txolops Chapter 287 Righteous Spirit and the Fall of Yunzhi
Chapter 287 Righteous Spirit and the Fall of Yunzhi
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Upon seeing Qi Hanmo appear.
The Foundation Establishment cultivator who was in charge of receiving guests bowed respectfully to Li Ping before leaving.
Qi Hanmo then hurriedly led Li Ping to fly into the inner palace.
Along the way, Li Ping asked Qi Hanmo about his recent situation with a smile.
Qi Hanmo is nearly 130 years old and has a fellow disciple as his cultivation partner. However, both of them are determined to reclaim Donghua Mountain and do not wish to have children before that.
In addition, his Daoist partner had recently gone on an adventure.
Therefore, Qi Hanmo's cave was quite deserted at this moment.
Li Ping nodded, offering no further comment on their actions.
Confucian scholars believed that "even a feud spanning ten generations can be avenged!"
In the last great war between the righteous and the demonic, their sect's stronghold was captured by the four demonic sects and turned into a public market.
Reclaiming Donghua Mountain and avenging Xiao Changkong has likely become an obsession for all cultivators in the academy.
Xiao Yunzhi was like this, as were Qi Hanmo and his wife.
……
Qi Hanmo already knew from Li Ping's telepathic message that he had successfully formed his core, but unlike Zhang Tie and the others, he did not think that the way they interacted should change now that his elder brother had a higher status.
He knew his elder brother well, knowing that he was a gentleman who was unconcerned with trivialities and of noble character.
After his elder brother successfully established his foundation, he still spared no effort to help others establish their foundations. After he formed his core, would his personality change?
Sitting in the courtyard.
The two chatted briefly about their respective experiences.
Li Ping finally understood the reason for Qi Hanmo's rapid progress in cultivation from Qi Hanmo's description.
It turns out that the requirements for spiritual root aptitude in orthodox Confucian cultivation methods are not as high as those of other Daoist or demonic cultivation methods. However, in return, Confucian cultivation methods require cultivators to uphold the righteous path of heaven and earth and cultivate a righteous spirit.
The enduring spirit of righteousness can also be helpful for Confucian scholars in their cultivation.
However, cultivating a strong sense of righteousness is extremely difficult, and any slight loss of composure will render all previous efforts futile.
Therefore, most of the cultivators in the academy do not practice orthodox Confucian cultivation methods. For example, Xiao Yunzhi practices advanced Daoist cultivation methods.
After Qi Hanmo established his foundation, he practiced orthodox Confucian cultivation techniques. With the support of his righteous energy, he was able to achieve a cultivation speed comparable to that of a cultivator with two spiritual roots.
If one day he no longer upholds the righteous path of heaven and earth, and the noble spirit in his heart dissipates.
Unless he dissipates his cultivation and starts anew, his cultivation will stagnate, and even the most precious spiritual medicine will be of no use.
After hearing Qi Hanmo's description, Li Ping thought he had taken a big gamble.
After all, even if a saint were to be resurrected, he could not possibly go through life without making mistakes or going against his conscience.
However, Qi Hanmo was an adult, and he was well aware of the consequences of his choices.
Li Ping had no good advice to give him, and even if he did, it would be difficult to change Qi Hanmo's mind.
After discussing his own affairs and learning about Qi Hanmo's recent situation, Li Ping inquired about Xiao Yunzhi's condition.
He was also a little puzzled when he asked the question.
After all, he clearly stated in the communication talisman that he was coming to visit Xiao Yunzhi and Qi Hanmo, so why was only Qi Hanmo there to pick him up? Where was Xiao Yunzhi?
What are you busy with, little girl? You didn't even come out to greet Brother Li when he arrived!
What puzzled Li Ping even more was that after hearing his elder brother's question, Qi Hanmo glanced at him silently before slowly saying, "Elder brother, Senior Sister Xiao has already transcended her physical form."
"What? How is this possible?" Li Ping was so shocked that he couldn't help but stand up.
He couldn't believe it; how could Xiao Yunzhi, who was perfectly fine, have died?
It is easy to defeat a Core Formation cultivator, but difficult to kill one; this is especially true for Xiao Yunzhi.
She possesses the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade given to her by Daoist Gaoji. Once she upgrades her natal magic weapon into the "Sun and Moon Ring," relying on the power of her natal magic weapon, even a late-stage Core Formation cultivator would not be able to kill her in a short time.
Unless several late-stage Core Formation cultivators join forces, leaving her with no way to escape!
But how could such a thing happen in a place like the Western Wilderness?
Xiao Yunzhi isn't stupid; she's a cultivator from the academy and has the academy as her backing.
If a real fight breaks out, it should be the Core Formation cultivators of the academy besieging the others, not Xiao Yunzhi being openly attacked!
What are you all good for?!
……
At this moment... Li Ping's heart was filled with sorrow, and his Daoist heart was clouded.
He thought that perhaps it was his words before Xiao Yunzhi left that hurt her, which was why she returned to the Western Wilderness to refine her natal magic weapon and then unexpectedly perished.
If he hadn't been so ruthless that day, Xiao Yunzhi would have stayed in the far north to refine magical artifacts.
After he completes his Core Formation, the two of them will return to the Western Wilderness together, and Xiao Yunzhi will not encounter any danger.
No wonder he hasn't heard any news about Xiao Yunzhi since he returned to the Western Wilderness.
……
With numerous thoughts flashing through his mind, Li Ping slumped back into his chair and let out a long sigh.
It was only then that he realized that, without him noticing, Xiao Yunzhi had already earned a place in his heart.
Seeing his elder brother's sorrowful appearance, Qi Hanmo's eyes also dimmed. He thought: With Senior Sister Xiao's Heavenly Spiritual Root talent, if she hadn't perished, she should have already formed her core by now. If she had been faster, she might have already reached the mid-stage of the Core Formation. But fate is cruel!
He remembered that Senior Sister Xiao had once asked him to inquire about a cultivator named Yan Buping. Seeing his elder brother's reaction, he suddenly realized what had happened.
Li Ping and Yan Buping are probably the same person.
There may be an unusual relationship between the eldest brother and Senior Sister Xiao.
Unfortunately, you're too late, brother!
After a long while, Li Pingqiang calmed himself down and said as calmly as possible, "Where is Fellow Daoist Xiao's tomb? Hanmo, could you take me there to pay my respects?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Hanmo shook his head with a dim look in his eyes: "Senior Sister Xiao did not leave any remains, so the headmaster did not set up a mausoleum for her, only a name on a monument."
He still remembered that more than sixty years ago, Senior Sister Xiao entered the Qingyun Secret Realm to gather spiritual herbs. In the end, the Qingyun Secret Realm inexplicably collapsed, and Senior Sister was unable to come out, remaining in the secret realm forever, her remains never found.
"Sigh!" Li Ping sighed.
The Great Dao is ruthless; nothing could be more so. The formation of the Golden Core is merely the starting point of the path to immortality.
Although theoretically, Core Formation Realm cultivators are the top combat force in the Western Wilderness, this does not mean absolute safety.
For example, Dai Sangyu, with her impulsive personality, offended too many people she shouldn't have.
As a result, he died not long after reaching the Core Formation stage, and also implicated True Person Fenglan.
Now, Xiao Yunzhi has also been executed.
Amidst his grief, Li Ping was also deeply alarmed, determined not to follow in their footsteps.
Becoming a Core Formation True Person and standing at the top of the Western Wilderness does not mean he no longer needs to live a life of humility.
On the contrary, the stronger you are, the more cautious and prudent you need to be!
After all, the stronger you are, the more thoroughly your enemies will prepare to deal with you, ensuring that they can crush you without any surprises!
Just like the wedding banquet that day, the Immortal City side had three Core Formation level warriors: True Person Fenglan, Dai Sangyu, and Little Azure Dragon. Among them, True Person Fenglan was only in the mid-Core Formation stage, so their strength was undeniably formidable.
But if Ziyun Valley really wanted to deal with them, it would strike with lightning speed, leaving them no room to react.
The real world is not a novel; people will stop at nothing to win.
Bullying the weak with the strong, and bullying the few with the many, are all standard practices.
On his own way back to the Western Wilderness, didn't he also launch a heavy attack on the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Otherworld?
Thinking of this, Li Ping looked up at Qi Hanmo and said, "Tell me how Fellow Daoist Xiao perished."
Xiao Yunzhi was her confidante, and now she has fallen from grace.
Li Ping has no way to do it for now, but if he has the ability in the future, he will definitely avenge her and comfort her spirit in the afterlife.
Qi Hanmo sighed: "Alas, this is a long story. More than sixty years ago, the Qingyun Secret Realm was opened for the last time..."
Listening to Qi Hanmo's description, Li Ping gradually sensed something was wrong, especially when he mentioned the collapse of the secret realm and the subsequent death of Senior Sister Xiao, Li Ping's expression became even more strange.
So, those two were just talking to themselves the whole time, right?
After Qi Hanmo finished speaking, he looked up and found his older brother staring at him speechlessly, as if he were an idiot.
"Brother, I..." Qi Hanmo was puzzled.
Li Ping shook his head and waved his hand with a dark face, indicating that he didn't need to say anything more.
This blunder was also his fault for not explaining things clearly at the beginning; he thought that the news of Xiao Yunzhi's return to the Western Wilderness was common knowledge.
Judging from Qi Hanmo's current behavior, it's clear that either Xiao Yunzhi hasn't returned to the Western Wilderness, or she has, but the news of her return is confidential and Qi Hanmo is not qualified to know.
Li Ping now understands why some underworld bosses would trade ashes as commodities.
Information asymmetry is absolutely crucial.
Seeing his elder brother's dark expression, Qi Hanmo was completely bewildered. However, since his elder brother was unwilling to listen, he did not continue to mention the matter of Senior Sister Xiao's death. Instead, he chatted with his elder brother about the situation at Donghua Mountain.
According to Qi Hanmo, Donghua Mountain is currently under the joint jurisdiction of the Weidao Alliance and the four sects of the Demonic Path.
Due to the checks and balances between the two sides, Donghua Mountain became the largest trading place in the entire Western Wilderness, and its prosperity surpassed that of the past when the academy was in charge.
Righteous cultivators and demonic cultivators exchange goods and services through this place, and even strange people from the grasslands secretly come here to trade under the guise of their relationship with the demonic path.
Treasures of the Core Formation level and magic weapons also appear from time to time.
However, when Qi Hanmo mentioned this matter, a look of disgust would occasionally flash in his eyes.
He talked about something else.
Possession is absolutely forbidden in the Defenders Alliance, and anyone found doing so will be hunted down by the academy.
However, now, due to the decline in the strength of the academy, it has to choose to strategically shrink. In addition, with the four demonic sects adding fuel to the fire, the trading of dwellings and furnaces has become a common practice, and a large number of low-level cultivators have become materials.
In addition, the practice of using the flesh, bones, and souls of cultivators and mortals to forge demonic artifacts is showing signs of resurgence.
The rites and music have collapsed, and morality has declined!
The abnormal prosperity of Donghua City is not something that the cultivators of the academy are happy to see.
When Qi Hanmo talked about this matter, he couldn't help but feel indignant, pounding his chest and stamping his feet, wishing he could bring all those demonic cultivators who treated their fellow human beings like straw dogs, as well as those cultivators who colluded with them, to justice!
Li Ping didn't say anything more.
In this world, it is never enough to learn something good in a thousand days, but it is more than enough to learn something bad in a single day.
Without the constraints of a powerful institution like an academy, human nature will naturally slide into the abyss.
Demonic cultivator?
All cultivators under heaven are potential demonic cultivators!