Immortality begin with Alchemy Grandmaster Chapter 2557 - 940: Shadow Light Sect, Lantern Master

High above in the skies, dense clouds gathered ominously.

Out of nowhere, a pair of silhouettes streaked through the air, scattering a thick cluster of clouds and leaving gaps in the heavens.

The echoes of those two figures lingered long after they had sped past.

"Mi Realm Mountain stands as one of the South Border's mystical realms!"

"It partially hides from the mortal world; its actual gateway was uncovered merely a few centuries back and secured through monumental labors."

"Upon entering, the spatial realms layer upon one another, akin to three thousand worlds merging into a single peak. One wrong turn could swiftly result in getting hopelessly lost. Moreover, for Nascent Soul cultivators like us, we can normally shrink the earth to inches and traverse thousands of miles in a single step after fleeing. But inside Mi Realm Mountain, we endure heavy suppression, preventing any escape over great distances."

"That's why fighting is prohibited in Mi Realm Mountain!"

"Certain tales claim Mi Realm Mountain arose from a Great Power's Spiritual Treasure; others guess it's the leftover husk of an ancient Savage Beast. Yet most agree this spot emerged from the natural workings of creation—a partially developed Cave Heaven Blessed Land."

A mystical realm brimming with endless pocket dimensions?

Hearing this overview, Luo Chen felt a surge of deep interest.

Was it akin to something like Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven?

But as per Master Ming Lei's words, the gateway to Mi Realm Mountain lay within the mortal world, clearly not forged from Great Desolate remnants.

So, it couldn't stem from a Spiritual Treasure either.

Might it truly be a Cave Heaven Blessed Land born of nature, similar to the Elixir Saint's Blessed Land?

"With such a mystical realm, wouldn't the Holy Land Life and Death Gate feel the pull?" Luo Chen inquired with curiosity.

Master Ming Lei answered, "It's not a lack of temptation, but prior to Mi Realm Mountain's appearance, Life and Death Gate had already sealed its doors, rarely mingling with the outside. Afterward, this area ended up under a mighty cultivator—the True Master Songyang—who seized Mi Realm Mountain and founded the Evil Mountain Stiff Alliance!"

True Master Songyang, Evil Mountain Stiff Alliance.

Luo Chen mulled over these titles, yet he grew more intrigued by Life and Death Gate's seclusion, severing ties with the outer realms.

Still, Master Ming Lei offered no insight on that.

He couldn't even recall the precise moment of that isolation.

"At that time, I was only a Golden Core cultivator, far from qualified to grasp such hidden affairs!" Master Ming Lei gave a wry laugh.

It was then that Luo Chen understood Master Ming Lei differed from Ling Fengzi, a seasoned Nascent Soul master deeply familiar with the intricacies of the local Immortal Cultivation World.

In reality, he was simply a newly promoted Independent Cultivator.

Beyond power, even in terms of intelligence networks, he lagged behind the entrenched Nascent Soul True Masters.

Looking back, his own days as a Golden Core cultivator mirrored this.

It was solely through the backing of Eastern Wilderness Luotian Sect and the North Sea Ten Thousand Immortals Gathering that he avoided ignorance of the wider world.

"I got invited to the prior exchange gathering. First visit brings strangeness; second brings familiarity. Now, I can invite you too."

"Is it really that much of a bother?"

"It truly is. Southern Border cultivators excel at deploying Gu Insects for unseen attacks, and with the early turmoil from Demonic Mind Gu stirring up South Border, many distrust foreigners by nature. The various factions stay quite isolated; lacking an invitation, even with unparalleled cultivation, you'd face solitude."

"Just kidding. If someone truly holds sky-high cultivation, why not start their own sect?"

"Haha, Brother Qi offers sound advice. A genuine powerhouse ought to emulate True Master Songyang, seizing prime territories, building a base, and drawing allies from all directions."

"True Master Songyang, eh..." Luo Chen reflected, then sharply shifted subjects, "Have you, Cave Lord, ever faced the havoc wrought by Demonic Mind Gu?"

Master Ming Lei's face shifted, right as he opened his mouth to reply, a voice rang out from beneath.

"Having guests arrive from distant lands, isn't that delightful? Since Brother Ming Lei flies over my sect's entrance, why not descend for a talk?"

Though the voice originated clearly from below, pinpointing its origin proved impossible.

This revealed the formidable Divine Consciousness of the speaker.

Yet Luo Chen only spared a quick look before turning back to Master Ming Lei, "Who's the one down there?"

Master Ming Lei looked embarrassed, murmuring, "Think of him as an acquaintance. He recommended me to the Nascent Soul circles before. His true identity remains unknown; others dub him Lantern Master, and he's the Sect Hierarch of the Shadow Light Sect."

"What do you mean by 'think of'?" Luo Chen prodded, eyeing Master Ming Lei.

With a sigh, the other explained, "Since achieving my Nascent Soul, I've eagerly built connections. Lantern Master knew of me from the start, and I once viewed him as a true ally. But in the recent Feng Family assault on Wind and Thunder Gorge, I called for aid everywhere yet got nothing from him. So, the label 'ally' now hangs in doubt."

Luo Chen got it and then questioned, "What should we do next?"

Master Ming Lei thought for a moment and decided.

"After so many days on the road, my Qi is worn out; better to land and recuperate. Plus... inquire about that earlier silence!"

"That could come off as rude."

Luo Chen burst into laughter, already dropping from the cloud layer.

Within a site of towering lanterns and shadowy outlines of a majestic sect, a man in red robes with a sinister air emerged from his jolt of alarm.

"They've come once more!"

"That sensation returns!"

"No, it feels a touch off this time?"

In his confusion, his outward Divine Consciousness spotted the pair descending from the clouds.

He froze, applied a few Dao Law spells to himself, and then strode ahead.

...

"Cave Lord, care to present your new companion?"

Lantern Master boomed a laugh from a distance.

Master Ming Lei replied with some unease, "Ba Xiu Qi Tian, among the thirty-six Cave Masters of Wind and Thunder Gorge."

Lantern Master's stride stopped, his face full of shock.

Just then, Luo Chen turned gradually, his Qi-Blood erupting skyward, morphing into roiling wolf smoke.

This Qi-Blood wolf smoke carried a fearsome aura, but it vanished as rapidly as it surged, resembling a flower in brief bloom.

Lantern Master cried out, "A Physical Cultivator?"

Master Ming Lei's features eased; he grinned, "Yes, Brother Qi follows the Body Refining path. His route diverges from ours, but his prowess matches or exceeds in no way."

Lantern Master found himself regarding Luo Chen with greater respect.

His thoughts brimmed with awe.

Wasn't Wind and Thunder Gorge infamous for its brutal, unforgiving environment?

How had two mighty individuals arisen one after another?

Small wonder that Feng Family elder lusted after Wind and Thunder Gorge, even issuing warnings to stay clear.

Though he grumbled inside, Lantern Master kept up a friendly grin.

"Enter, enter, now that you're at my Shadow Light Sect, allow me to host you well—come on in!"

Master Ming Lei stayed rooted.

Lantern Master arched a brow, "Is the Cave Lord still holding a grudge over my past refusal to assist?"

"I wouldn't presume!"

"Sigh, I had little option. Cultivation troubles beset me then, and I couldn't risk moves. Now seeing the Cave Lord hale and traveling freely, it proves those issues are settled. This sect leader feels at ease!"

Master Ming Lei blinked in surprise, "You hit snags in your cultivation?"

Lantern Master dismissed it with a gesture, "Minor hitches, let's settle in and talk them over!"

Master Ming Lei paused, glancing at Luo Chen.

The other remained silent, already heading toward the Shadow Light Sect's gate.

Master Ming Lei hurried after him.

Lantern Master watched the exchange, lost in thought.

Among these two, was the emerging Ba Xiu Qi Tian truly the guiding force?