Chapter 1: The Ling Family of Qingshan City

Exactly

Qi Sect! Immortal Family!

Who would have thought that not a single person would return from this journey

Ling Tian, after listening, immediately smiled with great confidence. He looked at his father and patted his chest, assuring him, "Let the three families compete for the remaining two spots, with me from the Ling family, we will definitely secure one spot!"

At that moment, a group of soldiers from the lord's mansion marched through the street, proudly carrying a large flag, causing an immediate stir among the crowd, with passersby hastily making way.

After so many years of diligent practice, will there finally be results?

By the time those who entered the mountains sensed that something was amiss and wanted to turn back, it was already too late. The thick fog arrived very suddenly and swiftly, leaving no time for people to react, enveloping the entire mountain range in an instant and cutting it off from the outside world

Father

Then there is nothing else, I will go and cultivate first, the competition is approaching, I will further consolidate my strength

The old woman spoke up.

The originally clear sky suddenly darkened, and a fierce, ominous wind began to blow in the air. The howling gale roared like a ferocious tiger, as if it were about to tear apart the void. The temperature in the air plummeted, causing many people to shiver uncontrollably. Immediately afterward, an unprecedented thick fog descended in an instant

At your command

After the soldiers left, the pedestrians on the street began to whisper among themselves, but soon fell silent again

Ling Ying, upon hearing this, couldn't help but roll his eyes and said: "Do not be careless! I have heard that there are a few talented individuals among the direct descendants of the Chen and Zhao families, who can be considered your formidable rivals. There are only three days left until the Longhua Conference, so you must prepare well"

From a young age, Ling Tian has always been the most dazzling presence in the Ling family, bearing the title of the favored child of heaven. His talent in cultivation is almost unmatched, and even when considering the population of several hundred thousand in Qingshan City, his aptitude remains at the very top, with no one able to surpass him

In the pitch-black sky, flashes of lightning flickered, and layers upon layers of dark clouds gathered, almost pressing down to the ground, where people could reach up and even touch the cloud layers. The heavens and the earth seemed to merge into one, such a terrifying sight that many elderly individuals had never witnessed in their entire lives

One of the figures in black, after receiving the order, turned and left the secret chamber

But on a night thousands of years ago, everything changed

In the lord's mansion, in the basement, four mysterious individuals are seated around a small table, secretly discussing something.

Longyin Wushan is a grand mountain located directly south of Qingshan City, and its origins are also filled with fantastical elements

From childhood to adulthood, he has read the legends about Longyin Wushan no less than hundreds of times. He even dreams of one day visiting Longyin Wushan in person, though this is merely a thought.

At this moment, the members of the Ling family are already immersed in a joyful atmosphere, even beginning to fantasize about the glorious future of the Ling family once Ling Tian enters the Qi Sect.

From a young age, Ling Tian has been adorned with various accolades, his cultivation far surpassing that of his peers. Yet, despite this, Ling Tian has never exhibited a trace of complacency; his dedication to cultivation is nearly akin to madness.

This matter later reached the imperial city of the Great Xia, where it was heard by the Xia Emperor. The Xia Emperor was greatly astonished and immediately dispatched a large number of personnel to investigate the matter, among whom were naturally some unparalleled masters

An elderly woman, her voice hoarse and her body enveloped in a black cloak, spoke up and asked

Brother Chen, this opportunity is indeed hard to come by. There are only two roads out of the city, north and south. As long as we seal off the official road to the north, they will only be able to break through from the south. However, to the south lies the Longyin Mist Mountain, which is about to be shrouded in fog. You should know that once the fog descends on Longyin Mist Mountain, it will completely obscure the roads. As long as we join forces at the Longhua Conference to deal with a few of the top experts from the Ling family, the rest will just be a bunch of insignificant characters, unable to stir up much trouble

The heads of the Zhao and Chen families nodded simultaneously, and the plan was thus arranged properly

For the people of Qingshan City, Longyin Wushan descends into fog every year, and it has been this way for thousands of years; this is not a surprising occurrence, and people have become accustomed to it.

Sister Zhao is right! The lord of the city, who had remained silent, also expressed his agreement. He spoke to one of the men in black, saying: "Heilong, you should arrange for people right now. After the Longhua meeting begins, immediately take your men to seal off the official road to the north of Qingshan City."

Ling Ying nodded, and then his gaze became sharp as he fixed his eyes on Ling Tian and said: "After discussions among the heads of our several families, it has been decided to hold a Longhua Meeting three days from now, during which each of the four great families will send several outstanding disciples to compete, in order to determine the allocation of the quota"

Ling Ying gently tapped his son's head, smiled indulgently, and then said: "Because this time there are only three slots for our Qingshan City, and as you know, we have three major families in Qingshan City, plus the City Lord's Mansion, which makes four major forces. This means we are still one slot short."

After these masters who had traveled a long distance from the imperial capital clarified the situation in Qingshan City, they took a brief rest for one day before setting off towards Longyin Wushan.

Ling Tian, upon hearing this, had a stern expression. He was already aware that the two individuals from the Chen and Zhao families had been gaining considerable prominence recently. However, this was of no concern to him, as he possessed absolute confidence in himself

Do not be too complacent just yet

No one would have thought that a storm was about to sweep through the entire Qingshan City, a storm powerful enough to completely tear apart the Ling family, plunging them into an irretrievable abyss

What should we do? Are we to let the four prominent families compete and then eliminate one?

Another figure in a black robe spoke up and asked

The Qi Sect is preparing to recruit external disciples, and we have three slots available in Qingshan City

... ...

Later, Emperor Xia sent many skilled individuals in succession to investigate the matter, but ultimately all their efforts ended in failure, and thus the matter was left as it was

Later on, one after another, many other skilled individuals from various countries arrived, including some reclusive masters from renowned sects; however, without exception, all entered but none exited

Since then, Longyin Wushan has become a taboo, a forbidden zone of life in this world. For thousands of years, no one has dared to venture there again

Ling Tian's gaze suddenly became bright as snow

Tian'er, I have something to tell you

How is it, everyone? What do you think of my proposal

The people of the imperial city acted swiftly, especially since it was a command issued personally by Emperor Xia. They arrived at Qingshan City the following day

Ling Tian stood up, looking at his father with some confusion, unsure of why he was being summoned. Logically, at this time, his father should be occupied with family matters and would not have the time to seek him out.

The city lord then turned to the heads of the Zhao and Chen families and said: "On the day of the Longhua Conference, you two will take the lead in launching an attack, joining forces to deal with Ling Ying. I alone can handle the remaining members of the Ling family. However, you must send people to lie in wait in advance. Once the conflict breaks out at the Longhua Conference, your two families should immediately launch an assault on the Ling family, catching them off guard!"

A figure in a black robe beside him nodded and said, "I believe it is feasible. The Ling family is currently at the height of its power, and Ling Tian is an exceptionally rare talent. If he participates in the Longhua Conference, he will surely secure a spot. If he truly joins the Qi Sect, it is likely that we will never have a chance to rise again. The Longhua Conference in three days is an excellent opportunity. Although the Ling family is strong, if our three families join forces, I am confident we can completely eradicate the Ling family!"

At this moment, Ling Tian was sitting in the attic. Gently closing the document in his hand, his gaze drifted into the distance, as if he could see the magnificent mountain standing for thousands of years outside the city, and for a moment, his thoughts were myriad.

The crowd discovered that the dark, ink-like sky seemed to have developed a hole, as if it had been blasted open by a bolt of heavenly thunder. This hole resembled a bottomless vortex, with endless torrential rain pouring down from within. Amidst the flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder, some people caught a glimpse of a giant dragon descending from the heavens, plunging directly into the mountain. Following this was a deafening roar, as if the very heavens and earth were about to split apart. Amidst the flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder, some people caught a glimpse of a giant dragon descending from the heavens, plunging directly into the mountain. Following this was a deafening roar, as if the very heavens and earth were about to split apart

Ling Ying finished speaking and quietly looked at his son, waiting for his response

The literature records that on the day of departure, Longyin Wushan was completely normal, as if the events of the previous night had never occurred. However, once those individuals entered the mountain, strange occurrences followed.

Before setting off, they had considered that the expedition to Longyin Wushan would likely be extraordinary and would probably result in significant losses. However, among those who came, there were indeed many powerful individuals. Even if there were losses, as long as they remained within a reasonable range and the truth could be uncovered, it would still be acceptable. Thus, they set off.

Notice: In a few days, it will be the day of fog descent at Longyin Wushan. At that time, no one is allowed to leave the city. Any violations will be dealt with severely

Ling Ying nodded, and then left the attic together with Ling Tian

At this moment, a sense of foreboding rose in the hearts of the people, and everyone retreated back into the city, no longer daring to come out. The city walls of Qingshan were crowded with people, all anxiously waiting.

As the sun sets in the west, the entire Qingshan City is enveloped in a warm glow of the sunset. The bustling streets are filled with a continuous flow of pedestrians, creating a scene of prosperity.

Those outside cannot see the situation inside the mountains at all, and they cannot even hear any sounds! Meanwhile, those inside seem to have entered another world, as if they have directly vanished from this one!

Isn't it a bit rushed? Excluding the time on the day of the Longhua meeting, we only have two full days to prepare. Can we really annihilate the Ling family in one go?

But soon, the winds calmed and the waves settled; with the disappearance of the dragon, all the phenomena vanished as well

According to historical records, this mountain was originally just an ordinary large mountain, similar to several other large mountains surrounding Qingshan City, and did not possess any remarkable features

Because Ling Tian was very clear in his heart that no matter how high his talent was, it was ultimately only relative to the Qing Shan City. However, on the towering Evergreen Mountain, there existed legendary immortal sects, and the people within were truly the dragons and phoenixes among men. Compared to those individuals, his talent was insignificant. What had he worked so hard for all these years, if not to one day enter the immortal gate and then soar freely through the skies! Now that the opportunity had finally arrived, he must seize it.

As time passed day by day, three months later, the thick fog finally dissipated, but the people of the imperial city never appeared again

Haha

Alright, it is settled!

That night, the sky was extraordinarily dark, resembling a canvas smeared with ink, with the stars hidden and not a glimmer of light to be seen. As midnight approached, a sudden clap of thunder erupted from the pitch-black heavens, awakening those who were in slumber. Under the immense roar of the thunder, everyone lost their drowsiness and hurried outside to see what had happened

Ling Tian's thoughts were interrupted as the attic door swung open, revealing a dignified middle-aged man who walked in. The newcomer was none other than Ling Tian's father, Ling Ying! He was also the foremost expert of the entire Ling family and indeed the entire Qingshan City