Chapter 957: The South Peace State’s Black Ice Mountain

Ye Mo dashed through the space formation and stealth formation, sprinting to Zi Xu without a backward glance. He carried a purple beam, howling across the sky above the All Herb Mountain Ranges, abandoning any pretense of stealth. Escape from the All Herb Mountain Ranges was his sole objective.

…

Luo Yue Continent comprised four states, each vast beyond measure. Yet, their combined area paled in comparison to the Heartless Sea. The South Peace State was renowned as Luo Yue Continent's premier cultivation ground. The Black Ice Sect, a nine-star sect nestled on the famed Black Ice Mountain, boasted a history exceeding 100,000 years. Historically a top-three nine-star sect, its glory had waned over the past millennium, its nine-star status even threatened. However, a recent influx of gifted disciples hinted at a resurgence to its former glory.

Within a 10,000-kilometer radius of Black Ice Mountain lay one main peak, eighteen side peaks, and one hundred and eight supplementary peaks. The main peak, Black Ice Peak, housed the sect's core. While once exclusively occupied by Truth Realization state cultivators, that restriction had eased, with only one such cultivator remaining; side peaks now accommodated Cauldron Filling state cultivators, while those above constituted the sect's grand elders. Supplementary peaks were reserved for inner sect elders, administrators, and cultivators who had made significant contributions. Countless smaller peaks, scattered across Black Ice Mountain, were awarded to exceptional sect members.

For all cultivators, the ultimate ambition was to study under a side peak leader, becoming a core disciple and securing residence there. Most sect members, however, never even attained a place on a supplementary peak.

Black Wind Peak, one of the eighteen side peaks, was led by Fan Lianzhu, a Cauldron Filling state grand elder. The peak boasted exceptionally dense spirit chi, enhanced by a spirit gathering formation encompassing an individual spirit range.

From a room on this peak, a woman of extraordinary beauty emerged, a flicker of joy in her melancholic eyes.

“Sister Susu, have you reached the Golden Core state?” Another beautiful woman, emerging from the neighboring house, exclaimed excitedly.

“Yes! Beiwei, you’re almost at the Golden Core state too. Hopefully, someday we can cross the Heartless Sea and go to the East Black State to see if your brother is there,” Susu replied.

Beiwei nodded. “Yes, I miss my brother. Sigh—We were five, but now we’re scattered across three different sects. I wonder how Sisters Qingxue, Ziyi, and Luo Fei are doing.”

Unaware that Ye Mo was in the North Far State, Luo Ying—her memories restored—believed he had gone to the East Black State. Their desire to cross the Heartless Sea to find him remained, though without power beyond Body Condensation state, the journey was impossible.

Luo Ying’s joy at reaching the Golden Core state evaporated. Consistent cultivation was manageable, but the yearning gnawed at her heart during any respite. She concealed Ye Mo's average talent from Beiwei, knowing that even reaching the Cauldron Filling state might not yield a reunion within decades.

Furthermore, Luo Ying harbored the fear that Ye Mo had never reached Luo Yue Continent at all. The possibility of never seeing him again haunted her, understanding their previous meeting as mere coincidence. Returning to Earth without world-dominating power, a power beyond the realm of cultivation, was impossible.

Given a choice, Luo Ying would trade millennia without Ye Mo for a few decades by his side in Luo Yue City.

Tang Beiwei, too, harbored similar anxieties about her brother, but refrained from voicing them, fearing it would extinguish their motivation.

“Sister Susu, we couldn’t go to the Desert Plane Herb Valley this time; our power was insufficient. Are we going to the South Peace City cultivator meeting next April?” Tang Beiwei changed the subject.

Luo Ying collected herself, nodding. “Core disciples like us are not permitted to leave the sect without sufficient power. Qingxue will probably attend the meeting next year. It would be good to see each other then.”

“Sister Susu, I overheard something at the Treasure Tower. Wen Caiyi, a core disciple of the nine-star Infinity Sect, intends to challenge you after reaching the Golden Core state. If we go to South Peace City next year, will we meet her there? She’s ranked first in the Golden Core state hall of fame,” Tang Beiwei asked, concerned.

Luo Ying regarded Tang Beiwei quizzically. “I don’t even know her. Why would she challenge me? I’m not interested in fighting. If she feels strong, I won’t object. What does it matter to me?”

Tang Beiwei shook her head. “It’s not that simple. You both rank as the two most beautiful women in the South Peace State. The man she likes, Yuan Guannan of the Infinity Sect, doesn’t return her affections. He said he’d propose after reaching Nascent Soul state. He liked Wen Caiyi before we arrived, but after…”

Luo Ying said calmly, “I’m not going to compare myself to her. I have a husband; she can like whoever she wants. It’s none of my concern.”

Tang Beiwei nodded. “Yes, she’s the most beautiful in the South Peace State, yet so unfulfilled. I heard Dong Tianyan of her sect likes her, but she doesn’t reciprocate. I wonder what Yuan Guannan has that makes her love him so intensely.”

“Beiwei, let’s not dwell on such matters. We must focus on our cultivation. This isn’t our home,” Luo Ying stated.

“I know, Sister.” Tang Beiwei stuck out her tongue.

…

Jiang Chuan City in the North Far State rivaled Broken Leaf City in population density, with cultivators and mortals living side-by-side. The spirit chi was meager, with scarce cultivation resources, and its remoteness from the Heartless Sea resulted in a low cultivator population; high-level cultivators were almost nonexistent, with the highest cultivation level only at Foundation Establishment state; the occasional Golden Core state cultivator passed through. Even the city lord was merely a martial artist.

Those with greater power sought regions with richer spirit chi.

Three months after escaping the All Herb Valley, Ye Mo arrived in Jiang Chuan City. During those three months, he had visited fifteen cities and four small countries, a mix of cultivation and mortal settlements. He had diligently avoided cultivators from the Ghost Immortal Sect and the Black and White Halfway Pill King, favoring distant locations. He remained cloaked in Nine Transformations.