149: Chapter 149 Three Thousand Grotto-Heavens and Spiritual Domains

Moonshadow Grotto-Heaven.

Unlike the freezing cold outside, the Grotto-Heaven was vibrant with life.

The core area had expanded to a radius of ten miles, lush and green.

Several emerald peaks rose from the ground, with spiritual waterfalls cascading down into the shimmering spirit lake at the foot of the mountains, while winding rivers flowed like jade belts between the lush meadows and fields of spiritual herbs.

Atop the peaks, pavilions and towers were arranged in an orderly fashion, adorned with carved beams and painted pillars, surrounded by spiritual mist, presenting a truly immortal scene.

This was the result of the Lone Peak Cottage having undergone expansion over the years.

Outside this vibrant core area, the scene was starkly different.

A vast, boundless expanse of barren rocky land stretched toward the borders of Chaos.

And upon this barren land, like stars dotting the night sky, more than two thousand Spiritual Realms floated and circled.

These Spiritual Realms varied in shape and size.

Inside them, some were like burning fireballs with churning flames, containing scorching refined metal Qi; some resembled clear blue pools with rippling waves, where the gentle intent of water flowed ceaselessly; others were lush and verdant, with the phantoms of towering giant trees rooted in the Void Realm.

There were even a few Spiritual Realms emitting strange lusters, some icy blue and cold, some with Yin and Yang circulating, or with Sword Intent soaring to the heavens...

Each Spiritual Realm radiated a unique aura of Law; they were opened up by the Disciples of the Moonshadow Sect using the Law fragments they had comprehended or the characteristics of their Spiritual Roots (such as metal, wood, water, fire, earth, ice, Yin and Yang, Sword Intent, etc.) as a Foundation, with the help of the Yin-Yang Aperture Drilling Method.

These Spiritual Realms constantly absorbed the power of the Grotto-Heaven's Origin to evolve themselves, while simultaneously feeding back the Law insights they had evolved into the Grotto-Heaven, nourishing the expansion of the core area and accelerating the overall evolution of the Grotto-Heaven.

However, these Spiritual Realms were currently all aggregates of Laws and energy, dead silent inside, and had not yet given birth to any life.

The entire Grotto-Heaven, apart from the core ten-mile radius of life and these two thousand-plus Law Spiritual Realms, was otherwise boundlessly barren.

At the summit of the highest peak in the center, the elegant courtyard remained the same.

Ling Hao pushed open the door of the bedchamber and walked out; the morning Spiritual Qi in the Grotto-Heaven was exceptionally fresh.

His gaze habitually swept across the eye-catching stone tablet standing in the center of the courtyard—the duty roster.

Duty Roster

November 22nd: Chi Wanhe (crossed out) Chi Shuying

November 23rd: Qin Zhaoxue

November 24th: Du Yuqing

November 25th: Lu Changning

November 26th: Lin Xiwei

November 27th: Huang Yutong and two others

November 28th: Yu Lingshuang

November 29th: Chi Shuying

November 30th: Rest

Ling Hao's gaze fixed on the last line:

November 30th: Rest

" 'Rest'... " Ling Hao whispered to himself, his fingertip lightly tapping the air over those two characters, a meaningful smile curling the corners of his lips, " According to the schedule, it is time to rest. However... "

Ling Hao looked back into the bedchamber; the messy brocade quilt had slipped to the floor, and various soft, light fabrics lay scattered and entangled like flower petals after they had bloomed and withered.

A pair of black silk stockings with a delicate texture was twisted together with a pair of plain white silk stockings, casually draped over the edge of the bed.

The pillow was more than half covered by a large, water-blue dudou, with a torn strip of moon-white shark-silk skirt pressed diagonally across it.

A few silk ribbons from a lotus-root pink chest-high ruqun, along with several strands of soft dark hair of different colors, were all embedded in the folds of the brocade quilt...

He had just stepped into the Grotto-Heaven this morning when his Disciples heard the wind and moved, causing Ling Hao to force his "rest day" into a "work day."

What else could he do? Naturally... hmm, rest is rest, but the waist cannot stop.

Ling Hao withdrew his gaze, his thoughts stirred slightly, and he opened the System interface, his eyes lingering on the Sect promotion column:

Fifth-Grade Sect Promotion Conditions:

Golden Core Stage Disciples ≥ 30 (Current: 30/30)

everlasting light tablet Foundation Establishment Stage or higher members ≥ 3000 (Current: 2999/3000)

Promotion Rewards: yin-yang enlightenment tree, Void Realm dock, erosion suppression monument (upgrade), tower of laws (upgrade)

2999/3000... Just one last person left.

Ling Hao looked into the distance of the Grotto-Heaven, where light orbs of Spiritual Realms of various shapes floated, representing the Dao of practice of each Disciple; counting them carefully, there were two thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.

" Still missing that final kick. "

A glimmer flashed in Ling Hao's eyes,

" Then today, let's go back to the Sect first. See whose Dao Heart is stable, guide her, and help the Sect promote to the Fifth Grade in one go! "

As soon as his voice fell, Ling Hao's figure moved slightly and slowly disappeared from this Moonshadow Grotto-Heaven.

Houde Peak, Five Elements Chaos Spirit Pool.

The dense Five Elements glow intertwined and flowed above the spirit pool.

Inside the spirit pool, gold, cyan, blue, red, and yellow spirit liquid intertwined, emitting a majestic aura of Chaos.

Several naked female Disciples were immersed in it with their eyes closed, their skin gleaming with a jade-like luster under the reflection of the spiritual light, greedily absorbing this supreme fortune that could reshape their Foundation.

Near the edge of the pool, a woman slowly opened her eyes.

She had a beautiful and clear face, but at this moment, it was hard to hide a trace of nervousness and expectation in her eyes.

The woman rose from the warm spirit liquid, her white feet bare, and walked lightly toward a primitive giant stone about a zhang high by the side of the pool.

This was the "Chaos Spirit Mirroring Stone" used to test the grade of Spiritual Roots.

Luo Qianxue took a deep breath, cleared her mind of distracting thoughts, and placed her hand steadily against the cold, smooth stone surface.

Hum...

A low resonance came from within the Spirit Mirroring Stone, and the patterns on its surface began to flow with faint light one by one.

The light gathered, swirled, and collided... Finally, in the center of the giant stone, an ancient seal character formed by countless tiny points of light—the character "Heaven"—appeared!

" The Heaven character! It is the 'Heaven' character! "

" Congratulations, Senior Sister Qianxue! Your Spiritual Root has been upgraded to the Heavenly grade! "

The several female Disciples also soaking in the pool were startled by this light; they opened their eyes one after another, and upon seeing that brilliant "Heaven" character, they all revealed sincere surprise and envy, offering their congratulations in succession.

Looking at that "Heaven" character, a surge of immense excitement and a sense of achievement welled up in Luo Qianxue's heart; she turned and smiled back at the sisters in the pool:

" Thank you all, Junior Sisters, for your kind words! "

" Not bad. "

Suddenly, a clear, resonant voice sounded beside her ear.

Luo Qianxue's heart jumped violently, and she turned around abruptly.

She saw that, at some point, a man in a black robe had quietly stood in the glow by the pool, looking at her with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face.

" Sect... Sect Master! "

A captivating rosy flush instantly stained Luo Qianxue's cheeks.

She forced herself to calm down, turned slightly to the side, and bowed respectfully in Ling Hao's direction: " Disciple Luo Qianxue pays respects to the Sect Master. "

With this bow, her exquisite curves, adorned by the glow and water droplets, displayed a breathtaking, holy beauty.

Ling Hao's gaze fell on her, and a light blue information screen automatically appeared before his eyes:

Name: Luo Qianxue

Age: 22

Spiritual Root: Heavenly Spiritual Root (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth)

Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Stage, 7th Layer

Loyalty: 99

99 points of loyalty!

Ling Hao nodded slightly:

" The Heavenly Spiritual Root is achieved. Qianxue, are you willing to follow me into the Moonshadow Grotto-Heaven to undergo deeper cultivation? "

Enter... the Moonshadow Grotto-Heaven?!

A brilliant smile bloomed on Luo Qianxue's pretty face.

Entering that Holy Land to cultivate meant not only a leap in cultivation but also the supreme glory and oath of completely delivering everything she was—body and heart—into the Sect Master's hands!

And this was exactly what she had dreamed of!

Luo Qianxue bowed deeply to Ling Hao:

" This Disciple is willing! "