Han Xiao knit her brows but could only accept the result. Fortunately, she was not the only one who had failed to reach the Void Refining stage. After completing registration at the receiving post and obtaining her new identity jade token, she began asking around about the situation in the Weiling Realm.
After Ling Qingsheng finished registering the information for all the ascending cultivators, he handed Yunxi a jade slip containing a brief introduction to the Weiling Realm. She now held the highest cultivation among them, and most of the ascenders only listened to her.
Yunxi sent her divine sense into the jade slip, finished reading, then copied it and passed a duplicate to Han Lian beside her. The jade slip made the rounds among the cultivators. Most copied a version to study carefully later.
Ling Qingsheng still took the chance to promote his clan, saying that the Ling Clan was among the top families in the Spirit Region. If they were willing to join, their future prospects would be excellent.
Everyone endured the sales pitch. Then Yunxi smiled and asked, "Ling Daoyou, how far has the righteous-versus-evil war progressed?"
Ling Qingsheng blinked. He had not expected lower-realm ascenders to know about the war.
Ming Hong spoke up, "Seniors who ascended from our sect sent word down to us. That is how we learned of it. We heard that an evil cultivator powerhouse built a passage from the Wuwang Ruins into the Weiling Realm, letting the evil cultivators trapped there flood into the realm, which triggered the war."
After Ling Qingsheng heard Ming Hong's explanation, he replied, "Your information is accurate. When the evil cultivators were constructing the passage, they were discovered by the realm's great powers. The plan was to join forces and destroy the passage. At that very moment, the Ancient Battlefield manifested and, by coincidence, blocked the route the evil cultivators had opened.
The evil cultivators then used the Ancient Battlefield to stabilize that passage. To destroy their route, we would have to destroy the battlefield itself. Considering the Ancient Battlefield is where countless God fell and were buried, it is truly hard to act. But it happens to keep the two sides separated.
In the end, the Ancient Battlefield became the battleground of the righteous-versus-evil war. The fighting has lasted ten years. We have not wiped the evil cultivators out, but neither have we let them gain advantage. All six regions have sent cultivators to fight, and we have contained the war within a set range. It has not spread across the entire Weiling Realm, so you need not worry too much.
For cultivators like you who have just ascended, there is no need to enter the battlefield. You can join a reliable sect or clan, or remain as loose cultivators, and focus first on raising your cultivation."
Here, Ling Qingsheng paused. At least two-thirds of this group's cultivation already surpassed his.
"Amitabha. Ling Daoyou, when we ascended, the Weiyu Realm ascended together with us. Can we return to where we came from?"
Yun Chen voiced the question on everyone's mind.
Ling Qingsheng had heard but not understood. What did they mean, the Weiyu Realm also ascended? He asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Xun Kun said in a low voice, "Ling Daoyou, send word to your clan. They should have received the news already."
He really did not want to waste words explaining, especially since the matter involved the evil god's body.
With some puzzlement, Ling Qingsheng took out his messaging jade and found hundreds of unread missives, some from his clan and others from friends asking about the situation at the receiving post.
He quickly skimmed them all, then looked up at Yunxi. "So it was you hundred who used the ascension passages' force to pull the entire Weiyu Realm into the Weiling Realm?"
"It was not all our credit. A great Immortal senior acted to help. We only want to know, now that the Weiyu Realm has been incorporated into the realm, can we go back?"
Ling Qingsheng squeezed the messaging jade, at a loss for how to answer. He could only say dryly,"I will ask."
Before he could reach the receiving office's overseer, several overwhelming auras appeared above the post. Yunxi, Han Lian, Xun Kun, and Yun Chen stepped forward as one to stand before everyone and looked up.
A man built like an iron tower was the first to show himself. His gaze burned as it fell on Xun Kun. He laughed and pointed at him. "Are you willing to follow this Lord to the Demon Region to cultivate?"
Xun Kun froze for a breath, surprised to be named first. He still stepped out and saluted respectfully. "Many thanks for Senior's favor. This junior has just entered the realm and does not yet know how the sects that ascended with us are faring."
The man waved a hand. "You are truly verbose. Your entire small realm has ascended. What are you afraid of losing? Come. This Lord will take you to move your whole sect into the Demon Region. The Spirit Region does not suit your cultivation."
He did not wait for Xun Kun to answer. A sweep of power and Xun Kun was gone.
Yunxi's outstretched hand stopped in midair.
A charming voice followed from the sky, "Now it is this Lord's turn."
A figure in riotous color appeared before the crowd, swaying a red round fan. She pointed at Bai Feng, the Old Ape, the Stone Lin, and Hu Yingjun. "You four will follow this Lord to the Beast Region."
Bai Feng shuffled to Han Lian's side, reluctant to part.
Feng Ling's phoenix eyes lifted. She was about to act when Han Lian cancelled their equal contract a step ahead of her. Han Lian stroked Bai Feng's head and said, "Cultivate well in the Beast Region. Once I am settled, I will visit if I can."
Bai Feng rubbed his head against Han Lian's palm in understanding. He was the first of the White Polar Bears to earn karmic merit. The future would be bright. When he became a Beast King, he would pluck a few unsightly phoenix feathers, that was certain.
Bai Feng grumbled in his heart, but in the end followed Feng Ling away. There was no helping it. She was a ninth-tier Beast King. He could not best her.
After Feng Ling left, a Buddhist powerhouse appeared before Yun Chen, chanted a Buddha name, and invited Yun Chen to cultivate in the Buddhist Region.
Yun Chen pressed his palms together in return and asked to relocate Yunmen Temple to the Buddhist Region as well. The other smiled and agreed, then departed with Yun Chen after he bid farewell to the others.
Next, a man wearing the same style Huaxian Gate robe whisked Xian Feng away, likely to gather the remaining disciples of Huaxian Gate in the Weiyu Realm.
Yunxi and Han Lian exchanged a glance. She murmured, "It is nice to have connections. They are picked up the moment they arrive. I wonder if Haoran Sect's Ancestor has come."
Some names are irresistible to the heavens. As Yunxi's words fell, a gray-robed elder appeared before her, stroking the short beard at his chin. "You are Ran Xi of Haoran Sect?"
Yunxi saluted at once. "Yes, Senior. May I ask Senior is…"
"Hao Yi is this Lord's junior sister. You should address this Lord as Ancestor."
Yunxi lifted her eyes to the gray-robed elder. It was hard to match the sect's Ancestor portrait to the man before her, but she still bowed respectfully. "Junior greets Ancestor Hao Ran."
"Come. This Lord will take you back to the sect first. You must also move out of the Weiyu Realm's Western Region as soon as possible. That place is too close to the sealed grounds."