292: Chapter 292 The New Base of the Hehuan Sect, Qixia Valley

Ancestor Tianhu manifested and personally set the tone, declaring that Xu Ruyu had passed all the trials of the Nine Linglong Barriers and even praising him as a "fellow Daoist."

This news was like a thunderclap in the Nine Heavens, completely reshaping Xu Ruyu's status within the Taihu Clan and even the entire Tianyin Mountains.

Once the dust settled, the Clan Chief and the Supreme Mage personally oversaw the designation of Qixia Valley—the area with the richest Spiritual Qi and the most beautiful scenery in the Tianyin Mountains—as the exclusive territory for Xu Ruyu and the incoming members of the Hehuan Sect.

Qixia Valley, adjacent to Lady Qingli's "Moonlight Stream," was vast, featuring spiritual springs, waterfalls, exotic flowers, rare herbs, and even several natural Immortal Caves and a flat valley floor suitable for constructing buildings.

The specifications were high and the treatment so generous that it far exceeded that of an ordinary Guest Elder, making it nearly equivalent to the territory of the Taihu Clan's core direct lineage.

Furthermore, the Clan Chief personally ordered that Disciples skilled in carpentry, construction, and Formation layout be dispatched to immediately begin building the Sect's residence, meditation rooms, and Alchemy and Artifact Refining Rooms according to the highest standards, with all necessary resources provided by the clan treasury.

At the same time, access to the non-core areas of the Scripture Pavilion, Pill Refining Room, and Artifact Refining Room was granted, allowing Hehuan Sect Disciples limited use, provided they followed the rules.

All these arrangements were efficient and thoughtful, fully demonstrating the Taihu Clan's regard and sincerity toward Xu Ruyu. Lady Qingli participated in the coordination throughout the entire process, personally overseeing every detail to ensure nothing went wrong.

When the news reached the Hehuan Sect's temporary lodging (a courtyard on the outskirts of Tianyin Mountain), Xiao Nianyin, Su Mei, Qingyan, and the rest of the Hehuan Sect Disciples were both pleasantly surprised and incredulous.

Although they knew Xu Ruyu had been invited by the Taihu Clan to "pay a visit," they never imagined that their young Sect Master would, in such a short time, not only successfully secure a foothold for the Sect in a treasure land like the Tianyin Mountains but also obtain such high-level courtesy and resource allocation from the Taihu Clan!

"What on earth… did the Sect Master do?"

Qingyan's small mouth was slightly agape, her face full of disbelief.

Su Mei's eyes sparkled with mischief as she chuckled, "Our little Sect Master has many secrets. It seems he truly shocked those arrogant fellows in the Taihu Clan this time."

Xiao Nianyin's ice-blue eyes flickered slightly, waves of emotion rising in her heart.

She knew better than anyone else the strength and arrogance of the Taihu Clan. For Xu Ruyu to win such treatment in such a short time while only at the Qi Refinement Stage, what he had experienced was certainly not as simple as "paying a visit."

She suddenly recalled the calm and firm look in Xu Ruyu's eyes before he left, and a corner of her heart was slightly touched.

However, just when everyone thought this was the highest level of courtesy the Taihu Clan could offer and that Xu Ruyu's status would be cemented as such—

Three days later, on the massive plaza in front of the Moon Fox Palace, an unprecedented all-clan assembly was held, convened jointly by the Clan Chief and the Supreme Mage.

Except for necessary guards and those in seclusion, almost all Taihu clansmen within the clan grounds, regardless of cultivation level or status, were in attendance.

The crowd was dense and black with people, numbering in the thousands.

The members of the Hehuan Sect were also specially invited to attend as guests and were arranged in a position with a good view on one side of the plaza.

In the center of the plaza, a temporary high platform had been erected. The Clan Chief, enveloped in the clear radiance of the moon, stood at the front of the platform. The phantom of the Supreme Mage hovered to the side.

The Grand Elder, Elder Lan Yi, Lady Qingli, and other core high-level members were lined up on the left and right.

Xu Ruyu was specially arranged to stand slightly behind the Clan Chief, a position that in itself carried extraordinary significance.

The atmosphere was solemn and grave, with a subtle, impending tension. Everyone sensed that something extremely important was about to be announced.

The Clan Chief scanned the silent clansmen below, her gaze under the moonlight deep and majestic.

She did not speak immediately but raised her hand with a wave, and a massive light screen condensed from spiritual power unfolded above the plaza.

On the light screen, scenes began to flash rapidly—

The spirit testing stone shattering strangely into powder; the Illusory Moon Well's energy running wild, with a pink-gold beam of light shooting into the sky; in the War Soul Tower's light screen, a Qi Refinement Stage figure engaging in a fierce battle with a Nascent Soul imprint; in the Ancient Inheritance Ground, a hundred rays of Holy Light appearing simultaneously, with the phantoms of ancient Saints resonating; in the Thousand-Illusion Lost Track Cave, the Forbidden Array's energy network being controlled and reorganized by an invisible hand; in the battle soul blood crystal illusion, the youth heroically facing death for ancient clansmen he had never met; on the Heaven-Climbing Ladder, that slow yet firm figure finally stepping onto the summit, drawing down celestial light; outside the Taihu Divine Temple, stars and moonlight converging, with waves of intent akin to the worship of ten thousand people...

Some of these scenes were blurry images recorded by yingxi stones or Formations when Xu Ruyu was passing the trials; others were simulations reconstructed with spiritual power based on the memories and descriptions of those involved (the Clan Chief, the Supreme Mage, etc.).

Although not perfectly clear, it was enough for all the Taihu clansmen who had not witnessed the scene firsthand to intuitively feel those "miracles" that could be described as shocking and subversive to their understanding!

On the plaza, there were uncontrollable gasps, exclamations, and whispers of disbelief. Many young Disciples watched with boiling blood, casting fanatically adoring gazes toward the figure in green robes on the platform. Meanwhile, some older, more composed Elders wore solemn expressions, their eyes complex.

When the image finally froze on the summit of Qingtian Peak, with seven-colored divine light falling and the phantom of Ancestor Tianhu appearing, and her ethereal, majestic voice seemed to ring out again across time and space (simulated by the Clan Chief using a secret technique), the entire plaza fell into complete silence.

Ancestor Tianhu! That was the source of all Taihu clansmen's Bloodline and faith! Her approval carried more weight than anything else!