Chapter 76: Well-deserved reputation, undercurrents continue
The news of Ye Li's return with crucial intelligence from the Northern Territory was like a boulder dropped on a tranquil lake, stirring up waves within the Xuanyun Sect far more violent than the previous one. If her previous successes, including the Secret Realm inheritance and her performance in the competition, had been marked by a touch of "luck" and "controversy," this time, however, her achievements were truly tangible, a testament to her strength that could withstand any scrutiny.
He went deep into the dangerous areas of the northern border alone, found out the source of the Black Demon's unusual movements, discovered clues to the ruins of the ancient sect Bingpo Xuan Palace, and even turned the tide in the demonic tide of Broken Blade Cliff, saving many comrades... All these things clearly outlined the image of a genius who was brave, resourceful, extremely powerful, and had made outstanding contributions to the sect.
The promotion and reward announced publicly by Sect Master Xuan Chengzi brought this recognition to a climax. Elite Inner Sect disciples, enjoying the treatment of true disciples! This meant that Ye Li's status within the sect had surpassed that of most Inner Sect disciples, putting him infinitely close to the true core circle. Three days of reading privileges on the top floor of the Sutra Repository was an opportunity coveted by countless disciples, as it housed the sect's true core techniques and secret manuals.
For a time, Ye Li was unrivaled. Every disciple she encountered bowed and greeted her, addressing her as "Senior Sister Ye" with eyes filled with awe and admiration. The subtle harassment and exclusion she had previously faced from War Crazy Peak and other peaks vanished almost overnight. Strength and merit were the ultimate passport.
Yundan Peak was even more proud of this. Previously lacking in combat power due to its emphasis on miscellaneous studies, Yundan Peak's reputation had skyrocketed thanks to Ye Li, attracting even more talented disciples. Muyun Jushi smiled more often, growing increasingly satisfied with Ye Li as his disciple.
Yet, Ye Li herself remained remarkably calm. She knew full well that behind all this glory and status lay life-and-death struggles in the snowy north, earned at the cost of countless potential dangers. Undeterred by the glitz and glamour of the moment, she headed straight for the top floor of the Sutra Repository the day after her conferment.
The top floor of the Sutra Repository is distinct from the floors below. It's a small space, housing only a few jade slip bookshelves. The environment is tranquil, filled with spiritual energy, and guarded by dedicated elders. Each jade slip here records the founding principles of the Xuanyun Sect or the culmination of the hard work of past sages.
Ye Li presented the sect leader's token, and the elder guarding the pavilion carefully inspected it before letting her in. She didn't waste these precious three days, eagerly reading through the profound techniques and secrets. She focused on tomes related to ice-based techniques, spatial laws, formations and restrictions, and spiritual cultivation.
Although most of these core techniques required extremely high levels of authority or a massive amount of contribution points to practice, simply reading their general outlines and concepts benefited her immensely, clearing up many of her confusions. This was especially true for refining the second level of "Universe Traceless Steps," "Void Wandering," and her own sword move, "Star Silence," which gave her a clearer path forward.
Three days passed in a flash. When Ye Li walked out of the Sutra Library, although her cultivation had not improved immediately, her eyes had become more profound, and her understanding of her own path had become more thorough.
Afterwards, she went to the Deacon Hall and officially updated her sect jade talisman. The jade talisman was replaced from a common white inner disciple talisman to a purple-gold elite disciple talisman, greatly increasing her powers. She could accept higher-level missions, exchange them for more precious resources, and even gained the authority to mobilize lower-level deacons within a certain range and access some of the sect's confidential archives.
The elders in the Deacon Hall treated her with respect and efficiency. While handling the formalities, the elder even subtly mentioned that, with her current strength and status, she already qualified for the position of "deacon in preparation." She only needed to complete certain sect duties and pass the assessment to officially become a deacon and participate in the management of some sect affairs.
Becoming a deacon meant officially entering the sect's management ranks, bringing greater power and resources, but also greater responsibilities and constraints. Ye Li declined the offer for now. She needed freedom to cultivate and improve her strength, rather than being bogged down in the sect's mundane affairs. But she took note of the matter, perhaps as part of her future plans.
The most direct benefit of this elevated status was a vastly improved supply of cultivation resources. After enjoying the treatment of a true disciple, her monthly allowance of spirit stones and the quality of her elixirs increased several-fold. Add to that the 500,000 contribution points and 100,000 spirit stones she'd received as rewards from this mission, and she instantly became one of the sect's wealthiest disciples.
Rather than squander these resources, she invested most of them in the development of Youge and her own cultivation. Through covert channels, she passed on vast amounts of resources and new instructions to Lin Feng: accelerate the improvement of the core members of Youge, focusing resources on four areas: elixirs, talismans, formations, and intelligence; attempt to conduct more covert infiltration outside the sect, especially towards the northern border; and continue to closely monitor the movements of Zhan Kuangfeng and the Red Flame Sect.
On her own, she used her contribution points to exchange for a large amount of auxiliary materials needed to refine her life-defining magic weapon, especially space-related materials that matched the properties of the Void Divine Crystal. At the same time, she also began preparing to reach the peak of the Condensed Veins Realm, laying the most solid foundation for a future breakthrough to the Spiritual Mansion Realm.
Just as Ye Li was methodically consolidating his position and improving his strength, the discussion among the sect's top leaders about the ruins of the Bingpo Xuan Palace in the northern border also entered a white-hot stage.
In the secret meeting room of Lingxiao Palace, the core leaders including the head Xuan Chengzi, Muyun Jushi, Situ Kuang, Ling Yunzi, and Miaoyin Zhenren gathered again. The contents of the jade slip brought back by Ye Li had been repeatedly studied.
"The ruins of Bingpo Xuan Palace are of great importance! The ancient heritage and resources that may be contained there are enough to greatly increase the strength of my Xuanyun Sect! We must organize forces to explore as soon as possible!" Although Situ Kuang was unhappy about Ye Li's contribution, he was salivating over the value of the ruins themselves.
Ling Yunzi said solemnly, "Exploration is imperative, but caution is required. The ruins are associated with unusual movements of monsters, and the danger is unknown. We need to dispatch an elite team, led by a master of formations and a powerful individual."
Miaoyin Zhenren nodded: "Junior Brother Muyun is proficient in various subjects, especially the art of formations and talismans, so he may be able to take on this important task."
Monk Muyun shook his head. "The ruins are located in the northern border, with a unique environment. It requires someone with strong adaptability to the extreme cold. I am too old to take on this task. In my opinion, the younger generation should be the main force in this exploration. It is both a training opportunity and a training ground. Yeli is familiar with the northern border, and his strength and character are both excellent. He can be one of the core candidates."
As soon as these words came out, Situ Kuang immediately objected: "Although Ye Li has made great contributions, she is still young and her cultivation is still shallow! Exploring the ruins is so dangerous, how can we let her take the lead? I, Zhan Kuangfeng, am willing to send our elite disciples, led by Gao Sheng!"
Sect Master Xuan Chengzi pondered for a moment before making the final decision, "Young blood is indeed needed for the exploration of the ruins. Let's do this: the sect will issue a special call for all True Disciples and a select group of top elite disciples (including Ye Li) to volunteer. The final candidate will be selected through joint assessment by Junior Brothers Muyun and Lingyun, along with the heads of the Weapon and Formation Halls. Junior Brother Muyun will serve as the chief consultant for this exploration, providing support from the rear. We will also dispatch an elder in the late Spiritual Mansion Realm to accompany us secretly for protection."
This plan offered opportunities to the young while also taking safety into consideration, and was reluctantly accepted by all parties. A sect operation surrounding the ancient ruins was about to begin. Ye Li, with her discoverer and performance in the Northern Territory, was undoubtedly one of the most popular candidates.
The news spread quickly, causing another stir within the sect. Exploring ancient ruins—what a tremendous opportunity! Countless true disciples and elite disciples eagerly signed up.
Ye Li's eyes calmed after hearing the news. She was determined to obtain the Bingpo Xuan Palace ruins. There might be an opportunity to rapidly improve her strength, or it might also hide a deeper secret about the Black Demon's movements.
However, she also knew that this exploration would not be an easy journey. Within the sect, Zhan Kuangfeng would certainly not let her gain any advantage. Externally, the Chiyan Sect and even other forces that might have learned of the situation would certainly not sit idly by and allow the Xuanyun Sect to monopolize the ruins.
This will surely be a fierce battle.
She returned to the Yundan Peak courtyard, activated the formation, and began making final preparations for the upcoming exploration of the ruins. She refined more talismans, honed her "Star Silence" sword techniques, and further familiarized herself with the power of the star core...
The rise in status brought temporary peace, but a greater storm was already gathering in the distance. Ye Li was like a calm chess player, quietly placing her pieces on the board and waiting for the situation to evolve. Her goals were never limited to this sect or faction.
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