Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 999 - 430: New and Old Followers (2)

"Right, if I knew it would be this entertaining, I would have requested the Realm Lord to let me reincarnate later. I'd also like to experience the joy of lying down and winning as an infant."

"What enemy realm? There’s no such thing as an enemy realm anymore; this is all our True Martial Spirit Realm now!"

An unsatisfied infant, suspended in mid-air, babbled while gesturing towards the assembled crowd.

All around, numerous other babies either floated, stood firm, tumbled on the ground, or were engrossed with their bottles, their eyes darting about in a manner most amusing.

"Indeed, indeed, this little one possesses such profound insight; it truly makes us adults feel ashamed!"

The crowd erupted in laughter.

The entire True Martial Immortal Sect has been broadly bifurcated into three distinct factions.

One faction comprises the disciples who remained at the True Martial Immortal Sect. Each of them observes from the sidelines with palpable curiosity, engaging in conversations with cultivators they once knew, seeking updates on the Mountain and Sea Realm's situation, or simply watching with a tinge of envy.

Previously, the Realm Lord had made a solemn promise: those who accompanied him to the enemy realm would receive bountiful rewards.

Now, irrespective of whether the promised rewards have been dispensed, those who have returned each swagger with the confidence of dragons and tigers, their auras as profound as the deepest abyss, as if their cultivation levels have been spectacularly elevated.

Before Ning Qi departed the True Martial Realm, not a single cultivator of the Primordial Spirit Realm could be found within its confines.

Yet, currently, within the True Martial Spirit Realm, as the Realm Lord expeditiously elevates the world, the cultivation bases of all beings have surged with rocket-like speed.

However, even with such rapid progress, the entire True Martial Spirit Realm barely boasts a handful of cultivators who have achieved Void Path Realm Perfection, and none have managed to break through to Harmonization.

Naturally, this observation pertains exclusively to the cultivators who remained within the True Martial Realm, deliberately excluding those who underwent reincarnation in the Mountain and Sea Realm alongside Ning Qi.

These reincarnated cultivators constitute the second faction within the present-day True Martial Immortal Sect.

Among them, a significant number have attained the Harmonization realm.

Notable individuals include Taoist Longshan, Qin Yun, and others...

Their return bolsters the True Martial Realm with top-tier combat prowess, making them no less formidable than the cultivators from the other two realms.

The third faction consists of the cultivators from the Profound Truth Realm, spearheaded by Ning Qi, who meticulously established everything from the ground up after their arrival in the Mountain and Sea Realm.

This faction encompasses cultivators from Ning Qi's own otherworldly Infinite Sword Sect, the Niu Mo Upper Sect, the Celestial Star Upper Sect, and indeed all sects from the Profound Truth Realm, in addition to those led by Qi Keqing from the neighboring Fuyao Realm.

Given their unified allegiance to Ning Qi, he seamlessly integrated them into the True Martial Immortal Sect.

Now, under the guidance of the Sword Ancestor, they convene in silent contemplation on the expansive plaza, occasionally interjecting with a pertinent remark.

For them, the astonishment resonating within their hearts is no less profound than that experienced by cultivators from the other two realms, even though they have consistently followed Ning Qi.

This is because they had never fathroned that Ning Qi was not originally from the Mountain and Sea Realm!

Furthermore, Ning Qi possessed his own established sect, and had even presided as the lord of an entire realm!

Such earth-shattering revelations sent tremors through them, eliciting goosebumps.

Lu Ziyue, standing tall and dignified amidst the Infinite Sword Sect contingent, clasped her hands together with palpable intensity.

"Am I truly not dreaming?"

Her gaze swept across her surroundings, an environment that felt both intensely real and utterly surreal.

Lu Ziyue found it difficult to reconcile the fact that the infant she had once casually encountered during an outing had long since become a pivotal figure in a vast realm!

Her pearly teeth chattered faintly, and as the very individual responsible for bringing Ning Qi into the fold of the Infinite Sword Sect, a cascade of memories surged, causing her cheeks to flush with a lingering warmth.

"That cunning fellow... he actually feigned infancy to deceive me. Back then, did he perceive me as nothing more than a simpleton?"

Lu Ziyue's mind churned with uncertainty, ensnared by a web of self-doubt.

On one hand, she felt an overwhelming sense of pride for Ning Qi's current standing; yet, upon reflecting on his true identity, she felt like an unworldly, naive girl.

Lu Ziyue adjusted a stray lock of her hair, whispering to herself:

"But this does shed light on things. No wonder his innate talent was so terrifying, enabling him to reach the Primordial Spirit realm so swiftly and ascend to leadership within our Infinite Sword Sect."

"In all honesty, I ought not to dwell on this. Had I not encountered him back then and brought him to the Infinite Sword Sect, our sect would have undoubtedly faced destruction long ago!"

She endeavored to convince herself to cast aside these unnecessary, almost feminine, anxieties.

However, having waited for such an extended period with no indication from Ning Qi, not even a brief explanation, she found herself unable to attain inner peace.

Virtually every member of the Infinite Sword Sect, the cultivators of the Profound Truth Realm, and even Qi Keqing from the Fuyao Realm, shared this profound sentiment.

They followed Ning Qi, receiving numerous boons that ensured their safe passage and arrival within the True Martial Spirit Realm.

Now recognized as Ning Qi’s followers, assimilated into the True Martial Immortal Sect, they had yet to catch a single glimpse of Ning Qi himself.

The Sword Ancestor, alongside Qi Keqing and other familiar faces from the True Martial Immortal Sect, were seated, facing one another.

Taoist Longshan offered a smile toward the Sword Ancestor, remarking, "We are both Ning Qi's seniors. Yet, having stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the war realm, we are hardly strangers."

As a cultivator of the sword, the Sword Ancestor was typically straightforward, but the current circumstances placed him in an awkward position.

After a moment’s hesitation, he recognized the young man seated opposite him.

He recalled this individual as a Path Guardian of the Profound Lady Sect, led by Qi Keqing during their time in the Fuyao Realm.

Whispers claimed this young man was the offspring of a former Saintess who had secretly borne a child outside the sect, only to be discovered and returned to the Profound Lady Sect.

His history was rather complex, leaving a lasting impression on the Sword Ancestor.

To his astonishment, this very young man now served as Ning Qi’s mentor in the True Martial Realm.

Confronted with this revelation, the Sword Ancestor, despite his long years, struggled to maintain composure.

He harbored no fears of Ning Qi neglecting them.

If Ning Qi had no intention of looking after them, he would not have integrated them into his former sect.

The Sword Ancestor grasped Ning Qi’s predicament – facing formidable adversaries, he lacked the time to personally attend to everyone.

However, with all cultivators from the Three Realms now submitting to the True Martial Realm, and Ning Qi confronting the Mountain Ancestor alone, the Sword Ancestor couldn't shake his worry for Ning Qi.

It was out of this concern that he wished to meet Ning Qi once more.

The Sword Ancestor addressed Taoist Longshan, saying, "Since you are Ning’s senior, perhaps we can address each other as fellow Daoists?"

Taoist Longshan chuckled, "That sounds perfectly agreeable. It was thanks to Daoist Jian's aid that Ning Qi’s journey through the Mountain and Sea Realm proceeded so smoothly."

As they spoke of Ning Qi, their conversation naturally grew more animated.

"Not at all, Ning assisted us far more," the Sword Ancestor replied, a wry smile touching his lips.

Taoist Longshan seemed to instantly comprehend the Sword Ancestor's sentiments, responding with a similar wry smile:

"I cannot deny it; I share the same feeling. That fellow was born with exceptional talent, and as his fortunate mentor, I profited greatly from him."

In that moment, the two found common ground, and their discussion became even more engaging.

Beyond them, other cultivators were also engrossed in conversation.

For instance, Saintess Ye Qinghe, another cultivator from the Profound Lady Sect, exclaimed to Qi Keqing, "Senior Sister Qi, I am overjoyed that you have come to the True Martial Realm and become fellow disciples with us!"

Qi Keqing naturally remembered her. As a prominent figure from the Jade Light Immortal Sect in the Fuyao Realm, she had an intimate knowledge of the key individuals from the Fuyao Realm's sects.

Yet now, much like the Sword Ancestor, when addressing this seemingly familiar female cultivator, she stated:

"I recall you as the Saintess of the Profound Lady Sect, but I am uncertain of your current standing."

Ye Qinghe, possessing a naturally forthright demeanor, let out a bell-like laugh at these words.

"Senior Sister Qi, simply call me Qinghe. I am, in fact, Ning Qi's Senior Sister!"

Qi Keqing stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. Good heavens, she had Ning Qi's inside operative right beside her!

Not merely beside her; Qi Keqing and the Sword Ancestor realized with dawning horror that Ning Qi had placed his agents within nearly every sect across the Mountain and Sea Realm!

This... this was simply terrifying!

Fortunately, she had already been deeply impressed by Ning Qi and had willingly chosen to follow him.

She had previously considered following Ning Qi the most correct decision of her life, partly due to his kindness towards them, but more significantly, due to her profound admiration for him.

However, witnessing this current scene, Qi Keqing felt she was glimpsing Ning Qi's formidable and intimidating side.

To become an adversary of Ning Qi meant one wouldn't know the cause of their demise, much like that unfortunate elder from the Cyan Profound Immortal Sect.

Others were also engaged in discussions. Among them, the Ten True Inheritors from the Infinite Sword Sect gazed at Qin Minghao with intense curiosity.

"Senior Brother Qin, you kept us in the dark for such a long time!"

Qin Minghao responded with a helpless smile,

"Do you have any idea how many years I had to maintain this secret? Can you comprehend the anguish of concealing such a monumental secret for so long?"

At his words, everyone couldn't help but break into smiles.

Indeed, possessing such a critical secret without the freedom to disclose it for an extended period must have been an immense trial!

Now, Qin Minghao no longer bore the burden of keeping this secret.A palpable sense of unease settled over the assembled individuals as a silhouette gradually descended from the heavens. Instantly, all eyes were drawn to the recognizable form. Without hesitation, everyone rose to their feet, their gazes reflecting a complex mixture of sentiments.