Chapter 624: Tian Sui

Yunmeng Lake, Qingguang Island.

Gu Yan handed over the island she had been guarding for a year to Mei Jingjun, who had arrived from the sect. Mei Jingjun meticulously inspected the Divine Timber Aura Array and the spirit stone resources. After confirming everything was in order, she signed the handover receipt.

"Junior Sister Gu, after you leave Yunmeng Lake, are you returning directly to the sect?" Mei Jingjun asked, a faint smile appearing on his usually stern face after the procedures were complete.

This time, Meng Hong not only led their group of Foundation Establishment cultivators but also brought an order for Gu Yan to return to the sect. Most people in the Divine Wood Sect knew that this young junior sister was close to Sect Leader Chen, so they were all willing to show her respect.

"I still need to go back to Yu Country to hand over the matters concerning spirit rice cultivation with my family," Gu Yan replied. She hadn't forgotten that her previous reason for staying in Yu Country to monitor Hong He was to help her family cultivate Phoenix Tear Bamboo Spirit Rice. Now that the sect order had arrived, she naturally had to complete the entire process.

"Safe travels, Junior Sister. When I return to the sect in the future, I'll seek you out to reminisce."

Gu Yan gently nodded at Mei Jingjun's polite words, then turned and stepped into the teleportation array. In a flash of silver light, she was teleported to the mainland. She didn't linger in this market town and directly teleported again.

After spending some time settling matters, Gu Yan bid farewell to the Great Elder of the Gu family and flew towards Liuhua Market, preparing to use its teleportation array for transit. However, the teleportation arrays in several nearby market towns were booked for at least the next half month.

She thought for a moment and decided to fly to Huangshi Market at the border of Yu Country to use its teleportation array for transit. Four days later, dusty from travel, she arrived at Huangshi Market and then took the teleportation array from there to Zhoushengqing City in the neighboring Yun Country. But as she stepped out of the teleportation array, she saw someone who shouldn't have been there: Yuan Ying.

Meanwhile, Fu Zongjue reported to Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu: "Sect Leader, yesterday was the last day for Junior Sister Gu Yan to return to the sect, but she hasn't arrived yet. I dispatched someone to investigate and found her last appearance was in Zhoushengqing City."

Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu heard Fu Zongjue's report, put down the document written by Grandma Ming, and his expression grew solemn. "I understand. You don't need to worry about this matter anymore. I'm going out for a trip!" As Mei Jingjun spoke, he had already transformed into a streak of spiritual light and left Jumu Ridge.

Mei Jingjun stepped out of the Zhoushengqing City teleportation array, and as expected, the talisman in his hand automatically flew up, heading west. On a barren reef island, he saw Ling Li confined within a maze array. A powerful surge of pure Yang spiritual energy burst forth, instantly destroying all the array flags.

Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu saw that Ling Li seemed very weak and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Are you unharmed?"

"Reporting to Sect Leader," Ling Li recounted, "I came out of Zhoushengqing City and followed Yuan Ying into a rogue cultivator's cave. Shortly after, I felt spirit energy fluctuations from a fight inside. I risked using an invisibility talisman to enter and saw Yuan Ying covered in blood, his left hand pressing on the rogue cultivator's dantian and spiritual sea, draining all his spiritual energy..."

She continued, "Please forgive me, Sect Leader. To save my life, I told him you knew about his cultivation of demonic arts. He seemed to be intimidated by your reputation and brought me here, trapping me in a maze array, then left that letter for you."

Mei Jingjun listened to Ling Li's report, then asked her to extend her hand to check her pulse and physical condition. As expected, her dantian and spiritual sea were empty, but her essence was undamaged. She would recover in a few days with rest.

Yuan Ying had indeed drained all of Ling Li's spiritual energy, but he hadn't harmed her essence. After doing this, he knew he couldn't remain in the Divine Wood Sect's territory and asked Ling Li to deliver his letter to the Sect Leader. Ling Li's dantian was empty, but her essence was intact; she would recover in a few days of rest. Ling Li's serious nod to Mei Jingjun's words, and her immediate Dao Heart oath, showed her unwavering commitment.

Mei Jingjun took the letter and, upon seeing its contents, frowned, then put it into his storage bag. Afterwards, he asked Ling Li: "How did you happen to witness him using demonic cultivation?" She had quietly activated an invisibility talisman and followed Yuan Ying all the way. If the two of them had fought, she was naturally no match for Yuan Ying. However, she possessed a Purple Fire Sword Talisman bestowed by Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu, and due to clashing attributes, she actually wounded Yuan Ying. Yuan Ying, though, possessed a powerful strange treasure. After activating it, he still managed to suppress Ling Li.

The Great Dao Tree's will descended, and Mei Jingjun was slightly stunned, not expecting that the Myriad Dharma Body was indeed an outer manifestation from the Longevity Sect's seventy-two great arts. Through Grandma Ming, he learned that this outer manifestation had five stages: Heaven Marrow, Heaven Vein, Heaven Viscera, Heaven Star, and Heaven Garment!

Mei Jingjun also asked Grandma Ming about the cultivation method for the Dharma Body sect, but the latter didn't have it. This was because ghost cultivators, once they refined a fourth-stage essence, could directly transform into a fifth-stage Ghost King. "At least it meant her ten years of suffering in the Yellow Springs weren't wasted," she thought.

Mei Jingjun hesitated, wondering whether to ask Yang Lingshui for help with refining, as he was the only one in the entire Eastern Barrens with that ability. However, even if they had just reached a transaction, Mei Jingjun understood that Yang Lingshui would most likely be unwilling to help Yan Shaoyin produce a sect cultivator. Therefore, after much deliberation, Mei Jingjun abandoned Yang Lingshui as an option. After a while, under the persuasion of the Soul Nourishing Wood (Chen Mobai) and Mei Jingjun, he sighed despondently.

He returned to Mount Danan. After teaching the Myriad Dharma Body to Fu Yu Xuan, he also gave her the section of Chen Mobai where Grandma Ming was parasitic. Being able to possess a Core Formation stage avatar, Fu Yu Xuan's heart was still secretly delighted.

"Xuan'er, with a protector, you can be considered to have risen to prominence instantly. I hope you maintain a humble mindset, not letting powerful forces blind you, and not neglecting your own cultivation," Mei Jingjun advised. Hearing Mei Jingjun's words, Hong Hexuan (Fu Yu Xuan) nodded solemnly.

On the other side, Nanxifang and the Soul Nourishing Wood (Chen Mobai) were also working hard for Chen Mobai's advancement, setting up array formations and plates for the netherworld. Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu personally collected materials and crafted them. The Soul Nourishing Wood spoke, saying that he was also very optimistic about the disciple Fu Yu Xuan. Looking at his latest spirit root values on the spiritual energy meter (Gold 23, Wood 44, Water 34, Fire 87, Earth 34), Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu exhaled softly and put down the dried high-grade spirit stone in his hand. From a practical standpoint, it was indeed feasible.

Time passed quickly, and two more months went by. If all went smoothly, only the return to Yue Zutao and the Dharma Body sect's method would be missing.

Mei Jingjun said, "Soon, Gu Yan will issue an announcement, stating that Yuan Ying unfortunately died in battle after encountering an eighth-tier demon beast in the Divine Wood Sect." He also shared that sentiment and then went to the Divine Wood Hall to arrange the matter. "Issue the announcement as such. Make sure the entire Eastern Barrens knows." Mei Jingjun quietly cast a "One Leaf Blinds the Eye" spell, not disturbing relevant parties.

After Mei Jingjun returned to the Divine Wood Sect's territory with Ling Li, he handed the letter left by Yuan Ying to Nanxifang, who had just returned from Fengyuwu. Nanxifang was enraged after reading it and wanted to personally pursue and kill Yuan Ying. However, after all, Yuan Ying was his most favored disciple, so Nanxifang couldn't bring himself to kill him. Fortunately, Yuan Ying didn't disappoint him either; at least none of the disciples under Yan Shaoyin's name were drained of their essence by his demonic cultivation. In fact, when he knew Yuan Ying might be cultivating demonic arts, he knew this outcome was inevitable.

Yuan Ying thanked Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu for knowing about this matter yet not directly capturing him, and therefore did not drain Ling Li's essence. He also hoped that Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu could grant him a way out and not pursue him to the death.

Hearing Mei Jingjun's words, Fu Zongjue instinctively felt something was amiss, but he wisely didn't ask further, leaving with a sorrowful expression. In response, Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu could only send a wryly smiling reply, saying that Yuan Ying had bad luck, and Mei Jingjun and Gu Yan were not to blame.

As expected, the news of Yuan Ying's death in battle at Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu's location became the main topic of discussion among all cultivators in the Eastern Barrens in the shortest amount of time. Among them, Mo Douguang and Nujiang, two Core Formation cultivators who heard about the matter, specifically sent letters to Mei Jingjun to inquire. However, Yuan Ying's identity was different. As the former leader of Mei Jingjun's Seven-Colored Immortal Seeds, he held the title of the Eastern Barrens' foremost Qi Refiner and had a huge reputation among rogue cultivators. At least, before Mei Jingjun burst onto the scene, Yuan Ying was the most likely genius to form a Core, aside from Yin Qingmei, and was held in high hopes. Later, relying on demonic cultivation, he became Yan Shaoyin's chief true disciple, even known throughout the Eastern Barrens, and thus even more unable to abandon it. It was well known that if Yan Shaoyin's forces went all out to eradicate Yuan Ying, by offering a high reward, even if he left the Eastern Barrens, other rogue cultivators would hunt him down, leaving him living in constant fear, never knowing if he would survive the day.

Regardless, Yuan Ying's departure from Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu's sphere of influence resolved a concern for Mei Jingjun. And Meng Hong, who had just arrived at Fengyuwu, sighed greatly and was saddened after hearing about the matter. He then led the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the three lineages to begin sweeping through the demon beast groups in the Divine Wood Sect.

Three days later, Gu Yan finally returned to her family in Yu Country. Among the group of Foundation Establishment cultivators that Yan Shaoyin had withdrawn from the Divine Wood Sect, only Gu Yan had not returned to report. Coupled with her being close to Mei Jingjun, this immediately drew Fu Zongjue's attention. Half a day later, Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu surprisingly arrived at the Divine Wood Sect. Some large-volume goods were transported using treasure ships, spirit beasts, and so on, while some precious goods needed to be transported via teleportation arrays. Sect Leader Fu Yu Shu nodded, indicating that once everything was ready, he could be called at any time.