"Wait for me, come over when I call you."
I’m still in the hall, not in the cave mansion at the back mountain.
If Lu Yuanshan rushes to the cave mansion but doesn’t see Lu Ping himself, it’ll be hard to explain.
The matter of the system, for now, is kept secret and can’t be explained clearly.
While Lu Yuanshan waited, Lu Ping controlled his consciousness body to float back to his secluded cultivation cave mansion in the back mountain.
"Alright, you can come over now."
Upon receiving a response, Lu Yuanshan immediately dashed out of the hall, not even bothering to call his siblings, wanting to see his father first.
Upon reaching the back mountain cave mansion, Lu Yuanshan called out excitedly but dared not step inside, craning his neck to look inside.
Due to the restriction, the cave mansion was dim, and he couldn’t see Lu Ping’s figure.
"Father, will you open the restriction to let me in?"
"No need, just stand outside, it’s temporarily inconvenient to meet."
His physical body was gone, only his consciousness coexisting with the system, unable to open the cave mansion restriction to let Lu Yuanshan in. He also couldn’t take anything out from inside, which was quite unfortunate.
Hearing this, Lu Yuanshan didn’t say more and obediently stayed outside the cave mansion.
"Dad, are you about to come out of seclusion?"
Lu Yuanshan looked forward eagerly, starting the conversation: "How’s your body recovery? Successfully reached the Nascent Soul Stage?"
If Lu Ping succeeded in secluded cultivation and broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous blessing for the Cyan Mountain Sect. All challenges it faced could be easily resolved.
A Nascent Soul Old Monster, being among the top cultivators in Lingxi State, could have anything desired.
"Still in seclusion, health in decline."
Lu Ping responded indifferently: "Yet unable to condense Nascent Soul."
He wished to break through, exit seclusion as Nascent Soul, but alas, things were not satisfactory; he simply died, so now couldn’t even communicate face to face.
Without waiting for Lu Yuanshan to reply, Lu Ping, full of curiosity, actively queried.
"Tell me, what has happened in the sect during my thirty years of seclusion?"
Regarding Lu Ping’s inquiry, Lu Yuanshan took a deep breath, having anticipated this question, prepared to answer.
Clearing his thoughts, he began recounting the storms that occurred within the Cyan Mountain Sect after Lu Ping’s seclusion.
Rewind time to thirty years ago, after Lu Ping went into seclusion to extend life, and aimed for Nascent Soul Stage, the sect ran smoothly without disturbance.
To outsiders, the Cyan Mountain Sect still had a Golden Core Ancestor in residence, an undeniably enormous entity standing in Lushan County, not to be provoked.
This was due to good handling of secrecy regarding serious injury after returning from the Ancient Secret Realm by Lu Ping, known only to his three children and wife.
The decline of the sect began from a demonic chaos thirteen years ago.
Thirteen years ago, those known as the "Three Demon Venerables of Lingxi State," the Rakshasa Ghost Lord, Blood Demon Ancestor, and Celestial Corpse Daoist, attacked Lushan County to practice evil techniques and refine demonic magical artifacts, leading thousands of demon cultivators in a surprise assault, causing immense chaos with many families annihilated.
The Cyan Mountain Sect got caught in the turmoil, heavily attacked by demon cultivators, leaving the sect in disarray.
In the crisis, the Dubhe Institute intervened forcefully, killing two of the Three Demon Venerables outside Cyan Mountain Sect, with only Blood Demon Ancestor escaping far away to Lingxi State, afraid to show himself for a long time.
After the Three Demon Venerables’ defeat, remaining demon cultivator remnants were swiftly cleared, and the chaos was eventually quelled.
Though the Cyan Mountain Sect survived, it suffered severely, resulting in great loss of vitality.
This chaos ignited the downfall of the Cyan Mountain Sect.
"That demonic chaos thirteen years ago led to the death of many sect disciples under the hands of the Three Demon Venerables, leaving the sect shattered, beginning its decline, struggling to recover for years."
Recounting the painful history of the chaos, Lu Yuanshan felt deeply distressed.
He witnessed the only eight Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sect fall victim to Blood Demon Ancestor’s blood sacrifices, becoming souls in the Nine Evils Ghost Yin Banner, with tragic and sorrowful ends.
Over eighty to ninety percent of the sect members were lost, leaving only over three hundred barely surviving, making it extremely difficult for the sect to recover, falling from grace.
If not for the timely intervention of Dubhe Institute, the Cyan Mountain Sect might have perished thirteen years ago.
"The Three Demon Venerables..."
Thinking of the crimes committed by the Three Demon Venerables, nearly leading the sect to annihilation, Lu Ping felt unrestrained hatred.
He also felt deep self-reproach, blaming himself for retreating into the closed seclusion.
At the time, with the Dubhe Institute’s protection and his reputation as a renowned Golden Core Ancestor, looking around Lushan County, which sect dared challenge the Cyan Mountain Sect? The entire cultivation realm of Chu Kingdom couldn’t.
In the Chu Kingdom cultivation realm, Golden Core Ancestors were like the ceiling in combat power, counted on one hand.
But who could have foreseen that Three Golden Core Stage demonic overlords could suddenly strike Lushan County, nearly uprooting the Cyan Mountain Sect entirely.
It was completely unexpected.
Ah, but what can be done now, regrettably so.
Talking about it is futile, only a sigh remains.
Lu Ping felt downcast, not speaking for a long time.
Not seeing Lu Ping’s figure nor sensing his emotions, Lu Yuanshan waited a long time before actively breaking the silence, continuing.
"After the chaos, three Foundation Establishment sects and one Crystal sect faced demise due to the chaos, Lushan County was deserted for a long time, gradually recovering over a decade, rebuilding homes, emerging from the shadows of the chaos."
"Because the Cyan Mountain Sect lost its backbone, its power greatly diminished, surrounding sects expanded their forces, poaching many disciples, causing severe loss of Qi Blood, worsening the situation."
"The Cyan Lotus Mountain Spirit Vein was also damaged during the chaos, its tier dropped to Tier One."
"In recent years, though we’ve rebuilt the sect, spent large sums to cultivate the spirit vein, it only reached Tier Two Lower Grade."
"Tier Two Spiritual Vein has limited spiritual qi, not as good as the surrounding sects’ Tier Three or Four Spirit Veins, significantly reducing the sect’s external appeal."
"This resulted in for a long time, not only could we not recruit disciples, a large number left for other sects, causing the sect to suffer foundational damage, withering talent."
Chu Kingdom is vast with sparse population, numerous sects, many not established by a Sect Establishment Order, not under Dubhe’s protection, but still a formidable force.
Hearing many Cyan Mountain Sect disciples left for other sects, Lu Ping remained silent for a long time.
He could not interfere, even if he could, he wouldn’t.
Pursuing lofty goals, cultivators compete for wealth, partners, and land, and Lu Ping deeply understood this. Formerly, Tang Zhixian was a classic example, willing to leave the Cyan Mountain Sect for future prospects.
Not delving further into this matter, Lu Ping continued to ask.
"Seeing the sect’s decline, why hasn’t a new Foundation Establishment cultivator appeared over these years?"
He thought of his partner, with a hint of tenderness in his eyes.
Speaking of Lu Ping’s wife, Lu Yuanshan’s eyes suddenly welled up.