Starting from iron smelting

Chapter 44 Inside Story

Liu Meng added, "When I first entered the sect, Elder Xuan Miaozi was in the limelight. He was not only a Jindan-stage cultivator, but also a master of alchemy. His disciples were the best in the sect in terms of combat power and cultivation. At that time, they were known as the Thirteen Gathering Spirit Immortals. The strongest of them, the eldest brother, was about to reach the Jindan stage and become an elder of the Gathering Spirit Sect. The weakest one had already reached the middle stage of the foundation-building stage. Until one day, an accident happened."

Lu Xiuyuan was fascinated by what he heard. He couldn't imagine the grand occasion of his master's sect back then. His master was so high-spirited and ambitious at that time. Senior Sister Qingying was full of envy and pride when she looked at her senior brothers and sisters. It was a pity that the master's sect encountered a sudden change and became what it is now.

Hearing Liu Meng pause and not continue to speak, Lu Xiuyuan hurriedly asked: "What happened next? What happened? What accident happened?"

Liu Meng sighed, as if to calm the anxiety deep in his heart and recall the ill-fated years: "Our Juling Sect is located in the northern border, which is the front line of human defense against monsters. Every hundred years, a fierce monster tide will occur. The monsters will rush towards the human territory frantically, burning, killing, and robbing along the way. They will not escape this disaster until they are full or a powerful monk comes out to protect them."

Lu Xiuyuan was stunned after hearing this. He had never expected that the world of monks was not peaceful. Not only did he have to guard against the intrigues among his companions, but he also had to fight desperately with foreign monsters. After all, the resources in this world are limited. If he wants to expand his power, he must inevitably conflict with others. This is indispensable.

Liu Meng continued, "That time, the beast tide was overwhelming, and I and several fellow apprentices were sent to the front line to stop it. The situation was very critical at the time, and the monsters were surging in with great force, and our sect was in danger."

Lu Xiuyuan listened nervously, as if he could feel the tense atmosphere at that time. He asked: "So how did you deal with it at that time?"

Liu Meng recalled those critical and dangerous days: "There were many monsters, and their levels were not low. Generally, disciples in the Qi training stage could only rely on formations and form groups to barely resist. Generally, those who went into battle to kill monsters were cultivators above the foundation building stage. When the monster tide attacked, Elder Xuan Miaozi, dressed in white, flew in front of the Juling Sect's sect gate. All the disciples worked together to charge the mountain protection formation and killed the monsters several times, until..."

Lu Xiuyuan asked anxiously: "Until what?"

Liu Meng took a deep breath and continued, "Until the last wave of monsters came, a fifth-level monster came to attack the formation. This monster was so huge that it blocked out the sky and the sun. It had three heads and six legs, and each head could emit a huge fireball, which almost caused the Juling Sect to lose. The most important thing is that its fireball attacks were superimposed layer by layer, and the power was comparable to the spells of a Jindan-stage cultivator."

"At that critical moment, Elder Xuan Miaozi decided to take a dangerous approach. He made a gap in the mountain protection formation to lure the ferocious monster closer. At that time, the cultivators of the entire sect were staring nervously, fearing that the slightest mistake would lead to a catastrophic disaster."

Liu Meng's tone was filled with excitement: "Elder Xuan Miaozi used her body to lure the monster at the gap, and stabbed one of the monster's heads with swift speed. At the same time, she used her special move "Aurora Light Slash" to blind three of the monster's six eyes. However, in order to buy time, she was also severely injured by the monster's fireball and fled with injuries."

Liu Meng went on to say, "At that time, Elder Xuanmiaozi sheathed his sword, and his movements were smooth and wonderful. Elder Xuanmiaozi did not want to fight, and when he saw the monster escape, he was going to let it go. Then Elder Xuanhuanzi came and said, 'Brother, you are letting it go too easily. This beast has killed countless lives, and we must kill it to establish our prestige! Besides, a monster of this level must have a demon pill, which is a must for refining the Zengyuan Pill. Moreover, you have the Thirteen Soul Gathering Immortals under your tutelage. Together with me, I will definitely help you kill the monster and take the order successfully.'"

Liu Meng's tone was filled with reverence and memories: "At that time, Elder Xuan Miaozi was dressed in white, standing in the air, with the sword shadows behind him like clouds covering the sun, and his momentum was extraordinary. The Thirteen Soul Gathering Immortals were as powerful as thunder, calm and composed, and a group of people rushed to the front line together to search for the trace of the monster."

"They chased them out, what happened next?" Lu Xiuyuan asked anxiously.

"Afterwards, I don't know what happened. I only know that they chased out of the northern border, encountered an ambush or some accidents, and in the end, I saw Xuanhuanzi carrying the unconscious Xuanmiaozi back to the Juling Sect. All the Thirteen Juling Immortals died." Liu Meng said softly.

Lu Xiuyuan asked with a puzzled look on his face: "What happened? Why did the powerful Elder Xuanmiaozi and the Thirteen Juling Immortals die or get seriously injured, while the less powerful Elder Xuanhuanzi was not injured and survived in the end?"

At the same time, Lu Xiuyuan thought that the monster that could seriously injure his master in the Jindan stage and make him unconscious, and kill all the Thirteen Juling Immortals, must have been powerful enough to reach the Jindan stage. How could a Xuanhuanzi in the middle stage of the foundation building stage survive in the end, and successfully form a dan in just over a decade and become an elder of the Juling Sect? There must be something fishy about this.

Liu Meng paused, with an expression of worry that was difficult to conceal: "I can't understand this situation either. During the pursuit, many monsters came, and Xuan Miaozi and the Thirteen Juling Immortals died in the fierce battle. As for Xuan Huanzi, perhaps because he was dealing with the monsters behind him at the time, he survived. I heard that after he returned to the Juling Sect, he got some opportunities and successfully cultivated to the Jindan stage."

Lu Xiuyuan pondered, and he realized that there might be a more complicated plot hidden in this, but he couldn't reveal the truth immediately. There must be something wrong with this Xuanhuanzi. The master's serious injury and the death of his brothers and sisters must be related to him. Now the enemy is in the dark and I am in the light. Now I must protect myself, hide myself, and quickly improve my cultivation. It seems a bit difficult to avenge my master now. I'll just stay alive first.

Lu Xiuyuan can now feel that a mystery is quietly unfolding in the Juling Sect, and he has also stepped onto the edge of this mystery.

Lu Xiuyuan restrained his emotions and sincerely expressed his gratitude to Liu Meng, "Brother Liu Meng, thank you for telling me this. I will be careful and work hard to improve my cultivation."

Liu Meng nodded: "You are new here and are not familiar with the affairs inside and outside the sect. Listen more and watch more, and try to avoid causing unnecessary trouble. The struggles in the sect are complicated. You must learn to protect yourself and make decisions after understanding more things."

Lu Xiuyuan understood and was grateful for Liu Meng's advice. This conversation gave him a clearer understanding of the current situation of the Juling Sect and deepened his understanding of the world of immortal cultivation. In this world, every step needs to be cautious, and any choice may involve unexpected risks. Lu Xiuyuan knew that he must always be vigilant and try to avoid getting stuck in the quagmire of the sect.