Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Name: Zhang Junbao
Gender: Male
Cultivation base: Golden Core Realm
Background: Disciple of Jiuyang Sect’s Chunyang Peak.
Relationship: 76
Innate Talent: Seven stars
Status: Brought wine to Chuyang Peak. Still shocked by Zi Linglong’s feat of clearing the Tower of Trials.
The newcomer was none other than Zhang Junbao.
Chang Yiming laughed heartily as soon as he heard Zhang Junbao’s words. “Very good! First Disciple Jiang, with your fair appearance, graceful poise, and refined manners, you’ll definitely charm the world with your dance!”
Jiang Ming laughed as well. The trio traded banter and jokes as they ate.
After setting down his cup of wine on the table, Jiang Ming asked, “Senior Brother Chang, how are things outside? Is it peaceful?”
“That’s right! Tell us what’s happening outside!” Zhang Junbao chimed in, “I’ve been cultivating in seclusion over the past two years so I know nothing about current affairs. Did anything interesting happen?”
“No,” Chang Yiming replied, “Just as always, the lives of the people in the secular world are the same, filled with greed and lust for power and riches. As for the cultivation world, nothing major happened as well. The young compete among themselves to eradicate demons and devils. However, I did hear something during my journey back…”
Chang Yiming deliberately trailed off, trying to create suspense.
“Hurry up and tell us! You’re going to kill us with the suspense, Senior Brother Chang!” Jiang Ming said as he poured a cup of wine for Chang Jiming.
Chang Jiming drank from the cup happily before he said in a grim tone, “The devil sects are getting more and more active…”
“The devil sects?” Zhang Junbao frowned. “We annihilated almost all of them back then, but they dare to show themselves again? Did they regroup?”
“Who knows?” Chang Yi Ming said with a sigh, “Just be careful if you decide to leave the sect and cultivate outside…”
Jiang Ming asked curiously, “Are devil sects really so terrifying?”
“What do you think? In the past, they almost turned the world into a demonic domain,” Chang Yiming said before he launched into an explanation.
According to legends, the Sky Devils came to the world a long, long time ago. They were terrifyingly powerful and were near indestructible. They were a cruel, bloodthirsty, and warmongering bunch. Then, they founded the Sky Devil Sect and taught evil cultivation methods. Demons who cultivated those evil methods became half-demon and half-devil while humans became half-human and half-devil.
Over time, the Sky Devil Sect split into the Yinmo Sect, Xuemo Sect, Qiqingmo Sect, Liuyumo Sect, Xiuluomo Sect, and Shimo Sect.
The orthodox sects under the heavens tried several times to destroy the Sky Devil Sect, but the Sky Devil Sect retaliated and started a massacre across the lands.
1,500 years ago, several major sects gathered and laid siege on the devil sects’ base. With that, the major sects were under the assumption that most of the devil sects, if not all, had been eradicated. However, those who truly understood the devil sects knew it was near impossible to completely get rid of the devils. Even if they managed to get rid of the devils, their teachings would not go away. The teachings were like seeds that would sprout and grow.
“The devils are near indestructible?” Jiang Ming asked skeptically.
“Who knows?” Chang Yiming shrugged. “Cultivators grow in number during peaceful times, giving rise to more sects and organizations. However, they grow complacent as well.”
“This is why we need something to stir the peace sometimes,” Zhang Junbao said, “The ancient Sacred Lands seem to always be there; immoveable. However, whether it’s the major sects or minor sects, one or two will vanish, especially when there’s an uprising of devils…”
Jiang Ming shuddered. “The Sacred Lands sound terrifying…”
“Not at all!” Chang Yiming shook his head as he said with a smile, “The Sacred Lands are noble, righteous, selfless, and radiant! Everyone aspires to join them. They’re the strongest defense we have!”
“Alright, enough of that,” Zhang Junbao said, waving his hand. “The Sacred Lands and the devil sects are too far from us now. What’s the use of talking about them now? What’s important is to improve our strength and protect our sect!”
The trio toasted each other and continued picking at the dishes on the table.
When they were almost done eating, Jiang Ming asked, “Senior Brother Chang, Senior Brother Zhang, do you know what happened on Chuyang Peak in the past? Why did my master stop recruiting disciples? I’ve tried asking other disciples, but they won’t tell me anything…”
Chang Yiming and Zhang Junbao exchanged a look. Then, they both shook their heads with a wry smile on their faces.
“Jiang Ming, it’s not our place to speak about this matter. You should hear it from your master…”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ming no longer pressed for answers.
At this time, Chang Yiming held his cup of wine and rose to his feet before he pointed at the back of the mountain. “Did you develop the barren land there?”
“Who else could it be? With Senior Gu’s laziness, do you really think he’d do such a thing?” Zhang Junbao said with a smile, “What are you trying to do, Ming? Why aren’t you spending your time cultivating instead? You’re a first disciple; you represent Chuyang Peak. You can come to me if you’re short on medicinal pills or spiritual crystals.”
“Hey, this kid here is likely richer than you,” Chang Yiming laughed, causing his belly to shake, as he said, “Not only is he a first disciple, but he’s also one of only two disciples on the peak. Senior Gu must have given him a lot of good stuff.”
After a pause, Chang Yiming said with a sigh, “I don’t know what’s going on in your head. Senior Gu can provide you with one-on-one guidance and ample resources, but you refuse to take advantage of it. Moreover, there’s no distraction here. Why won’t you focus on your cultivation? I remember you used to cultivate diligently…”
Jiang Ming replied, “I want to grow vegetables so I can serve them to both of you when you visit!”
“Who are you trying to fool?” Chang Yiming scoffed.
Zhang Junbao merely shook his head. When he heard the rumors about Jiang Ming, he could hardly believe them himself. However, there was only so much he could say.
Before they left, Jiang Ming requested them to bring him some seeds of spiritual herbs so that he could grow them.
“You…”
The two of them felt helpless, but they agreed anyway.
With Zhang Junbao and Chang Yiming’s departure, silence returned to Chuyang Peak.
The last rays of the sun clung to the sky, casting a fiery light on the lands.
The evening wind began picking up, bringing with it a cooling sensation.
Night gradually descended on the peak.
After Jiang Ming activated the Grand Formation, he stood silently on his veranda before sitting down on the rush cushion. He decided to cultivate here tonight.
He could use his Grand Path Almighty Method Sutra to absorb the natural spiritual qi from his surroundings and convert them to mana, but it was not efficient. It was the same if he used spiritual crystals.
He crossed his legs and closed his eyes. His consciousness seemed to leave his mind and merged with the world around him. He experienced the changes in nature and contemplated the endless Sambodha within. If he could understand a fraction of it, he could form his own path. However, it was easier said than done.
Jiang Ming decided to descend. He plunged down Chuyang Peak where he experienced the immense, immoveable, wonderful, and sustaining force of the mountain.
His consciousness merged with the mountain. A rich, vast, awe-inspiring, majestic, and unshakeable feeling filled him, helping him to break through slightly and touch the characters of Sambodha. However, they were rather vague, and he had difficulty grasping their meaning.
At this time, Jiang Ming placed a high-grade Enlightening Tea Leaf in his mouth. His mind accelerated almost instantly, refreshed. The characters of the mountain filled his mind. At this moment, he was enlightened!
“Is this Sambodha? Is this the path?”
Jiang Ming’s figure seemed to have grown 1,000 feet in an instant! He became big, tall, and wide like a mountain.
