Chapter 35: The White-Clad Figure’s Identity, The Emperor Cultivates the Dao

“Senior Brother Fang, are you here to report your task?”
A delighted voice called out from the side, prompting Fang Wang to turn his head.
He studied the speaker’s face for a moment and then nodded, “Yes, you’re here too. What a coincidence.”
Although it seemed he had only been away from the Taiyuan Sect for a few months, with the time spent cultivating the Nine Dragons Divine Transformation, he had actually been gone for two hundred years. Apart from those close to him, he could hardly remember the faces of those he’d only met once or twice.
The other disciple approached enthusiastically, exchanging warm greetings.
As they chatted, Fang Wang recalled that this was Zhou Bo, who was always so cordial whenever they met.
After a while, Fang Wang finally found an opportunity to withdraw. He glanced at the main pillar, noting that Lu Yuanjun’s name had broken into the top twenty. Most of those ahead were peak masters or elders, figures who had lived for centuries.
Fang Wang made his way to the fourth floor and found the study where the Elder of the Task Hall resided. As a personally taught disciple, he could meet the elder directly.
The study was spacious, filled with numerous magical tools. Along the wall stood several shelves, each stacked with countless books and jade slips.
“Fang Wang, right? The first disciple in the history of Taiyuan Sect to enter as a personal disciple. I’m quite curious about you. From now on, just call me Uncle Zhang.”
Elder Zhang of the Task Hall spoke with a jovial smile. He was portly and appeared honest, but Fang Wang had seen his name among the top ten on the main pillar.
“Uncle Zhang, I have a task to report, but I’m afraid if word spreads it might endanger me. Could it be recorded discretely, without publicizing it?” Fang Wang asked respectfully.
Elder Zhang stroked his beard and replied with a chuckle, “Rest assured, the Task Hall only records contributions and never gossips. Besides, I’m handling your case personally. What’s there to worry about?”
Relieved by this, Fang Wang produced a cloth bag from his storage pouch and placed it on the desk.
Elder Zhang didn’t seem startled, only smiling as he watched.
Fang Wang untied the bag, revealing Li Hongshuang’s severed head. Except for the coagulated blood, it looked freshly slain, showing no signs of decay.
Elder Zhang glanced at it, initially indifferent, but his eyes widened at once.
“Huh? Is that... Li Hongshuang?”
Startled, Elder Zhang hurriedly picked up the head for closer inspection. Quickly, he looked up at Fang Wang, his gaze trembling with shock. “You’re the White-Robed Thunderbolt?”
Seeing the White-Robed Thunderbolt was not surprising, but to think he had only been in the sect for a year...
A year ago, Fang Wang had only reached the seventh layer of the Qi Nurturing Realm!
Sweeping aside fifty-one cultivators of the same realm was already legendary among the elders. All the peak masters envied Yang Yuanzi’s luck in accepting him. Even Elder Zhang, overseeing the Task Hall, wished for such a gifted disciple.
Age and cultivation had reached their limit; now, elders sought either to defy fate or to find a worthy successor, preserving their legacy in the sect for generations.
A year ago, a Qi Nurturing seventh-layer slain a ninth-layer Spirit-Forming Li Hongshuang...
The most astonishing part was that this happened only months ago, and the White-Robed Thunderbolt’s latest achievement was defeating Li Honggang, who had reached the third layer of the Spirit-Pill Realm...

Elder Zhang had occupied his post for a hundred and fifty years and heard of countless feats, yet Fang Wang’s accomplishments still left him dumbfounded.
He looked at Fang Wang as if he were some kind of monster.
Fang Wang cleared his throat to interrupt Elder Zhang’s reverie. Elder Zhang smiled with a sigh, “Twenty-five years ago, the Li family visited our sect, and Li Hongshuang was among them. The Sect Leader then predicted Li Hongshuang had talents comparable to Lu Yuanjun. The Li family hoped he would join our sect, but he ended up in the Azure Cicada Valley. To think he fell at the hands of one of our own disciples is truly lamentable.”
Fang Wang didn’t know how to respond and could only nod with a smile.
Elder Zhang then requested his disciple token and recorded his contribution. Li Hongshuang was a renowned genius of the demonic path, his task had always existed. Even if Fang Wang hadn’t formally accepted it, he could submit it directly.
In addition, Fang Wang reported the task of rescuing Fang Hanyu. When disciples returned to the Taiyuan Sect, their tokens would be checked, each linked to a sect-protecting artifact. All the affairs halls in the main city were connected to this artifact. In short, Elder Zhang could confirm whether Fang Hanyu had returned.
Fang Wang tried submitting identity tokens from other Azure Cicada Valley disciples, all selected by Zhou Xue.
After half an hour of sorting, Fang Wang finally departed.
Elder Zhang sat in his chair, unable to calm his mind for a long time.
“The White-Robed Thunderbolt... seventeen years old... less than two years cultivating, yet he slew a third-layer Spirit-Pill cultivator... a prodigy indeed... No wonder the Sect Leader values him so highly. No, I must do something for him...”
Elder Zhang thought silently, his shock giving way to boundless expectations.
Before his lifespan ended, would he witness an unprecedented Taiyuan Sect?
Elsewhere.
Fang Wang descended to the first floor. Passing the main pillar, he paused to look at Lu Yuanjun’s name. Behind it was a string of numbers indicating his contribution—over three million.
After submitting his tasks, Fang Wang’s own score was just over nine hundred. Li Honggang was not considered an enemy of Taiyuan Sect, so he wasn’t included in the task list.
Fang Wang only glanced before moving on, striding away.
The grand hall bustled with people, Fang Wang blending in as inconspicuously as the names beneath Lu Yuanjun, hidden among the masses.
...
Back at his cave residence, Fang Wang resumed his cultivation routine.
He lacked no spells, so he focused on energy absorption, aiming to reach the ninth layer of the Spirit-Forming Realm as soon as possible.
Time flew by.
Six months passed.
Fang Wang advanced to the sixth layer of the Spirit-Forming Realm. If news of this breakthrough speed spread, it would surely cause a sensation in Taiyuan Sect.
One afternoon, Fang Hanyu arrived with six Fang family juniors to visit Fang Wang, filling the cave with lively chatter.

Seeing his kin, Fang Wang was delighted, and they sat down to share their experiences.
All were Fang family disciples carefully chosen by Zhou Xue. Even the weakest had reached the third layer of the Qi Nurturing Realm. Compared to Fang Wang, the difference was vast, but in truth, cultivation was arduous. Many outer disciples of the nine branches struggled for decades to surpass the fifth layer, let alone reach the Spirit-Forming Realm.
Fang Hanyu had already succeeded in Spirit-Forming, his natal spirit treasure a superb Xuan-Yuan treasure, which made the Fang family proud.
Fang Wang, however, felt a bit disappointed; anything less than an Earth-Origin treasure no longer impressed him.
“Thirteenth Brother, what grade is your spirit treasure?” Fang Xin asked curiously, and the others turned to Fang Wang.
Fang Wang smiled, glancing at Fang Hanyu, who immediately said, “Don’t ask. It’s definitely higher than mine, but too much attention can bring disaster. Remember, don’t mention Fang Wang’s natal treasure to outsiders.”
Everyone nodded quickly.
Fang Hanyu’s face was serious, though inwardly he was itching with curiosity. He was more eager than anyone to know Fang Wang’s treasure grade, but the boy stubbornly refused to say.
Fang Zigeng, who had reached the fifth layer of the Qi Nurturing Realm, spoke up, “By the way, have you heard about the Emperor of Great Qi entering Taiyuan Sect to cultivate?”
The others began to discuss.
“I know. It’s already spreading in the seventh branch. They say the Great Qi Dynasty is turning into a cultivation dynasty, though who knows if it’s true.”
“If the emperor joins, do we have to call him Senior Brother or Sister?”
“Tsk tsk, I thought cultivation would surpass royal authority, but now even the throne pursues immortality.”
“I heard the emperor paid dearly to gain Taiyuan Sect’s approval. The Task Hall is flooded with mining and spiritual vein-searching missions—they must be concessions from the emperor.”
Listening to their discussion, Fang Wang raised his brows.
Zhou Xue had already mentioned that Great Qi would become a cultivation dynasty, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
On second thought, it was only the emperor cultivating now. To spread cultivation among the people would take decades of effort.
Zhou Xue suspected the Prime Minister of Great Qi and Lu Yuanjun’s dealings involved the emperor. In the original future, the emperor and Lu Yuanjun were close, rising together to the pinnacle of Great Qi’s cultivation world.
Now, hearing the emperor had joined Taiyuan Sect, Fang Wang suddenly considered a possibility.
The cultivator who attacked the Fang residence wielded the Soul-Burning Banner, a ghostly artifact used to collect souls. Orthodox sects forbade their disciples from slaughtering commoners. Could it be the emperor, seeking entry into Taiyuan Sect, sacrificed his subjects for Lu Yuanjun’s recommendation?
As for why the Fang residence was targeted, perhaps it was convenient, appearing as a power struggle at court, staining royal authority with cruelty. But if it were discovered that the emperor sacrificed a city’s people for cultivation, the consequences would be dire—unrest would sweep the land!
Fang Wang remained silent, listening to his clan’s conversation while sorting through his own thoughts.