Chapter 702 - 649: Changes Among Everyone
Although it’s called "Heavenly Inference Sect’s Secret Record," it’s actually the diary True Monarch Cang Huo kept when he was bored. As he flipped through it, he recounted the past thirty years to Jiang Yuebai.
Overall, everything is pretty good with everyone at the moment.
However, True Monarch Cang Huo only recorded things that interested him, and there were only a few lines about everyone’s experiences, leaving Jiang Yuebai unable to see the full picture.
"...A few days ago, I heard you were coming back and thought about waiting for you to return before challenging the top seeds of Heavenly Sword Peak like Fang Yuxing. But now, tsk tsk tsk~"
True Monarch Cang Huo looked Jiang Yuebai up and down, his excitement evident.
"Fang Yuxing is only at Golden Core Peak, completely not enough. You should take on Ling Guanghan directly and knock him down, and I’ll give you the precious treasures I’ve kept at the bottom of my chest."
As they reached the crossroad leading to Spiritual Beast Valley, True Monarch Cang Huo said something shocking that made Jiang Yuebai stop.
"True Monarch Cang Huo, don’t make it difficult for me. Now my master is the Sect Master, and as his chief disciple, if I return to the sect and knock down Sword Lord Guanhan, the pillar of the sect, what would that be? The impact would be too great, and I can’t bear that responsibility."
True Monarch Cang Huo’s eyes turned, and he chuckled mischievously, "Ling Guanghan isn’t in the sect, so you can feel free to handle him. Just let me record it and keep it from others knowing."
Jiang Yuebai was both amused and helpless. "Before, you always troubled Sword Lord Guanhan—I even thought it was to keep him from being idle and having time to think aimlessly. So what is this about now?"
"Sword Monarch and Miaoyin are enjoying themselves in the mortal world, and you’re so irritated by it? If that’s the case... Could it be that you have affections for Sword Monarch Guanghan and want to catch his attention in this way?"
"Spit, spit, spit! Nonsense!!"
True Monarch Cang Huo jumped, his reaction unusually intense.
Jiang Yuebai’s eyes teased, her brows slightly raised, as she turned and walked into Spiritual Beast Valley.
True Monarch Cang Huo didn’t dare to follow, afraid that Jiang Yuebai would say shocking things again.
This was Jiang Yuebai’s second time visiting the Spiritual Beast Valley of the Heavenly Inference Sect. The first time was to find Yun Shang, and this time was also to find Yun Shang.
On the way here, she had asked True Monarch Cang Huo, and he said Yun Shang was now at Mid-Stage Golden Core, managing the entire Spiritual Beast Valley. Aside from spiritual beasts, there were no servants left, and she was alone in the valley.
Jiang Yuebai walked slowly into the plain valley, where the same star-like green lake and herds of spiritual beasts stretched before her.
Compared to her last visit, Jiang Yuebai saw a greater variety of spiritual beasts, and interestingly, she saw a two-headed bird carrying a basket feeding the horned rhinoceros herd.
As soon as the horned rhinoceros defecated, a swarm of beetles would emerge from underground to decompose and clean it up. In the distance, there were also monkeys with protective talismans on their bodies, collecting honey beside the beehive.
Although there were no servants in the Spiritual Beast Valley, each spiritual beast was busy and cared for one another, creating quite the spectacle.
Not seeing Yun Shang, Jiang Yuebai expanded her divine sense to investigate, only then discovering Yun Shang in a pavilion at the foot of the mountain, lying in a rocking chair engrossed in reading a storybook, while an old mountain ape fanned her.
"...Don’t complain that I’m exploiting you. You’re already so old, and if you couldn’t fan me, you’d have been kicked out of the Spiritual Beast Valley, unable to even beg for food. Take a good look, are there any idle beasts in my Spiritual Beast Valley?"
"To make a living here, you must work hard and shine. When sect disciples come to pick spiritual beasts, perform well and strive to be adopted. Good days depend on you striving for them yourself..."
Jiang Yuebai flashed to appear outside the pavilion, unable to suppress her laughter at hearing Yun Shang’s babbling—Yun Shang was the same as always, only endless around spiritual beasts.
Her practice of making use of spiritual beasts was actually under Yun Shang’s influence years ago, when Yun Shang raised those discarded spiritual beasts in the mountain stream outside the Spiritual Beast Valley, using each one, never letting them idle.
"Shang."
Startled, Yun Shang sat up from the rocking chair upon sensing movement. Upon seeing the figure in white with white hair outside the pavilion, her eyes widened, dropping her book and rushing out.
"Little Bai!"
Yun Shang grabbed Jiang Yuebai’s hands, scrutinizing her top to bottom, inside and out.
"Is it really you? You’re not a Phantom Beast transformed to deceive me, are you?"
Yun Shang reached out to poke Jiang Yuebai’s nose, which she tilted back to dodge.
"It’s me, really me!"
Staring at Jiang Yuebai, Yun Shang’s eyes suddenly reddened, then she burst out crying.
"Why did you leave and not return for so many years? They wouldn’t even tell us where you went; I really missed you."
Yun Shang held Jiang Yuebai, crying into her shoulder.
More than thirty years had passed without change—they were still close sisters.
With a sore nose and a warm flush to her eyes, Jiang Yuebai softly patted Yun Shang’s back while explaining.
"Back then, it was because of the Supreme Elder’s merit in the Star Alliance that we exchanged an opportunity for the three of us to ascend to the Upper Realm. It was already unfair to choose the three of us, so we couldn’t tell anyone. I really didn’t intentionally hide it from you."
"I’m here now to bring you all to the Upper Realm together. After that, from sea to sky, nothing can restrain us anymore. Okay, stop crying, or I’ll feel bad."
After letting go of Jiang Yuebai, tears in her eyes, Yun Shang asked, "Really? Are you truly here to bring everyone to the Upper Realm?"
Jiang Yuebai nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, really. Now sit down, and we’ll talk slowly. You’re the only one in the sect now, and I don’t know the situation with the others. You tell me first."
Both sat down in the pavilion, Jiang Yuebai sharing her insights from the Upper Realm, Yun Shang recounting their experiences in the Earth Spiritual Realm.
Through Yun Shang, Jiang Yuebai learned that their paths of cultivation over the past thirty years were not all smooth, and there were many setbacks and hardships.
The Nascent Soul True Monarchs remained the same, with no changes. Among the elder Golden Core Masters close to them were Yuu Qiuqi, Fang Yuxing, and Muh Wushuang, who had all reached Golden Core Peak, and together had gone to the Netherworld Sea for training, seeking opportunities for Nascent Soul formation.
Since no longer needing to repay debts, Li Shen Zhi of Heavenly Gang Peak rarely ventured out, diligently cultivating with True Monarch Lingjun at Heavenly Gang Peak, taking responsibility as its senior disciple, teaching disciples below and overseeing Heavenly Inference Sect’s defenses.
Thus, his cultivation fell slightly behind, currently at Late-Stage Golden Core, despite being surpassed by his junior sister Muh Wushuang.
Tang Weimian recently advanced to Late-Stage Golden Core, while Hee Wangchen’s been at Mid-Stage Golden Core for five or six years. The duo took on a task to repair Heavenly Inference Sect’s array of mines in the Black Water Area.
Among peers, Ge Yuchan experienced a life-and-death crisis, trapped in an ancient battlefield secret realm for over a decade, requiring rescue by three Nascent Soul True Monarchs of Heavenly Inference Sect. Just a little more and Ge Yuchan wouldn’t have survived.
Yet, she gained from disaster, her cultivation skyrocketing, surpassing all peers, first entering Late-Stage Golden Core.
Shen Huaxi managed the Extraordinary People Country excellently, universally praised, the only ones cursing him were disciples of Immortal Cultivation Families who enjoyed enslaving the extraordinary people.
Over the years, Shen Huaxi visited Heavenly Inference Sect three times, and Yun Shang last saw him about six years ago. Shen Huaxi was already at Golden Core Peak back then, but of his current cultivation, Yun Shang didn’t know.
Finally, there’s Song Zhi’ang—Yun Shang’s junior disciple. Yun Shang felt sorrow mentioning him. His water and fire spirit roots clashed, injuring his foundation from removing the Water Spirit Root, making even Core Formation miraculous.
Despite never giving up on cultivation, his progress remained stagnant at Early-Stage Golden Core, his future perhaps ending there.
Jiang Yuebai held Yun Shang’s hand, comforting her, "I’ll check on him later, and if I can help, I will."
Grateful, Yun Shang nodded, never fond of going out, her cultivation steady and rooted. Slowly but surely advancing, now at Mid-Stage Golden Core Perfection, ready to breach Late-Stage Golden Core.
In nurturing spiritual beasts, Yun Shang achieved remarkable success, even attracting the Witch Clan and Beast Spirit Sect. They ordered various insect eggs and young beasts from her, earning Yun Shang considerable profit, practically a little rich lady.
"...Should you ever need spiritual insects or beasts, come find me. If you’re lacking money, I can lend you some."
Confidently mentioning this, Yun Shang’s face lit with pride.
Jiang Yuebai chuckled, "Your meager sum wouldn’t suffice for me. Here’s the jade scroll and books I collected in the Upper Realm on breeding spiritual insects and beasts. See if they’re of use."
After glancing over, Yun Shang’s eyes sparkled with joy.
Jiang Yuebai stood up, "I haven’t visited my junior sisters and brothers, nor Huaxi Valley’s people since returning to the sect. I’ll go back first. If you’re free, would you accompany me to send messages to Guiyuan Sword Sect and the Vajra Platform? We can chat along the way."
Yun Shang stood up happily, nodding, "Alright."