252 - Elasia Saga

At that moment, Fu Yan sat inside the grand hall, deep in contemplation about the future development of Frost Blossom Palace. Suddenly, Yi Tu hurriedly entered from outside. Yi Tu looked up respectfully at Fu Yan and raised a hand, saying, "Palace Master, someone has passed the entrance examination." "Oh?" Hearing this, Fu Yan was momentarily surprised. It took a second for her to fully grasp Yi Tu's words—it meant they had already recruited their first disciple. This result was quite unexpected since the news of Frost Blossom Palace recruiting disciples had only been released that morning. Normally, it wouldn't be so quick for someone to come. Fu Yan pondered this internally, but her expression remained unchanged. Below her, Yi Tu did not think too much about it. After hearing Fu Yan's question, he explained further, "Palace Master, that person claims to be an old acquaintance and wishes to meet with you." Ordinarily, even though Frost Blossom Palace currently had few people, a newly admitted disciple wouldn't simply be able to request a meeting with the Palace Master. However, because this person claimed to be an old acquaintance of Fu Yan, Yuan He had naturally sought Shui Liu Qing for confirmation of the visitor's identity. Yet Shui Liu Qing only found the person somewhat familiar without being able to recall much else. In any case, this matter needed Fu Yan’s input, which is why Yi Tu hurried to the hall to report everything to her. Upon hearing Yi Tu's account, Fu Yan paused in thought again. Over the years, she had met many people, and if the person said so, it was likely an old acquaintance indeed. With this in mind, Fu Yan didn’t rush to speak. Instead, she quickly released her mental powers. Her vast consciousness instantaneously covered most of Frost Blossom Palace, allowing her to see the visitor clearly from outside. Upon seeing the visitor, Fu Yan indeed felt a bit surprised. Receiving Fu Yan's instructions, Yi Tu swiftly brought the person into the hall. The visitor was clad in a light blue robe, holding a spirit sword in his hand, full of vigor. Upon seeing Fu Yan, he couldn’t help but smile. "Long time no see, Palace Master Fu," he said with a smile. The visitor was none other than Chu He Ze, the brother of the reincarnated and retrained Chu Ling Ling. Although they weren’t close, Fu Yan had saved them several times before, so it wasn't entirely unfamiliar. After recognizing Chu He Ze, Fu Yan was inwardly filled with doubt as to why he would participate in Frost Blossom Palace's entrance examination, especially given his current cultivation level was already at the late stage of Transforming Void. Fu Yan recalled when they met in the Northern Territory, Chu He Ze was just a disciple from a small sect with mediocre potential, finding it difficult to progress. Yet given his current strength, Fu Yan wasn't too surprised. After all, with Chu Ling Ling's restored memories and strength, she was fully capable of helping him undergo significant changes, and resources and manuals were no longer an issue. It would be puzzling if Chu He Ze remained at the Enlightenment stage. Seeing this, Fu Yan couldn’t help but smile as she descended from above, addressing Chu He Ze in the hall, "Indeed, it's been a long time, Chu He Ze." In these years, Chu He Ze had undergone significant changes; he no longer carried the timidity from before. Directly looking at Fu Yan, he said, "Surprised you remembered me, Palace Master Fu." For a moment, they exchanged a few pleasantries. "Oh, by the way." After some conversation, Chu He Ze seemed to remember something. Slowly, he took out a formation from his robe, explaining to Fu Yan, "The Divine Master mentioned that Frost Blossom Palace's protective array was long decayed, and even if repaired, its effectiveness would be minimal. Thus, this was specially entrusted to me as a congratulatory gift for the Palace's reopening." The Divine Master, of course, referred to Chu Ling Ling. Chu He Ze's immediate presence indicated Chu Ling Ling’s involvement, which was no surprise to Fu Yan. However, what was unexpected was that Chu Ling Ling had sent a formation array specifically. Fu Yan held a certain trust in Chu Ling Ling, and since the formation was unopened, it resolved an urgent issue at hand. "Thank you," Fu Yan said as she accepted the array. She knew she would eventually need to visit the Sacred Palace. Having completed his mission, Chu He Ze had no intention of further disturbance and asked Fu Yan, "Which peak should I join?" At his words, Fu Yan only then realized and was momentarily stunned, asking, "Do you really wish to join our Frost Blossom Palace?" She assumed he was simply making an appearance; after all, he should technically already be a disciple of the Sacred Palace, yet he appeared serious. Chu He Ze was indeed not joking. Although brought back to the Sacred Palace by Chu Ling Ling, his identity wasn’t suitable for that place, meaning he wasn’t currently a disciple of the Sacred Palace. Seeing his seriousness, Fu Yan naturally saw no reason to turn him away and quickly had Yi Tu escort Chu He Ze out. Outside, the recruitment of disciples continued unabated, which Fu Yan paid little mind to. Instead, she took the formation array to Lu Xiao Wen on Wen Zhi Peak. "A gift from the Sacred Palace?" Lu Xiao Wen glanced at the array and, before Fu Yan could explain, immediately recognized its origin. Fu Yan nodded in confirmation as she looked at him. Lu Xiao Wen cast a faint glance at it before fixing his eyes on Fu Yan, saying, "You're the Palace Master now; make your own decisions." Fu Yan: "..." Since Lu Xiao Wen had no opinions on the matter, replacing the array appeared necessary, prompting Fu Yan to simply accept without further comment. "Oh, this." Just as Fu Yan was about to leave, Lu Xiao Wen placed a book on the table, saying, "When we parted in the Central Capital, I promised to give this to you once your mental power reached the fourth level.” Fu Yan paused and glanced at the book on the table, titled "Divine Control Technique." Lu Xiao Wen indeed mentioned this before, although Fu Yan hadn't taken it to heart, as "Divine Control Technique" was no ordinary text. Since her mental power broke through to the fourth level, Fu Yan hadn’t experienced much progress, with only a singular mental skill at her disposal. The "Divine Control Technique" was indeed very appealing. "I will study it carefully," Fu Yan promised solemnly as she bent to pick up the manual, her expression serious. After descending from Wen Zhi Peak, the first thing Fu Yan did was replace the formation. The array Chu Ling Ling entrusted her with was extremely complex, featuring four cores, and upon testing, Fu Yan discovered her strength barely scratched its surface. Surely, the array could likely withstand power beyond that of mere immortals. By the time she finished, afternoon had arrived. Fu Yan was preparing to check on the recruitment process when a commotion suddenly erupted outside Frost Blossom Palace. Fu Yan paused and looked up to see a crowd gathered outside the Palace. It was clear they weren't cultivators here for the examination, as Shui Liu Qing and Yuan He had already positioned themselves in the air above. It seemed... something unexpected had occurred. At this, Fu Yan narrowed her eyes. She immediately recognized the identities of several people across the way—elders from the nearby sects. She had thoroughly investigated beforehand, knowing that establishing Frost Blossom Palace in the Southern Region required such diligence. With the Southern Region perpetually covered in snow and challenging weather, the number of cultivators was naturally lower compared to other regions. Thus, talents became sought-after by rival factions. The emergence of Frost Blossom Palace inevitably drew unwanted pressure from these other factions. Fu Yan understood that to establish a strong foothold here, Frost Blossom Palace needed to demonstrate unquestionable strength. She looked towards the sky and, with a flicker, flew out to meet the gathering. Outside Frost Blossom Palace, a few elders glared at Yuan He and Shui Liu Qing, snorting disdainfully, "This snowy mountain is our territory. If you wish to establish a sect, kindly choose another location." "Ridiculous," Shui Liu Qing responded without fear, coldly eyeing them, "Frost Blossom Palace has been here for over a thousand years. Where does this territory talk come from?" The men, realizing Shui Liu Qing was not the Palace Master, were uninterested in further words and directly demanded, "You're merely at the Transforming Void stage. Bring your Palace Master out, or..." "Whoosh—" Before the elder's words could finish, a flash of red descended from the sky, landing steadily between the two sides. Startled, the onlookers were momentarily stunned. Among them were two masters at the Integration stage, yet with Fu Yan's appearance, they realized they hadn't sensed her at all—a detail both eerie and unnerving. Their eyes instinctively fell upon Fu Yan. "Or what?" Fu Yan asked, calmly holding the gaze of those who had come. The man hesitated, quickly collecting himself, "Are you the new Palace Master? This isn't a place for your sect. I advise you to find somewhere else." Preferably, to vacate the Southern Region. Fu Yan, determined to establish her ground here, didn’t bother with pleasantries and unleashed a wave of pressure, stating emphatically, "Frost Blossom Palace has been here for two thousand years, and yet we've never heard such claims." "You..." Feeling the pressure emanating from Fu Yan, the elders were startled, not expecting Fu Yan, despite being at the Integration stage, to exude such an intimidating aura. These seasoned elders naturally realized not to act rashly. Their visit today was merely to assess the situation. After a brief standoff, the other party reluctantly turned away, grumbling to themselves as they dispersed. "Palace Master," Yuan He approached. Fu Yan withdrew her gaze calmly. She understood what Yuan He intended to say, given how dismal the recruitment situation was today. "In that case, we'll start from the beginning." She had come to realize that those who joined midway would likely have little sense of attachment to Frost Blossom Palace. Therefore, cultivating the first batch of disciples from a young age was essential. She planned to search the mortal world for children with promising potential who were willing to pursue the path of cultivation. She intended to dedicate all of Frost Blossom Palace's resources to nurturing this first group of disciples. With nearly thirty years until the Immortal Gate Ceremony, there was still time to train the first batch of disciples from scratch. After all, the development of a sect, like cultivation, could not be achieved overnight; it was a long and gradual process. Having made her decision, Fu Yan quickly set her plan into motion. "Yes, that is the right approach," Bai Yue Li agreed wholeheartedly upon hearing her plan. On Xingyue Peak, Fu Yan held the sound transmission mirror in her hand, her eyes softening as she gazed downward. "Senior Sister, once Frost Blossom Palace is on the right track, I plan to go into seclusion." Time was running out for her, and Fu Yan had to become immortal as soon as possible. "Senior Sister, would you like to join me?"