Chapter 3, Let the Mountain

There is no doubt that the fate of the abandoned veins has been sealed, and even the heavens have no power to reverse it

The Sikong family is quite peculiar, with a predominance of females and a scarcity of males, having not produced a single male descendant for millennia. The daughters are all naturally beautiful, yet they possess lofty aspirations and an air of superiority. Furthermore, there are family rules that prohibit marrying outside the clan; most sons-in-law are disciples brought in from outside, while a small number are spirit masters from other sects who marry in. Unfortunately, these sons-in-law hold no status within the family. Sikong Qing's husband, Qing Fu Shangren, endured much humiliation and fled thirty-five years ago, never to be seen again. At that time, Sikong Bing was only two years old, and this incident became a laughingstock in the Lanmu District.

No wonder, no wonder, she no longer goes to Yeling, not even saying goodbye.

Haoran was perplexed and was about to inquire when Xuehan suddenly interjected: "Noble nephew, come to the Snow Mountain. You can choose either Lingqing Ridge or Sikong Gate. Well, our Eight Sects will let you pick, which is certainly better than the spiritual vein at Yeling. If it truly becomes a wasted vein, my master will send you to Wanjing City."

Ling Xu, the transcendent, also furrowed his brow, staring at Hao Ran with a gaze that was exceedingly complex, revealing a hint of reluctance on his face

The vows made amidst mountains and seas have dissipated like smoke and clouds

Haoran glared with wide eyes, flames bursting forth from them, causing Xuehan to immediately stop, her face turning crimson.

Hao Ran, feeling anxious, asked softly: "Senior, is there anything else?"

Haoran understood his implied meaning; no matter how high one's power, one remains a respected individual. As long as one does not attain a spiritual body, the spiritual limit will inevitably arrive as scheduled

Haoran surveyed the various sect leaders, each word resonating with strength: "Yeling is mine; even if the Heavenly King himself comes, I will not yield, unless you kill me." Without looking back, he strode out of the hall

The multitude of spirits was greatly astonished. Indeed, waste veins are not uncommon; less than half of the disciples from various sects can achieve a hundred knots, and only fifty percent can cultivate to the spiritual body. This means that approximately eighty percent of the disciples will become individuals with waste veins. However, after becoming waste veins, most ordinary people fall into despair, becoming despondent and even resorting to suicide.

Haoran held back his tears, biting his lower lip until it bore a row of teeth marks, and spoke slowly and deliberately: "No, I will wait for the two elders to return to the mountain at Yeling. If I cannot wait for them, I will die on the mountain."

Sikong Qing trembled with rage, her face contorted, and she shrieked, "Little beast, seeking death!" With a flick of her long sleeve, a beam of red light shot towards Haoran

The more he spoke, the sadder Haoran became

Sikong Qing was so furious that she felt as if her lungs were about to explode, staring fiercely at Haoran, wishing she could tear him to shreds

The Immortal Lingxu's lips moved slightly, as if there were unspoken secrets, hesitating and indecisive

I have watched you grow up, child. Your natural talent is not lacking; no, I should say you are exceptionally intelligent, surpassing all my disciples. Your physique is also similar to that of Brother Jian, making you well-suited for cultivating the Golden Vein. " Master Lingxu gently stroked Haoran's forehead, his palm radiating a warm sensation, and continued, "It is a pity that Brother Jian left too early, leaving no one to guide you. Moreover, the spiritual vein at Yeling is quite fiery, which is not conducive to the cultivation of Golden Qi; otherwise, you would have already become a spirit.

Sikong Qing retracted the red light and shouted angrily: "Lingxu Sect Leader, this little beast not only attempts to seize Ling Mountain, but also shows disrespect to his elders, speaking arrogantly. His crimes are heinous, and even dying a hundred times would not be regrettable. Do you intend to shield him?"

Xue Han's expression froze for a moment, recalling the past. The tone was exactly the same as before; as long as he was determined about something, even the heavens could not change it. He couldn't help but sigh, "You child, if you don't change your temper, you will encounter obstacles everywhere in the future." His gaze turned to Ling Xu Shang Ren, revealing a look of helplessness

The change began on that night thirty years ago. Haoran, in a daze, seemed to have had a nightmare in which he saw his parents ensnared by demons, on the brink of death. He cried out and ran towards them, only to be burned to death by the evil spirits. He slept for a full three months before waking up, and since then, his cultivation has slowed down increasingly, and he has become foolish.

Haoran lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper: "There are still six months and seven days left." After a moment's hesitation, he added, "I am foolish and have only managed to condense one hundred and seven knots so far."

The Master Lingxu continued, "We also have a responsibility; we should have brought you to Lingqing Ridge long ago... Alas, it is what it is. There is no point in regretting it now. Child, try to be more open-minded and do not carry too heavy a burden."

The Immortal Lingxu showed a difficult expression and pointed at the stranger, saying: "Child, this is the Immortal of the Western Qin, who is preparing to establish a sect in the Lanmu District. You should know that although there are many mountains in the Lanmu Range, only nine possess spiritual veins. I hope you can understand"

The lowest spirit master possesses eight hundred years of spiritual longevity, eternally youthful, while a person with a wasted pulse is like a candle flickering in the wind, with only thirty to fifty years of life remaining. This represents not only two realms but also two worlds.

The Master Lingxu gently asked, "Child, you are about to turn fifty, aren't you?"

Haoran retorted: "Those who insult others will inevitably be insulted in return. If you do not respect your own age, have a narrow mind, and lack proper conduct, how can you expect others to respect you? Hmph, dream on. If I were you, I would simply end it all by crashing my head against a wall."

The Ascendant Lingxu gazed for a moment, then suddenly let out a soft "Hmm," grasping Haoran's right wrist and channeling a surge of earth spiritual energy into him. The various sect leaders were greatly astonished, carefully scrutinizing Haoran, and soon exchanged glances, filled with immense surprise.

Sikong Qing gazed up at the ceiling, casting a disdainful glance at Haoran, her cold laughter particularly jarring, drawing the discontented gazes of the various sect leaders. The unfamiliar spirit master closed his eyes in meditation, appearing utterly unconcerned.

Hao Ran saw her insulting his parents, and immediately, anger surged from his core. He suddenly erupted, shouting: "Shrew, you have no place to meddle in our Ye Ling's affairs. If you have the ability, manage your own husband well, and do not flaunt your power in front of me"

The Ascendant Lingxu furrowed his brow slightly and murmured, "This is truly strange, unheard of... Although you have not yet condensed your spiritual core, your power far exceeds that of the Hundred Knot Elder, and is comparable to that of the Earth Spirit, hmm, similar to the recently transformed Bitter Spirit, quite incredible"

"Unappreciative and lacking upbringing since childhood, no wonder you cannot become enlightened!" Sikong Qing shouted angrily, pointing at Haoran's nose and scolding, "In those years, Ye Jian and Tian Lan came to Lanmu, pleading pitifully. We saw their plight and, in a moment of compassion, agreed to open the mountain. Hmph, if it weren't for our kindness and the deep loyalty of Senior Lingxu, we should have retracted our agreement the year he died, and you would have been long gone by now"

Despite being mentally prepared, Haoran was still frozen, his emotions surging like vast waves.

The wasted pulse person, the most terrifying nightmare of the disciples of the Spirit Gate, with no hope of becoming a spirit, has spent half a lifetime in vain cultivation. At most, they can live to be a hundred years old. Many begin to show signs of aging and decline in their abilities from the age of sixty, and the remaining time can only be spent waiting to die in the mountains

Hao Ran felt a tightening in his heart, a sense of ominous premonition surged within him, as if something significant had occurred, and it was related to him. He whispered, "Senior? What instructions do you have for me?"

After a while, Lingxu Shangren released his hand and asked seriously, "Child, what spiritual medicine have you consumed?"

Xue Han's gaze was complex as he shook his head repeatedly. Si Kongqing, with an expressionless face, slightly curled the corners of her mouth, seemingly reveling in the misfortune. The others exchanged glances, feeling a deep sense of regret. With the current strength of Haoran, achieving spiritual transformation would be even more remarkable.

The more he spoke, the lower his voice became, until he finally stopped, tilting his head to one side, unable to meet Haoran's gaze

The Master Lingxu stroked his short beard, pondered for a moment, and said: "Everything is normal, and there are no changes in the meridians"

However, the physique is becoming increasingly robust, the physical strength is growing significantly, the skin is tough and able to withstand ordinary knives and arrows, and the power of the golden spiritual energy is also rapidly increasing. As of today, both have reached an astonishing level, being ten times more formidable than disciples of the same cultivation level

It is evident that this is not the opinion of Ling Xu alone, but rather a collective decision made by the eight factions

"What are you? What qualifications do you have to command me?" For Xue Han, Hao Ran was already at the end of his patience, not even casting a glance in his direction

The mood has turned melancholic, and the remaining part is the most arduous. To further condense it into a spiritual core normally takes three years; however, with the impending limit of fifty spirits, time has run out.

Haoran understood that they had discovered something unusual about their gold vein

Haoran was utterly perplexed and did not notice anything unusual within his body. One thing he could be certain of was that a remarkable event had occurred that night while he was asleep

"You all heard it, a mere little noble one, how audacious! What qualifications does he have to remain in Lanmu?" Sikong Qing laughed heartily, turning her gaze to the Master Lingxu, with a smug expression: "You are most familiar with the rules of Lanmu, hee hee, you all can decide what to do. I will first take a look around Lingqing Ridge."

Haoran smiled wryly and said, "You are most aware of the situation in Yeling; the resources are scarce, and the medicinal materials are quite ordinary. The best elixirs available are merely calming pills and muscle-relaxing pills."

Hao Ran replied without a moment's hesitation: "The younger generation will stay at Ye Ling and go nowhere else"

Sister Ning has become a spirit, and at the age of thirty, she has achieved a spiritual body, breaking the record of the Lanmu District. The title of a talented woman is truly well-deserved, filling her heart with joy, yet also an indescribable bitterness.

Xue Han's complexion was particularly grim, and the other sect leaders were taken aback. They did not expect Haoran's reaction to be so intense; to protect Ye Ling, anyone would dare to offend.

Xue Han opened his mouth to speak, but his tongue was frozen. At this point, every time he thought of Haoran's attitude, it remained so resolute. After some contemplation, he said: "Ning'er has already become a spirit twenty years ago. Now, in the Snow Mountain division of Wanjing City, you can meet her."

With a flash of movement, he vanished outside the door. Before leaving, he glanced at Haoran, his eyes filled with malice, sending a chill down one's spine

Xue Han lightly coughed and said with difficulty: "Esteemed nephew, it is not that we lack compassion; this is the tradition of Zihua. The number of spiritual mountains in the world is limited, and many spiritual masters who establish their own mountains meet their demise shortly thereafter. It is necessary to vacate space for future generations to establish their own foundations. When Brother Jian came here to establish his mountain, Ye Ling was empty for over sixty years."

To speak frankly, even he has lost confidence. However, in front of the various sect leaders, concerning the reputation of Ye Ling, especially the face of his father, he absolutely cannot be dispirited or abandon himself. Otherwise, he would find it even harder to hold his head high.

Xue Han hurriedly cupped his hands and said: "Head of the Sikong family, the child is ignorant and inexperienced. You are the leader of a sect, broad-minded and generous; please do not be overly particular about this matter." With a glare, he scolded Haoran: "You are audacious to the extreme, daring to show disrespect to the Head of the Sikong Sect. Quickly apologize and make amends."

Hao Ran suddenly realized that they did not intend to kill him; rather, they were urging him to leave Ye Ling voluntarily. Clenching his fists tightly, he slowly scanned the surroundings, and all the sect leaders avoided him, except for Si Kongqing, who looked at him with disdain.

Sweet words and honeyed phrases turn to emptiness in the blink of an eye

Haoran gritted his teeth against the pain within, straightened his back, feigned calmness, and appeared nonchalant as he said in a deep voice: "Senior, do not worry. It's just a useless vein, nothing remarkable. Moreover, the world is vast and full of wonders. I believe a miracle will occur, and I will surely become a spirit."

Spare me! The Lingxu Master reacted swiftly, raising his right hand to make a feigned strike, causing the red light to pause momentarily before returning along the same path

The hall was enveloped in a deathly silence, where even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard, creating an atmosphere that was eerily unsettling.