Chapter 1066: Sincere Advice

It was little wonder Fang Jin questioned his own training. To any outsider, the spectacle of Lu Yang’s sudden growth was imposing enough to bluster anyone into submission. Only Meng Jingzhou, who knew the man inside out, understood just how utterly preposterous the process truly was.

He still vividly recalled the time Lu Yang, in his frantic bid to grow larger, had devoured half an acre’s worth of soil right from the threshold of his own cave dwelling.

Unable to bear the thought of Lu Yang stealing the spotlight, Meng Jingzhou stamped his foot and let out a cold, dismissive snort. "As if you're the only one who can grow."

A supreme, world-spanning manifestation manifested between heaven and earth, gripping a great halberd. Its white robes fluttered like banners, casting the image of a scholar who had cast aside his brush to take up arms, drawing gasps of awe from the gathering crowd.

"An avatar!"

"And one never seen before at that!"

The disciples of the Mountain-Shifting Ocean-Filling Sect had witnessed numerous clashes between high-ranking cultivators, and they had seen or heard of all manner of manifestations. Yet, the phantasm Meng Jingzhou now wielded was entirely foreign to them.

This Supreme Pure Yang Manifestation was born from the standard Pure Yang form, evolved toward a far more radical extremity, and was a power unique to Meng Jingzhou alone.

Two towering giants now stood in the Qingniu Mountain Range. Their mere presence cast a crushing pressure dozens of times more suffocating than that of the two elderly paragons from earlier.

The two giants glared at one another, the atmosphere turning murderous and thick with tension.

Then, the massive Lu Yang moved. With a resounding crash, he slammed into a mountain, forcing the displaced peak right back into its original foundation.

Meng Jingzhou’s manifestation, meanwhile, scooped up a massive mound of earth, piling it high onto a shorn mountain top.

With two giants lending their strength, the restoration progressed far swifter than anyone had anticipated.

Sect Master Kong watched the scene unfold, his expression shifting into one of deep reflection.

"To master both the Law Phenomenon of Heaven and Earth and a divine manifestation before even reaching the Combination Stage... these two are practically made for our Mountain-Shifting Ocean-Filling Sect."

"It seems Old Third Zhang sending these boys to me wasn't entirely a punishment. He intended for them to hone their giant forms and manifestations here."

"It seems Senior Brother Dai did not exaggerate when he praised these two junior brothers as rare talents unseen since antiquity," Fang Jin thought to himself in quiet shock. In his memory, no cultivator had ever successfully mastered the Law Phenomenon of Heaven and Earth while still in the Soul Formation Stage.

Even the Daoist Master of Myriad Laws, hailed as an absolute peerless genius, had been incapable of such a feat.

"Though, I can't help but feel Senior Brother Dai's tone was a bit strange when he praised them. Am I just overthinking it?"

The disciples of the Mountain-Shifting Ocean-Filling Sect were highly efficient by nature, and with Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou lending their aid, it took less than two hours to restore the Qingniu Mountain Range to its former glory.

Upon returning to the sect, Fang Jin pondered for a moment before penning a letter to Dai Bufan, seeking to understand the true nature of these two newcomers.

Sect Master Kong summoned Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou to the rear mountains. Stroking his beard, the more he looked at them, the more pleasing they seemed to his eyes. What a perfect fit they would be for his sect; it was a pity they had already joined the Dao-Inquiring Sect.

"I did not expect you both to possess such mastery over the Law Phenomenon and manifestations. This is a pleasant surprise."

"Just now, I noticed your movements were somewhat clumsy while moving the mountains. I assume you are not yet fully accustomed to these two great divine abilities."

Appreciating their raw talent, Sect Master Kong was minded to pass down a few pointers.

"In essence, these two great abilities share the same fundamental principle: gigantism to comprehensively elevate your own capabilities. However, immediately after transforming, it is only natural to feel estranged from such a body."

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou nodded in unison; they had indeed felt that awkward friction.

"It so happens I have dabbled in both of these great abilities myself, and can impart a few subtle techniques to you."

"But in the end, the finest remedy is frequent use. You must undertake large-scale restoration missions. Such tasks are rare, however. You are only staying for two months, and if luck is against you, you might not encounter a single one. Not that it matters greatly; our sect possesses many varied terrains where you may practice..."

Just then, Fang Jin approached. "Master, we have just received a mission dispatched by the imperial court. Two cultivators at the early Combination Stage have engaged in a fierce battle. It is said the fighting was cataclysmic—mountains were flattened into plains, and rivers were diverted. The court requires our sect to clear up the aftermath."

Sect Master Kong raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. "What a coincidence. This is precisely the kind of large-scale restoration mission I spoke of. Little Lu, Little Meng, go out there and get some practice."

"Understood."

On the way to the site under Fang Jin's guidance, the two learned the details of the incident.

The conflict had arisen because one of the Combination Stage cultivators had purchased a mysterious jade slip at an auction. Its origin, contents, and opening method were entirely unknown. The other cultivator recognized the slip as a legendary artifact harboring the inheritance of a Tribulation Transmutation expert, and greed had driven him to ambush the buyer after the auction concluded.

A fierce battle ensued, after which the imperial court apprehended the aggressor on charges of robbery.

Because the victim had acted in lawful self-defense, the imperial court would subsidize the cleanup, which ultimately meant commissioning the Mountain-Shifting Ocean-Filling Sect.

Under Fang Jin's instruction, the two utilized their respective giant forms to shift mountains and redirect rivers, bringing the task to a perfect conclusion.

"Sect Master Kong, we have completed the task," Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou reported upon returning to the sect to resume their lessons.

"Excellent, swift work. Now, where was I? Ah, yes, regarding the finer nuances of gigantism..."

"Master, a Soul Transformation cultivator has successfully crossed their tribulation and ascended to the rank of Combination True Monarch. However, during the lightning tribulation, they did not anticipate the standard six-fold tribulation turning into a nine-fold one. The extra three waves destroyed the protective arrays, obliterating the landscape for a hundred miles around. A grassland has been turned into a desert, and they have requested our assistance."

Sect Master Kong clicked his tongue. "Very well. You two head out again. I shall resume the lecture when you return."

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou completed the mission smoothly. Just as they reached the gates of the Mountain-Shifting Ocean-Filling Sect, they found Sect Master Kong waiting for them, holding a slip of paper.

"Another mission just arrived. It says two Soul Transformation cultivators have come to blows."

"These two are half-brothers from the same father. Both are exceptionally gifted, born under miraculous omens. The elder brother was born with an immortal bone in his finger, harboring innate divine abilities. The younger brother possessed a primordial constitution. The father, however, truly loved the younger brother's mother, and out of favoritism, he transplanted the elder brother's immortal bone into the younger, granting him both the primordial constitution and the immortal bone."

Lu Yang could roughly guess the rest of the tale. "Let me guess: the elder brother rose to prominence anyway without the bone, and has now challenged his brother to prove he is the strongest?"

"Not at all. The elder brother reported it to the authorities. The government transplanted the bone back and threw the parents into prison. It is highly likely the parents will spend the rest of their lives behind bars."

"The younger brother felt the elder had gone too far, and thus a bitter feud was born. Their grievances accumulated until they finally erupted during the Soul Transformation Stage. Disregarding the volatile nature of their cultivation level, the two engaged in a duel to the death."

"We care not who wins or loses. You two go and clear up the battlefield."

"Right away."

Watching their departing figures, Sect Master Kong stroked his beard, a strange glint passing through his eyes.

"How peculiar. We never used to have this many high-ranking battles or large-scale restoration requests. Why have so many suddenly cropped up lately?"

He had not even found a proper window to teach them his subtle techniques.

Meanwhile, Dai Bufan's reply reached Fang Jin. Unsealing the letter, Fang Jin found only a single, earnest, and urgent piece of advice that left him utterly bewildered.

"Hurry up and buy insurance for your sect!"