Chapter 67: The Gloomy Valley

However, there was also the possibility that the spiritual land had formed naturally, which wouldn’t arouse too much suspicion.

At its inception, the spiritual land was only of the first rank. Assuming the identity of Yan Sheng, Shen Yan revealed the cultivation of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. To occupy a piece of first-rank spiritual land was, at least in theory, not a difficult task. But that was only in theory.

In the cultivation world, it was not only about fighting and killing—social connections and worldly wisdom were equally important. Generally, such disputes over spiritual land involved a Foundation Establishment force rallying allies and forming alliances with friends. Only by jointly defending the three rounds of challenges could they secure the land and claim it as their own. Connections were crucial.

If you were at Foundation Establishment and your clan also had Foundation Establishment cultivators, or if you had good relations with other such forces, people would be willing to grant you this favor. Securing a piece of spiritual land would be no issue. But if you were alone, without any backing or allies, you would have to defend all three rounds by yourself, facing challenges from three Foundation Establishment cultivators. That would be extremely difficult.

However, with his current strength, as long as he didn’t face someone at peak Foundation Establishment, or a late-stage cultivator from a major sect, he could defend not just three rounds, but even ten. Yet, to display such overwhelming might was not his goal.

This time, he needed not only to display his prowess and deter covetous eyes from all sides but also to ensure that the Vast Ocean Sect could accept his presence and lessen their suspicion and wariness. Only then could he secure a period of stable development. He needed to intimidate the Foundation Establishment cultivators without arousing the suspicion or apprehension of the higher sects. This was no easy feat, but Shen Yan was prepared. With a bit of calculated performance, his objective could be achieved.

After seeing Xuanjizi off, Shen Yan did not idle. He immediately took out materials and began refining artifacts once again.

...

Within Qinglian Lake, the spies of various factions remained, though none dared probe deeper. Clearly, Xuanjizi had already reported the matter of Qinglian Spiritual Land to the sect and announced it to the other factions.

Upon receiving the news and learning that a Foundation Establishment sword cultivator was within, none would lightly send their subordinates to die. Some, lacking sufficient strength, abandoned all thoughts of contending. Only a few powerful factions remained, watching like tigers eyeing their prey, waiting for the contest over the spiritual land to begin in three months.

Shen Yan made no further moves against them. Returning to the island, he activated the formation. Shen Yan went to the medicine field, to a small patch of unplanted ground. There was no need to activate any mechanism or array; with but a thought, he summoned the Heavenly Emperor Seal. Instantly, the earth flowed like water, parting of its own accord to reveal a staircase.

Descending the steps, Shen Yan entered an underground chamber. The chamber was small, its four walls, ceiling, and floor all covered with dense yellow talismans.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed.

Three months later, at Qinglian Lake.

One after another, streaks of spiritual light flew through the air, vanishing into the mist-shrouded Qinglian Lake, startling countless mortal eyes. Within a few days, rumors would surely circulate among the common folk: spiritual lights above Qinglian Lake, traces of immortals in Yunmeng Marsh.

But that concerned only mortals. In the cultivation world, the matter of the Qinglian Spiritual Land was already well known. A first-rank spiritual land, and a cultivated one at that, held little potential or value. Ordinarily, a single Foundation Establishment cultivator could occupy it and use it as their foothold.

But this time was different. With deliberate arrangements, the contest for this spiritual land now carried not just interests but also blood debts and grudges.

The falling spiritual lights stirred furious winds, dispersing the lake’s mists. Within the lights were all sorts of flying artifacts, at the very least of superior grade. Some were even of the highest quality, spanning several zhang wide—a grand floating building-ship. Such large flying artifacts could carry dozens of people, their speed and defenses far surpassing ordinary ones. Lone Foundation Establishment cultivators could not afford, nor needed, such things. Only a faction with dozens of cultivators and ample resources would require and be able to control such vessels.

For a solitary cultivator, even if they could afford it, they would be unable to operate it. These artifacts were protected by complex formations and restrictions, useful not only for travel but also for combat, serving as mobile fortresses—offensive weapons, and symbols of status and strength.

Within one such three-story building-ship—

“Yan Sheng?”
“Mid-stage Foundation Establishment?”
“A sword cultivator?”
“Hmph!”

In the main hall, three people sat, all at Foundation Establishment. The man in the primary seat was an elder with hair and beard as white as snow, exuding an aura of authority. His cultivation was already at late Foundation Establishment. Flanking him on either side were two middle-aged men, one at early and one at mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

At this moment, the mid-stage cultivator spoke out in anger: “To lure and kill our clan’s disciples with strength bullying the weak—truly shameless and despicable!”

His words were not only filled with rage but also deep hatred.

Before Shen Yan reported the Qinglian Spiritual Land to the Vast Ocean Sect, he had carefully picked among the various spies, selecting a few who were neither too weak nor too strong, and struck ruthlessly, killing them.

These spies came from all factions, vanguards sent to investigate after noticing something unusual at Qinglian. Most of them were at late-stage Qi Refining—elites among their sects, holding considerable status. Now, having perished at Qinglian Lake, how could their relatives and friends not hate him?

At this point, the matter had become more than a dispute over spiritual land; it was now a blood feud over slain disciples.

Otherwise, they would not have gone to such lengths to challenge a mid-stage Foundation Establishment sword cultivator.

Even among spiritual lands, there were ranks. A first-rank spiritual land corresponded to the Qi Refining stage and held limited value, suitable only as a clan’s foundation for personal use. To establish a market to attract cultivators, at least a second-rank land was needed. Only such land was worth risking one’s life over.

Qinglian Lake, after all, was only first-rank, and artificially cultivated at that—a low-grade plot with little potential or value. It was not worth Foundation Establishment cultivators fighting to the death over.

“A mere first-rank spiritual land—if a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator claims it, so be it! But he acted with wanton cruelty, slaughtering our disciples. If this grudge goes unavenged, the flames of hatred will never be quenched!” The mid-stage cultivator slammed the table with a large hand.

This was none other than Xu Mao, the Foundation Establishment patriarch of the Xu family of Little Lan Mountain. His anger was not without reason. The slain clan member was his illegitimate son. Xu Mao had hoped to use this opportunity to earn merit and improve his position within the family, allowing him to direct more resources his way. Who would have thought, before he could even make a move, his son would die at Qinglian Lake?

How could he not be filled with hatred?

Yet, anger aside, reason had not deserted him. The opponent was also at mid-stage Foundation Establishment, no weaker than himself, and a sword cultivator at that—a peerless fighter. To seek revenge alone was nothing but wishful thinking. He might even be killed in turn.

“Uncle, too, was harmed by that villain,” Xu Mao said, looking toward the white-haired elder in the main seat. “This grudge must not go unavenged!”