The red-haired female cultivator brought by the sect’s Golden Core Master was precisely Shi Caifeng. She had recently broken through to the fourth rank of Body Cultivation, equivalent in strength to a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator.

Due to her exceptional talent, ranked among the sect’s historical elites, she became a prominent figure in the True Blood Sect, gaining the attention of even the Golden Core Ancestors.

Although she had only met Bi Yaoyao and You Qingyi a few times, they were not strangers to each other, and one could even say the impression was memorable.

Six years ago, the Cyan Wolf Ridge of the demon clan prepared to invade Zhao Kingdom, with fierce momentum.

At that time, the Corpse-Driving Sect realized it couldn’t stand alone and had to invite the top echelons of the other three sects in the Northern Domain, intending to offer conditions in exchange for their paid assistance.

Thus, the leaders of Red Sun Sect, Qingluan Palace, and True Blood Sect took the opportunity to bring their disciples for training.

Initially, the disciples of the four sects engaged in friendly exchanges, but it later turned into a meeting between Lou Yi and Shi Caifeng.

Bi Yaoyao and You Qingyi competed for his affection, igniting anger and jealousy among the other male disciples, who challenged Lou Yi, the ’scumbag,’ but were ruthlessly taught a lesson...

Bi Yaoyao and You Qingyi naturally knew that Shi Caifeng and Lou Yi were already acquainted, having come from the same place and considered childhood friends.

But knowing someone longer doesn’t mean holding a higher position; nobody could tolerate being called a fox spirit, especially the proud Bi Yaoyao and You Qingyi.

At present, not a regular occasion, the three women engaged in a silent exchange through Divine Sense.

Of course, You Qingyi wasn’t much of a talker, with the conversation mainly occurring between Bi Yaoyao and Shi Caifeng.

"How could you insult people?" Bi Yaoyao said angrily.

"Is ’fox spirit’ an insult? Isn’t it a compliment on your good looks?" Shi Caifeng’s eyes turned, shamelessly explaining.

"Fine, I understand you. After all, Brother Yi usually hangs out with us, drinking together, dining together, breathing spiritual energy together, watching the sunrise and sunset together...

Unlike you, you probably haven’t seen him in years, hehe." Bi Yaoyao immediately went into counterattack mode, full of playfulness.

"Little lady loves to exaggerate; you also haven’t seen Brother Shu for at least a year." Shi Caifeng chuckled, unfazed.

"Do you know Lou Yi’s whereabouts?" Bi Yaoyao quickly grasped the meaning behind Shi Caifeng’s words, urgently inquiring.

"I don’t know," Shi Caifeng immediately denied.

But her quick denial seemed suspiciously like a local idiom for hiding one’s stolen goods.

"Good sister, just tell us..." Bi Yaoyao directly stepped forward, affectionately linking arms with Shi Caifeng, trying a gentle persuasion tactic.

The cultivators watching nearby were instantly wide-eyed.

Both women were worldly beauties.

One with fair, supple skin, the other with a wild wheat color; one was broad-chested, the other tall and long-legged—presenting a striking contrast of beauty.

You Qingyi also looked over with concern.

Lou Yi had been missing for almost a year; both she and Bi Yaoyao missed him greatly and urgently wanted to know his whereabouts.

Unfortunately, Shi Caifeng knew that Lou Yi and Red Hero were the same person, involving matters of life and death that couldn’t be disclosed, not even to his confidante.

Hence, she kept silent as a tomb, only saying she didn’t know.

This left Bi Yaoyao jumping with frustration; if not for the current environment, she might have already sent elders to abduct Shi Caifeng.

After some entanglement, the ’tea talk’ among the masters began, forcing them to separate.

The luxurious palace atop Sect Leader Peak, supported by eighty-one white jade pillars, had wisps of smoke drift leisurely on all sides, and fluorescent stones nested on the ceiling shimmered brightly.

Along the edges of a round table crafted from purple sandalwood would be found.

Placed there were jade cups, glass goblets, and mutton fat jade teapots, each filled with Dao-comprehending tea, millennia-aged Peach Blossom Wine, East Sea Jade Dew, and other high-end drinks.

Every item was absurdly expensive, enough to bankrupt a Foundation Establishment Cultivator if taken individually.

At the table’s center lay spirit beef, seemingly bursting with blood qi, silver-glittering silver fire dates, fragrant and translucent Dragon Tooth Rice, and longevity-extending white deer bone soup...

"Cang Yu here, thankful to all fellow cultivators for your generous support.

Even though my Corpse-Driving Sect is weak and isolated, your kindness is noted, and should there be any need in the future, we shall risk life and limb without hesitation!"

Master Cang Yu raised a glass and thanked the other masters seated at the main table, his voice aged yet sincere.

"This reflects your sect’s fortune still standing. We merely acted according to fate, providing what little help we could." The old monk from Lotus Sect, hands in prayer, subtly smiled.

"No need to be polite; we mainly came to repay a favor." Master Po Xiao from Infinity Sword Sect, quite straightforwardly said, breaking the mood somewhat.

But this was soon drowned out by the other masters’ more socially adept responses.

"The Northern Domain’s four sects have always been closely connected, so why be courteous?" came the reply from Red Sun Sect’s master.

"I just can’t stand those arrogant guys from Taiyi Sect and Spirit Treasure Sect!" said a bearded master from Central Continent’s Mountain Guarding Sect.

As a soulful bell sounded, the feast began at this moment.

The various masters commenced their exchanges, with the topic first revolving around Lou Yi.

"Friend Cang Yu, do you know which sect or school Red Hero belongs to? Is he truly a loose cultivator?" A master from Profound Yin Sect inquired curiously.

This question immediately gathered the interest of everyone present.

The transformation of Lou Yi into Red Hero, who successfully made a name by defeating the renowned Abyss Guardian, with the strength of an Eighth Layer Spirit Platform Cultivator, was indeed surprising in a single battle.

Even the seated Golden Core Masters were admiring and praising.

They knew they hadn’t reached that level when they were young.

It’s widely recognized that the deeper the Foundation Establishment Stage accumulation, the stronger one becomes after surviving the Heavenly Tribulation, the smoother the Immortal Path becomes.

Red Hero, being a person beyond the eighth layer of the Spirit Platform, seemed guaranteed to step into the Golden Core, with a considerable chance of reaching the realm of Supreme True Monarch.

For such a person to be a loose cultivator inspired awe and skepticism.

In the history of the Cultivation Realm, there have been Loose Cultivator True Monarchs, but they are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, and none were as dazzling as Lou Yi in the early stages.

"Heh, this matter is indeed true. I wish the Red Hero was from my sect, but alas, I lack that fortune." Master Cang Yu sighed repeatedly, with an air of genuine emotion in his words.

Who wouldn’t want to have such a prodigious talent?

"Even a wild snake among Loose Cultivators can become a true dragon; the Red Hero is a person of great destiny."

"He is now being watched by the Taiyi Sect and a few others, so he must act cautiously. Once he gets through this hurdle, the future will be as boundless as the sea."

"If I could enter the first layer of the Abyss, I would love to make his acquaintance."

Nearly ten Masters present all regarded the Red Hero highly and spoke well of him.

’As expected of Brother Shu, the man I admire!’

Seeing this, Shi Caifeng felt indescribably proud and excited, her face flushed with excitement.

’The Red Hero is indeed impressive, but what does he have to do with the True Blood Sect? Why is that brute of a woman so happy?’

Beside her, Bi Yaoyao was somewhat puzzled.

No matter how clever she was, she could not imagine that Lou Yi, whose cultivation seemed not yet at the Foundation Establishment, had already set one foot into the Golden Core realm, stirring up the entire Boundless Sea Realm.

"Fellow Daoists, I once thought cultivation required rapid advancement, progress or regression. However, as my end approaches, I have gained some new insights..."

Under the intentional guidance of Master Cang Yu, the conversation among the Masters turned to discussing magic and cultivation.

All the disciples present perked up, knowing an opportunity had arrived, and listened intently, not daring to miss a single word.

Only the three women, including Bi Yaoyao, were distracted, communicating with each other via Divine Sense.

Unfortunately, Shi Caifeng was tight-lipped, leaving Bi Yaoyao exasperated.

The gathering of Masters lasted approximately half a day, eventually concluding with Daoist Cang Yu and numerous elders seeing the guests off.

Streams of light quickly disappeared from sight.

Great Elder Zheng Jingming couldn’t help but say, "After this, we should have some peace for a while, right?"

"Master Po Xiao and they have said they will keep an eye on Taiyi Sect and those few from the Five Elements Sect after returning.

The Immortal Dao Alliance is a righteous alliance, with rules established over tens of thousands of years; they shouldn’t interfere lightly again," He Xiang said.

"Rules are only for those with strength; our sect’s power is still too weak," Daoist Cang Yu commented with a deep sigh.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell into silent contemplation.

...

First Layer of the Abyss, Fangsu District.

In a simply decorated cave, an unremarkable-looking young man sat cross-legged on the stone bed in the center.

"Taiyi Sect, truly relentless..." the young man muttered to himself.

The young man was Lou Yi.

He had learned from the Three Corpses Daoist about the dangerous encounter with the Corpse-Driving Sect, which heightened his dislike for the Taiyi Sect and others, intensifying his sense of urgency.

Since emerging from the True Monarch Blessed Land, he had been processing his gains these past days, absorbing all the treasures that could enhance his Qi-Blood, and his strength was now close to the Fifth Acupoint.

He could even faintly sense the subtle pressure from the sky overhead, the next realm’s Heavenly Tribulation calling to him.

Even with the Abyss’s shielding, the pressure was considerable, and it would be exponentially greater in the main world.

Lou Yi knew that, with his current prowess beyond that of the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Platform, combined with his Golden Body Divine Skill and talents like thunder-repelling, devouring, and tenacity, passing the Heavenly Tribulation might not pose a significant challenge.

Yet his enemies were equally formidable.

Due to his remarkable previous performance, he had caught the attention of some of the most elite sect members in this realm.

Many harbored malice toward him, requiring him to accumulate strength to the utmost before attempting the Tribulation.

His hypothetical opponents had already leaped beyond the Foundation Establishment stage, reaching the level of Golden Core Masters.

Lou Yi looked at the Attribute Panel:

[Name: Lou Yi]

[Age: 30/450]

[Realm: Late Martial Saint (504/600, Four Acupoints (497/600)), Three-star Body Cultivator (449/600), Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer (52/600)]

[Cultivation Technique: Yellow Extreme Breathing Technique (Third Stage, Mastery 0/5000+ Seven Apertures Spirit Fruit), Profound Yin Technique (Minor Achievement...]

[Skills: Surging Tide (Perfection)... Secret Skill: Dragon Piercing Technique - Fragment (One), Martial Arts True Intent: Wounded Emotion - Fragment (Mastery), Knowledge Storage Technique (Perfection)]

[Magic: ...]

[Talents: Riding the Wind (Major Achievement 0/20000+1 Kunpeng Feather), Disguise (Major Achievement 0/50000+1 Earth), Tenacity (Mastery 0/1000+1 Spirit-devouring Vine), Divine Power (Mastery/5000+1 Red Blood Essence Ginseng)... Breaking Illusion Eye (Entry 0/100+1 Condensing Light Pearl), Celestial Horse Treading Stars (Entry 0/100+1 Soaring Grass)... Divination (Proficient 0/3000+1 Time Grass), Clones (Proficient 0/3000+1 Void Jade)]

[Divine Skills: Golden Body (Minor Achievement/?)]

[Detection: Yes/No]

[Deduction: Yes/No]

[Energy: 51248]

As he stayed longer in the Abyss, he unknowingly aged another year, reaching the age of thirty.

...