Chapter 129: Old Friends Arrive from Afar

On the seventh day after Su Yun went into seclusion, a team arrived at Qinghe City from the Southern Region.

The team was led by Elder Han Yue. She wore moon-white Daoist robes, her hair tied up with a jade hairpin, looking as cold and frosty as ever.

Following behind her were Liu Wugou, Ye Qinghan, Blood Maiden, the Blood Lotus Saintess, Protector Yin Hongling, Jingyue, as well as Zhao Lanxin, Lin Waner, Murong Xue, Ling Shuang, and Yin Hongyao.

Along with them were fifty elite Disciples selected from Qingyou Valley, all at the Golden Core Stage; they were the first batch of core strength cultivated by Qingyou Valley over the past few months.

The team stopped at the city gate. Elder Han Yue looked up at the city, which was far larger than she had imagined, and a trace of trance flashed in her eyes.

A few months ago, when Master left Qingyou Valley, this place was just a small border city.

Now, the city walls were towering, the Formation was flowing with energy, and over a thousand female cultivators were stationed outside the city, the lowest of whom were at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage.

Valley Master Su Yao came to the city gate to welcome them personally. She had been somewhat surprised when she received the news, as Master had never mentioned that anyone from the Southern Region would be coming.

But when she saw the familiar jade token at Elder Han Yue's waist, she immediately understood. These were Master's people.

"Miss Elder Han Yue, Master is currently in seclusion, so he asked me to arrange your accommodations first." Valley Master Su Yao's voice was gentle and respectful.

Elder Han Yue nodded without asking further questions. She followed Valley Master Su Yao into the city. Along the way, she saw countless female cultivators walking on the streets: there were Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion in white sword robes, Medicine King Valley Disciples in green dresses, Tianhuo Sect Disciples with flames flickering over their bodies, and Xuanshui Sect Disciples in water-blue attire.

Upon seeing Valley Master Su Yao, they all bowed in greeting, then curiously sized up Elder Han Yue's team.

Liu Wugou leaned into Elder Han Yue's ear and whispered, "Just how many people has Master recruited?"

Elder Han Yue did not speak, but her gaze swept across the female cultivators, and she already had her answer. There were at least a thousand people, and among them, there was no shortage of Nascent Soul Stage auras.

Valley Master Su Yao arranged for them to stay in a newly built residential area in the east of the city.

The courtyard was large enough for over fifty people. Elder Han Yue looked around and nodded in satisfaction. She looked at Valley Master Su Yao. "When will Master come out of seclusion?"

Valley Master Su Yao shook her head. "I do not know. Master did not specify a time before going into seclusion. It could be a few days, or it could be a few months."

Elder Han Yue was silent for a moment. "Then we shall wait."

After Valley Master Su Yao left, Liu Wugou immediately leaned in close to Elder Han Yue. "Do you not feel that the people here are a bit excessively loyal to Master?"

Elder Han Yue looked at her. "What are you trying to say?"

Liu Wugou lowered her voice. "I mean, Master has only been away from Qingyou Valley for a few months, yet he has recruited so many people. And look at that Valley Master Su Yao, a Peak Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, yet she obeys Master's every command. What kind of methods did Master use?"

Elder Han Yue said indifferently, "You have seen Master's methods before. Back in Qingyou Valley, we were recruited the same way."

Liu Wugou opened her mouth but did not say anything more. Elder Han Yue was right; they themselves had been subdued in the same way. It was just that back then, Master was still weak and had to recruit them one by one. Now that Master was stronger, the speed of recruitment was naturally faster.

Zhao Lanxin stood in the corner of the courtyard, quietly watching everything.

Having not seen her for a few months, her cultivation had already reached the Peak of Qi Refining, only one step away from Foundation Establishment.

She was wearing a light pink Ru skirt, and her hair was pinned up high with a jade hairpin, revealing her slender, fair neck.

That small face was a bit rounder than when she was in the Southern Region, but her eyes remained clear, carrying the innocence unique to a young girl.

Lin Waner walked to her side and said softly, "Lanxin, do you miss Master?"

Zhao Lanxin nodded, her eyes turning slightly red.

She could not speak, but her eyes were filled with longing. Lin Waner held her hand. "I miss him too. However, Master should be coming out of seclusion soon; let us wait a little longer."

Murong Xue stood to the side, looking at this unfamiliar city, her heart filled with complex emotions.

She was one of the first people to follow Master. From that small courtyard in Cuiwei Town, to Qingyou Valley, and now to the Central Region.

Master had gone further and further, and there were more and more people by his side. But she had never regretted it.

Ling Shuang stood beside her, still in her cyan-grey combat attire, her hair tied up high, looking heroic and imposing. Her cultivation had already broken through Foundation Establishment, reaching Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Under the cultivation of resources in Qingyou Valley, her mutated Lightning Spirit Root finally began to display its proper power.

She looked at the city, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes. She needed to continue to grow stronger, strong enough to truly be of help to Master.

Yin Hongyao leaned against the wall, looking around in boredom. "This place is much bigger than Qingyou Valley. Do you think Master will forget about us?"

Liu Wugou glared at her. "What nonsense are you spouting? If Master had forgotten about us, would he have let Valley Master Su Yao come to receive us?"

Yin Hongyao stuck out her tongue, not daring to say anything more.

After arranging the accommodations, Elder Han Yue walked out of the courtyard alone. She wanted to see this city that Master had conquered.

The streets were wide and tidy, with shops lined up on both sides: Medicinal Pill shops, Magical Artifact pavilions, Talisman shops, and stalls specifically selling Spiritual Plants and Ore.

There were many pedestrians on the street, mostly female cultivators. Occasionally, there were a few male cultivators, but they were also hurried and did not dare to linger.

She walked to the center of the city and saw a tall stone tablet. Three large characters were carved on the tablet: Qinghe City.

Standing under the tablet was a woman in white, carrying a long sword on her back, her aura profound.

Fairy Jianyun. Sensing Elder Han Yue's gaze, she turned to look over.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Fairy Jianyun spoke. "You came from the Southern Region?"

Elder Han Yue nodded. Fairy Jianyun sized her up. "The aura on you is very familiar; it is of the same source as Master's."

Elder Han Yue said indifferently, "I am Master's Dao Companion."

A strange look flashed in Fairy Jianyun's eyes. "Dao Companion?" She was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "No wonder. Although there are many women by Master's side, you are the only Dao Companion."

Elder Han Yue did not explain. Her relationship with Su Yun did not need to be explained to anyone.

Fairy Jianyun did not ask any more questions and turned to leave.

Elder Han Yue stood under the stone tablet, looking at the courtyard in the distance. There, Su Yun was in seclusion. She waited. Waited for him to come out.

One morning, ten days later.

The sky above Qinghe City suddenly changed color. A huge vortex appeared in the sky, with lightning flashing in the center of the vortex, and Spiritual Qi surging wildly.

Everyone looked up, and those Nascent Soul Stage female cultivators' expressions changed drastically. This was the sign of a Breakthrough.

Valley Master Su Yao rushed out of the Pill Refining Room, looking up at the vortex, her eyes filled with shock.

Late Nascent Soul Stage. Master was about to break through to the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Moreover, this commotion was greater than any Nascent Soul Breakthrough she had ever seen.

The vortex grew larger and larger, and the lightning became increasingly dense. Suddenly, a beam of light shot up into the sky from the courtyard in the east of the city, piercing straight into the clouds.

The vortex exploded, turning into a sky full of light rain that showered over the entire Qinghe City.

In the courtyard, the door to the study opened.

Su Yun walked out.

He was wearing a moon-white robe, his black hair tied up, and his aura was as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea. The power of the Late Nascent Soul Stage flowed through his body, several times stronger than before.

He looked up at the sky, then looked down at his own hands. He had broken through.

It was a little faster than expected. The Spiritual Qi fed back from those under Enslavement was even more abundant than anticipated, and with the assistance of the Purple Mansion and the Medicinal Pill from Medicine King Valley, he had broken through that barrier in just half a month.

He walked out of the courtyard and saw Elder Han Yue standing at the entrance.

Under the moonlight, she was still as cold and frosty as ever. But those eyes, the moment she saw him, softened.

"Husband."

Su Yun smiled. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

"You have come."

Elder Han Yue nodded and buried her face in his chest.

In the distance, Liu Wugou stood outside the courtyard with Zhao Lanxin and the others, watching this scene. No one made a sound to disturb them.

The moonlight showered down, and Qinghe City was peaceful and quiet.