The Hehuan Sect Was Squeezed Dry for Ten Thousand Years, but It Became a Sacred Ground? - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: The Sect Master Will Reward You!

This golden fragment emitted no aura, as if it did not belong in this world. Even with Yu Hua’s extensive knowledge as a former Mahayana cultivator, she could not discern its origin. The ancient characters on the golden page, though never seen before, were somehow comprehensible in her mind, as if imbued with a lingering Dao charm, indicating it was no ordinary item.

Yu Hua initially intended to set it aside for further study. However, upon examining the body she had possessed, she found it to be a crippled vessel incapable of cultivation. Although she had methods to resolve this, the required rare treasures were beyond the reach of an ordinary person. In the end, Yu Hua had no choice but to pin her hopes on this solitary page.

The results were evident. By merely comprehending a few characters, she had already broken through to the sixth level of Qi Refining. Moreover, she discovered that by absorbing life force, the characters on the golden page would continue to write themselves, eventually forming the most perfect cultivation technique!

In her previous life, she was not a benevolent figure, but neither was she a bloodthirsty demon who would sacrifice countless lives to stack the golden page. Thus, she turned her attention to the malevolent demons. As soon as her cultivation progressed enough to allow her to leave the sect, she took on missions, one of which involved the fifth-level Qi Refining wolf demon at her feet.

Stopping the flow of spiritual power, the glow on the golden page faded, leaving behind a slightly yellowed, ordinary-looking sheet. When the sect’s Grand Elder Xu Qingyao inquired about the cultivation technique fragment she was practicing, Yu Hua showed her this disguised version, as the true characters could be concealed and altered.

With a thought, Yu Hua retracted the page back into her bound sea of consciousness. As for the wolf demon’s corpse, it was stored in her storage bag. Life in the sect was satisfactory; upon joining, she received a basic storage bag. In her previous life, Yu Hua would have scoffed at such a thing, but now, reborn as a destitute orphan, she had nothing.

Another advantage was the abundance of sect missions and the scarcity of disciples, allowing her to easily find suitable tasks. This time, she had taken on two missions, both completed successfully, further advancing the characters on the golden page. With everything in order, she prepared to return.

The so-called sect competition seemed essential for her to participate in. Currently, she was penniless and lacking in resources. Even with the cultivation technique on the golden page, she needed corresponding resources to nurture her growth!

What attracted Yu Hua the most, more than the rewards, was the sect’s forbidden ground—the Demon Lock Prison. The sect master of Qinglian Sect possessed the strength of a Deity Transformation cultivator, so the demons and spiritual beings imprisoned there were undoubtedly powerful, far beyond her current capabilities. If she could catch the attention of the higher-ups and gain the opportunity to train within the Demon Lock Prison, she might cleverly kill one or two, significantly advancing the characters on the golden page.

Thinking of this, a glint of determination flashed in Yu Hua’s calm, icy eyes. No matter what, she would stop at nothing to return to her peak!

“Xuan Yi Holy Land, Tai Chu Holy Land, Tian Yuan Holy Land…”

Yu Hua murmured the names of the dominant forces in the cultivation world, her expression unreadable. These were the sects of the Mahayana cultivators who had hunted her down, leaving a deep impression on her. Now, some of them had perished, while others had ascended, becoming revered immortal ancestors.

Personally exacting revenge was no longer possible, but the sects remained. Once her cultivation was restored, she would turn these holy lands upside down! Yu Hua admitted she was not a forgiving person, especially when it came to life-and-death enmity. If the father’s debt could be repaid by the son, then the ancestors’ sins could be repaid by their descendants, right?

Cultivation was about achieving clarity of mind. If she could not attain this clarity, how could she seek the Dao? Therefore, when the time came, the people of the holy lands would have to die! Perhaps this would also allow the golden page to advance further, killing two birds with one stone!

…

…

In the world of cultivation, time was meaningless. For great powers, a single session of seclusion could span years. But for Qinglian Sect, these past few months had been a golden period of steady progress. Disciples broke through one after another, missions were issued, pills were refined, and sect rules were established, all in an orderly manner.

The thriving momentum made one wonder how far Qinglian Sect could go in the future.

In the sect master’s hall.

“I have summoned you today to reward you,” said Liu Ruyan, the sect master. “Over the past six months, you have diligently managed the sect’s affairs, both contributing and enduring hardships. I have seen it all. Tomorrow is the grand competition, and there have been no mishaps so far. Once the sect fully expands and re-divides into inner and outer sects, each of you will at least become an outer sect elder of Qinglian Sect.”

Hearing Liu Ruyan’s promise, the seven beautiful female stewards, each dressed in long skirts patterned with plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, peach, apricot, and海棠 (Chinese flowering crabapple), all bowed with joy. They spoke in unison, “These are our duties. We are honored by the sect master’s regard and will wholeheartedly serve the sect in the future, willing to go through fire and water without hesitation!”

During the sect’s major reform, seventy percent of the cultivators had left. This included not only male cultivators but also female cultivators who felt the future was bleak. Initially, they had wavered. But upon reflection, they realized that in large sects, positions were limited. With their cultivation at the first or second level of the Golden Core, they would not find suitable positions in other sects of the same level. Despite everything, the sect had still managed to secure a place among the twelve major sects. With so many leaving, wouldn’t their share of resources increase? Besides, if the sky fell, the sect master would bear the brunt.

Now, it seemed their decision had been far-sighted.

Liu Ruyan sat on the main seat, her eyes lowered as she observed the similar expressions on the female stewards’ faces. She lightly tapped the armrest with her fingertips, calming their spirits, then spoke again, “However, Qinglian Sect’s future will not stop here. Your current cultivation levels are still somewhat low. You must diligently cultivate.”

Her words caused the female stewards to grow anxious. After a moment of silence, a graceful woman with a plum blossom pattern on her robe and her hair in a traditional hairstyle stepped forward, her expression bitter. “Sect Master, it is not that we are lax, but our talents are limited, and we cannot find the right method.”

Who wouldn’t want their cultivation to progress smoothly? But it was truly beyond their control!

Liu Ruyan nodded, unsurprised by this response. In a calm yet firm tone, she said, “In that case, I shall grant you an opportunity to advance further.”

…