At sunset, the outcome of this series of duels was finally settled.
When Feng Ziyang announced his victory, Jiang Li felt his mind become utterly clear. His heart suddenly seemed to sink into deep water, yet without feeling oppressed, only a silent tranquility. His spirit, however, rippled like flowing water within his heart, circulating with a sense of supreme freedom.
Unfortunately, this feeling was fleeting. Just as Jiang Li was about to immerse himself in it, his mind abruptly "woke up." The world was still the same world, his mind still the same mind.
It just felt like the circulation of his True Qi had become even more transparent. Almost as soon as a thought formed, the True Qi arrived, intention and Qi aligning, effortlessly successful.
'Still quite a ways off,' Jiang Li lamented inwardly.
He had fought from morning until sunset, validating his own bold claim, but he wasn't truly unrivaled among Rank 9. Not only were there Rank 9 cultivators beyond the Dinghu Sect, but even within the sect, some individuals hadn't appeared.
They were prevented from taking the stage due to the elders' instructions, making Jiang Li's battle record somewhat inflated.
'If I truly want to become the number one Rank 9 under heaven, I either have to fight everyone under heaven, or... fight Rank 8s.'
This thought flashed through Jiang Li's mind, only to be silently suppressed.
It wasn't time yet.
At this moment, Feng Ziyang landed on the Wind Cloud Platform and addressed Jiang Li, "Transform tendons; cleanse marrow; improve physique; desire when?"
He was asking when Jiang Li wanted to undergo the process.
Jiang Li pondered slightly, then saw Qi Changsheng below making pleading gestures like praying to gods and Buddhas.
He was begging Jiang Li to quickly get Feng Ziyang to leave.
Qi Changsheng should have been squatting in Reflection Valley today, but instead, he ran here to watch the excitement. Based on his past experiences, a severe punishment was likely unavoidable after this.
However, he wasn't afraid of the severe punishment itself—it just meant squatting for a few more days. What he feared was Feng Ziyang teaching him a lesson, making him suffer some physical pain.
So, right now, Qi Changsheng desperately wished for Feng Ziyang's swift departure.
Fine. Seeing as this Senior Brother Qi had tricked... ahem, seeing as he encouraged outer disciples to challenge him today, he might as well help him out.
Besides, Jiang Li was also very curious about the root cause that had pushed him to this point.
"Let's do it now," Jiang Li said.
Hearing this, Feng Ziyang nodded slightly, his gaze piercing like a sharp sword towards the area below the platform. He then slapped the sword at his waist.
"Zheng."
Amidst the sword's cry, a clear autumn stream emerged from the sheath. The flying sword transformed into pure white light, circling around his body, then suddenly swept forward, enveloping both of them in sword light as they ascended into the sky.
"Senior Brother Jiang!!!" Qi Changsheng shouted excitedly upon seeing this.
"Senior Brother Jiang!" The other disciples, still riding the wave of excitement, echoed his call.
Qi Changsheng shouted again, "Senior Brother Jiang, we respect and love you!"
"Senior Brother Jiang, we respect and love you!"
The voices echoed, lingering long on the Wind Cloud Platform.
...
...
On the other side, the sword entered the azure heavens, but instead of landing within Qiao Mountain, it flew straight south.
Wind and clouds shifted rapidly on both sides, the sky scenery blurring past so fast it became a straight line, yet it couldn't affect the two people within.
The pure white sword light blocked the fierce high-altitude winds, and the interior remained stable. In terms of ride comfort, it was entirely comparable to air travel in his previous life.
Just like that, the sword light flew south for over a hundred li, then suddenly angled downwards, descending towards a vibrant, lush island.
Approaching from above, when they were about a hundred meters from the island, Jiang Li felt the temperature change as warmth washed over him. As they got closer, the temperature continued to rise. By the time the two landed on the island, the climate had clearly shifted from spring to summer.
The red glow of the setting sun dyed the trees on either side, but it didn't diminish the intense vitality—a scene almost impossible in spring.
Wisps of refreshing fragrance drifted with the wind, entering Jiang Li's nostrils. His battle-weary body suddenly felt full of energy, with a restless urge he couldn't suppress.
Fighting from morning till sunset, although Jiang Li had mostly conserved energy and even had a pill to replenish his essence, his body still felt fatigued. But now, just by smelling a faint fragrance, all fatigue vanished. This inevitably led Jiang Li to speculate.
"Is this a secret ground for cultivating spirit herbs?" Jiang Li couldn't help but ask.
In this Age of Foul Turbidity, ordinary herbs could still survive, but precious herbs requiring spiritual energy had all undergone grotesque transformations—either withering and dying or becoming various bizarre, malevolent things.
Only a very few major powers managed to preserve some spirit herbs through timely measures, but nurturing them remained difficult.
Jiang Li hadn't expected to come to a place only heard of in legends. If he wasn't mistaken, the source of that fragrance was a medicinal garden.
Feng Ziyang nodded slightly upon hearing this, but then shook his head.
He pointed forward and said, "Follow path; someone awaits; will explain."
With that, the sword light reappeared. Feng Ziyang went with the sword, becoming a point of light in the sky.
"He just left like that?"
Regarding Senior Brother Feng's decisive efficiency and the sect's arrangements, Jiang Li could only express admiration.
This was a place where spirit herbs were grown, yet they let him, a newcomer, walk around freely?
Jiang Li looked left and right, unable to perceive anything unusual. He had no choice but to follow the yellow dirt path under his feet.
As the path receded behind him, the surrounding vitality grew increasingly lush. Jiang Li could even see some items of extraordinary quality. For instance, red fruits flashing amidst swaying branches to his right looked quite similar to the legendary Vermilion Fruits.
A large tree ahead glowed with visible luster. Though unfamiliar, it looked impressive.
Like Granny Liu entering the Grandview Garden, Jiang Li was numbed by the constant sight of extraordinary-looking items along the way.
If this weren't a vital sect location, he would have already started picking things.
Thump—
His heart suddenly gave a heavy beat. A strong throb appeared in Jiang Li's chest.
It seemed something ahead was summoning him.
He couldn't help but quicken his pace, ignoring the various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, heading towards the end of the path.
The closer he got, the stronger the throb became. The scenery on both sides gradually changed to cliff faces, the path narrowing. But after several dozen steps, the view suddenly opened up.
In the distance, a cliff face was visible, covered in strange flowers and exotic grasses, shining with five brilliant colors. A large opening split the cliff face, from which clear spring water gushed out, forming thirty to forty waterfalls that crashed down below with a roar, converging into a pool.
And right in the center of the pool stood an ancient stone statue.
Ox horns on its head, a long beard reaching its abdomen, clad in animal hide, appearing like an old man, yet possessing an intangible nobility and presence.
The statue held an ochre-colored wooden whip horizontally in both hands. A faint halo flowed around it, firmly drawing Jiang Li's gaze.
He knew this was the source of the throbbing in his heart.
"Shennong whipped the hundred herbs with the Ochre Whip, fully understanding their neutral, poisonous, cold, and warm natures, and the essences of their scents and tastes. He used it to sow the hundred grains, hence the world called him Shennong."
Jiang Li looked at the statue, softly reciting the records from ancient texts, and slowly bowed deeply.