Although the Sword Heart Sect is small in number, with only about two to three thousand members, and over a thousand in the Yuanying stage, their leader, Lin Jian, only possesses mid-stage Combined Body cultivation. However, this sect is unique as it is the only martial cultivation sect in the entire Gathering Star, known for its formidable offensive capabilities. Their personal attack power ranks first among the seven sects of Gathering Star, and they are known for their aggressive tactics—if anyone provokes this sect, they will stop at nothing to retaliate. Consequently, members of the Sword Heart Sect have always acted with impunity in the Gathering Star.
Guo Xingyue and his companions had just finished visiting the top sect, the Chongzhen Sect, when they suddenly received a message from Ye Xing via the communication jade token: Ye Yue has been captured by the Sword Heart Sect; hurry back! Since Ye Xing's cultivation level was limited, the information he could send was minimal. Guo Xingyue felt anxious and decided to use his teleportation ability to return to the Jinshi Sect alone, instructing Ye Mingcheng and his wife to follow on their flying swords.
Over the past few years, while teaching, Guo Xingyue had also been contemplating the Tao Te Ching. Although his realm remained at the early stage of Dividing Spirit (after receiving the method to control his realm from the Lingxu Elder, Guo Xingyue had consciously controlled the speed of his realm advancement), his true essence had become exceptionally refined, and his control over power had become increasingly proficient. With a thought, he teleported to the entrance of the Jinshi Sect (due to the protective formation around the Jinshi Sect, he could not teleport inside). Having grown familiar with the Jinshi Sect over the years, Guo Xingyue greeted the gatekeeping disciples and then took off on his flying sword directly towards Ye Mingcheng's home.
Ye Xing, who was usually steady, was standing anxiously in the courtyard, while Ye Kai paced back and forth like a wounded leopard, exuding an aura of hostility. Upon seeing Guo Xingyue land on his flying sword, both rushed over. Ye Kai exclaimed, "Master, you're back! Quickly take us to rescue my sister!" Guo Xingyue raised his hand to stop Ye Kai and said to Ye Xing, "Xing'er, you explain what happened."
Ye Xing steadied himself and began, "Uncle, here's the situation: Today, my siblings and I went down the mountain to play. On our way back, we encountered an injured young Vermilion Bird (a mythical bird), so the three of us surrounded and captured it. Just then, a person named Kong Liang, who claimed to be a disciple of the Sword Heart Sect, said that he discovered and injured the Vermilion Bird first and demanded that we hand it over. My second sister loved that Vermilion Bird and refused to give it up. Words escalated, and we ended up fighting. Although Kong Liang is only at the early Yuanying stage and uses a mid-grade flying sword, his skills were quite strong. My second sister, despite relying on the power of her magical artifact, couldn't defeat him. When my third brother saw my second sister struggling, he stepped in to help and injured Kong Liang. Kong Liang left in anger, but shortly after, the third elder of the Sword Heart Sect, Kong Xuan, teleported in and captured my second sister along with the Vermilion Bird. My third brother and I were no match for them; we couldn't even chase them down. Before leaving, Kong Xuan said that our elder must go to the Sword Heart Sect to retrieve us. Upon returning to the sect, we informed the Grand Elder and sent you a message, Uncle. The Grand Elder told you to come see him as soon as you returned."
Guo Xingyue nodded, "I understand. You two wait here. I'll go to the Elder Hall for a moment. Xing'er, keep an eye on Kai; don't let him run off." After saying that, Guo Xingyue stepped on his flying sword and flew towards the Elder Hall at the mountaintop.
The Elder Hall was where Guo Xingyue had previously met the Lingxu Elder. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw that both the Lingxu Elder and the Dongxu Elder were already waiting inside. Guo Xingyue hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects, saying, "I've come to see both of you, elders. How should we handle this situation?"
The Dongxu Elder chuckled, "Brother, you've finally returned. This matter is not as simple as it seems on the surface. The Sword Heart Sect wouldn't come to provoke our Jinshi Sect for no reason. The root cause of this lies with you."
Guo Xingyue was taken aback: what does this have to do with me? I've had no dealings with the Sword Heart Sect; how could I be involved? He asked in confusion, "Dongxu, how do you mean? I have no enmity with the Sword Heart Sect; why would I be entangled with them?"
The Lingxu Elder, who had been silent, spoke up: "As a martial cultivator, you should understand that martial cultivators possess significantly higher attack capabilities than ordinary cultivators, and their tribulations are also more formidable. The Great Tribulation is not easy to overcome." After a pause, he continued, "You possess extraordinary skills and have a Tribulation Elixir; thus, you need not fear the Great Tribulation, but others may find it challenging."
Guo Xingyue, being a sharp-witted individual, quickly grasped the implication: the Sword Heart Sect was using this incident as a pretext to capture Ye Yue, aiming to acquire the Tribulation Elixir. He couldn't help but feel a surge of anger: while the Tribulation Elixir was indeed difficult to refine, it was not something he valued highly. If the Sword Heart Sect had approached him to request the elixir, he would have willingly given it, but resorting to this form of coercion was simply unacceptable. Guo Xingyue looked at the Lingxu Elder and asked, "What do you suggest we do about this?"
The Lingxu Elder pondered for a long time before responding, "The winds are shifting; the tranquility of the Gathering Star, which has lasted for thousands of years, seems destined to change. Ye Yue is a disciple of our Jinshi Sect, and we cannot simply stand by. Alas, a great chaos is imminent, and we must prepare."
The Lingxu Elder was already at the mid-stage of the Tribulation, and the Great Tribulation could strike at any moment. He would soon leave the Gathering Star to prepare for his tribulation in a concealed location and would not be able to participate in the rescue mission. (When a cultivator undergoes a tribulation, if other cultivators are too close, it could trigger a chain reaction. Hence, most tribulation participants choose to retreat to hidden places for their tribulation. The case of the Haotian Elder drawing attention to his tribulation was indeed a rarity.) The entire Jinshi Sect would be managed by the Dongxu Elder. While the Lingxu Elder could not lend direct assistance, he was capable of analyzing the enemy situation and formulating strategies.
The Lingxu Elder first provided an overview of the connections among the seven major sects of the Gathering Star: these sects have had their legacies for tens of millions of years, with many ancestors ascending to the Immortal Realm. Among them, the Chongzhen Sect has the most ascensions. It is said that the ancestors of this sect have considerable influence in the Immortal Realm. However, the specifics remain unknown due to the barrier between mortals and immortals, and cultivators have little insight into the Immortal Realm's affairs. They only know of the reputation of the Chongzhen Sect's ancestors, which was mentioned by the rare Immortal who descended.
Although this sect is the largest, it rarely interferes in matters outside of cultivation unless faced with invasions by demons or monsters; they do not participate in disputes within the cultivation world. The Baicao Sect, which focuses on alchemy, has relatively weak combat capabilities and few members, and they also do not engage in conflicts within the cultivation world. Among the remaining five sects, our Jinshi Sect ranks third, but in reality, its strength is comparable to that of the Kunyu Sect, which ranks second. The leader of the Kunyu Sect, Elder Yi Ming, is also at the mid-stage of Tribulation and will soon undergo his tribulation. The Kunyu Sect has traditionally maintained a close relationship with the fifth-ranked Sword Heart Sect, and they might be involved in this incident.
The fourth-ranked Huining Sect has a good relationship with us, and its leader, Elder Lin De, has reached the mid-stage of the Combined Body and is quite straightforward, making him a potential ally. The sixth-ranked Yining Sect, led by the indecisive Elder Qian Yi, has also reached the mid-stage of the Combined Body but rarely engages in direct conflict. Their style has always been to take advantage of opportunities, fleeing when there are no benefits, and this approach has not changed over the past tens of millions of years. In addition to the seven major sects, there are also many skilled practitioners among smaller sects, and we should make every effort to secure potential allies.