Translator: AnubisTL
Li Qing naturally set off with Daoist Qingyang to attend Nine Heavens' Foundation Establishment Celebration at the Heavenly River Sect, taking the opportunity to hitch a ride on the senior's spirit boat.
Azure Radiance Pool was located in a remote area, and the journey to the Heavenly River Sect was incredibly long, requiring nearly a month for the round trip.
By hitching a ride on the spirit boat, Li Qing could save at least half the travel time. Moreover, with a Foundation Establishment Realm expert accompanying him, his safety was guaranteed.
Thus, Li Qing shamelessly boarded Daoist Qingyang's spirit boat, and the two of them departed Azure Radiance Pool together.
With a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator at the helm, the spirit boat's speed far surpassed Li Qing's own flying speed.
At this moment, high above Azure Radiance Pool, a spirit boat adorned with lotus flower carvings along its edges was soaring through the sky at an astonishing speed.
Inside the Precious Lotus Boat, Li Qing gazed curiously at the spirit boat's structure and refining craftsmanship.
Of course, out of courtesy, he refrained from probing the spirit patterns hidden within the boat's inner walls, focusing instead on its overall construction.
It was clear that the golden spirit boat beneath him was also a high-grade magical artifact.
One could only say that Pill Refiners were wealthy, especially Daoist Qingyang, a Foundation Establishment Realm Pill Refiner whose wealth was beyond Li Qing's imagination.
The golden lotus petals inlaid around the edges of the spirit boat gently opened and closed during flight, and Li Qing could clearly sense the killing intent and threat hidden within them.
This was one of the spirit boat's offensive capabilities. Just a glance told Li Qing that if fully activated, its power would be formidable, easily capable of killing a Late Qi Refining Realm cultivator.
"Hehe, I wonder what Congratulatory Gift Fellow Daoist Er Niu has prepared for Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens?" Daoist Qingyang asked with a light laugh, sitting at the front of the spirit boat as he steered it across the sky.
Li Qing was taken aback, then realized, "Right, I need to bring a gift to this celebration!" He had completely forgotten!
With a slightly stiff expression, Li Qing scratched his head and said, "Senior Qingyang, would it be alright if I just brought some spirit stones?"
"Hahaha, spirit stones are the most reliable resource for immortals. Of course, there's no problem at all," Daoist Qingyang chuckled, teasing Li Qing.
Hearing this, Li Qing felt a bit embarrassed and rubbed his nose.
Logically, the best gift for such a celebration would have been a small token appropriate for his status—a gesture of goodwill that wouldn't seem inferior.
As an artifact refiner, he should have presented a Magic Artifact he'd refined himself. It didn't need to be of high grade; even a simple trinket to aid in meditation and tranquility would have been a thoughtful gift.
However, this was Li Qing's first time attending someone's Foundation Establishment celebration, and he'd completely overlooked the custom of bringing a gift.
Of course, this was just a minor incident along the journey.
Six days later, the spirit boat piloted by Daoist Qingyang finally neared the territory of the Heavenly River Sect.
Along the way, they passed by the former Heavenly River Market, which had been reduced to ruins during the war. Now, it was being rebuilt.
Islands, empowered by array formations, rose into the air, transforming into Floating Islands suspended amidst the clouds and mist—a truly breathtaking spectacle.
After flying for another two days, the spirit boat finally arrived at the entrance of the Heavenly River Sect.
The Heavenly River Sect, named after the Heavenly River, not only cultivated the Heavenly River cultivation manual but also took its name from a unique geographical feature.
A colossal mountain peak, soaring into the clouds, stood between heaven and earth, majestic and awe-inspiring. It resembled a natural barrier, blocking all who dared to pass.
Midway up the mountain, a waterfall cascaded down like a silver river, roaring ceaselessly. This was no exaggeration—it truly plunged three thousand feet straight down.
Boom!
Even from a great distance, Li Qing could hear the thunderous roar of the water and feel the mist carried on the wind.
This was Li Qing's first time at the Heavenly River Sect, and he was utterly stunned by the scene. This was undoubtedly the most magnificent geographical wonder he had ever witnessed in this world.
The Heavenly River Market, which had once left him awestruck, paled in comparison to the Heavenly River Sect's entrance.
"What a truly magnificent spectacle," Li Qing murmured in admiration.
Daoist Qingyang, piloting the spirit boat as it slowly approached, chuckled softly. "When I first came to the Heavenly River Sect, I was quite awestruck myself. But this is nothing. You won't truly understand the meaning of 'Heavenly River' until you enter the mountain gate."
Li Qing opened his mouth, saying, "Isn't this already quite impressive?"
Daoist Qingyang shook his head with a smile, remaining silent as he steered the spirit boat toward the Heavenly River Sect's mountain gate.
Soon, a disciple of the Heavenly River Sect flew over to inquire about their purpose.
Li Qing and Daoist Qingyang immediately presented the invitation Nine Heavens had sent them.
"Ah, so you're Elder Nine Heavens' guests. Please wait a moment while I go inform him." The disciple politely returned the invitation and swiftly flew into the mountain gate.
His attitude was courteous, lacking any arrogance. This was understandable; though a disciple of the Heavenly River Sect, he was only in the Qi Refining Realm and wouldn't dare put on airs in front of Daoist Qingyang.
Along the way, Li Qing had enjoyed a brief moment of borrowed prestige thanks to Daoist Qingyang's Foundation Establishment Realm aura.
In the past, when Daoist Qingyang traveled, he dared to fly his spirit boat at low altitude for only short distances, spending most of his time walking or riding on Fan Tong's back, fearing the attention of powerful cultivators.
This time was different. Daoist Qingyang's spirit boat sailed unimpeded, and even when they encountered Qi Refining Realm cultivators flying on swords, the moment they sensed Daoist Qingyang's Foundation Establishment Realm pressure, they scattered like rabbits, fleeing as far as they could.
After waiting a moment, a hearty, righteous laugh echoed from within the mountain gate.
"Hahahaha, Senior Qingyang, Fellow Daoist Er Niu, it's been far too long!"
A tall, elegant figure emerged from behind the mountain gate, flying towards Daoist Qingyang and Li Qing, clasping his hands in greeting.
"Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens, congratulations on your successful Foundation Establishment! This is truly a joyous occasion," Daoist Qingyang said, immediately presenting a white jade porcelain bottle containing his congratulatory gift.
Li Qing quickly followed suit, clasping his hands and saying, "Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens, it's been seven years since we last met, and you've only grown more radiant!"
As his words faded, Li Qing presented his own congratulatory gift of one hundred spirit stones.
After receiving the Congratulatory Gift, Nine Heavens laughed again. "Hahaha, it was just a fluke. Follow me, both of you!"
With a grand wave of his hand, the Restriction at the Heavenly River Sect's mountain gate instantly opened, and the surrounding mist cleared, revealing the breathtaking scenery within.
Nine Heavens then led the two men into the sect.
This time, Li Qing rode his Peerless Hammer. As they ascended, he was once again stunned by the sight before him.
A vast sea of white clouds cascaded down from the distant peaks, resembling a silver river flowing from the heavens to the mortal realm—dreamlike, ethereal, and utterly magnificent!
Each mountain peak had its own cloud waterfall, making the name "Heavenly River" entirely fitting.
Following Nine Heavens deeper into the Heavenly River Sect, they passed mountain after mountain, each adorned with diverse buildings. Occasionally, they spotted disciples in Heavenly River Sect robes moving between them.
Occasionally, disciples would fly past, and upon seeing Nine Heavens, they would immediately bow respectfully, calling out, "Greetings, Elder Nine Heavens!"
Having reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, Nine Heavens' status had naturally changed. He had been promoted from disciple to Elder.
As an Elder, Nine Heavens now had his own independent cave abode, which would serve as the venue for his Foundation Establishment Celebration.
As Li Qing arrived at the mountain peak where the Nine Heavens Cave Mansion was located, he immediately felt a surge of incredibly dense spiritual energy emanating from it. This truly was a cultivation paradise!
The concentration of spiritual energy here was equivalent to a Second-Tier Spiritual Vein, even more abundant than in Daoist Qingyang's cave abode.
This was the benefit of joining a Cultivation Sect—daily cultivation in such a place would naturally lead to rapid progress.
As Nine Heavens entered the cave mansion, Li Qing saw that others were already seated inside. In the spacious main hall, about a dozen cultivators had gathered, all at the Foundation Establishment Realm!
Seeing this, Li Qing's heart stirred slightly, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Once you enter the Foundation Establishment Realm, it seems your social circle automatically elevates as well."
"Junior Brother Nine Heavens, these two are unfamiliar faces. May I ask who they are?"
Nine Heavens chuckled. "This is Senior Qingyang, whose Pill Refinement skills are quite remarkable. When I was a rogue cultivator, I relied on his help quite a bit."
"And this is Fellow Daoist Er Niu, another friend I made during my time as a rogue cultivator."
As he spoke, everyone's gaze automatically bypassed Li Qing, a mere Qi Refining Realm cultivator, and instead focused warmly on Daoist Qingyang.
A Foundation Establishment Realm Pill Refiner's skills were unlikely to be lacking. Even rogue cultivators would want to befriend such a person, hoping they might need their help someday.
As for Li Qing, these cultivators simply ignored him. Qi Refining Realm cultivators were as common as blades of grass in the Heavenly River Sect, and even those who saw them would have to address them as Elders. Naturally, they had little interest in him.
Li Qing, however, felt no disappointment. On the contrary, he was relieved. He didn't want to be scrutinized by a crowd of cultivators far more powerful than himself. Remaining inconspicuous was ideal.
As Daoist Qingyang was welcomed into the Heavenly River Sect by its Foundation Establishment Elders, Li Qing couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
But soon, he noticed someone beckoning to him from a corner of the cave abode. It was Ye Feng, another former member of the secret trade fair, who had also been invited to the Nine Heavens Foundation Establishment Celebration.
"Brother Li! Over here!"
Seeing Ye Feng, Li Qing's face lit up. He walked over and said, "I'm glad you're here. Otherwise, I'd have been left drinking alone as a Qi Refining Realm cultivator—that would have been terribly awkward."
"Hahaha, that's exactly what I was thinking!" Ye Feng chuckled.
(End of the Chapter)
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