Ten years of time flew by, and the name Sun Xiaoshan had long since faded from Qingyue Sect. In these ten years, Ye Yun had only woken up once after breaking through to the Enlightenment Realm. He had learned of the Sect Master's plan, and although Ye Yun had said nothing, he had already conceived his own strategy.
Ye Yun did not know when these awakened ones would descend upon this universe. Since they had not yet appeared, he could completely establish a supreme human power before their arrival. If possible, it would be best to exterminate a few races.
The cultivation systems of this world were still in their infancy, and Ye Yun's greatest advantage was not only his talent but also his complete understanding of the entire cultivation system.
The strongest beings in this world, the Holy Land Lords, had reached the Heavenly Sovereign realm. However, to advance further, they had to meticulously explore each step forward before they could slowly determine a safe cultivation path.
This kind of exploration required countless years and countless pioneers, for a single misstep would lead to an abyss of despair.
Boom...
Endless flames surged into the sky, engulfing all thirteen peaks of Qingyue.
"What's going on! Where did this fire come from! Could it be that some powerful being has come to destroy our human lineage?" Dongfang Dao was meditating in the grand hall when the bluestone floor suddenly turned red, and a faint flame gradually emerged before quickly rising, its tongues reaching over three meters high. As he opened his eyes, the entire hall was enveloped in flames.
Seeing this, Dongfang Dao immediately unleashed his divine sense. Soon, he saw flames rolling and surging across the mountains.
For ten years, Dongfang Dao had almost completely abandoned long periods of closed-door cultivation, spending his days practicing in the grand hall.
"Our sect has been in seclusion for ten years, and there have been no new conflicts with Tianyu. Logically, no powerful being should come to destroy our sect. Unless..." Wu Mingsan, sitting beside Dongfang Dao, had a similarly grim expression.
"Sect Master, this flame seems to cause us no substantial harm."
Apart from Dongfang Dao and Wu Ming, all the elders and true disciples of the sect had been confined to the Sect Master's grand hall for the past decade. Besides cultivating, they had been continuously rehearsing various scenarios they might face in the future.
This was also a unanimous decision made previously, to gamble on the future of humanity with Sun Xiaoshan's terrifying talent.
However, even though Sun Xiaoshan's talent was astonishing, they had to prepare for the worst, at least to prevent humanity from being wiped out.
Hmm?
The more than forty individuals, upon the arrival of the heavenly fire, had momentarily become so tense that they had forgotten this most basic of facts.
"Let's go out and see!" Although the flames caused them no harm, and did not even damage the buildings or vegetation, their appearance was far too sudden.
"Sect Master, there's no need to come out. I will retract these flames immediately." Just as Dongfang Dao was about to rise, a voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Sun Xiaoshan?" Everyone exclaimed in shock. To conceal Sun Xiaoshan, the entire Qingyue Sect had staged a play of his supposed death. To ensure he had a peaceful cultivation environment, Qingyue Sect had maintained a defensive posture for the past ten years, losing considerable territory to the Tianyu Empire.
Now, with Sun Xiaoshan causing such a commotion, Qingyue Sect would soon attract the attention of the top sects. After all, they were rivals, and any mishandling of the situation could lead to the sect's complete destruction.
Sun Xiaoshan's voice faded, but the people in the hall fell into a stunned silence. They had already prepared for the worst, setting a thirty-year timeframe. Within these thirty years, regardless of whether Ye Yun succeeded or not, they would dedicate all their cultivation resources to Sun Xiaoshan.
Yet now, only ten years had passed, a mere third of the time. No matter how heaven-defying Sun Xiaoshan's talent was, what realm could he reach? True Person Middle Stage? Or perhaps True Person Perfection?
Whoosh...
A figure suddenly appeared in the hall. Around twenty years of age, he stood over six feet tall, with a physique as robust as an ox. At first glance, one might mistake him for a fierce general from the mortal world.
"Xiao Shan?" Ten years ago, Sun Xiaoshan was just a child of around ten. Who could have imagined that his appearance would change so drastically in a decade? The true disciples who had once cultivated with Ye Yun now hesitated to recognize him.
"It is I, Sect Master, Senior Brother Chang Shi. Have you been well?" Sun Xiaoshan had shed his youthful immaturity, his sharply defined face filled with stern resolve.
Although he had been promoted to Elder Ling before entering seclusion, he still preferred to use his former form of address.
"The sect has been well for the past ten years, but everyone has been so busy cultivating that there has been less laughter and joy." A young man stood up, threw an arm around Sun Xiaoshan, and said with a smile.
His name was Jian Ming. He was over fifty years older than Ye Yun and his cultivation had reached the peak of the Void Returning Realm. Had he not given all his resources to Sun Xiaoshan, he would have long since broken through to the Dao Integration realm and become one of the Qingyue Sect's elders.
"Indeed, Xiao Shan. You have no idea how much grit those youngsters had when we announced your death. Over the past ten years, they have cultivated with an intensity like never before. If you hadn't emerged soon, I fear our sect's resources would not have been enough to sustain them." At this point, an elder also stood up and said with a smile.
"Precisely. But, Xiao Shan, your physique has grown too magnificently! I remember you were less than five feet tall and quite slender when you went into seclusion. With your current build, our sect's young ladies will go wild."
...
One by one, the true disciples and elders gathered around Sun Xiaoshan, talking incessantly. This brought a sense of warmth to Ye Yun's consciousness.
Whether it was before the Heavenly Dao opened or in the Dragon Palace, Ye Yun had never experienced such care from elders.
In this world, humanity was too weak, lacking the internal strife born of complex machinations. Both cultivators and mortals were relatively simple at heart.
"Alright, a bunch of grown men, why are you gossiping so much?" At this moment, the only female elder in the hall stood up and reprimanded them, causing the entire hall to fall silent. Behind her stood two of her disciples, also women and true disciples of the sect.
"Greetings, Second Elder." Sun Xiaoshan bowed respectfully to the old woman. Lan Yue, the Second Elder of Qingyue Sect, was at the peak of the Dao Integration realm, her cultivation even stronger than the Great Elder Wu Ming. She was known for her serious and diligent demeanor, and her prestige within Qingyue Sect even surpassed that of the Sect Master.