Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

After the shards of the Heaven-Mending Stone were stolen, the immortals of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect also exchanged thoughts among themselves.

Previously, everyone had a tacit understanding about the matter of each possessing shards of the Heaven-Mending Stone: "I know you have them, but since you don't mention it, neither will I." Therefore, in the aftermath of the theft, the three did not initially suspect anyone else.

When notable figures from the other two sects also "left the sect", everyone gradually realized: Does this situation seem similar to ours?

Upon further inquiry, it was indeed the missing Heaven-Mending Stone shards.

Although the Heaven-Mending Stone is a divine artifact with significant use in sealing and suppression, beyond that realm, it's akin to mere stone.

In other words, the mastermind behind the theft likely intended to use the Heaven-Mending Stone shards to ensure survival in the impending apocalypse.

Here's the question: Even to protect the entire sect, one shard would suffice.

Why would the other party go to such great lengths and effort to infiltrate three sects with gifted individuals just to acquire all three Heaven-Mending Stone shards?

One shard can protect one sect; logically, more shards could safeguard a larger domain... Thinking along this line, the answer becomes apparent.

The other party likely intends to follow in the footsteps of Nuwa, refining the Heaven-Mending Stone to completely mend the Heaven's Leak.

This speculation is one reason why Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai have not launched a large-scale search.

If the Heaven's Leak can be directly mended, it would be a fundamental solution to the problem, and considered beneficial... Although it wouldn't offset the loss of Heaven-Mending Stone shards for the sects, it would be somewhat acceptable.

The Heaven-Mending Stone was divided into six pieces back then; the Orthodox Sect holds three, meaning the other party needs to find the remaining three.

Upon hearing from Shi Liuli, Wan Xiang Immortal quickly guessed the situation when told that Wei Dongliu of Mortal Life Path has disappeared.

He swiftly used Flying Sword Messaging to inform Chi Song and Long Eyebrow about the matter.

Shortly, Chi Song replied:

"Have the other two shards been found?"

No wonder Chi Song Immortal was anxious; after all, if the six shards are collected and the Heaven's Leak mended, it would be an everlasting solution.

But if they fail to gather all, it would be fruitless, the apocalypse would occur as expected, and then the sect would face calamity.

Wan Xiang Immortal was about to reply when Long Eyebrow Immortal's message arrived:

"If the other party truly plans to mend heaven, perhaps guard the Heaven's Leak location."

Indeed, to mend heaven, one would surely go to where the Southeast Heaven Pillar collapsed back in the days.

If one wishes to be sly, it would even be possible to ambush nearby, waiting for the opponent to complete mending heaven, then suddenly appear to capture them.

Of course, this tactic is underhanded, as the other party, after all, saved the world, surely earning great merit, and capturing them wouldn't lead to much.

But at least their identity could be unveiled...

Recalling past impressions of Jingyun, Wan Xiang Immortal felt a slight stir.

He genuinely cared for Jingyun back then, even a large part of determining the successor of Sect Leader to be Dong You was due to him.

After all, Elder Jingyun was already the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, unable to serve as Sect Leader, but if his Daoist Companion became Sect Leader, the Heavenly Craft Workshop would naturally have a leading status in the Penglai Dragon's Head, unshakeable.

Even today, though aware the other party was an infiltrator, Wan Xiang Immortal often finds himself impulsively wishing to locate Jingyun, sincerely asking "why".

Although it seems pointless.

Thinking of this, Wan Xiang Immortal again sent a message to Chi Song, proposing Long Eyebrow Immortal's plan.

In the Heavenly Gate Hall Secret Realm, Chi Song Immortal received the letter, glanced at it, then handed it to Ziwei Master and Xu Yinglian, asking:

"What do you think?"

Ziwei Master contemplated briefly before saying:

"We could have someone guard near the Southeast Heaven Pillar,"

The implication was that guarding is necessary, at least to uncover the identity of that organization.

Whether they are foes or allies, whether to capture or to let go, would be decided later.

These words were indeed prudent, hence Chi Song Immortal was about to nod, when Xu Yinglian said:

"I'll guard personally."

Chi Song Immortal almost nodded, but upon hearing this, he subconsciously changed to shaking his head, resulting in a slight twist of the neck.

Xu Yinglian and Ziwei Master looked at him in surprise, hearing the Immortal say:

"Ahem, how could this be suitable?"

"Is the Immortal afraid I'll defect like my senior brother?" Xu Yinglian said with a smile.

Ziwei Master felt stifled. Everything about Qiong Ying is fine, but due to the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, her speech is too candid, often straight to the point, leaving others speechless.

Recalling when she first entered the sect, she often expressed discontent for being unable to keep up with Changgeng's cultivation level... Now it seems, though her temperament has changed, it hasn't completely altered.

"How could it be?" Chi Song Immortal said in astonishment. "Qiong Ying, you mustn't joke about this. You are the Sect Leader's successor, traveling externally long-term would undoubtedly attract attention, this is not child's play."

"Unless there's internal leakage, who would know my whereabouts?" Xu Yinglian insisted, "Or is the Immortal not confident in the Sect Leader?"

Ziwei Master, donning a stern expression, was about to speak when Xu Yinglian gracefully adjusted her demeanor, seriously saying:

"To find my senior brother is the lifetime obsession of this disciple, crucial to my Daoist Heart... Please, Master and Immortal, grant me this wish."

Qiong Ying brought up the Daoist Heart, leaving the Ziwei Master and Chi Song Immortal at a loss for words.

After all, for cultivators, the Daoist Heart is of utmost importance and absolutely cannot be compromised. It's like when Shushan urged the Tai Yin Sword Master to form a Nascent Soul quickly, Ling Yunpo, in an attempt to avoid overshadowing Qiu Changtian, claimed, "I have an agreement with the Tai Yin Suming Sword, this vow concerns my Daoist Heart," and easily muddled through.

After a while, the Ziwei Master finally said:

"Why not let Qiong Ying try?"

The Chi Song Immortal irritably said:

"Then you give her the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword."

After a moment of thought, the Chi Song Immortal took out an item, which happened to be the "Heaven's Central Void Natural Spirit Scroll" that was once gifted to Qiu Changtian:

"Once you've mastered this, you are permitted to go out and wander."

"Thank you, Immortal. Thank you, Master." Xu Yinglian looked at the Immortal Sect's secret technique but did not show joy on her face, only solemnly bowed down.

On the other side of the earth's crust, in the Eastern Emperor Realm.

After a prolonged siege war, the White Tiger of the Western State finally gave in, and began to send emissaries to the North, East, and South States to discuss a truce.

Regarding the specific terms of the truce, a lengthy tug-of-war discussion was still needed among the four parties, but one point was almost certain: the Qilin Clan must relinquish the throne.

The primary demand of the Azure Dragon of Eastern State was to "make the Dragon Clan great again." The Long Hu has a strong legal claim to the throne, and since the Jiaolong Clan lacked deep-rooted strength, they were undoubtedly the best candidate for the new emperor.

The Black Tortoise of the Northern State was in agreement, as they had been defeated in the Qilin Imperial Clan's internal strife. Now, merely changing their support from Qi Weihong to Long Hu allowed them to rebound from their lowest point, so naturally, they had no reason to oppose.

The Vermilion Bird of the Southern State had a more straightforward and aggressive attitude. Having waged a long war against the Qilin, if the Qilin were allowed to continue holding the throne, sooner or later, a reckoning with the Feathered Clan would occur... They must be completely defeated!

The coalition of the three major lords exerted pressure, and even with the deep-seated alliance between the White Tiger and the Qilin, their support was unsustainable—years of war had left the Central State thoroughly ravaged.

Once the defensive line collapses completely, would they allow war to extend into the Western State?

The four great lords are all pragmatic, and the White Tiger of the Western State was no exception, quickly reaching an agreement on these terms.

The Qilin ceding the throne had become a fact.

As for the opinion of the Qilin Clan, in the face of such an overwhelming disparity in strength, it no longer mattered.

On the day the terms were reached, the Ancestral Azure Dragon found Long Hu to personally deliver the news.

"You seem not very happy?" he asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Not unhappy, either." Long Hu responded with a polite smile, "I'm still happy."

Although the words were delivered with full courtesy, if the Ancestral Azure Dragon couldn't see through it, he would have lived in vain all those years.

After thinking for a moment and considering the intelligence gathered recently, he guessed the other party's meaning and advised:

"You should know how your father failed back then... He not only lost himself to the enemy but also buried the entire Jiaolong Clan along with him."

Long Hu nodded but did not offer any rebuttal.

This silence was nothing more than "I know you are right, but I won't listen," making the Ancestral Azure Dragon look at her seriously for a moment before finally letting out a sigh.

If Long Hu were from the Azure Dragon Clan, he would surely have issued a direct order forbidding her to go to the Mortal Realm to seek Long Long.

But since she was of the Jiaolong bloodline and about to take the imperial throne, even if the Azure Dragon wanted to control her from behind, the Black Tortoise and Vermilion Bird wouldn't sit idly by, so the Ancestral Azure Dragon could only refrain from mentioning it when he saw her resolute attitude.

After the Ancestral Azure Dragon left, Long Hu sat down in the study and looked up at the bright moon outside the window.

She knew well how risky it was to go to the Mortal Realm to search for Long Long.

But as with what her father had back then, there existed reasons forcing her to do so... She must go to the Mortal Realm even if she wouldn't be this emperor!

The mistakes her father made in his excessive haste before his departure would not be repeated by her this time.

Cultivation Realm, Shushan.

Learning from the Long Eyebrow Immortal that Ling Yunpo, who had obtained the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment, would certainly head to the Southeast Heaven Pillar to mend the heavens once the Heaven-Mending Stone was refined, An Zhisu immediately blurted out:

"Why don't we just guard the Southeast Heaven Pillar?"

"That's not the way to say it." The Long Eyebrow Immortal said helplessly, "If they really mend the heavens... saving all living beings under heaven, that would indeed be a great merit! Do you understand, Jiao Xiao?"

"When Nuwa mended the heavens back then, she directly ascended from where she stood. The merit was so great that the Heavenly Dao couldn't recompense her, even erasing her Feather Transformation Heavenly Tribulation was insufficient, so in the end, she was gifted with the Great Perfection Dao Fruit and ceremoniously sent to the Immortal Realm."

Hearing this, An Zhisu was nearly struck by Thunderbane.

What? Is Junior Brother going to ascend?

"It's not Qing Heng who will ascend." Seeing her panic-stricken expression, Su Jian supplemented beside her, "It's his manipulator behind the scenes, who will surely reap the greatest merit."

"As for Qing Heng, considering there are six fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, he probably obtained no more than one-sixth."

"Even then, it cannot be measured by usual logic," the Long Eyebrow Immortal said, frowning, "On the low end, it directly means Great Perfection at the Nascent Soul Realm, with the ability to ascend at any moment."

"On the high end, it's virtue protecting the body, ascending perhaps without even enduring a tribulation."

"A person blessed by the Heavenly Dao like this, not only Shushan, but any sect with a mind in the world would never dare to offend."