A month passed in the blink of an eye.
During this month, besides meditating and cultivating, Qin Changsheng sent Hu Nan to investigate Qingyun Lake.
He discovered many unfamiliar figures outside Qingyun Lake.
Hu Nan also infiltrated Qingyun Lake, but failed to break through the Golden Core demon beast's blockade.
That morning, the sect leader's powerful divine sense transmitted clearly to every Foundation Establishment cultivator: "All Foundation Establishment cultivators, proceed to the sect's main hall immediately for a meeting! No delays allowed!"
Hearing this transmission, Qin Changsheng understood it was related to the mission to exterminate the demon beast.
Qin Changsheng dared not delay and immediately controlled his avatar Hu Nan to fly towards the sect's main hall.
Shortly afterward, Hu Nan arrived outside the sect's main hall.
Inside the hall, many Foundation Establishment cultivators had already gathered, including Jiang Lijuan, Wu Yong, Lin Hao, and others, standing solemnly on either side.
Below Lin Hao stood a familiar figure.
This was Li Hu, who had been missing for several years.
He could clearly sense that Li Hu's aura, seemingly calm, concealed a hidden sharpness; his cultivation had long surpassed the second level of Foundation Establishment.
Clearly, in the past five years, he had not only successfully established his foundation but also obtained considerable opportunities, making his combat strength not to be underestimated.
At the same time, Li Hu also noticed Hu Nan's arrival, his gaze instantly falling on Hu Nan.
The instant their eyes met, a cold killing intent flashed in Li Hu's eyes. That killing intent was sharp and intense, like a blade, directly targeting Hu Nan, carrying undisguised hostility and ill will, as if he had an irreconcilable hatred for Hu Nan.
Qin Changsheng was not particularly surprised by Li Hu's killing intent.
After all, several years ago, he had thwarted the Blood Demon Sect's scheme.
He had also killed many experts from the Blood Demon Sect.
This thwarted all of the Blood Demon Sect's plans.
However, the killing intent in Li Hu's eyes quickly vanished.
Li Hu slightly turned to the side, nodded slightly to the cultivators beside him, and then strode towards Hu Nan.
The surrounding cultivators, including Jiang Lijuan and Wu Yong, merely glanced at the two of them, without giving it much thought.
In their view, both Li Hu and Hu Nan were Foundation Establishment cultivators from their sect. Li Hu had just returned to the sect, and it was perfectly normal for him to greet his fellow disciples. They didn't notice anything unusual.
Shortly afterward, Li Hu stopped in front of Hu Nan.
He cupped his hands slightly, revealing a smile: "Congratulations, Senior Brother Hu, on successfully establishing your foundation."
These words were spoken with sincerity and genuine congratulations, devoid of any hypocrisy or pretense. Anyone who heard them would have believed that Li Hu was sincerely congratulating Hu Nan.
However, Qin Changsheng was completely stunned the moment Li Hu spoke. The divine sense attached to Hu Nan fluctuated slightly, and the astonishment in his eyes was difficult to conceal.
He never expected that Li Hu's restraint was so formidable!
Just moments before, the killing intent in Li Hu's eyes was sharp and intense, undisguised—a resolute desire to eliminate Hu Nan as quickly as possible;
But in the blink of an eye, he had completely suppressed all killing intent, his face replaced by a gentle smile, uttering such sincere words of congratulations.
His demeanor was natural and flawless. Had Qin Changsheng not witnessed it firsthand, he too would likely have been deceived by his amiable appearance.
Qin Changsheng was secretly alarmed. Li Hu's temperament was truly terrifying.
To be able to completely conceal extreme killing intent in an instant, replacing it with a completely different expression—this level of forbearance and composure was far beyond the capabilities of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.
At least, Lin Hao lacked it.
Surprised, Qin Changsheng quickly regained his composure and controlled Hu Nan to return the greeting to Li Hu: "Thank you for your kind words, Junior Brother Li. I am unworthy of such praise."
"Junior Brother disappeared for several years and has already successfully established your Foundation Establishment. Your talent is certainly unmatched by ordinary people."
The two stood side by side, smiling broadly, their words filled with pleasantries and formalities. Their behavior was natural and harmonious; anyone who saw them would have thought they were close fellow disciples.
No one would have guessed that the two were already mortal enemies.
Just then, a deep and majestic aura slowly emanated from outside the hall, accompanied by faint fluctuations of spiritual energy, instantly enveloping the entire hall.
This aura was calm and restrained, yet carried an undeniable pressure, causing all the Foundation Establishment cultivators inside to tense up. They instinctively composed themselves, lowering their eyes and standing solemnly, no longer engaging in any idle chatter.
Everyone understood that the Sect Leader had arrived.
Sure enough, in the next instant, Sect Leader Xuan Yangzi walked in from outside.
Behind Xuan Yangzi followed Lin Zhentian, Elder Qingxuan, and Fairy Qingling.
Xuan Yangzi sat upright on the Sect Leader's throne in the center, with Lin Zhentian, Elder Qingxuan, and Fairy Qingling standing on either side of the throne, their expressions solemn, their gazes slowly sweeping over the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall.
Once the four were seated, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall bowed in unison, their voices ringing out in perfect unison, filled with respect and solemnity: "Greetings, Sect Leader! Greetings, Elder Lin, Elder Qingxuan, and Fairy Qingling!"
Xuan Yangzi slightly raised his hand, his tone deep and gentle: "Disciples, no need for formalities, please rise."
"Thank you, Sect Leader!" everyone responded in unison, then slowly rose.
Elder Lin Zhentian's gaze slowly swept over the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall, his expression calm, yet with a hint of scrutiny.
But when his gaze fell upon Hu Nan in the crowd, it suddenly froze, his expression instantly turning astonished, his eyes filled with disbelief and confusion.
He clearly remembered that at last year's Foundation Establishment Ceremony, he had shown no mercy, a powerful wisp of spiritual energy striking directly at Hu Nan's dantian, shattering it!
The dantian is the foundation of a cultivator's practice. A shattered dantian means the cultivator is utterly crippled, unable to absorb spiritual energy or cultivate techniques, reduced to a mere mortal to fend for themselves.
However, to everyone's surprise, Hu Nan stood unharmed in the sect's main hall today. His aura was calm, his expression humble, and his every move showed no sign of a shattered dantian. He even faintly exuded the spiritual energy of a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
"What on earth happened?" Lin Zhentian's heart was filled with shock, his eyes filled with even deeper doubt.
A shattered dantian is a universally acknowledged insurmountable problem in the cultivation world. Unless aided by a heaven-defying treasure, there is absolutely no possibility of restoration!
How could Hu Nan, an insignificant disciple, possess such a heaven-defying treasure to repair his shattered dantian?
Could it be that he held back and didn't truly shatter Hu Nan's dantian?
"Junior Brother Lin, what's wrong?" Xuan Yangzi looked at Lin Zhentian with some confusion.
"Nothing...nothing?" Lin Zhentian shook his head and said, "Just marveling at how quickly these disciples have progressed in their cultivation!"
"Indeed, I didn't expect that in just a few years, our Heavenly Sword Sect would produce so many Foundation Establishment cultivators!" A smile appeared on Xuan Yangzi's face.
After saying this, Xuan Yangzi turned his gaze to the numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators.