Just as Chu Feng was dueling with Zuo Taide, at the same time, in Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect.
Today, Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect had decided to hold a conference in response to the rumors spreading like wildfire outside.
Outside the towering main hall, the sky which had been clear now turned somewhat overcast. It looked as though rain was about to fall, though to cultivators, such weather was of little consequence.
Inside the hall, a grand banner hung high above…..Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect’s 10,086th Conference.
As the publicly acknowledged number one boss of Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect, the Sect Master sat in the seat of honor. Beside him, dressed in black, was the Moonlight Sword Fairy.
For this press conference, Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect had not restricted attendance by faction rank. Any force was welcome to listen.
Among those attending, aside from minor factions, quite a few major powers were present as well. The Great Yan Empire, Yaochi Holy Land, and both the Buddhist and Daoist sects had all sent representatives.
Naturally, the speaker was neither the Sect Master nor the Moonlight Sword Fairy, but Elder Wu.
Those who came to this conference were, of course, curious about whether the legendary Sky-Mending Stone was real or not. Listening wouldn’t cost them anything.
The smaller factions were still unclear about the exact situation, but the major powers knew perfectly well.
According to reliable black market intelligence, the Sky-Mending Stone within the Sky-Mending Secret Realm had indeed fallen into Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect’s hands. Otherwise, they would not have joined forces to pressure such a colossal power as Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect.
“Ahem! Distinguished guests, this Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect conference will be addressed on behalf of the sect by me. Please speak one by one.”
As soon as Elder Wu finished speaking, a man standing behind the Buddhist representative rose to his feet. A knife scar ran across his face as he was the first to question, “The Moonlight Sword Fairy is here, but why hasn’t her direct disciple shown herself?”
“Well… according to Peak Master Lu, her direct disciple is currently at a critical stage of seclusion and is in the imperial palace of the Great Yan Empire.”
Elder Wu had barely finished speaking when Eunuch Cao, representing the Great Yan Empire, added:
“That’s correct. This servant can attest that Miss Bai Yuyan is indeed in seclusion.”
Hearing the explanation, the scar-faced man said, “Of course I know about Bai Yuyan, the Moonlight Sword Fairy’s eldest disciple. I’m referring to the other newly accepted direct disciple. I’ve heard his name is Chu Feng, correct?”
At these words, some among the crowd showed surprise. Since when had the Moonlight Sword Fairy taken another direct disciple?
Faced with the question, Elder Wu answered honestly, “That is true. Peak Master Lu has indeed accepted another direct disciple. However, this disciple is weak in strength, only at the Second Rank. How could he possibly have obtained the Sky-Mending Stone within the Sky-Mending Secret Realm?”
Those who could enter the Sky-Mending Secret Realm were all the proud talents of various sects, generally Fourth Rank and above. A mere Second Rank cultivator could hardly stir up any waves.
“Amitabha.” At this moment, the Buddhist representative Jie Tan spoke. “Elder Wu, as the saying goes, heavenly treasures belong to those fated to obtain them. Being weak does not necessarily mean having little fortune. Yet sometimes, a common man is innocent but becomes guilty by possessing a treasure. A great secret treasure such as the Sky-Mending Stone would be better kept under joint custody by all of us.”
Lu Xiyue frowned slightly upon hearing this and lifted her gaze toward the Buddhist representative. These bald monks all put on dignified and radiant appearances on the surface, speaking more righteously than anyone else, yet the things they did in private were truly despicable.
“What the Master says is absolutely right! Could it be that your Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect intends to swallow the Sky-Mending Stone’s great secret all for yourselves?” Catching the subtle signal Jie Tan gave him, the scar-faced man instantly grew bolder. “Everyone knows that immortals have always existed only in legend. Since ancient times, how many mighty cultivators have exhausted their entire lives without ever glimpsing the immortal realm?
“And now, the Sky-Mending Stone, something that existed only in legend, has appeared! This is the very stone Nuwa used to mend the heavens, and Nuwa herself was a great immortal of the ancient era! This stone may very well contain the secret to becoming an immortal. Is your Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect trying to monopolize that secret so that all future immortals will come only from your sect?!”
After the scar-faced man finished speaking, the great hall fell into silence as everyone began to ponder.
The word “immortal” was far too elusive and intangible. At present, one of the few things connected to the legendary era of immortals was the Sky-Mending Secret Realm. Countless powerful cultivators had entered it, only to return empty-handed, finding no clues at all. But now that the Sky-Mending Stone had appeared, it might very well contain the method to ascend to immortality!
“That’s right! Could it be that your Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect truly intends to monopolize the method of becoming an immortal?!”
“Hand over the Sky-Mending Stone! A secret of this magnitude should be made known to the entire cultivation world!”
“Hand over the Sky-Mending Stone!”
“Hand over the Sky-Mending Stone!”
Voices of discontent rose from all corners of the great hall.
“Well, everyone! Setting aside whether the Sky-Mending Stone is even in our possession…. even if it were, we would never monopolize the method of becoming an immortal!”
Although Elder Wu tried his best to explain, those above paid no heed. If the Sky-Mending Stone was not handed over, everything else was meaningless talk!
Jie Tan continued to roll the Buddhist beads in his hand, murmuring sutras under his breath.
The Daoist representative, meanwhile, sipped his tea at a leisurely pace, as though the surrounding clamor had not reached his ears.
Just as Elder Wu was at a loss for what to do, a heart-shaking surge of sword intent swept toward him. Turning around, he saw that Lu Xiyue had already arrived behind him.
“Peak Master Lu.”
“You may step down. Leave this to me.”
Hearing Lu Xiyue’s words, Elder Wu did not dare hesitate in the slightest and immediately withdrew.
Lu Xiyue swept her gaze over the faces of the crowd, her expression turning cold.
“Hmph!”
With a cold snort, a terrifying pressure engulfed the entire hall. The people who had been righteously indignant just moments ago all fell silent at once.
An Eighth Rank cultivator, no one present dared to provoke her lightly.
Yet the scar-faced man glanced at Jie Tan and saw that he was still calmly rolling his Buddhist beads. Swallowing hard, he gritted his teeth.
I’ll risk it!
As long as today’s gathering passed, he would be made an honorary elder of the Buddhist sect as an exception!
Although the scar-faced man had killed countless people, he could always find a justification. He could claim that he had turned back from the abyss, put down his blood-soaked knife and achieved enlightenment.
“Moonlight Sword Fairy, please give us an explanation!”
Trembling, the scar-faced man felt Lu Xiyue’s icy gaze sweep over him, his legs nearly going stiff.
“What explanation do you want?” Lu Xiyue said indifferently.
“The Sky-Mending Stone from the Sky-Mending Secret Realm… is it or is it not in the hands of your disciple, Chu Feng?!”
As he spoke, the scar-faced man’s voice quivered slightly.
Lu Xiyue narrowed her beautiful eyes halfway. “Believe it, and it exists. Doubt it, and it does not. Even if it truly is in my disciple’s hands….what of it? Do you intend to kill my disciple and seize it?”
A suffocating pressure bore down on him, and the scar-faced man’s back was instantly drenched in sweat.
“I would not dare. It’s just that if the Moonlight Sword Fairy refuses to let your disciple come out and testify personally, I fear it will be difficult to convince everyone!”
As soon as the scar-faced man said this, Jie Tan continued rolling his Buddhist beads, softly uttering “Amitabha” before another person stepped forward.
“That’s right! The Moonlight Sword Fairy must have your disciple step forward! Today, you may use your cultivation to silence us, but can you silence the mouths of the world? Just answer this, Moonlight Sword Fairy….do you dare let your disciple appear or not?”
Lu Xiyue replied coldly, “And if I say no?”
“Amitabha.” Jie Tan kept turning his beads as he spoke. “We have all gathered at Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect today for an explanation, not for Benefactor Lu to avoid the matter. If you refuse to address it, it will only further convince everyone.”
The scar-faced man raised his voice. “Perhaps you all are unaware, but according to the information I’ve received, not long after the Moonlight Sword Fairy’s direct disciple exited the Sky-Mending Secret Realm, the realm itself closed. As everyone knows, once opened, the Sky-Mending Secret Realm remains open for three years before closing. The reason it shut down early this time is precisely because the Sky-Mending Stone was taken. It’s even possible that the Sky-Mending Secret Realm will never appear again. Faced with such a tremendous loss, does the Moonlight Sword Fairy truly have nothing to say?”
As his words fell, the crowd, which had just quieted down, began to stir once more.
“That’s right, that’s right. Give us an explanation!”
“Moonlight Sword Fairy, please answer the question directly!”
“Hand over your disciple!”
Looking at the scene he had stirred up, the scar-faced man curled his lips into a cold smile. So what if she was the Moonlight Sword Fairy? With so many people here, so many forces applying pressure, even the Heaven’s Pinnacle Sect would not be able to withstand it!
“Everyone, don’t be afraid! The Buddhist and Daoist sects are here to stand up for us! The Moonlight Sword Fairy is only—”
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore across the sky outside the great hall. A blinding flash lit up the heavens, and in the next instant, rain began to fall.
Inside the hall, at the very moment the lightning flared, a dazzling arc of sword light blazed forth as well.
The scar-faced man was still moving his lips as he spoke, yet no sound came out. Instead, mouthful after mouthful of blood poured from his mouth.
In the next moment, he saw his own headless body.
Thud, thud—
A severed head rolled across the floor under the shocked and terrified gazes of everyone present.
Splurt!
A column of blood erupted from the neck of the headless corpse, finally scattering into a fine mist of crimson rain as it fell.
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