The Transmigrator's Cultivation Arc 18: Lu Jian Peak's Affairs | Chapter 352: Sect Master's Congratulations

Arc 18: Lu Jian Peak's Affairs | Chapter 352: Sect Master's Congratulations

Xu Ziqing felt a tremor in his dantian, as if something formless and void had emerged there. Although it was intangible and without form, he was vaguely certain that it was present. He immediately understood that this was the seed of the oath, meant to be planted on his path; if he violated the oath, it would instantly backfire. However, since the clarity of the oath was still incomplete, he knew it would be fully realized… His face flushed slightly, and he chose not to dwell on it.

For now, he decided to complete this grand ceremony before considering anything else.

At this moment, Yun Lie took Xu Ziqing’s hand, and together they bowed to the heavens in the void, performing three kneelings and nine prostrations. Then, they faced Qiu He Zhenren and bowed again, repeating the three kneelings and nine prostrations.

Afterward, the two exchanged glances as Yun Lie retrieved a gold-wood dual-element spirit fruit. Using his sword intent, he divided it in half and handed one half to Xu Ziqing.

Xu Ziqing accepted it, and they both consumed the fruit together.

At this point, the formalities were complete.

Xu Ziqing felt a growing sense of tranquility in his heart; when he looked at his s.h.i.+xiong, his expression was filled with affection.

Yun Lie remained expressionless, but his aura was somewhat softer, far more serene than usual.

Now that the oath and rituals of the grand ceremony were complete, Qiu He Zhenren waved his sleeve and retrieved the precious cauldron, landing back on the ground. He observed his two disciples with a kind expression and handed them two storage rings: “As your s.h.i.+zun, I have yet to congratulate you on your joyous marriage. This is a small gift, merely a token of my goodwill.”

Xu Ziqing hurriedly accepted it, saying warmly, “Thank you, s.h.i.+zun.”

Yun Lie also accepted the ring and expressed his thanks as well.

Qiu He Zhenren was even more delighted; he waved his sleeve again and found a place at the banquet table to sit down.

Afterward, the feast began, and all the guests enjoyed the fruits and delicacies, chatting merrily!

Because of Yun Lie’s icy demeanor and significantly superior cultivation, many guests presented their congratulatory gifts to Xu Ziqing, keeping their distance from Yun Lie.

Xu Ziqing smiled graciously, thanking each one and storing the gifts in his storage ring.

At the same time, from various directions in the air, bursts of spiritual light were cast down like shooting stars, swiftly flying toward them.

These were congratulatory gifts from the great beings; although they remained hidden, they directed their spiritual light toward Yun Lie.

This also served as a kind of test and compet.i.tion.

Yun Lie waved his sleeve and effortlessly absorbed all the spiritual light, appearing as if he hadn’t exerted much effort at all; it was done with a casual grace.

Most of those powerful beings had only come to pay their respects due to the face of the newly elevated laozu and did not hold the young laozu’s previous reputation in high regard. However, after witnessing this display, they now held him in higher esteem. Their intent to attend the banquet also became more genuine.

While the couple entertained their guests, amidst their joyful exchanges, a sudden ripple appeared out of thin air.

It was a handsome young man dressed in scholarly robes, standing with his hands clasped behind his back in the void, smiling at them.

In an instant, many paused their actions, turning their gazes upward.

The next moment, the void rippled again, and many figures emerged.

It was the powerful beings who had previously remained hidden!

At this moment, the powerful beings respectfully looked at the scholarly young man in the robes, all cupping their hands in greeting: “Greetings, Sect Master.”

The guests below were all taken aback: … Sect Master?

The Sect Master of the Wuling Immortal Sect was a person of great stature, spending years in closed-door cultivation on the main peak. He rarely appeared unless there were significant matters. Now, he had shown up for the oath ceremony of a newly ascended Nascent Soul junior… Could it be that these two oath-takers truly held such great favor?

Not to mention the guests below, even the powerful beings felt a sense of disbelief in their hearts.

It should be noted that within the sect, whenever someone formed a Dao companion, they needed to send an invitation to the Sect Master to show respect. However, it was extremely rare for the Sect Master to come in person, even for the oath of two Nascent Soul laozu; it could be counted on one hand.

Now, this was merely an oath ceremony between a young Nascent Soul and a Golden Core Zhenren, and yet the Sect Master had come…

Naturally, the powerful beings could tell that the Sect Master present was not his true self, but a clone.

However, even in significant matters within the sect, the Sect Master often only sent a clone to represent him, while his true self remained deep in some unknown place, diligently cultivating. He would not easily appear unless the sect was facing an existential threat.

It was clear that among the two juniors below, at least the one who formed a Nascent Soul, Yun Lie, must have been someone held in high regard by the Sect Master.

Qiu He Zhenren felt the gazes of many old friends upon him and couldn’t help but clear his throat. He certainly hadn’t expected his disciples to command such attention, but the pride and joy swelling in his heart needed no words to express. As for the envious and jealous glances, he received them calmly, choosing to ignore them.

The scholarly young man stood in mid-air, nodded in acknowledgment to the powerful beings, then opened his palm to reveal two ancient wooden boxes.

With a flick of his fingers, the two wooden boxes flew toward Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing, one to each.

The two immediately channeled their energy to catch the wooden boxes.

The scholarly young man smiled warmly: “Yun Lie, you have formed your Nascent Soul in less than two hundred years, and Xu Ziqing, you have formed your Golden Core in less than a hundred years. Both of you are exceptionally talented disciples of our sect. You should strive harder in your cultivation and aspire to attain immortality, bringing glory to our sect.”

Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie both bowed in response: “Yes, we will remember this and do our utmost.”

The Sect Master smiled again, his gaze sweeping over the two.

At this moment, he did not speak aloud, but Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie heard his voice in their minds.

“Your cultivation method is unique, and seems to harbor boundless vitality. I bestow upon you a piece of Sumeru Mustard Seed, an artifact from ancient ruins, whose vitality is nearly depleted. If you can revive it, there will be endless benefits. Use it wisely.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing’s fingers tightened involuntarily.

Sumeru Mustard Seed¹The concept of Sumeru Mustard Seed embodies the idea that a vast, complex reality (like the universe or enlightenment) can be contained within something very small (the mustard seed). This reflects the paradoxical nature of existence where infinite possibilities can be found within finite forms. Sumeru : In Buddhist cosmology, Sumeru (or Meru) refers to the central mountain of the universe, considered the axis of the world and a symbol of enlightenment. It represents the ultimate reality and is often depicted as the highest mountain in the universe. Mustard seed: The mustard seed is a common symbol in many cultures, often representing potential, growth, and the idea that something small can lead to something significant. In Buddhism, it signifies the potential for enlightenment present in everyone.!

Ancient texts spoke of how “the mustard seed contains Sumeru,” referring to an ancient rare object resembling a mustard seed, but in reality, it was a type of seed.

This seed contained the laws of the world and could encompa.s.s a vast realm; if refined into a personal treasure, it could even nurture vitality within!

In short, the Sumeru Mustard Seed could transform into a world, comparable to divine artifacts!

If an ordinary person were to obtain the Sumeru Mustard Seed, they would likely need countless years of effort to fully cultivate it. However, merely using it as a spatial treasure would seem wasteful. Only those who comprehend the laws of s.p.a.ce would truly benefit from it like a tiger gaining wings.

Xu Ziqing, on the other hand, was different. If he were to obtain the Sumeru Mustard Seed and integrate it into his Dantian… he would undoubtedly be able to comprehend the prototype form of the Zifu Small Universe at the same time as his s.h.i.+xiong when he reached the Golden Core stage!

Taking a slow breath, Xu Ziqing calmed his turbulent emotions. He couldn’t help but feel ecstatic; with the a.s.sistance of the Sumeru Mustard Seed, he could save ten thousand years of effort.

Xu Ziqing’s “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” transformed ten thousand woods for his use, commanding them at will. However, as the technique progressed, these ten thousand trees would eventually need to be integrated into the Zifu Small Universe, becoming living beings within that universe, turning it into a world, and acquiring even more vitality.

For ordinary cultivators, it wasn’t difficult to have living beings in their Small Universes; the challenge lay in ensuring those living beings possessed true vitality to become genuine living creatures.

The Small Universes of these cultivators would struggle to evolve into real worlds; at most, they could only reflect their own worlds. Even if they established rules, those worlds could not develop autonomously.

However, if Xu Ziqing were to use the Sumeru Mustard Seed to create a prototype form of the Small Universe, he could make the Mustard Seed evolve alongside it, allowing vitality to continuously nurture. Afterward, when the ten thousand trees entered the Zifu, the Sumeru Mustard Seed, being a plant itself, would not reject it, and their vitality could merge, creating an endless cycle.

In the end, this could lead to the creation of a true world!

A true world would possess the power of a realm, and even after becoming an immortal, it would have boundless uses!

As for the near-exhausted vitality within the Sumeru Mustard Seed… that was inconsequential.

For Xu Ziqing, no matter how difficult it might be, he was determined to restore the vitality of the Sumeru Mustard Seed. With the essence of the Wood element within his blood and flesh, it certainly wouldn’t be impossible.

The Sect Master’s gift was indeed quite generous.

Xu Ziqing’s joy did not go unnoticed by Yun Lie.

The Sect Master had communicated with him, saying only, “Cultivate diligently, and there will be benefits.” When he scanned the wooden box with his spiritual sense, he understood that it contained a sword cla.s.sic, rumored to be a legacy left behind by an ascended sword cultivator. It was a good gift he could refer to.

However, when he looked at his junior brother, it seemed there was something different.

In the next moment, Xu Ziqing transmitted what he had received as a gift to Yun Lie.

Upon hearing this, Yun Lie understood.

The Sect Master was indeed very considerate towards both of them. His broad-mindedness and open personality were quite rare.

It was likely that, with his current cultivation, he would not need much more time before ascending to immortality.

As members of the sect, both he and Xu Ziqing had received generous treatment and should naturally contribute to the sect.

Without further thought, the two thanked the Sect Master again for their gifts.

The Sect Master smiled at them, then slightly turned, and his figure vanished into thin air.

It was only at this moment that the crowd below erupted in astonishment again. The powerful beings in the void lingered for a moment longer before each returned to their respective places.

Having come here to witness the ceremony, they had enjoyed wine and delicious food, giving face to the newly ascended laozu. Now that their true forms had been revealed, there was no need for them to join the lower disciples in celebration.

After the laozu(s) departed, Yun Lie stood by, hearing congratulations from others and nodding slightly in acknowledgment.

Qiu He Zhenren was mingling with many of his disciples and some Golden Core Zhenren, drinking and chatting, while Xu Ziqing met with each of his old friends to catch up.

Those from the Haotian Small World, like Su Xin, were quite close to Xu Ziqing, warmly toasting him. Xu Ziqing smiled slightly and shared drinks with them. Although Luo Yao had a somewhat aggressive demeanor, he became more restrained upon seeing Xu Ziqing, while Long Xuan, Yue Jun, and Du Zihui also toasted him, and Xu Ziqing reciprocated.

However, everyone was friends, and unlike the mundane world where joyous occasions might lead to someone getting excessively drunk, they merely exchanged pleasantries and left it at that.

Eventually, Xu Ziqing approached the young man in white who had been pouring himself drinks, offering him a gentle smile: “Brother Nan Zhengya, you came too.”

Nan Zhengya looked up and chuckled softly, “You two and I share a longstanding bond; it’s only natural for me to come and offer my congratulations.”

Xu Ziqing’s smile deepened: “I must thank you, Brother Nan Zhengya, for your help back in the day, and I raise this cup in your honor.” After saying this, he lifted his cup in salute.

Nan Zhengya raised an eyebrow and drank as well.

The two exchanged no further words, allowing Xu Ziqing’s smile to carry the moment.

The banquet continued for quite some time until the guests gradually dispersed and the atmosphere finally calmed.

The disciples began to tidy up, while Qiu He Zhenren returned early to his own peak.

The two newly united Dao companions eventually returned to their cave dwelling.

Yun Lie waved his sleeve to set the cave’s restrictions, and the interior fell into silence.

Xu Ziqing raised his head, noticing his s.h.i.+xiong beside him, and suddenly felt a hint of nervousness.

Translator: Lynn

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• 1The concept of Sumeru Mustard Seed embodies the idea that a vast, complex reality (like the universe or enlightenment) can be contained within something very small (the mustard seed). This reflects the paradoxical nature of existence where infinite possibilities can be found within finite forms. Sumeru : In Buddhist cosmology, Sumeru (or Meru) refers to the central mountain of the universe, considered the axis of the world and a symbol of enlightenment. It represents the ultimate reality and is often depicted as the highest mountain in the universe. Mustard seed: The mustard seed is a common symbol in many cultures, often representing potential, growth, and the idea that something small can lead to something significant. In Buddhism, it signifies the potential for enlightenment present in everyone.