Watching the Mountain

For a Nascent Soul Sect to produce a continuous stream of peerless masters like Yue Qingyu, Ye Shan, and Zhang Zhentian—all invincible within their own realms—was astounding. The power these few wielded was so great that even the chosen prodigies from the Eastern Domain’s Ten Major Sects could only look on from afar.

If there were only one, it could be explained as a normal phenomenon, but for them to appear one after another was highly suspicious.

What was even more suspicious was that a single Sect had produced so many Nascent Soul True Monarchs in such a short time. This was a historically rare event that completely violated the established norms of the Cultivation Realm.

Since this defied the norms of the Cultivation Realm, it could only be the work of the Evil Demon Race and Phoenix Race.

Of course, the Sect didn’t actually need to pay any mind to such rumors.

Slinging mud, after all, was a perfectly normal occurrence. You could slander them, and they could slander you. Anyone with an ounce of sense wouldn’t take such things seriously. At most, it just served to muddy the waters.

The real trouble came from the questions raised by the factions targeting the Profound Pure Sect.

They said that given the prowess displayed by Yue Qingyu, Zhang Zhentian, the Little Witch, and Deceitful Blade, they were destined to become powerhouses who would dominate an entire era.

At that point, the entire Eastern Domain, and even the entire Immortal Ancient Cultivation Realm, would live under their shadow. If the Profound Pure Sect were spies for the Evil Demon Race and Phoenix Race, wouldn’t the Immortal Ancient Cultivation Realm fall under their control?

Few in the Cultivation Realm actually cared about that last part. The Profound Pure Sect had a long, traceable history. But the phrase "living in the shadow of Yue Qingyu and the others" was something people couldn’t ignore.

What’s more, the secret of how the Profound Pure Sect had produced eleven new Nascent Soul True Monarchs and dozens of Core Formation Stage Cultivators in just ten short years was enough to drive people mad with greed and envy.

In just a few days, the Profound Pure Sect had become a target of public condemnation in Changqing County, and nearly all the surrounding sects had united against it.

Things were still relatively calm in the Profound Pure Sect’s home territory, as the flames of war had not yet spread there. However, their pioneering efforts in the New Domain suffered a devastating blow, as they had to face more than ten times the usual number of enemies in just a few short days.

This forced the Sect to urgently dispatch a group of reinforcements.

If that were all, it wouldn’t have had much to do with Xu Ran.

But it wasn’t long before news that the Profound Pure Sect possessed high-yield Spirit Rice suddenly began to circulate throughout the Cultivation Realm.

Two types of Spirit Rice: one with a high yield, and another that could be grown outside of Spirit Fields. Either one was enough to drive people mad.

Furthermore, it was rumored that the Profound Pure Sect was currently preparing to refine the Valley Qi Pill, presumably in preparation for Yue Qingyu and the others to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage.

Yue Qingyu, Zhang Zhentian, and the others were already powerful enough. If they were to consume a Valley Qi Pill during their breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage, then it was quite possible that the future Cultivation Realm really would live in their shadow.

For a time, the flames of war seemed poised to spread toward the Profound Pure Sect’s home territory.

Bad news arrived one piece after another, giving Xu Ran the feeling that the Sect was on the verge of collapse.

At this moment, however, Teacher Qing Xuan, who had been in seclusion, suddenly emerged. He personally called Xu Ran to his side and told him to stay there and not to worry.

*

*

*

Xu Ran had originally thought that if war truly broke out, the first of the Sect’s experts to suffer heavy casualties would be the Nascent Soul True Monarchs who had advanced by practicing the Flying Immortal Stream he had created.

Their strength was far inferior to that of ordinary Nascent Soul Stage experts. In a one-on-one battle between regular Nascent Soul cultivators, it was very difficult for a death to occur. But for them, the possibility of being killed was very real.

However, what he never could have expected was that the first Nascent Soul Stage expert from the Sect to die in battle would be the Spirit Stream Peak Master—the one who had been so diligent and responsible during his tenure, who had cared for every Spirit Plant Master and every disciple.

When Xu Ran heard the news of the Spirit Stream Peak Master’s death, he was truly stunned.

The Spirit Stream Peak Master was a Spirit Plant Master, an indispensable technical expert to the Sect. Unless there was no other choice, the Sect would never have sent him to the battlefield. He had always remained within the Sect’s grounds. ’How could he have suddenly died in battle?’

There had been no warning at all. It was just too abrupt.

The battle report concerning the Spirit Stream Peak Master’s death was even more shocking: he had died at the Profound Yin Sect. The Profound Yin Sect was one of the initiators of the alliance of sects in Changqing County that was currently opposing the Profound Pure Sect.

Furthermore, the Profound Yin Sect’s Sect Leader was the very same Nascent Soul Late Stage expert who had previously attacked the Profound Pure Sect alongside the Flame Sun Sect’s patriarch. This piece of intelligence was only discovered after the Spirit Stream Peak Master’s death; before that, the Sect Leader had used special means to hide his identity, so the Sect hadn’t known it was him.

But what was even more unbelievable were the results of the Spirit Stream Peak Master’s battle.

Inside the Profound Yin Sect’s main hall, he had embraced their Sect Leader and two other Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators. Then, aided by a Tier Seven Array and Talisman Treasures, he had self-detonated, destroying more than half of the entire Profound Yin Sect mountain gate in the process.

The Spirit Stream Peak Master, the Profound Yin Sect Leader, and the two other Nascent Soul Stage cultivators from that sect perished on the spot.

No one knew how the Spirit Stream Peak Master had managed to set up a Tier Seven Array in the Profound Yin Sect’s main hall, or how he had gotten their Sect Leader to let him embrace him, completely unguarded, before self-detonating.

It was only known from the subsequent investigation that all who died were members of the Evil Demon Race and Phoenix Race. The Profound Yin Sect Leader, the other two Nascent Soul True Monarchs, the remaining Golden Core Formation Elders in the hall, and even the Spirit Stream Peak Master himself were all members of the Evil Demon Race and Phoenix Race.

Because the Spirit Stream Peak Master had left behind conclusive evidence.

"Impossible! How could the Peak Master be one of the Demon Race?" Xu Ran cried out, his face a mask of disbelief upon hearing the news from Qing Xuan True Monarch.

’The Peak Master, who was kinder than anyone, was actually part of the Demon Race? How could I possibly accept that?’

However, Qing Xuan True Monarch sighed, his expression complicated, and told him that it was the truth.

"If that’s the case, then why would he do this?" Xu Ran couldn’t understand. The Peak Master had taken so many members of the Evil Demon Race and Phoenix Race down with him.

Qing Xuan True Monarch sighed again and replied, "For the Sect... and for you."

After speaking, he took out a Sound Recording Stone. "This is a message he left for you. Here, listen to it."

Xu Ran stared blankly at the Sound Recording Stone in his hand. After a moment of silence, he formed a seal formula, and the Peak Master’s kind voice emanated from the stone:

"Elder Xu, I’ve told you before that I was saved by a Spirit Plant Master when I was very young. To me, Spirit Plant Masters hold a special meaning."

"I have always believed that being a Spirit Plant Master is a profession that should transcend race, faction, territory, and all other boundaries—a profession that should be treated with kindness by all living beings in the world."

"Because in my heart, a Spirit Plant Master is one who brings hope and happiness to the world."

"Unfortunately, I was never able to achieve that. But you did. I am truly grateful to you for showing me the meaning of this profession’s existence. The moments your achievements came to light were the happiest of my life."

"I am a Spirit Plant Master first, the Spirit Stream Peak Master who serves Spirit Plant Masters second, and only then a Demon of the Demon Race lurking in the Immortal Ancient World. So, I made my choice. The moment I made that decision, I felt incredibly relieved. This must be the most peaceful day of my life."

"Because this was a decision made by a Spirit Plant Master. I am fortunate to be a Spirit Plant Master, and I am proud of it."

When Xu Ran finished listening to the Spirit Stream Peak Master’s final words, he fell silent.

The Peak Master had once told him that he could swear on his Dao Heart that no one would be able to harm him before he himself fell.

At the time, Xu Ran had only felt that his words were overly serious, but he never imagined that the man would actually do it.

’But... I’ve had some contact with him, but not that much.’

After a long while, Qing Xuan True Monarch remarked with a sigh, "The Sect never expected him to be a member of the Demon Race, either. But his actions have indeed resolved a great crisis for us."

Hearing this, Xu Ran was silent for a long time before asking, "Teacher, is the Sect’s situation very grim right now?"

Qing Xuan True Monarch nodded. After a long silence, he spoke four words. "Hanging by a thread."

Hearing this, Xu Ran fell silent again for a good while. At last, he looked up at Qing Xuan True Monarch and said, "Teacher, your disciple wishes to erect a monument for the Peak Master, but I don’t know his name or Daoist title."

Qing Xuan True Monarch pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "I remember that when he became the Spirit Stream Peak Master, he erased his own name and Daoist title, saying that he would simply be a Peak Master in service to the Sect’s Spirit Plant Masters."

"On the monument, just write ’Spirit Stream Peak Master.’"