"Outer Elder, summon the Grand Elder and Great Elders to my Temple in 30 minutes."
"Sect Master, what's wrong?"
"Sect Master, you need to see the Sect Physician right away! Rather, I'll bring the Sect Physician to you."
Jin Boqin loses patience.
"Nonsense! It's just an arm! It's not like my organs are liquefied! Go and tell them to meet me in my Temple in 30 minutes sharp!"
The Outer Elders quickly departed.
Jin Boqin flew past the other disciples, ignoring their stares, and causing concern among them.
After 30 minutes, he took his seat facing the Three Elders.
Fairy Xi Niu, Grand Elder Meng Buyan, and Great Elder Qi Long.
"Sect Master, who is responsible for this? We need to gather our forces and take down the perpetrators immediately!" Great Elder Qi Long exclaimed, causing the glass figurines and statues to move with the intensity of his Spiritual Qi.
Fairy Xi Niu and Grand Elder Meng Buyan nodded in agreement, but Sect Master Jin Boqin dismissed the suggestion. "Save the revenge for later. Our priority is to send ten years' worth of supplies to Mount Apo," he said calmly.
Despite their confusion, the elders complied with the Sect Master's orders. "To whom should we send it?" Fairy Xi Niu asked while Grand Elder Qi Long insisted on seeking revenge.
"Fairy Xi Niu, we can send the supplies later. Right now, we need to prioritize addressing the damage to our Sect's reputation," Great Elder Qi Long stated firmly.
"Enough!" Jin Boqin interjected.
The Sect Master's Temple went silent.
"Let's hear from the Sect Master first," Grand Elder Meng Buyan calmly interjected. "Sect Master Jin Boqin, what happened at Mount Apo?"
Jin Boqin recounted his experience, including how he defeated two Nascent Soul Realm cultivators and concealed the truth about losing his arm due to his arrogance and negligence.
"Then I found myself in a strange place that resembled the Tower's structural buildings," he concluded, describing the encounter with the powerful mysterious cultivator who offered him a chance.
Great Elder Qi Long slammed the table in anger. "How dare he! Doesn't he realize who you are? Sect Master Jin Boqin is at the peak of Mid Stage Nascent Soul Realm, a formidable cultivator. How foolish of him to offer you a chance!"
Jin Boqin closed his eyes, feeling irritated and conflicted.
He sighed, wishing he could reveal his true pitifulness under the mysterious man's gaze.
He wished Great Elder Qi Long would direct his disgust towards him, not the mysterious man.
Turning to Grand Elder Meng Buyan, he said, "Grand Elder, please slap Great Elder Qi Long twice."
Grand Meng Buyan nodded and obeyed, creating a deafening sound of slapping inside the Sect Master's Temple.
"I don't want any interruptions. Here it goes..." Jin Boqin flicked his hand, and a glowing paper materialized in front of them.
"This is Essence Grade Spirit Paper---," Jin Boqin began but was interrupted by Great Elder Qi Long.
"Essence Grade Spirit Paper! Where did you find it, Sect Master? We're rich! Although it is graded the same as Elixir and Spirit Stone, its value is increased a hundred times because of how it was harnessed from the latter," exclaimed Great Elder Qi Long.
Jin Boqin's blood pressure rose, and he closed his eyes momentarily.
He then turned to Grand Elder Meng Buyan and calmly said, "Grand Elder Meng Buyan, please beat him up."
Grand Elder Meng Buyan nodded in understanding. "Of course."
Meanwhile, Great Elder Qi Long was celebrating the newfound wealth of their sect, completely unaware of what was about to happen to him in the next few seconds.
The tallest mountain in the Sky Heaven Piercing Sect, where the Spiritual Qi was the thickest, trembled not from an earthquake, but from the beating that Great Elder Qi Long received.
Grand Elder Meng Buyan emerged from the Temple, carrying the battered Great Elder Qi Long with his left hand behind his back.
"Reflect on your foolish actions before you return," he said before throwing Great Elder Qi Long out of the Sect Master's Pavilion.
With Great Elder Qi Long gone, silence returned.
Jin Boqin sighed in relief.
"This Essence Grade Spirit Paper contains the terms he proposed to us," Jin Boqin.
"Is he threatening us?" Fairy Xi Niu said with a frown "Our Sect can repay him for saving you; there's no need for a binding contract," she added.
Jin Boqin shook his head.
"You're mistaken. What I meant by 'chance' is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to strengthen our Sect, or so he claimed. Please read the conditions."
Grand Elder Meng Buyan and Fairy Xi Niu looked over the conditions with a mix of amusement, confusion, and concern.
"Sect Master, are you certain you weren't lured in?" Fairy Xi Niu questioned, re-reading the favorable terms. "It seems too good to be true. It could be a trap."
Grand Elder Meng Buyan looked at Jin Boqin with a serious expression. "Sect Master, you're not considering signing this, are you?"
Both Fairy Xi Niu and Grand Elder Meng Buyan were focused on Jin Boqin, waiting for his response.
Jin Boqin remained silent, causing fear to grip the hearts of the two.
He then snapped his fingers, causing the Spirit Paper to light up and reveal his hidden signature.
"Sect Master! Why would you act so recklessly?" Fairy Xi Niu exclaimed.
Jin Boqin glared back at her. "Do you think I have a choice? Saying no would mean certain death!"
Fairy Xi Niu fell silent, but her eyes continued to glare at him.
Grand Elder Meng Buyan intervened. "Let's all remain calm. Fairy Xi Niu, please take your seat. It's not appropriate for a Great Elder to glare at the Sect Master for an extended period."
Fairy Xi Niu scoffed at Grand Elder Meng Buyan. "You always know just what to say at the right moment."
Nonetheless, she took a seat.
Grand Elder Meng Buyan smiled briefly before becoming serious. "Sect Master, even if everything you said is true - a self-sustained world within the Dungeon, beasts that drop elixirs, and a giant monkey on a Golden Core Realm that can harness the Law in his attacks - it was still reckless of you to sign the binding contract. Please, do not do this again. You are far too important for the Sect."
Jin Boqin looked like a child being scolded by his parents. This was especially true since Grand Elder Meng Buyan was already a Grand Elder before becoming the Sect Master.
Great Elder Qi Long entered the Pavilion with a fresh look, far more presentable than his wounded face earlier.
Great Elder Qi Long asked "How you would like to proceed," he said, taking his seat.
Jin Boqin turned his gaze to the three of them. "We've been cultivators for a long time, accustomed to the dangers of our path. The current situation is no different, but the risks are greater this time. If we're wrong, we may not be able to handle it." Jin Boqin paused and stood up.
His expression was serious as he stood with his blood-soaked and torn Hanfu fluttering in the wind, despite missing his right arm.
"Enemies are silently growing in strength, and the demonic sects are increasing day by day. The dormant Tower is beginning to move, and it terrifies me," Jin Boqin recounted what he had heard from the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators he had defeated.
["The Earth will shake once more, the same magnitude as the last catastrophe," they had warned.
Gripping the Hanfu's collar, Jin Boqin demanded, "What do you mean?!"
The dying cultivator only laughed and muttered, "Ha-ha-ha! You'll find out soon." *coughed *coughed "This is for the good" *coughed t-the good for all mankind."]
Fairy Xi Niu interrupted, asking about the Tower's connection to the demonic sects and what terrifies him about the Tower, as it was supposed to maintain balance in the Silica Continent.
Jin Boqin turned to face them and said, "It's too dangerous for you to know."
Grand Elder Meng Buyan, Grand Elder Qi Long, and Fairy Xi Niu insisted on knowing, reminding Jin Boqin that they are accustomed to danger.
Jin Boqin sighed and explained that one of the defeated cultivators had warned him about an impending catastrophe, using the same catchphrase that the Tower always used.
Grand Elder Meng Buyan recognized the catchphrase, "For the good of all mankind."
"Are the common people preparing to attack the cultivators?" Grand Elder Qi Long inquired.
"It's possible. During the Tower's dormancy, there have been rumors of them secretly amassing strength to invade the Urea Continent or wage war against us. We don't have concrete evidence, but it's enough to make us cautious of the Tower," Jin Boqin replied solemnly.
"If that's the case, I will reduce the number of disciples sent to the Tower for cultivation," Fairy Xi Niu suggested.
"Let's not be hasty. We should be cautious. If the Tower truly holds animosity towards cultivators and they notice our distancing, we could be the first to suffer," Grand Elder Meng Buyan cautioned, pausing to cough.
"Remember, the Tower has existed since before the Catastrophe. Their influence and power are immense. We must be careful not to attract their attention and arouse suspicion."
Jin Boqin let out a wry laugh.
"This brings us back to the question of how to proceed. I think the Dungeon might be able to help us. It feels like fate led me to discover it. The idea of it being a coincidence seems unlikely. The Tower has its power and influence on the surface, but the Dungeon's mysterious and terrifying abilities exist in the shadows."
Grand Elder Meng Buyan, Fairy Xi Niu, and Great Elder Qi Long were intrigued.
While common sense suggested that Jin Boqin's statement was likely just a coincidence, as cultivators who challenge fate, they believed that coincidences were not an option but fated.
Jin Boqin's left hand flicked, and Spiritual Qi enveloped him in light.
When the light disappeared, he was still missing an arm, but his Hanfu was cleansed of blood and dirt and became pristine.
He stood tall as the respected Sect Master of Sky Heaven Piercing Sect. His battle-worn face and knowledgeable eyes spoke of countless struggles and victories.
"Listen! I declare that the Sky Heaven Piercing Sect will honor the conditions," Jin Boqin announced, a smile appearing on his face. "Make the most of it, everyone!"