Chapter 263: Chapter 224: Winds Rise on Yuqing Mountain

Spirit Vein Ascension!

Lu Qian’s heart sounded the alarm.

In the cultivation world, spirit veins are not fixed objects; they lack physical form, existing in various illusive external shapes, drawing energy from the void and injecting it into the cultivation realm. Only cultivators at the Void Refinement stage and above have the ability to decipher their mysteries.

As time passes, new spirit veins will inevitably be born, while old ones may change. These changes mostly result in vein shrinkage and rank decline, though occasionally they may expand and ascend in rank.

Now, Zhou Chao tells Lu Qian that the spirit vein of Yuqing Mountain has ascended!

This should have been a great blessing, but now Zhou Chao is deeply anxious, and Lu Qian grows tense as well.

Initially, Zhou Chao was naturally delighted, but as the spiritual energy rapidly surged, he gradually began to feel fear. With the constant rank ascension, his earlier joy turned directly into terror.

A spirit vein of third-level mid-tier is no longer within Zhou Family’s control, and especially as it continues to ascend, once it reaches third-level high-tier, even the Golden Core Sects will envy it. Because the spiritual energy produced by a third-level high-tier spirit vein is already enough to support a Golden Core advancing to Nascent Soul.

Mingjian Mountain of the Xuanguang Sect is only fourth-level low-tier.

An innocent man can be blamed if he possesses precious jade. The Zhou Family simply lacks the capability to retain this spirit vein and can only seek Lu Qian’s help.

Meanwhile, Lu Qian instantly thought of Master Moyun.

Master Moyun painstakingly plotted for Yuqing Mountain; there must be a major secret on Yuqing Mountain, and now the sudden ascension of its spirit vein has a high probability of being related.

But regardless of any connection, this spirit vein ascension, and furthermore such a significant upgrade, immediately thrusts the situation into a highly unfavorable state!

Lu Qian didn’t leak Yuqing Mountain’s secret intentionally; rather, shortly the ascended spirit vein of Yuqing Mountain will directly attract Xuanguang Sect’s attention!

When Xuanguang Sect desires Yuqing Mountain, how could he refuse?

With the Xuanguang Sect claiming Yuqing Mountain, how can Lu Qian hand over Yuqing Mountain to Master Moyun?

The hard-earned five-year buffer disappears instantly!

Once Master Moyun finds that Yuqing Mountain has been taken by Xuanguang Sect, will he immediately destroy Yunshan Sect out of anger?

Yunshan Sect is in danger!

Obviously, fate’s course is unpredictable; just after acquiring the unparalleled Celestial Spiritual Root, now they face a potential crisis that could overturn the sect.

Lu Qian gritted his teeth. Yunshan Sect had just started to prosper and flourish, bringing comfort. If struck by disaster now, how could he face everyone’s effort, and after his death, how would he meet the sect’s ancestors?

No matter what, they must fight to the end!

Since all conflict will surface, there’s no choice but to lay all cards on the table!

He activated his consciousness collection fully; thoughts raced like electricity, and every piece of information flashed through his mind comprehensively.

The next moment, Lu Qian spoke: "Brother Zhou, immediately seal off Yuqing Mountain; no one is allowed in or out. I’m coming over now!"

Lu Qian immediately summoned Yang Jiye and Jiang Qingfeng, explaining the shocking event at Yuqing Mountain in a few words.

Yang Jiye and Jiang Qingfeng both thought of the secret on Yuqing Mountain and Master Moyun overhead, exchanged glances, feeling extremely heavy-hearted.

But Lu Qian’s subsequent words shocked them even more.

"Suspend the sect-wide competition, everyone pack your belongings."

"Senior Sister, immediately lead the elites, retrieve all mountain stores and load them onto the Void-Soaring and Distant-Guarding Divine Ship."

"Senior Brother Yang, call back the disciples stationed at Lotus Peak and other locations, organize all cultivators to board the floating battleships; elites pilot the divine ship, outer disciples pilot regular floating battleships."

"All four floating battleships are on standby; I’m going to check out Yuqing Mountain. Once you hear my signal, take off from the mountain immediately."

"Sect Leader, isn’t it premature for this?" Yang Jiye’s words were interrupted by Lu Qian.

Lu Qian’s tone was very solemn: "In the face of the Golden Core, no caution is too much."

But his expression was resolute, looking at their somewhat panicked faces, his eyes sparkled with determination.

"Perhaps we need to abandon Bichao Mountain. But as long as Yunshan disciples remain, Yunshan Sect remains. Preserve the people and lose the land; then the people and the land will endure."

"At worst, with the power of my three Foundation Establishments, we’ll forge a new realm!"

With the instructions given, Lu Qian transformed into escape light and sped away.

Jiang Qingfeng watched his departing figure, feeling deeply unwilling, but could only pray silently.

He raced forth swiftly, reaching Yuqing Mountain in half an hour. By now, the Six Harmonies Grand Array of Yuqing Mountain was already activated, the mountain gate shut tight. Lu Qian called the grand array from outside, then was allowed entry. Zhou Chao promptly led a group of people to meet him.

"Greetings, Alliance Leader. Please quickly follow me."

Speaking of which, this was Lu Qian’s first meeting with Zhou Chao since reaching Foundation Establishment. Zhou Chao sensed Lu Qian’s majestic spiritual pressure, felt envious, and immediately relaxed.

As long as the Alliance Leader was present, everything would be fine; the Zhou Family only needed to follow his arrangements and would surely pass through the crisis as always.

Lu Qian swept with his divine sense, Zhou Chao had already reached the tenth level of Qi Cultivation, and behind him was another at the tenth level, looking somewhat familiar—turned out to be the nephew of the erstwhile Third Elder, Zhou Ang. It seems the next Foundation Establishment for the Zhou Family will likely emerge from these two.

The situation was urgent; they had no time for pleasantries. Lu Qian hurriedly followed Zhou Chao into the mountain cave and arrived before the spirit vein.

As soon as he entered the grand array, Lu Qian sensed the abundant, rich spiritual energy, which far exceeded that of Bichao Mountain. Standing before the spirit vein now, the spiritual energy surged even more intensely, and with a sweep of his divine sense, Lu Qian understood immediately.

This spirit vein had already advanced to third-level high-tier!

The external form of this spirit vein was a jade shoot, leaning slantwise in the air, now shining brightly like daylight, illuminating the whole cave with incredible clarity. The tide of surging spiritual energy emanated from the jade shoot, crashing over everyone like a tide.

While Lu Qian was inspecting closely, Zhou Chao explained from the side: "Alliance Leader, just before you arrived, the rushing spiritual energy stabilized; it seems this spirit vein is steady at third-level high-tier."

Lu Qian nodded, third-level high-tier, already enough to attract Golden Core sects.

"The news of the spirit vein’s changes hasn’t been spread yet, have they?"

Zhou Chao nodded: "As soon as I detected the anomaly, I ordered the grand array activated to lock down the mountain gate, so it shouldn’t be known externally yet. However, the spirit vein can’t be hidden; as soon as the array is released, it will immediately be detected."

No matter, I only need some time to prepare.

Lu Qian thought to himself, then his Niwan Palace trembled, and divine sense surpassing late-stage Foundation Establishment surged forth like waves, probing into the jade shoot.

Initially, wherever the divine sense went, it found a void, as if nothing existed before him.

Just like normal probing of spirit veins, clearly aware that the spirit vein ahead continually produces spiritual energy, yet unable to detect anything. The illusive shell, even if attacked with weapons, seemed to slice through a phantom, promptly recovering.