Chapter 129

“`

“Moo~”

Having traversed a stone path shaded by green trees, the big blue ox stopped before the steps leading up the mountain.

Lying askew in the grass beside the road was a piece of black rock, carved with the three large characters “Sunset Peak.”

Wang Chen dismounted from the ox and took out about fifty catties of White Jade Rice.

He paid it to the big blue ox as a reward.

The ox’s tongue rolled out and sucked in all the Spirit Rice.

Shaking its head with satisfaction, it turned and left.

Wang Chen looked up to see the steps before him leading up to an invisible mountain peak.

One simply could not count how many there were.

Climb the stairway step by step to the flat top where the mountain peak stands, asking heaven at the pavilion!

He ascended stair by stair, making his way towards the summit of Sunset Peak.

In fact, with Wang Chen’s current strength, using the Shadowless Divine Traverse at the level of a Grandmaster, it wouldn’t take long to rush to the summit.

But he preferred to walk up the stairs one by one.

This way, he could properly enjoy the scenery along the way.

In the past year, Wang Chen’s first year in this world, he had always struggled for survival.

He never looked back at the path he had once taken.

This moment was just right.

Having climbed a thousand steps, Wang Chen stopped to turn and look down at the mountain.

He saw the open fields with their array of paths and the stream meandering eastward like a jade belt, dividing the land into Spirit Fields, mulberry forests, orchards, flower gardens, and pastures.

There were also farmhouses, courtyards, and elegant residences with white walls and black tiles scattered among them.

“Hehe!”

Just then, light laughter came from above: “Sister, look quick, there’s a dummy climbing the mountain!”

Wang Chen looked up to see two female cultivators flying on clouds passing above him.

“Don’t talk nonsense, we’re all from the same sect, accumulate some virtue with your words.”

“Hehe~”

Before Wang Chen could react, the figures had disappeared, leaving only their laughter echoing in his ears.

Wang Chen didn’t mind.

He thought maybe he should also buy a Flying Artifact for transportation.

Among the Cloud Sun Inner Sect’s Nine Peaks and one city, the distances between each other are short at a dozen or so miles, and long at a few hundred miles.

Wang Chen had run two to three hundred miles from Cloud Mountain City here!

Moreover, the location of Sunset Peak was relatively remote.

Without a Flying Artifact or mount, the daily commute was undoubtedly very inconvenient.

Compared to a mount that needed feeding and care, a Flying Artifact was undoubtedly the better choice.

The problem was that Flying Artifacts were really too expensive!

Even a very common Misty Cloud-type Flying Artifact had a price ranging from several hundred to a thousand Spirit Stones.

And frequent use also required regular maintenance and upkeep.

The subsequent costs were not low either.

Wang Chen could now scrape together the Spirit Stones needed.

But considering he had just joined the Inner Sect, with various expenses to consider, he definitely couldn’t be extravagant in the early stages.

With that in mind, Wang Chen quickened his pace toward the summit.

Half an hour later, he arrived at his destination.

Stepping onto the final stage, an open space suddenly appeared before him, as if he had arrived in another world!

Atop Sunset Peak, as if a Power Man had cleaved off the top with a sword, a vast platform had been cleared.

A majestic hall occupied the central spot, with decorated eaves and carved beams of pavilions and terraces flanking it, ancient trees standing guard among them, and the area was filled with various exotic flowers and rare herbs.

The open area in front of the hall was extremely flat and wide, where eight towering stone pillars were arrayed around, and on the right stood a high platform.

When Wang Chen arrived, two cultivators were sparring on the platform, fighting fiercely amidst loud shouts and cheers.

And hundreds of men and women surrounded the platform, cheering and encouraging them!

“`

Cultivators, managing their magic artifacts and flying mounts, descended into the practice field, creating a scene of bustling activity.

Wang Chen didn’t go over to see the excitement and headed straight towards the main hall.

After asking a Taoist boy in front of the hall, he arrived at a side hall.

A middle-aged cultivator received Wang Chen.

Re-establishing one’s Immortal Register was a simple process. After verifying Wang Chen’s identity plaque, the middle-aged cultivator instructed the Taoist boy to bring over a Longevity Lamp and place it on the table, asking him to infuse it with mana.

The middle-aged cultivator reminded him, “It will hurt a bit, just endure it.”

The Longevity Lamp is also known as the Soul Lamp.

It is a very special magic artifact that requires siphoning a strand of a cultivator’s soul to form the wick. Once activated and lit, it is enshrined within the Eternal Brightness Hall.

When a cultivator perishes, no matter the distance, the Longevity Soul Lamp will extinguish instantly!

Compared to the Soul Tablet of the Outer Sect, the Soul Lamp has a much greater range of induction and imposes stronger constraints on the cultivators.

After setting up a Soul Lamp, whether a Qi Cultivation cultivator or a Purple Mansion Superior, if they defect from the sect, then the Sect can track them down over thousands of miles through the Soul Lamp and even cast spells to kill them from afar!

This can be said to be the greatest restraint on Inner Sect Disciples.

Wang Chen, knowing the rules, did not hesitate and reached out his hand to grasp the handle of the Soul Lamp.

He infused it with mana.

The Longevity Lamp suddenly shuddered, instantly generating a powerful suction force.

Wang Chen only felt intense pain in his Divine Soul, as if it were being forcefully torn apart.

His complexion changed.

However, at that very instant, the Ancient Taoist Stele suddenly appeared in his Sea of Consciousness. The monument emitted thousands of glimmering lights, protecting his Divine Soul thoughts!

Simultaneously, the Longevity Lamp held in Wang Chen’s hand suddenly lit up, emitting a soft glow.

“That’s enough.”

The middle-aged cultivator was quite astonished and couldn’t help but ask, “Junior brother, what is your cultivation level?”

Wang Chen’s performance in lighting the Soul Lamp was much stronger than that of most other disciples.

You should know, there are some who end up crying on the spot from the pain!

Wang Chen immediately released the Soul Lamp and modestly replied, “Qi Cultivation fifth tier.”

He felt that his Divine Soul was intact, not having lost even a trace to the Soul Lamp.

It is very likely that the Ancient Taoist Stele had played some special role.

Protecting his Divine Soul.

But from the middle-aged cultivator’s expression, there also seemed to be no issue with the Longevity Soul Lamp!

Of course, this was something Wang Chen would never speak of.

“That’s truly not easy,” remarked the middle-aged cultivator meaningfully. “Being able to obtain ten Grey Eye Thieves’ heads to rise to the Inner Sect, junior brother is indeed extraordinary in skill.”

Wang Chen forced a laugh: “It’s all thanks to the help of an uncle in the sect.”

The middle-aged cultivator smiled, “May I ask who your uncle is?”

“Lv Defang.”

Wang Chen said somberly, “Sadly, he passed away some time ago.”

The middle-aged cultivator fell silent.

He instructed the Taoist boy to take Wang Chen’s Longevity Lamp to be placed in the Eternal Brightness Hall, and then handed Wang Chen a Storage Bag.

Inside were the benefits of joining the sect.

Everyone received them.

“Wang Chen, junior brother,” said the middle-aged cultivator finally, “our Sunset Peak is not like the other eight peaks; the cultivation resources allocated from above are scarce. Considering what the disciples need for their daily cultivation, we can offer a part-time compensation.”

“Combat, defense, alchemy, talisman, artifact, formation, and so on, you can choose any. Would you like to pick one?”

And to this question, Wang Chen had long decided on an answer.

He replied without hesitation, “I’d like to farm!”

———–

Here’s the second update, there will be more tonight.