Time flew, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.
This morning, a knocking sound came from outside Qing Feng's thatched hut.
The young man opened the door and saw the visitor, his eyebrows slightly raised.
Lian Buyao, the Second Elder of Chen Ming Peak, stood with his hands behind his back in the morning mist, the silver cloud patterns on his black Dharma robe gleaming coldly.
A secret doubt arose in the young man's heart. This person had always acted improperly, with a reputation for bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
When his parents were alive, they had publicly reprimanded him for his despicable act of annexing the property of fellow Disciples' orphans.
After his parents' demise, this Elder, under the guise of “temporary safekeeping,” attempted to lay claim to the interspatial pouch his parents had left behind, only to be whipped by his Master's wife with the Azure Luan Whip, leaving him bedridden for three months.
Since then, although no further incidents occurred, he had never taken the initiative to visit.
“There is no need for you to be so formal, my virtuous nephew.” Lian Buyao flicked his sleeve to support the young man who was about to bow, and his withered fingers naturally clasped the pulse point on his wrist.
Qing Feng felt a chill on his skin, but his smile became even more gentle: “Senior Uncle, you have deigned to visit; is there an important matter concerning the Peak?”
The old man's gaze swept over the mottled bamboo table in the room, resting on the couch woven from green vines, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes, but he said, “Cultivators should naturally be pure-hearted and free from desires. My virtuous nephew possesses quite the daoist bone.”
As he spoke, he took out a jade slip from his sleeve, “This concerns the hundred-year fortune of Chen Ming Peak. Take a look at this.”
In the light projected by the jade slip, dozens of Hidden Talent Disciples lay horizontally in the medicine hall, with strange greenish-purple marks on the meridians of several of them.
Qing Feng recognized it as the result of the Cold Marrow Palm from the Longyang Lineage. He had indeed heard in the Mystic Realm that Hidden Talent Disciples were being targeted, but he hadn't expected their injuries to be so severe.
“The Bi An Realm trial is in three days, and Men Shao is still recovering from his severe injuries.” Lian Buyao sighed deeply, “If we lose the Ziyan Sword Debate again next year, Hu Ji Peak will likely seize the majority of our spiritual vein mine share.”
He suddenly pressed the young man's shoulder, “If my virtuous nephew can persuade your Senior Sister to temporarily delay her Nascent Soul formation, with her perfected Golden Core cultivation…”
Qing Feng lowered his gaze to hide the coldness. His Senior Sister had specifically sent him the Nine Revolutions Heart Protecting Pill before entering seclusion, clearly showing signs of an impending breakthrough.
The person before him knew this, yet he wanted him to be the villain who ruined someone's dao path. He truly had a good plan.
He feigned panic and overturned the teacup, using the opportunity to tidy up and avoid the other's hand: “Senior Uncle, please allow this Disciple to think about it carefully.”
“What opportunity is Senior Uncle referring to?” Qing Feng's eyebrows subtly moved, secretly thinking that they were finally getting to the point, but a look of eagerness appeared on his face.
Lian Buyao slowly picked up the teacup: “My good-for-nothing Disciple, Dong QiSheng, I presume my virtuous nephew is familiar with him.”
“Is it Senior Brother Dong, who always sticks to Senior Sister Qin?” Qing Feng feigned enlightenment.
This Foundation Establishment eight-layer Disciple was a marvel of Chen Ming Peak. If Qin Yue was the bright moon in the sky, he was like a firefly claiming to shine as brightly as the moon.
For three years, he had tried various ways to curry favor with Senior Sister, viewing himself as a thorn in her side, yet every time he set a trap, he was outmaneuvered.
The teacup lid in Lian Buyao's hand clinked: “Youngsters joke. QiSheng has quite an accomplishment in swordsmanship. Besides Senior Sister Qin, no other Hidden Talent Foundation Establishment realm Disciple can surpass him. If we want to preserve the Sect's dignity in next year's Ziyan Sword Debate, he is our only hope.”
“So?” Qing Feng's fingertips lightly tapped the table.
“The Sect's hundred-year fortune rests on this battle!” Lian Buyao suddenly stood up, his wide sleeves stirring up a gust of wind, “If the True Inheritance spot is given to QiSheng, the Hidden Talent Disciples' spiritual spring share will double in the future, and seven sets of Earth-tier cultivation techniques will be added to the Scripture Pavilion. All these will be thanks to my virtuous nephew's noble righteousness today.”
As he finished speaking, he bowed deeply to the junior.
Qing Feng received the deep bow without moving, then gracefully sat down. What a “priority for the greater good”! With just a few words, he wanted to snatch the True Inheritance spot empty-handed.
Although this opportunity was like a tasteless chicken rib to him, seeing the other party's demeanor, he would rather throw the token into the alchemy furnace than hand it over.
Lian Buyao maintained his stiff bowing posture in mid-air for ten breaths, and finally, his old face couldn't bear it anymore, and he straightened up on his own.
He had never expected this orphan to dare to accept a full bow from an elder. A vein pulsed on his forehead: “Your esteemed father and mother fought to their last breath to protect the Sect. My virtuous nephew, do not tarnish the integrity of the martyrs!”
Spiderweb cracks suddenly appeared on the purple sandalwood table, and the teacup in Qing Feng's hand moved without wind. Since breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm, he had been worried about where to test his sword. Wasn't this a heaven-sent whetstone before him? The young man suddenly smiled brightly: “Senior Uncle's teaching is right.”
“My virtuous nephew truly understands the greater good!” A sharp glint flashed in Lian Buyao's eyes, “This Deputy Head will now summon the head of each hall to announce your voluntary…”
“Wait.” Qing Feng cut him off, “Senior Brother Ren gave me three bottles of Profound Origin Pills last month. Wouldn't it be wonderful to transfer the sword debate spot to him?”
“Presumptuous!” A sword hum suddenly erupted from Lian Buyao's sleeve, and all the candles in the room extinguished in response. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating the old man's ferocious face: “Do you really think Chen Ming Peak will tolerate your wanton behavior?”
Lian Buyao's smile instantly vanished, and he said in a deep voice, “How can Ren Yi compare to QiSheng? QiSheng received my true inheritance from a young age, and when he was born, his foundation was reshaped with a thousand-year-old Snow Lotus. He was also immersed in the Starlight Spiritual Spring for a hundred days to temper his meridians.
Although their surface cultivations are similar, when it comes to foundation and inner strength, Ren Yi is far inferior!”
“I see. The Starlight Spiritual Spring is a secret profound-tier treasure passed down through Senior Uncle Lian's lineage, and it indeed has miraculous effects on Foundation Establishment.” Qing Feng nodded thoughtfully.
“Precisely! This True Inheritance position must be given to QiSheng; this concerns the future fortune of the entire Chen Ming Peak.” Lian Buyao flicked his sleeve and said solemnly, “It is absolutely not for selfish reasons, but truly for the greater good.”
“Why not let Senior Brother Ren also cultivate in the Spiritual Spring?” Qing Feng suddenly suggested.
“Nonsense!” Lian Buyao's hair stood on end, “This is the foundation of my lineage's inheritance; how can outsiders be allowed to meddle?” He was secretly annoyed, if not for this Spiritual Spring allowing his Disciples to reach Foundation Establishment faster, how would his lineage establish itself within the Peak?
“Absolutely ridiculous.” Qing Feng suddenly slammed the table and stood up, “Now that Chen Ming Peak is in peril, Senior Uncle is only concerned with his private lineage matters. Can you face the ancestral masters of past generations? Have you ever thought about the thousands of fellow Disciples throughout the entire Peak?”
This forceful questioning was precisely the rhetoric Lian Buyao had used to pressure him earlier. A normal person would have blushed, but this old Daoist instead became furious out of shame, and the Nascent Soul pressure erupted, instantly turning the thatched roof into dust.
“How dare you be so presumptuous, you brat.” Lian Buyao's body glowed brightly, “Today, I shall discipline you on behalf of your Master…”
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly saw the Black Dog's fur stand on end, and a phantom of Asura appeared behind him, with a fierce, murderous aura rushing forth.
Qing Feng gently stroked the dog's head and took a step forward against the pressure: “If Senior Uncle wishes to experience the rules of the Law Enforcement Hall, this Disciple would be more than happy to oblige.” These words made Lian Buyao suddenly recall the fate of Elder Zhang of Xuan Ming Peak, and the spiritual energy he had been gathering was forcefully suppressed back into his body.
“Are you truly going to doom Chen Ming Peak?” The old Daoist's eyes were bloodshot, and his hair moved without wind.
Qing Feng suddenly roared, “Is Senior Uncle going to become a sinner for all eternity? If you are willing to offer the Spiritual Spring for all Disciples of the Peak to cultivate, why would Hidden Talent not be able to prosper?”
Just at this moment, a sound of tearing through the air came from the sky.
Lian Buyao's face suddenly changed, and he flicked his sleeve, transforming into a streak of light and fleeing: “You yellow-mouthed brat, you've ruined my important matter.”
Before the dust settled, two graceful figures arrived.
Zi Yun looked at the mess on the ground and quickly pulled Qing Feng: “Are you injured? That old fox must have come to trick you into giving up the spot. Don't believe him.”
