Martial Cloud Sect Main Mountain

The main mountain of the Martial Cloud Sect was lush and vibrant, everywhere you looked, grass swayed and trees reached toward the sky, forming small, natural forests across the slopes. But it wasn't just greenery that dominated the landscape, there were numerous towering peaks as well.

As the strongest force among the Eighteen Allies, the Martial Cloud Sect naturally had the right to claim vast territory. Yet they chose otherwise, making this single mountain their sect's central seat.

For the next fifty thousand kilometers in any direction, there was no mountain larger than this one. Only one other massive peak existed nearby, but that was in the territory of an enemy faction, beyond the reach of the Allies.

Still, despite only claiming this mountain, the Martial Cloud Sect's domain remained the best place to cultivate within at least a fifty kilometer radius.

One would have to leave the Mortal Domain of the Heaven Ascending Continent to find a more spiritually rich location.

Even so, while the mountain brimmed with spiritual essence, it was barely sufficient for a cultivator at the Meridian Awakening stage. It might support a breakthrough, but progress afterward would be slow, painfully so.

At most, a lucky cultivator could open a single standard meridian here. For true advancement, either far more time or a richer environment would be necessary.

That was one of the reasons why the Heaven Ascension Continent established the Mortal Domain in this region, despite it sitting at the edge of the border with the Sky Islands Continent.

Feeling this concentration of spiritual essence for the first time in ages, Yuan paused in thought. A part of him was tempted to just run away, to abandon all his plans and leave the Mortal Domain behind, heading for the true cultivation world beyond.

But no matter how tempting it seemed, the arguments for staying were too strong to ignore. As much as the outside world called to him, he still had unfinished business here, plans yet to unfold.

"Endure... only a few more years," Yuan whispered to himself, urging his resolve to hold steady. He focused on all that still needed to be done.

"One wrong move, and everything falls apart." He reminded himself of the delicate balance he had to maintain. No mistakes. No carelessness.

With that thought firmly in mind, he allowed his expression to return to normal, calm, relaxed, as if this were just another ordinary day. The only hint of what lay beneath was the slight gleam of excitement in his eyes.

Yuan currently stood atop one of the many smaller peaks of the Martial Cloud Sect's main mountain. These peaks had been designated for the rest and lodging of the Eighteen Allied forces. It was peaceful here, quiet, scenic, a place to enjoy nature's beauty.

Tomorrow, the Young Talent Tournament would begin. The atmosphere was already charged. While the youths buzzed with excitement, the adults watched closely, scanning for promising new talents, or rising threats.

Earlier that day, out of boredom and curiosity, Yuan and his group had wandered through the surrounding areas. They explored the outer paths of their assigned peak and admired the natural beauty for which the Martial Cloud Sect's mountain was famed.

They were even permitted to venture through the outer sect regions near the lower slopes and foothills.

Not much had happened during their short excursion. The sect's disciples hadn't exactly avoided them like the plague, but they kept their distance. That was normal, outer sect disciples were cautious around Allied youths.

To them, visitors like Yuan's group were akin to royalty, while they were mere peasants. The gap in status was like heaven and earth.

And so, the group wandered quietly, taking in the scenery and absorbing glimpses of the Martial Cloud Sect's culture.

But on their way back, they came across another Allied group.

Six youths, accompanied by a teacher, all male. They wore dark blue robes adorned with intricate floral patterns on the sleeves and back.

Yuan recognized them immediately. Of course he did.

They were from the Mei Clan, a force that held slightly more territory than the Luolong Family. Relations between the two groups had never been particularly friendly.

Seeing the group approaching, the faint smile that their teacher always wore slowly twisted into a sneer. His eyes narrowed with visible annoyance. Step by step, the two parties closed the distance until they stood face to face.

The middle-aged man leading the six youths smiled brightly as he looked at their teacher.

"Ah, who would've thought we'd meet again? How long has it been since our last encounter? A few years, perhaps? Wasn't it during the Demonic Snake incident, fellow Daoist Traveling Drunk Cultivator?"

As he spoke, his smirk deepened, his gaze fixed on the teacher with playful mockery.

Yuan and the others turned to their teacher in surprise. It was the first time they'd ever heard anyone refer to him by a title, let alone a name. The teacher had never introduced himself, and none of them had ever asked. All they knew was that he belonged to their family's faction.

Beyond that, he remained a mystery.

Though all five students wore expressions of curiosity, Yuan's eyes stayed steady. He had never cared for the teacher's name or background, but as he glanced at the teacher now, he caught a flicker of deep irritation in his eyes.

Then the teacher let out a sneer of his own, staring coldly at the middle aged man.

"Indeed. Long time no see, fellow Daoist Blossom Tree. It has indeed been a while since we last met."

The man known as Blossom Tree smiled even wider. Despite his age, his features were youthful, and the glint in his eyes was sharp.

With a soft chuckle, Blossom Tree turned to glance over the five students. His eyes lingered on each of them for a few heartbeats. At the same time, their teacher did the same, until his gaze suddenly stopped, a flicker of surprise flashing across his face as he looked at one of the Mei Clan youths.

"Hehe." Blossom Tree chuckled as he caught the surprised look on their teacher's face. Amused, he nodded slowly.

"Fellow Daoist Traveling Drunk Cultivator, your eyes don't deceive you. This boy is the Mei Clan's current heir, the next head of our clan. He's already awakened four senses at the tender age of nine, and he's not far from awakening the fifth. Impressive, isn't it?"

A proud, almost smug expression settled on Blossom Tree's face as he began boasting about the young heir's achievements. His bragging dragged on and on, so long that even the sun had begun to dip below the horizon.

Their teacher could have interrupted at any time, but instead, he stood quietly and endured the flood of praise, saying nothing at all.

Meanwhile, Yuxin, Haoran, Meilan, and Tianyu were clearly growing restless. Listening to so much self-congratulation tested their patience. Their expressions remained neutral, but mentally, they were drained.

Like their teacher, they said nothing, only waiting for the moment when this tiresome exchange would finally end.

At last, the teacher gave a small nod, raising his hand politely.

"Well, Fellow Daoist Blossom Tree, it's getting late. Children should rest and prepare for tomorrow's challenges. So I'll take my leave and wish you the best in the upcoming Young Talent Tournament."

He gave a respectful salute.

Blossom Tree glanced up at the darkening sky and blinked in surprise. "Ah, you're right, Fellow Daoist. Time really flew by!"

He ran a hand through his long hair, then returned the salute with a gracious smile. "Until next time."

With that, he and his group turned and walked away, heading back to their own peak.

Now back at their residence, the group gathered in the living room. The balcony doors were open wide, letting in the cold air and the last light of the setting sun.

The teacher sat in a chair on the balcony, facing the sky. Haoran and Yuxin were seated next to him, their faces lit with eager smiles, as if brimming with questions they could no longer hold back. Nearby, Meilan and Tianyu sat quietly, reading books.

Only Yuan rested alone by the window, gazing out at the slowly darkening sky as night began to fall.

The peaceful silence was eventually broken by Haoran.

"Teacher, teacher! Tell me, how did you meet that Blossom Tree guy? And why is your Dao name 'Traveling Drunk Cultivator'?"

It wasn't the first time Haoran had asked. Every time before, the teacher had brushed him off with a grumble or a sigh, claiming he wasn't in the mood. But when Yuxin chimed in with wide, pleading eyes, he gave in.

With a soft groan, he sighed and finally began to speak.

"Back then, just after I came of age, I left the family. I wanted to see the world, travel the lands, meet new people. I met all sorts, good, bad, strange, powerful. Even made a few friends along the way."

His voice drifted slightly, touched with nostalgia.

"After years of wandering, I returned. That was about ten years ago. The Eighteen Allies were in some trouble back then. I was already a fairly strong cultivator at the time, only a bit weaker than I am now, so I decided to help."

A faint sneer crept into his tone.

"And that's when I met that bastard from the Mei Clan, Blossom Tree. Or, as his real name goes… Mei Han."

With that, the teacher's eyes drifted to the horizon, and the weight of his memories seemed to settle around him.