The Heaven-Earth Fan swept out, conjuring countless celestial flowers and spiritual herbs from thin air. As if drawn by an invisible force, they swirled into a circle in the air.
Mo Tiange gave a soft cry: "Go!"
The fragrant flora instantly erupted with a sharp, imposing aura. Spiritual energy exploded with a roar, leveling an earthen slope into flat ground.
"Not bad," the voice from within the Fusheng Sword praised. "While the power isn't immense, your control over the spiritual energy is exceptionally refined. This lifebound treasure of yours is truly marvelous. To conceive of such a treasure, your ancestor must have been a truly stunning talent. A pity..."
Mo Tiange had previously told Fuyaozi about Mo Yaoqing. Upon hearing her story, Fuyaozi had sighed with deep emotion. As a man of strong will himself, he greatly admired a cultivator like Mo Yaoqing, who had endured such hardship yet never abandoned herself. Hearing that she was a female cultivator unwilling to be burdened by her beauty, and possessing astonishing intellect, only deepened his respect.
Thinking of Mo Yaoqing, Mo Tiange also felt a pang of sorrow. Without her beauty, Mo Yaoqing would likely have become one of Yunzhong's renowned great cultivators. Unfortunately, her beauty brought her no benefits and instead ruined her life.
"Alright," Fuyaozi said. "You've grasped about fifty to sixty percent of the Heaven-Earth Fan's subtleties. For now, consider that a pass."
"Fifty to sixty percent?" Mo Tiange was astonished. "Only that much?"
"Naturally," Fuyaozi's voice remained steady and unperturbed. "Although this fan is your lifebound treasure, at your current realm, it's difficult for you to fully comprehend it. Being able to unleash fifty to sixty percent of its power is quite good already. It won't display its full might until you reach the Nascent Soul stage." At this point, Fuyaozi sighed again. "Otherwise, with my abilities, would I so easily admire another?"
Seeing Fuyaozi's attitude, Mo Tiange couldn't help but think to herself: If he and Mo Yaoqing had lived in the same era, he would surely have fallen for her. Sadly, tens of thousands of years separated them, making a meeting impossible.
On another note, while her feelings for this master weren't as deep as those for Dao Lord Jinghe, after these years of interaction, she held him in great respect. He was kind-hearted, upright in character, and resolute in temperament. If Mo Yaoqing had encountered such a man back then, she probably wouldn't have developed such prejudice against men.
"Master, what should I do next?"
"Cultivate," Fuyaozi said. "Over these past years, I've taught you many combat supernatural abilities. Even if you face a Nascent Soul cultivator now, you shouldn't be completely defenseless. What you lack most right now is cultivation base. If you can advance another step in your cultivation, your strength will naturally increase."
Mo Tiange nodded. Advancing to Nascent Soul in the short term was out of the question. Reaching Nascent Soul wasn't simple. Even with all conditions met, secluding oneself for a dozen or twenty years to achieve results was perfectly normal. And Fuyaozi was now just a wisp of divine sense. Though he could reside within the Fusheng Sword, he couldn't wait that long.
Acting immediately, Mo Tiange soon returned to the Void Heaven Realm to enter seclusion.
Under Fuyaozi's guidance and with the aid of various spiritual medicines, she was already just a hair's breadth away from Core Formation perfection. Barring any accidents, she could likely advance within two or three years.
Just as Mo Tiange hid in the desolate Western Barbarians, preparing to charge toward Core Formation perfection, the entire Yunzhong region was being turned upside down over the whereabouts of "Qin Wei."
Within the cave abode of the Jiuyan Sect's Head Grand Elder, True Person Yuan Mu, in Dongtang Country, an unprecedented gathering of seven or eight people had assembled. Some sat, others stood; half were among Yunzhong continent's top Nascent Soul cultivators, while the other half were merely at the Core Formation stage.
Naturally seated in the foremost position was the Jiuyan Sect's Head Grand Elder, True Person Yuan Mu. He was the highest-level cultivator in the Jiuyan Sect and also one of the most powerful among Yunzhong's late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.
For a sect to become a major power among Yunzhong's cultivation factions, it must have a continuous stream of talent and formidable strength. The reason the Jiuyan Sect had maintained its position as the number one sect for so many years, flourishing without decline, was because it never lacked late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, and their strength consistently ranked at the pinnacle of Yunzhong's cultivators.
This True Person Yuan Mu, not yet a thousand years old, had entered the late Nascent Soul stage early on. For many years, he had been one of Yunzhong's most powerful cultivators.
Beside True Person Yuan Mu sat a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator of similar age: Ling Shiyu, the founding ancestor of the Ling family from Tianxue City. Although Ling Shiyu was only at the mid Nascent Soul stage and couldn't be considered the Jiuyan Sect's second strongest, his close relationship with True Person Yuan Mu and his skill in befriending peers gave him an extraordinary status within the sect.
The Core Formation cultivator standing behind Ling Shiyu was his descendant, Ling Yunhe. Before the Head Grand Elder and the founding ancestor, even though Ling Yunhe was the Jiuyan Sect's sect master, he could only stand.
Apart from these three hosts from the Jiuyan Sect, the other guests on the visitor seats included both monks and scholars, their attire varied.
Seated on the left was an old monk with white beard and eyebrows, kind-faced and benevolent. If Mo Tiange were here, she would certainly recognize him—this old monk who kept his eyes closed was none other than Venerable Wuming. Standing behind him was Juewu, who had once tried to rob her but ended up losing the Heaven-Net Earth-Web.
Seated on the right was a scholarly-looking youth in his twenties, with a fair complexion and no beard. Surprisingly, this young scholar was also at the late Nascent Soul stage, his cultivation profound and unfathomable. The Core Formation cultivator behind him had the appearance of a middle-aged scholar; it was Han Shizhi, who had once set an ambush in Tianxue City to seize the Fusheng Sword.
Three great late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, representing the three major orthodox cultivation factions of Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, gathered here together. If outsiders knew, they would surely be astounded.
"Fellow Daoists," True Person Yuan Mu broke the silence first, looking at the monk and the scholar. "We must decide on a course of action regarding this matter today. Remaining silent won't do."
Hearing this, the young scholar set down the teacup he had been holding and smiled faintly. "Brother Yuan Mu, within the orthodox path, your sect has always taken the lead. Naturally, you should state your position first."
Venerable Wuming, smiling like the Maitreya Buddha the whole time, merely nodded without speaking.
Seeing this, True Person Yuan Mu frowned inwardly. Given the Jiuyan Sect's status in Yunzhong, he should indeed take the initiative and lead. But the attitudes of these two old fellows displeased him. At a time like this, they insisted he be the one to speak first.
After pondering for a moment, True Person Yuan Mu finally spoke: "Fellow Daoists, the scale of this matter could be said to affect Yunzhong's fortune for a millennium. The three of us, as leaders of the orthodox path's three major factions, would do no good by continuing to procrastinate. Why don't we each state our intentions and properly discuss a feasible plan?"
"True Person Yuan Mu speaks wisely," Venerable Wuming said, still smiling, hands clasped together. "Things have reached this point. Presumably, none of our three factions wish to give up this opportunity. Otherwise, we wouldn't be sitting here together."
The old monk's words finally made True Person Yuan Mu feel somewhat better. He immediately said, "Exactly. Since both Fellow Daoists have chosen to come to my Jiuyan Sect to negotiate this matter, it seems you both have intentions of cooperation, is that not so?"
Upon hearing this, Venerable Wuming chanted a Buddhist invocation and nodded slightly.
Seeing this, True Person Yuan Mu turned to the young scholar. "Scholar Yu, what about you?"
"Naturally, the same," Scholar Yu said lightly, waving the folding fan in his hand.
With the surface agreement on cooperation reached, True Person Yuan Mu smiled. "Since both of you share my view, then this matter has a direction." He paused, then continued, "Both of you know that to open that mysterious space, the items in the hands of our three factions alone are insufficient. We still need to find the Heavenly Demon Tower and the Fusheng Sword."
Venerable Wuming nodded. "The matter of the Five Sacred Objects was indeed triggered by the Heavenly Demon Tower's emergence. However, we currently don't know into whose hands the Heavenly Demon Tower ultimately fell. What should we do about that?"
Scholar Yu, however, smiled faintly. "The whereabouts of the Heavenly Demon Tower are actually easier to handle."
"Oh?" Hearing this, True Person Yuan Mu looked at him. "What does Scholar Yu think?"
This Scholar Yu said, "Regardless of who possesses the Heavenly Demon Tower, it ultimately must be used together with the other four sacred objects to function. In that case, as long as we gather all the other sacred objects together, the owner of the Heavenly Demon Tower will naturally appear."
After these words, everyone present couldn't help but nod.
"Therefore, our most important task at present is actually to find the Fusheng Sword. Regarding the Fusheng Sword, everyone knows the situation. For over a decade, all major powers in Yunzhong have been searching for that female cultivator from the outer sea. It could be said they've practically turned Yunzhong upside down, yet this female cultivator seems to have vanished without a trace. Under these circumstances, everyone believes this woman most likely left Yunzhong and returned to her homeland, is that not so?"
"Correct," True Person Yuan Mu nodded. "It's been over a decade. So many forces in Yunzhong have been searching, yet not a single clue has been found. Unless this person is no longer in Yunzhong, it's truly hard to explain."
"But if we can't find the Fusheng Sword, even if we wish to cooperate, we cannot."
Scholar Yu's words plunged everyone present into silence.
The crux of the problem was that all five sacred objects were indispensable. Although the Heavenly Demon Tower had disappeared decades ago, everyone knew it must still be in Yunzhong; the person who obtained it simply didn't wish to publicize it. But the Fusheng Sword was a different story.
"Since Scholar Yu says this, you must have long considered a countermeasure, right?" Ling Shiyu, seated to the side, spoke up.
Scholar Yu still smiled faintly, glanced at Ling Shiyu, and nodded lightly. "Indeed. I have pondered this matter for a long time. Although I haven't thought of a guaranteed solution, I do have some ideas."
Hearing this, True Person Yuan Mu said happily, "Please speak frankly, Scholar Yu."
Scholar Yu said, "Do you all truly believe that female cultivator from the outer sea has left Yunzhong?"
True Person Yuan Mu and Venerable Wuming were both taken aback. What did he mean?
Scholar Yu continued, "Coincidentally, the juniors of our three factions have all seen this female cultivator surnamed Qin, yet none know her true origins, correct?"
Ling Yunhe and the other two couldn't help but nod. Juewu, needless to say, knew the least. Both Han Shizhi and Ling Yunhe had conversed with her, but even Ling Yunhe, who had adventured with her, didn't know this female cultivator's true background.
"'Outer sea cultivators.' The so-called outer sea refers to beyond Yunzhong's inner sea. Apart from islands deep in the distant ocean, we Yunzhong people also refer to Yuanzhou and Xiaoyang as the outer sea."
As soon as Scholar Yu said this, a thought flashed in Ling Yunhe's mind, and he blurted out, "Senior Yu means this Qin Wei might be from Yuanzhou or Xiaoyang?"
Scholar Yu gently shook his head. "Not necessarily, but we cannot rule out this possibility."