Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World

He began to contemplate silently.

The timing of Tongming Master's arrival here was quite intriguing.

Since the Six Sects Alliance meeting, Zheng Fa had gradually clarified the complex relationships among the Xuanwei Five Sects.

Externally, the Five Sects appeared unified.

Internally, however, the relationships were intricate and complicated.

Yet, in Zheng Fa's view, they could essentially be divided into three factions:

The relationship between Leiyin Temple and Haori Mountain seemed close.

The Turquoise Pool appeared heavily influenced by the Supreme Dao.

And the Tianhe Sect was almost neutral.

This, of course, was partly due to the awkward position of the Tianhe Sect.

It was also probably a self-preservation tactic of the Tianhe Sect.

Given this, Haori Mountain's response to the Hundred Immortals Alliance offered a few options for the Supreme Dao:

The first was to act as the five sects and suppress the Hundred Immortals Alliance together, or turn a blind eye—

This was the Supreme Dao's previous reaction.

Now that Tongming Master had come, it indicated a change in their thinking.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Fa considered secretly colluding with the Tianhe Sect, while the Supreme Dao came to intervene...thinking of the situation's recent development, Zheng Fa chuckled to himself:

Has the Jiushan Sect demonstrated its united front value?

...

Perhaps to avoid Haori Mountain, Tongming Master and the others arrived hastily and secretly, not only without being detected by Haori Mountain but also catching the Jiushan Sect unprepared.

Xie Qingxue had returned to the Tianhe Sect, Zheng Fa was learning techniques at the Chongxuan Sect, and the cultivators above the Nascent Soul level in the Jiushan Realm were all the more stretched thin.

When Tongming Master arrived, even Zhang was not around.

Zheng Fa did not let them enter the Jiushan Realm but settled them at a villa of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, waiting for Zhang's return, sending only a few disciples to greet them.

"Zheng Fa is being overly neglectful of our Supreme Dao."

A disciple beside Tongming Master muttered.

The others also showed a bit of dissatisfaction on their faces.

In Tongming Master's group of ten, seven were former disciples of Tongming Mountain, but at this point, they had all joined the Supreme Dao.

To avoid attention, they did not wear the robes of the Supreme Dao, yet their hearts were not lacking the pride of the Supreme Dao.

Returning to old places, they felt even more like they were returning home in glory.

Tongming Master said coldly, "Watch your words! Zheng Fa is not someone you can comment on."

The few disciples immediately fell silent, yet their faces still held a trace of discontent.

"Zheng Fa sent me a message explaining that the Hundred Immortals Alliance is currently short of manpower, and it was not intentional neglect."

Another disciple grumbled:

"They're being pressured so much by Haori Mountain, they should be the ones currying favor with us."

"Luckily, we left the Hundred Immortals Alliance."

Tongming Master glanced at him and scolded:

"Do you think we came to help Zheng Fa for nothing?"

The disciples shook their heads.

"If that Zheng Fa joined our Supreme Dao, I might have to address him as an Upper Immortal in the future!"

The disciples beside him changed their expressions immediately but knew these words were true.

Tongming Master shook his head; these disciples, having been brought to the Supreme Dao by him, had grown restless.

He had come as ordered by the Dao, wanting to secretly assist the Jiushan Sect, with intentions to irritate Haori Mountain and, more importantly, an interest in Zheng Fa.

If Zheng Fa agreed to switch to the Supreme Dao, he would immediately become a major power within the sect, and how would Tongming Master dare offend him?

But to be frank, he also felt like he was offering help in dire need.

In his heart, there was more or less a sense that the Jiushan Sect needed him, which made him feel superior.

Observing the Jiushan Realm's lack of a proper leading figure nowadays, he also sympathized somewhat with the Hundred Immortals Alliance:

From the Supreme Dao's perspective, the Hundred Immortals Alliance was doomed to perish.

What the Supreme Dao wanted was to use the Jiushan Sect as a tool to consume more of Haori Mountain's strength.

Now seeing that Jiushan Realm didn't even have a Nascent Soul cultivator to host them, he naturally felt that the Jiushan Sect was going through hard times.

As a former leader of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, his feelings were indeed complex.

Just as he was sighing, a few Jiushan Sect disciples approached from afar and saluted them from a distance, saying, "Greetings, Master!"

Leading them was a Golden Core cultivator; Tongming Master found him familiar and, upon thinking, recalled, "You are… Sun Daoyu?"

Sun Daoyu was taken aback and quickly said, "Master actually remembers me!"

"Last time I visited the Hundred Immortals Alliance, you were the one who hosted me." Tongming Master's demeanor was rather amiable, then he frowned, "You've already reached the mid-Golden Core stage?"

Sun Daoyu replied somewhat embarrassedly, "The disciple has made a little progress."

Tongming Master fell silent.

This Sun Daoyu was memorable to him, not just from last time, but from the Hundred Immortals Conference when Sun Daoyu and about ten Nine Mountains Disciples formed their cores together, leaving a deep impression on him…

How long has it been?

He turned his head, looked at the disciples behind him, and fell into silence again.

The disciples he brought to the Supreme Dao had access to incomparable cultivation resources, yet did not seem to progress this quickly?

This Sun Daoyu, during such difficult times for the Hundred Immortals Alliance, still advanced so fast; could he be an extraordinary genius?

Thinking of this, he looked deeply at Sun Daoyu once more, surveyed the other Nine Mountains Disciples, and found no others he recognized, except a female disciple at the Foundation Establishment Stage, who seemed somewhat astute, occasionally glancing at him, bolder than other Nine Mountains Disciples.

Her face seemed familiar to him again.

"Who is this?"

"This is our Sect Leader's younger sister," Sun Daoyu hurriedly introduced, "The Sect Leader said that Master is an old friend of our Jiushan Sect. He is currently busy and unable to personally welcome you, so he sent Martial Apprentice Zheng to fulfill the host's duties."

Tongming Master smiled, beckoning Zheng Shan over, and softly asked:

"Are you Zheng Fa's sister?"

Zheng Shan nodded obediently and then spoke, "Greetings, Master."

Tongming Master took Zheng Shan with him and headed toward the courtyard.

As they walked, he casually asked:

"How long have you been cultivating?"

Zheng Shan did not conceal it, and said clearly, "Four years into the Dao!"

Tongming Master stopped, observing the pure spiritual energy aura around her, and frowned deeply.

"Four years?"

Cultivating for four years, at the late Foundation Establishment Stage… Another extraordinary genius?

Hearing the suspicion in his voice, Zheng Shan timidly said, "... three years, eight months, and five days."