251 - Elasia Saga

# Chapter 251 - Snow Mountain Awakens Outside the snow mountain. On the day that Shui Liuqing left with Yuan He and Yi Tu, she didn't actually depart entirely. Instead, she remained carefully hidden, watching the situation. Despite the commotion caused by the re-sealing of Shuanghua Palace drawing some attention, it hadn't sparked significant interest. In the Northern Region, it was akin to a small ripple — most cultivators didn't dwell on the matter. Days passed without a trace of movement from the mountain. Whatever had transpired inside remained a mystery. During this time, Shui Liuqing stayed put with Yuan He and Yi Tu on their spirit ship, living peacefully. "It’s been several days now. Nothing bad should have happened, right?" Shui Liuqing murmured to herself, a hint of worry in her voice, as she stood at the bow and gazed toward the snow-covered peaks. Truth be told, she had no doubts about Fu Yan and Bai Yueli's abilities. But the sudden closure of Shuanghua Palace was odd, leaving them helpless outside. Snowflakes drifted from the sky, and the biting winds finally abated, allowing snow to blanket the mountain quietly. "Boom!" Just as Shui Liuqing withdrew her gaze, a tremendous sound erupted from the snow. Her thoughts raced, and she sharply looked up. A bright light streaked across the mountain, causing the surrounding space to tremble momentarily. In that instant, Shuanghua Palace reemerged into the world. "This is..." Stunned, Shui Liuqing blinked in disbelief at the vibrant palace before her. The once barren ruins of Shuanghua Palace had transformed into a scene full of life, with dozens of peaks floating in mid-air. Outside was swirling snow, yet inside Shuanghua Palace lay a picturesque, earthly paradise. Although she struggled to grasp this change, Shui Liuqing set aside her disbelief, promptly steering the spirit ship towards the newly reappeared palace. ... Above Shuanghua Palace. Fu Yan and Bai Yueli were equally astonished, standing frozen for a moment before regaining their composure. Undoubtedly, this was Lu Xiaowen’s doing. He must have reactivated Shuanghua Palace’s grand array, though the reactivation surely required a substantial amount of spirit stones. As they pondered this, Lu Xiaowen swiftly approached from afar. After landing and observing Fu Yan closely — seemingly appraising her power at a glance — he spoke, "Indeed, you have passed the Flaming Karma Tribulation." "Of course." After acknowledging, Lu Xiaowen continued, "The Flaming Karma Tribulation is just the beginning. The tribulation when you ascend to immortality will likely be even harder." Indeed, every cultivator faces unique tribulations, and for someone like Fu Yan, whose strength continually grows, future tribulations will only become more challenging. Fu Yan nodded, fully aware of this, knowing she must prepare for her ascension in advance. "Alright." Lu Xiaowen refrained from further comments, trusting that Fu Yan wouldn't become complacent, and remarked on the palace: "I checked, and the protective array can still function for now. But it's severely damaged and needs immediate repair." "Understood," Fu Yan responded. She had stored plenty of resources to sustain them temporarily. At this moment, Bai Yueli glanced afar and noted, "They were kept outside." Seeing her spirit ship approaching, Fu Yan realized it was Yuan He and Yi Tu’s arrival, and asked Lu Xiaowen to let the ship through. Once the ship drew near, Fu Yan spotted the familiar figure of Shui Liuqing onboard. Since the spirit ship was Fu Yan's, and they couldn't shrink or store it, after everyone disembarked, Fu Yan retrieved the large vessel with a gesture. Gathering together in Shuanghua Palace, aside from its main peak, there were twelve additional peaks. After discussing some matters with Lu Xiaowen, he flew towards one of these peaks. That peak was evidently his former residence — Wenzhi Peak. While Shuanghua Palace had "awakened," the buildings and mansions of the past had long since turned to dust, erased from existence. However, Lu Xiaowen possessed a small immortal abode, and within moments, a resplendent mansion appeared atop Wenzhi Peak. With the palace's revival, everything needed organizing. Fu Yan gathered everyone to plan, finally allowing herself to relax slightly. Yuan He and Yi Tu were tasked with handling the construction of the main hall, while Shui Liuqing spread word of Shuanghua Palace's reappearance. In just two days, the entire Northern Region was abuzz. "What? Someone inherited the Shuanghua Palace legacy and is rebuilding it?" "You're behind! Rumor has it that a Shuanghua Palace immortal reincarnated and, distressed by the dilapidation, sought to restore its glory." "I glimpsed it from afar yesterday. Shuanghua Palace indeed regained its spiritual prominence and is constructing the main hall, seemingly preparing to recruit disciples and appoint Twelve Peak Lords." Some were skeptical, dismissively saying, "So what if a reincarnated immortal returned? With no reputation, who would join them? Just watch, Shuanghua Palace won't flourish." "…" These rumors were quietly orchestrated by Fu Yan, using Lu Xiaowen's name to boost Shuanghua Palace's profile. However, she knew it was likely too early to draw many. Fu Yan, however, wasn’t concerned. Shuanghua Palace needed time to be perfected. With matters in the Demon Realm demanding attention, Bai Yueli soon returned there. As for the small medicinal creature, Fu Yan let Fu Juan take it along, having little time for its care. In under half a month, the grand main hall was finally erected. Building a hall was easy for cultivators, but materials were crucial. Fortunately, Fu Yan procured rare Jade Zeal Stones ahead of time. With that, Shuanghua Palace’s affairs began to take shape. During this period, Bai Yueli sent two small immortal abodes. One Fu Yan placed on Xingyue Peak, while the other went to one of the twelve peaks. Xingyue Peak, named by Fu Yan and directly behind the main hall, was where past palace masters resided, according to Lu Xiaowen. The remaining peaks awaited future peak lords to name them. To Fu Yan's surprise, three cultivators arrived a few days later. They were Lu Xiaowen’s disciples from outside — two in the Integration stage and one in the Void Transformation stage. Naturally, being chosen by Lu Xiaowen indicated exceptional talent, potentially reaching the Great Transcendence stage someday. Fu Yan was delighted to welcome them, allowing them to join Lu Xiaowen’s Wenzhi Peak. Preparing for disciples, Fu Yan had Yuan He and Liu Bei establish the Hall of Affairs to manage new recruits to Shuanghua Palace. Liu Bei was one of the three from Wenzhi Peak. Within the main hall, seated at the head, Fu Yan addressed Yuan He and Liu Bei after some thought: "Though it's urgent to recruit, entrance tests are necessary. Liu Bei, consult with your master on this." Needing people was one thing, but maintaining standards was essential. "Understood, Palace Master," they acknowledged before exiting the hall. Fu Yan turned her gaze to Shui Liuqing, pausing before asking, "Liuqing, what strength can your life puppet achieve now?" "Master, it can barely contend with a peak Void Transformation stage cultivator," Shui Liuqing replied honestly, her puppetry skills having become more refined over the years. Fu Yan fell into thought, impressed by Shui Liuqing’s achievements, and then made a decision: "In that case, you shall be Shuanghua Palace’s first Peak Lord." Fu Yan was the Palace Master, while Lu Xiaowen held a special status similar to that of a Grand Elder. Thus, neither counted as true Peak Lords, making Shui Liuqing indeed the first official Peak Lord. Shui Liuqing was taken aback, her cultivation merely at the mid-stage of the Void Transformation level, she hadn't expected Fu Yan to entrust her with the leadership of a peak. In Fu Yan’s vision, the position of Peak Lord required a practitioner at the Great Transcendence or peak Void Transformation level. However, Shui Liuqing was different — she was not only the first to follow by Fu Yan's side but also a specialist in puppet art. Her skills transcended mere cultivation; her prowess in puppet techniques allowed her to establish an independent puppetry faction, making her a suitable contender for leading a peak. "It’s settled then," Fu Yan confirmed. Steadying herself, Shui Liuqing decided not to refuse further and respectfully bowed, "Yes, Palace Master." She soon went off to choose her mountain peak. Observing this, Yi Tu eagerly watched Fu Yan, his intentions clearly visible. "Do you want to be a Peak Lord too?" Bai Yueli teased him with a smile. Yi Tu nodded sheepishly. Yi Tu had never imagined that Fu Yan would establish her own sect. Being a Peak Lord here would far surpass his previous status in the Mu family. Fu Yan neither explicitly agreed nor denied his ambition. Instead, she calmly stated, "We'll discuss it further once you achieve the peak of the Void Transformation stage or higher." Despite his slight disappointment, Yi Tu knew he had no room to negotiate. He nodded eagerly, silently vowing to cultivate diligently and aim for advancement soon. Shortly after, Fu Yan found herself alone in the main hall. Or so she thought, until suddenly, a head leisurely floated up nearby. Surveying the room, it looked at Fu Yan with great interest. "How about giving me a peak to lead as well?" Fu Yan glanced at the demon spirit. "Planning to teach ordinary cultivators to harness demonic energy from heaven and earth?" Demon Spirit: "..." The following morning, the news of Shuanghua Palace officially recruiting disciples spread rapidly throughout the Southern Region, sparking widespread discussion. On the first morning, Fu Yan had modest expectations, anticipating an influx of those with dull aptitude or retirees seeking benefits. She considered it fortunate if one or two genuine cultivators joined. To her surprise, someone soon passed the entrance examination.