Chapter 320 - 283: Ten Years in the Western Regions

Aside from Kongnian Temple’s opposition, many other Buddhist Sect temples were also busy expanding their own power after the war, taking over other temples.

Thus, most Buddhist temples had little time for anything else.

Soon, the fearful and anxious disciples of the Wandao Sect began to relax.

In fact, once they calmed down, they realized they had been worrying needlessly.

For the foreseeable future, no Ascension Realm Cultivators were expected to appear in the Western Regions.

In such an environment, Immortal Realm Cultivators represented the peak of combat strength.

The Wandao Sect still had several powerful figures at the Immortal Realm, not to mention the protection of their Sect Protection Array.

As long as no internal strife broke out, no one could threaten the Wandao Sect.

Fortunately, the cultivators within the Wandao Sect had all been purged before Xiao Mo’s expedition.

The cultivators who remained in the Wandao Sect now all felt a sense of belonging, to varying degrees.

Moreover, the Elders of the Wandao Sect knew that at a time like this, unity was paramount; internal conflict was absolutely forbidden.

Therefore, from the lowest Outer Disciples to the highest Hall Masters, Peak Masters, and Elders, everyone worked together toward a common goal.

Then, in the third month after Xiao Mo’s death.

The Wandao Sect held a grand funeral for Xiao Mo.

Since Xiao Mo had left no body behind, they could only erect a cenotaph in his honor.

Xiao Mo was not interred in the mausoleum of the past Sect Leaders of Wandao Sect. Instead, his cenotaph was placed on that small plain.

After the funeral, the crowd dispersed. Dressed in sackcloth and mourning, Yu Yunwei knelt alone before her Senior Brother’s tombstone for a very long time.

With Xiao Mo’s passing, the Wandao Sect had to elect a new Sect Leader.

But surprisingly, not a single Elder, Hall Master, or Peak Master coveted the position of Sect Leader.

They unanimously nominated Xiao Mo’s junior sister, Yu Yunwei, to become the new Sect Leader of the Wandao Sect.

When news of this spread, many cultivators who had been watching the Wandao Sect were baffled.

After all, Yu Yunwei was only a cultivator at the Jade Realm.

How could she command the unified support of all the Hall Masters, Peak Masters, and Elders?

Some speculated it was because her methods were exceptionally shrewd and ruthless, to the point that many from the older generation admitted her superiority. For example, when Xiao Mo was campaigning in the Western Regions, Yu Yunwei managed all of the Wandao Sect’s affairs. The fact that not a single issue arose in several years was the best proof of her ability.

Others guessed that her strength at the Jade Realm was as outrageous as Xiao Mo’s—that she could rival an Immortal Realm cultivator, which was why the older generation stepped aside for her.

Still others believed that the Wandao Sect Elders were intentionally creating a facade to make the world believe that Yu Yunwei’s strength was on par with her Senior Brother’s.

Regardless of the reason, Yu Yunwei ultimately took her seat as the Sect Leader of the Wandao Sect.

Moreover, no one dared to truly test the strength of Xiao Mo’s junior sister.

What if they tried, and died?

However, in the third year after Xiao Mo’s death.

Yu Yunwei, Sect Leader of the Wandao Sect, broke through to the Immortal Realm.

As it happened, just four days after Yu Yunwei’s breakthrough—before the news had even spread—a few short-sighted sects grew arrogant. Believing themselves powerful enough, they joined forces to attack the Wandao Sect, seeking revenge for old grievances.

Just as her Senior Brother had once done.

Dressed in a black gown, Yu Yunwei sat alone atop a mountain peak, standing guard over the Wandao Sect.

When those cultivators breached the Sect’s grounds and came before Yu Yunwei.

Yu Yunwei took the vermilion gourd from her waist, tilted her head back, and took a swig of Sangluo Wine. With her master’s blood-red longblade in one hand and her Senior Brother’s black Broken Blade in the other, she walked step-by-step toward the allied army of over ten thousand cultivators.

Half an incense stick later, Yu Yunwei had cut off the heads of two Immortal Realm Cultivators as easily as reaching into a bag to grab something.

Although Yu Yunwei wasn’t fighting above her Realm, the invaders’ own Immortal Realm sect leaders couldn’t last a hundred rounds against her.

Her power was clearly outrageous.

The allied army of cultivators fled in utter disarray.

After that, it wasn’t just her beauty that was renowned; Yu Yunwei’s strength made the whole world gasp in astonishment.

Within the Wandao Sect and without, no one ever again dared to question Yu Yunwei’s power.

She had completely and utterly secured her position as the Sect Leader of the Wandao Sect.

Unwittingly, another three years passed.

Because a long time had passed since Xiao Mo’s death, some cultivators began to grow "forgetful" and no longer took the rules he had established seriously.

Of course, they probably figured that no matter how powerful Xiao Mo had been, he was still just an Immortal Realm Cultivator in the end. Could he really have interfered with the very Laws of the world?

So, they decided to test it and resumed practicing Evil Techniques.

After all, compared to arduous cultivation, practicing Evil Techniques was far too easy, and the increase in one’s Realm was visibly rapid.

At first, these cultivators did indeed progress quite smoothly.

But when they attempted to cross their tribulation, they discovered the Celestial Tribulation was terrifyingly powerful—five to six times stronger than a normal cultivator’s.

Every cultivator who used the flesh, blood, and Divine Souls of others as fuel for their cultivation died in the Thunder Tribulation. There were no exceptions.

Furthermore, any cultivator who killed innocent people in the Mortal World found themselves bound by some unseen force of karma.

These individuals would easily fall into perilous situations. When faced with a calamity, they would be unable to overcome it, and their souls would simply scatter.

Before long, any cultivators who had been hoping to get away with it gave up completely.

The tenth year after Xiao Mo’s death...

Inside Kongnian Temple, a young woman in her room finished packing her bags.

"Migu..."

Little Chaos, Migu, lifted its head from the bedside, looking at its master.

"I’m all packed. Is there anything you need to bring, Migu? Once we leave, it will be a very, very long time before we return."

Wangxin asked Little Chaos softly.

"Migu migu..."

Little Chaos shook its head and then leaped onto Wangxin’s shoulder.

"Alright, then. Let’s go."

Just as she had ten years prior, Wangxin led Little Chaos out of the courtyard.

And just as she had a few years before, the moment Wangxin stepped out of the courtyard gate, she saw Xujing.

"Grandpa Abbot..." Wangxin placed her palms together and bowed.

"Leaving the mountain?" Xujing asked, glancing at the young woman’s pack.

"Yes." Wangxin nodded, her translucent eyes filled with resolve. "I’m going to find him."

"Sigh..."

Xujing sighed, looking at the disciple before him, who was like a granddaughter to him.

"Xiao Mo may have been reincarnated, but Wangxin... this world is a vast sea of people, far larger than just our Western Regions. Finding him will be like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"I know, Grandpa Abbot. But I am in the Immortal Realm. I will live for a very, very long time."

Wangxin nodded and said earnestly.

"Besides, Grandpa Abbot, even if it is as you say, it doesn’t matter. As long as Xiao Mo is still in this world, I will find him. Never mind a needle—even if he were a single grain of sand, I would find him."

"Amitabha Buddha..."

Xujing shook his head, chanting the Buddha’s name.

He no longer tried to stop Wangxin. Instead, he closed his eyes and stepped aside, clearing the path for her.

Wangxin placed her palms together, bowed to her Grandpa Abbot, and then started down the mountain.

"Sigh..."

Watching all of this, Xiao Mo shook his head.

’I wish neither Yun Wei nor Wangxin were so stubbornly attached.’

’I’m just a passerby in this volume of the book.’

’Perhaps...’

’...after searching for a long time, they’ll eventually give up...’

[Reward settlement from the Hundred Generations Book is complete. Host is about to depart the River of Time. Please prepare.]

Just as Xiao Mo was lost in these thoughts, the voice of the Hundred Generations Book sounded in his mind.

[Three...

Two...

One...]

As the voice of the Hundred Generations Book faded away, Xiao Mo’s ethereal phantom dispersed in the wind.

A gentle breeze stirred the white clouds, rolling over the forest, sweeping across the plain, and passing through a sea of flowers before it brushed against the young woman’s dark hair.

The young woman, just about to descend the mountain, gently held down the strands of her hair that had been lifted by the breeze.

She turned her head but saw nothing, allowing the breeze to caress her cheek and slip through her fingers.

After a long moment, the young woman looked away and adjusted the pack on her shoulder.

Her small, cloth-shoed feet began to move forward once more.

Without looking back.