Zhang Yuhe picked up the jade token and examined it carefully. After Feng Xiaotian carved it, the jade token had completely changed in appearance. Not only did the color shift from purple to red, but the pattern and the text also underwent significant changes.
The jade identity card of an inner sect disciple typically bears an engraving of the mountains and rivers of Daosheng Sect. Now, a tall mountain, Daosheng Peak, was etched onto the jade plate. The great hall at the mountain's summit was faintly visible—this was the Patriarch Hall.
The text also changed, marking him as "Elder of Daosheng Sect, Zhang Yuhe" instead of just an inner sect disciple.
"I've become an elder," Zhang Yuhe murmured, feeling a wave of emotion.
Zhang Yuhe hadn't been with the Daosheng Sect for long. He was originally from Blue Star, and honestly, he hadn't felt much of a connection to the sect. But thinking about the encouragement from Feng Xiaotian, the skills, magical powers, and cultivation conveniences the sect had provided, Zhang Yuhe suddenly had a strange feeling. Daosheng Sect felt like his second home now. If the sect were ever in danger, he would fight for it with everything he had.
Just as Zhang Yuhe lost himself in thought, Lu Mingfang, who was standing nearby, spoke up.
"Let's go back to Fengming Palace first."
With that, he strode down the mountain. The three of them quickly descended and soon arrived back at Fengming Palace.
Inside the main hall, Lu Mingfang waved his hand, and a huge map of the mountain gate appeared before them.
He smiled and said, "Since you are now the elders of the sect, you'll need to choose a mountain cave residence."
"Take a look for yourselves and let me know when you've made your choice."
Zhang Yuhe and Li Tian immediately began studying the map. It was similar to the one Zhang Yuhe had seen with Cheng Xujing, but this version was much larger and had been magnified by Lu Mingfang.
Different areas on the map were marked with distinct colors. The area for the elders was shaded in red.
Zhang Yuhe's eyes were drawn to a large black area on the map, and he remembered his previous conversation with Cheng Xujing. The latter hadn't known much about it, but Zhang Yuhe was sure that Lu Mingfang could explain.
Curious, Zhang Yuhe pointed to the black area and asked, "Elder Lu, is there something special about those black areas?"
Before Lu Mingfang could answer, Li Tian spoke up.
"I've heard there's a passage there that connects to the Demon Realm. It's the one the demons used to invade Yufantian a hundred thousand years ago, but it's been closed ever since."
"Yes, the black area marks the location of the space passage. Ancestor Wu Yuemin has been guarding it all year round to prevent the Demon God Cult from secretly reopening it."
"Unlike other places, the space barrier there is weaker. If the passage were to open, any demon in the Mahayana realm could come through."
"The Sect Master has issued a strict order forbidding anyone from entering the black area. You must remember not to enter without permission."
Lu Mingfang's tone turned serious, and he gave a stern warning.
"Understood," Zhang Yuhe replied, though he had only been curious. He had no intention of doing anything reckless.
The map now lay before them, clearly displaying the mountain ranges. Some of the peaks were marked with names, indicating they had owners. Zhang Yuhe counted 186 peaks in total, meaning Daosheng Sect had 186 elders. With himself and Li Tian included, the number rose to 188.
It was a significant force.
The elders weren't just experts at the Refining Realm—some had already reached the Fusion Realm. With 186 elders who had attained the Lianxu Fusion stage, Daosheng Sect was truly formidable in Yu Fantian.
In addition, there were two Mahayana ancestors: Feng Xiaotian and Wu Yuemin. No one in Yu Fantian could challenge such strength. Even the Demon God Cult could only carry out small, secretive actions.
As for Zhao Mingyue, the leader of the Demon God Cult, he never dared to reveal himself in person. If he did, he would likely be struck down immediately.
Zhang Yuhe looked at the red areas on the map and then turned to Li Tian.
"Big Brother, you choose first."
"You're too polite, Junior Brother. You should go first."
After the two exchanged polite gestures, Zhang Yuhe pointed to a large lake on the map.
"Elder Lu, I'll choose this place."
The lake was expansive, spanning several thousand miles. At its center stood two towering mountains, one of which Zhang Yuhe had chosen.
Li Tian then spoke.
"Then I'll choose the mountain next to it."
Zhang Yuhe cast a slightly confused glance at Li Tian.
"Brother, what are you doing? You're a fire spirit. Why pick a mountain located in the center of a lake, just like me?"
Of course, being in a lake wouldn't eliminate the fire spiritual power, and it wouldn't interfere with cultivation. But Li Tian's choice struck Zhang Yuhe as strange.
Did Li Tian have some odd reasoning behind his decision?
Zhang Yuhe took a few steps away, creating some distance between himself and Li Tian.
After both had made their choices, Lu Mingfang waved his hand, putting the map away.
"Now that you've chosen your caves, let's return and begin cultivating."
"The real challenge comes after reaching the Refining Void stage. Some of the elders have been stuck at this level for thousands of years without any progress. I hope that won't be the case for you."
"Yes," Zhang Yuhe replied.
As he was about to leave, Zhang Yuhe suddenly remembered that Wang Guofeng was still waiting outside the mountain gate.
Turning back, he asked Lu Mingfang, "Elder Lu, what procedures do I need to follow to bring someone into the sect?"
Lu Mingfang smiled. "You don't need to do anything. As an elder, you can bring anyone in at your discretion."
Zhang Yuhe was taken aback. "Is that possible?"
He had assumed the Daosheng Sect would have strict protocols, especially to prevent enemies like the Demon God Cult from infiltrating.
Lu Mingfang seemed to anticipate his thoughts and responded proudly.
"Don't worry. The sect is protected by immortal weapons that monitor the surroundings. If someone with ill intentions tries to enter, the immortal weapon will trigger a warning."
"Immortal weapon?" Zhang Yuhe's eyes widened in disbelief. "Does Daosheng Sect really have such advanced tools?"
Li Tian, who stood beside him, also looked stunned.
Seeing their surprised expressions, Lu Mingfang chuckled. "Don't worry too much. The immortal weapon left by the ancestor requires immortal energy to activate. Since no one in the lower realm possesses immortal energy, the weapon can only monitor and warn—it has no offensive capability."
Zhang Yuhe finally understood. "I see."
With the immortal weapons in place, it made sense that the sect hadn't faced much difficulty defending against the demon invasion a hundred thousand years ago. No one could have withstood the power of such a weapon.