Chapter 118: The Supporters Arrive

After a day and a night within the Time Formation, Liu Junhuai gradually regained consciousness. A sharp, piercing pain erupted inside his head, instantly bringing his mind to full alertness. Recalling the events that had just transpired, he felt a lingering sense of unease. He sat up and hastily began to circulate the Heaven’s Eye Technique.

The golden orb slowly began to rotate. As its speed increased, the splitting headache gradually faded away. He suddenly realized that the force of his Heaven’s Consciousness, pulled forth by the orb, had become much more robust. He probed his consciousness into his sea of awareness and was stunned to discover that the volume of the golden orb had significantly increased.

"Has the Heaven’s Eye Technique upgraded once again?" Liu Junhuai delightedly extended his Heaven’s Consciousness toward the far reaches of the training space. He discovered that the range covered by his consciousness had more than doubled; the original limit of one hundred miles had expanded to approximately two hundred and twenty miles.

Overjoyed, Liu Junhuai could no longer sit still. He paced back and forth in excitement, contemplating a trip to the Monster Mountain to train, when he suddenly remembered the primary purpose of his visit to this space. Suppressing his inner agitation, he shifted his focus and silently recited the incantations of the Tyrant Fist. An ocean of characters instantly materialized within his sea of awareness.

A primordial aura began to permeate his mind, and suddenly, a massive suction force lifted him from the ground into mid-air. The ocean of characters began to churn, and Liu Junhuai felt a surge of power causing his body to expand rapidly. Moments later, a thunderous roar echoed within his sea of awareness; his body suddenly transformed into a colossal fist, hurtling toward a massive boulder directly in front of him.

With a deafening crash, the boulder, which stood like a small hill, was pulverized. The momentum of the giant fist did not falter, and it smashed violently into a dense forest ahead. After a series of crackling and splintering sounds, the giant fist finally came to a halt, and Liu Junhuai immediately reverted to his original form.

The moment he regained his normal shape, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud. This single strike had completely exhausted the true essence within his body. Lying flat on his back, Liu Junhuai let out a shout of excitement. The Tyrant Fist was simply too powerful—what kind of strength was this, to shatter a small hill with a single punch? He even felt that not even an immortal could possess such overwhelming power.

After lying in the forest catching his breath for a long while, he finally regained some strength. He sat up and began to circulate his true essence in a cross-legged position. Two hours later, his true essence was replenished. Not knowing how much time had passed and feeling concerned about matters regarding the Wanxiang Sect, Liu Junhuai hurried back to the Wanxiang Pavilion.

In the alchemy room, thanks to the influence of the Other Shore Flower, Mo Sitong’s understanding of pill refinement had improved significantly, and she was currently on the cusp of becoming a Level 6 Alchemist. Fearing that Liu Junhuai might disturb her, the old steward gently pulled him out of the room.

"How long have I been inside?" Liu Junhuai asked.

The old steward replied with a puzzled look, "What is it, Pavilion Master? It hasn't been long! Only about seven or eight hours!"

Liu Junhuai felt a wave of relief; thankfully, he hadn't delayed for too long. He recounted everything that had happened in the training space to the old steward, which infuriated the old man so much that he gave Liu Junhuai a heavy punch.

"Pavilion Master, your audacity is truly unparalleled," the steward scolded. "To split your focus at such a critical moment—had you suffered a qi deviation, even a god could not have saved you! You were simply lucky that, through a twist of fate, your Heaven’s Eye Technique upgraded. I don’t know whether to curse you or praise you. Such reckless behavior must never happen again! You must remember this!"

Liu Junhuai broke into a cold sweat and replied repeatedly, "I will, I will! I promise not to be so reckless again."

The old steward’s anger turned to joy. "However, your recklessness has caused both of your skills to mutate, a phenomenon I have never heard of. Think about it: you infused your pure Daoist technique with your Heaven’s Consciousness, and the power doubled! And by fusing a trace of desolate energy into the Heaven’s Eye Technique, you triggered an upgrade, making your Heaven’s Consciousness much stronger. I truly admire you!"

Liu Junhuai chuckled self-deprecatingly, "It was truly just blind luck. I doubt such coincidences will happen again. Don't worry, Steward! I won't make the same mistake."

The old steward laughed, "The path of cultivation is full of risks, but also vast opportunities. Often, a thin barrier can hold a cultivator back for a lifetime, yet some can break through multiple realms in succession. These are the workings of fate. Maintaining a calm state of mind is the key. Those intangible opportunities will seek out cultivators with noble hearts, not those who are impatient and reckless. Aside from this one instance, you have always maintained a calm mind regarding your progress, which is why fortune finds you. Perhaps you cannot understand my words now, but when you reach a certain level, you will teach your own descendants just as I am teaching you. Keep working hard, Pavilion Master! I have always had faith in you."

Hearing these earnest words, Liu Junhuai deeply felt the well-intentioned guidance of an elder, and his resolve to move steadily along the path of cultivation was strengthened.

Just then, a clattering sound emerged from the alchemy room, and they both hurried inside. Mo Sitong was covered in soot from the furnace, which made the two men burst into laughter.

The old steward said, "Congratulations to the Madam for successfully advancing to a Level 6 Alchemist! I never expected that an exploding furnace could still yield pills. Your luck is on par with the Pavilion Master’s!"

Mo Sitong cast a simple cleansing spell to wash away the soot and laughed, "My nose suddenly itched at the most critical moment of refinement, and a sneeze turned it into this! Hehehe!"

Liu Junhuai excitedly hugged Mo Sitong’s arm, "My wonderful wife is amazing! To become a Level 6 Alchemist in under two years—if this news gets out, those other alchemists will die of shame! I’m still lingering at the Level 3 stage!"

The old steward added, "The Madam indeed has immense talent in alchemy, rivaling the Pavilion Master’s achievements in cultivation. I am very gratified to see two such geniuses."

Liu Junhuai was accustomed to the old steward’s unsparing praise, but Mo Sitong was much thinner-skinned; she lowered her head, blushing, and remained silent.

"Once you improve by another level, you will be able to refine the Phantom Pill and the Profound Essence Nine-Bundle Pill. Sitong, with your pills, the Wanxiang Sect will quickly ascend to a new level, and our overall strength will improve significantly!" Liu Junhuai remained full of expectations for her.

Mo Sitong replied, "Don't worry, Junhuai! Once the Wanxiang Sect stabilizes, I will go into seclusion for a period. By the time you see me again, I will have the Phantom Pill and the Profound Essence Nine-Bundle Pill ready."

Liu Junhuai nodded and asked the old steward, "Have you found out how to cultivate the Border-Crossing Bamboo? The uses for this bamboo are immense, and I can't wait. We owe our success in crossing the Miasma Forest this time to those bamboo leaves; I never imagined a small leaf could be so effective."

The old steward replied, "I have looked it up. The Border-Crossing Bamboo should be planted shallowly, not deeply. The soil must be prepared beforehand, as the quality of the planting site directly affects the quality and growth rate of the bamboo. They prefer a warm, humid climate, so choose a sheltered, sunny spot, and remember to plant them in a triangular pattern."

Liu Junhuai asked, "How long will it take for them to mature?"

The old steward answered, "The Border-Crossing Bamboo doesn't particularly like the spiritual energy of the Chaos Space, but the Primal Chaos energy is perfect for its growth. It will be slow during the seedling stage, but once established, its growth rate is astonishing. I estimate it will take only a few months to fully mature."

Liu Junhuai was delighted, "That’s good! I thought I would have to wait several years!"

Thinking there was nothing else to ask, Liu Junhuai bid the old steward farewell and returned to the Wanxiang Sect.

Wu Wanren was waiting anxiously. Seeing Liu Junhuai return, he hurried forward and said, "Where have you been? I've been waiting for so long! I've been running back and forth, and you just disappeared."

Liu Junhuai laughed, "I encountered a situation during my cultivation, so I was delayed. How did it go, Uncle Wu? What did the Heaven’s Secret Sect say?"

Wu Wanren said, "Sect Leader Xiao is very happy. He said he would fully support the Wanxiang Sect. Look, I’ve brought thirty disciples from the Heaven’s Secret Sect today! They range from the seventh stage of Qi Refinement to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. Sect Leader Xiao said that if you are satisfied with any of them, you may keep them permanently at the Wanxiang Sect, and he also wants you to visit the Heaven’s Secret Sect yourself to select some high-level cultivators."

Liu Junhuai was deeply moved. He had not expected Xiao Qingtian to help him so wholeheartedly. He resolved to assist him earnestly in matters concerning the Sect Alliance.

Wu Wanren continued, "If you don't have time to visit the Heaven’s Secret Sect tomorrow or the day after, Sect Leader Xiao said he would bring people to the Wanxiang Sect to discuss the founding ceremony with you. Just state whatever requirements you have."

Liu Junhuai said, "This Sect Leader Xiao is truly great. It seems he wants me to hold a high-profile founding ceremony! That’s fine, too. If not, I’ll just hold it concurrently with the establishment ceremony of the Sect Alliance. I’ll think about it."

As they were talking, Fang Keyin called out from afar, "Junhuai, come quickly! Someone from the Dust-Free Palace has come to visit!"

The three of them hurried to the main hall's council chamber. Upon entering, Mo Sitong flew into the arms of Palace Master Fang like a little bird.

Palace Master Fang laughed, "You little girl, as a disciple of the Dust-Free Palace, you don't report to the palace and instead stick to Junhuai every day. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"

Mo Sitong replied, "But aren't Grandpa and Grandma still there? They are elders of the Dust-Free Palace, and they haven't forgotten about it either."

Fang Keyin laughed, "This little girl has learned to strike back. Alright, let’s get down to business! Junhuai, the Palace Master of the Dust-Free Palace has come in person to congratulate you. If you have any requests, speak boldly. Establishing a sect is a great joy, and the Dust-Free Palace will not be stingy."

Palace Master Fang smiled, "I was just saying that to Sitong, and now Father is taking sides, too! Junhuai, your grandfather is right. Tell us your specific requirements, and I will do everything in my power to help the Wanxiang Sect!"