246: Shocking Tiannan

The mountain breeze swept past, rustling Song Yu's moon-white skirt and a few strands of hair at her temples, which gently touched Lin Feng's robes before quickly separating.

She walked beside Lin Feng, her heart thumping uncontrollably. The faint, crisp scent on him lingered in her nostrils, keeping the warmth on her cheeks from subsiding.

"Junior Niece Song Yu, how have you been in the Sect these past years?" Lin Feng's gentle voice broke the subtle quiet between them.

Hearing this, Song Yu quickly composed herself, slightly raised her beautiful face, and with a glint in her eyes, looked at Lin Feng's profile, replying softly, "Reporting to Elder, Yu'er has been very well. Senior Sister Liu Yu and Senior Sister Feng have both been very kind to me! We... we often talk about Elder too."

By the end, her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and a charming blush appeared on her face.

"Oh? What do you talk about me?" Lin Feng turned his head with interest, looking at her shy demeanor. He was indeed curious what kind of image he, who was in secluded cultivation year-round, held in the private chats of these Dao Companion Disciples.

Song Yu felt a little embarrassed under his gaze, so she lowered her head slightly, twiddling her fingers, and whispered, "Senior Sister Liu Yu is especially grateful to Elder, saying that you gave her the opportunity to manage such a large Sect, fulfilling ambitions she never dared to dream of before. Senior Sister Feng said that without Elder, she would probably still be a Mortal, and would have turned into a pile of dust a hundred years ago. Grand Elder Lu and Grand Elder Luo also often say that thanks to Elder Lin, Falling Cloud Sect can have its current standing."

She paused, then looked up again, her eyes filled with admiration and pride: "Senior Sister Liu Yu said that even the Heavenly Dao Alliance Leader, the Dragon Han couple, often actively show goodwill towards our Sect now."

Lin Feng listened, his heart stirring.

The Dragon Han couple... it seems the situation in Tiannan has changed quite a bit in the years he was away.

He mused that the current Nine Nations Alliance, under the leadership of Wei Wuya, should be locked in fierce battle with the Mulan people. And the two major forces of the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path were still at loggerheads, mutually restraining each other. Instead, the Heavenly Dao Alliance, where Falling Cloud Sect was located, because of its relatively weaker strength, had become a buffer zone between the three forces, gaining a rare period of peace and development.

And the current Falling Cloud Sect's strength was already incomparable to what it once was.

Not counting himself, a hidden Soul Transformation Cultivator, the overt Nascent Soul battle power in the Sect included Elder Lu, Elder Luo, Nangong Wan, Mo Fengwu, and Hong Fu. Xin Ruyin, Dong Xuan'er, and the Song Yu before him, all possessed excellent Aptitude and Heart-Nature, and their future Breakthrough to Nascent Soul was almost a certainty. Even if the Aptitude of Chen Qiaoqian, Mo Yuzhu, and Mu Peiling was slightly weaker, he could still use Hong Meng Purple Qi to assist them.

Not to mention, there was also Great Yan Divine Lord, a Nascent Soul Perfection. Not long ago, Lin Feng had visited him and he had successfully refined the seventh Late Nascent Soul Stage Puppet. This power was enough to sweep through any Sect in the Human Realm.

If he wanted to, he could flatten the entire Tiannan right now.

But Lin Feng did not intend to do so. Such overbearing actions would only incur public wrath and create countless enemies. If he were to ascend to the Spirit Realm with the women in the future, losing his protection, Falling Cloud Sect would immediately become a target, attacked by all sides, and suffer the fate of Sect destruction.

"I must devise a long-term path for the Sect that will endure for ages," he thought.

The first step was to use legitimate means to make Falling Cloud Sect a recognized top-tier great Sect in the Human Realm.

He quickly formed a plan in his mind. First, he would announce his Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, then publicize the news that Ice Phoenix, a Cultivator of the same stage, would join the Sect. After the Kunlun Mountain trip was concluded, he could then naturally reveal his Soul Transformation Stage identity. By then, he expected the number of Nascent Soul Cultivators in the Sect would have increased significantly. With a few of Great Yan Divine Lord's Late Nascent Soul Stage Puppets left as a foundation, he would expand Falling Cloud Sect's Disciple recruitment to the entire Tiannan. As long as they could continuously attract Genius Disciples, the Sect would naturally prosper forever.

Thinking of this, Lin Feng stopped and turned to Song Yu beside him, saying, "Come with me to the Elder Hall, I have something to announce."

"Ah... yes, Elder!" Song Yu was slightly startled, a little surprised. Elder Lin had not made a public appearance in the Sect for decades, and now he suddenly wanted to gather everyone in the Elder Hall. It must be to announce something earth-shattering.

She dared not delay, quickly agreed, and followed behind Lin Feng, flying towards the Elder Hall on the main peak.

As Lin Feng's summons were issued, soon, all Cultivators above Core Formation in Falling Cloud Sect, as well as several Nascent Soul Elders like Lv Luo and Nangong Wan, gathered in the Elder Hall.

When Lin Feng publicly announced that he was now the fourth Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivator, following the three great Cultivators of Tiannan, and that a female Cultivator also in the Late Nascent Soul Stage was about to join Falling Cloud Sect as a Guest Elder of the Sect...

The entire Elder Hall instantly fell into a dead silence, followed by an uproar of cheers and discussions that shook the heavens.

Elder Lu and Elder Luo, the two earliest Nascent Soul Elders of Falling Cloud Sect who followed Lin Feng, were even more Excited, tears streaming down their faces, trembling all over. They looked at Lin Feng, who sat calmly on the main seat, as if they could already see the glorious future of Falling Cloud Sect reigning over Tiannan and becoming the Human Realm's number one Sect.

Lin Feng just smiled, watching the two Elders envisioning the Sect's development. With the Blood Qi Pill he provided, they had no need to worry about Lifespan issues. Since that was the case, he was happy to let these two experienced Seniors manage and develop the Sect, enjoying his own leisure.

A few days later, Falling Cloud Sect grandly opened its gates in the entire Yunmeng Mountains, adorned with lanterns and festive decorations, holding a magnificent celebration to commemorate Elder Lin's successful advancement to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, becoming a Great Cultivator of Tiannan.

During the celebration, at Lin Feng's signal, Ice Phoenix, in an ice-blue palace dress with an exceptionally cold and beautiful demeanor, also made an appearance under everyone's gaze. Her powerful Late Nascent Soul Stage aura was undisguised, instantly suppressing all Cultivators from various factions who came to observe the ceremony.

As soon as this news broke, it was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, shaking the entire Tiannan cultivation world.

Even the Mulan people on the Tianlan Grassland, far away at the border and fiercely battling the Nine Nations Alliance army, were incredibly shocked upon receiving this news.

Everyone understood that the landscape of Tiannan was about to undergo a drastic change.

At this moment, in a frontline camp of the Nine Nations Alliance, an old man with white hair and beard, and a weathered face, wearing a yellow robe, was repeatedly looking at a Jade Slip in his hand. His expression changed continuously, finally dissolving into a long sigh.

This person was none other than Elder Linghu of Huangfeng Valley.

Huangfeng Valley's current situation was one of decline, with a lack of new talent, and he himself was nearing the end of his Lifespan, with his time not far off.

When he heard that Lin Feng, the Disciple his Sect had once abandoned, was now a high and mighty Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivator, and that Hong Fu, who had left with him back then, had also advanced to Nascent Soul, becoming an Old Ancestor of a region, Ancestor Linghu's heart was filled with endless regret and bitterness.

"If only I had known, if only I had known!"

He muttered to himself, and finally, as if having made a decision, he and the Great Master Sister of Yanyue Sect, who also deeply regretted the past events, shamelessly went together to visit Falling Cloud Sect.

Unfortunately, they couldn't even enter Falling Cloud Sect's mountain gate.

Neither Lin Feng, nor Nangong Wan and Hong Fu, chose to meet these "old acquaintances" from back then. Some mistakes, once made, can never be remedied.