NOVPUB
Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Immortal Ascension Conference
Everyone knows that a cultivator’s foundation comes from mortals.
Cultivators reside in places abundant with Spiritual Energy convergence, namely the Spirit Veins and Spirit Islands, where they absorb the essence of Heaven and Earth and focus on cultivation.
Those vast lands with scarce Spiritual Energy and no Spirit Veins are naturally occupied by various mortal kingdoms.
Therefore, almost all cultivation forces periodically host the Immortal Ascension Conference to select Immortal Seeds and strengthen themselves.
The Li Family controls thousands of miles of the maritime territory and countless mundane island nations, where an Immortal Ascension Conference is held every five years.
It can be said to be a carnival for all the small families and forces under their command.
"Let’s go, let’s ask at Evergreen Hall."
Li Quanqing and his companion arrived at the Evergreen Hall, where the family tasks were issued, thinking they were among the earliest.
Unexpectedly, three or four Elders were already waiting, all belonging to Li Kunli’s ranks, making them acquaintances.
"Elder Quanqing is also here for a task? Could it be that you are preparing to preside over an Immortal Ascension Conference?"
A very familiar Elder spoke, his smile sly, obviously an Artifact Refiner of the highest grade within the family.
"Yes, do the rest of you have the same idea?"
Li Quanqing said somewhat awkwardly, not expecting so many clever people with quick wits.
The group exchanged glances, unable to hold back their snickers—all of them composed yet cunning folks.
They were too familiar with the temper of the Third Elder. When angered, he was like an active volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
Thus, no one wanted to stay on the island and wished to avoid this place of potential trouble.
"According to the usual rules, each Immortal Ascension Conference is divided into nine parts. Elders, please select one for yourselves." 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝘤𝑜𝘮
These nine parts included the central region with Qingyu Island at its core, the four cardinal directions—east, west, south, and north—as well as the southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest regions.
The central region, being closest to the main island and a gathering place for a large number of the Li Family’s mundane relatives, was always very much sought after.
However, the present Elders didn’t even bother looking at it, instead directly choosing the more remote maritime regions.
"I choose the eastern maritime region."
Li Quanqing spoke up, always having a preference for the "east" direction.
"My lord, the eastern maritime region is traditionally dominated by Qi Refining small families with numerous mundane islands—it is quite busy with affairs."
A cautious Steward spoke up to remind him.
"No matter, being busy is just right; it suits me well."
Li Quanqing spoke indifferently.
After all, when the time comes, it will be Li Quanmo’s subordinates, the Stewards, who will really measure the Spirit Roots of the mortal children. They would just be there as witnesses.
After accepting the task, Li Quanqing also received items necessary for the Spirit Roots testing.
The top-grade Flying Artifact, Immortal Bridge; the Low-grade Spiritual Artifact, Spirit Testing Platform.
Testing Spirit Roots was no trivial matter.
Those Qi Refining small families could only afford rudimentary Spirit Testing Plates, which could determine whether a child has a Spirit Root and at most identify the leaning toward a certain attribute.
To truly understand the distribution of the five elements of a Spirit Root, whether it is High, Middle, or Low-grade, one must rely on the Spirit Testing Platform.
This type of costly Spiritual Artifact could only be afforded by Foundation Establishment Families and those slightly more powerful Qi Refining Families.
This was also a deliberate control by the Golden Core Sects and their high-level cultivators, to prevent some small families from hiding top-quality Immortal Seeds and keeping them for themselves.
After all, the Immortal Ascension Conference represents the family’s face; the Green Jade Li Family specially prepared Tower Ship Spirit Boats for each Elder.
Banners fluttered, drums roared, and Green Jade Fish and Dragon flags streamed in the wind on the ships, orchestrated as grandly as a secular emperor’s coronation.
"What a pity, the young lad Quange is not here; otherwise, such a spectacle would have been enough for him to boast about for a lifetime."
Li Quanmo, gazing at the family cultivators guarding in all directions, couldn’t help but let a smile show on his usually stern face.
With two years gone by, this often silent fellow had indeed changed a lot, becoming more talkative and smiling more.
It even quickened his pace of cultivation a bit.
"Set sail."
Li Quanqing stood at the bow and gave the command, with the Family Stewards swiftly passing orders down the line, exhibiting impressive authority.
Woo-woo!
With the low sound of the horn, the Tower Ship trembled slightly, Array Formation Spiritual Light enveloped the deck, and it began to move slowly.
Behind, merchant ships of mundane traders also set sail from Qingyu Island and its seven subsidiary islands, mostly with a background of Li Family cultivators, following them closely.
The Immortal Ascension Conference was not only an event of great significance to the Cultivation World but also a major event for mortals.
Families of the mortals from whom Immortal Seeds were detected would be granted a hefty reward of gold and silver, and with the rich produce of the various islands exchanging goods, many mortal traders flocked to it.
"The first island, Bai Shao Island of the Liu Family."
Li Quanqing took out a sea chart, looking towards the first Spirit Island located seven hundred miles away from Qingyu Island, a rather strong small family under the Li Family’s command.
While the Tower Ship was still tens of miles away from Bai Shao Island, a Spirit Boat rushed toward them as if it had been waiting for a long time.
"Liu Family Clan Leader Liu Baixu greets the Immortal Ascension delegate from the upper family. May I know which Elder has graced us with their presence?"
From afar, a voice rang out clearly, the tone exceedingly respectful and cautious.
Li Quanqing’s eyes fell upon the Liu Family Clan Leader, who turned out to be a Qi Refining Perfection-level powerhouse.
He’s around fifty-odd years old, still with a sliver of chance to hit the Foundation Establishment stage.
Beside him stood three clan elders, all of whom possess the strength of the later stages of Qi Refining.
"Invite them up."
Li Quanqing spoke, a smile blooming across his face as he engaged in conversation with the members of the Liu Family.
Seeing such a young Elder from the Li Family, Liu Baixu was also taken aback, thinking of a certain young genius who had recently risen within the Green Jade Li Family, his attitude becoming all the more respectful.
Upon the Tower Ship’s arrival at the Baishao Island, the Liu Family’s Clan Leader spoke with utmost respect: "This year, the Baishao Liu Family has a total of thirty-one Immortal Seeds under its command. Please, Elder Quanqing, extend the Immortal Bridge."
Li Quanqing nodded, extending a hand and pointing; suddenly, the Azure Sea Magic Power surged, all of it pouring into the pure white, jade-like Immortal Bridge.
This special magical treasure was fifty feet in length and more than a foot in width, and at this moment, it suddenly shone brightly, emitting a brilliant light, hovering off the deck.
As the three ascended the Immortal Bridge, they were immediately enveloped in the radiant glow of dawn, obscuring their features and making them unfathomably deep and imposing.
Li Quanqing piloted this flying artifact, with the wind whistling past his ears, and in the blink of an eye, he cut through the long sky, hovering over Baishao Island.
Below, a dense crowd had gathered; amid the focused attention of thousands, thirty-one anxious children stood protected at the very center.
They were Immortal Seeds selected by the Liu Family with the Spirit Testing Plate beforehand, but their actual Spirit Roots needed to be specifically measured.
"Elder Liu, you didn’t conceal any top-grade Immortal Seeds in advance, did you?"
Gazing down upon the tens of thousands of commoners, Li Quanqing suddenly asked with a smile.
Even though top-grade spiritual roots could not be detected by the Spirit Testing Plate, by practicing cultivation techniques and observing each individual’s progress, one could still make an educated guess.
"Besides my Liu Family members, the rest of the Immortal Seeds show no trace of mana residue within their bodies, Elder can personally investigate them if so wished."
Liu Baixu spoke openly and confidently, without any hint of timidity.
Li Quanqing nodded, and with a wave of his sleeve robe, a palm-sized sacrificial altar flew out, quickly growing in the wind.
The altar was of five colors and covered with dense patterns; flying off from the Immortal Bridge and then landing on the ground, it transformed into the size of a small hill.
"Immortal!"
"It’s an Immortal Magical Treasure!"
There was a rustling sound as a swath of commoners below immediately knelt down in awe, regarding it with a mix of longing and fear.
Li Quanqing’s gaze was detached as he deliberately wielded his mana, his majestic voice echoing from the radiant dawn light, reverberating through the universe.
"All Immortal Seeds, ascend the altar in turn to measure your Spirit Roots. No commotion is allowed; those who disobey will be punished!"
These Immortal Seeds were only children between the ages of seven and twelve. Despite their tender years, they inherently possessed grace and natural elegance, indeed appearing quite extraordinary.
Under the guidance of a few Immortal Seeds from the Liu Family, they ascended the Spirit Testing Platform one by one, immediately resulting in the rise of various colored lights, no more than two to three inches high.
"They’re all Low-grade Spiritual Roots, alas!"
Liu Baixu sighed slightly, a sense of regret apparent.
Seeing this, Li Quanqing also shook his head and instructed the Stewards to record the results of these Immortal Seeds’ Spirit Roots, before stepping off the jade bridge and leaving.
Those Immortal Seeds of common birth, unrelated to the Li bloodline, were only worth bringing back to Qingyu Island for cultivation if they reached the level of Middle Grade Spiritual Roots.
"Seeing Elder Quanqing off with great respect."
Although Liu Baixu was of higher cultivation, he was well aware of his own status, bowing respectfully in farewell.
"So this is the Immortal Ascension Conference, huh?"
Li Quanqing looked down at the commoners who were becoming more distant and hazy, and couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sentimentality in his heart.
If he hadn’t been born into the Li Family with a Spirit Root, he might now be like these commoners, craning his neck to watch the so-called Immortals drift further away.
Woo woo!
The Tower Ship roared, once again slowly setting sail towards another Spirit Island.
Thus, repeating the process over and over, after a full five days, even Li Quanqing began to feel a semblance of fatigue.
Fortunately, he didn’t come away empty-handed, having acquired five Middle Grade Spirit Roots to take back and nurture within his family.
"All Immortal Seeds, ascend the platform..."
Li Quanqing tread upon the Immortal Bridge suspended in the air, his voice booming, emotionless like a machine.
But this time, a new change occurred.
When a young girl stepped upon the Spirit Testing Platform, the altar suddenly boomed, and amidst a burst of colorful Spirit Lights, a shade of water blue radiance exploded forth.
It reached higher than six inches!
"This is... a top-grade Water Spirit Root!"
Beside him, Li Quanmo’s face showed a moment of astonishment, before swiftly converting into a deep joy.
By the standards of the sacrificial altar radiance, below one inch was inferior, one to three inches lower grade, three to five inches middle grade, five to seven inches upper grade, and seven to nine inches for Earth Spirit Root.
"Quanqing, bringing back a top-grade Spirit Root to the family is quite an achievement!"
Li Quanmo softly spoke, his expression not concealing his excitement.
In the entire Green Jade Li Family, there were only three members with top-grade Spiritual Roots, highlighting their rarity.
Li Quanqing glanced at him, seemingly not overly excited, and reminded him: "Have you forgotten the Upper Sect’s rules? Any top-grade Spiritual Root not of our surname must first be reported to the Shuihua Sword Sect!"
Li Quanmo frowned, immediately turning to the side to the young leader of the island, asking with a heavy voice: "This girl, what is her name?"
The cultivator, surnamed Fang, came from a small family, but with a cultivation of Qi Refining Seventh Layer, was also immersed in boundless surprise.
After a moment of thought, he respectfully responded: "This little girl comes from a pearl-diving household on a nearby island, her name is Zhou Caimei, just over seven years old."
