The Rise of the Sect: I am the most persistent person in the world of immortal cultivation

“What Senior Brother says makes sense. It is indeed true. Our Flying Heaven Sect is at a critical moment in developing the wilderness, and we cannot afford to be careless in the slightest.”

"Give the order to all disciples to begin searching the desolate region. If they find any more of those demonic leeches, report it immediately."

"Yes! We will obey the Dao Ancestor's decree!"

As soon as Ye Yang finished speaking, dozens of figures hidden in the shadows bowed in unison, their voices converging into a muffled torrent.

Ye Yang nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd and once again across the vast and boundless wilderness behind him.

The once neatly divided field ridges have long been trampled beyond recognition.

The soil was mixed with the remains of black demonic leeches and the bloodstains of cultivators, and even the air was filled with a strong baleful aura and a faint smell of blood.

Amidst this devastation, after the Netherworld Purple Ganoderma absorbed and fused with the malevolent energy, some tiny spiritual herbs slowly began to grow in this desolate place.

Although it has only just been born, under the influence of Ye Yang's Dao power at the Refining Void Realm, it is growing more and more promisingly.

A hint of surprise flashed in Ye Yang's eyes, which quickly turned into a touch of joy. This was indeed an unexpected gain.

The Netherworld Purple Ganoderma is already rare, but now, after being nourished by evil energy and demonic energy, it has undergone such a strange transformation, seemingly enriching the land.

Although the number of Netherworld Purple Ganoderma is extremely small nowadays, it is foreseeable that with the improvement of cultivation methods in the future.

If these Netherworld Purple Mushrooms can be utilized, they will be a tremendous help to the entire Wilderness Expansion Plan.

He withdrew his gaze, as if he had thought of something, and spoke in a deep voice.

"Li Zheng".

Despite the excruciating pain in his chest, Li Zheng stepped forward and knelt on one knee, his head slightly bowed, but his voice was unusually firm: "Disciple is here!"

"How's your injury?"

"This disciple is unharmed!"

Li Zheng suddenly looked up, a resolute glint in his eyes, as if the pain in his chest had been thrown to the back of his mind.

"As long as the Dao Ancestor gives the order, this disciple can draw his sword and fight again at any time to slay the bandits!"

Ye Yang looked at him quietly. The young man's face was full of stubbornness and sincerity. The bloodstains on his chest rose and fell slightly with his breathing, indicating that his injury was not light.

After a moment of silence, Ye Yang moved his left hand slightly, and a palm-sized storage bag flew out from his sleeve.

With a flick of his finger, a pill shot out of the bag, carrying a faint golden light, and landed steadily in front of Li Zheng.

The elixir was entirely reddish-gold in color, with fine, spiderweb-like patterns flowing across its surface.

Amidst the interwoven patterns of the pills, wisps of golden medicinal energy continuously emanated, instantly filling the air with a rich medicinal fragrance that made the surrounding cultivators involuntarily sniff.

"hiss!"

The sounds of gasps came one after another.

The cultivators' eyes widened instantly, their gazes filled with shock and envy.

"It's a Breakthrough Pill! It's actually a Breakthrough Pill!"

Some people couldn't help but gasp, their voices trembling.

This Breakthrough Pill is a top-tier pill that can only be used by True Person Realm cultivators when breaking through bottlenecks, and it is extremely difficult to refine.

The required medicinal herbs are extremely rare and priceless.

Even core disciples of the Flying Heaven Sect might not receive one unless they have made extraordinary contributions.

Now, the Dao Ancestor is casually taking out one and wanting to bestow it upon Li Zheng?
Li Zheng was also stunned, staring blankly at the Condensing Yuan Pill floating in front of him, speechless for a moment.

"You risked your life to protect the stone house amidst the swarm of leeches, preserving the last glimmer of hope for the stronghold. Your contribution is truly remarkable."

Ye Yang's voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable power.

"I observe that your cultivation has reached the peak of the Martial Realm, and you are only one step away from breaking through. This Qi Condensation Pill will help you break through."

Only then did Li Zheng react. He trembled as he reached out his hands and carefully held the Condensing Essence Pill in his palms, the warmth of the pill entering his body through his palms.

His eyes instantly welled up with tears.

He opened his mouth, his voice choked with emotion.

"Dao Ancestor... This disciple... What virtue or ability do I possess to receive such a favor from you..."

"Take it."

Ye Yang waved his hand, his tone indifferent yet carrying a hint of warmth.

"The Flying Heaven Sect never mistreats those who risk their lives. You have risked your life for the sect, so you deserve this pill."

Li Zheng nodded vigorously, clutched the Qi Condensation Pill tightly in his hand, and kowtowed three times.

"This disciple will certainly live up to the Dao Ancestor's expectations, break through to the next realm as soon as possible, and be willing to go through fire and water for the sect!"

Ye Yang nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to the other inner disciples who were covered in injuries.

These people were standing to one side, supporting each other. Their Taoist robes were soaked in blood and covered with wounds from the leeches. Some wounds were so deep that the bone was visible, and one of them had lost an arm.

During the fierce battle just now, these people were always at the forefront, fighting to the death against the swarm of leeches, and were the backbone of the defensive battle.

“You all have worked hard and made great contributions, so you should also be rewarded this time.”

Ye Yang spoke up.

The group exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

The leader was a man in his early thirties, burly and with a hideous scar on his face. He was Sun Hu, one of the best disciples in the inner sect.

His cultivation had reached the late stage of the Martial Realm, but he had been stuck at this level for almost five years and could not break through.

Sun Hu took a deep breath, enduring the excruciating pain, his voice tinged with barely concealed excitement.

"We kowtow in gratitude to the Dao Ancestor for his great kindness!"

"When I was fighting those demonic leeches just now, I disregarded my own life and death. The spiritual energy in my body circulated more smoothly than ever before, and even my dantian felt faintly hot, as if it was about to break through the bottleneck and achieve a breakthrough at any moment!"

"In that case, let's not delay any longer."

Ye Yang nodded, then raised his hand again and took out several pills from his storage bag.

These pills are called Qi Condensation Pills, which also have the effect of refining true qi and assisting in advancement.

Although not as precious as the Breakthrough Pill, it is still quite valuable.

With a flick of his finger, the pills flew to the four disciples.

"Go into seclusion immediately after returning. If you cannot break through your cultivation level within seven days, this pill will have been wasted."

Four Qi Condensation Pills floated in front of them, their rich medicinal fragrance invigorating them.

The group was initially shocked, then overjoyed. They trembled as they accepted the pills, unable to contain their excitement any longer.

He knelt down on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.

"I will never forget the great kindness of the Dao Ancestor!"

"This disciple will certainly not fail the Dao Ancestor's great favor!"

"Get up."

Ye Yang raised his hand to signal them to stand up, then turned his gaze to Zhao Yan, who was not far away.

"The disciple is here!"

"Send these disciples back to the Flying Heaven Sect and arrange the best cave dwellings for them so they can focus on breaking through to higher realms."

Ye Yang gave the instructions, then paused and added.

"Furthermore, pass on my message: all cultivators who participated in this stronghold defense battle, regardless of whether they died or were killed, will be awarded a major merit, and the sect's reward will be doubled. The families of the disciples who died in battle will be supported by the sect for life and will receive triple the compensation."

"Yes! Obey!"

Zhao Yan felt a warmth in his heart and quickly bowed to accept the order.

This move by the Dao Ancestor undoubtedly reassured all cultivators.

He immediately turned around, helped Li Zheng and the others, and led his disciples away quickly.

Ye Yang stood there, watching their departing figures, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He understood the principle of spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones better than anyone.

The Flying Heaven Sect has just entered the wilderness to expand its territory, and its foundation is not yet stable. Even if he has a high level of cultivation, it would be difficult for him to support the whole situation on his own.

The wild and desolate region is extremely dangerous, not only because it may be inhabited by remnants of the demon race, but also because other sects are eyeing it covetously.

To gain a foothold here, we must unite people's hearts and minds, and let those independent cultivators and small families see hope in following the Flying Heaven Sect.

Only by letting them know that following the Flying Heaven Sect, as long as they are willing to risk their lives, can they gain real benefits.

Only in this way can more and more people be continuously attracted to join the sect, thus strengthening its power.

The purpose of bestowing the Qi Condensation Pill today is to show everyone.

A short while later, Yan Qingying returned, dusted herself off, and said with a solemn expression.

"The demonic array has been completely destroyed. I've used earth magic to stabilize the ley lines, so there shouldn't be any more demonic energy leaks for now. However..."

She paused, her tone growing increasingly heavy.

"The arrangement of this formation is extremely sophisticated. The formation base is hidden deep in the earth's veins, and the formation patterns are intricately interwoven. Judging from the structure, the opponent knows the layout of our Flying Heaven Sect's strongholds like the back of their hand, and even has a precise grasp of the location of the spiritual spring. Otherwise, it would be impossible to accurately pollute the spiritual spring by activating the demonic leeches."

Ye Yang's eyes instantly turned cold, and the air around him seemed to freeze.

"The mole?"

"This possibility cannot be ruled out."

Yan Qingying nodded, her tone certain.

"There are two possibilities: either someone within the sect leaked the detailed information about the stronghold, or the other party has been lurking in the wilderness for a long time, secretly monitoring our every move and collecting complete information about the stronghold."

Ye Yang remained silent for a moment, then slowly exhaled.

The matter of an internal traitor is no small matter. If not handled properly, it could very well trigger internal strife within the sect and shake the morale of its members.

Now that the stronghold has just suffered a major blow, it is the time to stabilize morale, and this matter should not be publicized.

"Let's put this matter aside for now and investigate it in detail when we return to the gate."

Ye Yang said in a deep voice.

"The most important thing now is to stabilize morale, rebuild the base as soon as possible, and resume production."

Ye Yang withdrew his gaze and looked at Yan Qingying again.

"You stay here and oversee the reconstruction of the spirit fields. Those Netherworld Purple Mushrooms have purified the evil energy in the land, so we can try planting some anti-demon herbs on this land. If successful, it will be a great help to our wilderness expansion."

"I see."

Yan Qingying bowed in response, then asked in a low voice.

"Senior brother, what are you planning to do..."

"I'm going back to Flying Gate."

Ye Yang interrupted her, and a surge of azure sword energy rose around him. The sharp sword energy tore through the air and formed a pair of huge azure sword wings behind him.

"Regarding the attack on our stronghold, we must convene a sect meeting as soon as possible to discuss countermeasures. There are also some things that need to be decided quickly."

Before he finished speaking, he moved, transforming into a streak of azure light that shot straight into the sky.

The sword's wings sliced ​​through the sky, leaving a faint blue trail before disappearing instantly into the desolate horizon.

Yan Qingying gazed in the direction he had disappeared, sighed softly, then turned to look at the dilapidated spirit field, a resolute glint in her eyes.

She raised her hand to summon several disciples in charge of agricultural affairs and gave them instructions in a deep voice.

"Immediately organize manpower to clear the debris from the spirit fields, reinforce the ridges, and prepare to cultivate seeds for anti-magic herbs. Also, keep a close watch on those Netherworld Purple Mushrooms; they must not be damaged in any way."

"Yes!"

Several disciples responded in unison and immediately turned around to get busy.

……

Flying Gate, Council Hall.

The entire hall is made of white jade, and dozens of luminous pearls are inlaid on the roof, emitting a soft light that illuminates the hall as bright as day.

Gu Xuan sat upright in the main seat. This leader of the Flying Heaven Sect usually had a kind and amiable appearance, but at this moment his face was ashen and his brows were furrowed.

Standing beside Zhou was a woman in white, with unparalleled beauty and a cold demeanor; it was Huo Bingshuang.

On both sides of the main hall sat more than a dozen core elders, each with an extremely solemn expression, and the atmosphere inside the hall was extremely oppressive.

"Sect Leader, the Dao Ancestor summoned us here. Has something major happened in the Wilderness?"

An elder dressed in brocade robes couldn't help but speak, his voice carrying a hint of barely concealed anxiety.

This elder, surnamed Qian, was in charge of the Flying Heaven Sect's treasury and finances; he was the sect's god of wealth.

The resources invested in this wilderness expansion were already astronomical. Just building strongholds, setting up defensive formations, and cultivating spiritual fields consumed nearly 30% of the sect's reserves.

If something goes wrong at the Wilderness Stronghold, the loss would be so great that it would cripple the Flying Heaven Sect.

The other elders also turned to look, their eyes filled with worry.

Wilderness development is of paramount importance to the Flying Heaven Sect, as it relates to the sect's future development and cannot tolerate the slightest mistake.

"Don't be impatient."

Gu Xuan raised his hand to lower his voice, which was deep.

"The Dao Ancestor is already on his way back to the sect and will arrive soon. He will explain the details when he arrives."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a clear whistle suddenly came from outside the hall. The whistle was sharp as a sword, piercing through the barrier of the hall and resounding throughout the entire sect.

Immediately afterwards, a streak of azure sword light tore through the void and fell like a meteor, landing steadily on the open ground in the center of the hall.

As the sword light faded, Ye Yang's figure became visible.

"Daozu!"

All the elders in the hall stood up in unison, bowed deeply, and spoke with utmost respect.

"Everyone, take a seat."

Ye Yang waved his hand, his tone indifferent, and walked straight to his reserved seat next to the head of the table.

After Ye Yang sat down, his gaze slowly swept over the elders present. Seeing the worry on their faces, he spoke in a deep voice.

"The outpost in the wilderness suffered heavy losses in an attack by leeches."

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the palace.

"What? A leech attack? How could there be leeches?"

Elder Qian was so shocked that he stood up abruptly, his face turning pale instantly.

Demonic leeches are low-level demonic creatures from the wild and desolate regions, yet they are extremely aggressive and usually appear in large groups, polluting spiritual veins and spiritual energy. Once entangled, even martial arts cultivators find it difficult to escape.

"Wasn't the stronghold protected by a magic array? How could the demonic leech have breached it?"

The elder in charge of the formation also frowned, his face full of confusion.

The protective array at the stronghold was set up by him personally. Although it was not a top-tier array, it was more than enough to resist attacks from ordinary demons. How could it not stop the demon leeches?
"What are the casualties? How are the spirit fields and spirit springs?"

Huo Bing Shuang also asked, her tone cool but with a hint of concern.

She was in charge of the sect's disciple management and law enforcement, and her biggest concern was the safety of her disciples.

A barrage of questions arose, and the hall quickly became noisy.

Ye Yang raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

The hall fell silent instantly, all the elders' eyes fixed on him, awaiting his answer.

"More than a dozen disciples died and more than thirty were injured. The spirit fields were almost completely destroyed, most of the spirit herbs were devoured by demonic leeches, and the spirit spring was also polluted by demonic energy and cannot be used for a short period of time."

"Fortunately, I arrived in time and killed a large number of demonic leeches, so my foundation is still intact."

Upon hearing that "more than a dozen disciples had died," everyone's faces instantly turned cold, and a chilling aura emanated from them. (End of Chapter)