Legacy of the Spirit Stone

Chapter 62 – Opening of the Dharma Assembly

The next morning, Yang Lingrui emerged from his meditative state.

Outside the courtyard, an Immortal Patrol officer was already waiting.

"Immortal Master, please follow me."

Following him through the courtyards, Yang Lingrui joined a group of invited cultivators heading to the conference site.

Most of these cultivators were in their twenties, all at the Mid Qi Condensation stage, and some even seemed to be at the Late Qi Condensation stage, which Yang Lingrui couldn't quite discern.

In terms of cultivation level, Yang Lingrui wasn't particularly outstanding, but he still attracted quite a bit of attention.

This was because he was the youngest among the invited cultivators, and as Li Qingwan had mentioned, Yang Lingrui was quite handsome.

His somewhat pale complexion added a touch of aloofness to his appearance.

The fellow cultivators were surprised at his young age and his achievement of the fourth stage, but upon closer inspection, they showed signs of doubt.

"His aura is chaotic, and his spiritual energy is not flowing smoothly."

"He certainly has a good appearance, but judging by this, could it be that he's used too much external force?"

"I almost thought I was seeing a prodigy, but it turns out he's just a pill-popping medicine jar."

"What a pity, such actions are no different from killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, truly unwise."

"Pine Mountain Yang Clan? Never heard of it."

The young cultivators silently pondered, each forming their own opinion about Yang Lingrui.

But most of them concluded that he had broken through by consuming large amounts of pills.

Facing these scrutinizing gazes, Yang Lingrui remained calm and composed.

He never cared about others' opinions, as they wouldn't affect his cultivation, so why bother?

The Golden Scale Conference was being held outside Moonwatch City.

The grand gesture of a Core Formation cultivator had hollowed out the interior of a mountain peak to create a cave paradise.

Even with Lingrui's temperament, he couldn't help but be a bit awestruck by such a spectacle.

The ground was paved with snow-white stones, the walls adorned with glowing lamps, and the air was filled with a myriad of spiritual fragrances.

Pavilions and towers were built against the rock walls, connected by suspended white jade bridges, reaching all the way to the peak.

Walking through it felt like being in an immortal realm, making one reluctant to leave.

Upon entering, the concentration of spiritual energy increased sharply.

"The gathering effect isn't as good as the Immortal Master's, probably around three times the usual, but the range is astonishingly large."

Yang Lingrui thought to himself.

Chen Yang could gather spiritual energy five times the usual concentration, but only within the ancestral hall at home, whereas this cave paradise's fourfold spiritual energy covered the entire area.

However, this was a special arrangement for the Golden Scale Conference, and maintaining such a concentration and range regularly would be impossible, even for Moonwatch City or Solitary Moon Peak.

"Lingrui, over here."

Li Cheng was chatting with some friends when he saw Yang Lingrui and waved him over.

"Greetings, Young Master Li, fellow Daoists."

Yang Lingrui approached and greeted them.

"Greetings, Daoist Lingrui."

These individuals were from prominent families in Moonwatch City and were well-acquainted with Li Cheng since childhood, each having a Perfected Qi Condensation cultivator in their family, though not as powerful as the Li Clan's Ancestor.

They had heard that Li Cheng had strongly recommended a small clan to participate in the conference, and now seeing Yang Lingrui, they curiously sized him up.

"Daoist Lingrui, forgive my curiosity, but what happened to your injuries?" one of them asked.

Yang Lingrui smiled wryly at the question, and Li Cheng stepped in to explain on his behalf.

After listening, they nodded thoughtfully, exchanging glances with each other.

"The conference is about to begin, Young Master Li, Daoist Lingrui, we'll return to our pavilion."

After bidding farewell, they turned and left.

Li Cheng's explanation was well-intentioned, but to them, it seemed like he was deliberately covering for Yang Lingrui.

Once they were out of earshot, one of them said, "Why is Li Cheng interested in this family?"

"Who knows, the person has decent talent, but their actions are... well."

"Perhaps the Yang Clan, after generations, finally produced a talented child and couldn't wait to throw all their resources at him."

From their conversation, it was clear they didn't hold the Yang Clan in high regard, considering them no more than nouveau riche, not worth much attention.

But they wouldn't know that this perception was precisely what the Yang Clan wanted.

As Yang Lingqing had said, given the Yang Clan's current strength, it was best to remain low-key and develop quietly.

Appearing weak was one of the objectives of this trip.

The conference was about to start, with the opening act being a demonstration by Core Formation cultivators for the gathered cultivators to observe.

As a first-time participant, the Yang Clan naturally didn't have a pavilion built for them.

Typically, such "retail investors" had to stand on the lower plaza to observe.

But with Li Cheng's presence, Yang Lingrui was able to ascend to the Li Clan's pavilion halfway up the mountain.

The view from there was much better than from below.

Even catching a glimpse of a Core Formation Realm cultivator was rare, let alone witnessing their demonstration.

For the invited Qi Condensation cultivators, just observing the demonstration was immensely beneficial, showcasing the significance of the Golden Scale Conference.

"There are elders inside the pavilion, so it's not convenient to enter. Let's observe from this outer platform."

"You're too kind, Young Master Li. The view here is already excellent."

After they settled, Li Cheng added, "Don't worry too much about yesterday, Lingrui. My sister means no harm, she's just a bit headstrong. If she said anything impolite, I apologize on her behalf."

Due to the lotus curtain, Li Cheng wasn't aware of the specifics of what Yang Lingrui and Li Qingwan discussed yesterday, only that his sister had rejected the marriage proposal.

"Not at all, Young Master Li, you're overthinking it. Miss Li was polite and courteous; it's just that our fates aren't aligned," Yang Lingrui replied.

Hearing this, Li Cheng had a momentary urge to voice his suspicions but ultimately held back, recalling Li Qingwan's words from the previous day.

What's done is done...

Boom—

Boom—

...

The sound of drums signaled the start of the demonstration.

A cloud platform formed from mist descended slowly from the peak, hovering in mid-air.

On the cloud platform sat the leaders of several factions under Moonwatch City's jurisdiction, including the Li Clan's Ancestor, Li Yuande.

These cultivators were all at the Perfected Qi Condensation stage, with some even showing signs of Core Formation.

"Hahaha, welcome everyone, Song greets you all."

A voice filled with laughter came from above, and everyone looked up to see four figures descending slowly.

A middle-aged man with a heroic appearance, dressed in a blue-green robe, surrounded by true essence, arrived in mid-air.

Beside him was a young girl of about fifteen, dressed in green with snow-white skin, arriving on a cloud boat.

The middle-aged man was Song Kaiyang, the City Lord of Moonwatch City, and the girl beside him was his disciple, Li Qingwan.

Behind them were two Core Formation cultivators, floating gracefully.

The long-bearded elder on the left was the head of Moonwatch City's Immortal Patrol, at the Mid Core Formation stage.

The burly man on the right was the City Lord's guard, at the Early Core Formation stage.

Watching this scene, Yang Lingrui couldn't help but remark, "Young Master Li, with Ancestor Li Yuande in your family and Miss Li apprenticed to a high-level Core Formation master, it's truly enviable."

Yet he still wondered why, with such a background, the Li Clan would encounter any issues.

Hearing the word "enviable," Li Cheng felt a pang in his heart and replied with a twitching smile, "Yes, indeed..."

As Song Kaiyang and Li Qingwan landed on the cloud platform, everyone stood up and saluted in unison, "Greetings, City Lord Song!"

Song Kaiyang stood in mid-air, scanning the crowd below with satisfaction.

The number of young cultivators attending the conference this year had nearly doubled from last year, promising to uncover many talents for the Tiger-Chasing Dynasty.

"Thank you all for waiting, the time for the demonstration has arrived, and we three will humbly present our skills."