The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

The Qixia Sect's Library Hall was located on Hidden Mist Peak and was divided into six great halls: the Miscellaneous Hall, the Side Hall, the Daoist Skill Hall, the Dao Scripture Hall, the True Inheritance Hall, and the Secret Transmission Hall.

Its collection was vast and all-encompassing. The Miscellaneous Hall and Side Hall were open to all disciples of the Qixia Sect, though borrowing books required contribution points. The Daoist Skill Hall and Dao Scripture Hall required an Inner Sect Disciple's Token, and even just entering cost contribution points. The True Inheritance Hall demanded a Token belonging to a Core Disciple or someone of higher status, and the points consumed within were substantial. As for the Secret Transmission Hall, no one could enter except for the Sect Leader and the two Supreme Elders.

Fortunately, Chen Dong's Honorary Elder Token allowed him to freely enter the first four halls without spending any contribution points. This was one of the perks of being a Qixia Sect Elder.

Without the Elder Token, Chen Dong would have been in a real bind, as he didn't have a single contribution point.

After arriving at Hidden Mist Peak, Chen Dong first went to the Miscellaneous Hall. He presented his Token to the Palace Guardian Elder for inspection, after which he entered the hall.

Meanwhile, Feng Wei, who was following behind him, didn't even need to show her Token. The Palace Guardian Elder even bowed to her, saying, "My respects, True Inheritor Feng Wei!"

To Chen Dong, it felt like watching someone use their face as a VIP pass back in his original world.

In the Qixia Sect, those at the Golden Core Realm with a Low-grade or Mixed-grade Golden Core would be granted the position of an ordinary Elder. Those with a Mid-grade Golden Core could obtain an Elder position with more actual authority. Those with a Top-grade Golden Core, however, would enter the ranks of the True Inheritance, and their status was higher than that of an ordinary Elder.

A Ninth Grade Golden Core was considered Mixed-grade; a Cultivator who reached this point had no hope of advancing further. The Eighth and Seventh Grades were considered Low-grade; this quality of Golden Core allowed one to cultivate to the mid-stage of the Golden Core Stage. The Sixth, Fifth, and Fourth Grades were considered Mid-grade; this quality allowed cultivation to the Late-stage Golden Core, and with a great opportunity, there was a minuscule chance of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage. The Third, Second, and First Grades were considered Top-grade; only a Golden Core of this quality held the possibility of transforming the core into a Nascent Soul.

Chen Dong had also learned from his casual chats with Mu Qingzhu that the Qixia Sect officially had over two thousand Elders, but fewer than twenty True Inheritors, which showed how difficult it was to form a Top-grade Golden Core. The other four major sects were much the same. Only the Wangyou Sect had more Golden Core cultivators, but even they had fewer than fifty True Inheritors.

'Actually, when they had been discussing the Golden Core Realm, I found something strange. Both the Yuqing Immortal Technique and the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual are cultivation methods that point directly to the Mahayana Stage. Yet, in the Wangyou Realm, I've never heard of anyone existing above the Nascent Soul Stage. It seems that cultivation ends at the Nascent Soul Stage.'

'This can't help but make me think of my original world. Before the Spirit Tide arrived, the highest level of cultivation one could reach there was the Neijing realm, which was equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage in the Wangyou Realm.'

'Could it be that the Spiritual Qi of the Wangyou Realm hasn't fully recovered? Or has it already begun to deplete!'

Chen Dong leaned toward the latter possibility. 'The sophistication of the Daoist techniques in this realm is exquisite; it isn't like my original world, which didn't have a single cultivation Technique for the Profound Pill Realm. This world must have produced great powers above the Nascent Soul Stage in the past.'

'A normal Golden Core Stage cultivator has a lifespan of a thousand years, and a Nascent Soul cultivator nearly ten thousand. The lifespans of those above the Nascent Soul Stage are even longer. It's impossible that not a single great power above the Nascent Soul Stage remains in this world. The most likely scenario is that they've gone to other worlds. If I can find a trace of them, I might discover a way to travel to other worlds. And if I know that method, there's a chance I can return to my own.'

And so, Chen Dong's first thought was to look through this world's history. Historical books were classified under miscellaneous studies and were kept in the Miscellaneous Hall.

At this time, over a hundred disciples were coming and going in the Miscellaneous Hall, most of them from the Outer Sect. They were all clustered in the areas for books on the Talisman Array Alchemy Dao and magical arts and techniques. The section on official and unofficial histories, however, was completely empty.

Chen Dong casually pulled out a book titled "Annals of the Wangyou Realm" and began to flip through it.

Feng Wei, who had followed him to the side, asked curiously, "I thought you were here to look for technique manuals. Who knew you'd come to flip through this kind of miscellaneous book? What's the use in reading this?"

'For a Cultivator single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, I suppose history books really are just miscellaneous reading.'

Chen Dong didn't explain. Instead, he said softly, "You don't have to follow me. Don't worry, I'm not going to run off."

Feng Wei snorted coldly, then also picked a tome from the vast sea of books to read.

The "Annals of the Wangyou Realm" only recorded the cycles of division and unity in the Wangyou Realm and the long histories of the five great sects. There was no mention of any Realm Passage. However, the mention of one word, 'ascension,' made Chen Dong's heart skip a beat.

The record read as follows: In the First Year of Wangyou, the founding ancestor of the Wangyou Sect, Fish Talisman, attained the Dao and ascended, thus beginning the Wangyou Era.

Mu Qingzhu's consciousness also spoke up. "It has been nearly a thousand years since anyone has ascended in the Wangyou Realm. I remember the last one to ascend was the founder of Yun Gu. Yun Gu is the sect with the shortest history among the five great sects, and their founder is the only one from their sect to have ever attained the Dao."

Chen Dong anxiously asked in his mind, 'How does this 'ascension' work?'

Mu Qingzhu replied, "I'm not too clear on it either. The records about ascension are all extremely vague. For instance, with the first ancestor, Fish Talisman, some records say she tore open the void and ascended directly, while others say she ascended on the spot after passing the Mahayana Thunder Tribulation..."

'Does ascension require reaching the Mahayana Stage? Impossible!' Chen Dong immediately dismissed the thought.

'If ascension required the Mahayana Stage, then where did all the experts above the Nascent Soul Stage in this realm go? Also, if this world has no Realm Passage and ascension is the only way to leave, then how did I get here? Therefore, there must be a Realm Passage in this world. It's just been hidden by someone!'