Immortality begins with inheriting the myriad arts of cultivation.

Before we knew it, another year had passed.

After Li Ping left the pass, he summoned Meng Wanjun to inquire about the intelligence.

Meng Wanjun happily showed him the hatched earth python, an ugly little snake about the thickness of a chopstick, its whole body a dull brown color. It was coiled in her jade-like palm, occasionally flicking its tongue.

Li Ping turned his head away in disgust.

The animal he hated most in his life was the snake. He would feel uncomfortable whenever he saw a snake, especially such an ugly one.

"Alright, alright, stop showing off and put it away!" He casually waved his hand, signaling Meng Wanjun to take the snake aside.

Meng Wanjun chuckled and put the Earth Rock Python into her spirit beast pouch.

She couldn't let the Earth Rock Python roam freely in the yard yet, because the Earth Spirit Rat was squatting in the ground and the Wildfire Sparrow was watching her intently from the tree.

Of these two beasts, the Wildfire Sparrow is the natural enemy of snake-type monsters. If you're not careful, it might eat the Earth Rock Python like a spicy snack.

As for the Earth Spirit Rat, it's the other way around.

Rat-like monsters are considered food for snake-like monsters, but the Earth Rock Python is still too small and may be hunted and killed by the Earth Spirit Rat instead.

Rodent-like monsters are omnivorous animals.

There's a saying in the mortal world that snakes eat rats for half a year, and rats eat snakes for half a year.

"How's your cultivation? If you haven't broken through by the time I come out of seclusion next time, I'll feed this Earth Rock Python to the Wildfire Sparrow!" Meng Wanjun's sly smile naturally didn't escape Li Ping's eyes, and he immediately threatened her 'fiercely'.

Meng Wanjun immediately dropped her smug expression and said pitifully, "Young Master, your seclusion time is too short. If you had secluded yourself for several decades at a time, Wanjun would definitely have broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage."

Li Ping shook his head; he also wanted to go into seclusion for several decades at once.

However, the problem is that since Huang Yunzi passed away, the situation in the Western Wilderness has become delicate, and he has to keep a close eye on it.

He couldn't possibly wait until Donghua Mountain had become a battlefield before emerging from seclusion with a bewildered expression.

Although the Western Wilderness was just a small pond to him, and no matter how big the waves were, they were unlikely to shatter him, he didn't want to find himself in the eye of the storm for no reason.

If the righteous and demonic factions really start fighting, as a rogue cultivator, it would be best for him to leave Donghua Mountain temporarily.

"By the way, young master, Sister Cheng Yao recently left Donghua Mountain and returned to Fenglan Immortal City. When she came to visit, you were in seclusion, so I didn't disturb you," Meng Wanjun said, bringing up another matter.

Li Ping nodded. Cheng Yao came to Donghua Mountain to bid for a Core Formation spiritual item for Wang Xingwei. Now that the matter has been settled, she naturally has no need to stay in Donghua Mountain any longer.

Moreover, given her extreme desire for control, keeping her in seclusion on Donghua Mountain for cultivation would probably drive her crazy.

She couldn't wait to return to the Wang family to become the matriarch and motivate the Wang family cultivators to increase their productivity.

"Is there any news from Fenglan Immortal City?" Li Ping asked, inquiring about the matter he was most concerned about.

Meng Wanjun shook her head: "The three sects are still searching for that mysterious sword cultivator in full swing. Apart from that, nothing else has happened."

"Is that so?" Li Ping nodded, a thoughtful look in his eyes, but he didn't say anything more.

He simply turned and walked out of the cave, intending to chat with some of his peers whom he had met in the market, and also to inquire about the current situation of Old Monster Crimson Thunder, and whether he really had any friends coming to see him.

This old devil has been stood up for so long, I wonder what his expression is right now.

Half a day later, Li Ping returned to the cave.

His expression was rather strange, because through his subtle probing, he had actually learned that a Core Formation cultivator was a guest at Old Monster Chi Lei's place.

"Were they waiting for me to make the deal?" Li Ping couldn't help but wonder if he was being too cautious.

Perhaps if he goes to trade with Old Monster Chi Lei now, he can get his hands on the Void Crystal and then successfully travel to the Great Zhou to search for the spiritual items he needs.

"No rush, no rush. Back then, Old Monster Chi Lei, Zhou Lingyan, and Old Demon Wu joined forces to try and deal with me. I'll settle this score with him sooner or later. Let's wait until he's nearing his death." Li Ping shook his head slightly, suppressing the restlessness in his heart.

He doesn't need to take the risk.

When the Crimson Thunder Old Monster gets old and begins to use up the power of his natal magic weapon to refine talismans for his descendants, his strength will greatly decline, and that will be the time for him to settle scores.

As far as he knew, Old Monster Crimson Thunder was nearing the end of his lifespan, estimated to be within the next twenty or thirty years.

Considering he still needs to make arrangements for his affairs after his death, he should be able to refine talismans within about ten years.

After all, none of his descendants had formed a Golden Core, so they couldn't refine the magic treasures he left behind. It was better to leave more talismans for the family.

"To be on the safe side, I'll wait ten or even twenty years before making a visit!" Li Ping returned to the training room, sat cross-legged, and began his secluded cultivation.

……

Jade Belt River.

Inside Qi Hanmo's cave, four figures sat around a stone table, chatting quietly.

The four people are Xu Guike, Lin Yue and her husband, and Qi Hanmo and his wife.

Qi Hanmo's wife was an oval-faced woman with her hair tied up in a bun. Her personality was also somewhat similar to Qi Hanmo's, gentle and graceful.

More than forty years have passed since Li Ping last saw Qi Hanmo, and his cultivation has now broken through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

Not long ago, Xu Guike and his wife left the Cloud Mist Mountains and headed to Donghua Mountain. However, after entering the Qi Kingdom, they remembered that Qi Hanmo, who had been kind to Lin Yue, was a disciple of the academy.

It would be a good opportunity to pay a visit.

Furthermore, after searching through Qu Youkong's soul, he realized that the academy was unaware of the "wedding banquet assassination" incident.

In fact, the academy has a very close relationship with the Qinglong Mountain lineage and has repeatedly stepped in to protect the Qinglong Mountain lineage.

Therefore, with the three sects heavily guarded and no opportunity for the time being, he also took the opportunity to probe the attitude of the academy's higher-ups towards the three sects.

"So, when Fellow Daoist Xu and Fellow Daoist Lin disappeared that day, they actually went to the far north." Qi Hanmo was slightly surprised after hearing their story.

He was especially amazed when he learned that the two of them had spent some time with his elder brother in the far north, and he believed that there was a deep connection between them.

"Yes, we two went through many hardships to successfully reach the far north." Xu Guike smiled and nodded, not hiding the fact that he had deserted from the Yan Kingdom.

Given the circumstances at the time, if he had remained in the Yan state, he might not have even been able to save his life.

He briefly omitted his experience of forming his core in the far north.

As for his revenge after returning to the Western Wilderness, including killing two Core Formation cultivators, he chose to keep it a secret for the time being, not knowing the academy's attitude.

Xu Guike has already reached the Core Formation stage, so theoretically Qi Hanmo should address him as a senior.

However, Qi Hanmo had done Lin Yue a favor, so at Xu Guike's suggestion, the two continued to address each other as fellow Daoists.

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Xu and Fellow Daoist Lin, when you returned to the Western Wilderness this time..." Qi Hanmo hesitated as he spoke.

Xu Guike and the other two were in a worse situation than him; he had only lost his sect's headquarters and the opportunity to realize his ideals.

But the other side had their grandmaster and master wiped out, even their pet dog... Little Azure Dragon was killed, and most of his uncles also chose to betray them.

Even if he successfully forms his core now, he and his wife will be all alone.

"The reason I returned to the Western Wilderness is to avenge my master!" Xu Guike did not hide his thoughts.

Qi Hanmo nodded, agreeing with Xu Guike's approach.

As the sage said: Even a feud spanning ten generations can be avenged!

In his view, anyone who tries to persuade others to let go of hatred is a despicable person.

It is only natural for Xu Guike to avenge his master and grandmaster.

"Could it be...?"

At this moment, he couldn't help but think of the two Core Formation cultivators from the three sects who were mysteriously killed a few years ago, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was the work of this Fellow Daoist Xu in front of him.

Thinking of this, he looked at Xu Guike with even more respect and admiration.

Driven by a desire to avenge his master, the opponent disregarded his own safety and dared to wield his sword against the formidable Three Sects Alliance, whose strength far surpassed his own, at the Core Formation stage. He truly deserves the title of a gentleman.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, I have come here to visit a friend, and another purpose is to discuss with the headmaster of your academy the tragedy that occurred more than 110 years ago at Qinglong Mountain."

Xu Guike smiled and said, "Please introduce me, Fellow Daoist Qi."

"No problem," Qi Hanmo agreed readily.

He cultivates orthodox Confucian cultivation methods, nurturing a righteous spirit. Having reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, he has long been cultivated as a potential Core Formation seed and is qualified to speak directly to the Headmaster.

……

a few days later.

Xu Guike and Lin Yue bid farewell to the Jade Belt River and flew towards Donghua Mountain.

During the flight, he couldn't help but reflect on his experience of visiting the academy.

Not long ago, through Qi Hanmo's introduction, he met Qiu Changfeng, the headmaster of the academy.

Qiu Changfeng felt quite apologetic for failing to protect the Qinglong Mountain lineage.

However, when Xu Guike tentatively suggested that the academy could intervene to deal with the Core Formation cultivators from the three sects who had previously intervened, he hesitated.

He told Xu Guike that the Western Wilderness was already a place where the righteous path was declining and the demonic path was rising. If the righteous alliance were to experience further turmoil, it could very well lead to the demonic path becoming completely powerful.

Therefore, the academy will only try its best to maintain the unity within the Defenders Alliance and not give the demonic path any chance.

But in the end, Qiu Changfeng also made no secret of the fact that it was only natural for Xu Guike to avenge his master, and the academy and the Weidao Alliance would not deal with him because of it.

……

Xu Guike was generally satisfied with his visit to the academy.

He learned from Qiu Changfeng the academy's attitude towards his dealings with the three sects, including Ziyun Valley, and that was enough.

As for the academy's refusal to help him deal with the three sects, he wasn't disappointed.

He never intended to entrust the matter of revenge to others.

His master had shown him great kindness, and he wanted to take revenge himself, slaying all his enemies with his sword!

He looked at his Daoist partner beside him.

As the distant mountain came into view and grew larger and larger, Lin Yue's eyes widened in surprise, seemingly astonished by the magnificence of this first immortal mountain in the Western Wilderness.

After Xu Guike was accepted as a disciple by Dai Sangyu, they lived together on Donghua Mountain for a period of time, so he wasn't surprised.

Next, he might have to live with his senior sister on Donghua Mountain for a long time.