Longevity: My Talents Are a Bit Abundant-Chapter 417: Sect War

The setting sun melts into gold, the twilight is vast and bleak.

Shen Xuan stepped out from the cave mansion, standing on a cliff of Cold Jade Peak, quietly enjoying the sunset scene.

The sunset is infinitely beautiful, yet it is almost dusk.

Currently, the Cyan Cloud Sect has forty thousand disciples, five hundred at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

This is due to the Cyan Cloud Sect’s wealth increase in recent years, rewarding more Foundation Establishment Pills.

During the Taoist-Demonic war between the Song and Liang Countries, the Cyan Cloud Sect had distinct advantages in borders and counties.

Not only was their strength not diminished, but it also grew stronger.

Some elites from medium and small sects and cultivation clans chose to join the Cyan Cloud Sect.

Shen Xuan remembers, forty years ago, when he first joined the Cyan Cloud Sect, it claimed to have thirty thousand in Qi Cultivation and three hundred in Foundation Establishment.

Now, the quantity and quality of sect members clearly exceed those times.

Outside the Eighteen Peaks, people are bustling, more and more cultivators in the Qi Cultivation Realm, voices clamoring.

However, even if they join the Cyan Cloud Sect, those who can establish a Dao Foundation and become direct disciples under a True Master are always a minority.

To this day, they are still less than a hundred in number.

These True Master’s direct disciples are the focus of the Cyan Cloud Sect’s cultivation.

Shen Xuan could be certain.

The recently disappeared Hu Xiucheng was the masked cultivator who tried to lure him out of the sect at the Gu Feng business number last time.

Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, a core of the Spirit Pill Hall, the second direct disciple of True Master Changsheng, and a person in the know about the Cold Jade Pill formula.

"Even the Divine Soul Restriction personally applied by True Master Changsheng can’t hold?"

Shen Xuan pondered quietly.

At the same time, he was secretly relieved.

If he hadn’t been cautious, believing in safety first, and stayed inside the sect.

Spending most of the time sheltered at Cold Jade Peak.

Perhaps, the other party would have already acted against him.

...

Mist Peak.

True Master Discussion Hall.

The True Masters of the Cyan Cloud Sect sat facing each other, looking solemn.

True Master Cold Jade’s face was like frost, eyes like swords.

Anyone could see that True Master Cold Jade was in an extremely bad mood.

Exuding an icy aura of "no one should provoke me".

"Everyone is aware of the situation. Hu Xiucheng of the Spirit Pill Hall has run away. Whatever you have to say, just speak up."

True Master Mysterious Trace said coldly.

"Sect Leader Senior Brother, can it be confirmed whether Hu Xiucheng ran away on his own or was abducted?"

A True Master asked.

"Abducted? Within the sect, who could abduct him? Ling Xiao Junior Brother, you explain."

True Master Ling Xiao said solemnly: "I inspected the Sect Protection Array, questioned everyone in the Spirit Pill Hall, and I can basically conclude that Hu Xiucheng had prepared meticulously for some time, seized the opportunity, and left the sect."

"That’s somewhat better. Escaping on his own is much better than being abducted."

"Also strange, why would he suddenly want to leave the sect and flee?"

"Isn’t it obvious? It certainly must be because of the Cold Jade Pill formula."

Upon mentioning the "Cold Jade Pill formula", the True Masters all looked towards True Master Cold Jade.

On the surface, True Master Cold Jade painstakingly developed it.

However, all the True Masters knew that the real developer was someone else.

But everyone pretended to be oblivious.

Acting, after all, they are all old foxes at hundreds of years old, who wouldn’t know how!

At this moment.

True Master Cold Jade looked towards True Master Changsheng.

"Brother Changsheng, Hu Xiucheng is your direct disciple, aren’t you going to explain?"

"Explain?"

True Master Changsheng took a deep breath, looked around the crowd, and said slowly, "Everyone, what can I explain?"

"These years, I’ve been focused on researching the Scarlet Gold Pill. Whether Hu Xiucheng made a sudden decision or planned for a long time, I don’t know."

"Even if Hu Xiucheng ran on his own, whether it was due to threats, or greed, or related to the Cold Jade Pill formula, there is no solid evidence."

"Without finding the person, it is pointless to discuss anything."

The True Master Discussion Hall fell into a deathly silence.

After a long while.

Someone asked, "Brother Changsheng, did you apply a Divine Soul Restriction on Hu Xiucheng when giving him the Cold Jade Pill formula, to prohibit him from revealing it?"

"I applied the Divine Soul Restriction on him, Sect Leader Senior Brother was present."

True Master Changsheng said solemnly.

This was also requested by True Master Mysterious Trace.

"In that case, why did he dare to leave the sect and flee?"

True Master Mysterious Trace coughed lightly.

"Divine Soul Restrictions are not omnipotent. If someone with realm cultivation higher than Junior Brother Changsheng’s could release it for him."

With these words, someone realized immediately.

"Yes, someone must have promised to release the restriction for him. And this person’s realm cultivation is above Brother Changsheng."

A True Master realized and said softly.

"Not necessarily. What if he’s originally a hidden plant inserted into the sect by an opponent? For instance, Medicine God Valley."

True Master Cold Jade said coldly.

The True Masters were silent.

Compared to the former, the possibility of Hu Xiucheng himself being a hidden plant of the Medicine God Valley was greater.

Previously, when the Giant Furnace Refining first came out, a Pill Master from the Spirit Pill Hall defected to Medicine God Valley and informed them about it.

Currently emerging Hu Xiucheng holds a higher status than that Pill Master.

If he hadn’t defected, Hu Xiucheng would become a Core Formation Seed of Cyan Cloud Sect, rewarded with the Golden Transformation Pill and heavily supported in achieving Core Formation.

Thirty years of Taoist-Demonic war, thirty years of recuperation.

In the whole sixty years, the Cyan Cloud Sect only rewarded ten Golden Transformation Pills.

If it turned out Hu Xiucheng was indeed the hidden plant of the opponent!

At that time, not only True Master Changsheng.

All the True Masters of the Cyan Cloud Sect would lose face.

"Is there no way to track him?"

A True Master asked.

"No way to track, someone deliberately erased all traces."

True Master Ling Xiao added: "It should be a Golden Core True Master."

The atmosphere in the discussion hall became even heavier as these words were spoken.

Throughout the Song Country, there were only a few entities capable of deploying a Golden Core True Master.

"If, and I stress if, if we confirm the opposing sect, what should we do then?"

The True Masters fell into silence once again.

Mysterious Trace True Master let out a cold laugh.

"There has long been an agreement between each sect that True Masters should not make a move lightly. Since the other party broke the agreement, if we do not counterattack forcefully, who will respect our Cyan Cloud Sect in the future?"

"Junior Brother Ling Xiao, when can we have accurate information about Hu Xiucheng?"

True Master Ling Xiao solemnly said, "Within a month."

"If no information comes forth, we can directly purchase from the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion."

"Then let’s wait for Hu Xiucheng’s accurate information. However, Junior Brother Spirit Sword, prepare the Battle Hall for war mobilization."

...

The events that transpired in the True Master Discussion Hall were quickly relayed to Shen Xuan by True Master Cold Jade.

That evening.

In the secret chamber of the cave mansion.

Shen Xuan hung up a power structure map of the Cyan Cloud Sect.

At the very top, was the legendary Sect Nascent Soul, True Monarch Qing Yun.

It was said that he was seven hundred years old, at the Middle Stage of Nascent Soul.

In the entire Song Country, he was also ranked among the top five in combat power.

The first layer included five Great Golden Cores.

Sect Leader Mysterious Trace True Master, Dharma Transmission Pavilion Hidden Image True Master, Battle Hall Spirit Sword True Master, along with Celestial Wind True Master and Celestial Thunder True Master.

These five held the core power of the Cyan Cloud Sect.

Many matters were decided by consensus among these five.

The second layer consisted of thirteen True Pill True Masters.

First among them was the Law Enforcement Hall’s True Master Ling Xiao, the only Golden Core True Master in the Outer Peak.

Shen Xuan gazed for a long time, marking a small question mark beside True Master Ling Xiao.

Which meant he couldn’t determine if True Master Ling Xiao was truly trustworthy. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

As a Golden Core being among True Pill, not included in the core circle of power, who knows what his mind harbors.

Moreover, True Master Ling Xiao originated as a Loose Cultivator.

This also meant he had no family background, with complicated roots.

Following him were True Master Changsheng of the Alchemy Hall, True Master Tong Xuan of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, True Master Chong Xu of the Array Hall, and True Master Jade Sun of the Artifact Refining Hall.

Shen Xuan marked question marks for all of them.

However, the question marks varied in size.

For True Master Changsheng, it was especially large.

The ones for True Master Tong Xuan, True Master Chong Xu, and True Master Jade Sun were smaller.

In Shen Xuan’s view, these three Master Uncles were relatively more trustworthy.

One was well-versed in human relationships, and the other two were Cultivation Artisans.

There was no need for them to collude with the Demon Sect.

Listed sixth, True Master Gu Feng received a tick, clearly trustworthy.

True Master Gu Feng, originating from the Sect Family Yang Family, had no proficiency in cultivation arts, existing outside the sect’s power sphere.

Shen Xuan believed that even the Demon Sect, with poor judgment, would not attempt to bribe her.

Immediately following, True Master Cold Jade, slightly advanced in rank.

This, without a doubt, also received a tick, completely trustworthy.

Next were the five City Lords.

True Master Guang Wei of Qing Yun Immortal City, True Master Purple Qi of Zixia Immortal City, True Master Duobao of Tianbao Immortal City, True Master Ming Xin of Haiyue Immortal City, True Master Profound Spirit of Beicang Immortal City.

Qing Yun Immortal City was the most prosperous, located just beneath Qing Yun Mountain.

The remaining four Immortal Cities acted as the four great barriers guarding the direct jurisdiction of the Cyan Cloud Sect.

Apart from True Master Guang Wei, who received a tick, Shen Xuan marked question marks for the other four City Lords.

The Tier Three Spirit Plant Cultivator, True Master Chang Chun, was ranked last.

In contrast, Shen Xuan placed a large tick next to True Master Chang Chun.

He had interacted with True Master Chang Chun.

Someone who didn’t even care about his sect position was relatively more trustworthy.

What truly troubled Shen Xuan were the five Great Golden Cores of the sect.

He only marked a tick for Mysterious Trace True Master and Hidden Image True Master.

The other three were given large question marks.

Shen Xuan stared at the Cyan Cloud Sect’s diagram of the eighteen True Masters for a long time.

With a wave of his hand, he completely destroyed it.

Hu Xiucheng’s defection was, for him, a good thing.

This also meant the hidden forces lurking in the shadows couldn’t wait any longer, choosing Hu Xiucheng as their breakthrough point.

"Luckily, I have no bloodline descendants, making it impossible to track or threaten me."

The Shen Family in Qing Yun Immortal City was merely adopted.

Some Demon Sect Secret Techniques could track close kin using their bloodline descendants.

Since discovering the Mysterious Jade Talisman’s use, Shen Xuan was determined to achieve immortality and would not take a Dao companion.

Casual relationships were acceptable, formal marriage was not.

Once one has a family and descendants, there are many attachments and responsibilities.

It would not only consume a significant amount of his energy but also become a vulnerability for enemy attacks.

Shen Xuan did not believe his path would be smooth and everlasting.

Those who achieved great things in ancient times had not only extraordinary talent but also indomitable will.

There was no such thing as a smooth path.

Heroes in the world were as numerous as carp in the river. Even dragons and phoenixes among people struggled to move forward.

For someone like Shen Xuan, who came from a Loose Cultivator background, without family roots, reaching this point was like walking on thin ice.

And that’s with his advantage hanging.

Without it, he was destined to lead the life of commoners.

"Now, I can only watch how things unfold."

"I estimate that the Cyan Cloud Sect will vigorously counterattack Medicine God Valley!"

The True Masters who lived for hundreds of years and controlled the sect’s power were all exceptionally intelligent.

The foolish and unlucky ones, no matter how good their family background, couldn’t reach this point.

A month later.

News arrived.

The Law Enforcement Hall confirmed that Hu Xiucheng had entered Medicine God Valley.

True Master Changsheng reported that Hu Xiucheng’s Divine Soul Restriction had been lifted by a master.

As a result, he suffered considerable divine soul backlash.

Mysterious Trace True Master was furious.

At the True Master conference, the eighteen True Masters reached a consensus.

The Cyan Cloud Sect officially declared war on Medicine God Valley.