Guo Xingyue and his companions, all at the Dividing Spirit stage or above, possessed the ability to teleport. However, with the imminent battle, no one would waste their true essence unnecessarily on teleportation. Although Qianzhangping was far from Jinshi Mountain, it only took these experts half a day to reach their destination by flying. The group landed among the mountains and took some time to recuperate and restore their consumed true essence. The next morning, they soared towards the depths of Qianzhangping under the rising sun, with Guo Xingyue intentionally flying at the forefront, guiding everyone towards the pre-arranged array location.
The group had barely stood on the sandy terrain for a short while when they spotted a gathering of about a hundred cultivators flying towards them on their swords. In no time, this group descended, stopping roughly thirty paces away. The two leaders were both at the mid-stage of the Combined Body. One was clad in white, tall and straight, with sharp features that exuded strength and confidence, creating a powerful sense of pressure. This was undoubtedly Lin Jian, the leader of the Sword Heart Sect. The other, dressed in green and sporting a wide smile, appeared harmless. This was Dongfang Feixing, the Grand Elder of the Kunyu Sect. However, those fooled by his friendly demeanor would soon regret it; he was notorious in the cultivation world for hiding daggers behind a smile. Despite his formidable cultivation, his scheming was even more profound, and many cultivators on Gathering Star had suffered due to his manipulations.
Lin Jian remained silent, coldly observing the gathered group. Dongfang Feixing smiled broadly and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "It's good to see you all here early! Sorry for keeping you waiting." He then turned to the Dongxu Elder, "Long time no see, my old friend! I'd like to congratulate you on your recent appointment as the leader of Jinshi Sect! Haha!" The Dongxu Elder replied with a smile, "You're too kind, Dongfang. This matter between our sect and the Sword Heart Sect doesn't seem to involve your sect, does it? What brings you here?"
Dongfang Feixing avoided answering, instead greeting Lin De, the leader of the Huining Sect, with a grin, "Oh, Lin De, it's been a while! Your cultivation has improved quite a bit, very impressive!" Lin De, well-acquainted with Dongfang Feixing's character and having suffered at his hands before, merely smiled without engaging further.
Seeing that Lin De wasn't responding, Dongfang Feixing continued unabated, "My fellow cultivators, it is only natural to repay debts; lives lost must be compensated. Surely, with Jinshi Sect's wealth, this must be a minor inconvenience. Since a Jinshi disciple harmed others, it is only fair to offer some compensation. What do you think, fellow cultivators?" The members of the Sword Heart Sect all voiced their agreement, while those from Jinshi Sect, well aware of Dongfang Feixing's character, chose not to respond. Guo Xingyue couldn't help but feel both amused and infuriated: this extortioner had somehow turned himself into a reasonable creditor, while they, the victims, were portrayed as the debtors. It was indeed a case of "extortion with reason" and "blackmail without guilt"! However, since Guo Xingyue was not the highest in cultivation among them, he couldn't speak out. He secretly decided that if negotiations fell through and they had to resort to violence, he would let the Sword Heart Sect truly experience the effects of the Kanli Killing Formation.
The Dongxu Elder, having a good temperament, was not swayed by Dongfang Feixing's words. He simply smiled and said, "It seems that you are determined to involve yourself in this dispute, Dongfang. So please, let us know your terms."
Dongfang Feixing chuckled, "It's not about terms, my friend. I'll offer two suggestions for your consideration: The first is for Jinshi Sect to hand over several Tribulation Elixirs, and the Sword Heart Sect will immediately release the girl. I will vouch for this settlement. The second suggestion is even simpler—since we are all cultivators, let's have a friendly contest; whoever wins will have their way."
The Dongxu Elder smiled slightly, "While our Jinshi Sect is reasonably well-off, we truly lack Tribulation Elixirs. It seems we have no choice but to proceed with your second suggestion. But how do you propose we conduct this contest—through literary or martial means?"
Dongfang Feixing replied with a smile, "As we are all respectable individuals, it should naturally be a literary contest. Each side will send three representatives, and we will compete, stopping at the point of conclusion."
The Dongxu Elder, being quite experienced, immediately understood Dongfang Feixing's intentions: each side had five cultivators above the Combined Body stage. Both sides had two mid-stage cultivators, but Lin Jian, being a martial cultivator, had no rivals among the gathered experts. His victory was certain. On the other hand, Dongfang Feixing was not below the Dongxu Elder or Lin De in cultivation, making his match unpredictable against anyone. In the remaining match, both sides had three early-stage cultivators, where no one could guarantee victory, resulting in a fifty-fifty chance. However, overall, the Sword Heart Sect had a higher chance of winning, exceeding sixty percent.
The Dongxu Elder was not fooled by this and smiled, "What you propose makes sense, Dongfang. We are all respectable individuals, and it wouldn't do to simply lash out. Instead, let's do this: the cultivators above the Combined Body stage will refrain from entering the fray, allowing the juniors at the Dividing Spirit stage a chance to spar. Each side can send three representatives: one from the early stage, one from the mid-stage, and one from the late stage. What do you think?"
Dongfang Feixing's eyes twinkled as he quickly calculated his options and then beamed, "Great idea! We'll follow the Dongxu Elder's plan: three matches, best of two wins. The losing side must comply with the winning side's terms regarding this matter."
The cultivators who had been waiting in the mountains surrounding Qianzhangping were now soaring above the battlefield on their flying swords, forming a dense crowd. There were likely tens of thousands present, yet it was eerily quiet. After all, four of the seven major sects of Gathering Star were present, and no one dared to offend all four at once, leading to an unusually peaceful atmosphere despite the large number of people.
As the only martial cultivator on the Jinshi Sect side, Guo Xingyue possessed unmatched attack capabilities at the early stage of Dividing Spirit. He was naturally the first to step forward, while the Sword Heart Sect sent out Lin Jian's top disciple, Chen Ming, who was also at the early stage of Dividing Spirit.
Guo Xingyue was excited, as this was his first encounter with a martial cultivator since arriving in the cultivation world. As he walked into the arena, he observed his opponent: Chen Ming was tall and robust, exuding a powerful presence. He appeared clean and composed, walking at a steady pace, with piercing eyes full of confidence. Guo Xingyue felt a stir within: this was a worthy opponent, and he needed to be cautious.