Chapter 101: Leaving the Sect

Time passed swiftly, and before long, three months had flown by.

During these three months, Yunzhou had been anything but peaceful—more precisely, the Northern Marshlands had been restless. An event occurred that left many cultivators wide-eyed in disbelief.

Three months ago, Elder Liu Qingyun of the Northern Marsh Sect, a Golden Core stage cultivator, suddenly attacked disciples of the Hongyuan Sect who had come to the Northern Marshlands on a mission. The ensuing battle was earth-shattering. Despite being outnumbered by more than a dozen half-Golden Core prodigies of the Hongyuan Sect, Elder Liu, relying solely on his Golden Core cultivation, managed to suppress them. He killed six and severely wounded nine, even forcing the famed genius disciple Lin Jun of the Hongyuan Sect to flee in a coughing fit of blood.

However, the battle came at a great cost. Elder Liu lost an arm and vanished without a trace. Rumors said he was last seen near the western desert of Yunzhou.

This clash had a tremendous impact. The Northern Marsh Sect was deeply shaken and immediately sent envoys to the Hongyuan Sect to apologize and acknowledge fault. They claimed that Elder Liu’s actions had been unauthorized and kept secret within the sect. Only after offering substantial reparations did the enraged Hongyuan Sect reluctantly agree to spare the Northern Marsh Sect from destruction.

Many cultivators whispered that the Northern Marsh Sect’s vitality was severely depleted, its foundations hollowed out, and it no longer possessed the strength to govern the Northern Marshlands. It was only a matter of time before the Chu family rose to power and became the undisputed overlords of the region.

As for Wang Ran—the mastermind behind these events—he remained unaware of the turmoil. He was currently cultivating within the sect’s treasure vault. Over the past three months, not only had his injuries fully healed, but his cultivation had also advanced significantly. Compared to three months ago, he had become far stronger.

Suddenly, two golden lights flickered in the secret chamber as Wang Ran opened his eyes. Though his eyes appeared ordinary at first glance, a closer look revealed depths like the vastness of stars and seas.

Rising to his feet, he exhaled slowly, releasing a breath of stale air.

A fierce aura surged from him, sharp and radiant like a gleaming sword blade. His presence suggested a cultivation level at the ninth stage of Foundation Establishment.

In truth, he was only at the seventh stage. Thanks to the abundant spiritual energy and medicinal pills available here, he had spent the past three months healing and cultivating day and night, breaking through from the sixth to the seventh stage of Foundation Establishment, nearing the eighth stage and almost touching its threshold.

Additionally, the “Mountain-Sealing” technique granted him an extra two stages of cultivation, making him appear as powerful as a ninth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, his spiritual energy extraordinarily dense.

Clenching his fist lightly, Wang Ran revealed a confident gleam in his eyes. Having endured the baptism of life-and-death combat, he felt his strength was incomparable to before. If he were to face Ling Tianchen’s shadow form again, he would no longer be so helpless.

As for Lin Jun and his ilk, Wang Ran was certain he could easily crush them.

“It’s been three months... I wonder how my junior sister and the others are doing,” Wang Ran murmured, nostalgia flickering in his eyes as he recalled the images of his junior sister and Zhao Xiaobai. Since their parting that day, there had been no contact; he did not know if they had returned to the sect.

After some contemplation, he decided it was time to emerge from seclusion. Three months should be enough for the Northern Marsh Sect and the Hongyuan Sect to gradually forget about him. At least, traveling in the Northern Marshlands should be less perilous now.

Glancing at the surrounding spiritual jade and medicinal pills, Wang Ran smiled slyly. With a wave of his hand, all those items vanished from sight, absorbed into his system backpack.

In the blink of an eye, the treasure vault that stored the Northern Marsh Sect’s centuries of accumulated heritage was completely looted by Wang Ran, not leaving behind even a shred of residue. It was spotless from beginning to end.

Satisfied, he patted his hands and summoned his black ink brush. To leave this place, he naturally needed the help of Xiao Hei.

A direct forced exit was impossible; the protective formations outside the treasure vault alone could kill him hundreds of times over.

Wang Ran had no desire to test those deadly formations. After all, it was best to remain low-key—appear silently, depart silently, leaving no trace behind.

As he prepared to leave, the black ink brush danced with joy. Having been cooped up in the secret chamber for three months, it was eager to venture out, breathe fresh air, and play freely.

“All right, all right, don’t get too excited. Stay calm,” Wang Ran chuckled, stroking the brush’s handle. Over the past three months, Xiao Hei had also regained some strength and expanded its range of travel. This time, they should be able to fly directly out of the Northern Marshlands.

Where exactly they would land, however, was uncertain. If they could return straight to the Sole Me Sect, that would be ideal. But if they ended up at the foot of the Hongyuan Sect’s mountain, Wang Ran would have a good reason to weep.

With a hint of anticipation, Wang Ran sat cross-legged atop the now gigantic Xiao Hei. At that moment, mysterious runes shimmered along the brush handle, and ink appeared on the tip, drawing a circular pattern in the air before them.

Suddenly, a rift opened in the void like a monstrous maw, clawing and snapping toward Wang Ran.

Xiao Hei emitted a joyous cry, transforming into a streak of light that swiftly dove into the void. In the blink of an eye, the rift vanished.

The treasure vault’s secret chamber returned to its former tranquility, leaving only empty shelves as silent proof that someone had once been there.

...

In Yunzhou, above a forest canopy, the air suddenly rippled. A swirling vortex formed, from which something sped forth.

With a swish, a black ink brush emerged from the vortex, hovering in the sky. Seated atop its handle was a young man dressed in white, his expression calm as he surveyed his surroundings.

“Damn it, Xiao Hei, where have you brought me now?” the young man muttered, noticing the desolate forest around him.

The ink brush flicked its tip disdainfully, then carried the young man toward the horizon, flying over the vast forest expanse.

This young man was none other than Wang Ran. After teleporting out, he could not discern his exact location. He simply picked a direction and flew on.

The scenery was beautiful, though lonely, and not a single soul appeared for several hours. As dusk approached, Wang Ran finally spotted shadows of other cultivators.

Gradually, more cultivators appeared nearby—some flying on swords, others riding beasts—racing across the sky.

Most were converging toward a single direction. Wang Ran naturally followed the crowd, journeying alongside them.

After another half hour, a vast city came into view, sprawling across the land below.

Above the city, cultivators moved to and fro, phoenixes sang in chorus, and a lively atmosphere permeated the air.