67: Chapter 67 Thunderous Methods

The Peak Master of Qiding Peak, Elder Jinduan, also at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, oversees the Artifact Refining lineage. He has a fiery personality and a stubborn temper, possessing an almost obsessive pursuit of Artifact Refining Materials, especially various metal deposits and Five Elements refined gold. Like Elder Chiyan, he is a figure who walked quite closely with the lineage of the former Ghost Hand Daoist and Elder Liu of Tianquan Peak.

During the years Lin Wan was "missing," the two of them frequently used various excuses, both openly and covertly, to express "strong interest" in the herb gardens of Guixu Peak, which are rich in Spiritual Qi and produce rare Spirit Medicine, as well as the special Artifact Refining Materials left behind by Lin Wan that contain the essence of the Five Elements. They even joined forces several times to pressure True Monarch Daoxuan and Peak Master Yue Lingyun, attempting to divide and encroach upon the interests of Guixu Peak in the name of the "Sect's overall situation" and "rational allocation of resources."

Hindered by the two's important status in Alchemy and Artifact Refining, as well as the intricate network of relationships behind them, even though True Monarch Daoxuan and Peak Master Yue Lingyun had the heart to protect Guixu Peak, they had to be cautious. They could only try their best to mediate and delay, failing to completely stop their behavior. This made Elder Chiyan and Elder Jinduan increasingly arrogant, believing that Guixu Peak had lost its backbone, and they became even more unscrupulous.

When Lin Wan's figure, dressed in green robes with a sword on his back, appeared silently in the sky above the plaza in front of the "Red Flame Hall," the main hall of "Danxia Peak," his terrifying Spiritual Pressure at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection, like an invisible sky collapsing, crashed down. The entire Danxia Peak instantly transformed from its usual state of lingering Alchemy fragrance and flourishing Immortal Qi into a dead, suffocating wasteland.

All the Disciples of Danxia Peak who were Alchemy, identifying herbs, or Cultivating, regardless of their level of cultivation, felt a fear and trembling originating from the depths of their Soul. It was as if an invisible giant hand had gripped their throats; their breathing became labored, their Spiritual Qi stagnated, and even their thoughts slowed down. Some Disciples who were at critical moments of Alchemy suffered a loss of focus, and muffled explosions came from within their Pill Furnace. Their Medicinal Pill were destroyed, causing a backlash that made them vomit blood and collapse to the ground, yet they dared not even let out a scream.

"Chiyan, come out and see me."

Lin Wan's calm and indifferent voice, like an oracle from above the Nine Heavens, clearly resounded in the depths of the Divine Soul of every Danxia Peak Disciple, carrying an unquestionable and irresistible majesty.

A moment later, a slightly flustered yet feigning composure red streak of light shot out from the depths of the Red Flame Hall and landed on the plaza in front of the hall. It transformed into an old man wearing red Daoist robes, with a ruddy complexion and three long strands of beard under his chin. However, at this moment, his Face was pale, and there was sweat on his forehead. It was none other than the Peak Master of Danxia Peak, Elder Chiyan.

"I... I did not know that Grand Elder Lin had arrived. I failed to welcome you from afar, and I beg for your forgiveness." Elder Chiyan barely steadied his mind and bowed to Lin Wan, who stood with his hands behind his back in the air, lowering his posture significantly. Although he was arrogant, he was by no means a fool. The news that Lin Wan had killed six Nascent Soul Cultivators with one sword, including one at the Peak of the Middle Stage, had already spread back to the Sect. At this moment, having personally experienced the opponent's terrifying Spiritual Pressure, which was as vast as the sea and unfathomable, how could he dare to be disrespectful? In his heart, he had already thrown those little schemes to the Nine Heavens, leaving only endless regret and fear.

"I wonder what instructions Elder Lin... has?" Elder Chiyan asked cautiously, his voice carrying an irrepressible tremor.

"Instructions?" Lin Wan's gaze was like lightning, slowly sweeping over the Danxia Peak Disciples below, who were as silent as cicadas in winter. Finally, his gaze landed on Elder Chiyan. "I have heard that in recent years, Elder Chiyan has been quite 'attentive' to the herb gardens of my Guixu Peak, repeatedly demanding rare Spirit Medicine under the guise of the Sect's Alchemy needs or Alchemy research, and even... intending to interfere in the management of my Peak's herb gardens?"

Elder Chiyan's heart pounded wildly, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back. He had not expected that the first thing Lin Wan did upon his return, after settling accounts with Elder Liu of Tianquan Peak, was to come looking for him immediately, and so directly and mercilessly.

"Elder... Elder Lin, it's a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding!" Elder Chiyan hurriedly defended himself, his voice changing pitch. "The old man did indeed negotiate with Guixu Peak for some Spirit Medicine supplies due to the Sect's Alchemy needs, but I never had any intention of seizing them by force! And I would never dare to interfere in the internal affairs of Guixu Peak! Peak Master Yue and the Sect Head are both aware of this! The old man has absolutely no ill will towards the Sect or Guixu Peak!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Lin Wan was noncommittal, his tone still flat. "Then why did my Guixu Peak Disciples report that your Danxia Peak Disciples have several times trespassed into my Peak's outer herb gardens without permission to steal Spirit Medicine? Your head Disciple, 'Great Elder Danchenzi,' even publicly declared during a Sect meeting that the rare items produced by the Guixu Peak herb gardens should be 'uniformly allocated and rationally utilized' by the Sect's Alchemy lineage, otherwise it would be 'a waste of heaven's gifts and detrimental to the Sect's interests'? Have you heard these words, Elder Chiyan? Have you ever stopped them?"

Elder Chiyan's Face instantly turned as pale as paper. He naturally knew these words; in fact, he had tacitly approved and indulged them. He had originally thought that since Lin Wan had "fallen" outside, Guixu Peak had lost its backing. Liu Ruyan and Chu Qingyao were just women, plus a half-grown child, Lin Jingyun, who could not possibly defend such a treasure land. He only needed to pressure them with the overall situation and righteousness, and by taking his time, he would surely be able to gradually bring those uniquely endowed herb gardens of Guixu Peak under the control of Danxia Peak. Who would have thought that Lin Wan not only returned but also returned with such terrifying strength, and was now settling old scores!

"This... this is because I failed to discipline them strictly; my Disciples are arrogant and ignorant, speaking wildly! I will certainly punish them severely! As for the matter of stealing Spirit Medicine, it never happened! It must be a frame-up! Elder Lin, please see the truth!" Elder Chiyan was still making a final struggle, trying to push the responsibility onto his Disciples and clear his own name.

"A frame-up?" Lin Wan slowly shook his head, his eyes devoid of any warmth. "Elder Chiyan, at this point, do you still want to quibble? Since I dared to come here, I naturally have already obtained conclusive evidence. You indulged your subordinates, coveted the resources of your fellow Sect members, abused your power for personal gain, corrupted the Sect's discipline, and even intended to lay your hands on the Grand Elder's Daoist field. Your heart deserves to be punished."

"I..." Elder Chiyan wanted to say more.

"Enough." Lin Wan interrupted him, his voice turning cold. "Considering that you have indeed made some contributions to the Sect's Alchemy, I will not kill you. But while the death penalty can be avoided, you cannot escape punishment while alive."

He paused, and under the terrified and desperate gaze of Elder Chiyan, he pronounced the sentence: "From today on, you are relieved of your position as Peak Master of Danxia Peak and all other Sect Alchemy duties. Your cultivation will be sealed, and you will be confined to the 'Earth Fire Cave' for three hundred years; you may not leave without the order of the Sect Head or myself. All your personal property, Pill Formula, and stored Spirit Medicine, except for what is basically needed for Cultivate, will be confiscated and incorporated into the Sect's treasury. Your head Disciple, Great Elder Danchenzi, will have his cultivation abolished and be expelled from the Sect. The other Disciples involved in stealing and slandering Guixu Peak will be punished according to the severity of their actions, ranging from abolishing cultivation, expulsion from the Sect, or confinement to reflect on their mistakes. Danxia Peak will be temporarily taken over by an Elder appointed by the Sect, and a final decision will be made after a suitable candidate is selected."

"No! Lin Wan! You can't do this! I have been Alchemy for the Sect for hundreds of years; even if I have no merit, I have worked hard! You cannot treat me like this! I want to see the Sect Head! I want to see Senior Brother Daoxuan!" Elder Chiyan let out a desperate roar, like a trapped beast. Relieved of his duties, cultivation sealed, confined for three hundred years! This was more painful than killing him! Three hundred years later, his Lifespan would be nearly exhausted, his cultivation sealed, and his path to the Dao would be completely severed! Moreover, his property would be confiscated, and his Disciples would be abolished! This was simply uprooting him completely!

"Noisy."

Lin Wan frowned slightly and spat out two words again.

"Hum—!"

An even more terrifying Spiritual Pressure, which seemed capable of freezing the Divine Soul, crashed down! Elder Chiyan's roar was instantly cut off in his throat. He stood stiffly on the spot, as if immobilized by a spell, his eyes bulging and his whole body trembling, yet he could not make a single sound. In his eyes, only endless fear and regret remained.

"Take him away and deal with him as I said." Lin Wan commanded calmly to the Law Enforcement Hall Elder who had rushed over upon hearing the news (it was still the same one, whose efficiency was indeed extremely high).

"Yes! We will strictly follow the Grand Elder's decree!" The Law Enforcement Hall Elder bowed and accepted, waving his hand for people to step forward and drag away the now limp Elder Chiyan, while simultaneously beginning to arrest and interrogate his Disciples.

After dealing with Danxia Peak, Lin Wan's gaze turned to another direction—Qiding Peak.

He did not pause in the slightest, and his figure disappeared again.

The next moment, he had appeared in the sky above the "Jinduan Hall," the main hall of "Qiding Peak."

The same scene played out again.

When Lin Wan's vast, sea-like Spiritual Pressure enveloped the entire Qiding Peak, all the Qiding Peak Disciples who were Artifact Refining, forging, or quenching felt as if they were placed in a furnace, yet were frozen by invisible ice, feeling so uncomfortable that they almost vomited blood. From the Artifact Refining Room, there were bursts of metal explosions and sounds of furnace fires going out of control; clearly, many Artifact Refiner had lost their focus, leading to destroyed artifacts and exploded furnaces.

"Jinduan, come out."

Lin Wan's voice was colder than it had been at Danxia Peak. He had an even worse impression of Elder Jinduan, who had a fiery temper, a stubborn personality, and had publicly slandered Guixu Peak several times at Sect meetings, coveting the Artifact Refining Materials he had left behind.

Elder Jinduan was a bit tougher than Chiyan, or rather, more reckless. He rode a thick golden streak of light, flew out of Jinduan Hall in a rage, landed on the plaza, pointed at Lin Wan in the air, and shouted sternly:

"Lin Wan! Although you are a Grand Elder, do not go too far in bullying others! My Qiding Peak has worked hard and made great contributions to the Sect's Artifact Refining! What is the reason for you to use your power to bully people without cause today, disrupting my Peak and destroying my Disciples' Artifact Refining?! Do you really think I, Jinduan, am made of clay?!"

"Without cause?" Lin Wan looked down coldly at Elder Jinduan, who was like an angry bull below. "Elder Jinduan, you have repeatedly slandered my Guixu Peak at Sect meetings, claiming that we privately hoard rare Artifact Refining treasures and do not contribute them to the Sect, saying it is for selfish reasons and disregarding the Sect's righteousness. Your Disciples have even attempted to forcefully break into the outer mineral veins of my Guixu Peak multiple times, clashing with my Peak's Disciples and even injuring several people. Are all these 'without cause'?"

"That... that is because your Guixu Peak does not understand the big picture! You hoard treasures and refuse to contribute to the Sect!" Elder Jinduan roared, his words fierce but his heart weak. "The Sect's Artifact Refining requires a large amount of rare Materials! Your Guixu Peak sits on a treasure mountain but only knows how to enjoy it alone; shouldn't you contribute it? As for the conflicts... those are just disputes of temper between the younger generation, not worth mentioning!"

"A fine 'disregard for the big picture', a 'clash of mere ego'." Lin Wan sneered, "It seems Elder Jin Duan thinks that the possessions of my Guixu Peak should belong to your Refining Cauldron Peak? And that the Disciples of my Guixu Peak should be beaten by your Refining Cauldron Peak?"

"I... I didn't mean that!" Elder Jin Duan knew he was in the wrong, but unable to lose Face, he stubbornly argued, "In any case, if you don't give an explanation today, I, Jin Duan, will never let this go! I will go to the Sect Head and report you for abusing your power for personal gain and suppressing fellow Sect members!"

"An explanation?" Lin Wan slowly raised his hand. The guixu sword had appeared in his grasp at some unknown moment. Its Chaos-colored blade flowed with a restrained yet lethal radiance under the sunlight. "You want an explanation, so I shall give you one."

"Jin Duan, as the Peak Master of Refining Cauldron Peak, you do not think to refine your Artifact Refining Dao or contribute to the Sect. Instead, you covet the benefits of your fellow Sect members, indulge your subordinates, bully the weak, and slander and frame others, corrupting the Sect's reputation. Your actions are despicable, and your heart deserves to be punished."

"Today, I, Lin Wan, in the name of the Grand Elder of the Qingyun Sect and on behalf of the Sect Head, shall exercise the power of law enforcement."

"I sentence Jin Duan to be stripped of his position as Peak Master of Refining Cauldron Peak and all other Artifact Refining duties within the Sect. His cultivation shall be sealed, and he shall be cast into the 'Cold Ice Prison' for five hundred years to reflect on his transgressions. All his private property, Artifact Refining diagrams, and treasured Materials, excluding basic necessities, shall be confiscated. All Disciples under his command who were involved in the forced entry and injuring others shall have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from the Sect. The Refining Cauldron Peak shall be temporarily managed by an Elder appointed by the Sect to rectify its atmosphere."

"Do you have any objections?"

Lin Wan's voice was calm and majestic, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness, as if he were proclaiming a divine decree.

"No! I refuse to accept this! Lin Wan! By what right?! I have refined artifacts for the Sect for hundreds of years and have rendered great service! By what right do you convict me with a single sentence?! I want to see the Sect Head! I want to see Senior Brother Daoxuan! I want to see all the Elders! I want a fair judgment!" Elder Jin Duan jumped and roared like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Golden light erupted around him, and he seemed to want to resist, but under the lock of Lin Wan's vast, ocean-like Spiritual Pressure and cold killing intent, his thought of resistance was like a candle in the wind, extinguished in an instant, leaving only powerless roaring.

"Stubborn and unrepentant."

A cold light flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. He lightly tapped the guixu sword in his hand toward the still-roaring Elder Jin Duan below.

"Hum—!"

A sword beam, only as thick as a hair yet refined to the extreme and possessing the color of Chaos, shot out from the tip of the sword and instantly submerged into Elder Jin Duan's glabella.

All of Elder Jin Duan's movements and roars ceased abruptly. The anger, unwillingness, and fear in his eyes froze instantly. At the center of his brow, a barely perceptible Chaos-colored sword mark slowly appeared.

Immediately afterward, the massive Nascent Soul energy within him, at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, dissipated and was sealed, like a deflated balloon. His entire body, as if drained of all strength, collapsed limply to the ground. He could not even move his fingers, and his eyes were filled only with boundless confusion and dead silence.

With this finger, Lin Wan not only sealed his cultivation but also used the power of the Five Elements Guixu Dao Seed to temporarily suppress his Divine Soul, leaving him without even the chance to self-destruct or perform any secret techniques.

"Take him away." Lin Wan instructed the Law Enforcement Hall Elder who had rushed over upon hearing the news, his tone remaining indifferent.

"Yes! We obey the Grand Elder's decree!" The gaze the Law Enforcement Hall Elder directed at Lin Wan was now filled with deep awe. In a single day, he had crippled three Nascent Soul Peak Masters (Elder Liu, Chi Yan, and Jin Duan) with thunderous, merciless methods. The prestige and decisiveness of this newly appointed Grand Elder had been firmly established.

As Elder Jin Duan was dragged away like a dead dog, the Refining Cauldron Peak also fell into the same dead silence and fear as Danxia Peak and Tianquan Peak.

Lin Wan hovered in the air, his gaze slowly sweeping over the three Peaks below that had been "cleaned up" by him, and then sweeping further into the distance, toward other Peaks and Immortal Caves that faintly contained powerful auras but were now silent as cicadas, not daring to make the slightest move.

He knew that today's three fires were enough to burn away most of the restless thoughts within the Sect. Those who had once coveted Guixu Peak or had harboring improper intentions toward Liu Ruyan and Lin Jingyun were likely already so terrified that their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and they would not dare to make any further moves.

But this was not enough. What he wanted was not just deterrence, but total control; it was to make everyone in the Qingyun Sect truly understand who was in charge of the Sect now, and whose will could not be defied.

"Pass on my decree."

Lin Wan's voice once again resounded over the entire Qingyun Sect mountain gate, clearly reaching the ears of every Disciple and Elder.

"From this day forth, within the Sect, regarding all matters concerning the 'Guixu Peak' herb gardens, mineral veins, Legacy, and resources, without the personal permission of this seat or the Sect Head, no one may interfere, demand, or encroach upon them for any reason. Violators shall be treated as traitors to the Sect and punished severely without exception!"

"All Disciples and Elders must strictly abide by the Sect rules, unite with fellow Sect members, and must not form cliques, bully the weak, or covet the possessions of fellow Sect members. Violators will be strictly dealt with according to the Sect rules, and there will be no leniency!"

"All resource allocation, task distribution, and Disciple promotion within the Sect must be fair, just, and transparent. If there is any favoritism, malpractice, or abuse of power for personal gain, once verified, it will be strictly punished without exception!"

"This order takes effect immediately. The Law Enforcement Hall is responsible for supervising its implementation and reporting to this seat and the Sect Head regularly. Those who neglect their duties or harbor and indulge others shall be punished with the same severity!"

The cold, majestic, and unquestionable decree struck the heart of every Qingyun Sect Cultivator like a heavy hammer. Everyone knew that from this day on, the landscape of the Qingyun Sect had completely changed. This "True Monarch Guixu" was not only the pillar of the Sect but also the true Dominator who had the final say and controlled everything!

"We obey the Grand Elder's decree!"

After a brief silence, a mountain-shaking response of agreement erupted. Regardless of their inner thoughts, at this moment, no one dared to have the slightest objection.

Lin Wan nodded and said no more. His figure transformed into a streak of Chaos light, flying toward the direction of the main Peak, "Lingyun Peak".

He needed to see True Monarch Daoxuan and Peak Master Yue Lingyun to explain today's events and discuss how to integrate the Sect's strength to cope with the threat of "the end", as well as... the changes that might follow in the Southern Region, and even the five great regions.

And while Lin Wan was in secret consultation with True Monarch Daoxuan and Peak Master Yue Lingyun on Lingyun Peak, the news that he had crippled three Nascent Soul Peak Masters in one day, issued an iron-blooded decree, and completely seized control of the Qingyun Sect had spread like it had grown wings. It traveled faster than the speed at which his return and slaying of the six Nascent Souls had spread, reaching the entire Southern Region and diffusing to even further regions.

The major Sects and aristocratic families in the Southern Region were all shocked upon hearing the news. They knew that with Lin Wan's return, the Qingyun Sect would inevitably rise, but they did not expect that the way it rose would be so domineering, so direct, and so... unsparing!

"This Lin Wan... what ruthless methods!"

"Crippling three Nascent Souls in one day and completely taking control of the Qingyun Sect... this is to establish prestige!"

"It seems that the sky of the Southern Region is truly going to change color completely. The Qingyun Sect is likely to become the undisputed leader of the Southern Region!"

"Send word down, immediately prepare generous gifts and go to the Qingyun Sect to offer congratulations! No, to apologize! Back then we had some dealings with the Ice Soul Palace and Xuanming Sect; we must clear our relationship as soon as possible!"

"Quick! Tell the Disciples outside to keep a low profile. Do not provoke the people of the Qingyun Sect! Especially that 'True Monarch Guixu'!"

Everywhere in the Southern Region, undercurrents surged, and people were in a state of panic. Countless forces began to re-examine their relationship with the Qingyun Sect and adjust their strategies.

And at this moment, the Qingyun Sect, which was at the center of the storm, after experiencing a day of thunderous tremors, appeared to have fallen into a strange calm on the surface. But beneath this calm was a stricter order, more efficient operation, and the heartfelt awe and... fear that countless Disciples and Elders felt toward that god-like "True Monarch Guixu" who resided high above on "Lingyun Peak" and "Guixu Peak".

Below Guixu Peak, at the Listening Rain Pavilion.

Liu Ruyan, Chu Qingyao, and Lin Jingyun naturally heard the rumors from the outside and felt the murderous atmosphere within the Sect. They knew that all of this was because of Lin Wan. That man they were familiar with, loved deeply, and were proud of, had displayed his iron-blooded, cold, and decisive side in order to protect them, guard Guixu Peak, and take control of the Sect.

"Mother, Aunt, is Father... becoming... a bit different?" Lin Jingyun couldn't help but ask, his eyes filled with a trace of complexity. He admired his father's strength, but he also felt a trace of unfamiliarity with the almost ruthless, thunderous methods his father had displayed today.

Liu Ruyan and Chu Qingyao exchanged a glance and both sighed softly.

"Jingyun, your father... is only doing what he must do." Liu Ruyan said softly, her eyes filled with heartache, "In this world, the weak are the prey of the strong, and people's hearts are treacherous. If your father were not tough and ruthless, the ones being crippled and suppressed today would be us, would be Guixu Peak. What he carries on his shoulders is not just this family, but the future of the entire Sect, and even... an even heavier burden. There are some things he must do, even if his hands are stained with blood, even if he bears the infamy."

"Your mother is right." Chu Qingyao also said softly, "Your father's Dao is protection, is transcendence. Protecting us, protecting the Sect, and even protecting this world. For this goal, he must possess absolute power and authority. Today's events, though thunderous in method, were also a quick cut to untangle the mess, exchanging the smallest price for the stability and unity of the Sect. You must understand him, and even more... strive to become stronger so that in the future, you can help him share the burden."

Lin Jingyun was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily: "I understand. I will Cultivate hard and will never hold Father back! In the future, I also want to be like Father, to have enough strength to protect the people I want to protect!"

Watching the fighting spirit and determination rekindled in their son's eyes, Liu Ruyan and Chu Qingyao smiled at each other, feeling both gratified and somewhat sorrowful in their hearts.

They knew that after this, Lin Wan's position in the Sect and the Southern Region would be as solid as a rock. But they also faintly felt that a greater storm might be quietly approaching. And their husband, the father of their child, was destined to stand at the very forefront of that storm.

On Guixu Peak, the winds and clouds rested for a moment. But the winds and clouds of the Southern Region, because of Lin Wan's return and iron-fisted rule, had only just... stirred up monstrous waves.