A female cultivator with a cold expression and dressed in a fiery-red Daoist robe cautiously explored within the Immortal Palace.
She had to be careful not just of the influences of the myriad clans, but also of the cultivators flying through the air.
Suddenly, her expression changed.
She flew towards the attic of a palace.
Above, two cultivators in the same Daoist robes were waiting for her.
One male and one female, the male cultivator was handsome and elegant, while the female had a round face. Although she was also beautiful, she was no match for the female cultivator with the cold expression and transcendent aura.
Upon seeing the newcomer, the male cultivator’s face lit up with joy.
"Leng Li, I didn’t expect us to end up in the same Immortal Palace, what a stroke of fate..."
The round-faced female cultivator chuckled, "Leng Li, it’s our good fortune to encounter Brother Zhuang. With Brother Zhuang at Foundation Establishment Perfection, his extraordinary strength is more than enough to protect both of us."
"We’re here to treasure hunt, and danger is to be expected... But now that we’ve met, let’s hunt for treasure together."
These two were named Zhuang Zhengzhi and Tao Huaxin, fellow disciples of Leng Li.
Leng Li had outstanding Fire Element Talent and had joined the Flame Heaven Sect 20 years ago, becoming an Inner Sect Disciple. She had cultivated until today, reaching the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment.
Zhuang Zhengzhi’s face was always smiling after seeing Leng Li. He said, "There are quite a few cultivators here, Leng Li, you might want to stay close to me, so I can protect you."
"Yes, yes, Leng Li, you should get closer to Brother Zhuang. He has always thought highly of you. Once Brother Zhuang reaches the Golden Core Stage, he can certainly help and look after you,"
Upon hearing this, Leng Li frowned slightly. Official source is NoveIꜰire.net
This Zhuang Zhengzhi was always looking for some excuse to talk about love and romance with her in the Sect, causing her much annoyance.
She hadn’t expected to still be discussing this while out on a treasure hunt exploring a secret realm...
"Brother Zhuang, please show some respect. I have said that I already have a Daoist couple. Now, in the Dragon God Immortal Palace, apart from treasure hunting, I don’t want to discuss anything else."
Zhuang Zhengzhi, rather than being annoyed, showed even more appreciation upon hearing this.
"Leng Li prioritizes opportunities and has a firm Daoist heart; we cultivators should indeed be such!"
Relieved to hear this, Leng Li.
In this unknown Dragon God Immortal Palace, it was better to have more fellow disciples than to fight alone, after all... She had already seen people from the Ten Great Immortal Sects looking to team up with others from their own Sect. It was very dangerous for cultivators to act alone.
"But to get back to what we were saying... Sister, you shouldn’t make up a Daoist couple just to deceive me. If you really have a Daoist couple, why haven’t you come down the mountain all these years? Why hasn’t anyone come looking for you?"
"That’s right, Leng Li, don’t be stubborn. It’s fortunate that Brother Zhuang has taken an interest in you. Do you know that the Zhuang Family is an old Golden Core Immortal Clan with great prestige in the Flame Heaven Sect? Within the territory of the Flame Heaven Sect, how many female cultivators wish to climb up the Zhuang family tree but can’t reach it? If you could become Brother Zhuang’s Daoist couple... With the resources of the Zhuang Family, you’d surely reach the Golden Core Stage, saving you decades of hard work."
Zhuang Zhengzhi smiled faintly, superior.
His strength and family were his pride; disciples without a faction... were the easiest to manipulate.
Leng Li’s appearance and temperament were both exceptional, and her indifference only increased his interest. He very much wanted to conquer this woman!
Moreover, Leng Li had high Talent, being a Dual Spirit Roots cultivator, her future offspring would certainly be exceptional.
He was confident about winning over Leng Li.
The Dragon God Immortal Palace was his battlefield for conquering Leng Li.
As Leng Li listened to the two of them sing their duet, she frowned.
"When I say I have a Daoist couple, it means I do. I don’t need to explain my affairs to you."
"Tao Huaxin, I address you as senior sister out of respect for your earlier entry to the Sect. Someone of your average Talent who doesn’t work hard in cultivation... In my hometown, they have a name for you. Do you know what it is?"
After saying this, Leng Li had no intention of dealing with them any longer and decided it would be better to explore the Immortal Palace on her own.
"Leng Li! How dare you be so rude! Who says I haven’t been trying hard! Do you think everyone has your kind of exceptional Talent? If I had your Talent, I might as well be better than you!"
Tao Huaxin, a cultivator with the Three Spirit Roots, was actually 10 years older than Leng Li. At 85 years old and at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment, she was indeed far behind Leng Li, but Tao Huaxin believed that was because Leng Li had better Talent, otherwise, she would have already reached the ninth layer.
"Leng Li, you have to understand... after all, our Talent, second only to the Heavenly Spirit Root, is extremely rare on the Spirit Miao Continent. With support and resources, reaching the Golden Core Stage is possible for any such cultivator. Talent is a cultivator’s foundation. Those with inferior Spirit Roots might cultivate a whole lifetime without even knowing if they can break through the Foundation Establishment stage..."
Zhuang Zhengzhi felt the same.
Hearing this, Leng Li couldn’t help but laugh.
"Oh? Talent represents everything? What if I told you that there is someone with Talent from the Five Spirit Roots, what you call an inferior Spirit Root, who, at the Cloud Hidden Spirit Sect’s competition of the Twelve Dynasties on the Immortal Path, outshone a Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator, claimed the title of the first pride of heaven, and as a Qi Refinement cultivator combated those at the Foundation Establishment Stage, what then?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Zhuang Zhengzhi and Tao Huaxin objected at the same time. On the Spirit Miao Continent, almost everyone from the Ten Great Immortal Sects knew about Cloud Hidden Spirit Sect’s once-in-a-decade competition on the Immortal Path.
They selected outstanding young cultivators from those twelve unique Dynasties to join the Sect.
It could be said that half the reason Cloud Hidden Spirit Sect ranked among the Ten Great Immortal Sects was due to this competition.
Zhuang Zhengzhi had learned from his family’s Golden Core elders that those Twelve Dynasties seemed to contain some special Qi Fortune... allowing them to consistently produce exceptional cultivators.
The Cloud Hidden Spirit Sect only needed to recruit them regularly, and their Sect would be filled with experts.