Chapter 135: The Nascent Soul Assembly

It took about two hours for everyone to gather here.

Aside from Lin Yang’s family members, there were also more than a dozen Foundation Establishment elders who had rushed back to the valley upon receiving the news three days ago.

At this moment, over twenty people were seated in the grand hall, representing Lin Yang’s closest circle.

Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, Lin Yang took his seat at the head of the hall and began to speak.

"After spending more than seventy years, this sovereign has successfully ascended to the Nascent Soul stage. Having all of you accompany me along the path of immortality fills my heart with profound gratification."

"All hail the True Monarch!"

Below the Core Formation stage, cultivators were addressed as True Persons, and only those who broke through to the Nascent Soul stage could be called True Monarchs.

Therefore, everyone seated below addressed Lin Yang as True Monarch, and these words also officially declared his new status.

Listening to the flattery of the crowd, Lin Yang felt immensely pleased, his face breaking into a wide smile.

However, he quickly reined in his emotions, coughed twice, and assumed a dignified demeanor.

"Now that this sovereign has just advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, it is only natural to hold a Grand Nascent Soul Assembly so that everyone in the Yue State knows of my breakthrough."

"We must spread the news of this sovereign's advancement across the entire Immortal Cultivation World."

At this point, Lin Yang paused to observe the excited expressions of those around him.

He nodded with great satisfaction, finally experiencing the unique gratification of being pandered to by subordinates.

"The Cloud-Breaking Mountain Range shall serve as this sovereign’s Dao domain, and naturally, the Grand Nascent Soul Assembly will be held right here."

"As for how this matter should be handled, I leave the preparations to Yun Ting'er and the various elders."

With that, Lin Yang looked toward Yun Ting'er and several elders, entrusting the task entirely to them.

"As you command, True Monarch."

"Rest assured, Husband."

Seeing Lin Yang’s gaze turn toward them, Yun Ting'er and the elders quickly consented.

"The Grand Nascent Soul Assembly should naturally be set on an auspicious date, and half a month from now happens to be the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Let us schedule the Grand Nascent Soul Assembly for the Mid-Autumn Festival."

After saying this, Lin Yang turned his gaze to the crowd to see if anyone had any objections.

However, everyone listened quietly to his words, with no intention of interrupting.

"Very well, the date is set for half a month from now. The task of delivering the invitations shall be handled by Shu'er."

"Send an invitation to each of the other six great sects."

"As for the minor clans and families, handle them as you see fit. If worst comes to worst, just release the word—those who wish to come will naturally arrive."

Having arranged everything within a short while and seeing that his tasks were accepted without any dissent, Lin Yang concluded, "Very well, you are all dismissed."

Lin Yang was the first to rise and leave the hall, and once he departed, the others followed suit one after another.

From then on, every single day in the Cloud-Breaking Mountain Range was spent in a flurry of activity.

First came the restoration of the damaged palaces and the repair or concealment of the surrounding landscape that had been blasted apart by the tribulation lightning.

After all, one could not allow anything to ruin the aesthetic beauty of the domain. As for the newly formed deep crater, they covered it with lotus flowers and various aquatic plants.

Although minor flaws could still be discerned, it at least looked pleasing to the eye, and the two vast lakes possessed a profound, poetic charm.

For the sake of appearance, Lin Yang even introduced some ornamental spirit beasts into the lakes, raised several immortal cranes, and specially deployed unique visual effects to make the entire Cloud-Breaking Mountain Range shimmer with ethereal immortal mist.

Presently, only such grand imagery could adequately describe the scene.

Amidst a boundless sea of clouds, dozens of jagged, towering peaks pierced the sky.

Each peak was adorned with various styles of palaces, connected to one another by massive iron chains stretching across the chasms.

Wind and clouds surged violently in this domain, the mist swirling in turbulent currents under immense atmospheric pressure, spinning forward like ocean billows.

The entire sea of clouds resembled a raging ocean, constantly churning up gigantic waves.

From time to time, colossal surges of vaporous clouds crashed furiously against the mountain peaks, yet the peaks stood like unyielding monoliths, parting the rushing currents of the cloud sea.

They split the entire sea of clouds in two, only for the mists to close back together behind them.

Between the peaks, immortal cranes and all manner of beautiful birds and beasts flew back and forth, emitting sharp, melodious cries.

The palaces perched upon the summits radiated a brilliant, golden splendor interwoven with seven-colored aurora glows.

Visions of immortals soaring gracefully on flying swords could be seen constantly amidst the peaks, each of them brimming with vitality and possessing the transcendent air of Daoist immortals.

This was completely a world of legends and immortals, seemingly filled with a carefree, untroubled peace.

It felt like an otherworldly immortal realm untouched by worldly strife, a sanctuary for pursuing the Dao and longevity, and a place yearned for by all mortals.

………………

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and the cycle of fifteen suns rising and setting was completed once again.

Early in the morning, under the illumination of the morning sun, the clouds above the entire valley were dyed in brilliant shades of red.

By this time, the palaces atop every peak had been impeccably restored, and the plazas were adorned with countless rare and exotic treasures.

To put it simply: the more extravagant, the better.

At this moment, the plaza—which usually accommodated only a little over a thousand disciples—was packed to the brim with people.

The entire plaza was a sea of bustling heads, with everyone eager to present the gifts they had brought and hoping to catch a glimpse of Lin Yang.

Right at that moment, several colossal entities suddenly burst forth from the sea of clouds.

A closer look revealed them to be flying spirit boats belonging to the other six great sects, led prominently by the vessel of the Moon-Masking Sect.

After all, the Moon-Masking Sect was currently the strongest faction in the Yue State, boasting no fewer than three Nascent Soul cultivators.

However, two of those cultivators were only at the early Nascent Soul stage, which was why they dared not contend against the late Nascent Soul grand-devil Yun Lu of the Joyous Harmony Sect.

Yet Lin Yang had no fear of the Old Devil Yun Lu now; relying on the various methods at his disposal, fighting him to a standstill was entirely feasible.

If Lin Yang were also willing to risk the backlash of prolonged use of his demonic blade, he could even instantly obliterate Old Devil Yun Lu.

As these six gigantic flying boats came to a halt, six delegations disembarked from them.

Each delegation was led by a Nascent Soul cultivator, adhering to an unwritten rule in the world of immortal cultivation.

Whenever a new top-tier Nascent Soul cultivator emerged in the cultivation world, peers from the same realm were permitted to come and offer congratulations.

After all, every appearance of a new Nascent Soul cultivator was usually separated by a gap of fifty or sixty years before another might possibly arise.

Sometimes the interval was even longer; for instance, in the century preceding Lin Yang's breakthrough, not a single person had attained the Nascent Soul stage.

Furthermore, during a Grand Nascent Soul Assembly, all attending Nascent Soul cultivators would engage in discussions and exchange pointers.

This time, in order to display its prestige and uphold its status as the leader among the sects, the Moon-Masking Sect had dispatched two Nascent Soul cultivators.

The other sects were not nearly as lavish; most of them had sent only a single Nascent Soul cultivator, let alone two.

The arriving Nascent Soul cultivators were escorted into the grand hall by Shui Miao'er.

"Seniors, please follow me."

Shui Miao'er received the Nascent Soul cultivators in the plaza. These Nascent Soul experts looked at Shui Miao'er with a hint of curiosity.

After all, the entire Yue State only had a few dozen to a hundred Core Formation cultivators, meaning every Nascent Soul expert generally had some impression of the others in that tier.

Yet for some reason, a very young Core Formation cultivator whom they had never seen before had appeared here.

Moreover, her cultivation had already reached the late Core Formation stage, and backed by a Nascent Soul patron, she was practically guaranteed a ticket to the Nascent Soul realm in the future.

A female Nascent Soul cultivator from the Moon-Masking Sect looked at Shui Miao'er with inquisitive eyes and asked, "I wonder what relation this young maiden has with Daoist Lin?"

"The Daoist Lin whom Senior refers to is my cultivation partner. Seniors, please follow me first."

Shui Miao'er had not expected such a question, but she answered truthfully nonetheless.

"Such a young junior, coupled with the assistance of your Daoist companion—I daresay it won't be many decades before you become a new Nascent Soul cultivator yourself."

"Senior flatters me."

With that response, Shui Miao'er led the group into the palace atop the highest peak.

This was the most important place in the entire Cloud-Breaking Mountain Range, serving as the venue where Lin Yang and the elders held their meetings on ordinary days.