Chapter 1064: Drawing the Scene According to the Map

Although Sect Master Kong wished to know what the "few minor matters" they spoke of were, he was not a particularly inquisitive cultivator, and so he pressed no further.

"So, do you two intend to reside within our sect for two months, after which I shall pen a reply to Zhang the Third stating you have performed well here, or do you desire to actually accomplish something?"

Sect Master Kong wished to ascertain the true intent of Lu Yang and his companion; they were by no means the first disciples to be dispatched to their sect, as the other four immortal gates, along with the transcendent and first-rank sects, shared the custom of sending errant disciples hither for compulsory labor.

Among these, some disciples accepted their punishment willingly, while others labored with a profound reluctance; regarding the latter, Sect Master Kong found their arrangement troublesome and preferred to simply let them dwell within the sect until their term expired and they departed on their own.

Meng Jingzhou clasped his hands and spoke with gravity, "Since we have committed an error, we ought to accept punishment, and furthermore, this presents a rare experience; we two brothers are willing to contribute our efforts to the Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas."

"Very well," Sect Master Kong nodded in approval, noting that these two not only possessed extraordinary natural talent for cultivation but also a commendable strength of character, making them rare and promising seedlings.

To have achieved the late stage of Soul Transformation at such a tender age meant that none in the present world could surpass them.

"How much do you two know of our sect?"

At this question, Lu Yang and his companion exchanged a glance, their expressions betraying their embarrassment, for they knew exceedingly little of the Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas.

Observing their countenances, Sect Master Kong divined their thoughts instantly and smiled to ease the awkward tension, "Few cultivators are aware of our sect; it is only natural that you do not understand it."

"Though our sect's renown is modest, it is of immense utility to cultivators; let me recount a few occurrences, and you shall comprehend our significance."

"When the celebration of Qingzhou was but half completed, it was unfortunately disrupted by the Venerable of Natural Disasters; several mountains were leveled during the conflict, some even vanishing entirely, and it required vast effort from our sect to uncover the original forms of those peaks and recreate them."

"When Wu Youdao, the sixth Emperor of Yu, assaulted Hanshui City in the Desolate Province and clashed with Heavenly Venerable Dou of the Ancient Heavenly Court, he suffered a crushing defeat; parts of Hanshui City were destroyed, and the outskirts were left in utter ruin, yet today Hanshui City is restored to its former state, which is the labor of our Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas."

"Consider also Chunjiang City, which was dragged into the Void Realm by the Supreme of the Void; though the city itself remained unharmed, the populace witnessed the battle of the Demi-Immortals and was thoroughly terrified, and it was we who provided psychological counsel to soothe them."

"Take further the Immortal Battle of the Imperial City, where Meng the Gentleman fought the State Preceptor of Great Yu; many landmark structures of the Imperial City were reduced to ruins and grievously scarred, yet it was our sect that took action, rendering the Imperial City splendid once more and restoring its original aspect."

"And the West Heaven Temple, demolished by the clone of the Emperor of the Central Heaven, has yet to recover; had our sect intervened, it would have been restored long ago."

Sect Master Kong enumerated the monumental events handled by the Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas over the years, a touch of pride unavoidable in his tone.

Lu Yang and his companion nodded as they listened, gaining a fresh appreciation for the Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas; as eyewitnesses to those grand battles, they understood how arduous the aftermath of such conflicts could be, and concluded that the sect truly possessed unique excellence.

Amidst their conversation, a youth stepped inside, and upon seeing Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, he displayed a slightly astonished countenance, yet he spoke no unnecessary words, prioritizing the matter at hand, "Master, a mission commission has arrived."

"What is its content?"

"Two cultivators of the late stage of Soul Transformation have agreed to a duel in the Qingniu Mountain Range three days hence; they desire that our sect restore the mountain range to its original state after the battle concludes."

Aside from executing tasks appointed by the imperial court, the Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas also assumed responsibility for concluding the conflicts of ordinary cultivators.

The latter fell into two categories: either commissioning the sect after the battle, or commissioning them before it commenced, with the fees for the second scenario being lower than the first.

After all, the first scenario required the sect to ascertain the pre-battle appearance through alternative channels, whereas the second permitted them to inspect the site in advance, saving considerable trouble.

"Three days hence," Sect Master Kong turned his gaze to Lu Yang and his companion, "That serves as a fitting opportunity to familiarize you two with our sect's operational procedures."

"Master, are these two Fellow Daoist Lu Yang and Fellow Daoist Meng Jingzhou?" the youth inquired.

Presently, save for those cultivators in perpetual secluded meditation, there was none beneath the heavens who did not recognize Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

"Indeed, I have yet to introduce you to one another."

"He is my eldest disciple, Fang Jin, who mastered the Law Heavenly Phenomenon immediately upon entering the Body Integration stage."

Sect Master Kong stroked his beard with a beaming smile, thoroughly satisfied with his chief disciple, for an immense divine ability like the Law Heavenly Phenomenon was beyond the reach of ninety-nine percent of late-stage Body Integration cultivators; that Fang Jin mastered it in the early stage spoke of his talent, ensuring none would object to his future succession to the position of Sect Master.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Fang Jin."

"Junior Brother Lu, Junior Brother Meng, I have heard Senior Brother Dai Bufan speak of you; he praised your upright character, your chivalrous spirits, and your dedication to punishing evil and promoting good, mentioning that he frequently harbors the notion of passing the position of Master of the Mission Hall to you immediately!"

The corner of Lu Yang's eye twitched; it scarce felt as though Senior Brother Dai was praising them.

"Fang Jin, escort them on a tour of our sect; they shall reside here to assist for the coming two months."

"As you command."

The Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas was vast, encompassing diverse terrains; this was an area specifically designated by the imperial court to facilitate the disciples' practice of the arts of moving mountains and filling seas, and buildings of various architectural styles stood within, as repairing structures was likewise among their duties.

Strolling through the sect felt akin to traversing the entirety of Great Xia, allowing one to witness a myriad of local customs and traditions.

Three days later, to signify the importance of the matter, Sect Master Kong personally led the contingent, bringing Lu Yang and the others toward the Qingniu Mountain Range.

Along the journey, the disciples discussed Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou with curiosity as they stood flanking the Sect Master, never expecting to behold these two legendary figures with their own eyes; more importantly, as these two would reside in the sect for two months, the disciples could henceforth hold their heads high before their peers and declare they had met Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

The company arrived at the Qingniu Mountain Range before the two Soul Transformation cultivators had appeared; thus, according to prior arrangements, they divided the labor and commenced their investigation in an orderly fashion, producing shadow-recording spheres to chart the layout of the site.

"With the shadow-recording spheres of the Qiongqi Clan, this labor is indeed effortless."

"Indeed, it is said these spheres originate from the ancestor of the Qiongqi Clan, which is truly remarkable."

The disciples of the Sect of Moving Mountains and Filling Seas were full of praise for the shadow-recording spheres, whereas charting the site in former times had been an exceedingly exhausting endeavor.

The Immortal Immortal gazed upon the bustling scene with a touch of lamentation, "You all chart maps based on the site at present, yet in our era, we altered the site based on the maps."

"...Altered the site based on the maps?" Lu Yang found the phrasing strangely unfamiliar.

"In those days, the Immortal Ying Tian remarked that he felt the terrain lacked sufficient peril and grandeur, noting that since the five of us achieved immortality, alongside countless Demi-Immortals and Tribulation Transgression cultivators, our era would surely be recorded with heavy strokes in posterity."

"Yet the contemporary terrain was unworthy of their cultivation; the mountains were too stunted, the seas too shallow, and the trees too low."

"The Immortal of Years and the other two concurred with Ying Tian's view; the four of them concocted an entirely new map, and according to this design, they relocated various clans to habitable regions, subsequently altering the landscape with broadswords and axes."

"Immortal, that expression is 'drastic measures'."

"Oh, subsequently altering the landscape with broad swords and wide axes, creating mountain ranges that pierced the heavens and oceans that descended to the core of the earth."

"They even moved several veins of supreme-grade spiritual stones onto a single planet, claiming this would give birth to living entities of supreme-grade spiritual stones."

"Furthermore, the Twenty-Eight Mansions and the Big Dipper were also configurations fashioned by Ying Tian and his companions by shifting the stars."