The Long Journey to Immortality

In previous instances, Xuan Chengzi, whose cultivation had just reached the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, volunteered to take on important responsibilities during the sect leader's reshuffle, but was regarded as the second or third candidate for various reasons.

This time, after another twenty years of training outside, Xuan Chengzi, who had condensed seven Dan patterns, finally got his wish and took the position of sect leader, wielding great power.

Such a person, so devoted to his sect, naturally has the ambition to make the Zhengyi Sect, which has been so kind to him, flourish even more when he sits in this position.

Strengthening exchanges with the Western Great Yu Dynasty is the top priority for Gensei-ko after taking office.

While it undeniably benefited the Zhengyi Sect, it also brought the issue of East-West exchange to the attention of the Seven Mountains Alliance several years earlier.

The second major task is to cultivate as many talents as possible for the sect.

In the world of cultivation, what's most important? Talent!

Naturally, following this way of thinking, Han Lu, one of the only three pseudo-core cultivators in the Zhengyi Sect at this time, who had made great contributions in battle and possessed the bloodline of the True Spirit, became the focus of Xuan Chengzi's attention.

As the sect leader, he not only took the initiative to get closer to Han Lu, whom he was not familiar with, but also took the initiative to help Yun Min Daoist fulfill the agreement after learning about the agreement between Han Lu and Yun Min Daoist regarding the materials for Core Formation, and sent a large amount of resources.

This time, many of the cultivation materials Han Lu used when forming her core were obtained from Xuan Chengzi.

Given their relatively harmonious relationship, Han Lu naturally developed a favorable impression of the new sect leader.

Having successfully advanced to the Golden Core Realm and returned in triumph, accompanied by such a special welcoming ceremony, Han Lu, who already felt a strong sense of belonging to the sect, was overwhelmed with emotion.

The ark landed at the Five Elements Mountain Academy, where the sect leader Xuan Chengzi, the abbot of the East Mountain Academy Qingxu Daoren, and Han Lu's master Piaomiaozi had been waiting for a long time.

Stepping off the ark, Han Lu greeted the three of them one by one.

The person he talked to the most was naturally his master, Piaomiaozi.

Speaking of Piaomiaozi, he even choked up a few tears when he met Han Lu this time.

After reminiscing about the time she met Han Lu, Piaomiaozi did not take credit for Han Lu's current achievements. On the contrary, she reflected on herself.

Piaomiaozi felt that if it weren't for him, a cultivator with "poor strength" and "lack of resources," becoming Han Lu's master, Han Lu would probably have advanced to the Golden Core stage a few years earlier, and her future would have been even more limitless.

Piaomiaozi's words made the atmosphere of the welcoming ceremony a little awkward.

However, since he was speaking from the heart, no one criticized him. The cultivators present thought that Piaomiaozi was a genuine person.

Han Lu, of course, had no intention of blaming her master.

On this second stage of her cultivation journey, Piaomiaozi still provided her with a lot of help. Although it wasn't the main reason for her smooth sailing, Han Lu still felt grateful and always remembered Piaomiaozi's help.

In front of everyone, Han Lu recounted several past events.

Overcome with genuine emotion, both of them wiped away a few tears, lamenting the fleeting nature of time and the impermanence of life.

Following this, in accordance with the rules, Han Lu, who had already advanced to the Golden Core Realm, completed the "Thank You Ceremony" under the supervision of Xuan Chengzi, severing her master-disciple relationship with Piaomiaozi.

This is a customary ritual performed when a disciple and master are at the same level, to avoid awkwardness between them.

As for whether the master and disciple continue to treat each other with the proper etiquette after the ceremony, that is not a matter of concern to the vast majority of cultivators in the cultivation world.

After dealing with his personal matters, Xuan Chengzi finally seized the opportunity to congratulate Han Lu and, in his capacity as sect leader, announced that Han Lu had become an elder of the Zhengyi Sect.

With Han Lu advancing to the Golden Core Realm, the number of Golden Core Elders in the Zhengyi Sect has increased from 56 when Han Lu first joined the sect to 58 now.

While this number is still not comparable to the peak period of the Zhengyi Sect in the Central Plains cultivation world, it is not far off.

Three thousand years ago, at the peak of the Zhengyi Sect, there were as many as seventy Golden Core cultivators serving the sect.

Although this number is far less than that of the Great Yu Dynasty's Jitian Palace, if this data is compared with the proportion of cultivators in the Central Plains and disciples of the Zhengyi Sect, it is enough to make cultivators of the Great Yu Dynasty drool.

"Elder Han," Xuan Chengzi changed his form of address, "would you like to adopt a Daoist name for yourself?"

Han Lu replied, "Sect Master, there's no need for anything complicated. Just call her Fairy Phoenix."

"Feng Xianzi?" Xuan Chengzi frowned slightly and said, "As far as I know, there are probably already three Feng Xianzi in the Central Plains, the East Sea, the Western Regions, the Southern Frontier, and the Great Yu Dynasty. Elder Han, why don't you think about it again and choose a more resounding and unique Daoist title?"

Any female cultivator who has even a slight connection to the phoenix will try to acquire this "Taoist title." Considering some arrogant Foundation Establishment cultivators, it's quite normal for there to be so many "Phoenix Fairies."

Xuan Chengzi's thinking wasn't too complicated. He mainly considered that Han Lu was destined to travel and work hard in the future, just like he had done more than ten years ago. It was necessary for her to have a unique Taoist name.

Hearing this, Han Lu pondered for a moment and said, "Then how about adding the word 'true'?"

"True Phoenix Fairy? Not bad, not bad." Xuan Chengzi knew that Han Lu was a "Three-Winged True Phoenix," so he could understand the meaning behind it immediately.

“Alright, then in a few days I will announce this to all the sects in the Central Plains, so that they will know that my Zhengyi Sect has gained another elder, to celebrate the success of the True Phoenix Fairy in her cultivation.”

Congratulations! Congratulations!

[Author's Note] Labor Day is here. Working people, take a short rest and recharge. Remember to cast your free vote!

Chapter 657 Spiritual Artifact, Requesting Leave

In the Central Plains, the Golden Core Realm and the Foundation Establishment Realm are a fairly obvious divide.

Because of the abundance of cultivation resources, there are many cultivators in the Central Plains whose talent is only average to above average, yet they can cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage or even the late Foundation Establishment stage.

However, the formation of a false elixir is not something that can be accomplished by ordinary mortals.

Furthermore, the Central Plains were completely occupied by human cultivators, and there was no stable and obvious source of beast cores.

The cultivators in the Central Plains lived in harmony with each other, and very few Golden Core cultivators perished prematurely, making their Golden Cores a resource that could be traded with magical beasts and true spirits.

This means that although the proportion of Golden Core cultivators in the Central Plains cultivation civilization is higher than that of the Great Yu Dynasty, it can never reach the peak of the ancient cultivation era.

The advancement of Han Lu and Xianyu Ji, two seemingly unpromising disciples of the sect, to the Golden Core realm can be seen as a shot in the arm for Xuan Chengzi, who had been planning to make great strides.

Xuan Chengzi could imagine that in the next two or three hundred years, the sect would have two more elders who could attempt to transcend tribulation and advance to the Nascent Soul realm.

In addition, the battle with Fengyang decades ago caused Xuan Yang Valley to suffer heavy losses.

If they are exceptionally lucky, perhaps, riding this wave of "geniuses," the Zhengyi Sect will be able to surpass the Northern Dynasty's Xuan Yang Valley in the number of Nascent Soul cultivators for the first time since its founding, thus becoming the number one sect in the Central Plains in a sense.

Looking at the two juniors in front of him, Xuan Chengzi was filled with excitement. Without the slightest hesitation, he used his authority as the sect leader to take out a considerable amount of substantial rewards from the inner treasury.

Although Xianyu Ji only made a trip to help Han Lu protect the Dharma, Xuan Chengzi still generously bestowed upon him a considerable amount of the most abundant elixirs in the Zhengyi Sect.

There are ten Yellow Dragon Pills in total, worth a thousand spirit stones, enough for Xianyu Ji to use for a while.

After advancing to the Golden Core Realm, Xianyu Ji's family could no longer provide him with much resource support on his cultivation path.

Therefore, he was happy to accept even a mere ten pills.

After reaching a high level of cultivation, cultivators from cultivation families tend to become increasingly reliant on their sects due to the availability of cultivation resources, and gradually drift away from their families.

This is a rule in the cultivation world of the Central Plains, and even Wen Erya in the future is destined to be unable to avoid it.

It's no wonder that when Wen Erya was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator, her father and family tried their best to "utilize" her value as a genius cultivator and provided her with as much help as possible on her cultivation path.

This approach is based on the hope that even after Wen Erya advances to the Golden Core stage or even the Nascent Soul stage, she will still have considerable affection for the Wen imperial family. Before her lifespan ends, she can rely on her reputation to extend the Wen dynasty's rule in the Southern Dynasty for another thousand years.

Xianyu Ji received a reward, and Han Lu, who had just been promoted to sect elder, was no exception.

In addition to promising a grand mansion closer to the feng shui treasure land of Hanchan Peak, Xuan Chengzi also agreed to make the amount of resources Han Lu could receive from the sect each year equal to the standard for a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Not only that, before Han Lu could bring it up, Xuan Chengzi mentioned the magical treasures that Han Lu still "stored" in the sect's treasury.

"Elder Zhenfeng, if you were prepared, why not come with me to the inner treasury today to select a spiritual weapon?"

“Spiritual artifacts are different from magical implements and tools. Only after spending a long time with them can one use them freely.”

"It is absolutely necessary to obtain it as early as possible, refine it, and integrate it with it."

Xuan Chengzi took the initiative to speak, which saved Han Lu a lot of trouble.

"Since the sect leader has said so, then I won't stand on ceremony," Han Lu said with a smile.

Xuan Chengzi said, "There's no need to be so polite. It was just something you entrusted to the sect in your early years. It's a reward you deserve."

"If Elder Zhenfeng hadn't fought in the ancient cultivation secret realm thirty years ago, the sect's secret treasury wouldn't have so many top-grade magic treasures."

"If Elder Zhenfeng ever needs any magic treasures from the sect in the future, please feel free to ask."

"Now that you are a sect elder instead of a high-ranking disciple, your treatment will be very different from before."

Xuan Chengzi emphasized in his words that Han Lu's status in the sect was much higher than before, hoping to offer more substantial rewards to keep this True Spirit Fairy who might want to "return to the wilderness" one day.

After all, Han Lu, this true spirit, had a place in the wilderness besides the Zhengyi Sect to belong.

You can know a person's face but not their heart. Xuan Chengzi couldn't see through Han Lu's true nature to see if he was of the Zhengyi sect's caliber, so he could only try to win him over in this way.

Upon hearing this, Han Lu was overjoyed and said with a smile, "Then I will thank the sect leader in advance."

Having finished discussing both personal and official matters, on the way to the secret vault with Xuan Chengzi, Han Lu once again asked Xuan Chengzi for leave and brought up "future matters".

"Sect Master, I plan to leave the sect in six months and go to the Wildlands to discuss some personal matters with my family."

Generally speaking, after a disciple of the Zhengyi Sect advances to the Golden Core stage, he or she must serve the sect for at least ten years to repay the kindness of being nurtured.

This rule applies both to newly promoted Golden Core elders and to protect cultivators who have just advanced to the Golden Core realm.

Elders like Xuan Chengzi, who were originally devoted to the sect, served for a full twenty years, cultivating nearly twenty promising disciples for the sect before seriously considering their own cultivation and choosing to go out and gain more experience.

In order to go to the Wilderness as soon as possible to seek the "Li Feng Essence Blood", Han Lu was going to violate this unspoken rule. Naturally, she needed to inform Xuan Chengzi in advance to avoid misunderstandings from the sect's higher-ups.

Xuan Chengzi was slightly surprised and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Has something serious happened in the Wild Phoenix Clan?"

Since Xuan Chengzi already knew about the matter of He Ming, Han Lu didn't intend to hide anything anymore and answered straightforwardly, "It's just a private matter. I plan to return to my clan to reunite with the fourth True Phoenix bloodline."

Xuan Chengzi had been to the wilderness, so it was much easier for Han Lu to talk to him about such things than to communicate with Daoist Yunmin.

“I see. This is a big deal.” Xuan Chengzi, who had originally wanted to dissuade Han Lu and suggest that she worry about the sect’s affairs for three or five years before leaving, changed his mind and quickly helped Han Lu find a suitable reason. “Elder Zhenfeng made so many contributions to the sect when she was still a disciple. There is no need to be bound by some unwritten rules.”

"I grant this leave. I wish Elder Zhenfeng a smooth journey and that he will take another step towards the achievement of Zhenfeng's return to the human world."

Han Lu successfully requested leave, but she still made sure to express her gratitude to her "boss".

"Thank you, Sect Master. If you encounter any troubles during the year, please leave them to me. I will definitely help the sect solve its problems."

Xuan Chengzi chuckled but did not reply.

A year is an incredibly short time for a cultivator, but for a large sect, it can certainly involve a lot of trivial matters.

Xuan Chengzi's refusal to give a clear answer also left room for maneuver in this matter.

If Xuan Chengzi does not assign any task to Han Lu during the year, it means that Han Lu has slightly failed the sect and will need to take action to repay the debt in the future.

If there were truly any issues during the year that required Han Lu's intervention, this ambiguous smile would give Xuan Chengzi enough face to speak to Han Lu, make demands, and state conditions.

With his meticulous mind, Xuan Chengzi is indeed leadership material.

In just a moment, Han Lu understood the meaning of the smile, so she didn't bring it up again. She secretly labeled Xuan Chengzi as someone who was both good and bad, and reminded herself to be more careful when dealing with this sect leader in the future.