Chapter 77: The Age of Cultivation

Over ten years ago, the four elders of the Ninth Threshold from the Taishang Sect attempted to destroy the Feather Ascension Sect, but were eradicated by a single sword strike from Lin Jiufeng.

The sword aura stretched for thirty thousand miles, stunning the world. After eliminating the four Ninth Threshold elders, it struck the void, breaking the spiritual barriers that had bound the world.

Since then, an immense amount of spiritual energy poured down from the heavens, revitalizing the barren world.

Eleven years had passed. The rift Lin Jiufeng had opened had become a floodgate. The vast spiritual energy, once hidden in the void, now flowed endlessly into the mortal realm.

Cultivators in the world ushered in an era of cultivation prosperity.

Boundaries that were once difficult to break through could now be crossed with ease.

The Eighth Threshold, once a pinnacle of power, had become merely average.

The Ninth Threshold, once the realm of unparalleled masters, had become accessible to anyone with talent, willpower, and the willingness to work hard.

Now, standing at the peak of cultivation were the Tenth Threshold masters!

In any major sect today, if there were no Tenth Threshold cultivators, even with numerous Ninth Threshold experts, it was considered a second-tier sect.

To be a top-tier sect, one must have a Tenth Threshold master.

This comparison illustrated just how much the world had changed in ten years.

Ten years ago, the Wen family's玄界 (Xuan Realm) had paid a tremendous price to summon a Tenth Threshold ancestor. No one could have predicted that, in just ten years, Tenth Threshold cultivators would be found everywhere.

Compared to the changes in the cultivation world, Lin Jiufeng's own breakthroughs seemed insignificant.

After all, in these ten years, he had not even touched the threshold of the Eleventh Threshold, nor had he realized a path of his own in the human realm.

The only human path he had discovered was taught to him by someone else.

But Lin Jiufeng was not anxious. He always believed that hard work would eventually yield results. Every day of rigorous cultivation and insight was all for preparing for that moment of breakthrough.

Lin Jiufeng also understood that breaking through to the Eleventh Threshold in the human realm would be difficult.

Five thousand years ago, when spiritual energy was at its peak and the Dao was easier to understand, even the top ten kings were stuck at the Tenth Threshold. They had to seek the Fallen Immortal Tomb, and it was uncertain whether they ever managed to break through to the Eleventh Threshold in the mortal realm.

So Lin Jiufeng took his time. Like a swan that once was an ugly duckling, he believed there would come a day when he would soar.

One day, Lin Jiufeng was practicing his punches, cultivating the God Demon Body Refining Technique, when he saw Bai Yunfei walking up the mountain path.

Lin Jiufeng slowly withdrew his energy, slightly surprised.

It had been ten years since Bai Yunfei last visited. He had been busy developing the Feather Ascension Sect, especially after the defeat of the Taishang Sect. He had seized the opportunity to recruit disciples and elders, and in ten years, he had elevated the Feather Ascension Sect to the number one sect in the Daoist world.

During this time, Bai Yunfei had been preoccupied with making decisions for the sect, so Lin Jiufeng didn't expect him to visit the Sutra Pavilion.

Yet today, he came alone.

Lin Jiufeng brewed a pot of tea and sat among the blooming flowers, waiting for Bai Yunfei's arrival.

Before long, Bai Yunfei arrived.

He still looked the same as he had ten years ago, with a youthful face and extraordinary handsomeness.

However, there was now an added composure, dignity, and grandeur in his demeanor.

He was dressed in a dark robe, his tall figure straight, his long hair tied up, giving him a more mature appearance.

But as soon as he saw Lin Jiufeng, his mature aura immediately dissipated.

"Brother, it's been ten years, and you still look as radiant as ever," Bai Yunfei said, sitting opposite Lin Jiufeng. He picked up the tea cup and took a sip before complimenting him.

Lin Jiufeng smiled and replied, "Not as much as you, Junior Brother. You're now the leader of the number one Daoist sect. You've built up your presence and cultivated your aura. You look impressive, though your cultivation could use a bit more work."

Bai Yunfei chuckled bitterly. "Don't tease me, Brother. These past ten years have ushered in a golden age of cultivation. I've put my heart and soul into developing the Feather Ascension Sect. Every day I've been focused on recruiting better disciples, cultivating them. There's hardly any time for personal cultivation, and my progress is only a little ahead of where I was ten years ago."

"You're the leader, so it's only natural that you have to handle these matters," Lin Jiufeng said gently.

Bai Yunfei shook his head resolutely. "I no longer wish to be the sect leader. I've fulfilled the promise I made to Master by bringing the Feather Ascension Sect to its former glory and making it the number one sect in the Daoist world."

"You want to step down as leader?" Lin Jiufeng asked in surprise.

Bai Yunfei nodded.

"Why?" Lin Jiufeng asked curiously.

"Brother, becoming the sect leader of the Feather Ascension Sect was never my wish. At that time, the sect was in decline, and I had no choice but to step up. Now that the sect has flourished, it's time for me to retire."

"Moreover, we are living in a golden age of cultivation. Spiritual energy has revived, the Dao has manifested, and the world is free and open. The younger generation is emerging, and the new talents are rising. We, the older generation, cannot be left behind by the times."

"Brother, Wen Xinyun recently broke through to the Tenth Threshold. Yesterday, I heard that Zhou Tianzi was in the Demon Sect's sacred land comprehending the Dao and broke through to the Tenth Threshold. Yue Dashan crossed the Thunder Tribulation in the Northern Sea and also broke through to the Tenth Threshold."

"As their master, I am still stuck at the Ninth Threshold. It's quite embarrassing."

Bai Yunfei shook his head.

Lin Jiufeng understood. Bai Yunfei felt that, as their master, it was embarrassing for his cultivation to be inferior to that of his disciples.

Bai Yunfei had once been a top talent in the Feather Ascension Sect, holding the sect together in its darkest days and reaching the Seventh Threshold when spiritual energy was weak, barely keeping the sect's flame alive.

He had his own pride.

For the past ten years, he had worked tirelessly to fulfill his promise to his master, rebuilding the Feather Ascension Sect to its former height.

Now, he wanted to step down and return to his former mindset as a young genius.

He wanted to focus on his own cultivation once more.

Looking at the gleam in Bai Yunfei's eyes, Lin Jiufeng nodded. "Since you've made your decision, I naturally support you. But have you decided on a successor for the sect?"

Wen Xinyun, Zhou Tianzi, and Yue Dashan were all Bai Yunfei's core disciples, but none of them would take the position of sect leader.

Like Lin Jiufeng, they were all focused on cultivation and had no interest in leadership positions.

So, who else could be chosen?

Lin Jiufeng looked at Bai Yunfei with curiosity.

Bai Yunfei gave a mysterious smile and asked, "Brother, do you remember when we recruited disciples for the Feather Ascension Sect?"

Lin Jiufeng immediately recalled that when he used his rain technique to bring down abundant spiritual energy, it nourished everything in the Feather Ascension Sect, causing various mountain spirits and creatures to gain intelligence. Lin Jiufeng had suggested that these intelligent beings be included in the sect, regardless of their origin.

"Do you remember you helped me give one of the disciples a name?" Bai Yunfei asked.

Lin Jiufeng thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "That willow tree... Bai Liu!"

Bai Yunfei nodded with a smile. "Over the years, he has diligently helped me with various matters in the Feather Ascension Sect. His cultivation has reached the Ninth Threshold, and he is deeply loyal to the sect. He is the perfect candidate to take over as sect leader."

Lin Jiufeng nodded. "If you've made your choice, then it's settled. When will the transfer ceremony be held?"

"In three months!" Bai Yunfei said immediately, feeling relieved. In three months, he would be free.