162: Chapter 162: Is the old wall lamp a cover?

Night fell.

On Peach Blossom Mountain, Night-Luminescent Pearls illuminated the area as brightly as day.

Xiao Ran stood at the mountain peak, gazing at the distant starry sky.

Behind him, Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing approached.

“Sir, the list has been compiled. There are thirty-two people in total.”

Xiao Ran took the list and glanced at it.

Deputy Commander Tie Xiong, Captain Leng Yue, Captain Zhao Wuji, Patrol Captain Bai Qiushui, Finance Manager Shen Qing... even that Lin Xue had come.

There were also several Inner Sect Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples.

Their cultivation levels ranged from Golden Core to Nascent Soul.

“Not bad.”

Xiao Ran put away the list.

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing hesitated for a moment.

“Sir, are we really going to the Far North Land? It is very dangerous there.”

Xiao Ran's expression didn't change in the slightest.

“Dangerous? Where in the cultivation world is not dangerous?”

“Qingqing, have you ever heard the saying: the bigger the wind and waves, the more expensive the fish.”

“The more dangerous the place, the greater the opportunities.”

“If you stay in the Sect, you'll only ever get the scraps. You have to go out and venture to feast on the meat.”

Xiao Ran gave an impassioned speech.

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Xiao Ran patted her shoulder and painted a small vision for her.

“Stay here and look after our home. Once I've established a solid foothold, I'll send for you.”

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing nodded solemnly.

“Sir... I am so moved.”

The luckiest thing in Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing's life was following Xiao Ran just as he began to show his brilliance. As an 'original shareholder,' Xiao Ran had never treated her poorly.

Whether it was resources or Cultivation Techniques, they were the best available for her level.

Consequently, Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing's progress over the past two years had been rapid; everything she had came from Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran waved his hand.

“Don't be so emotional, it's not like we're parting forever.”

“Let's go, it's time to meet those people.”

...

At the foot of the mountain, in a Side Hall.

Thirty-two people were gathered together.

As Xiao Ran walked in, everyone stood up in unison.

“Elder!”

Xiao Ran raised his hand, signaling them to sit.

“Since you have chosen to follow me to the Far North Land,”

“then from this day forward, you are my core team.”

He looked around.

“The Far North Land is very dangerous—Yao Beasts, Bandits, Loose Cultivators, and unknown perils.”

“If you go, there is no guarantee you will return alive.”

“But I can guarantee that as long as you survive, you will certainly become stronger.”

“Resources, Cultivation Techniques, Magic Treasures—I have them all. As long as you dare to fight, I will dare to give.”

The thirty-two people looked at each other and shouted in unison.

“We are willing to follow the Elder through thick and thin!”

Xiao Ran nodded with satisfaction.

That's more like it!

“Good, we depart in three days.”

“Use these three days to prepare yourselves well.”

After saying this, he looked at Patrol Captain Bai Qiushui.

“Junior Brother Bai, you have the highest cultivation among this group. Over these three days, you are responsible for working on everyone's coordination and chemistry.”

Patrol Captain Bai Qiushui nodded.

“Understood.”

Xiao Ran then looked at the others.

“The same goes for you. In three days, we set out for the Far North Land.”

“Yes!”

Everyone responded in unison.

Xiao Ran walked out of the Side Hall with satisfaction and skillfully opened the Soul link.

“Changsheng, how are things on your end?”

Li Changsheng's voice came through the Soul link.

“I'm preparing to attempt the Breakthrough to Soul Transformation in the next few days.”

A few days ago, Li Changsheng heard that Xiao Ran had broken through to Soul Transformation and immediately felt like he was being left behind.

So, he had been in secluded cultivation, working hard to find the opportunity to break through to Soul Transformation.

“Is that so? Then I look forward to your good news.”

“By the way, I'm going to the Far North Land in a few days.”

Li Changsheng was stunned to hear this.

“The Far North Land? That place is no paradise.”

He had heard plenty in the Sect about how the Far North Land was a chaotic mix of people.

Within the Sect, missions involving the Far North Land always had the lowest completion rate.

“I know that, of course. I just want to get further away.”

“Changsheng, do you remember me telling you that I was taken as a disciple by the Eternal Night Demon Sect's Third Supreme Elder, but I've never actually met him?”

Li Changsheng nodded.

“I remember, of course. Why?”

Xiao Ran said in a flat tone.

“I have a feeling that old geezer doesn't want to take me as a disciple, but has his eyes on my body.”

Li Changsheng frowned upon hearing this, and after a moment, he whispered.

“That Supreme Elder is gay?”

Xiao Ran's face darkened.

“Are you a freaking idiot!”

“I'm talking about Possession!”

Li Changsheng immediately burst out laughing.

“Oh, oh, so it's Possession! I thought you meant he was gay!”

Xiao Ran: “...”

With Li Changsheng's personality, if the two had swapped Sects, the grass on his grave would probably be three meters high by now.

“Wait, Possession?”

Li Changsheng finally reacted.

“Yeah, I always feel like there's a pair of eyes in this Sect constantly watching me!”

“After thinking it over, it must be that old geezer.”

Xiao Ran had always been one to suspect others with the utmost malice.

Since coming to this world, this tendency had only grown more severe.

Xiao Ran was constantly on guard against everyone around him.

Initially, he hadn't thought in that direction, but after the White Emperor incident, he suddenly realized his body was a prize.

Especially for those old powerhouses with little Lifespan left, he was the ultimate prize among hot commodities.

So, Xiao Ran immediately suspected Mo Yuan, the Sect Master, and that so-called Third Supreme Elder.

Once suspicion is established, the crime is as good as proven in his mind.

Over the past few days, Xiao Ran suddenly noticed that Mo Yuan and some of the Sect's high-ranking officials weren't surprised by his rapid cultivation speed; instead, they seemed a bit excited.

It was as if they were preparing for something.

Thus, Xiao Ran put forward this hypothesis.

“So that's why you want to go to the Far North Land?”

Li Changsheng's voice came through.

“Exactly!”

Xiao Ran nodded; this was his true purpose for wanting to go far away.

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment.

“Alright, be careful.”

“After I break through to Soul Transformation, I'll also choose the Far North Land.”

“When the time comes and we two brothers reunite, even that so-called Third Supreme Elder will have to think twice before dealing with you.”

Hearing this, a smile played on the corners of Xiao Ran's mouth.

Even though he knew Li Changsheng was just boasting, having a brother who always supported him...

It felt great, didn't it!

“No problem, I'll treat you to drinks once I've settled in.”

“Good, it's a deal.”

The two cut the link.

...

Supreme Dao Palace.

Located at the summit of Wanren Mountain in the Northern Border.

Known as the leader of the Daoist Sects, its environment was naturally different from the gloomy and mysterious atmosphere of the Eternal Night Demon Sect.

At the Supreme Dao Palace, the sea of clouds churned all day long, accompanied by myriad streaks of glowing light.

Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine White Jade Steps led from the foot of the mountain straight to the Sect gate, each step engraved with ancient Dao Runes and emitting a faint Clear Qi.

At first glance, it looked like a place brimming with Immortal Qi.

Thus, it was the immortal paradise that every cultivator in the Northern Border dreamed of.

At this moment, the morning sun was just rising over the Supreme Dao Palace.

Golden sunlight spilled onto the White Jade Steps, dyeing the entire Dao Palace in a warm golden hue.

Li Changsheng sat cross-legged in his cultivation room and slowly opened his eyes.

As he sat on the meditation cushion, Clear Qi circulated around his body, resonating with heaven and earth.

The aura of the Innate Dao Embryo surged like a tide, each wave stronger than the last.

“Nascent Soul Great Perfection.”

He muttered softly to himself.

During this period, he had been assimilating the legacies of the Innate Dao Valley.

Although his eleven legacies were not as numerous as Xiao Ran's, each one was perfectly compatible with his Physique, allowing him to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Now, his cultivation was firmly standing on the threshold of Nascent Soul Great Perfection.

He was only one step away from Soul Transformation.

Once he reached Soul Transformation, he would catch up to Xiao Ran's pace again.