Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 415

Volume 3 - Chapter 114: The Return of the Immortal Sect and Extreme Realm Disciple Recruitment - Part 2

At this moment, as more and more people arrived, Jiang Ziyan, dressed in an elegant and regal gown, looked up at the Immortal Sect. Rising into the air, she softly said:

"Thank you, Master, for escorting me."

"This is but a small matter. Tomorrow, the other two Sacred Lands will also arrive to select people. You should prepare."

"Understood, Master."

Jiang Ziyan nodded. She then watched as the golden rift in the sky gradually faded, and the holy presence within it grew faint.

Emperor Yu, surrounded by the crowd, overheard his daughter’s conversation. When he heard her address the other party, he froze slightly. A hint of joy and excitement flickered in his eyes as he sent her a voice transmission:

"Child, did you take a Saint as your master in the Immortal Sect?"

Jiang Ziyan turned to look at her father and lightly nodded, responding via voice transmission, "Yes, but the situation is rather complicated. I’ll explain in detail later."

Emperor Yu paused, his joyful expression turning more solemn. He nodded and cast a glance at the others.

Aside from members of the imperial bloodline, two disciples of Qiandao Palace’s True Person Qin had also returned. Their bodies faintly radiated the power of the dao, but Emperor Yu could discern that they were only at the True Person Stage.

Even so, for the current Great Yu Divine Dynasty, having two True Person Stage cultivators to hold the fort was a significant boon.

Moreover, a total of 18 individuals had returned. Among them, only five were at the Fourth Pillar Stage, while the rest were either at the True Person Stage or even the Dao Law Stage.

This power was terrifyingly immense, enough to place the Great Yu Divine Dynasty on par with the major powers at the center of the Eastern Huang Continent.

This was the return on an investment made a thousand years ago—a gamble that had plunged the Great Yu Divine Dynasty into decline, turning it into a mere node in history. But now, it had once again grown stronger, surpassing even the prime of the late emperor. Its resurgence was unimaginably powerful.

However, Emperor Yu noticed that many familiar faces were absent, and the overall number of returnees was far fewer than expected. A thousand years ago, many more individuals had entered the Immortal Sect. His expression subtly shifted.

Within the Immortal Sect, cultivation opportunities were paired with equally grave dangers.

"Where are the others?"

Emperor Yu immediately inquired.

Xia Yucheng glanced around, but no one else responded, so he had to provide a brief explanation.

It turned out that after entering the Immortal Sect, they had been selected by different factions and subsequently scattered.

When they reunited, it was under vastly different circumstances.

"Those of the Helian family were said to have challenged the River of Death but perished there."

"The three from the Li family were initially set to return this time as well, but their sect encountered trouble, and now they are tied up."

"As for the Wang family, they reportedly clashed with people from the Da Qing Nation and fell victim to an assassination..."

Xia Yucheng relayed what he knew one by one.

After listening, Emperor Yu’s expression subtly shifted. Although he had anticipated the fierce competition within the Immortal Sect, he had not expected so many of these prodigies, hailed as unparalleled talents, to meet such misfortunes.

"Your Majesty, how fares the Chen family now?"

"Your Majesty, does my sect still stand?"

"Your Majesty..."

Others began to inquire eagerly about the state of their respective families and sects. Aside from the imperial clan and the Five Divine General Mansions, there were also once-prominent sects of the martial world whose prodigies had entered the Immortal Sect.

But with their departure, these sects gradually declined and faced conflicts with third-rate sects, leading to significant casualties. If not for Emperor Yu secretly dispatching imperial forces to protect them in remembrance of their past contributions, many would have been eradicated long ago.

"Silence."

Jiang Ziyan’s voice rang out, soft yet icy, carrying an undeniable authority that reflected her dignity as a princess and her newfound commanding presence.

The crowd immediately quieted down. Those who had been asking questions looked at her with a hint of apprehension but dared not make another sound.

Although many of them had surpassed mortal limits, some reaching the Dao Law Stage, their century in the Immortal Sect had instilled a clear understanding. Jiang Ziyan, a member of the imperial family, had achieved the highest accomplishments among them, and most importantly, her sect was extraordinary.

"The time here flows ten times faster than within the Immortal Sect. You have five days to attend to your affairs. If you wish to know anything, investigate it yourselves. Do not disturb my father."

Her calm gaze swept across them as she added, "Also, do not rely on your status or strength to wreak havoc in the mortal world. The laws of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty still apply to you."

Though her tone was measured and unhurried, it sent chills down the spines of the crowd. They knew that with this royal princess present, they could not act lawlessly in Great Yu.

"Understood."

"Your Majesty, we take our leave."

The crowd began to bid farewell to Emperor Yu and then turned into streaks of light, disappearing into the distance.

Xia Yucheng also clasped his hands in farewell to Emperor Yu, intending to return to the Xia family.

Before long, only five members of the imperial family, including Jiang Ziyan, remained beside Emperor Yu.

"Royal Brother, earlier you urgently summoned me. Is everything all right?"

A young man quickly asked.

Emperor Yu looked at him with a nostalgic gaze. Sensing the Dao Law Stage aura emanating from him, he couldn’t help but smile.

"It was urgent, but the matter has been resolved. You’ve returned a little late."

"When I received your message, I immediately sought out Ziyan and asked her to request her master’s assistance. Although it delayed us by half a month, it was the fastest we could manage," the young man replied with a wry smile.

In the Land of Saints, half a month equated to nearly six months in the mortal world.

Jiang Ziyan frowned slightly and asked, "Father, it has been over a century. That item is meant only for dire emergencies. What danger did you encounter?"

Her divine sense spread across the imperial capital, but she detected no signs of disaster.

"It has already been dealt with," Emperor Yu said quietly. "Previously, individuals from the Immortal Sect discovered Great Yu’s incense power and coveted it. They used demons to vie for it, unwilling to reveal their identities. However, for some reason, they later exposed themselves and invited six Dao Law Stage cultivators to come, intending to plunder and destroy my Jiang family."

Hearing this, the expressions of the five imperial family members changed drastically. Six Dao Law Stage cultivators had been here?

They could discern that Emperor Yu was at the Dao Seeker Realm and that an elder from Qiandao Palace had observed from afar, but this was far from sufficient to fend off six Dao Law Stage cultivators.

Especially those from the Immortal Sect.

"What about now?"

The cold indifference in Jiang Ziyan’s eyes vanished, replaced by an intense solemnity and a trace of killing intent.

Seeing their tense expressions, Emperor Yu smiled slightly and said, “Don’t worry, it’s all in the past now. A peerless genius of our Great Yu Divine Dynasty emerged—a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. This individual single-handedly slew all six Dao Law Stage cultivators and even forced out the one orchestrating it all. When that person fled, they were aided by the power of a Saint. What I am concerned about now is that the opposing faction may not give up and could involve a Saint. Although the likelihood of a Saint acting directly is low...”

At this point, the smile on Emperor Yu’s face faded, replaced by a deep worry.

Jiang Ziyan and the others were stunned, exchanging glances in disbelief.

They had spent a century in the Land of Saints, which equated to a thousand years in the mortal world.

In this energy-deprived realm, someone had not only risen to the Dao Law Stage within a millennium but could even slay Dao Law Stage cultivators from the Immortal Sect?

Jiang Ziyan knew her father would not exaggerate, so she asked in astonishment, “That person killed all of them? What about Elder Qin?”

“He…”

Emperor Yu coughed lightly before replying, “Neither Elder Qin nor I were a match for this individual. They wielded divine abilities that Elder Qin could not replicate despite practicing the Jiang family’s sacred arts for many years.”

Jiang Ziyan scrutinized her father, suspicion flickering in her gaze. She didn’t pursue the matter further, only mulling it over.

“If this is true, then this prodigy might very well be a Saint reincarnated. Otherwise, in such a short time—within a mere thousand years—it would be impossible to reach the Dao Law Stage in this environment, let alone slay Dao Law Stage cultivators from the Immortal Sect. To encounter six at once implies the backing of a mighty faction, likely one of the Sacred Lands.”

Emperor Yu chuckled wryly to himself, knowing that the prodigy in question had not taken a thousand years—barely twenty, in fact.

He also understood that this prodigy, Li Hao, had achieved such feats while at the Supreme Dao Realm, crossing a major boundary to slay Dao Law Stage cultivators. His talent defied comprehension, exceeding all expectations and leaving even him at a loss for words.

As for whether the prodigy was a Saint reincarnated, even Emperor Yu couldn’t say for sure.

“You must have joined a Sacred Land yourself by now, right?” Emperor Yu asked his eldest daughter.

Jiang Ziyan nodded slightly. “My master is a Sacred Land elder, a Semi-Saint of the School of Military Strategy.”

“No wonder they treat you with such reverence,” Emperor Yu remarked with a smile.

Jiang Ziyan nodded again, her expression showing little joy. Instead, she sighed softly. “Father, let us speak in the rear palace.”

Emperor Yu nodded in agreement and instructed Chu Jiuyue, “Dismiss the court for today.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Chu Jiuyue replied respectfully, bowing deeply. She then smiled at the returning imperial family members and Jiang Ziyan before turning to relay the message.

Emperor Yu and the group of imperial prodigies moved to the rear palace hall.

“These years in the Immortal Sect must have been difficult for you,” Emperor Yu said as he regarded them, his gaze filled with a trace of pain.

Jiang Ziyan shook her head slightly before saying, “Father, we cannot stay long on this trip. We must return to the Immortal Sect soon.”

“Oh?” Emperor Yu blinked, surprised.

Jiang Ziyan, seemingly anticipating his reaction, wore a solemn expression. “The situation within the Immortal Sect is complex. We are weak and lack a strong foundation there. If we all remain here, the connections we’ve built will wither, and our enemies might take the opportunity to strike, potentially affecting the mortal world.”

“That’s true. We owe this to Ziyan,” said Jiang Baishan, one of the imperial prodigies. “When we first entered the Immortal Sect, we were separated and assigned to different factions based on our aptitude. Fortunately, Ziyan earned her master’s favor and joined a Semi-Saint’s sect. It was thanks to her that we could coordinate with the other two Sacred Lands to open the Immortal Sect and return in time. Otherwise, who knows how long we would have been delayed?”

“The factions within the Immortal Sect are deeply intertwined. We must carefully cultivate our positions there. Even the slightest ripple from above can cause a cataclysm in the mortal realm,” another imperial youth explained.

Hearing their words, Emperor Yu was taken aback. Judging by their tone, their time in the Immortal Sect had not been smooth, and they had faced considerable challenges.

“With your talents and current cultivation levels, you must now be pillars or even leaders in these factions, correct?” Emperor Yu asked.

Jiang Baishan smiled bitterly. “Royal Brother, it’s not as simple as you think. The Immortal Sect has no shortage of prodigies. While we may be unparalleled here, we are merely average there. Though many there are ordinary mortals or mediocre cultivators, the number of geniuses far exceeds anything in the mortal world.”

“Indeed. For centuries, the Saints have sought something and either reincarnated or allowed their true forms to descend. They claim it’s to cultivate the ultimate extremities of the martial path. There are also the grand competitions of the Heavenly Battle of Saints, personally presided over by the Saints. Moreover, the River of Death and the Merit Treasury are vital focal points. You wouldn’t believe this, Royal Brother, but merit can be exchanged for miraculous items in the treasury,” another youth added.

“Thus, genius is in no short supply there. Even if we are at the Dao Law Stage, our position pales in comparison to that of a Fourth Pillar cultivator with the favor of a Saint…”

...

Jiang Baishan explained, “The small world we reside in is called Yunxia Realm.”

Emperor Yu nodded in sudden understanding.

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