178: How can the gatekeeper not be a little arrogant?

Weng—!

An indescribably majestic power surged into Xiao Hei's body without warning!

This power was warm and vast, instantly washing through its entire body, merging into its Demon Core and Divine Soul!

The Bottleneck of the Peak Earth Immortal stage was easily punctured like wet paper. Heavenly Immortal, True Immortal... its aura climbed frantically at a terrifying speed!

“Awoo?!”

Xiao Hei snapped its eyes open, its dog eyes filled with disbelief.

It felt its body undergoing earth-shaking changes; its blood was boiling, its bones were humming, and its Divine Soul was expanding!

An unprecedented sense of power filled its entire body, as if a single paw could shatter mountains and rivers!

Peak True Immortal!

Its aura stabilized, everything falling into place naturally.

Xiao Hei stood dazed on the spot, its dog face written all over with bewilderment.

It lifted a paw to look, then felt the power within its body that was as vast as the sea; its dog brain couldn't quite wrap around what was happening.

“Sect... Sect Master? This... what's going on?”

It asked stutteringly, its voice trembling from the immense pleasant surprise.

Lin Chen looked at its foolish appearance and couldn't help but laugh.

“Heh, my Wending Sect is destined to become the number one Sect in the heavens in the future!”

“How can our Guardian Divine Beast not be a little arrogant?”

“Your previous cultivation at the Peak Earth Immortal stage was indeed a bit low; it didn't live up to the title of 'Black Immortal,' nor could it hold down the fort!”

“Therefore, This Sect Master applied a small technique to bestow upon you the Peak True Immortal cultivation!”

Hearing this, Xiao Hei was so excited that its tail wagged like a windmill, its dog eyes full of gratitude and fanaticism.

“However...”

Lin Chen's tone shifted: “You must remember, since This Sect Master can bestow cultivation upon you, I can naturally take it back at any time!”

“If you don't want to turn into a pot of dog meat in the winter, then do your job well!”

“Watch the mountain gate well, and don't cause trouble for me!”

Xiao Hei shuddered and immediately prostrated itself, its dog head thumping against the ground: “Xiao Hei understands! Xiao Hei will remember the Sect Master's great kindness!”

“Xiao Hei swears that in this life and the next, I will guard the gate for the Sect Master and die for the Sect!”

“If I have double-hearted thoughts, let lightning strike me and turn me into a dog meat bun!”

“Alright, get up.” Lin Chen waved his hand. “Scram and go show off! Remember, you can only be arrogant toward outsiders. If This Sect Master finds out you've bullied someone from our Sect, see if I don't break your dog legs!”

“Yes! Sect Master! Xiao Hei takes its leave!”

Xiao Hei sprang up, let out an excited low growl, and turned into a streak of black light that shot out of the main hall.

That speed was more than a hundred times faster than before!

Running to a deserted spot outside the hall, it stood up on its hind legs, looking at its paws shimmering with an eerie light and feeling the surging True Immortal power within its body. It couldn't help but howl toward the sky: “Awoo—!!!”

“This Immortal... is a True Immortal now! Hahaha...”

After howling, it quickly covered its mouth, looking around sneakily. Remembering the Sect Master's instruction to 'know when to stop,' it tucked its tail in a bit more, but the smugness in its eyes couldn't be hidden as it scurried back to the mountain gate.

Along the way, it deliberately leaked a sliver of True Immortal pressure, scaring the cranes and Spirit Beasts along the path into avoiding it, making it feel wonderful inside.

Inside the main hall, Lin Chen looked in the direction where Xiao Hei had disappeared and shook his head with a smile.

This dog is loyal enough, but its brain just isn't quite up to snuff.

“Now the top-tier combat power of the Sect is thoroughly supported.”

“As for the Disciples and Elders... with the great dao spacetime pagoda, their cultivation is improving at a rapid pace.”

“It's just... the number of people is ultimately too few.”

“Counting everything, there are only tens of thousands. The Wending Sect is to become the number one Sect in the heavens; this many people is far from enough.”

“However, there's no rush.”

Lin Chen looked toward the Void Realm, his gaze seemingly piercing through the boundaries to see the Cangxuan Realm in the Lower Realm.

“Once the Wending Sect has completely established a firm foothold in Lingxuan Heaven and everything is on the right track, we can continuously transport fresh blood from the Cangxuan Realm. Those talented seedlings, as well as the friends and relatives of the Disciples and Elders, can all be brought up...”

Thinking of the future scene where the Sect would be filled with talents and flourishing, a hint of anticipation appeared in Lin Chen's eyes.

“At that time, this Wending Sect will truly have the atmosphere of Ascending to the Summit of the heavens.”

He leaned back in his chair. The spiritual mist swirled in the hall, making his figure appear increasingly profound... Deep within Taiqing Academy.

Upon an ancient Dao altar enveloped in endless Dao charm, three blurred figures sat in a circle, their auras heavy and solid like mountains and peaks.

In the center of the Dao altar, a stick of Heart-Clearing Incense burned slowly. The smoke rose straight up, condensed yet not dissipating, as if symbolizing the heavy mood of the three people at this moment.

After a long time, the old man sitting at the head slowly spoke, his voice carrying the vicissitudes of eternal ages and a hint of unconcealable gravity:

“In the direction of the Wending Sect... that aura, you all sensed it, didn't you?”

He opened his eyes, where galaxies seemed to be destroyed and reborn, and looked at the other two.

On the left, an old woman holding a jade ruyi and wearing a Taiji Daoist robe furrowed her brows. She nodded slowly, her tone carrying an unbelievable shock:

“There can be no mistake... although it was gone in a flash, the level of that Dao charm indeed surpassed the limit of a True Immortal.”

“Half-step Golden Immortal... at least it has touched that threshold.”

“This Wending Sect actually possesses such hidden depth.”

The middle-aged Daoist on the right looked the youngest, with a lean face and an aura as restrained as a deep pool.

At this moment, he no longer had his usual indifference. He said in a deep voice: “I previously used Heavenly Secret Arts to deduce and asserted that the allied forces of the five major powers would surely fall at the hands of the Wending Sect.”

“It's just... I truly did not expect them to be defeated so quickly and so thoroughly. They were wiped out before they could even put up any decent resistance.”

“Even more unexpected is that this Wending Sect hides such a figure.”

He looked up at the old man at the head, a look of decision flashing in his eyes: “Such a power is mysterious and unpredictable, showing its sharp edge, and is even presided over by a suspected Half-step Golden Immortal.”

“In my opinion, we must absolutely not make an enemy of them.”

“The top priority is to befriend them, or at least, to ascertain their attitude.”

The old man at the head fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, his gaze sweeping over the other two.

The old woman and the middle-aged Daoist nodded slowly, clearly in agreement.

“In that case...”

The old man's voice was low: “Then we shall proceed as previously discussed. Immediately send a secret envoy to the Wending Sect to express the goodwill of our Three Great Academies.”

“Remember, this matter is top secret. Especially, do not let the Domain Lords Mansion catch even a hint of it.”

“Otherwise, given that person's temperament... our Three Great Academies might face the disaster of being overturned.”

As he reached the end, a deep sense of dread flashed in his eyes.

“What Senior Brother says is absolutely correct! The matter of contacting the Wending Sect concerns the future survival of our Three Great Academies; we must be extremely cautious. It's just...”

The middle-aged Daoist hesitated slightly: “The choice of envoy to be sent must be considered with extreme care. They must be able to represent the sincerity of our Academy, while also being sharp enough to know the proper boundaries.”

“I am not at ease with an ordinary messenger.”

Hearing this, the old man said gravely: “Then your meaning is...?”

“This matter is of too great a consequence. I... will personally make the trip,” the middle-aged Daoist said. “It's also a good chance to see what kind of person this Master of Wending is, who can stir up the winds and clouds of Qinggu.”

“Very well.”

The old man stood up, a vast aura naturally leaking out, only to be instantly restrained by him.

He said in a deep voice: “I have always been most at ease with Junior Brother's way of doing things.”

“It's just... regarding that matter with Zhao Qian earlier, Taiqing Academy and the Wending Sect had some friction. I'm afraid...” the old woman suddenly spoke.

Upon hearing this, the other two fell silent.

Finally, it was the middle-aged Daoist who said: “We were not aware of that matter. The people involved have already been dealt with after the incident. The Wending Sect is a major Sect; they presumably won't dwell too much on such things. When the time comes, I will sincerely offer an apology, and that will be that.”

“There is no time to lose. I will set off now.”

Seeing that the middle-aged Daoist's mind was made up, and considering that this was indeed the most secure choice, the old man and the old woman looked at each other and rose together, bowing deeply.

“Then we shall trouble Junior Brother. We hope... everything goes safely.”