CHAPTER 75: CHAPTER 75: A SCROLL OF THE WIND AND CLOUD LIST

Jade Immortal Peak, vast snow covering the land, a desolate expanse between heaven and earth.

Lu Chengfeng sat cross-legged at the mountaintop, his mind fully focused on the circulation of his inner strength, visualizing the Profound Crane as his inner power coursed through an incredibly complex route.

His entire body seemed to breathe in sync with the cultivation technique, inhaling and exhaling, and as time passed, a thin layer of white mist enveloped his body, resembling the Immortal Gods.

It had been seven days since that battle, with nearly half of the elders and disciples in the sect dead or injured; just burying the corpses had taken over three days.

Afterwards, under the presiding of the four First Seats and the Great Elders of the Eighth Hall, funerals were held for all the tragically deceased disciples of the sect, appeasing all spirits with Li Qian’s head.

With the consecutive days of heavy snowfall, the slaughter and bloodshed from seven days ago seemed buried by the pure white snow, enveloping the entire sect in an extremely oppressive yet tranquil atmosphere.

Lu Chengfeng was also slightly injured in that day’s great battle; over the past few days, aside from healing, he concentrated all his thoughts on inner strength cultivation.

His swordsmanship and body technique had reached the peak of eighteen layers; he needed only to achieve mastery of inner strength to naturally cultivate Tongyou Sword Intent, a crucial step.

Having experienced that slaughter, he became more aware of his own insignificance; though a true disciple’s status appeared high within the sect, and respected throughout the entire Liangzhou,

only by refining Sword Intent could one be considered an elder in the martial world, with the qualification to traverse it freely.

But upon encountering turmoil capable of impacting the entire martial world, even elders became like duckweed, helpless against the current.

Having witnessed a broader world, Lu Chengfeng only grew more conscious of his own smallness.

He dared not slack in the slightest; that night, upon returning to his room, he and Luo Suyi engaged in a fierce battle throughout the night, continuing until noon the following day.

Amidst warmth and fragrance, gradually easing his fatigue and all negative emotions, he began working even harder.

He diligently practiced his inner strength at the peak during the day; the operation of inner power amidst the icy wind and snow was more refined, his perception also becoming more subtle, greatly benefiting inner strength cultivation.

At night, he engaged in dual cultivation with Luo Suyi, enhancing their cultivation progress.

This went on for several days; apart from attending the funerals a few days ago, he hadn’t gone down the mountain again.

A warrior’s life-and-death battle can naturally trigger potential, often yielding far greater benefits than secluded cultivation could bring; over successive days of wholehearted cultivation, Lu Chengfeng gradually broke through to the sixteenth layer of the Profound Crane Heart Method.

One step closer to the perfection of eighteen layers.

The Profound Crane’s inner strength, unlike the gentle Jade Wave, held a faint coolness, like a creek flowing through his limbs and bones, tempering his Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

Lu Chengfeng practiced amidst wind and snow, and when his inner power completed twelve circulations of heaven and earth, his hair, shoulders, and crossed legs were all covered in snow.

He slowly stood up, gave a gentle shake, energy flowing, causing all the snowflakes to fall away, glanced at the still-falling white snow, and exhaled lightly, a breath of heat forming a small ice crystal in the air before falling down.

The temperature atop the mountain was far colder than at its base.

Just then, a figure approached from not far away; it was Li Mo, who had been down the mountain for a long time.

"Senior Brother." Li Mo approached, respectfully saluting.

"Back?" Lu Chengfeng turned to look at him, speaking with some emotion, "This time going down the mountain was a good thing for you, avoiding that cruel slaughter."

Li Mo nodded, "I’ve heard it all; life and death, fortune or misfortune, are all predestined. If it’s meant to be, it will be; if it’s disaster, it can’t be avoided."

Lu Chengfeng smiled slightly, "You have a broad perspective. Tell me, how did this trip turn out?"

Li Mo said, "The Su Family has a long legacy, mainly managed by the patriarch and clan elders. Although Second Junior Sister’s father is of the direct lineage within the clan, his aptitude in martial arts is quite ordinary, so his status in the clan isn’t high."

"This time, Second Junior Sister’s marriage is partially the clan elders’ decision, aiming to establish a marital alliance with the Li Family of the Central Capital, seeking to curry favor with them."

"Additionally, it is also her father’s initiative; he wants to use his daughter’s marriage to elevate his status within the clan and the resources he receives."

"If one intends to start from the Su Family, it would likely be very difficult; they have reached a consensus from top to bottom. Without powerful external pressure, Second Junior Sister can hardly resist."

"After all, her mother is in the clan, and even if her father is not good, he is still her father, not to mention the myriad blood and kinship connections within the clan."

Lu Chengfeng listened quietly and after he finished speaking, asked, "Have you found out the information about the Li Family that I asked, and their enemies?"

Li Mo said, "The Li Family is considered a powerful house in the Central Capital, their influence not small, mainly because the old patriarch of the Li Family serves as an elder in the Celestial Patrol Department, wielding significant influence."

"The Celestial Patrol Department is a special institution formed after the top seven sects and dozens of medium sects in the Central Capital formed an alliance, used to manage the entire Central Capital’s order."

"The Celestial Patrol Department holds a high and powerful position, gathering more than half of the Central Capital’s experts, with the authority to patrol the four directions, to kill then report later, rulers over life and death. Elders are the high-ranking officials of the Celestial Patrol Department, capable of influencing its decisions, truly significant figures."

"Additionally, the second generation of the Li Family produced three outstanding members; the eldest son, Li Xiaotian, also serves in the Celestial Patrol Department as a Marshal, holding real power over ten Captains and three thousand elite soldiers, suppressing one of the nine prefectures of the Central Capital, a figure of authority, overseeing a region."

"The second son, Li Xiaoyun, runs martial arts schools, brothels, and teahouses in the Central Capital, collecting wealth and providing resources for the clan."

"The third son, Li Xiaojie, is the current patriarch, running clan affairs, maintaining connections with other families, sects, and powers."

"All three have cultivated the Li Family’s direct inheritance, the Wind and Thunder Thunderbolt Palm, to Martial Path True Intent. When they strike, winds and clouds churn, lightning and thunder erupt, their strength truly terrifying, renowned throughout the Central Capital."

"As for the third generation of the Li Family, a prodigy named Li Chengqian, dubbed the Qilin Child, possesses the demeanor of a celestial human. At a young age, he has cultivated the Wind and Thunder Thunderbolt Palm to the twenty-second layer, nearly surpassing the elders of the martial world, with a grand reputation throughout the Central Capital."

"The entire Central Capital has a Wind and Cloud List, recording thirty-six prodigies not older than thirty, and Li Chengqian ranks seventh among them."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chengfeng already sensed the martial prowess of the Central Capital; achieving Martial Path True Intent and cultivating one’s martial arts to the twenty-second layer only ranked seventh on the Wind and Cloud List—it was clear how fierce the competition was.

"I wonder what ranks the three talents from our sect would hold on the Wind and Cloud List?"

A thought flashed in his mind, immediately following up with, "And what about the enemies of the Li Family?"

This was the news that concerned Lu Chengfeng the most, as it related to his plans and arrangements for the upcoming journey, and was also greatly connected to the current situation within the sect.