Treasure Gathering Immortal Furnace

Dao Sect, Outer Gate Affairs Hall.

Upon arriving at the Hall of Affairs, Lu Fan immediately asked, "Uncle-Master, I just heard Elder Wan Yang say that he wanted you to see the Supreme Elder, but he won't, will he?"

"We definitely have to meet him, otherwise we won't be able to leave the Dao Sect," Wang Qingzhu said.

Upon hearing this, Lu Fan frowned slightly and said, "This disciple has a question. Since Martial Uncle intends to leave the Dao Sect, why not form the Core elsewhere? If we form the Core here in the Dao Sect, will the Supreme Elder allow us to leave?"

"Do you think I don't want to form my core outside? It's just that I have no choice," Wang Qingzhu said, slowly lifting her sleeve. On her slender wrist, a faint glowing mark appeared.

"What is this?" Lu Fan was immediately startled.

"This is a soul restriction; no matter where I am, the Supreme Elder can sense it."

"Even if we try to escape, how can we possibly outrun a Nascent Soul Ancestor?"

Wang Qingzhu shook her head, her delicate face revealing helplessness.

As expected, Lu Fan had underestimated the Nascent Soul cultivator. Since the Supreme Elder of the Dao Sect intended to exchange Wang Qingzhu for a longevity treasure, he certainly wouldn't let Wang Qingzhu leave like that.

"In that case, will we still be able to leave?" Lu Fan asked with deep concern.

"It all depends on whether the Supreme Elder will remember our past relationship and let me leave," Wang Qingzhu said sadly.

In fact, Wang Qingzhu herself wasn't sure if she said this, since reaching the Nascent Soul stage meant she was no longer a low-level cultivator.

Rather, they are the supreme powerhouses standing at the top of Canglan. In the hearts of these Nascent Soul elders, only two things are most important: the continuation of their sect and their own lifespan.

Everything else can be sacrificed.

"What if the Supreme Elder won't let you leave?" Lu Fan continued to ask.

"Don't think too badly of things. The Supreme Elder used to treat me very well."

"Although he has some ideas about exchanging me for longevity treasures, he hasn't actually done it yet, so there's still a chance."

Wang Qingzhu shook her head.

"Sigh, well, I just hope the Supreme Elder will take pity on me," Lu Fan sighed bitterly.

This is the helplessness that comes with being weak and powerless; at all times, one's reputation is in the hands of others.

"After I've consolidated my cultivation for a few days, I'll go see the Supreme Elder," Wang Qingzhu said, then added, "Don't worry about anything. Even if you don't let me go, it has nothing to do with you."

Wang Qingzhu said this because she didn't want Lu Fan to worry unnecessarily. After all, he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and even if he worried and became anxious, it wouldn't do him any good.

Lu Fan nodded, and then Wang Qingzhu returned to the inner hall to consolidate her cultivation.

Reaching the Golden Core stage requires at least two years just to stabilize one's cultivation; to fully master the power of the Golden Core stage, it may take five years.

However, Wang Qingzhu didn't have that much time. On the fifth day of consolidating her cultivation, she received a message from the Supreme Elder, instructing her to go to the Inner Sect Hall immediately.

Helpless, Wang Qingzhu could only stabilize her breathing slightly before hastily leaving the seclusion.

For the past five days, Lu Fan has been guarding outside the hall until Wang Qingzhu emerged from seclusion.

"Uncle-Master," Lu Fan stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Let's go, the Supreme Elder is eager to see me," Wang Qingzhu said, composing herself. The two headed straight for the inner main hall.

...

at the same time.

At this moment, in the magnificent inner hall, there were four Core Formation cultivators, which was rare. In addition to Wan Yang and He Yan, there were two other elders, surnamed Li and a female elder surnamed Zhou.

In fact, apart from Wang Qingzhu who had just formed her core, the Dao Sect had six core cultivators, but only four of them were core members, while the other two rarely appeared.

Besides these four Core Formation cultivators, there were eight Foundation Establishment deacons standing around them. This was the core group of the Dao Sect, and almost all of them were present.

Not far from these core cultivators, an elderly man with a seemingly benevolent face and dressed in white robes was pacing back and forth on a high platform, appearing somewhat anxious and uneasy.

This is none other than Xuanxuzi, the only remaining Nascent Soul Grand Elder of the Dao Sect.

Logically speaking, someone as powerful as a Nascent Soul cultivator shouldn't display such an impatient personality. In reality, it's because Xuanxuzi's lifespan is nearing its end, and his heart has long been restless.

He probably only has fifty years of lifespan left, which is practically the same as being dead for a Nascent Soul cultivator who has no hope of breaking through.

The prosperity of a sect is closely related to the influx of new blood. After all, the higher the cultivation level, the more difficult it is to break through. If there are no new Nascent Soul cultivators to support the sect, its decline is only a matter of time.

Just then, Wang Qingzhu arrived late with Lu Fancai.

Upon entering the main hall, Wang Qingzhu and Lu Fan respectfully bowed to Xuanxuzi in the distance, saying, "Disciples greet the Supreme Elder!"

After performing the ceremony, Lu Fan walked to the side and stood next to the eight deacons. He had never seen such a grand scene in the decades since he joined the Dao Sect.

Especially when he saw the Supreme Elder, he didn't seem as domineering as Lu Fan had imagined. Instead, he was rather amiable, but this was only what he saw on the surface.

"Oh, Qingzhu, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. Did everything go smoothly with your Core Formation?" Xuanxuzi didn't put on any airs of a Nascent Soul Ancestor at all, and stepped forward to inquire about her well-being.

"Thank you for your concern, Ancestor. Everything is going well," Wang Qingzhu replied.

Xuanxuzi smiled and said, "Not bad. It was worth taking you back to the Dao Sect and painstakingly nurturing you. The prosperity of the Dao Sect depends entirely on you."

Lu Fan, who was standing not far away, also understood something from Xuanxuzi's words.

He started by appealing to Wang Qingzhu's emotions, making her grateful for his life-saving grace, and then placed the heavy burden of the rise and fall of the Dao Sect on Wang Qingzhu's shoulders.

This is clearly a case of ulterior motives.

"You flatter me, Ancestor. My cultivation is too shallow, and I am not capable of shouldering the responsibility of revitalizing the Dao Sect."

"Now that I have formed my core, I wish to temporarily leave the Dao Sect to seek some opportunities. I hope the Ancestor will grant my request."

Wang Qingzhu cupped his hands in greeting.

Upon hearing this, Xuanxuzi knew exactly what Wang Qingzhu was thinking. He then smiled kindly and said, "Why go out to seek opportunities? I have an incredible opportunity to give you right here."

"Elder Gu Xin of the Sword Pavilion is a sword cultivator who has attained the Nascent Soul stage. He is very powerful. If you become his disciple, your swordsmanship will definitely improve."

Upon hearing Xuanxuzi's words, Wang Qingzhu's hand trembled slightly. Clearly, she hadn't expected Xuanxuzi to be so eager to exchange her for a longevity treasure.

Throughout the entire hall, apart from Wan Yang, who already knew the inside story, the other three Core Formation elders and even a group of Foundation Establishment deacons were all shocked.

"Ancestor, I...don't want to go to Sword Pavilion," Wang Qingzhu bowed again.

"I don't want you to go either, but as you can see from the current situation, the sect has spent a lot of effort, but still hasn't cultivated a single new Nascent Soul cultivator."

"If this continues, the Dao Sect will surely be reduced to a second-rate sect. Can you bear to see the Dao Sect's millennia-old heritage die out here?"

Xuanxuzi looked helpless.

Wang Qingzhu was dumbfounded. Although Xuanxuzi had indeed had this idea before and even placed a soul restriction on her, Xuanxuzi had always been hesitant and had even promised several times that he would not do it.

But now they've changed their tune; they're determined to send her to the Sword Pavilion as a furnace for nurturing swords.

Standing not far away, Lu Fan looked solemn. It seemed that things would not develop as they had hoped.