The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 549: Chapter 549: Zhao Lingyin’s Situation_1

The Mountain River Dungeon was originally a place for newly promoted inner disciples to gain experience and hunt for treasures.

But after nearly a hundred thousand Sect Disciples flooded into the Dungeon, the various cultivation resources within began to diminish rapidly!

In the past, the Riverside Sect relied on the entirety of Qing State—with its numerous Spirit Fields, spiritual lands, and countless mines—as well as businesses spread across the Red Flame Country, to cover the Sect’s expenditures.

Now, with only the Mountain River Realm remaining, the Sect was consuming its reserves, and many resources started to become scarce.

Originally, the Sect still had reserves that, under normal circumstances, could have sustained it for a hundred years even with the mountain sealed off.

However, not long after the multitude of disciples moved into the Dungeon, Patriarch Yuan Heming began to divert vast amounts of resources for his own cultivation. He intended to enhance his cultivation level to resist the otherworldly corrupting power of the Outer Realm’s Soaring Serpent, forcefully forging a path out.

But he was already a middle-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator. Even breaking through to the late stage was not something that could be achieved overnight; it was a process that could easily take a hundred years.

Meanwhile, creatures like the Double-winged Flying Serpent frequently invaded the Dungeon’s entrance, slaughtering Sect Disciples at will.

To defend against these Demons, the Sect’s upper echelons, led by Sect Master Yuan Qingshi, also consumed significant resources, deploying Formations and outposts at the entrance to establish layers of defense.

The already strained resources became even more depleted!

Combined with uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones, the constant danger of Flying Serpent invasions, and a seemingly hopeless future, many disciples struggled to maintain their Path Hearts during these three years. This led to a rise in misconduct and evil deeds.

This, in turn, created a vicious cycle, leaving the disciples within the Dungeon feeling increasingly suffocated and desperate.

Sect Master Yuan Qingshi, Rising Sun Peak Master Tang Lv, and the various Hall Masters attempted to improve morale within the Sect. While their efforts yielded some initial success, these measures proved to be only temporary boosts without any improvement in the external situation.

Gradually, affected by the deteriorating situation, many Hall Masters, Core Disciples, and Spirit Sea Realm Elders began to openly and secretly vie for resources to secure their own future cultivation.

All sorts of previously inconspicuous contradictions became increasingly prominent.

The old conflict that had nearly toppled the Riverside Sect on several occasions—the struggle between the Immortal and mundane factions—began to rear its head once more.

Moreover, signs of strife emerged between the four Main Peaks, among the various halls, between local disciples from Qing State and those from other states, and even among Elders and inner disciples holding grudges...

The Riverside Sect was now like a pot of porridge simmering over a fire, threatening to boil over at any moment.

...

In a newly built small courtyard, the Sect’s alien minister, Wu Gong, fiddled with the pitifully few spiritual medicines before him, his face etched with worry.

”SQUEAK!”

The door was pushed open, and a woman in simple Alchemist robes, her hair styled in a high phoenix bun, walked in.

”Disciple, you’re not cultivating or practicing Alchemy. What brings you to your Master’s place?” Wu Gong put down the spiritual medicine in his hand and looked at the plainly dressed woman with a kind expression.

The plainly dressed woman was none other than Wu Gong’s Direct Disciple, Zhao Lingyin.

She glanced at the spiritual medicine in front of Wu Gong, her eyebrows furrowing. A hint of anger flashed in her eyes as she declared, ”They’re going too far! I’m going to see the Law Master and report them!”

However, before Zhao Lingyin could leave, Wu Gong stopped her.

”Ah, let it be,” Wu Gong sighed, shaking his head with a bitter smile. ”Sect Master Yuan is overwhelmed with sect affairs. It wouldn’t be right to bother him with such trivial matters.” He continued to persuade her, ”I still have some spiritual medicines in reserve. It’s enough to refine this batch of Elixirs. Let’s focus on getting through this current predicament first.”

Ordinarily, with their preference for avoiding worldly strife and their exceptional skills in the Alchemy Path—not to mention the protection from high-ranking connections Shen Mo had established—Master Wu Gong and his disciple should have been safe from bullying. Most people wouldn’t dare to oppress them.

However, because of their connection to Shen Mo, they were both drawn into the conflict between the Immortal and mundane factions within the Dungeon.

Patriarch Yuan Heming had been in seclusion for three years, uninvolved in worldly affairs.

Sect Master Yuan Qingshi was swamped with various troublesome matters and had no time to spare for them.

Among the four Peak Masters, only Tang Lv of Rising Sun Peak was still in the Mountain River Dungeon. Stars Peak Master Zhou Shili, who was close to Shen Mo, and the neutral Yuan Jing were both missing outside the Sect, their fates unknown.

Unfortunately, Tang Lv held a significant grudge against Shen Mo.

Because of Shen Mo, Tian Zhiyu of Rising Sun Peak had lost his position as a Core Disciple and was demoted to an ordinary Elder.

To make matters worse, Shen Mo had also snatched the position of Fourth Peak Master from Tang Lv’s junior martial brother, Yang Xuan. Yang Xuan had been the chief Core Disciple and the Head Disciple of the Inner Door.

Consequently, Yang Xuan chose to accompany Patriarch Gongsun Jiuru to the Heavenly Demon Realm in the Outer Zone to gather information, a decision likely influenced by a desire to avoid certain individuals.

With the drastic changes in the world, the five Immortal Sect Patriarchs and individuals like Yang Xuan had completely lost contact with the Red Flame Zone, their futures uncertain.

Given this longstanding grudge, Tang Lv naturally extended his animosity to Zhao Lingyin—who was only months away from becoming Shen Mo’s Dao companion—and her Master, Wu Gong.

Furthermore, Wu Gong was an alien minister of the Sect, and Zhao Lingyin was of common birth. Both could be categorized as part of the mundane faction, and as such, they had faced considerable overt and covert suppression over the past few years.

Then there was Tian Zhaoquan, the Hall Master of the Affairs Hall, who also harbored a deep grudge against Shen Mo.

When Shen Mo was influential, Tian Zhaoquan had bided his time. Now, seizing the opportunity, he was using his official position to relentlessly exploit Zhao Lingyin and her Master. For instance, just these past two days, he had allocated a pitifully small amount of spiritual medicine yet demanded Wu Gong refine the full quota of Elixirs.

He would also find fault with the finished Elixirs or conspire with others to dock their monthly allowance of resources, among other tactics.

After stopping Zhao Lingyin, Wu Gong noticed her lingering anger and couldn’t help but ask, ”Disciple, what else is troubling you? It’s rare for your Master to see you in such a state.”

Zhao Lingyin had a naturally reserved temperament. Before meeting Shen Mo, few things could stir her Path Heart.

After meeting Shen Mo, she had certainly developed more youthful emotions, but she rarely became truly angry. Wu Gong could sense that his disciple was clearly not herself today.

”Elder Tian Zhiyu from Rising Sun Peak and Elder Yuan Shengcai from the Affairs Hall are here to harass me again.”

Zhao Lingyin suppressed her frustration and said with a trace of disgust, ”I sensed their approach towards my courtyard, so I came here to avoid them!”

Hearing this, a flash of anger crossed Wu Gong’s face. ”Those scoundrels! Do they really think we’re that easy to bully?”

Little more needed to be said about Tian Zhiyu; after Shen Mo had him removed from the ranks of Core Disciples, he had become an Elder within Rising Sun Peak.

As for Yuan Shengcai, he was a kinsman of Supreme Elder Yuan Heming, Sect Master Yuan Qingshi, Bright Moon Peak Master Yuan Jing, and Yuan Chengshan, the former Hall Master of the Immortal Welcoming Hall. He hailed from the Yuan Family, the most prominent and powerful Immortal clan in the Riverside Sect.

A year ago, for some unknown reason, this Yuan Shengcai had begun to brazenly pursue Zhao Lingyin, intending to make her his Dao companion.

Later, Zhao Lingyin reported him to Sect Master Yuan Qingshi. After the Sect Master’s reprimand, Yuan Shengcai behaved for a while. However, it wasn’t long before he started causing trouble again and was driven away multiple times by Clam Girl Ming Yu and Jiang Lingfeng.

Recently, however, Ming Yu, Jiang Lingfeng, and the others had been stationed at the Dungeon’s entrance to kill invading Double-winged Flying Serpents, so they were unavailable to help.

Consequently, this Elder Yuan from the Affairs Hall had become increasingly audacious!