A Farmer's Journey To Immortality

Chapter 823: Winds of Change in the Dadangar Subcontinent P3

The old man slowly approached Dahlia while leaning slightly on his wooden cane.

His face looked even older than before. The signs of nearing death were extremely obvious on him now.

Dahlia quietly looked at him. The surrounding elders tactfully moved away after noticing that Huron wanted to speak privately.

Once the area became mostly empty, Huron finally spoke.

"Sect Lord... I have a request."

Dahlia narrowed her eyes slightly.

"You wish to attempt a breakthrough as well."

It was not a question. It seemed that Dahila could read the grand elder’s thoughts from miles away. Huron wasn’t surprised by the sect master’s frightening intuition. He slowly nodded.

"Yes."

Dahlia’s expression immediately changed slightly.

"You should know your situation better than anyone."

Her voice became colder.

"Your body is already beyond its limit. Even with the Dao Paths reopened, your chances are far lower than Grand Elder Maera’s. No... let me correct that. Your chances of succeeding are almost zero."

Huron quietly listened. But before Dahlia could continue speaking, the old man suddenly bowed deeply. His bent body almost touched the frozen ground.

"Sect Lord... please."

Dahlia immediately stopped speaking.

A long silence followed.

The freezing wind quietly blew between them. Huron remained bowed the entire time.

Finally—

Dahlia sighed softly. There was helplessness in her eyes.

"...Very well."

Huron’s old hands trembled slightly after hearing her answer.

"Thank you... Sect Lord."

Dahlia looked at him quietly.

"Do not thank me yet."

Her gaze slowly moved toward the sky above.

"You know what kind of outcome awaits you."

Huron slowly smiled. For some reason, his expression looked very calm now.

"Yes."

"I know."

...

The next day—

The same ice mountain became crowded once again. The disciples and elders had gathered around the mountain exactly like before.

This time, however, the atmosphere felt very different. There was excitement.

Hope.

Anticipation.

After all, Grand Elder Maera had successfully become a Core Formation Lord yesterday.

If one elder could succeed, perhaps another could as well. Many disciples whispered excitedly among themselves.

The gathered elders also looked far more hopeful than before. However, some quickly noticed something strange.

Grand Elder Maera was absent. Naturally, everyone understood she was currently stabilizing her cultivation. But the bigger surprise was, Dahlia Whitejade was absent as well.

The Sect Lord had not appeared. This caused some confusion among the disciples.

Meanwhile, at the center of the cliff platform—

Grand Elder Huron sat quietly inside the formations. He looked tired but resolute. Even his Spirit Essence fluctuations appeared unstable.

Yet his expression remained calm. The formations around him activated. Spirit energy gathered toward the mountain peak. The disciples watched nervously.

Several moments passed.

Then—

Suddenly—

Crack!

A horrifying sound echoed from Huron’s body. The old man’s bones twisted unnaturally. Blood exploded from his arms and shoulders.

His flesh began tearing apart rapidly as if some invisible force was crushing his body from the inside.

The gathered disciples became terrified instantly.

"The Pain Penance test! He...."

An elder shouted.

Huron’s body trembled violently. More cracking sounds echoed continuously. His legs bent unnaturally. His ribs shattered one after another beneath his skin.

Then, everything suddenly became still. Huron’s body stopped moving.

For a brief moment, many thought he had endured it. However, when they saw his face clearly. Many elders silently lowered their heads.

Huron’s eyes had become completely vacant. The Dejection Demon test had destroyed his mind completely. His soul had already collapsed inside the illusions.

The results were obvious. It seemed that it was still not easy to become a Lord even though the Dao Paths had been released.

Several moments later, the old grand elder’s corpse slowly collapsed onto the frozen ground. No heavenly clouds gathered. No lightning descended.

The Celestial Tribulation never came. Because Huron had already failed before reaching that stage.

Silence filled the entire mountain. The earlier excitement completely disappeared.

Many disciples looked shaken. This was the cruel reality of cultivation. Success and death often stood side by side.

At this moment, a group of elders quietly appeared from the distance.

Leading them was Dahlia’s maid, Lira Snowveil.

She calmly carried several ritual items in her hands. Behind her followed elders holding white funeral banners and incense burners.

The disciples quickly realized something. The Sect Lord had already predicted this outcome beforehand. That was why preparations for the Last Rights procession had already been completed.

Lira quietly walked toward Huron’s body. Her expression remained calm and respectful.

Without saying much, the elders began performing the sect’s funeral customs.

White incense smoke slowly rose into the freezing sky while the disciples silently watched the old grand elder begin his final journey.

***

A few days later.

The grand hall inside Dahlia Whitejade’s palace was filled with silence and tension.

The palace itself was one of the grandest structures within the Eastern Limiya Gate. Massive jade pillars supported the high ceiling. White silk curtains flowed gently in the cold wind entering from the open balconies.

Spirit lamps made from blue ice crystals illuminated the surroundings with soft light. The floor beneath everyone’s feet was polished white stone that reflected the glow of the lamps like still water.

Rows of elders sat quietly on both sides of the hall.

At the very front sat the grand elders. Among them, Maera attracted the most attention.

Earlier, she had looked like an old mortal woman nearing the end of her life. But now everything had changed.

After stepping into the Core Formation Realm, her lifespan had increased greatly. Her body had undergone a complete transformation through the baptism of Spirit essence and worldly laws.

Her appearance now looked no older than a woman in her early thirties by mortal standards.

Her skin had become smooth once again. Her silver hair carried a healthy shine. Her eyes looked clear and steady. Even the aura around her body had become much calmer and deeper than before.

The other elders could not help glancing toward her from time to time with envy, admiration, and complicated emotions.

At this moment, footsteps echoed lightly through the hall.

Sect Master Dahlia Whitejade entered alongside her personal maid, Lira.