Chapter 123 – For the Only Constant is Change

POV Change:

The Jian Family had been facing the winds and rain ever since their tumultuous arrival at the Azure Mountains, but Jian Feng would be lying if he said he wasn’t ultimately glad that events had culminated in this way. The deep waters and vast foundations of the Azure Mountains were infinitely more suited for someone like him to rise to his potential. He had already reached the peak of the foundation realm and was preparing for one of the most dangerous breakthroughs a cultivator faced, a breakthrough to the core formation realm.

He wasn’t even the only one. Much like his family had, the other cultivation clans had already begun to exchange their wealth for the sect’s resources to support their most talented prospects. The incomparably rich atmosphere of qi and the unique resources provided to the promising seedlings had resulted in a slew of breakthroughs. Feng had always thought ‘to eat a 1000 year old ginseng’ was just a phrase until he had heard that the Li clan had actually been given one! The precious cultivation resource was gifted to Li Feng, the most talented disciple of their fallen branch.

Li Feng, the man he admired and the goal he strived toward, was said to have already broken through but with only a Translucent Core, the 3rd grade of the five possible grades of cores. Tall trees attract the wind, and this one had failed to withstand it. Jian Feng still had mixed feelings about seeing his target fall like this. With such mediocre results, the Li family was facing harsh criticism for wasting the precious resource gifted to them. And it didn’t stop with them. All the remnants of the Heavenly Sword Sect were forced to share in that failure, nearly ruining all the effort they had put to ingratiating themselves with their parent sect.

Without the ex-sect leader to keep them united, the Cheng family forgot favors and violated justice by completely abandoning their allies and fled to find another thick thigh to cling to. Their betrayal had revealed ongoing communication with the Fang family. Jian Feng hadn’t been surprised by their gutless behavior but was surprised when their supposed allies, the Xi Clan, hadn’t followed. But when he learned of the true reason, Feng found himself both jealous and pressured to achieve the same levels of glory.

It wasn’t Xi Yao, the true heir of the Xi clan, but his half-sister Xi Yuan who had redeemed them all. Rumors said she was in seclusion, stabilizing her new 4th grade Clear Core, after enduring a terrifying metal attribute tribulation. He didn’t know which one, as it was a closely guarded secret. However, it couldn’t have been a simple one because she had started to turn around the strange stigma associated with those who came from the barren regions. Because she was still young, her future limits were surely higher than Xi Yao's, but that very imbalance was creating a rift in the Xi family.

There was no concern about a rift in his family, but Jian Feng needed to match her achievement at the very least if his family was to have a future here. Fortunately for him, Feng had that conspiracy fall into his lap! That fool who informed him may be a slacker and a wastrel, but at least he knew better than to enter the tiger’s cave. When Feng had brought that information to his father, he had been well rewarded.

Apparently, Elder Jiao Yue’s betrayal had been somewhat expected, but the vice-sect leader being controlled hadn’t. The series of underhanded actions harming the remnants of their branch sect made more sense this way. His father and uncle had entered into complex discussions with Sister Fei about their next steps, even informing their allies, the Zhen clan. Jian Feng may be the family’s heir, but he was expected to lead through might, leaving his sister to handle the clan’s management, so he wasn’t displeased at being left out.

Without the ex-sect leader’s assistance, they couldn’t hope to curb the traitor’s influence with the Azure Mountain’s He family, so they needed to buy time and gather allies. Jian Feng’s fiance, Zhen Bing, was in the process of reconnecting with her family’s main branch, which was a powerhouse of the Azure Mountains sect. The main Zhen family was said to wield great influence in the Crafting Hall, and the branch family that split off from them to go to the Heavenly Sword Sect was trying to merge back with them through Zhen Bing and her alchemy.

The other opportunity to undermine the traitor would require patience. His sister had learned of the Azure Mountain’s plans to arrange a series of tournaments and events in 3 years' time. Whether it was to greet a diplomatic delegation that was said to arrive then, to nurture allies, or even just to benefit their own disciples, it was yet unknown. If they could make a name for themselves there, then they could find the backing needed to eliminate the traitor who had already begun to work against them.

Jian’s task in the meantime was simple. He needed to complete sect missions and hone his strength, earning merit, resources, and fame until the time came to form his core. Unlike the other unfortunate, unprotected disciples who had been scattered to the outskirts, where they would be forced to serve as the first line of defense against incursions, Feng had been granted an abode in a region with bountiful qi, away from the borders. His mountains had a pure spirit spring, a cultivation chamber, and built-in defenses. The Sword Plains were to his south and to his west were several influential disciples’ abodes. Only the empty grasslands to his east were rather disappointing, filled with lackluster prey.

Being granted such a valuable abode was no doubt thanks to his family’s influence. As a young master, he had no qualms about using his family’s backing but couldn’t entirely ignore his fellow disciples’ plight. When he arrived to gather them up as his followers, many had already been overwhelmed by the dangers of their new abodes. They were only too grateful to follow him on missions and earn merit until the time came that they could regain control over their assigned territories.

It was after one such exhausting expedition that Jian Feng sat recovering in his cultivation chamber. He rolled the Heaven Mending pill in his hands, the pill his father had awarded him. The pill would be incredibly useful for his breakthrough to the core formation realm. And even if he endured the tribulation and formed a core all by himself, it would help increase its grade by one. The only issue was that the pill he held wasn’t of the highest quality, having been made in the barren wastelands of his old home.

“Not yet. I can earn enough merit and obtain even better resources for my breakthrough on my own. I know Uncle didn’t have my best interests in mind when he convinced Father of this reward, but I can put it to good use even if I don’t consume it.”

These past few months may have been a frenzied mess of politics, intrigue, and cultivation, but Jian Feng was still glad. These changes may be turbulent, but he would be the one to benefit. The Azure Mountains were a grand stage, and eventually, he would take his place at the front. Jian Feng put aside the pill and picked up the new sword art he had just obtained. Like a tiger given wings, his ascension was all but inevitable!

POV Change:

Frantically running around like a chicken with its head cut off, Zhao Ren had finally managed to stabilize the failing arrays. Because the nodes of the arrays were made of living plants, he couldn’t just rip them up and rearrange them as he desired. A complication, but one he managed to overcome by shifting patches of soil with the plants. This method would reduce their lifespan, but it was more important for him to regain control over the array. It had calmed the worst of the earth’s wrath. The ground had continued to tremble and groan, but at least the mountains didn’t collapse under his feet.

After a few near-sleepless nights, interspersed with infusing qi into the two spirit plants, he had come up with some impromptu adjustments to his vast array. Previously, Ren had planned for a constant, steady rotation of qi around The Edge, but that hadn’t worked as planned and put undue stress on the array. It escalated too quickly and even began to draw more and more qi from the neighboring territories. Before it became irreversible and The Edge began to drown in qi, Ren had modified the array.

Now, the qi of the 1st peak was mostly death attributed suited for Encroaching Darkness for the better part of the day, and the 3rd peak was mostly filled with life attribute qi from the sacred grounds, perfect for the Heart of Relentless Suffocation. Both plants grew swiftly in all directions except toward each other. Then, once a day the arrays would rotate the qi in one swift burst.

The deluge of opposing qi would, for the most part, undo the progress made around the edges that day. The lush vines and the thin pale tendrils would wither and crumble, returning to the soil. At the edges of their territories, battle would flare viciously, the two plants actively competing to encroach into each other’s land. All around the 2nd peak, up to its middle regions, the vines and tendrils would struggle back and forth.

Once the qi cycled back to their favored qi, the two plants would retreat, like animals licking their wounds. Ren estimated that most of the qi they absorbed in a day was expended in this conflict, leaving very little for their future growth. And that was just how Ren preferred it. Plants that responded poorly to plant manipulation techniques, restricting each other. A gradual advancement of their cores that wouldn’t disrupt the balance of The Edge.

A week after the arrays had been triggered, Ren watched the transformation. First with great concern, and then with clear pride in his eyes. His idea was working wonderfully, and the barren soil of all three mountains was being fertilized with a layer of valuable spirit plant material. A journey of a thousand miles began with this step. If it continued, The Edge would become the most fertile paradise any herb cultivator could dream of!

Nor was he the only one benefiting! The goats and yaks, along with all the smaller life forms on his mountains, were rejoicing at the bounteous feast before them. Some had been captured and consumed by the plants, but the intelligence of spirit beasts was not to be underestimated. The animals kept their distance while the plants were active and instead lunged when they had just finished the day’s combat. Like the fisherman benefiting from the sandpiper and clam fighting, the animals profited. Their fur coats were already appearing more lustrous than before.

Finally satisfied that the arrays wouldn’t crumble without his constant attention, Ren finally returned to his cave. He tiredly greeted his worried companions, and their effusive celebrations at his return brought a wan smile to his face. He spontaneously decided to sleep under the stars, missing that indulgence of his early days, even if the mountains were mostly covered by clouds. Surrounded by his pets, Ren lay down for a well-deserved rest.

“Hmm? Why can I see more stars than usual? Aren’t the clouds a little thin today?”

In a flash of understanding, it came to him. He bolted upright in his cot, sending angrily squeaking little tortoises flying everywhere.

“By the Heavens, the clouds aren’t thin; they’re closer! Are these damn mountains growing?!”