Chapter 121: Centuries ago, his ancestor couldn’t even touch me and Unexpectedly Cancelled Missions

A figure descended from the sky.

He landed as smoothly as a falling leaf, his feet touched the ground without making a single sound. It was an old man with long hair and a flowing white beard, wearing the dark blue robes of the Cloudwater Sect.

The aura he emitted was deep and vast, carrying the undeniable, oppressive weight of a Core Formation Realm expert.

Seeing this, Ling Tao and the remaining disciples immediately sheated their weapons and cupped hands in respect.

"We greet Elder Shen."

Elder Shen didn’t immediately look at them or the Passion Sect cultivators. Instead, he stroked his long beard as his eyes locked onto Yu Liang. His spiritual sense swept over the young man and his eyes gradually widened with shock and delight.

"Good! Very Good!" Elder Shen praised loudly. "Bone age under twenty, cultivation at the peak of Qi Condensation Realm, yet his spiritual energy is as pure as spring water and his foundation is as solid as divine iron. Such a monstrous foundation. Truly a genius among geniuses."

It was the typical high praise of a senior expert, but coming from a Core Formation Elder, it carried immense weight. The surrounding disciples looked at Yu Liang with even more awe.

Bone age was one of the most commonly used standards for judging a cultivator’s potential.

Unlike appearance, which could be altered through cultivation techniques, pills, or special physiques, bone age revealed a person’s true age with far greater accuracy. As a cultivator grew older, their bones would gradually accumulate the marks of time, even if their appearance remained unchanged.

Because of this, sects often used bone age as the first test when selecting disciples.

Yu Liang silently glanced at the elder. ’I wonder what his reaction would be if he knew my spiritual root is absolute trash.’

’Actually... I kind of want to see it.’ He almost smiled at the thought. ’Would he take back his praise?’

Elder Shen then retracted his gaze and sighed softly as if explaining why he’s present here. "When one of you guys fired that emergency signal earlier, it immediately alerted our surrounding subordinate forces. They contacted the sect and I rushed over. When I arrived, I saw the Passion Sect setting up this mountain sealing barrier. Instead of intervening immediately, I hid my aura and watched from above."

He looked at the loyal disciples, then at the piles of ash that used to be the three traitors. "The human heart is always the scariest thing in this world. Three of them betrayed their savior out of fear. But the rest of you stood firm, willing to die for him. One of them didn’t just saved lives, but others also showed their true loyalty. This is a great harvest for our sect, now shall we deal with these pests."

Hearing this, Ling Tao and the others felt a surge of warmth in their chests.

But Yu Liang sighed softly. ’So the elder had been hiding all along... Well, it was good for me anyway. At least I don’t have to deal with this mess anymore. Otherwise, if these guys saw me casually throwing out talismans and using all kinds of treasures to fight, they might end up developing an inner demon. That would be troublesome.’

On the other side, Han Kuang, Li Mei, and Ma Teng saw the Core Formation Elder and realized the situation was completely out of their control.

Han Kuang stepped forward, trying to use the only card he had left. He puffed out his chest and threatened loudly, "Cloudwater Sect Elder. Don’t think you can bully us, If you kill us today, the Mountain Corpse Asura, Senior Mo Tianhen, will definitely not let you off. He will slaughter your entire sect and turn it into a sea of blood."

Hearing the name Moutain Corpse Asura, some of the younger Cloudwater disciples trembled, but Elder Shen just let out a loud, mocking laugh.

"Hahaha! Mountain Corpse Asura?" Elder Shen sneered, his eyes full of contempt. "Centuries ago, his ancestor couldn’t even touch me. What makes you think some puny old guy who just calls himself a Corpse Dog would scare me? If that old bastard dares to show his face, I’ll pluck his hair out and make him a bark like a dog."

The Passion Sect leaders were instantly speechless, their faces turning shade of green and white from the sheer humiliation and shock.

Just as the situation was reaching boiling point and Elder Shen was about to make a move, the expressions of both groups changed at the exact same time.

Buzz!

Buzz!

The communication jade slips of the Passion Sect leaders and Elder Shen’s vibrated simultaneously.

They both took out their slips and checked the messages. The orders were crystal clear and came from the absolute highest authorities of their respective sects.

’Do not harm anyone. The missions are immediately cancelled. Retreat at once.’

Han Kuang’s face twisted in anger. He couldn’t accept this otherwise, that old guy will kill him. He quickly poured his spiritual energy into the slip, trying to argue and explain that they had found the big harvest. But before he could even finish his message, a terrifying, cold spiritual warning directly struck his mind, almost making his soul shatter. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turned pale as he realized the absolute authority behind the order.

On the Cloudwater Sect’s side, Ling Tao and the other disciples also received the same message.

They looked at Elder Shen for further instructions.

Seeing the Elder nod slightly and give a subtle hand gesture, they understood they had to obey the sect’s order.

"Let’s go," Han Kuang gritted his teeth, glaring at Yu Liang with hatred. He waved his hand and the Passion Sect group reluctantly retreated, disappearing into the dense forest.

Seeing them leave, Elder Shen turned to the disciples. "Since the missions are cancelled, let’s head back."

The Elder personally escorted the group to the transportation platform at the edge of the region, where a large flying ship was already waiting.

As the disciples began to board the ship, Elder Shen subtly pulled Yu Liang aside.

"Yu Liang," Elder Shen said in serious tone. "Keep your defenses up when traveling outside the sect. That old dog, Mo Tianhen, is extremely cunning and vindictive. He is not easy to deal with. I don’t know what grudge he has with you but once he finds out, you will be hunted down but he won’t attack in the sect, remeber he will use underhanded methods."

Elder Shen sighed, looking genuinely apologetic. "I am truly sorry. Because of the sect’s sudden order and the larger strategic plans, I can’t deal with those remaining dogs right now. But I give you my personal promise, if you ever face a life or death crisis, you can count on me anytime. It is my promise to you."

Saying this, Elder Shen took out a intricate, dark blue jade token and handed it to Yu Liang.

"With this token, you can enter the Pavilion and choose any technique for your Foundation Establishment Realm promotion. There will be no restrictions on your choice and this will also serve as a mean of contact with me."

Elder Shen looked at Yu Liang, his eyes filled with deep appreciation as he sighed again. "It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen such a strong, monstrous foundation. Don’t waste your talent. The future of our sect might just rest on the shoulders of disciples like you."

Yu Liang took the token, feeling its smooth, cold surface. He cupped his hands and bowed deeply with sincere expression. "Thank you for your guidance and generosity, Elder Shen. I will remember this."

"You’re welcome. Now go, board the ship."

Yu Liang turned and walked up the ramp, joining Ling Tao and the others. As the flying ship’s engines buzzed, it slowly lifted off the ground, carrying them away from the Blackstone Mountain.

Yu Liang stood at the edge of the ship, looking down at the shrinking mountain. He touched the jade token in his pocket.

The mission was over, but Yu Liang knew, this was was only the beginning of a much bigger storm as there are just too many variables.