Breakthrough

The sect's atmosphere was becoming tenser and tenser. It didn't take long until even Outer Disciples heard that their Heavenly Lord Unreconciled Rock fell. It was huge news!

Fortunately, their Gentle Wind Valley wasn't alone in the fight. It was said that deputy masters of all Five Great Immortal Sects have already been instructed by their Nascent Soul patriarchs to form an alliance.

The enemy was Mount Gu! It was only now that Ouyang Li got to know where they came from. The official announcement was made by the General Affairs Hall.

"So, does this mean... Have cultivators of the diabolic Tao already united all the demonic sects on the Great Archipelago?"

Even the Steward who read the notice was shocked. After all, a few months ago, they haven't even heard of these so-called demonic cultivators. And now, it was said that all islands neighboring their Golden Fields Continent were already occupied.

"That's not all. Actually, I've heard that they are not even an outside force!" A silver-clad Elder noted. "In fact... they originated from here, our Golden Fields Continent. It's just that they were later defeated by our ancestral masters and forced to move overseas. It's such a shame that they decided to take revenge in our generation."

"Fellow Taoist, you are so well-informed! As expected of a cultivator from the great Gou clan. Please, tell us more. Is there truly going to be a war?"

"Well, it's hard to say. It all depends on how serious they are. Are they after some territory or do they want to exterminate us all? If their peak Nascent Soul cultivators don't strike, it will end up being a small-scale scuffle."

"Isn't conceding territory risky, though?" Another elder asked. "From what I've just read about the demonic Tao, they use mortal population to get stronger. Countries will be exterminated, and billions would die!"

"Don't be naïve. Better them than us. After all, we are long-lived. Mortals' populations will recover as soon as we become serious about boosting their secular economy. It's just that if we lose our territory, the growth of the population would become unsustainable…"

Ouyang Li stopped listening. The fact that they were even considering surrendering mortal countries was too much for him. They were righteous cultivators, for Heaven's sake! Their actions were too disconcerting!

Shaking his head, he retracted his Divine Consciousness and quickly activated his newly purchased Isolation Formation. It was time for him to advance to the latter stages of the Immortal Foundation Realm.

Actually, it wasn't really up to him. It's just that his spiritual essence and his Shen reached their most saturated points. There was no stopping it! At most, he could delay the inevitable and make sure that he broke through in a safe space.

However, the process wasn't short. Although it was only a quantitative change, he still had to temper his meridians and Divine Consciousness. These were all necessary steps for him to move forward.

Fortunately, due to his accumulation and Mysterious Bead's guiding pulses, Ouyang Li only took five days to advance his cultivation base. He felt his body becoming stronger. His mind was turning sharper too.

However, that was only an indirect result of his surging Inner Qi currents. What truly mattered was that he could use spiritual techniques more easily now. It was as if he had grown more muscles. Truly a refreshing feeling!

"Now, I can finally relax my guard and execute the sect's orders. I should also take some time to read the books that I got from this cheap master of mine".

He sighed deeply.

A few days later, two slightly trembling people were standing in front of him. They were brother and sister. They weren't scared, though. Instead, they were excited to be here!

The gathering took place in the Waste Disposal Pavilion. It was located deep underground, and it had a Small Protective Formation surrounding it.

The siblings were now in Ouyang Li's private office. The place was smelly and small. Nevertheless, it was his.

"Remember, while working on the array you must be diligent and repetitive. No experimentation is allowed. So, do not test the limits of the array. Do not test the limits of my patience either. Is that clear?"

"Of course, senior. We are glad that you chose us for this task. I promise that we will not let you down."

"Yes. I could see your enthusiasm. Now, I will take my time and judge how serious you are about learning formations. After all, it takes years of dedicated practice. Not many are up for it."

"Don't worry, senior. As long as we don't have to worry about basic resources, we will give it our all."

"Good! Then, I will take care of your monthly quotas. From now on, your allotment will not be snatched by other disciples. This way, you can work and study in peace."

"Senior is the best! We will try our best to repay this huge favor!"

"Now, the quickest way for you to learn how to operate the array is by practicing. I will guide you first. We will repeat the process two times a day. The rest of your time will be spent studying relevant books."

At the mention of books, their eyes glistened. After all, not many Outer Disciples could get access to such knowledge.

"Senior Ouyang. I have a question. Does the Waste Disposal Formation really need to be operated this often?" The boy asked timidly.

After he heard this question, Ouyang Li's mouth twitched.

"Well, usually, it is enough to activate the array once a week. Furthermore, there is a lot of redundancy. The trash can be stockpiled too. As a result, the sect may stop using it for years. It was often done in the past. Especially in difficult times. It's just that…"

"Yes?" The girl asked curiously.

"As you probably realize, sect Stewards have many other responsibilities, such as teaching disciples and maintaining order. Besides, I've just exited seclusion after having a major breakthrough. Also, it hasn't been that long since I was assigned to this underground pavilion. You can probably tell by the smell. It can also be said that the previous Steward was slacking off. So, we have a lot of catching up to do."

Listening to his explanation, the siblings suddenly became speechless. After all, they were expecting this senior to be passionate about and well-versed in formations. What was he even doing here?

"Still, with my guidance and your help, we can easily get rid of the stockpiled waste. However, we have to hurry. After all, I was also ordered to prepare and help with other, more powerful sect formations."

These words seemed to have calmed down the duo. Then, Ouyang Li proceeded to instruct them. He first introduced them to various arrays. Then, he made sure that they understood what they were doing while incinerating the waste.

"Remember, we are also receiving some of the less toxic pill waste from the Inner Peak. Make sure to never approach it while maintaining the formation. Otherwise, your destiny will cease, and you will die."

He was very thorough in his teachings. After all, he was grooming them to work in his stead in the future. No matter what, he was thankful to the sect higher-ups for providing him with such a marvelous idea.

Unfortunately, good things don't last long.

They worked through the afternoon and then came the evening. However, just as Ouyang Li's future slaves… cough, cough… Just as his charges were getting the hang of it, a terrifyingly powerful force pressed down on the Waste-Disposal Pavilion.

Actually, it pressed down on everyone in the sect!

Fortunately, the Small Protective Formation instantly lit up. Furthermore, Ouyang Li and the siblings were already underground so it wasn't that serious. Ouyang Li couldn't even begin to imagine the pressure that was felt on the surface.

"Taoist Frozen Sky, you old slut!" A terrifying voice resounded through the mountains. "Come out quickly and face your doom! Otherwise, the blood will stain your Gentle Wind Valley's sacred grounds."

Ouyang Li could only sigh. He was once again getting a headache.

"Could you perhaps stop being so pretentious?" He murmured under his breath. "Why do you have to involve so many innocent people? Go out and quarrel somewhere else!"

However, it turned out that he underestimated the Nascent Soul cultivator's divine senses. It was because just as he said those words, a huge palm pressed on the pavilion where he was staying, shattering the Small Protective Formation and annihilating the walls.

"What gall! To curse the Lord of Heavens! Know your place, presumptions ant! Die!"

The next thing Ouyang Li knew, he was on his knees, coughing out blood and internal organs. Even his spiritual essence was spilled out on the ground! Then, his consciousness sank into darkness.