Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 693 - 301: Three Matters (3)

"I have no idea what the real story is; all I want to know is, will you agree to go back to the Profound Truth Realm?"

Fu Chen's eyes bulged in shock as he blurted out, "Teacher, do you mean it's smarter to side with Ning Qi instead of heading to the Cyan Profound Immortal Sect?"

"Exactly!"

Fu Chen had never imagined his teacher would suggest such a thing to him.

Had he realized this sooner, he wouldn't have wasted effort fleeing; right there in the Profound Truth Secret Realm, he could've simply aligned with Ning Qi.

Returning at this point would bring nothing but shame.

Wei Wuya tried to soothe him, "Truth is, your grudge with Ning Qi isn't deep; worst case, you clashed once with his junior brothers and snatched the Harmonization Profound Skill."

"From watching Ning Qi's path, I've seen he's no heartless killer; he strikes hard at foes, yet allies, friendly sects, and followers who've joined him all reap huge rewards."

"Offer the Harmonization Profound Skill as your loyalty pledge; you've memorized it thoroughly through the years anyway. I'm sure Ning Qi won't be narrow-minded, and he'll welcome you without issue."

A flicker of reluctance still burned in Fu Chen, fueled by his unyielding arrogance.

Wei Wuya let out a heavy sigh, "I won't be able to guide you indefinitely; the best I can do is push you toward the Unity Realm, but at your current pace, how long would that drag on?"

"These days, prodigies are popping up everywhere; folks who trailed behind you before have now leaped ahead, simply because they stuck with Ning Qi."

"Keep dragging your feet, and you'll lose the biggest chance you'll ever get, but linking up with Ning Qi right now means you're still useful to him. Wait a couple more decades, though, and you'll be worthless."

Wei Wuya's sincere words at last crushed the final bit of Fu Chen's resistance.

Fu Chen appeared to ease up, "Fine, teacher, I'll do as you say."

Wei Wuya gave a nod, his face shifting to dead seriousness in an instant, a glint of edge flashing across it as he spoke to Fu Chen:

"I've long suspected Ning Qi picked up on clues, so if he detects me when you go, no big deal."

Fu Chen burst out, "Teacher, are you ready to reveal yourself entirely just for me?"

Wei Wuya replied, "If I'm outed, so be it; the world's chaos baffles me. Hiding in the shadows forever sounds miserable—maybe going public will spark something thrilling."

"Just remember, you need to commit fully, without a shred of doubt left, and also..."

Fu Chen's face turned grave too, "If you're set on baring it all for me, how could I hold back? Don't worry, teacher."

Wei Wuya went on, "Most folks won't grasp what the Profound Truth Domain Master title signifies to Ning Qi, but you do—show him total deference; he's way beyond your league now!"

Fu Chen answered with a sour tone, "Got it!"

With that, the pair departed from the Spirit Mountain they'd hidden in for dozens of years, racing back to the Profound Truth Realm without delay.

...

Inside the Profound Truth Realm.

Nearly every minor sect and wandering cultivator who got the Mountain and Sea Realm's decree responded much like Fu Chen had.

When Ning Qi first merged north and south to claim the Profound Truth Domain Master role and founded the Profound Truth Realm, he left the settled small sects and loose cultivators to their own devices.

These days, they're all scrambling to enlist in the Profound Truth Alliance.

As a result, independent cultivators and tiny sects started linking up, slowly banding into a ragtag group, gearing up to travel as one to the Profound Truth Realm's core—the Profound Truth Alliance's main base.

...

Over at the Profound Truth Alliance's central hub.

Ning Qi's arrival gave the whole group a clear direction.

Once the Mountain and Sea Realm Will laid down tough combat rules, it issued an order highlighting the perks of fighting in the conflict.

Spirit Realm fighters could earn prizes by slaying Vast Realm experts or seizing specific zones in the battle domain.

The top prize among them? Rule fragments, perfect for straight-up meditation.

Collect enough, and they could purify and boost your cultivation base.

For those at Void Path Realm's peak, it'd propel them right into the Integration Realm.

Integration Realm powerhouses could fuse extra rules into their forms, while perfected cultivators gained better odds of hitting Unity Realm.

It even upped survival rates amid the Celestial Tribulation for Unity Realm breakthroughs.

Plenty more incentives existed too: elixirs, rare herbs and ores, secret arts, divine items—everything imaginable.

Swap rule fragments for whatever treasure you craved.

With the Mountain and Sea Realm Will revealing these boons, the cultivators' spirits lifted sharply.

Their whole existence revolved around training, battling rivals, defying fate itself.

Joining the Spirit Realm clash now just meant facing off against outsiders, though fiercer and more epic in scale.

No dodging it anyway, so why not charge in and make it work!

"The domain will solidify completely in half a year; that's your six months to get battle-ready!"

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will delivered that last message then vanished for good.

Ning Qi gazed over the crowd.

They stared back at him, eyes full of resolve, eager for his orders.

Ning Qi spoke steadily, "Years back, I started gearing up for the Spirit Realm war, and you all saw it happen. Fate's call has come at last; any concerns?"

The assembly shook their heads in unison.

Niu Dingtian declared, "Alliance Leader, with you at the helm, we've stocked up on all supplies and boosted our levels thanks to the Infinite Sword Sect's aid. To be honest, we're free of worries; all we crave is slaughtering heaps of foes in the Spirit Realm fight!"