The return to the surface was met with absolute pandemonium. Sect Master Qiu and the entire Council of Elders awaited them, their faces etched with anxiety that quickly transformed into awe. The moment Lu Chenge and his disciples stepped out of the cavern, the Azure Cloud Sect's spiritual foundation surged with vibrant, clean Qi—proof of their success.
Lu Chenge's appearance was mesmerizing. The aura of the Nascent Soul Realm radiated from him, calm and profound, backed by the subtle complexity of his Tri-Law Domain. His four disciples, though exhausted, stood tall, their respective elemental Essences humming with achievement.
🏆 Adoration and Authority
Sect Master Qiu knelt instantly, a posture of respect rarely shown even to the Grand Elder Lin. "Elder Lu! You have saved us from annihilation! You are the pillar of our sect!"
The entire Council bowed in unison. The earlier jealousy and suspicion had vanished, replaced by profound respect and absolute faith. Lu Chenge had proven that his sudden ascent was not a trick, but a true celestial mandate.
"The threat is purged," Lu Chenge confirmed, his voice now imbued with the authority of the Nascent Soul realm. "The Nexus is stable. The corruption is gone."
The Council immediately convened an emergency session, proclaiming Lu Chenge the new Grand Patriarch of the Azure Cloud Sect. He was given absolute authority, superseding all previous hierarchies, and his Peak of Destined Prodigies was formally renamed the Peak of the Ascended.
Later, in the privacy of his newly refurbished, majestic hall, Lu Chenge observed his four thriving disciples.
Wei An was refining her mastery over temporal perception, using the System-acquired resources to predict complex formation cycles.
Mu Yun was now known as the Purifying Flame Master, his fire essence sought after for alchemy and artifact forging.
Jia Li was teaching defense formations, her Void Barrier mastery making her an unbreachable wall.
Yuan Meng, cleansed of her curse, was proving to be a gifted strategist, able to see through battlefield chaos.
Lu Chenge was immensely satisfied. His Tri-Law Nascent Soul Domain was flawless, and he had secured the resources of an entire sect, all thanks to his students.
🌌 The Next Horizon
Lu Chenge sat in deep meditation, focusing his Grand Ascension Consciousness. The Nascent Soul was stable, but the System's underlying logic whispered of the next stage: Ascension beyond the mortal realm.
He opened the System interface, which now shone with profound satisfaction.
[Host Advancement Complete: Nascent Soul Realm Achieved.] [Current Target Goal: Soul Separation and Transcendence (Ascension to Immortal Realm).]
To Ascend, he needed an item of truly celestial significance—something that could guide his Nascent Soul out of his physical body and into the Heavenly Planes.
The next contribution cannot be mere essence or basic artifact, Lu Chenge mused. It must be a resource that transcends the current realm.
He observed his disciples again. Their power levels were rising rapidly, but their spiritual roots, while unique, were still fundamentally of the Mortal Plane. He needed a disciple whose core essence was intrinsically linked to the Heavenly Planes.
Lu Chenge consulted the newly opened 'System Universal Scouting Report'—a perk of his Nascent Soul breakthrough. He scanned not the Azure Cloud Sect, but the entire realm.
A signature flared up, distant but blindingly bright, located far across the Southern Sea.
[New Potential Designated Target Detected: Disciple – Ling Xi.] [Status: Severely Suppressed, Currently Impoverished.] [Spiritual Roots: True Celestial Grade (Aether Essence, Dormant). Compatibility: Perfect.]
True Celestial Grade. The ultimate ticket. A disciple whose power wasn't just like a law, but was an inherent part of the cosmos.
Lu Chenge rose, his eyes glowing with the anticipation of the final reward. "The time for local governance is over," he murmured. "It is time to seek the stars."
He left a message for his four disciples, sealing it with his Nascent Soul power.
"I depart on a journey that will secure our immortal future. Continue your training. When I return, we will ascend together."