The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

The side of the valley with the towering, withered tree was occupied by the Inner Sect of the Qixia Sect.

The other Outer Disciples could only carve out their own cave residences on other cliff faces. Some even took tents out of their storage bags and set them up. To avoid interacting with them, Chen Dong chose a remote cliff face with its back to the twin suns.

This was the first time since Chen Dong had arrived in the Wangyou Realm that he had the chance to observe so many people cultivating and seeking enlightenment. Finding it rather novel, he began to observe them with his Divine Sense.

He saw that after they had all settled in, they began their various forms of cultivation.

First were the methods of the Inner Sect. Occupying the best locations, most of them chose to gaze upon the twin suns and their crimson glow from the cliff face. The Qixia Sect's Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment manuals both focused on refining this rosy mist, so they used their own Cultivation Techniques as a foundation for observation and enlightenment.

Other Inner Sect Disciples chose to contemplate the towering, withered tree. From their conversations, Chen Dong learned that this dead tree was the Phoenix Perch Tree. It contained the Fire-Wood Law, making it suitable for disciples with Fire and Wood Spirit Roots to comprehend.

Chen Dong had also observed this withered tree up close. It looked completely decayed, but in reality, it was comparable to a divine object. Any attack below the Foundation Establishment Stage couldn't even leave a scratch on it, let alone break off a branch.

Compared to the Inner Sect, the methods of the Outer Disciples were wildly diverse. Some buried themselves in the sand, some stewed scorched black stones and drank the "broth," and others simply ate dirt to seek enlightenment.

In their words, the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual manifested differently for everyone; perhaps their destined opportunity lay within these rocks and sand. This practice was not without precedent. It was said that a Supreme Elder of the Qixia Sect had comprehended the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual in this very manner.

A day passed since the disciples of the Qixia Sect had arrived.

There was no night in the Dragon and Phoenix Valley. With the twin suns that never set nor rose, one would not even feel the passage of time if not for the ever-changing crimson glow.

Wang Wan'Er had given the pit she had acquired to Wang Xian'Er, choosing to sit beside it herself. Although the spot wasn't ideal, located on the edge of the best cliff face, it was still far better than having no designated spot at all. From here, at least, one could get a complete view of the withered tree, the twin suns, and the crimson glow.

「One month later.」

"Hahaha~! This master has comprehended it! This master has comprehended it!!!"

The exuberant laughter drew everyone's attention.

A young Taoist in his twenties ran out from the cliff face where the Outer Disciples were gathered. As he ran, Fire Techniques manifested with every wave of his hand.

The commotion roused Chen Dong from his quiet meditation, and he used his Divine Sense to observe the situation in the valley.

All the other disciples were filled with envy and jealousy.

Only those on the cliff with the best positions seemed somewhat dismissive.

"What? The first person in this batch to comprehend the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual is actually an Outer Disciple!"

Chen Tianmo, who was in the center, calmly replied, "It's nothing impressive. Just a low-grade manual—the Bing-Ding Fire, that's all."

Someone else chimed in, "True. Of the six techniques in the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual, the Bing-Ding Fire is just a minor, derivative branch. Nothing to be jealous of."

In that moment, more meditating Cultivators woke up and joined the discussion.

"Fellow brothers, we have to work harder! Don't let the Outer Sect look down on us."

"Someone among us must have already gained some enlightenment. They just weren't as crass as that Outer Disciple and didn't show it off."

"Really?"

"Yes. I once saw Junior Sister Wang Wan'Er over in the corner. There was a phoenix cry around her and a rosy glow in her eyes. She must have already made some progress. It was just so faint that few people noticed."

"Let those Outer Disciples have their moment of pride. In two months, when the Sect Leader sends down the Dragon and Phoenix Decree, they'll learn what it means to be a buffoon."

"What's a Dragon and Phoenix Decree?"

"It's a decree the sect created based on the Dragon and Phoenix Valley. It can clearly detect what everyone has comprehended."

"Such a thing exists?"

Chen Tianmo explained, "The Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual cannot be recorded for inheritance. So, the sect's Elders came up with an ingenious idea: to directly refine the Dragon and Phoenix Valley itself, turning this Holy Land into an Inheritance Magical Treasure. After the efforts of many generations of Elders, twenty to thirty percent of it has already been refined. The Dragon and Phoenix Decree was developed through this process as well."

"Then why didn't they bring it out at the beginning?"

"Who could possibly comprehend anything right at the start? Every three months, the Sect Leader will bring out the decree to record everyone's achievements. Then, it will be perfectly clear who has gained what. The valley will also undergo a change at that time, which is the perfect opportunity to comprehend the six major techniques."

As soon as he said this, someone immediately asked, "What kind of change?"

Chen Tianmo shook his head. "I don't know either. The change is different every time. The sect has books in its collection that record information about the Dragon and Phoenix Valley. Haven't you read them?"

"Of course we've read them. We just thought that with Senior Brother Chen's extraordinary family background, you might have some other information."

Chen Tianmo shook his head helplessly, sat up straight, and resumed his meditation.

Seeing that Chen Tianmo didn't want to say more, the other Qixia Sect disciples also quieted down.

Chen Dong observed that all one hundred and eight pits were now occupied, and the Female Cultivator named Xu Sirong had also claimed one.

Since there was no more useful information to be gleaned from the crowd, Chen Dong retracted his Divine Sense, murmuring softly. 'A Dragon and Phoenix Decree... Interesting! Whoever came up with the idea of directly refining this place of evolution is an absolute genius.'

After a month of contemplation, Chen Dong had already understood the true nature of this region. It was the place where a Taoist Scripture was evolving.