416: Chapter 416 The Undercurrents of the Lingbao Sect

"This was gifted by the Sect Master." Gao Feng's voice wasn't loud, but every word was crystal clear. "If you have any objections, you can go find the Sect Master. I have no authority to return secret arts to you, nor do I have the authority to make any decisions on the Sect Master's behalf."

Elder Mo Yu let out a cold laugh. "The Sect Master has been blinded by you. As Disciples, we cannot sit by and watch." He took a step forward, closing the distance. "If you know what's good for you, hand over the Core Array Technique. The Lingbao Sect is not the Heavenly Sword Sect, nor is it the Wanfa Sect. Outsiders like you are not welcome here."

Lin Yue strode forward, his hands forming seals as the Rock Demon Phantom emerged behind him. An earthy yellow halo spread from the phantom, enveloping the entire courtyard in a defensive formation. Lin Jingyu's hand rested on the hilt of his flowing cloud sword, and Situ Lan pulled her azure phoenix sword out by an inch, the blade's light flashing in the sun. Chu Lan already held several Iron Vine seeds in her hand, while Tian Xin held a messenger Talisman between her fingertips, spiritual energy already flowing into the runes. Luo Li held the flowing sound zither in her arms, her fingers poised over the strings, ready to pluck them at any moment. Su Ning's hands formed seals as the silver light of the Space Power flowed at her fingertips. Yao Guang stood behind Chu Lan, her palms gathering green light, ready to provide healing at any time.

The Disciples Elder Mo Yu brought also revealed their Magical Artifacts one after another, and the atmosphere became tense.

"You want to fight?" Lin Yue's voice squeezed through his teeth. The Rock Demon Phantom's arms spread wide, protecting everyone behind him. Gao Feng raised his hand, signaling Lin Yue not to be impulsive, then looked at Elder Mo Yu and said, "This is the Lingbao Sect; we don't want to fight. But if you strike first, we will not be slaughtered like lambs."

Elder Mo Yu's expression turned even uglier. He hadn't expected this group of outsiders to be so defiant in front of him. He wanted to lash out, but then he saw Lin Yue's Rock Demon Phantom, Lin Jingyu's flowing cloud sword, Situ Lan's azure phoenix sword, the Talismans in Tian Xin's hand, the Spirit Plant seeds in Chu Lan's hand, the Space Power at Su Ning's fingertips, the flowing sound zither in Luo Li's arms, the green light in Yao Guang's palm, and Gao Feng's vajra sword stabbed into the ground, the sword scars on its body still glowing faintly.

Elder Mo Yu hesitated. He had only brought a few dozen Disciples; if they truly fought, they might not necessarily win.

Just as they were in a standoff, a dark red figure walked out from the corridor outside the courtyard gate.

Sect Leader Qilingzi.

His pace wasn't fast—one could even say it was leisurely—but every step he took felt like it was treading on Elder Mo Yu's heart. He entered the courtyard and didn't look at Elder Mo Yu; instead, he looked at the Disciples who were ready for battle. As his gaze swept over them, the Disciples lowered their heads one after another, put away their Magical Artifacts, and retreated.

Sect Leader Qilingzi's voice was very flat, terrifyingly so. "What is everyone doing?"

Elder Mo Yu's expression changed. "Senior Brother, I was just..."

"Just what?" Sect Leader Qilingzi turned around and looked at Elder Mo Yu. "Just taking advantage of my absence to bring Disciples to corner the guests of the Lingbao Sect? Just trying to force them to hand over the Core Array Technique? Just thinking that I, the Sect Master, have gone senile and can't tell right from wrong?"

Elder Mo Yu opened his mouth to explain, but he couldn't say a word. Sect Leader Qilingzi's cultivation was at the eighth level of the Golden Core, two minor Realms higher than his own. His prestige in the Lingbao Sect was unmatched; he held the Sect Master's medallion, and he controlled the eye of the Sect's grand formation. Elder Mo Yu had been bold earlier because he took advantage of Sect Leader Qilingzi's absence, but now that Sect Leader Qilingzi was here, his confidence deflated like a punctured balloon.

"If the Lingbao Sect were all as set in their ways as you, treating legacies as private property and outsiders as enemies, it would decline sooner or later." Sect Leader Qilingzi's voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the courtyard heard it clearly, like a hammer hitting an anvil. "Jian Wuwei of the Heavenly Sword Sect knows that open exchange is the only way for the Legacy of the sword to continue. Xuanqing of the Wanfa Sect knows that the essence of Spells lies in understanding, not monopolization. And what about you? Guarding a few Secret Manuals left by the ancestors and thinking you are invincible under heaven?"

No one dared to respond.

Sect Leader Qilingzi waved his hand. "Elder Mo Yu, one month of solitary confinement at the Cliff of Reflection; go there tomorrow. The rest of you, return to your cultivation areas. If I catch anyone stirring up trouble again, you will be dealt with according to the Sect rules." The Disciples dispersed as if granted a grand amnesty. Elder Mo Yu lowered his head, his face ashen, and turned to walk out of the courtyard gate without looking back.

Sect Leader Qilingzi walked toward Gao Feng. He didn't explain or apologize; he simply looked into Gao Feng's calm eyes. After a long moment, he spoke: "If there is anything you don't understand while practicing the Core Array Technique, you may ask me at any time." Gao Feng cupped his fists. "Thank you, Sect Master." Sect Leader Qilingzi nodded and turned to leave. He stopped at the courtyard gate without turning back. "Next stop, Changsheng Valley. Fairy Qingmu there has a better temper than Jian Wuwei and speaks more softly than Xuanqing. However, there is an Elder in the valley with the Daoist title 'Poison Vine' who is obsessive about Spirit Plants. That little girl in your group who uses Spirit Plants might be made things difficult for by her. Be careful." He stepped out of the gate, his figure disappearing at the end of the corridor.

Chu Lan's hand holding the Iron Vine seeds relaxed as she asked in a low voice, "Poison Vine? What Poison Vine?"

"Obsessive about Spirit Plants?" Tian Xin's brow furrowed slightly. "This kind of person is usually very difficult to deal with."

Gao Feng pulled the vajra sword from the ground, the sword scars on the blade shimmering in the morning light. "We'll see when we get there."

On the corridor outside the guest house, the Lingbao Sect Disciples gradually dispersed, their footsteps slowly fading on the other side of the mountain. Sunlight hit the dome of the Artifact Refining Hall, and the light from the furnace fire peeked through the window, reflecting on Gao Feng's profile, flickering intermittently.

In the evening, the nine of them packed their bags in the guest house. Su Ning recalibrated the spatial positioning coordinates, Lin Yue distributed protective jade pendants to everyone, Chu Lan sorted the Spirit Plant seeds by use, Tian Xin checked the Talismans one by one, Luo Li tuned her zither strings, and Yao Guang checked everyone's Medicinal Pill reserves.

Situ Lan sat on a stone stool in the corner of the courtyard, laying the frost sword across her knees and gently running her fingers over the patterns on the blade. The repaired frost sword was two inches longer than the azure phoenix sword, the blade was wider, and the weight was heavier. She still needed time to adapt, but after practicing drawing and sheathing it a few times, her movements were starting to become smooth.

Lin Jingyu wiped his flowing cloud sword clean and sat under the corridor with his eyes closed to rest.

Gao Feng stood in the courtyard, looking up at the sky above the main peak of the Lingbao Sect. The clouds were thick, and moonlight leaked through the gaps, spreading across the mountain in patches. He looked down at his right hand—the seven days and nights of spiritual energy infusion to repair the frost sword had put quite a load on his Meridians. The burns on his palm had healed, but his fingers were still a bit stiff, and they would tingle slightly when he held the vajra sword.

"Still worried about Changsheng Valley?" Luo Li walked to his side, holding the flowing sound zither in her arms.

Gao Feng shook his head. "I'm thinking about the last thing Sect Leader Qilingzi said."

"Elder Poison Vine?"

"Yes. Sect Leader Qilingzi specifically mentioned her, which means she's not easy to deal with. It's not about high cultivation; it's her obsession with Spirit Plants. Chu Lan's Spirit Plant Art is excellent, but when meeting an obsessive person, the more excellent one is, the easier it is to be targeted." Gao Feng turned to look at Chu Lan, who was organizing Spirit Plant seeds in the corner of the courtyard. She was completely unaware, even humming a tuneless little ditty.

Luo Li followed his gaze and took a look. "She's stronger than you think."

"I know." Gao Feng retracted his gaze. "But she shouldn't have to bear these things alone."

The night wind blew, swirling a few withered leaves in the courtyard.

Early the next morning, the nine of them stood in the teleportation formation outside the Lingbao Sect's mountain gate. Silver light enveloped their figures. Su Ning formed seals with both hands, activating the formation runes, and the light grew brighter and brighter.

Amidst the flickering light, the mountains of the Lingbao Sect gradually shrank in their field of vision, turning into a dark red patch before finally disappearing above the horizon.

After teleporting from the Lingbao Sect, the spatial positioning landing point was chosen in a bamboo forest thirty miles east of Changsheng Valley.

Su Ning said that the roots of the Green Wood Sacred Tree extended around Changsheng Valley, and spatial fluctuations would be sensed by the Spirit Plants. If the landing point were too close, they would be treated as intruders.

When the group landed, the emerald bamboo rustled in the breeze, morning dew still hung on the bamboo leaves, and the air was filled with the fresh fragrance of vegetation. Chu Lan took a deep breath, her eyes lighting up. "The spiritual energy here is so gentle, and the scent of the plants is very pure. It's a bit like the Green Wood Realm."

"The descendants of the Green Wood Sacred Tree have been rooted here for ten thousand years." Yao Guang squatted down, pressing her hand to the ground and closing her eyes to sense for a moment. "I can feel a rich vitality in the underground Spiritual Veins, but there's no unique Bloodline resonance like the azure wood holy seed. The Sacred Tree here should be from another branch."

After walking along the bluestone path in the bamboo forest for about half an hour, a massive valley appeared ahead.

A stone gate stood at the entrance of the valley, with the words 'Changsheng Valley' carved on the lintel. The calligraphy was rounded and soft, unlike the sharp edges of the Heavenly Sword Sect or the ancient vigor of the Wanfa Sect; it possessed a kind of warmth imbued with vitality.

On both sides of the stone gate grew two towering ancient trees, their trunks so thick they would require several people to encircle them. The canopies blotted out the sun, and pale green flowers hung from the branches, their fragrance elegant.

The Disciples in the valley were dressed in light green robes with medicine pouches hanging from their waists. They walked with light, slow steps and spoke in low voices.

A woman in a light green dress walked out from the valley. Her face was gentle, her long hair draped over her shoulders, and a green medallion carved with 'Green Wood' hung at her waist. Seeing the nine of them, she bowed slightly. "Are you the guests from the Wuxiang Sect? The Valley Master is already waiting in the 'Green Wood Hall'." Her gaze lingered on Yao Guang for an extra moment, as if she had sensed something, but she didn't ask further.

The Green Wood Hall was built at the highest point in the valley. The hall itself was carved from a single ancient tree, with the growth rings clearly visible and the branches extending to form the roof's rafters. There were no bricks, stones, gold, or jade in the hall; there was only wood and vines, exuding an air of ancient naturalness everywhere.

The Valley Master of Changsheng Valley, Fairy Qingmu. At the sixth level of the Golden Core, her face was delicate, and her age was indistinguishable, with eyes as gentle as water. She stood in the hall wearing a green robe with several emerald bamboos embroidered on the cuffs. Seeing the nine of them enter, she smiled slightly, her voice soft: "Jian Wuwei of the Heavenly Sword Sect said you would come, and Xuanqing of the Wanfa Sect also sent word that you passed the Wanfa Tower. Although Sect Leader Qilingzi of the Lingbao Sect has a strange temper, his evaluation of you is not low. Now that you've reached Changsheng Valley, there's no need to be nervous."

Gao Feng cupped his fists in greeting. "Thank you, Valley Master."

Fairy Qingmu waved her hand. "No need for formalities. You've already obtained the Five Elements Return to Origin Method and the Core Array Technique. Naturally, Changsheng Valley will not hide our 'Green Wood Pulse Continuation Technique'. However, rules cannot be broken—you must pass this valley's trial to obtain the Legacy." Her gaze fell on Chu Lan. "You are a Spirit Plant Master?"