chen Luo asked. “Tell me everything you’ve heard. I only recently joined and don’t know much.” He emphasized this point.

He hoped to learn more about the Qiong Hua Sect through this Core Formation cultivator from the Blackbird Clan. As a Core Formation cultivator, the man undoubtedly possessed more information than ordinary rogue cultivators. Chen Luo was now bound by shared interests to Patriarch Guhe of the Great Void, and any future troubles Patriarch Guhe faced could easily involve him.

After considering the question, the Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator began to speak.

“The Qiong Hua Sect is one of the Four Great Immortal Sects of the Southern Heaven Domain. All lands south of the Divine Pool belong to them. The Seven Patriarchs of Jade Purity are all Nascent Soul Realm experts, each wielding a Divine Sword. When they combine their swords, their power is boundless. At their peak, they even joined forces to slay invaders from the Upper Realm, safeguarding the Southern Heaven Domain.”

“Combined swords?” Chen Luo asked.

“The Seven Patriarchs are a unified entity. However, I’ve heard there are internal conflicts among them. Ancestor Tailing and Grand Void Ancestor have clashed, while Ancestor Tai Su and Ancestor Tailing are close allies.”

Chen Luo listened quietly, his understanding of the Qiong Hua Sect growing clearer with each detail.

As Chen Luo and his companions chatted idly, several more people arrived at the reception hall, all seeking disciples on Grand Void Peak. Most were Qi Refining realm cultivators, with occasional Foundation Establishment cultivators who kept a respectful distance from Chen Luo’s group.

The leader of the Blackbird Clan was a Core Formation cultivator.

While Chen Luo was growing accustomed to the Core Formation realm, to others, a Core Formation Ancestor remained an unattainable figure.

“Second Brother! Yunzhi has been captured by the Yin-Yang Sect! They claim she possesses the Nine Yin Physique and intend to use her as a Cauldron Furnace!”

An urgent voice rang out from nearby.

Chen Luo turned to see a familiar face—Gong Xiang, the disciple who had summoned him from seclusion when the City Lord of Medicine King City last visited.

“What about City Lord Yan? Didn’t he intervene?” Gong Xiang asked gravely. He never imagined such a crisis would erupt just a few years after leaving home. During his last visit, he had specifically entrusted the protection of his family to a rogue cultivator from a neighboring town—a fellow Foundation Establishment cultivator who had condensed three spiritual energy dragons, making him one of the strongest among rogue cultivators.

He had assumed that with City Lord Yan’s assistance, his family would be safe and secure.

In just a few short years, Gong Xiang’s family had been attacked by enemies, and his sister-in-law had been abducted.

“City Lord Yan has already been killed by them. All those in the city who met their qualifications were taken away by the Yin-Yang Sect.”

“Outrageous! Didn’t you tell them I’m a member of the Qiong Hua Sect?” Gong Xiang’s anger burned like a wildfire. He longed to draw his sword and descend the mountain to slaughter them all.

“The Yin-Yang Sect Master’s younger sister is also from the Qiong Hua Sect. I heard she even has ties to the Sword Cleansing Elder of Great Spirit Peak.”

Where there are people, there will always be conflict. Since they dared to target Gong Xiang’s sister-in-law, they clearly weren’t intimidated by his sect affiliation. The Qiong Hua Sect’s reputation might deter outsiders, but against rival factions with similar backing, only true strength mattered. The sect’s Founding Ancestor wouldn’t concern himself with such trivial matters, and Gong Xiang, as an Inner Sect Disciple, lacked the authority to intervene.

His only recourse was to seek help from his master. However, his master was merely the Sword Cleansing Elder of Grand Void Peak. With identical sect connections, neither party had reason to fear the other.

“Rest in the sect for two days. I’ll go find my master,” Gong Xiang said, resigned. The involvement of the Sword Cleansing Elder of Great Spirit Peak was beyond his authority as an Inner Sect Disciple.

“Second Brother… is Yunzhi beyond saving? She had just conceived my child…”

Gong Xiang’s younger brother stood with tears in his eyes, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. He felt his life had been ruined. He bitterly regretted not possessing the aptitude for immortal cultivation; had he joined the Qiong Hua Sect like his Second Brother, he wouldn’t have found himself in this predicament.

“Don’t worry, there must be a way,” Gong Xiang reassured his brother, though his own heart was heavy with dread. He had already resolved that if all else failed, he would storm their doorstep and trade his life for his brother’s. He refused to believe they would dare kill an Inner Sect Disciple of the Qiong Hua Sect. Such an act would escalate the matter, drawing the attention of the sect’s higher-ups and ensuring a resolution.

Chen Luo observed from the side. During their conversation, he heard mention of a sect called the Yin-Yang Sect. He had never heard of it before, not because it lacked status, but because his own position was so elevated that mid-to-small-sized sects had become negligible in his eyes.

The cultivation world of the Southern Heaven Domain was far from tranquil, filled with cultivators peacefully pursuing enlightenment. Like any other realm, it teemed with constant activity: cultivators exploring Secret Realms, Marauder Cultivators preying on others, Rogue cultivators seeking their own paths, and Spirit Field Cultivators tending their lands. This vast cultivation world of the Southern Heaven was composed of countless individual lives, each as small as a single drop of water.

“It’s just a minor issue. If it displeases you, a single word from you can resolve it.”

The Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator spoke, noticing Chen Luo’s attention on the Gong Xiang brothers.

“Who is the strongest in the Yin-Yang Sect?” Chen Luo asked.

“A Great Cultivator at Foundation Establishment Perfection, a Pseudo-Dan cultivator. However, his strength is mediocre, and his chances of reaching Core Formation are less than ten percent.”

The Blackbird Clan was a mid-sized power, facing numerous diverse enemies. They were intimately familiar with such smaller factions, maintaining trade relations with many.

“Then let’s give him a hand,” Chen Luo said casually.

He considered this simple act of kindness well worth it. Gong Xiang was a disciple of Grand Void Peak, and as Patriarch Gu He’s “nephew,” Chen Luo felt it was his natural duty to protect the peak’s interests.

“You two go and handle this,” the Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator instructed two subordinates behind him. “If the Yin-Yang Sect Master is wise, he’ll let Gong Xiang go. If not, kill them all.”

Chen Luo now noticed that the two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Blackbird Clan standing behind as background figures were also Great Cultivators of the Perfected Realm. Both had condensed Core Formation Seeds, making them top-tier experts at the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage. Chen Luo estimated their success rate for refining a Blood Pill at around thirty percent.

No wonder they were chosen by the Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator to meet the Grand Void Ancestor.

“Yes,” the two Blackbird Clan Foundation Establishment cultivators replied in unison, turning to approach the Gong brothers.

Due to the difference in their cultivation levels, the Gong brothers hadn’t heard Chen Luo’s conversation with the Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator. When the two Blackbird Clan cultivators approached, the Gong brothers looked bewildered. However, upon understanding their purpose, they were immediately overwhelmed with excitement.

They never expected such an opportunity to arise.

Following the gaze of the two Blackbird Clan cultivators, they spotted Chen Luo chatting with the Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator.

“Thank you, Senior Brother!” Gong Xiang bowed deeply to Chen Luo, his heart overflowing with gratitude. He had already resigned himself to a desperate gamble, knowing that as an Inner Sect Disciple, he had no way to influence someone backed by the Sword Cleansing Elder of Great Spirit Peak.

Even if Chen Luo’s teacher intervened, it would only escalate the matter slightly, never reaching the ears of the Founding Ancestor. The Founding Ancestor had no time for such trivial affairs.

The abduction of Cauldron Furnaces might very well have the shadow of the Sword Cleansing Elder from Great Spirit Peak behind it. Don’t think that such things don’t happen within a major Immortal Path sect like the Qiong Hua Sect. In this cultivation world, everyone is a chess piece on the board, and everyone is vying for power.

There is no right or wrong, only strength and weakness.

“Thank you, Immortal Elder.”

Gong Xiang’s younger brother knelt and began banging his head against the ground with loud thuds.

Chen Luo waved them up, exchanged a few brief words, and sent them on their way. Saving lives was like putting out a fire—the longer he delayed, the greater the danger to the abducted person.

The Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator observed from the side, analyzing Chen Luo’s character through these small details.

In his eyes, Chen Luo was a privileged second-generation heir with excellent connections and a noble background. He still possessed a hint of compassion, a weakness the cultivator could exploit in future interactions.

After chatting for a while longer, Chen Luo turned and returned to his residence.

The Blackbird Clan Core Formation cultivator hadn’t followed him, so Chen Luo found a secluded spot on Grand Void Peak to rest. His residence, arranged by Patriarch Guhe of the Great Void, was inaccessible to outsiders.

Night fell.

Chen Luo sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, nearly liquefied spiritual energy surging into his body. Spirit medicines lay scattered haphazardly beside him, just as before.

A faint azure spiritual light enveloped him as the Demonic Heart Art circulated slowly within his body.

After absorbing the Demonic Heart Ancestor’s brain, Chen Luo’s Demonic Heart Art had undergone another transformation. The original pathways of his cultivation technique had been rearranged by the ancestor’s innate instincts. Previously, the Demonic Heart Art had been the primary technique, with the Blackstone Secret Technique and Demon-Plant Art serving as auxiliaries. Now, driven by the Demonic Heart Ancestor’s brain, the sequence had shifted. He would first circulate the Demonic Heart Art, then draw upon specific incantations from the Demon-Plant Art, layering them with a few verses from the Blackstone Secret Technique before returning to the Demonic Heart Art.

The components remained the same, but their order had changed, like a password reshuffled. These subtle adjustments, guided by the Demonic Heart Ancestor’s brain, yielded drastically different results.