Chapter 19: The Three-Year Period

Three years later, at Mount Shu's Qingyun Peak, a young girl practiced sword flight, deftly maneuvering through the forest and easily catching up with an Immortal Deer.

Mount Shu possessed a supreme magical formation capable of confining nature's spiritual energy, for the cultivation of Mount Shu's disciples.

The spiritual energy here was denser than in other places, which is why there were many Immortal Cranes, Immortal Deer, Spirit Apes, and Spirit Squirrels.

Some of the Immortal Deer that had been on Qingyun Peak for many years even possessed the cultivation of the Qi Transformation Realm.

It was said that over the tens of thousands of years in Mount Shu, there were small animals that, nurtured by the nature's spiritual energy, achieved the Nascent Soul Realm, transformed into human form, and became elders of Mount Shu.

The girl seemed to enjoy playing a lot, chasing all sorts of spirit beasts around Qingyun Peak, causing quite a commotion.

"Junior Sister, Master has summoned us to his cave abode, stop messing around."

A simple-looking man came flying over on his sword and stopped the girl.

"That's great, I can see Master again! This time Master's seclusion was really long, let me think, it's been a month already!"

The girl counted on her fingers excitedly. Her master, Lu Changsheng, had unwittingly been in seclusion for thirty-three days.

"Big Senior Brother, what realm do you think Master's cultivation has reached?"

"That probably only Master himself knows. I suspect that our Master is actually an Immortal."

Lin Qingzhi and Lian arrived at the cave abode on Qingyun Peak.

Inside the cave abode, a Daoist priest with a divine presence and handsome features was meditating and cultivating.

"Master, you have finally come out of seclusion!"

Lian rushed forward excitedly.

However, Lu Changsheng slapped her face aside, disapprovingly saying, "Have you forgotten the proprieties between master and disciple?"

"I've missed Master so much. Big Senior Brother does nothing but cultivate or play chess all day, which is really boring. And Master won't let me go down the mountain."

Lian pouted.

Lu Changsheng couldn't help but smile.

This disciple had a special background. All four Great Demon Sects and the Demon Race were searching for her; only Mount Shu could provide protection.

This was why Lu Changsheng did not permit his disciple to go down the mountain on her own.

"Tomorrow is Mount Shu's decennial disciple assembly. All disciples recruited within the last ten years will participate in sparring to check on their cultivation progress."

"At the same time, it is also an opportunity to accumulate real combat experience."

"The internal sparring among Mount Shu disciples can be seen as a simulation. If you encounter extremely vicious individuals from the Great Demon Sects or the Demon Race in the future, that would be a fight to the death."

"However, during this disciple assembly, you must not reveal your true cultivation."

Lu Changsheng called his two disciples to explain the upcoming Mount Shu disciple assembly.

The system indicated that after three years, Lin Qingzhi's cultivation had reached the sixth level of the Golden Core Realm, while Lian's had reached the seventh level of the Golden Core Realm.

Lin Qingzhi's cultivation of the Taxuan Skills had reached the fifth level.

Lian's Purple Flame Primordial Art was also at the fifth level.

Because Lu Changsheng continuously performed Power-infusing Initiation for his two disciples, their cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, to an astounding degree.

Lu Changsheng worried that if the two disclosed their true cultivation at the upcoming Mount Shu disciple assembly, it would cause a sensation throughout the entire Mount Shu, and even disturb the Great Demon Sects.

Condensing a Golden Core in three years, forming a Nascent Soul in ten—such a speed of cultivation was unimaginable.

"At that time, just show the strength of about the seventh or eighth level of the Qi Transformation Realm. As for winning or losing the sparring match, your master doesn't care."

Lu Changsheng reminded his two disciples to conceal an entire realm of their actual cultivation level, which would make these two monstrous disciples appear more like "normal people" and not draw attention.

About winning or losing, or saving face, Lu Changsheng truly didn't care.

Lu Changsheng planned to quietly reach sainthood in Mount Shu.

"Master is truly an exemplar for us."

Lin Qingzhi looked at Lu Changsheng with even more respect.

In his view, his master was as unaffected as clouds and breeze, surely an Immortal without a doubt.

"This disciple understands."

Lian's eyes spun around, and she nodded obediently—she had listened, but not quite taken it all in.

The next day, the once-a-decade disciple convention on Mount Shu's main peak was held.

It was another grand event following the apprentice acceptance ceremony.

All newly recruited disciples from the various peaks, via drawing lots, would randomly select opponents to learn from each other, comparing cultivation levels, and accumulating practical combat experience.

Although Mount Shu did not advocate combat, both the rivers and lakes and the cultivation world were perilous, and lacking combat experience was undoubtedly like a flower in a greenhouse, unable to bear heavy responsibilities.

Wave after wave of flying swords tore through the sky, heading towards Mount Shu's main peak, crowding the place to the brim.

This grand occasion was seen by many Mount Shu disciples as an opportunity to bring honor to their masters.

Outer Sect disciples also had the chance to challenge Inner Sect disciples during this convention. Those who performed exceptionally might catch the eye of Mount Shu elders and be taken in as Inner Sect disciples.

If Inner Sect disciples were likened to private tutoring, then Outer Sect disciples were akin to public lectures. Moreover, the cultivation resources they received from Mount Shu were different, with Inner Sect disciples sometimes receiving private rewards of cultivation techniques or magical treasures from the elders, or even, in more extreme cases, Power-infusing Initiation.

To the Outer Sect disciples, the Mount Shu disciple convention was an opportunity to shine, and it wasn't without the possibility of rising in status.

Three streaks of light descended, and Lu Changsheng arrived at Mount Shu's main peak with his two disciples.

"Master, master, there are so many people here!"

Lian tugged excitedly at Lu Changsheng's sleeve.

In her three years of cultivating at Qingyun Peak, Lian had yet to meet other Mount Shu disciples.

"Just make sure you don't beat them to death later on."

Lu Changsheng issued his final caution to this little disciple, who possessed the Martial King Divine Physique.

Lian had already reached the seventh level of the Golden Core Realm, and her Ten Thousand Phenomena Body Refining Skills had been cultivated to the stage of the Power of a Thousand Phenomena.

Don't be fooled by Lian being only ten—her tiny fists, when landing on someone, felt as if the person was struck by a thousand wild elephants.

It wasn't because Lu Changsheng was boasting, but among the new generation of Mount Shu disciples present, not one could withstand a punch from her.

Even the elite Golden Core Realm disciples of Mount Shu were no match for the ten-year-old Lian.

So Lu Changsheng reminded his young disciple not to accidentally kill any other Mount Shu disciples, or it would cause a big problem.

"Mhm, mhm."

Lian nodded, but there was some confusion in her eyes—Mount Shu disciples were clearly robust and formidable, so why wasn't her master worried about his own disciple, but instead, that others might be beaten to death?

Could it be that Lian was not important in her master's eyes?

At the thought, Lian pouted.

"Qingzhi, you know what to do, right?"

"This disciple knows."

"Hmm."

Lu Changsheng wasn't worried about Lin Qingzhi.

Lin Qingzhi's nature was non-competitive; he would definitely go easy.

"Lu, brother."

"Chen, senior brother."

"When did you take another disciple? And a girl at that?"

"Recently, I had some spare time, so I took in one more disciple to pass the time."

When other arriving Mount Shu elders inquired about Lian, Lu Changsheng casually dismissed the topic.

To date, only Lu Changsheng, Li Changye, Xia Ningxue from the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion, and a female disciple, as well as the Sect Leaders of Mount Shu and the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion, knew Lian's true origins.

An elder from Mount Shu asked, "May I know the current cultivation levels of Lu's two disciples?"