Meng Zhang's main concern was the news about Twin Success Valley preparing to cultivate Gold Core Daoist Masters. Ever since he obtained this information from Li Nu, he had kept it hidden in his heart. Besides telling Jue Ying, he hadn't informed anyone else in Taiyi Sect.
This matter was not something to be spread casually, as it could cause great trouble if Twin Success Valley were to find out. With Taiyi Sect's current strength, they couldn't influence Twin Success Valley, let alone the Flying Swan Sect. The only thing Meng Zhang could do was to focus on his cultivation, improve his realm, and enhance Taiyi Sect's power to prepare for the upcoming storm.
Time passed, and a year had already gone by since Meng Zhang made the agreement with Luo Ye. During this year, Jue Ying visited Taiyi Sect every three to four months to check on Meng Zhang's progress in cultivation, making sure he could achieve Foundation Building within the agreed time.
Meng Zhang didn't mind Jue Ying's visits. Amid the monotonous cultivation life, her presence brought a touch of brightness and variation. Whenever they met, they exchanged their cultivation experiences and discussed the events happening outside.
With the new sources of information, Taiyi Sect had a better understanding of the outside world. Meng Zhang's vision was no longer limited to the surroundings of Twin Success Valley.
On this day, Jue Ying came to Taiyi Sect once again. Hearing the familiar call of a crane outside while meditating in the sect's main hall, Meng Zhang hurriedly went to the courtyard to greet her.
As he watched Jue Ying riding a black immortal crane descending slowly in front of Taiyi Sect, Meng Zhang couldn't help but envy her. He wondered when the three Red Feathered Eagles, raised by the sect, would mature enough to be ridden.
The Endless Sea of Sand was a renowned desolate land in the Cultivation World, and the areas under Twin Success Valley's control were even more impoverished, with various resources scarce. Rare items like flying mounts were seldom available for purchase, and even if they appeared, the prices were exorbitant and not practical.
Jue Ying had become a regular guest at Taiyi Sect after multiple visits. The disciples guarding the entrance immediately led her to meet Meng Zhang.
Having known each other for a long time, there was no need for much small talk. Meng Zhang led Jue Ying to a quiet room, and they went straight to the point.
Each time Jue Ying visited Taiyi Sect, she brought some fresh news. This time, the information she brought was closely related to Meng Zhang—the situation of the Zhao Family, which they hadn't heard from in a long time.
Over a year ago, most of the Refining Qi late-stage cultivators from the Zhao Family, along with their patriarch Zhao Yanbei, left the family and joined the Flying Swan Sect. Later, due to the actions of Twin Success Valley, Zhao Family was exterminated, and their mountain gate was taken over.
As for Zhao Yanbei and the others, Meng Zhang thought that with Twin Success Valley's methods, they shouldn't have left any potential threats behind. Moreover, back then, Meng Zhang didn't have the ability to obtain information from the territory of the Flying Swan Sect.
Now, Jue Ying's news about the Zhao Family immediately piqued Meng Zhang's interest.
It turned out that over a year ago, after Zhao Yanbei reached the Flying Swan Sect, he utilized the family's connections from the ancestors to contact an influential steward in the sect. Zhao Yanbei paid a significant amount of spirit items and a large number of spirit stones to exchange for a Foundation Building Pill. He also rented a cave mansion located above a Second Rank spirit vein near the Flying Swan Sect, preparing to return to Zhao Family after successfully achieving Foundation Building.
At that time, there was an elder within Zhao Family who raised doubts. Zhao Yanbei was already over fifty years old, and over a decade ago, he had failed while attempting to use the Twin Success Valley's Lesser Foundation Building Pill for Foundation Building.
Now, entrusting him with this precious Foundation Building Pill to build his foundation again, what if he failed once more? What would they do then? The Zhao Family would no longer have any chance to obtain another Foundation Building Pill.
The entire family's future and destiny were hinged on this Foundation Building Pill.
Considering the overall situation, they believed it would be better to let Zhao Jiudou, who was younger and had greater potential, consume the Foundation Building Pill to build his foundation.
This elder's suggestion infuriated Zhao Yanbei. This Foundation Building Pill was his last chance for Foundation Building, and he absolutely couldn't easily give it up when it concerned his own path.
Consequently, the Zhao Family became divided. Zhao Yanbei and the elders supporting him clashed with Zhao Jiudou's faction, and the conflict was intense.
When news of the Zhao Family's annihilation spread, their internal strife worsened amid their profound grief. Zhao Jiudou's side accused the family head, Zhao Yanbei, of acting recklessly, leading to the destruction of the Zhao Family. On the other hand, Zhao Yanbei's supporters claimed that it was because of Zhao Yanbei's decisive actions that the Zhao Family obtained the Foundation Building Pill.
Time passed amid mutual accusations, and the members of the Zhao Family had nowhere to go and could only temporarily stay near the Flying Swan Sect.
Zhao Yanbei believed he had seen through Zhao Jiudou's plan—they were trying to delay time until he turned sixty years old, losing his last chance for Foundation Building.
In the end, the desire for Foundation Building and the importance of his own path outweighed the ties of blood. Zhao Yanbei colluded with outsiders, intending to completely eliminate Zhao Jiudou's faction.
Unexpectedly, this time, Zhao Yanbei invited a wolf into his home. The outsider he colluded with turned out to be a cultivator from the Ghost Path.
With Zhao Yanbei's protection, the Ghost Path cultivator managed to bypass the guards of the Flying Swan Sect and infiltrated the cave mansion where the Zhao Family lived.
This Ghost Path cultivator went on a killing spree, exterminating all the members of the Zhao Family, completely eradicating them.
After the incident, the patrolling cultivators of Flying Swan Sect quickly discovered what happened to the Zhao Family and found traces of the Ghost Path cultivator.
This was a major humiliation for the Flying Swan Sect, which considered itself the ruler of the entire Endless Sea of Sand, governing a large portion of it and having countless subordinate forces.
Now, there was a Ghost Path cultivator committing such a heinous act in the core area of the Flying Swan Sect, essentially slapping Flying Swan Sect in the face. The high-ranking members of the sect were furious, mobilizing numerous resources to hunt down this Ghost Path cultivator. The latest wanted orders had already been dispatched to Singing Sand City.
After listening to Jue Ying's account, Meng Zhang felt somewhat melancholic about the fate of the Zhao Family cultivators. Although Zhao Family and Taiyi Sect were enemies, their tragic end was undeniably pitiful.
The cruelty of the Ghost Path cultivator, who seeks revenge for even the slightest offense, made Meng Zhang vigilant. He must be cautious not to expose anything related to what he had done back in that mine cave.
Meng Zhang was also deeply worried about the relationship between Twin Success Valley and the Ghost Path cultivator.
With the guest still present, Meng Zhang temporarily put aside his concerns and warmly entertained Jue Ying. Coincidentally, the following day was the day when Deep Earth Spirit General would give a sermon.
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