Chapter 73 ·Void Refinement Second Layer, Zhou Ziyang!

Half ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍a year passed in the blink of an eye.

On ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this day, purple qi stretched three thousand miles across the sky above the Azure Wave Sect, and a streak of sword light arrived in an instant from the horizon.

Sect ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Master Su Wanyue had long been waiting outside the sect with a group of elders and disciples.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍two late Nascent Soul Supreme Elders, True Person Qingxu and True Person Xuanyun, were also personally standing at the reception platform.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sword light descended, revealing a middle-aged man.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wore a green Daoist robe, with a purple sword mark at the center of his brow.

His aura was deep like an abyss—clearly at the second layer of Void Refinement.

“Tianyan Dao Sect, Zhou Ziyang, greets you all.”

The man’s attitude was rather gentle as he took the initiative to cup his hands toward Qingxu and Xuanyun.

“Elder Zhou is too courteous!”

True Person Qingxu hurriedly returned the greeting, though inwardly he was secretly astonished.

Zhou Ziyang.

He had heard this name mentioned by his granddaughter before.

In a colossal force like the Tianyan Dao Sect, which had Great Ascension cultivators overseeing it, although Void Refinement was not considered top-tier, it was certainly a backbone-level strength.

For this Elder Zhou to come here was purely due to the favor of that granddaughter’s husband.

It was said that Zhou Ziyang’s family had been passed down in the Tianyan Dao Sect for over ten generations.

They had produced several ancestors at the peak of Void Refinement—his background was extremely formidable.

Otherwise, why would he travel thousands of miles to oversee a small place like the Azure Wave Sect?

“Elder Zhou has come from afar and must be weary. Please come inside and rest.”

True Person Xuanyun smiled and gestured.

Zhou Ziyang nodded, his gaze casually sweeping across the welcoming crowd.

It paused briefly on Nether Soul, but quickly moved away without comment.

In the following days, the entire Azure Wave Sect was as lively as a mortal New Year celebration.

The disciples practically walked with wind in their steps.

After all, a Void Refinement powerhouse had arrived to oversee their sect.

Although this powerhouse would certainly not personally step in to fight for them—

Just his presence alone was like a stabilizing pillar.

Even if the Demon Blade Sect received news, they could only glare helplessly.

As for the two Supreme Elders, they were so busy these days that their feet hardly touched the ground.

On one hand, they had to prepare plans for a full-scale suppression of the Demon Blade Sect.

On the other, they frequently went to Zhou Ziyang to seek guidance on cultivation.

Guidance from a Void Refinement cultivator was a rare opportunity for Nascent Soul cultivators.

Nether Soul, however, remained calm.

Every day, aside from cultivation, he simply drank tea and read books in his cave abode.

Three months later, the Azure Wave Sect mobilized in full force.

Two late Nascent Soul Supreme Elders led the expedition.

A full twelve Golden Core elders were dispatched.

Over a hundred inner sect disciples at the Foundation Establishment stage also went.

Nether Soul was naturally among them.

On the Demon Blade Sect’s side, they had already been frightened half to death a month earlier by news from the Tianyan Dao Sect.

The new Sect Master made a decisive decision—abandoning all visible strongholds.

He took the core disciples and hid within an ancestral secret realm.

Unfortunately, it was useless.

True Person Qingxu’s granddaughter had someone deliver the exact location of the Demon Blade Sect’s secret realm.

What followed was simple.

Encirclement, pursuit, and total eradication.

The Demon Blade Sect indeed had no hidden Nascent Soul-level forces remaining.

There was only one Golden Core peak elder named Yu Dagang who resisted desperately for a while.

His blade techniques were indeed fierce, even killing two early Golden Core cultivators from the Azure Wave Sect.

But against two late Nascent Soul Supreme Elders, his strength was completely insignificant.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yu Dagang had his head smashed apart by a single palm strike from True Person Qingxu.

Nether Soul performed exceptionally brilliantly in this campaign.

Though only at the early Golden Core stage, his attacks were ruthless, unlike those of a righteous path disciple.

Among the Demon Blade Sect remnants at Foundation Establishment and above, no fewer than ten died at his hands.

More importantly, he fought with discipline, never acting recklessly or overextending himself.

Every time he made a move, he targeted the weak.

Several Golden Core elders nodded repeatedly as they watched.

“Lin You is a talent.”

“The Sect Master truly accepted a good disciple.”

“Pity he’s not my direct disciple. Back when he came from the mortal world, I thought even if his spiritual root aptitude was decent, that would be all. Now it seems I truly misjudged him.”

After the campaign, the Azure Wave Sect achieved a complete victory.

Upon returning to the sect, Su Wanyue distributed rewards based on merit.

Nether Soul, unsurprisingly, ranked first among the disciple generation.

He received a large amount of pills and spirit stones. Though he had no real use for them, he accepted everything nonetheless.

It seemed the matter had ended.

But three days later, Zhou Ziyang sent someone to invite him, saying there was something to discuss.

Nether Soul already had a vague guess in his heart.

At the courtyard where Zhou Ziyang temporarily resided, as soon as he sat down, Zhou Ziyang spoke directly.

“Lin You, are you willing to enter my sect and follow me to the Tianyan Dao Sect for cultivation?”

Nether Soul raised his head, his expression unchanged.

“Elder Zhou’s favor humbles this junior. However, the Azure Wave Sect has treated me with immense kindness—I truly cannot bear to leave.”

Zhou Ziyang smiled slightly, clearly having expected this.

“Do you know that the cultivation resources of the Tianyan Dao Sect are a hundred times greater than those of the Azure Wave Sect?”

“With your aptitude, if you enter under me, within fifty years you can expect to reach the middle stage of Golden Core. Within two hundred years, even stepping into Nascent Soul is not impossible.”

“This junior understands.”

Nether Soul’s tone was respectful, but his attitude firm.

“However, the Azure Wave Sect is like a home to me. Even if the home is poor, I cannot abandon it.”

Zhou Ziyang looked at him, a trace of appreciation flashing in his eyes.

This boy had both loyalty and righteousness.

“Think it over again. I’m not in a hurry to leave. If you change your mind, you can come find me anytime.”

Nether Soul stood and bowed.

“Thank you for Elder Zhou’s favor, but my mind is made up.”

Zhou Ziyang waved his hand and did not persuade further.

After Nether Soul left, he let out a soft sigh.

What a pity.

This boy’s talent and temperament were both excellent, yet he was completely devoted to the Azure Wave Sect.

But from another perspective, being able to refuse such temptation precisely showed that his will was firm and he was not someone who would forsake principles for profit.

Such a person was actually more suitable to be taken as a disciple.

A pity—he was unwilling.

The news quickly spread.

Upon hearing it, the Golden Core elders all had varied expressions.

Some felt regret, some sighed in admiration, and some felt relieved.

True Person Qingxu and True Person Xuanyun met privately.

“He refused?”

“He refused.”

“He does have loyalty and righteousness.”

“Indeed. But that’s also good. If such a promising seedling were truly poached away, who knows how many years we’d have to wait before another disciple with Nascent Soul potential appears.”

“Exactly. Fortunately, fortunately.”

The two Supreme Elders looked at each other and both let out a sigh of relief.

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