Immortal of the Nine Realms

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

Pei Qingfeng returned with the black paper figure, Elder Xu, and the others. They looked weary but elated; their joy and excitement were palpable.

The Golden Core Realm and Foundation Building Realm cultivators of the Profound Ghost Dao Sect were completely wiped out, and not many Qi Refining cultivators managed to flee. This encounter effectively obliterated the Profound Ghost Dao Sect, which had opposed the Grand Thousand Dao Sect for centuries.

However, Pei Qingfeng brought back the lineage of the Profound Ghost Dao Sect, which originally belonged to the Three Thousand Dao Sect and needed to be reclaimed.

After they returned to the inner sanctum, they all intended to see Fang Chen immediately. However, they were quickly alarmed when they saw Guan’e and a few other disciples gazing thoughtfully toward the ancestral hall.

"Guan’e, where is Martial Uncle Fang?" Pei Qingfeng asked.

Guan’e only just realized that everyone had returned. Upon learning that the Profound Ghost Dao Sect had been destroyed, a hint of joy flashed in her eyes.

She answered, "He is in seclusion, practicing some technique. That white paper figure senior is protecting Martial Uncle Fang during practice. He isn't allowing us to approach.”

The black paper figure's eyes flickered. It transformed into a streak of black lightning and headed toward the ancestral hall.

As they watched its departing figure, the onlookers couldn't help but feel a trace of awe. During this expedition against the Profound Ghost Dao Sect, they hardly had any opportunity to make a move themselves.

The Profound Ghost Dao Sect was almost completely exterminated by this Senior Black alone who had demonstrated terrifying methods! Some even suspected that Senior Black possessed the cultivation of Nascent Soul Realm.

"He went in seclusion to cultivate some technique...." Pei Qingfeng muttered absentmindedly. He asked involuntarily, "For how long?"

"It's been about seven days," Guan’e replied softly.

Pei Qingfeng nodded thoughtfully. "So, Martial Uncle began his seclusion right after we left."

The black paper figure approached Fang Chen, who was continuously extracting spiritual energy from spirit stones and then injecting it into a stone bead.

Confused, he asked the white paper figure, "What is the lord doing?"

The white paper figure's expression turned solemn. "The stone bead in the lord's hand may have something to do with the Three Thousand Dao Sect. It's not an ordinary object."

Three Thousand Dao Sect?

The black paper figure's gaze shifted, and together with the white paper figure, he looked at the Stone Bead.

For a full seven days, the low-grade spirit stones inside Fang Chen's storage ring visibly decreased at a rapid rate.

Fang Chen had accumulated nearly 650,000 low-grade spirit stones, which was no small number.

The annual expenditure of a Qi Refining Realm cultivator might only amount to several dozen low-grade spirit stones. A Foundation Building Realm cultivator could manage with a few hundred. Even a Golden Core Realm cultivator with tight funds might not spend more than five to six hundred spirit stones a year.

Yet, in just seven short days, the stone bead had absorbed a full 70,000 low-grade spirit stones, and its absorption rate only accelerated as time passed.

"Little Chen, is it going to devour all the spirit stones? Isn't this too much?" Little Sword’s voice sounded deeply aggrieved.

It had been a long time since it had enjoyed a good meal!

"Don't worry, I still have some mid-grade spirit stones. I'll buy you a Profound rank treasure to feast on later," Fang Chen reassured, his gaze fixed on the stone bead with a hint of doubt in his heart. ȒАƝ𝐨𐌱ĘŚ

Just how much spiritual energy does this stone bead need before it's satisfied?

Days passed by. One month later.

The Grand Thousand Dao Sect had completely integrated and absorbed the Profound Ghost Dao Sect. Initially, Elder Xu and others proposed replacing the plaque of the Profound Ghost Dao Sect with that of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect.

However, after careful consideration, Pei Qingfeng rejected that proposal. He did not wish for news to spread too quickly, fearing it might invite unnecessary trouble. Quietly making a fortune was the proper way.

Therefore, Pei Qingfeng waved his hand and distributed two-thirds of the resources obtained from the Profound Ghost Dao Sect. At the same time, he selected over a hundred talented and morally upright disciples from the outer sect to teach them the methods of the Qi Refining Realm.

Having been suppressed by the Profound Ghost Dao Sect for many years and occasionally harassed by other sects, the number of disciples in the Grand Thousand Dao Sect had been decreasing sharply every decade.

Previously, they might not have been able to maintain a hundred disciples after another hundred or eighty years. Half of the nine peaks elders would likely be gone too after such a period.

However, the situation had changed. Not only had they absorbed and assimilated the resources of the Profound Ghost Dao Sect, but Fang Chen had previously bestowed them with Dao techniques.

Among them, techniques like All Things as Soldiers and Earth Escape were being referenced by the elders. Only the Spiritual Attachment Technique, the Innate Five Lightning Technique, and the Eight Trigrams Formation were found to be incompatible with their Dao lineage.

That could be resolved as well. The lineage of the Profound Ghost Dao Sect could be used to cultivate the Spiritual Attachment Technique. As for the Innate Five Lightning Technique and the Eight Trigrams Formation, it would require experimentation to find out if it was suitable.

"For the newly recruited disciples, let them cultivate the Dao lineage of the Profound Ghost Dao Sect. Later, integrate one of the peaks in the inner sanctum for their residence," Pei Qingfeng instructed.

Guan’e and the others nodded in agreement.

It was only natural for the Profound Ghost Dao Sect disciples to cultivate the Spirit Attachment Technique. Otherwise, that technique would be wasted.

"After Martial Uncle emerges from seclusion, I will personally inquire whether the Dao lineage of the Profound Ghost Dao Sect can cultivate the Innate Five Lighting Art and the Eight Trigrams Formation. If it is possible, some of you may need to abandon your current Dao lineage and switch to the Profound Ghost techniques," Pei Qingfeng said.

The elders exchanged glances. At their level, switching cultivation techniques could easily lead to mistakes. However, they all understood the importance of the Innate Five Lighting Art. Not being able to cultivate such a technique would be such a waste.

"Sect Master, what if someone can cultivate both techniques?" Guan’e suddenly asked.

"Cultivating both techniques? It seems feasible. It's said that in ancient times, members of the Three Thousand Dao Sect were adept at multiple techniques," Pei Qingfeng mused. "However, those predecessors might have had some method to prevent conflicts or demonic influences when cultivating multiple techniques. If you wish to try, you must be cautious."

Guan’e nodded subtly. Regardless, she was determined to try. If it didn't work out, she could consider switching to the Profound Ghost techniques.

"Senior Uncle has been in seclusion for over a month now, and I feel the spiritual fluctuations from that direction becoming more intense. Could there be any issues arising?" Guan’e added.

Pei Qingfeng instinctively looked toward the direction of the ancestral hall.

***

"Little Chen, how many low-grade spirit stones do we have left?"

Little Sword's voice was tense.

Fang Chen sighed softly. "Only a few tens of thousands left."

During this period, the speed at which the Stone Bead absorbed spiritual energy had been increasing. Despite nearly draining the initial 650,000 low-grade spirit stones, it showed no signs of stopping.

"Little Chen, I'm ready to fight it to the end," Little Sword said quietly.

"You might not be able to beat it," Mirror of the Universe chimed in, a sliver of mockery in its tone.

Little Sword, seeing an outlet for his frustration, began arguing with Mirror of the Universe.

Soon, several more days passed.

Now out of low-grade spirit stones, Fang Chen had no choice but to start using mid-grade spirit stones. Fortunately, the spiritual energy within it was purer and far superior to that of low-grade ones. Given the current absorption rate of the Stone Bead, a couple of hundred mid-grade spirit stones could sustain it for another ten days or so.

Just as Fang Chen was about to take out another mid-grade spirit stone, he noticed that the stone bead's absorption speed was slowly decreasing….

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