“F-Founding Ancestor, why don’t we try a different cultivation method?”

Meng Jingzhou trembled uncontrollably as he was carried by the Vast Sea Daoist Lord to the vicinity of the sun. Feeling its scorching heat, the yang energy he had been suppressing began to stir restlessly within him, on the verge of breaking free.

The Vast Sea Daoist Lord maintained a stern expression as he placed both hands on Meng Jingzhou’s shoulders and spoke his heartfelt words. “Little Meng, as the saying goes, only by enduring the hardest of hardships can one become a person above all. If you want to surpass Little Lu, you must bear pain and suffering that ordinary people cannot endure. Do you understand?”

The thought that cultivating near the sun could help him defeat Lu Yang ignited Meng Jingzhou’s fighting spirit. He forcibly suppressed the burning desires within him.

“Fine! I’ll do it!”

The Vast Sea Daoist Lord smiled. “That’s the spirit. Don’t worry, I’ve mastered an ancient method. You won’t lose control.”

Meng Jingzhou’s eyes lit up. “Ancient method?”

That kid Lu Yang has an immortal by his side and has mastered ancient techniques. Is it finally my turn to enjoy an ancient method as well?

“Of course. Do you know how the ancients healed injuries and treated illnesses before pill concoction became systematized?”

“How did they do it?”

The Vast Sea Daoist Lord stared into Meng Jingzhou’s eyes and slowly uttered one word.

“Bloodletting.”

Meng Jingzhou immediately felt the urge to flee. Forcing a smile, he said, “Founding Ancestor, I think that surpassing Lu Yang isn’t something to be rushed. How about we go back and consider other cultivation methods?”

“Since we’re already here, let’s give it a try first.”

The Vast Sea Daoist Lord wasn’t going to give Meng Jingzhou a chance to escape. As he pulled Meng Jingzhou closer to the sun, the latter felt the spirit energy within him churn. Meng Jingzhou’s cultivation speed rose sharply, and the effects of his body refinement techniques became unlike anything before.

The only problem was that his Single’s Spirit Root was about to lose control.

The Vast Sea Daoist Lord made a small incision on Meng Jingzhou’s wrist. Pure yang blood flowed out, and his Single’s Spirit Root temporarily calmed down.

“See? I told you this method works.” The Vast Sea Daoist Lord grinned, urging Meng Jingzhou to seize the opportunity to cultivate.

He secretly tasted the pure yang blood. It’s indeed effective, but Meng Jingzhou’s cultivation is too low, so the blood’s benefits to me are very limited.

Seeing that this method truly yielded results, Meng Jingzhou steeled himself and decided to go all out. I’ll do it!

“Hey, hey, Founding Ancestor, my Single’s Spirit Root is acting up again!”

“Don’t panic, don’t panic. I’ll continue the bloodletting.”

~~~

“To have Founding Ancestor Vast Sea personally guiding him, Old Meng is truly blessed.” Lu Yang clicked his tongue. Although he couldn’t yet share the good news of starting the newspaper with Meng Jingzhou, he knew that the latter had entered a critical phase of cultivation and couldn’t be disturbed.

“Little Junior Brother, I heard that Founding Ancestor Vast Sea took Junior Brother Meng to cultivate on the sun?” Yun Zhi had somehow caught wind of the news and came looking for Lu Yang.

“I’m thinking that cultivating in space is indeed a good method. I can take you there to try it as well.” Yun Zhi was extremely concerned about Lu Yang’s progress.

“Ah?”

Before Lu Yang could protest, Yun Zhi pulled him into space, arriving amidst a starry expanse.

“Big Senior Sister, what are we...”

Yun Zhi pointed at an unremarkable star not far away. “That star is one of my golden cores and contains fairly pure metal-element power. Since you possess a Sword Spirit Root, a mutation of the Metal Spirit Root, this is the most suitable place for you to cultivate.”

Lu Yang extended his senses but didn’t perceive any metal-element power from the star.

“Replacing stars with golden cores is too conspicuous, so I usually keep them as inconspicuous as possible.” As Yun Zhi spoke, she snapped her fingers.

The nondescript star erupted with immensely terrifying metal-element power. Lu Yang was in excruciating pain, his spiritual consciousness feeling like it was stabbed by countless needles.

“Go ahead, Little Junior Brother. Junior Brother Meng is cultivating diligently; you can’t fall behind.”

The metal-element star’s powerful gravitational pull dragged Lu Yang toward it against his will.

The metal-element power surged. Trapped in the sea of metal, Lu Yang let out a blood-curdling scream. No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t escape the star’s gravitational pull. Fortunately, his physical body had been tempered through relentless torment; otherwise, the pain would have been much worse.

“Ahhh—”

“Xiao Yangzi, hang in there. You can do it!” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy had floated out of the mental space before Lu Yang was pulled toward the star. Standing beside Yun Zhi, she cheered him on from afar.

“Immortal Fairy, can you give something other than moral support? Ahhh—”

Lu Yang couldn’t even finish his sentence before the pain made him scream again.

~~~

A figure raced across a vast grassland, with four others in hot pursuit.

These four figures were Transcendent Tribulation cultivators from Great Xia, the East Sea, the Buddhist Kingdom, and the Demon Region. Facing a common enemy, they set aside their differences.

“Old Taciturn scoundrel, don’t run! Those from the Dao-Seeking Sect are very concerned about you. Return with us at once!”

“I’m flying toward the sect right now! Why are you still chasing me?”

The Taciturn Daoist Priest was furious. My bounty has always been high, with rewards offered in places like the black market and the East Sea. Great, now it’s even higher.

“No! What if you change direction midway? We have to catch you to be at ease!”

“If you catch me, then I’ll be the one who’s not at ease! And you, the monk from the Buddhist Kingdom, I’ve never provoked you, have I?!”

“Your second disciple said, ‘once a teacher, always a father,’ and ‘a child not taught is the father’s fault.’ If he causes trouble, you’re responsible.”

The Transcendent Tribulation from the Demon Region hesitated. When Zhu Tian saw the missing person notice in the newspaper, he said something like, “I must help Brother Lu find someone,” and dispatched him to locate the Taciturn Daoist Priest.

I’ve found the Taciturn Daoist Priest, but the other three Transcendent Tribulation cultivators don’t seem to be of one mind with me.

Seeing that he could not shake off his pursuers, the Taciturn Daoist Priest turned around to fight. “Honing oneself through battle is also a way to cultivate!”

~~~

Spring passed, and autumn came. Lu Yang sat cross-legged on the metal-element star, a look of enjoyment on his face.

Observing that Lu Yang was in too much pain, Yun Zhi asked the Moonchaser True Person to intervene. Employing her Seven Emotions Incipient Dao Fruit, the Moonchaser True Person made Lu Yang enjoy the pain. Only then did Lu Yang settle down and continuously absorb the metal-element power.

During this period, Lu Yang cultivated industriously, holding himself to strict standards. He only allowed himself leisure activities occasionally, such as when he was invited to serve as a judge and encountered a murder case, when he went into the mountains with Meng Jingzhou and encountered a murder case, when he visited the seaside and encountered a murder case, or when he rode a flying vessel and encountered a murder case...

To help Lu Yang save money, the Taciturn Daoist Priest expended significant effort to escape his pursuers and returned to the sect on his own. He began regularly contributing stories to Cultivation Monthly, earning widespread praise.

Just like Ye Zijin, the Taciturn Daoist Priest couldn’t stay idle. He didn’t remain at the sect for long, continuing his travels, though he did regularly send manuscripts back.

Seeing the Dao-Seeking Sect publish a newspaper, the imperial court and other sects followed suit. Although their publications sold well, they weren’t as popular as Cultivation Monthly.

As Tang Chuanwu and his sister officially joined the Dao-Seeking Sect and became Foundation Establishment cultivators, Lu Yang finally made a breakthrough in his cultivation.

“Advanced Divine Transfiguration Stage.”