This Sword Cultivator is Somewhat Dependable

The next day.

Dantai Qingrun, who had made a trip back to the Dantai Family, returned to Lingxu City on time. Together with Lu Qingshan, they used the teleportation formation to directly reach the Fufeng State City in Qing State.

The city of Fufeng was located atop a giant spirit vein. Although the quality of the spirit vein itself was not high, its meandering length had prompted Great Xia to establish a vast state city upon it.

Moreover, with a river like a silver ribbon winding around the city, Fufeng was shrouded in a light mist throughout the year. The air was moist, and it was mixed with abundant spiritual energy. Considering the environment alone, it was truly extraordinary.

Local conditions nurture the people. The ordinary residents of Fufeng City generally lived longer lives, not to mention that the chances of newborns possessing spirit roots also significantly increased.

A place of outstanding people and a nurturing environment, brimming with celestial opportunities.

As soon as Lu Qingshan and Dantai Qingrun arrived in Fufeng, they made straight for the main tower of Qing State within the city.

Outside the main tower, after their arrival was reported, a cultivator in green quickly led the two inside.

Crossing the threshold of the tower's entrance, both of them were taken aback.

The inside and outside of the tower were like two different worlds.

Outside, there was a constant stream of people, a noisy bustling scene with numerous buildings, resembling a lively marketplace.

Inside, however, there were misty celestial mountains, lush and thriving trees, with pavilions and towers scattered among them, flowing springs and waterfalls, and an abundance of spiritual energy – the semblance of a celestial abode.

This was a minor realm managed by the Tower Master, known as the Qingfeng Realm.

For Lu Qingshan, who had experienced many grand scenes, this spectacle was not particularly surprising, yet it evoked in him a sense of nostalgia as if reuniting with an old friend.

"Follow me this way," the cultivator in green spoke, taking the lead and flying ahead to guide them.

Qianshou Tower was one of the three major towers in the Qingfeng Realm, and the person in charge was the Vice Tower Master, Beiming True Venerable, a Void Refining Middle Stage cultivator affiliated with Thunder.

There was also a vast palace complex surrounding Qianshou Tower, consisting of renowned functional palaces of great importance.

These included the Intelligence Office for storing and processing intelligence, the Treasure Pavilion for storing precious spirit materials, and the Scripture Pavilion holding the inheritance of cultivation techniques and spells, all guarded by great cultivators of either Golden Core or Nascent Soul level.

Lu Qingshan and Dantai Qingrun went straight into the Qianshou Tower.

"You two may enter on your own. The True Venerable has been awaiting you inside the tower," said the cultivator in green with polite and even-tempered courtesy.
Your journey continues with empire

After bowing their hands in thanks to the cultivator in green, the two of them entered Qianshou Tower.

However, watching the backs of the two enter the Qianshou Tower, the cultivator in green's face betrayed a barely perceptible trace of envy.

Two Golden Core cultivators, so highly valued by the True Venerable and so young, undoubtedly had a boundless future ahead of them.

....

Lu Qingshan stepped into the bright and spacious hall of Qianshou Tower, finding the hall's decor incredibly simple, fully embodying the Taoist essence of tranquility.

"Greetings, True Venerable."

In the hall, Beiming True Venerable sat in the main seat while the two of them bowed in salutation.

Seeing Lu Qingshan and Dantai Qingrun enter, Beiming True Venerable's face lightened with a smile and gestured as if to offer assistance, but then, as though noticing something, his eyelid twitched and he exclaimed in surprise, "Eh? Golden Core Early Stage, it hasn't been long since I last saw you, and you've already broken through to Golden Core?"

Lu Qingshan replied humbly, "It is but a minor breakthrough, nothing to speak of."

"At such an age to have Golden Core cultivation, the Nascent Soul stage is already within your reach!" Beiming True Venerable praised, but his tone carried a hint of regret.

The Tower of Guardians wasn't a sect, and set no restrictions on the origins of its members, meaning you could engage in activities within the Tower of Guardians even if you came from other sects. Beiming True Venerable, for instance, came from a top-tier sect.

But there still existed a choice to be made, that of direct versus collateral lineage.

If one wanted to prioritize their role in the Tower of Guardians, they could take charge and receive the Tower's resource support. In exchange, the cultivator would have to devote most of their effort to the tower's affairs, being a direct lineage.

The Tower of Guardians operated on the principle of mutual willingness, without any coercion.

If one preferred to focus on their own cultivation, then they would act more like a guest elder, part of the collateral line.

Although Beiming True Venerable was born into a great sect, his position as the Vice Tower Master of the main tower in Qing State meant he aligned more with the Tower of Guardians, and Dantai Qingrun was the same.

Moreover, for Dantai Qingrun, the Tower of Guardians was like an unreachable mountain, as it had significant weight within the Dantai Family.

However, Lu Qingshan had clearly stated he had no intention of taking charge of the Tower of Guardians, thereby placing him in the collateral line.

It was thus natural for Beiming True Venerable to regret the fact that a cultivator with such exceptional talent was not interested in developing within the Tower of Guardians.

But regardless of Lu Qingshan's future path, at the moment he was just a Golden Core cultivator. Even if Beiming True Venerable favored him, he was not indispensable, so he soon set aside his thoughts and changed the subject, asking Dantai Qingrun, "How did things go with Lingxu Tower?"

"Everything has been properly dealt with. With Li Venerable's death, the Netherworld is left with but a few stray cats, hardly a threat to the climate," Dantai Qingrun reported respectfully.

The specifics were already organized in documents previously forwarded to the main tower by Dantai Qingrun, so Beiming True Venerable's question was more of a formality.

Yet, this seemingly meaningless courtesy precisely reflected the esteem that Beiming True Venerable had for Dantai Qingrun.

In Beiming True Venerable's eyes, the excellent performance of Dantai Qingrun, whom he had favored and promoted himself, indeed made him proud.