Chapter 256 – Five Peaks Meeting, Consensus Reached, Mobilizing the Entire Sect's Power…

“What’s going on here? Let me see what’s happening. Why have all of you come to the Main Peak? Could it be that our Azure Cloud Sect has provoked public outrage and is finally doomed? Senior Brother Gu, should we pack our things and prepare to flee?”

“In this critical moment of life and death, my Dan Yang Peak will be the first to leave! All to preserve a spark of hope for our sect!”

As soon as Du Youlan, the Peak Lord of Dan Yang Peak, entered the Great Hall of Azure Cloud Peak, she addressed the other four Peak Lords present in this manner.

However, her teasing tone and playful expression made it clear she was jesting.

In response, Gu Liqing, the Sect Leader of Azure Cloud Sect, said helplessly, “Junior Sister Du, please don’t add to the chaos at a time like this. Come and take a seat.”

“Alright.”

Du Youlan went to the seat next to Gu Liqing and sat down directly.

This marked the first time in fifty years that all five Peak Lords of Azure Cloud Sect had gathered together.

It was worth noting that the last similar occurrence was when a demonic sect provoked Azure Cloud Sect, and they had gathered to decide how to deal with that demonic sect.

Although Du Youlan didn’t know the purpose of Gu Liqing summoning everyone this time, she didn’t think it was anything particularly serious.

If it were truly a major incident, everyone’s expressions wouldn’t be so relaxed.

Nor would she have been completely unaware of it beforehand.

What Du Youlan didn’t know was that among the Peak Lords present at the venue, she was the only one who had been summoned—the other three had come together as a group.

“Senior Sister Du, you’ve arrived just in time. What’s going on with that Lu disciple from your Dan Yang Peak? How come when he breaks through to the Golden Core Stage, he nearly uproots the very foundation of our Kangding Peak? Which Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator requires several Fourth Realm Dao Artifacts for protection when breaking through to the Golden Core Stage? Are you sure he isn’t using this as an excuse to extort our Kangding Peak?”

“Huh?”

Du Youlan was taken aback, never expecting that barely after she had taken her seat, Niu Rengui, the Peak Lord of Kangding Peak, would be the first to challenge her.

Niu Rengui’s words acted like a lit fuse, immediately prompting Sikong Ming, Peak Lord of Ten Thousand Talisman Peak, and Leng Yingfeng, Peak Lord of Hidden Sword Peak, to join in with their own grievances.

“Junior Brother Niu, don’t even mention your Kangding Peak—our Ten Thousand Talisman Peak has no surplus either.”

“You’re not unaware of the difficulty in crafting Mystic Talismans. Asking us to produce over a dozen Mystic Talismans that can aid in Tribulation Transcendence in one go—isn’t this bullying honest people?”

“If every Foundation Establishment Stage disciple in our sect requires such extravagance for their breakthrough, then the Talisman Cultivators of our Ten Thousand Talisman Peak might as well stop cultivating altogether and be locked up in seclusion rooms to craft talismans.”

At this moment, even Leng Yingfeng, the Peak Lord of Hidden Sword Peak, who usually focused solely on sword practice and disliked excessive talk, added, “Several Elders from our Hidden Sword Peak are in seclusion and cannot be easily disturbed.”

“If it’s merely providing protection for a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator’s Golden Core Tribulation, those venerable seniors might be unwilling to emerge from seclusion.”

“If we truly have to meet your demands, then your Dan Yang Peak would be somewhat unreasonable.”

Faced with the overwhelming pressure from three Peak Lords simultaneously, Du Youlan broke out in a cold sweat on the spot.

What’s going on? What in the world is happening?

Could it be that all of this is aimed at me?Then she seemed to recall something and turned to look at Gu Liqing, who was sitting in the main seat leisurely sipping tea.

“Wait, Senior Brother, didn’t you say in the Message Sword that you only needed to discuss some minor matters with me?”

“So you didn’t actually invite me here for discussions, but rather to gang up and cause trouble for our Dan Yang Peak!”

Although Du Youlan was a reclusive alchemist who spent years in closed-door cultivation, rarely stepping outside her gates, this only meant she disliked going out, not that she was ignorant of social conventions.

Thus, after just a few words from the Peak Lords, she immediately understood the whole story.

Undoubtedly, all of this was related to Lu Chen, the outstanding disciple of their Dan Yang Peak generation.

Thinking of Lu Chen’s cultivation talent and her first impression of the young man, Du Youlan instantly transformed from flustered to completely self-assured.

Crossing her arms and tilting her chin up proudly, she declared: “What do you mean our Dan Yang Peak is unreasonable? Aren’t the elixirs you all use for cultivation provided by our peak?”

“So when our Dan Yang Peak disciple needs a small favor after his Realm Breakthrough, you’re all suddenly crying about it?”

“You, yes, stop looking around—I’m talking about you, Junior Brother Niu!”

“Never mind the other peaks, but isn’t the medicinal bath for your Kangding Peak entirely supplied by our Dan Yang Peak? Without us, would your Kangding Peak have achieved what it has today?”

“This…”

Being singled out by Du Youlan, Kangding Peak Lord Niu Rengui indeed felt somewhat guilty.

Because things were exactly as she said—without Dan Yang Peak’s alchemists, it wouldn’t have been easy for their Kangding Peak to achieve their current accomplishments.

After all, while it was fine to send a group of burly Body Cultivators out to fight, having these rough fellows handle delicate work like Alchemy was truly beyond them.

As the saying goes, one who is fed by another dare not complain.

Niu Rengui, who had been so confident earlier, now fell completely silent.

Upon careful reflection, he realized Kangding Peak had indeed relied on Dan Yang Peak all these years.

They could afford to offend anyone except Dan Yang Peak’s alchemists.

If the medicinal baths and other elixirs were cut off, saying Kangding Peak would never be able to cultivate again might be an exaggeration, but their cultivation speed dropping by fifty or sixty percent wouldn’t be unreasonable at all.

Seeing Niu Rengui rendered speechless, Sikong Ming, the seemingly refined and easy-going Peak Lord of Ten Thousand Talisman Peak who had been squinting, couldn’t help but chuckle.

But he forgot that he too was within Du Youlan’s line of fire.

“What are you laughing at, Xiao Ming? How dare you laugh?”

“Your Ten Thousand Talisman Peak disciples might not need many elixirs for cultivation, but aren’t the Materials needed for your Talisman refining taken care of by our Dan Yang Peak?”

“Sure, this arrangement is convenient for you—you just come and take whatever you need. But what about our Dan Yang Peak disciples?”

“We already spend considerable time and effort cultivating medicinal herbs daily, and on top of that we have to grow Talisman Materials for your Ten Thousand Talisman Peak.”

“So when you’re benefiting from us you stay quiet, but now when we ask for a few Mystic Talismans you put on long faces? If you’ve got the ability, why doesn’t Ten Thousand Talisman Peak grow its own Talisman Materials!”

“This…”

Sikong Ming’s smile froze, and bean-sized sweat drops rolled down his forehead, clearly realizing he was in the wrong.Beside them, Gu Liqing watched as Du Youlan effortlessly ‘suppressed’ two Peak Lords with her casual banter.

He couldn’t help but curl the corners of his mouth slightly upward.

When he had called Du Youlan over, he had already anticipated this situation.

Although Du Youlan possessed the weakest cultivation among the five of them—having only reached the second level of the Nascent Soul Stage after over two hundred years—her status within their group was second only to his as Sect Leader.

In certain specific circumstances, Du Youlan’s standing could even surpass that of the Sect Leader himself.

After all, the position of Sect Leader represented not only authority but also responsibility.

At times, for the sake of the bigger picture, Gu Liqing had no choice but to make some concessions.

But Du Youlan was different.

If pushed to the brink, she could point at the other peaks and curse them outright.

Just like the current situation.

Though Danyang Peak wasn’t particularly renowned within the Azure Cloud Sect, its importance was undoubtedly among the top.

The reason was simple: which cultivator nowadays didn’t rely on some elixirs to aid their cultivation?

With Niu Rengui and Sikong Ming falling silent, the only remaining troublemaker was Leng Yingfeng of Hidden Sword Peak.

Noticing Du Youlan’s gaze turning toward him, Leng Yingfeng, the Peak Lord of Hidden Sword Peak, shuddered involuntarily.

But recalling the ‘outrageous’ conditions proposed by the disciple from Danyang Peak, Leng Yingfeng mustered his courage and said, “Senior Sister, you know how things are at our Hidden Sword Peak.”

“Although I’m the Peak Lord, the Elders in my peak have always been stubborn and unyielding. My words carry little weight.”

Leng Yingfeng had expected a torrent of scolding from Du Youlan after he finished speaking.

To his surprise, Du Youlan remained calm and said, “I know those old fellows have terrible tempers, and your words indeed hold little sway.”

“Whew…”

Leng Yingfeng let out a long sigh of relief, thinking Du Youlan was going to let him off.

But then, Du Youlan abruptly changed her tone.

“But can’t you try saying a few nice words to them?”

“Don’t think I don’t know the temperament of those Seniors. They’ve always been more responsive to kindness than coercion. If you just speak a few pleasantries, they wouldn’t mind stepping out and helping.”

Hearing this, Leng Yingfeng’s expression stiffened.

He was a fifth-level Nascent Soul Stage Sword Cultivator, the Peak Lord of Hidden Sword Peak in the Azure Cloud Sect—the number one sect in the Central Province.

Yet he was being asked to act like some sycophantic junior, sweet-talking the Sect’s Elders.

If word got out, how could he maintain the dignity befitting a Peak Lord?

Perhaps guessing his thoughts, Du Youlan slammed the table and said, “Leng Yingfeng, don’t think I’m speaking to you now as the Peak Lord of Danyang Peak.”

“I’m saying this as your Senior Sister. Think back to when you first entered the Sect—who secretly gave you elixirs from Danyang Peak? Who comforted you after you lost in the grand competition?”

“Yes, you’ve now become the Peak Lord of Hidden Sword Peak. Your wings have hardened, and you no longer need to regard your former Senior Sister.”

“Fine, fine. I understand that Sword Cultivators are cold and decisive in killing. I just never thought that the first person you’d cut down after becoming Peak Lord would be the Senior Sister who once treated you with utmost sincerity, like her own younger brother.”

“Alright, alright. I won’t make things difficult for you, Senior Sister. Just pretend I never said any of this today. Consider it all my unreasonable fussing, my lack of propriety, causing trouble for you, the esteemed Peak Lord of Hidden Sword Peak.”Watching Du Youlan, who had been sharp and imposing just a moment ago, instantly transform into a tearful, pitiable figure,

A strong sense of guilt surged in Leng Yingfeng’s heart.

He couldn’t handle it. With such emotional manipulation, he, Leng Yingfeng, truly couldn’t withstand it.

If he were to ask the Elders within his own peak for help, at most, he would only lose a bit of face and endure a few teasing remarks from them.

But if he were to reject Du Youlan’s request,

It would wound the heart of the Senior Sister who had once treated him like her own younger brother.

Thinking of this, Leng Yingfeng finally relented.

“Senior Sister, you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t mean it that way. I’ll go find two Elders from my peak and ask them to protect the Disciple of your Danyang Peak during his breakthrough.”

“Promise?”

Du Youlan, who had been on the verge of tears just moments before, instantly performed what could only be described as a masterclass in Sichuan opera face-changing for everyone present.

This left the inarticulate Leng Yingfeng with an indescribable discomfort.

He felt as though he had been schemed against, yet not entirely.

Seeing that Du Youlan had already “subdued” the other Peak Lords present with her tactics,

Gu Liqing knew it was time for him, as the Sect Leader, to wrap things up.

“Alright, alright. Since things have come to this, I assume none of you Junior Brothers have any further complaints, right?”

The Peak Lords exchanged glances, each revealing a bitter smile.

Complaints?

After the relentless emotional assault from Senior Sister Du, how could they possibly have any complaints left?

Gu Liqing looked at them and said with a smile, “Since we’ve all reached a consensus, let me take this opportunity to explain the situation regarding that Disciple from Danyang Peak. This way, you’ll understand why his breakthrough is so special and requires such extensive preparations.”

Hearing this, everyone immediately grew serious, including Du Youlan.

After all, Du Youlan had been summoned while in seclusion.

Though she knew the whole matter stemmed from Lu Chen’s upcoming Golden Core Stage breakthrough and the exaggerated resources required,

She wasn’t entirely clear on why Lu Chen’s breakthrough demanded so many precious items.

“Ahem, to put it simply, it’s not that complicated. If that Disciple, Lu Chen, were to proceed with his breakthrough conventionally, he wouldn’t even need our involvement. He could handle it on his own, with at least an eighty percent chance of success.”

“But the peculiarity lies in the fact that his breakthrough is anything but ordinary…”

“He plans to integrate all four of his Dao Integration Realm Sword Domains into his Golden Core, forging a peerless Golden Core.”

“What?!”

At these words, even Leng Yingfeng, who was usually the most composed among them, stood up in shock.

He looked at Gu Liqing and asked incredulously, “Senior Brother Gu, is this true?”

Gu Liqing nodded and said, “Absolutely true.”

Upon receiving confirmation, Leng Yingfeng’s expression shifted from shock to excitement, and then to outright fervor.

“Hahaha, four Dao Integration Realm Sword Domains, four Dao Integration Realm Sword Domains! Excellent, truly excellent!”

“Who said nine revolutions of the Golden Core is the limit? We Sword Cultivators should have the resolve to face such challenges head-on!”

“Senior Brother Gu, on behalf of Hidden Sword Peak, I fully support that Disciple’s breakthrough. However, I have one request.”

“Speak, Junior Brother Leng. As long as it’s not too excessive, I can agree to it.”Leng Yingfeng said with an excited gleam in his eyes, “It’s simple. If that disciple named Lu Chen truly succeeds in his breakthrough, I hope to be his first opponent after he forms his Golden Core.”

“I want to personally experience what’s so remarkable about this supreme Golden Core condensed from four Dao Integration Realm Sword Domains.”

“Hmm… Very well.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother. In that case, our Hidden Sword Peak has no objections.”

Gu Liqing turned to look at Niu Rengui from Kangding Peak and Sikong Ming from Ten Thousand Talisman Peak, asking with a smile, “What about you two? Do you have any special conditions?”

After exchanging glances with Sikong Ming, Niu Rengui spoke with exasperation.

“Senior Brother, you should have said so earlier! Had we known that disciple was attempting to form a supreme Golden Core, why would we have come here to be lectured by Senior Sister Du?”

Gu Liqing took a leisurely sip of tea and replied with a smile, “Well, you never asked, did you?”

Watching Gu Liqing’s detached, unconcerned demeanor, the same three words surfaced in the minds of all four present, including Du Youlan.

Old fox.

It was clear that Gu Liqing had deliberately kept them in the dark because he wanted to see them make fools of themselves.

No wonder you became the Sect Leader—your heart is truly cunning!

(End of Chapter)