Chapter 22 Return to Simplicity

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The Great Elder, along with his disciples, hastened back to the Qiandi Dao Sect without rest.

After a day's journey, they entered the territory of the sect.

Before the group even returned to the sect, the news set the whole Qiandi Dao Sect abuzz.

The higher-ups of the sect had gathered early in the main hall, waiting for the Great Elder to return to hear about the matters of the Hidden Sect.

They waited left and right, but there was no news from the Great Elder.

This almost drove them to the point of going out to search for him.

Fortunately, after much anticipation, the Great Elder finally returned.

...

Qiandi Dao Sect, main hall.

"Hahaha, are you all waiting for me?"

The Great Elder's laughter could be heard before he even entered the main hall.

The many elders, who had been fuming with anger, were stunned upon hearing the Great Elder's laughter.

They seldom heard the Great Elder laugh so heartily.

In their impression, the Great Elder always had an expressionless face, full of solemnity and dignity; not to mention laughing, he seldom even smiled.

But today, he had broken precedent by laughing.

It was truly miraculous.

It seemed that the negotiation with the Hidden Sects went very well.

Under the gazes of many elders.

The Great Elder, looking refreshed, walked in, nodded to the elders as a greeting.

Then he walked straight to the seat at the head of the hall.

He gave a cupped fist salute to the Sect Master sitting above.

"I have seen the Sect Master!"

The Great Elder paid his respects very reverently.

Qian Yuan Sect Master waved his hand, saying, "Cut the formalities, Great Elder. Just get to the point. What did the Daoless Sect say?"

At these words, a smile appeared on the Great Elder's aged face. He spoke lightly, "Sect Master, do not worry! Our sect and the Daoless Sect have established the foundational steps of our relationship. Let me explain slowly..."

He leisurely recounted everything that had occurred in the Xuantian Mountain Range.

Of course, he concealed the matter of giving gifts, the disciples giving away Golden Core Realm trash as presents, and the fact that the sudden fall in realm had something to do with Ascension.

He only picked some inconsequential details to discuss.

When the many elders heard that the Sect Master of the Wayless Sect had apparently shown goodwill, they too breathed a sigh of relief.

As for how that goodwill was expressed...

Even Chu Yuan himself probably didn't know when he had expressed such goodwill.

In any case, whether it was black or white, everything came out of the mouth of the Great Elder.

The many elders had no choice but to believe the Great Elder.

Indeed, they felt that such a serious Great Elder surely wouldn't be a liar or a sycophant.

After some discussion.

The Great Elder, claiming he needed to rest, prepared to dismiss the many elders.

The many elders indeed had no objections and nodded their heads in agreement.

They had come only to ascertain the Daoless Sect's attitude towards the Qiandi Dao Sect.

Now that the matter was resolved, there was no point in lingering in the hall.

"Very well, the Great Elder has been on the move for so long, you must be tired, so go rest..."

"Indeed, indeed, the Great Elder has worked hard."

"Great Elder, I have some spirit-nourishing tea that is particularly effective for fatigue. How about I bring you some? Don't worry, I'm just asking, I'm not really going to give it to you, and there's no need for you to reply..."

The many elders left the main hall chuckling.

Soon, only the Great Elder and Qian Yuan Sect Master were left in the hall.

Qian Yuan Sect Master looked at the Great Elder below and slightly frowned, "Weren't you going to rest, Great Elder? Why are you still standing here?"

The Great Elder, unchanging in expression, said, "Sect Master, I have a piece of secret information related to Ascension. This news comes from the Sect Master of the Daoless Sect and is absolutely reliable. To avoid too many prying ears, I asked the elders to leave, so I could meet with you alone."

No way, no way.

Did he really come across an opportunity?! Related to Ascension?

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Is he dreaming?

The Qian Yuan Sect Master showed a delighted expression, eagerly saying, "Come, quickly tell..."

He thought for a moment, then waved his hand and erected a barrier to shield the outside to prevent eavesdropping.

After completing these tasks, the Qian Yuan Sect Master said, "Alright, you can speak now."

The Great Elder coughed twice, rubbed his fingers together, but did not speak.

The meaning couldn't be clearer.

He wouldn't speak for free.

The Qian Yuan Sect Master, however, was quite generous, directly saying, "Speak, and once you're done, you may take three treasures from our Sect's treasure vault."

"Ahem, Sect Master, I've been quite interested in looking at the 'Mysterious Law Eighteen Chapters'..."

"No problem, I'll give the word, and you can head right over afterward."

"Sect Master, do you still have that Spirit Gathering Liquid in your cave dwelling?"

"For you, for you."

"Sect Master, I heard that there is a treasure in your cave dwelling..."

"For you, for you."

"Sect Master, your Dao companion..."

"Hm???"

"Cough, cough, Sect Master, that's not what I mean. I heard that the bead worn around your Dao companion's neck has a calming effect. My own Dao companion has been having some difficulties in her cultivation recently..."

"For you, for you."

Under the Qian Yuan Sect Master's 'painful concessions'.

The Great Elder finally looked satisfied, his old face full of smiles, clearly very happy.

"Great Elder, now you can talk, right?"

The Qian Yuan Sect Master was so excited.

He was currently at the apex of the Nascent Soul Realm, just one step away from the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.

He was bound to become a being of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage in the future.

He was quite confused about the path beyond the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.

Could one truly ascend after reaching the Tribulation Transcendence Stage? This puzzled him, as no one had ascended for ten thousand years.

And now someone claimed to have information related to Ascension.

If someone else had said it, he certainly wouldn't believe it.

But it was a Tribulation Transcendence Stage being from a Hidden Sect, claiming to come from a Hidden Sect with at least a ten-thousand-year lineage.

This kind of information deserved consideration.

The Great Elder, hearing this, no longer hesitated and began to share his own deductions.

"Ascension might require one to retrace the path of cultivation from the top down!"

After hearing everything, the Qian Yuan Sect Master fell into deep contemplation, turning his head to look at the Great Elder.

"Are you sure this is what that being said?"

The Qian Yuan Sect Master still harbored a sliver of doubt.

The Great Elder gritted his teeth and nodded, "Positive!"

How could he admit that his theories were just conjecture? If he did, the Qian Yuan Sect Master certainly wouldn't hand over those cultivation resources.

He could only grit his teeth and confirm that this was indeed what the being had said.

After all, his deductions had to be correct.

The Qian Yuan Sect Master, hearing the word 'positive', immediately dispelled the last bit of doubt in his heart.

So it was.

To ascend from the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, one would need to retrace the path of cultivation from the top down.

Hmm, it sounded quite reasonable.

Fully comprehending the principle of returning to one's original simplicity...

Indeed, it was worthy of being information spoken by that being.

The Qian Yuan Sect Master gestured for the Great Elder to leave and prepared to enter seclusion, intending to thoroughly understand the concept.

This was a matter concerning Ascension, which could not be taken lightly...

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