I became the Open Source Saint Ancestor in the Cultivation World

As the summons was fully rolled out, the entire Ziyang Sect sensed something unusual, as most people had never seen such a scene before, and a sense of unease quickly spread.

However, this only applies to the inner gate; the outer gate, which is isolated from the outside, remains calm and peaceful.

Inside the stone house, Ma Ke slowly opened his eyes, a hint of joy on his lips: "I've finally broken through to the seventh level of Qi Refining."

Reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining means that he has reached the late stage of Qi Refining, just like Liu Ruoxi back then.

If you are in the inner sect, you can apply to join one of the peaks for cultivation.

However, even if you asked him to go to the inner sect at this time, he wouldn't dare to go, because he knew that things would definitely not be peaceful in the inner sect in the future.

Besides, his cultivation level was something he couldn't reveal. If he were to arouse suspicion at this time, wouldn't he be walking straight into the line of fire?

He decided to keep a low profile for the time being and switch to the cultivation methods provided by the sect. This way, even if the sect's higher-ups noticed him, they wouldn't easily become suspicious.

Just as he made up his mind, a shout came from outside: "Ma Ke, Steward Lü needs to see you. You should go quickly."

Ma Ke was startled, but quickly calmed down. If the sect was looking for him about the "Open Source Limitless Skill", they certainly wouldn't send Lü Xiu, an outer sect steward.

So he calmly responded and immediately went to the pavilion where Lü Xiu was drinking.

"Butler, you wanted to see me?"

Lu Xiu put down his wine cup, sighed softly, and said, "Junior Brother Ma, a mission that requires us to go out has been assigned to you."

Ma Ke was slightly taken aback and tentatively asked, "A mission to go out? What kind of mission is it?"

"Senior Brother Xue Wenzhou of Yunmiao Peak needs two disciples at the second level of Qi Refining to work as guards at his home for a period of one year. You and Guo Kai have been selected."

If it were when he first arrived, Ma Ke would definitely have tried his best to avoid such a task, because it would have been a complete waste of time and utterly useless.

But things are different now. He has spread the "Open Source Limitless Skill" far and wide, and more than two hundred people in the inner sect, from Qi Refining stage disciples to high-level Nascent Soul stage practitioners, are now practicing it.

The sect will definitely investigate the origin of the cultivation technique with all its might. At this time, it would be better to avoid this place of trouble in a legitimate way.

Seeing that Ma Ke seemed hesitant, Lü Xiu smiled mysteriously and said, "However, it's not a fixed decision. If we can pull some strings, we can change it."

Ma Ke was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Then how does it work?"

Lü Xiu immediately held up three fingers: "Fifty low-grade spirit stones, I'll help you arrange it."

"Fifty dollars? This..." Ma Ke immediately looked surprised.

"What? You think it's too expensive?"

Ma Ke said with a bitter expression, "Steward Lü, as you know, I haven't been at the second level of Qi Refining for long, and I don't have any way to earn spirit stones. Let alone fifty, I can't even come up with ten right now."

"Brother Ma, it's not that I'm not helping you. I have stewards, hall masters, and elders above me. How can a mere deacon like me make the decisions? Don't I have to bribe them?"

"Fifty low-grade spirit stones is already a favor because of our friendship. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't have accepted this offer."

Ma Ke said helplessly, "I know you mean well, but I can't even earn fifty spirit stones a year. I might as well go and do this mission."

Seeing that he couldn't squeeze any more money out of Ma Ke, Lü Xiu spread his hands and said, "Well, there's nothing I can do. Brother can't just use his own spirit stones, can he? Wouldn't that be foolish?"

"In that case, pack your things and leave first thing tomorrow morning." Lü Xiu was too lazy to say anything more.

Ma Ke hesitated for a moment, then ultimately said nothing more, turning away with a "disappointed expression."

The next day, Ma Ke packed a few things, carried a bag on his back, and went to the outer sect's deacon hall to collect his mission token. He then exchanged two spirit stones for some gold and silver that he needed to use in the mortal world.

He then set off together with Song Tao, who had also taken on the task.

The reason it wasn't Guo Kai, whom Lü Xiu mentioned yesterday, is probably because Guo Kai agreed to his conditions, which is why he changed the person.

That makes sense, though. The reward for this task is only thirty low-grade spirit stones, and there's basically no way to cultivate in the mortal world anyway, so it's like wasting a whole year.

Few people would be willing to take on this task if they could afford fifty low-grade spirit stones.

Of course, Ma Ke is an exception.

"Senior Brother Ma, I have no experience whatsoever. I hope you will take good care of me in the coming year." Song Tao was quite outgoing and immediately lowered his stance to chat with Ma Ke.

Ma Ke said with shame, "Senior Brother Song, what are you saying? You must have heard of my reputation. It took me ten years to reach the first level of Qi Refining, and I only recently managed to break through to the second level with great difficulty."

"When you're out in the world, strength comes first. Senior Brother Song broke through to the second level of Qi Refining before me, so I should be calling him Senior Brother. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble Senior Brother Song to take care of me in the future."

Song Tao waved his hand and said, "What do you mean by ten or eight years? We outer disciples are all of poor aptitude and have no background. No one should look down on anyone else. We should look out for each other."

Ma Ke cupped his hands and said, "Senior Brother Song is truly a man of character; what you say is absolutely right."

Seven days after Ma Ke left, all the inner disciples of the Ziyang Sect who had gone out were recalled, except for a small number who were deemed unlikely to be suspects and were granted amnesty due to their urgent missions.

More than a dozen people were even captured by Golden Core cultivators sent by the major peak masters, and they naturally became the focus of the investigation.

At the summit of Jade Peak, Jiang Xubai looked down at the more than a thousand disciples below and said, "Twelve days ago, a disciple sold a fragment of a cultivation technique for one hundred mid-grade spirit stones in the Red Leaf Valley market. If this disciple is among you, I hope you will step forward. The sect will reward you handsomely."

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur arose below, but no one stepped forward.

Jiang Xubai waited quietly for a while, then stopped dwelling on the issue and said, "Then the disciple who has cultivated this technique, step forward."

This time, more than twenty disciples came out one after another.

Shen Ninghua's expression was uncertain. She wanted to hide it, but even her master knew that she had cultivated, so how could she hide it?

Liu Chong followed closely behind her, looking relaxed.

"Disciples who haven't stepped forward yet, don't worry. Would the sect harm you? If you conceal something and the sect finds out, you'll be treated as a spy."

Upon hearing this, seven or eight more people came out.

Seeing that no one else was going to step forward, Jiang Xubai pointed directly at the disciples who had practiced this technique and said to Shen Ninghua, "Take them to Zixiao Peak."

Shen Ninghua obeyed the order and left.

Jiang Xubai then said to the rest of the group, "You all come with me."

Then, he personally led a large group of thousands of people to the southeast, where there was a wide valley.

At this time, several thousand disciples from other peaks had already gathered in the valley.

Jiang Xubai pointed to the huge array in the center of the valley and said, "See that? That's a bewitching array. Once you enter it, nothing can be hidden. Don't blame your master for not warning you. It's not too late to admit that you've practiced that technique."

After a few breaths, two disciples finally couldn't take it anymore and walked out tremblingly.

"Master, I was bewitched. Please forgive me." Both of them turned pale, fearing they would be treated as spies.

"Go to Zixiao Peak yourself."

Jiang Xubai ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it and waved his hand.