Translator: Ash Editor: Geoffrey_
At the beginning, Li Yao was a little complacent. He thought that he was a little famous in the world of cultivation, where the number of cultivators was monumental, as so many cultivation sects and famous loose cultivators had sent him congratulatory messages. Amongst those who had sent him congratulatory messages, there were no small number of powerful cultivators of the Core Formation Stage as well as old fogies of the Nascent Soul Stage, all of whom had kindly invited him to explore and discuss the 3,000 great daos.
However, when more and more congratulatory messages kept on rolling before his eyes, he gradually woke up from his dream—he was an insignificant cultivator of the 1st level Refinement Stage who had just taken first step on the road of cultivation. He could not even compare to one little phalanx of the old monsters of Nascent Soul Stage, so why would so many people see him in a favorable light?
After pondering for a long time, a realization suddenly dawned on him—these congratulatory messages were just sent automatically by the system. These venerable cultivators hadn’t personally sent a single message from the start.
“So it was just my wishful thinking!”
Li Yao’s face alternated between green and red. He said to himself that it was a good thing that he hadn’t acted impetuously and hadn’t gone looking for some Nascent Soul Stage old monsters to discuss life; otherwise, he would have lost too much face.
Finally, only after receiving a couple hundred congratulatory messages did Li Yao begin to seriously start looking over the Heaven Origin Cultivators’ Nexus.
He discovered that the entire “Half-step Great Illusionary Land” was divided into a dozen different regions.
When he turned his gaze towards a region, a stream of information automatically floated before him. The speed of the information flowing also suddenly increased.
It was the centermost region of the site and also hailed as the region of the “Federation Cultivators’ Newsletter”.
“The Golden Armor Sect’s prototype of the next-gen ‘Star Strike Shields’ has been successfully refined. The Golden Armor Sect kindly invites the fellow daoists of the cultivation world to check and propose some valuable suggestions. As long as the suggestion put forth by you could be turned into reality, the Golden Armor Sect is willing to pay a reward of 10 million!”
“The Netherworld Squad is recruiting an alchemist! The Netherworld Squad is a famous battling team renowned for hunting demon beasts in the federation. It is composed of nine Building Foundation Stage loose cultivators who perennially hunts demon beasts in the depths of the Wasteland. The Netherworld Squad is absolutely powerful and their military exploits are brilliant! Currently, they are looking for an alchemist of the peak Refinement Stage or higher. The income will be lucrative and it comes with a freedom of coming and going at your own will. Once you have officially joined, you will also receive a top-grade beast core!”
“Wasteland battlefield report—the famous demon beast hunter ‘Fiend Blade Peng Hai’ had encountered two high-level demon beasts during his most recent hunting mission. After fighting with each other at close quarters, both parties had sustained serious injuries. But in the end, Peng Hai was successful in killing them! Currently, we only know that one of the demon beasts was a ‘Great Wilderness Snake’, whose beast core is extremely beneficial to Core Formation Stage cultivators. The species of the other demon beast still remains unknown!”
“However, after this battle, Fiend Blade Peng Hai has reaped a bountiful harvest and has advanced by leaps and bounds, firmly standing at the peak of the Building Foundation Stage. With time, he can refine the Great Wilderness Snake’s beast core and very likely become one of the youngest Core Formation Stage cultivators in the federation!”
“Latest news—in the starlit night, Fiend Blade Peng Hai has quickly set out to return to the Crimson Nimbus Sect Headquarters located in the Floating Spear City where a press conference is going to be held to officially announce that he will be leaving the Crimson Nimbus Sect!”
“Peng Hai will be leaving the Crimson Nimbus Sect and will be becoming a loose cultivator!”
“Because Peng Hai’s contract period with the Crimson Nimbus Sect hasn’t yet expired, Peng Hai will be paying as much as 2 billion in liquidated damages for this decision. The current market remains calm, as the Crimson Nimbus Sect’s shares only fell by 0.8% and have firmly remained at that level!”
“Multiple cultivation sects have sent invitations to Peng Hai. The Heavenly Dragon Sect had even invited Peng Hai as an Elder; however, all the offers had been declined by him. According to Peng Hai, he would remain a loose cultivator and live freely for a while”
“However, according to sources—Peng Hai is in the process of building his own sect!”
Li Yao’s heart was stirred. He didn’t expect that in just three months, Senior Brother Peng would actually come up with such a big move.
In response to a thought of his, the news related to Peng Hai leaving the Crimson Nimbus Sect suddenly zoomed in as a live video of the press conference also appeared.
He saw Peng Hai with a smile hanging on his face calmly sitting behind a long table. And next to him sat a horse-faced, ashen old man. The old man wore a bluish white robe with his cuffs decorated with flames—this was the uniform of the Crimson Nimbus Sect’s clansmen.
From the seven blooming flowers of burning flames embroidered on his chest, he should be an elder of the Crimson Nimbus Sect.
A swarm of people sat in front of the table, creating a lively atmosphere. They were all reporters who desired to see the world plunge into chaos.
Fiend Blade Peng Hai smiled and said:
“Ladies and gentlemen of the media world, please be patient. This Peng has chosen to leave the Crimson Nimbus Sect not because of some dissatisfaction with the Crimson Nimbus Sect nor was it because of conflict with someone, but rather, it was just because this Peng had recently hunted two high-level demon beasts and had acquired some precious materials, including an immensely precious beast core!”
“Now, this Peng will be spending all his energy and attention to refine the beast core to advance to the Core Formation Stage. I am afraid that I will not have time to manage the affairs of the sect!”
“And on one side, continuing to remain in the Crimson Nimbus Sect is unfavorable for my cultivation, and on the other, reaping all the benefits without doing anything will make me irresponsible towards the Crimson Nimbus Sect. Hahaha, that’s why I will be taking my leave. There will be ample time in the future! It’s as simple as that!”
“Peng Hai! Peng Hai!”
The reporters struggled with each other to get ahead. A reporter jumped up and shouted, “Peng Hai, rumor has it that your mentor, ‘Sun Biao’, had recently received an anonymous disciple by the name of ‘Li Yao’ and your relationship with Li Yao is also very deep. It is also rumored that you have also personally assisted him in training! Everyone in the Floating Spear City knows that there is some conflict between Li Yao and the Crimson Nimbus Sect—does this have anything to do with you leaving the Crimson Nimbus Sect?”
Li Yao was surprised for a moment. He had never thought that it could be related to him, it was truly unexpected.
Peng Hai’s smile turned a little stiff, while the Crimson Nimbus Sect Elder sitting beside him coldly snorted and said:
“Are you really a reporter? Without any solid evidence, how can you say such nonsense? Student Li Yao was once a student of Crimson Nimbus Second Senior High School. Although he had later transferred for an unspecified reason, he is still going to be the pride of the Crimson Nimbus Second Senior High School. If we truly had some contradictions, do you think everyone would ever be able to know? The purpose of Fellow Daoist Peng leaving the Crimson Nimbus Sect is very simple—he needs to devote his heart and soul to advance to the Core Formation Stage. Since he had paid 2 billion in liquidated damages in accordance with the contract, what else is there to be said? All the clansmen of the Crimson Nimbus Sect wholeheartedly wish for Fellow Daoist Peng Hai to be able to successfully advance to the Core Formation Stage!”
Peng Hai nodded and said:
“Elder Ma is right. In the few years that I have been with the Crimson Nimbus Sect, I have gotten along very well with everyone from both the upper echelons as well as the lower echelons in the Crimson Nimbus Sect. Although I will be leaving, my heart is still with the fellow daoists of the Crimson Nimbus Sect. Someday, if I luckily advance to the Core Formation Stage, there will be plenty of opportunities to cooperate with the Crimson Nimbus Sect. So ladies and gentlemen, please don’t make any random speculations!”
“Peng Hai—”
Another reporter stood up. “Rumor has it that you will be establishing your own sect, is it true?”
Peng Hai slightly smiled. “Let’s talk about it when I have successfully advanced to the Core Formation Stage!”
Li Yao closed the video and heaved a long sigh.
“Who would have known that Senior Brother Peng would be so formidable? In just the span of three months that I have not seen him, he had already hunted two high-level demon beasts and acquired a beast core. Not only had he consolidated to the peak level of Building Foundation Stage, he also has a chance to advance to Core Formation Stage.”
“Once he successfully advances and forms the golden core, he would be a celebrity in the cultivation world. Afterwards, establishing his own clan and founding his own organization would be a cinch.”
“However, I will not lose to him! I have already embarked on the road of cultivation. Sooner or later, I will catch up with Senior Brother Peng’s steps!”
Li Yao collected his thoughts and continued browsing the rest of the forums of the Federation Cultivators’ Nexus.
He discovered that the Federation Cultivators’ Nexus was a huge exchange platform for cultivators.
In some of these forums, cultivators could exchange magical equipment, medications, heaven and earth treasures as well as demon beasts materials.
They could either directly exchange with each other or use the auction mode.
Whereas, some of the forums were especially for the abstruse cultivation problems where the cultivators could discuss profound mysteries. There were a vast number of special terminologies as well as lengthy spiritual energy conversion formulas, which upon looking, caused Li Yao to feel dizzy; he truly didn’t know what to make of them.
There were also forums where a lot of cultivators could gather, form hunting squads, and hunt demon beasts anywhere in the Wasteland.
In short, anything that a cultivator could think of that was required for their cultivation career could be found here.
After browsing for a long time, Li Yao discovered that a vast majority of the forums needed high privileges and only then could one participate.
In some forums, not to mention entering, he couldn’t even take a look; they were all sealed up with restriction spells.
The only thing completely open for him was just a section called “Beginner’s Guide”.
Li Yao focused his mind on the two words “Beginner’s Guide”.
A resplendent and colorful radiance bloomed before his eyes before a bearded, sage-like old man dressed in a daoist robe soon appeared, smiled at him, and said:
“Hello, Fellow Daoist Li Yao! I am a ‘cultivator’s assistant’ automatically generated by the system. I am also your exclusive guide who will give you a detailed explanation of the elementary knowledge of the cultivation world. I will help you incorporate into the immensely mysterious and wonderful world of cultivation as soon as possible!”
“Oh!” Li Yao nodded his head and said unenthusiastically.
The daoist-robed old man scanned him from top to bottom, then suddenly said, “According to past experiences, I should change my appearance in order to make you more enthusiastic!”
As his voice faded away, the daoist-robed old man’s figure suddenly shone with a brilliant radiance as a mass of feather-like white light surrounded him. After a moment, the white light truly congealed into a 30-40-year-old beautiful woman who was wearing a snow-white daoist robe.
The beautiful woman still looked attractive and had a particularly voluptuous figure. Although she had a solemn and absolutely stern look, her eyes were sparkling; there was even a sliver of desire flickering in the depths of her eyes. Her eyes coupled with her feather-white, long-slit daoist robe, her revealing soft and tender bust, and her partly-hidden and partly-visible smooth-as-jade, slender legs, gave her a noble and unsullied yet seductive, sacred yet provocative look. These two types of diametrically opposing temperaments lingering around her body formed a very charming style.
Li Yao’s face, all of a sudden, flushed red.
The beautiful woman pursed her lips into a charming smile and said in a gentle tone, “According to past experiences, this appearance can elevate the learning efficiency of a newly advanced male cultivator by 21%. However, if Fellow Daoist Li Yao has some other preferences, please do tell. In my memory, there are over a hundred skins. Whether it is a robust man, a young girl, or even a long-tailed succubus, I can freely change to anyone.”
“No need, this is fine!” Li Yao hastily said.
The beautiful woman lightly smiled and said:
“Alright, since Student Li Yao likes this appearance, then we can begin. According to the federation’s policy, I must first explain to you the <Basic Law of Cultivators>.”
Li Yao was a little perplexed. “Do the cultivators also need basic laws?”
The beautiful woman nodded and said in a natural manner, “That’s a given. Our Star Glory Federation is governed by laws where all men are equal. Regardless of whether it is the ordinary people or the cultivators, in front of the law, everyone is treated equally. However, as cultivators are too strong, the slightest of mistakes could cause irreparable damages, so a set of laws were specially constructed for them. Some of the most basic rules and law are to be told to the newly advanced cultivators, lest they create some trouble unknowingly. If in a one in a million chance they took the path of evil, it would be irreparable—even if we wanted to cry, we would not be able to.”