14: A terrifying battle, and the immortal mountain returns!

The river breeze, carrying a heavy scent of blood mixed with the smell of charred wood, rushed toward them.

The river water was no longer clear, churning with an eerie dark red. Large remnants of the tower ship bobbed on the surface, and in some places, white smoke was still rising with a sizzling sound.

Dead silence.

After that earth-shattering battle just now, only a deathly silence remained between heaven and earth.

Su Linger's small face was deathly pale. She gripped the gunwale tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

She had seen death and the indifference of relatives, but she had never seen such a direct, such a tragic slaughter.

Dozens of Cultivators, including a Late Stage Nascent Soul powerhouse, had turned into dust right before her eyes, staining the river water red.

Wang Duojin's Adam's apple bobbed. He forced himself to look away, refusing to see the floating severed limbs.

His mind was a tangled mess.

Is this the means of immortals?

Is this the world of cultivation?

A moment ago, he was smug about earning silver through divination; the next, he witnessed a battle capable of destroying heaven and earth.

What surged in his heart was not fear, but an indescribable trembling mixed with excitement.

"Are you afraid?"

Chu Xuanjin's voice sounded from behind, as calm as if nothing had just happened.

Su Linger and Wang Duojin stiffened, turning around in unison.

Chu Xuanjin stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze falling upon them.

"Once you step onto this path, there is no turning back."

"What you have seen today will be commonplace in the future."

"What you must get used to is not killing, but how not to be killed."

His words carried no comfort, like a cold carving knife, slicing open the cruelest side of the cultivation world directly before them.

Wang Duojin took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and bowed.

"Revered Master, this Disciple is not afraid."

He paused, then asked the most practical question.

"It's just... we killed an Elder of the Blazing Fire Sect. Their Sect will likely not let this rest."

Su Linger also looked nervously at Chu Xuanjin.

The Blazing Fire Sect was a renowned Sect in the Eastern Desolate Region, far beyond comparison to her Su family in Beixuan City.

Upon hearing this, the corners of Chu Xuanjin's mouth curled into an arc, one that carried undisguised contempt.

"The Blazing Fire Sect?"

"Mere clowns."

"If they behave, they might survive a few more days. If they don't know what's good for them..."

He did not continue, but that indifference, viewing all things as straw dogs, was more chilling than any harsh words.

Wang Duojin's heart instantly settled.

Indeed, the Revered Master he had apprenticed to could casually produce divine techniques and Immortal Artifacts; why fear a mundane Sect?

Just then, there was movement at the bow of the ship.

Ye Chenfeng sat cross-legged, his long sword across his knees, and began to regulate his breathing.

That "One Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate" just now had almost drained all his Spiritual Qi. At this moment, his face was pale, and his aura was somewhat unstable.

Yet his eyes were brighter than ever before.

That sword, which had soared with killing intent when unsheathed, now lay quietly, its edge fully concealed, gentle as jade.

He sensed the gaze of his Junior Brother and Junior Sister, opened his eyes, and nodded slightly at them.

That look was calm and firm.

Su Linger and Wang Duojin's hearts inexplicably settled a bit more.

This is their Senior Brother.

With him here, even if the sky fell, he would be able to hold it up.

【Ding! Personal Disciple Ye Chenfeng has killed a Late Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator above his level, Sword Heart Enlightened!】

【Reward for Host: Proficiency in the Divine Ability 'One Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate' greatly increased!】

In Chu Xuanjin's mind, the System notification sounded.

A profound realization regarding the Dao of the sword flooded into his Sea of Consciousness out of thin air, instantly deepening his understanding of that Divine Ability several times over.

"This place is not suitable for a long stay."

Chu Xuanjin withdrew his thoughts, his gaze sweeping across the chaotic river surface.

He formed a hand seal with one hand, and the black-awning boat turned, its speed suddenly accelerating like an arrow released from a bow, rushing towards a stretch of uninhabited mountains on the shore.

Half an hour later.

The black-awning boat docked in a hidden mountain col.

Chu Xuanjin led the three Disciples ashore. All around were towering ancient trees, with no birds or beasts to be seen; it was deathly silent.

"Revered Master, we..." Wang Duojin just wanted to ask.

But Chu Xuanjin raised his hand, signaling him to be silent.

Chu Xuanjin stood in the open space, one hand behind his back, and gently waved the other.

A faint light flew from his sleeve.

The light expanded rapidly in mid-air against the wind.

Rumble!

The earth began to tremble violently, and the mountains shook because of it.

A supreme divine mountain, ten thousand zhang high, wreathed in immortal mist and brilliant colors, appeared out of thin air in the midst of these desolate mountains!

On the divine mountain, halls and pavilions were arranged in a staggered fashion. Immortal cranes spread their wings in the clouds, and spiritual waterfalls cascaded from the peak, striking the jade stones and making pleasant ding-dong sounds.

A surge of Spiritual Qi, ten thousand times denser than the outside world, swept out like a tsunami, instantly transforming this deathly silent mountain col into a blessed land!

"This... this... this is..."

Wang Duojin's eyes were wide as saucers. He opened his mouth, his finger trembling as he pointed at the divine mountain before him, unable to say a word.

He had thought his divination skills were already immortal means, but compared to the great power of creating something from nothing before his eyes, it was simply the difference between a firefly and the bright moon!

Su Linger also covered her small mouth, her ice-blue beautiful eyes filled with shock.

She finally understood why Revered Master said a place like Beixuan City could not bury her.

Because her world was already completely different.

"This is the Myriad Dao Divine Mountain, where our Sect is located."

Chu Xuanjin's voice pulled the two of them back from their shock.

He stepped forward, walking toward the magnificent mountain gate inscribed with the four sweeping, dragon-like characters "Myriad Dao Divine Sect".

"Follow."

Ye Chenfeng's expression was calm, obviously having seen it before; he stepped forward to follow.

Su Linger and Wang Duojin, as if sleepwalking, followed mechanically behind.

One step into the mountain gate, and heaven and earth shifted.

The Spiritual Qi, which had materialized, rushed toward them. The two of them took just one breath and felt a sense of comfort throughout their limbs and bones; their cultivation, which had just broken through, actually saw an instantaneous improvement.

"That is the Sect Master's Hall, the Myriad Dao Hall."

"That is the Hall of Inheriting Skills, the Alchemy Pavilion, the Artifact Refining Pavilion..."

Chu Xuanjin pointed casually at the magnificent buildings in the mountains.

Finally, he led the three of them to the courtyard in the back mountain, which was covered by a Formation.

In the courtyard, the ancient enlightenment tea tree, with its gnarled and vigorous branches and leaves carved like jasper, stood quietly.

"This is the ancient enlightenment tea tree. Picking its leaves to brew tea can help one attain enlightenment."

Wang Duojin's legs went soft, and he almost knelt down.

A divine tree that helps one attain enlightenment!

Just what kind of background did this Revered Master of his have!

Chu Xuanjin did not introduce any further; he looked at Su Linger and Wang Duojin.

"On the east side of the mountain, there are a hundred Disciple residences. The two of you, go find one each."

He looked at Ye Chenfeng again.

"Chenfeng, you take them there."

"Yes, Revered Master," Ye Chenfeng replied while bowing.

"Today, you all have also had your own realizations."

Chu Xuanjin's gaze swept over the three of them.

"Go back and cultivate quietly, and stabilize your state of mind."

"Tomorrow morning, come to the Hall of Inheriting Skills to find me."

"This Disciple obeys!" the three replied in unison.

Ye Chenfeng took the still somewhat dazed Su Linger and Wang Duojin and walked toward the direction of the Disciple residences.

Chu Xuanjin watched their backs, a smile appearing on his face.

He turned around, took a step, and his figure appeared on the square in front of the Myriad Dao Hall.

He stood with his hands behind his back, overlooking this nascent immortal Holy Land.

One Chaos Sword Body, one Reincarnation Empress, one Formation prodigy.

The Foundation of the Myriad Dao Divine Sect had already been established.