Family Rise: Beginning with Grandfather.

Chapter 789 Hidden Sword Mountain, Spiritual Beauty, Three Sects, Netherworld Gate

“Perhaps the relationship between Hidden Sword Mountain and the three major sects is deeper than we think!” Yang Zhengshan said.

"Hidden Sword Mountain is too mysterious; it's difficult for us to get accurate information!" Li Chang said.

Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly, "That's not surprising. I guess even the Twelve Great Families don't know anything about Hidden Sword Mountain!"

He had always felt that there should be a Taoist sect here.

It's not the kind of sect that has some immortal cultivation traditions or a few immortal cultivators, but the kind of sect that is truly dominated by immortal cultivators.

The concept of immortality in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty dates back ten thousand years. Immortalism declined while martial arts flourished. But is this really true?

Why did the path of immortality decline?
Is it simply because martial arts are easier to cultivate than immortality?
Even so, the path of immortality should not have declined to the point where very few people cultivate it.

At the very least, Yang Zhengshan felt that the path of immortality had more advantages and a brighter future than the path of martial arts.

As the two were talking, Yang Zhengshan suddenly felt a slight stirring in his heart and slowly stood up.

"Patriarch!" Li Chang asked, casting an inquiring glance.

Yang Zhengshan waved his hand, "A distinguished guest has arrived!"

After saying that, he walked straight out the door.

A moment later, he arrived in front of the archway and looked at the burly man who had arrived riding an eagle.

"Yang Zhengshan of the Yang family of Lingxi respectfully welcomes Your Excellency!"

Lu Fusheng jumped off the golden-feathered eagle and landed in front of Yang Zhengshan.

He looked at Yang Zhengshan with surprise, just as Yang Zhengshan had done when he first saw him in Shanggu County. He found Yang Zhengshan's appearance quite interesting.

"Haha~~ Interesting, interesting!"

Lu Fusheng was first surprised, then couldn't help but burst into laughter, "I am Lu Fusheng, greetings to Patriarch Yang!"

Seeing his hearty laugh, Yang Zhengshan couldn't help but smile as well. "Please, Senior Lu!"

The two found the resemblance in appearance quite amusing and did not feel any aversion; on the contrary, they seemed to share similar interests.

Yang Zhengshan was not surprised by Lu Fusheng's arrival.

After all, Lu Jianghua is his own grandson. Yang Zhengshan protected Lu Jianghua, so it is only natural for him, as the grandfather, to personally visit and express his gratitude.

Upon entering the ancestral home, Wang Lei immediately invited Lu Jianghua and Lan Xuanyu over. Lu Jianghua then recounted all the events of the past few days to Lu Fusheng.

After Lu Fusheng finished listening, his gaze toward Yang Zhengshan became strange.

In the main room, Lu Fusheng looked at Yang Zhengshan with a scrutinizing gaze, and suddenly his gaze became serious.

"Is Patriarch Yang a cultivator?"

Yang Zhengshan, who was drinking tea, paused slightly. "How did you figure that out, senior?"

He did not deny it, because there was no point in denying it.

There's no need to hide the fact that he's a cultivator. Since even the Soul-Severing Blade has cultivators, the Lingxiu Three Sects must also be cultivating cultivators.

“Martial artists at the Golden Body Realm begin cultivating their divine soul. Although I have only recently entered the Golden Body Realm, I have already begun cultivating my divine soul,” Lu Fusheng said.

Yang Zhengshan suddenly realized that the first step in cultivating one's soul is to awaken one's spiritual awareness. Once one possesses spiritual awareness, one can sense the flow of energy within another person's body, thus accurately judging their cultivation level.

In fact, Yang Zhengshan was also observing the aura within Lu Fusheng's body. Although Lu Fusheng was not the first Martial God powerhouse he had ever seen, he was the first Martial God powerhouse he had come into contact with after gaining spiritual consciousness.

Under his spiritual perception, Lu Fusheng had a violent flame inside his body. His dantian was completely occupied by the flame, and flames were also flowing through his meridians. Every inch of his body seemed to be bathed in flames.

The flames exuded a violent aura, but within Lu Fusheng's body, they flowed slowly like a gentle current.

Forging the spiritual foundation refers to forging the spiritual foundation of the dantian and qi sea, enabling the dantian and qi sea to bear a more concentrated true essence of attributes.

The process of creating a golden body involves using elemental spiritual energy to cleanse the body, enabling it to withstand the impact of true essence.

This is actually not much different from the Foundation Establishment stage of the Immortal Path, except that the Foundation Establishment stage of the Immortal Path is from the inside out, while the Golden Body stage of the Martial Path is from the outside in.

The difference lies in the fact that cultivators of the immortal path, because they possess spiritual apertures, can grasp spiritual consciousness earlier, thus having stronger control over the magical power within their bodies, and can complete changes from the inside out.

Martial artists who wish to forge their spiritual foundation must first create a golden body to withstand the impact of elemental true energy, since they cannot precisely control the changes in their internal true energy. Only then can they forge their spiritual foundation.

Therefore, it is easier for martial artists to forge their spiritual foundation, while it is more difficult for immortal cultivators to establish their foundation.

However, in terms of the soul, after a cultivator establishes their foundation, their soul will also undergo a transformation, while after a martial artist forges their spiritual foundation, their soul cannot undergo a transformation; it only grants the martial artist the ability to connect with their soul.

"Why the Golden Body Realm? Not the Martial God Realm?" Yang Zhengshan grasped the key point in Lu Fusheng's words.

"Hehe, Martial God Realm is just a common name, Golden Body Realm is the accurate name of the realm!"

"What about the Martial Immortal Realm?"

"Divine Soul Realm!"

Yang Zhengshan looked enlightened.

He said it himself: those so-called martial gods and martial immortals are just too arrogant.

Lu Fusheng looked at Yang Zhengshan and said, "I just didn't expect that Patriarch Yang is actually a cultivator?"

Yang Zhengshan shook his head slightly and explained, "Actually, I used to be just a martial artist. Last time, I entered the ancient ruins and luckily obtained immortal cultivation techniques, so I switched to cultivating immortality!"

There's nothing to hide; after all, his trip to the ancient ruins wasn't a secret.

Rather than letting Lu Fusheng guess the origin of his martial arts technique, it's better to explain the matter clearly to avoid Lu Fusheng overthinking.

"So that's how it is. Haha, I'm quite envious of Patriarch Yang's talent!" Lu Fusheng said.

He was genuinely envious. In fact, Yang Zhengshan didn't know that in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty, the status of immortal cultivators was far higher than that of martial artists.

On the surface, there are no immortal cultivators in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty, but in reality, the three sects and twelve families are all cultivating immortal cultivators.

As for why immortal cultivators are not well-known in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty, it is because most people are unaware of their existence.

Firstly, because there is no difference between immortal cultivators and martial artists from the outside, people who do not understand immortal cultivators will only think that they are martial artists if they see an immortal cultivator.

Secondly, the immortal cultivators trained by the three sects and twelve families mostly focus on cultivating various skills, such as alchemy, weapon crafting, and formations, because immortal cultivators have a great advantage in these areas, a point that Yang Zhengshan and Wang Mingzhe had already proven.

There is a third reason: the path of immortal cultivation is difficult. Not only are there fewer immortals than martial artists, but their cultivation levels are also lower than those of the martial artists in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty.

Refining Qi is relatively easy, but reaching the Foundation Establishment stage is extremely difficult.

Over the past thousand years, the Three Sects and Twelve Families have obtained many immortal cultivation techniques and inheritances from the ancient ruins, but the number of Foundation Establishment stage immortal cultivators they have cultivated is extremely limited.

Therefore, outsiders are unaware that the Three Sects and Twelve Families have immortal cultivators, let alone that the high-ranking members of the Three Sects and Twelve Families are immortal cultivators.

"Senior Lu, I have some questions I would like to ask you. Is that alright?" It was rare to encounter a Martial God, and this Martial God was even willing to sit down and have tea with him. Yang Zhengshan naturally hoped to get more information about the Immortal Path from this Martial God.

"It's alright, just say what you want to say!"

"Haha, Lan Peng and I are sworn brothers. Since you are Lan Peng's friend, you are also my friend!"

Lu Fusheng said in a friendly manner.

His friendship with Lan Peng was genuine, but to say that Lan Peng's friends were his friends is not necessarily true.

He hadn't mentioned this before, but after confirming that Yang Zhengshan was a cultivator, he brought it up, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Yang Zhengshan is a cultivator, which is why I am qualified to be his friend.

"Thank you for your high regard, senior. As you know, I have only been cultivating the immortal path for a short time and do not know much about it. Therefore, I would like to find some like-minded people to exchange ideas. I wonder if there is a place for immortal cultivators to exchange ideas in this Lingxiu Sea?" Yang Zhengshan said.

In the path of immortality, he is now a complete rogue cultivator, but how can one continue to cultivate in seclusion forever?

Wealth, place, Dharma, and companions are the four essential conditions for spiritual practice. What Yang Zhengshan lacks most right now is communication with fellow practitioners.

Lu Fusheng shook his head slightly, "There is no Immortal Cultivation Market in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty. If Patriarch Yang wants to go to an Immortal Cultivation Market, he can go to Lotus Heart Valley in the north!"

"Lotus Heart Valley?"

"Yes, it's located northeast of the Cloud Soaring Mountains, about four thousand miles from the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty!"

"Are there many immortal cultivation forces over there?"

"Not many, but definitely more than the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty, including several immortal cultivation families."

Immortal cultivation families and martial arts families are two completely different concepts. It is easy for a martial arts family to rise. As long as a martial arts master appears in one generation, a martial arts family can be established.

For example, the Yang family of Lingxi was established because their ancestor produced a martial artist at the Heavenly Gang stage.

The foundation of a cultivation family is not having a single cultivator, but rather that each generation of the family has a stable supply of spiritual energy. Otherwise, the cultivation family cannot continue.

"Then why don't we have any immortal cultivation families in our Lingxiu Sea?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

Lu Fusheng smiled and said, "It's not that there aren't any, but there are very few. There are only two immortal cultivation families in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty: the Zhang family of the Xuanqing Sect and the Yue family of the Huanyue Sect."

"I see!" Yang Zhengshan exclaimed in realization.

The Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty is not without immortal cultivation families; their brilliance is simply overshadowed by martial arts sects.

Yang Zhengshan seemed to be deep in thought, then asked, "Is Hidden Sword Mountain a sect of immortals?"

"Sort of, but not entirely!" Lu Fusheng explained, "Hidden Sword Mountain is quite special. They focus on the path of immortality, with martial arts as a secondary pursuit. Moreover, the immortal cultivators of Hidden Sword Mountain are all sword cultivators, making them quite powerful among immortal cultivators."

What is the relationship between Hidden Sword Mountain and the three major sects?

"Heh, the three major sects are subordinate to Hidden Sword Mountain!"

Yang Zhengshan was taken aback. "What?"

Lu Fusheng seemed quite pleased to see Yang Zhengshan's surprised expression, and laughed heartily, "Everyone thinks that the Lingxiu Sea is the territory of the three major sects, but in fact, the Lingxiu Sea and half of the Yunxiao Mountain Range are the territory of Cangjian Mountain!"

"Hidden Sword Mountain is the true master of the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty!"

Yang Zhengshan was truly astonished. He had speculated about the relationship between the Lingxiu Three Sects and Cangjian Mountain, thinking that Cangjian Mountain should have a close relationship with the Lingxiu Three Sects, but he never expected that it was actually an affiliated relationship.

"But Lan Peng told me before that Hidden Sword Mountain's relationship with the three major sects isn't very good!"

Lu Fusheng picked up his teacup and took a small sip. "That's not wrong!"

"The three major sects are affiliated sects of Hidden Sword Mountain, but no sect is willing to remain an appendage of other sects forever, let alone three sects that possess Martial Immortal experts!"

"Martial Immortals are not as good as Golden Core cultivators, but the strength of Martial Immortals is definitely above that of Foundation Establishment cultivators."

"Three hundred years ago, the last Golden Core cultivator of Hidden Sword Mountain ascended to immortality!"

He said in a low voice.

Upon hearing his last sentence, Yang Zhengshan immediately understood what was going on.

There are no more Golden Core cultivators left in Hidden Sword Mountain, so it can no longer suppress the Lingxiu Three Sects. Naturally, the Lingxiu Three Sects want to break free from Hidden Sword Mountain's control and may even want to replace it.

Therefore, Hidden Sword Mountain remained secluded from the world and disappeared from people's sight.

As for why the three sects of Lingxiu didn't destroy Cangjian Mountain, it's probably because they couldn't.

Hidden Sword Mountain is, after all, a celestial sect. Even if it doesn't have any Golden Core cultivators, it's not something that can be easily manipulated.

A sect like Hidden Sword Mountain must have a powerful protective formation.

It is estimated that even a Martial Immortal would have a hard time breaking through the protective formation of Hidden Sword Mountain.

Unable to destroy Cangjian Mountain, yet wanting to break free from its control, the Lingxiu Three Sects could only maintain a distant relationship with it.

They dared not completely break with Hidden Sword Mountain, because they feared that another Golden Core cultivator would emerge from Hidden Sword Mountain in the future and settle scores with them.

Yang Zhengshan understood the connection in an instant.

They also understood why Hidden Sword Mountain only existed in legends, why Hidden Sword Mountain was unmoved by a treasure trove like the ancient remnant array, and why the Netherworld Sect dared to wage war against the Lingxiu Three Sects.

"Immortal sects are also behind the Netherworld Sect?" Yang Zhengshan's eyes lit up.

Lu Fusheng looked at Yang Zhengshan with admiration, "No, but the Youyu Sect is transforming into an immortal sect. Now the Youyu Sect only needs one Golden Core cultivator to become an immortal sect."

Yang Zhengshan now fully understood that the Youyu Sect was not challenging the Lingxiu Three Sects, but the Cangjian Mountain.

Since Hidden Sword Mountain has gone into seclusion, the rivals of the Netherworld Prison Sect have become the Three Sects of Spiritual Beauty. Their purpose is not hard to understand; it is nothing more than the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty and the ancient remnant array.

Will Hidden Sword Mountain intervene?

Lu Fusheng shook his head slightly, "I don't know either, and I don't know much about Hidden Sword Mountain."

Yang Zhengshan pondered, "Will Cangjian Mountain help the Lingxiu Three Sects?"
They'll probably make a move!
Although the three Lingxiu sects want to break away from Cangjian Mountain, they have a deep connection with the mountain, and Cangjian Mountain still has a chance to subdue them in the future.

However, if the Netherworld Sect destroys the three Lingxiu Sects and seizes the Lingxiu Sea and the ancient remnant array, it will not be easy for Hidden Sword Mountain to take them back from the Netherworld Sect in the future.

After clarifying the relationship between Youyu Gate, Lingxiu Sect, and Cangjian Mountain, Yang Zhengshan felt much more at ease and was no longer as uncertain as before.

Afterwards, Yang Zhengshan asked Lu Fusheng some questions about cultivation, and Lu Fusheng truly answered all his questions without reservation.

Although Lu Fusheng was not a cultivator, his understanding of cultivators was even greater than Yang Zhengshan's.

Besides the path of immortality, there is also the path of martial arts.

With Lu Fusheng's explanation, Yang Zhengshan not only learned a lot of common knowledge about immortality, but also gained a better understanding of the Martial God Realm.

(End of this chapter)