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Chapter 634: Chapter 640: Trial
A month later, after a long journey, Wei Ningchen finally arrived at Wanxian Island.
"Is this the Li family’s domain?"
Surveying from high above, Wei Ningchen saw that Wanxian Island was surrounded by mountains on three sides, the east, south, and north, and every hundred miles, there was a narrow passageway.
It was specifically designed to defend against the Sea Clan beast tides, to alleviate the pressure and casualties of the clansmen and to make hunting Water Devils easier.
Inside the island was mostly plains.
Only near the center were there two mountain ranges that stretched for over a hundred miles. Even from such a distance, one could feel the bursting vitality within.
The two mountain ranges were the Spirit Beast Mountain Range and the Spirit Medicine Mountain Range, both of which were very important territories for the Li family.
In the very center of the island stood a towering mountain that pierced the clouds, teeming with many figures bustling about. This mountain was named Wanling Mountain and was where all of the Li family members lived.
The Li family’s sole fourth-rank Spirit Vein was within this mountain, and the higher one lived, the richer the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth would be.
In previous years, the Li family had buried millions of Spirit Stones deep within the Spirit Medicine Mountain Range. The Spirit Vein was slowly absorbing them, and in another decade or so, it was expected to successfully advance to the fourth rank.
Wanling Mountain was divided into four tiers based on cultivation levels, and each tier was further divided into three sub-levels, with the rule that clansmen must reside in the location corresponding to their cultivation.
To maintain fairness, not even relatives with higher cultivations were allowed to cross those tiers. 𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
Only when breaking through a major realm and needing an environment with denser Spiritual Energy was one permitted to ascend a tier.
Of course, complete fairness did not exist in this world. For example, Li Chengsheng and Li Chengshuo, even though they could only cultivate on the third tier, the Spirit Pills given to them by Li Zhirui meant the external environment was not so crucial.
The rule was mainly established to provide the children from Secular Clansmen with a slightly more spacious path for upward mobility.
"Quite different from the layout of a Sect." With Wei Ningchen’s perspective, he naturally saw that Wanxian Island had been transformed by human hands, but it did fit with the position of the Li family.
He then descended and hovered outside Wanxian Island, calling out loudly, "Disciple Wei Ningchen from the Wanxiang Sect has come to pay respects to Elder Li Zhirui!"
With the enhancement of his Mana, his voice rolled like waves, traveling into the interior of Wanxian Island.
"Wanxiang Sect?"
"Isn’t that the premier Great Sect in the Eastern Domain?! Why would they suddenly visit our Ancestor?"
"It’s unknown if the visitor comes with good or bad intentions."
"Quick, notify the Clan Leader to decide."
The voice of Wei Ningchen also alerted the patrolling clansmen, each of them rode on flying creatures toward him, looking at him with cold eyes. The person at the forefront was also a Golden Core Cultivator!
As the number of Golden Core members in the Li family increased, it greatly reduced the family’s shortage of manpower in various aspects, with several Golden Cores arranged in the more important patrol teams.
"May I know the reason for your visit to our Elder?"
Wei Ningchen didn’t regard the comer as worthy of attention. Although both were Golden Cores, the difference in strength was more than just a bit. Maintaining the arrogance of someone from a prestigious Sect, he said, "I have something important to report."
"Is that so?" Seeing that he did not wish to elaborate, Li Dayong didn’t dare to continue to inquire further as he could feel the immense threat from the other.
All he needed to do was keep a good watch on him until the others arrived.
Upon hearing the news, Li Darong immediately messaged Li Zhirui.
"Wei Ningchen, that kid, why has he come? Could it be that he’s here ahead of time?" Li Zhirui frowned upon receiving the message.
Nevertheless, he had someone go out to escort him into the parlor.
"I have seen the Elder!"
Li Zhirui waved his hand, signaling him to sit and asked bluntly, "What brings you here this time?"
"I would like to see my sister Shuo and discuss some matters with her," Wei Ningchen said, quite nervously.
Even when facing a Divine Transformation ancestor, his state of mind would not fluctuate much, but now, under Li Zhirui’s gaze, he felt slightly undone.
"Shuo is currently in seclusion for deep cultivation."
"This..." Wei Ningchen wouldn’t suspect that Li Zhirui was deceiving him, as there was really no need for that.
But now, how should he explain this to Li Chengshuo?
After all, they had made a promise before they parted last time, that regardless of whether his master agreed or not, he would come and inform her.
"Do you have something you want to tell Shuo? If it’s convenient, I can help you relay the message."
From the current situation, Wei Ningchen seemed to be the best candidate for Shuo to entrust her life with, and there were mutual feelings between them.
Therefore, Li Zhirui didn’t mind helping them out.
"Alright then, I’ll trouble you, senior," said Wei Ningchen, remembering his master’s instructions before he left, and that he shouldn’t linger outside for too long.
He then took out a jade slip and recorded all that he wanted to say, as well as the reasons behind it.
"Please trouble you, senior!" Wei Ningchen stood up and saluted, saying, "I won’t impose any further."
Li Zhirui nodded slightly and casually pocketed the jade slip, he wasn’t the type to peek at its contents.
Just as Wei Ningchen was about to leave the reception hall, Jiang Fengwu suddenly rushed over in a hurry, blocking his path.
"Zhirui, is he the brat who’s pursuing Shuo?"
Jiang Fengwu frowned as she scrutinized Wei Ningchen up and down, her eyes full of disdain and dislike.
Feeling helpless inside, Li Zhirui knew she had found out; there was no choice but to introduce them to each other.
"Yes, this is Wei Ningchen, the prominent disciple of the Divine Transformation ancestor of Wanxiang Sect’s Myriad Puppet Peak," he introduced.
"This is my partner, Jiang Fengwu, mother of Shuo."
Wei Ningchen quickly bowed to pay his respects, saying, "Junior has met senior Jiang."
"I can’t accept such grand gestures."
Wei Ningchen’s expression stiffened; he never expected that Shuo’s mother would dislike him so much.
"Fengwu, what are you doing?"
Seeing this, Li Zhirui quickly spoke up to ease the situation, "Didn’t you like Ning Chen before? You even said you wanted to properly test him."
"Hmph!" Jiang Fengwu glared at him and said, "I recently had an epiphany and created a new formation."
"Senior Jiang is truly a woman of exceptional intelligence and transcendent talent, I greatly admire you," Wei Ningchen said with respect.
"Empty flattery!" Her face still cold, Jiang Fengwu replied, "Don’t think I’ll lower the bar just because you say a few nice words!"
Wei Ningchen’s face changed slightly; his attempt at flattery had backfired, and he didn’t dare speak recklessly anymore, lest he make her even more averse.
Li Zhirui, watching from the side, couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle inside; Wei Ningchen, usually so calm and composed, was now thrown off balance.
At the same time, he also understood what Jiang Fengwu had been up to in recent years.
To test Wei Ningchen, she had gone through the effort of creating a new formation, then pretended it came by chance.
However, in the presence of others, he of course had to maintain Jiang Fengwu’s dignity, so he stood aside, letting the two interact.
Li Zhirui was also quite curious about the formation she created; her confident demeanor alone told him that this formation was definitely not simple!
