Above the sky, a flying boat broke through the clouds. On both sides of the flying boat, a peach blossom mark was prominently displayed. On the deck, an old man with a white beard and white hair stood proudly, his Qi radiating outward. The cold air and clouds around him could not get close, and even at an altitude of 10,000 meters and at an extremely fast speed, the disciples behind him did not feel the slightest chill or wind.
"Elder Zhou," an old woman approached from behind and said, "We're not far from the Moon Embracing Sect now."
"Mm," Elder Zhou nodded lightly, his tone aloof. "The Moon Embracing Sect has been in decline for many years. It should have been removed from the ranks of third-rate sects long ago. But considering those five old guys are still there, the surrounding sects have been hesitant to push too hard, which is why they've survived to this day."
"But I never thought they would dare to poach our disciples, even though we've left them alone. Even among those they took, none would have been worthy of entering our sect's walls. Yet, our sect cannot be humiliated. We must teach them a lesson. Elder Wu, do you understand?"
"Of course," Elder Wu muttered. "But I assume we won't push too hard, right?"
"Naturally," Elder Zhou nodded. "Those five old men are difficult to deal with. You've only recently entered the Cave Heaven Realm and are no match for them. If we wanted to wipe out the Moon Embracing Sect entirely, even if our Peach Blossom Sect mobilized all our forces, we'd pay a heavy price. After all, a cornered beast has nothing to lose. If we don't leave them a way out, they'll fight tooth and nail."
"So, our goal isn't to destroy the sect but to assert our dignity and..." He lowered his voice, "deliver a slap in the face."
"I see," Elder Wu suddenly understood. "No wonder the Sect Master asked you and me to bring the new disciples and wait for over a month before taking action."
"Exactly," Elder Zhou smiled. "What's the point of us old guys fighting to the death? Without some extraordinary opportunity, you, me, and those five old guys will be stuck in the Cave Heaven Realm for the rest of our lives, with no hope of advancing further. The vitality of a sect lies in its future and its heirs."
"They must have recruited some new talents this year. We let them train for a month, now we will have our disciples face theirs and crush them completely. This will not only assert our dominance but also give our disciples a smoother path in their cultivation."
"Wise," Elder Wu acknowledged.
"Alright, let's speed up."
"Yes!"
The flying boat accelerated further. But at that moment, the disciples behind them suddenly exclaimed in surprise and excitement, "Look, what is that?!"
"So big!!!"
"It's another flying boat!"
"Wow, there's an eagle engraved on their flying boat. It's huge, and it's golden!"
Elders Zhou and Wu exchanged glances and frowned. "They're from the Golden Eagle Sect."
"The Golden Eagle Sect is ruthless and notorious. Although their strength isn't much greater than ours, they're like a piece of sticky plaster—annoying and hard to get rid of. Avoid conflict with them."
"Yes, Elder."
The disciples nodded, now understanding who they were dealing with. The flying boat adjusted its course to avoid the Golden Eagle Sect's vessel. But after a moment, Elder Wu pondered, "The direction they're heading seems almost the same as ours, doesn't it?"
"Could they also be going to the Moon Embracing Sect?"
"Perhaps. It's said the Moon Embracing Sect not only carved those words on the path our Peach Blossom Sect must pass but also on others."
"Humph, they're digging their own grave!"
"Don't worry, let's stay focused."
They paid no further attention and continued on their way. Soon, they encountered another flying boat.
"That's the Eight Swords Sect."
"Looks like they're heading to the Moon Embracing Sect too."
"What a coincidence."
"After today, the Moon Embracing Sect might be in ruins."
"Haha, that's good news. Our Peach Blossom Sect is the closest to the Moon Embracing Sect. If they collapse, we can take over their mountain and territory. Even though their mountain isn't extraordinary, it's still a spiritual mountain. It could boost our sect's power!"
Elder Zhou's smile widened. He was certain the Golden Eagle Sect and the Eight Swords Sect wouldn't go for the kill. The five old guys from the Moon Embracing Sect were no pushovers. If pushed to the brink, they could take a few Cave Heaven Realm experts down with them. Why risk it?
Not long after, the elders of the three sects realized they shared the same destination and began communicating through messages.
"It seems our destinations are the same."
"Our purpose is likely the same as well."
"Since the Moon Embracing Sect dares to disrespect us, we must teach them a lesson!"
"Today, all the disciples they've recruited this year will be sent to their doom."
"Naturally, but my Golden Eagle Sect disciples will take the lead!"
As they chatted, the Golden Eagle Sect elders began making arrangements. The Peach Blossom Sect and Eight Swords Sect elders frowned but didn't object immediately. It wasn't fear of the Golden Eagle Sect but rather their reputation for being as shameless and persistent as a piece of sticky plaster. The king of hell is easy to deal with, but the devil hordes are troublesome.
---
Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing were meditating at the mountain gate, consolidating their cultivation after breaking through the Condensing Yuan Realm the previous night. Since no one had come during the day, they didn't need to keep watch constantly. Being disciples didn't mean they had to neglect their cultivation.
But suddenly, an overwhelming pressure descended from the sky, causing them to tremble and nearly collapse. They gritted their teeth, stood up, and opened their eyes.
"Who's there?!"
"What is that?!"
The next moment, they saw three menacing flying boats approaching, and their expressions changed drastically.
---
Inside the Moon Palace, Lin Fan suddenly opened his eyes. "This feeling..."
"Such intense pressure, and it's not concealed at all. An enemy is approaching? Didn't we agree there'd be a small crisis once a year? It's only been a month, and the crisis is already here?"
Lin Fan's scalp tingled. "I don't know if we can handle this."
He took a deep breath and strode forward. At the same time, everyone on the mountain felt the pressure and rushed out of their training grounds. They saw the three flying boats approaching and their expressions turned grim.
"People from the Peach Blossom Sect, the Eight Swords Sect, and the Golden Eagle Sect!"
Second Elder Wu Xingyun, who was on duty today, had a serious expression. "They've dared to invade our mountain gate? How bold!"
She dashed forward to intercept them.
---
Xiao Linger exited her cultivation state, her delicate face tense.
"Are they here for us?"
"No," an old voice echoed in her mind. "They're from nearby small sects. If I'm not mistaken, they're here to retaliate for what the Moon Embracing Sect did earlier."
Xiao Linger immediately understood. "The words carved on the path to their sects?"
"Most likely," the old voice replied. "Ling'er, do you regret your choice?"
Xiao Linger gritted her teeth and shook her head. "I've never regretted it! The master, elders, and fellow disciples have treated me with sincerity and given me everything I need. Even the Earth Core Demon Fire, a treasure of the sect, was given to me without hesitation. Where else could I find such a sect? If I had joined the Peach Blossom Sect, would they have treated me this way?"
She snorted coldly. "The sect is in trouble today, and I'll do my part!"
She got up and ran down the mountain.
"Don't be too anxious," the old voice comforted. "These are all third-rate sects, and they're at the bottom of the hierarchy. The Peach Blossom Sect, Golden Eagle Sect, and Eight Swords Sect won't dare to go too far. After all, while the Moon Embracing Sect is in decline, its five elders are still formidable. They're undoubtedly among the best in the third-rate sects. I think they're here to save face and demand an explanation."
"Even so, we can't just sit back and do nothing," Xiao Linger said, her face determined. "If they intend to humiliate our sect, we can't let them have their way!"
The old voice fell silent, but within her necklace, the incomplete soul smiled with satisfaction.
'You have a good character,' the soul thought. 'You're a thousand times, no, ten thousand times better than that ungrateful wretch. It's a pity I only valued talent and ignored character back then. Otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up like this...'
'And this Moon Embracing Sect... I've never seen anything like it in all my years. But I like it. If they really push us, I, an old woman, don't mind intervening...'
---
Boom!
The pressure intensified. Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing trembled uncontrollably. If they hadn't broken through to the Condensing Yuan Realm the previous night, they would have collapsed under the weight. Even so, their bones creaked under the strain, and their gums bled from clenching their teeth. They couldn't even form a complete sentence.
Finally, the three flying boats landed one after another. Disciples from the three sects, dressed in their respective sect uniforms, disembarked. Each stood tall and imposing, a stark contrast to Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing, who were hunched under the pressure, barely able to stand.
The Golden Eagle Sect disciples were particularly arrogant. One of them stepped forward and struck Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing, causing blood to trickle from their mouths. The slap marks on their faces were glaring, and their cheeks swelled instantly.
"How dare the Moon Embracing Sect act so arrogantly!" the disciple sneered. "I'm here today to seek justice. Lead the way, or I'll slaughter you like dogs."
Both Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing felt humiliated. Since joining the sect, they had never experienced such treatment. Now, under the oppressive pressure, they could barely stand, let alone retaliate. But instead of panic, they felt only anger.
"How unreasonable!" they thought, glaring defiantly.
"Huh?! You dare to glare at me?" The Golden Eagle Sect disciple drew his sword. "It seems you have a death wish. Then die!"
"Stop!" A booming voice echoed.
Wu Xingyun finally arrived, her sleeves waving as she dispelled the pressure from the Cave Heaven Realm elders. Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing regained their freedom and immediately retreated, drawing their swords to face the Golden Eagle Sect disciple.
"Enough!" the Golden Eagle Sect elder barked. "We're not here to fight to the death."
Seeing Wu Xingyun, he hesitated, remembering her fearsome reputation. But he still had a task to complete.
"Oh?" Wu Xingyun landed in front of Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing, her expression icy. "You come uninvited, attack my disciples, and now claim you're not here for a fight? Do you think the Moon Embracing Sect is easy to bully?"
"Such sharp words," Elder Zhou of the Peach Blossom Sect sneered. "Your skill at twisting the truth is impressive. We're here to seek justice. Your Moon Embracing Sect caused this. Are we wrong to demand an explanation?"
Wu Xingyun's expression didn't change. She knew what they were referring to. Initially, she had been worried, but now that it had happened, she felt no regret. Recruiting a talent like Xiao Ling'er was worth offending every third-rate sect in the area.
"You can do whatever isn't prohibited by law," she retorted. "Was there any rule against carving words on the road before this?"
"Strong words!" the Eight Swords Sect elder snapped. "What's the difference between poaching our disciples and stealing our resources? Today, you must give us an explanation!"
"Oh?" Lin Fan arrived, leaping tens of feet in a single bound. "Then tell me, what explanation do you want?"
Though inwardly worried, he knew the situation had to be resolved.
"Who are you?" Elder Wu frowned.
"The master of our sect," Wu Xingyun replied respectfully.
"Oh?" Elder Zhou laughed. "Your Moon Embracing Sect is truly something, letting a young boy be the sect master. Is he just a puppet?"
"Enough!" Wu Xingyun's anger flared. "If you dare insult our Sect Master again, I'll kill you!"
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Elder Zhou snorted but didn't press further. It wasn't fear but the knowledge that pushing these old-timers too far could lead to disaster.
"Second Elder, no need for this," Lin Fan waved his hand, signaling Wu Xingyun to calm down. He had realized that while these people were here to cause trouble, their strength wasn't overwhelming. Otherwise, they would have attacked directly instead of arguing at the mountain's base. There was no need to panic.
At that moment, Xiao Ling'er arrived, followed by the other five mascots (disciples). She looked wary and angry, noticing the slap marks on Fang Kun and Zuo Qingqing's faces. Without a word, she handed them healing pills, which quickly reduced the swelling.
The seven mascots… cough… disciples gathered, and the expressions of the three sects' elders shifted slightly. They were shocked.
"They're all in the Condensing Yuan Realm? Didn't the Moon Embracing Sect refuse to accept anyone?"
"How can such young people be in the Condensing Yuan Realm? That woman is at the fifth level, and she might reach the sixth soon."
"And those healing pills—their effect is incredible. The swelling disappeared almost instantly."
Before they could process this, Lin Fan spoke again.
"I've changed my mind," he said coldly. "Right now, I don't want to hear your demands for an explanation. You attacked my disciples first. If you want to talk, you'll return what you owe first!"
"Fang Kun, Zuo Qingqing, who struck you? Do you remember?"
"Yes!" they replied angrily, their grievances now fully apparent.
"Go. Slap them back and make sure they remember it. If anyone resists, beat them down!"
Boom, boom, boom!
From all directions, powerful auras approached rapidly. The other four elders were returning. They had been searching for herbs and materials nearby but rushed back upon hearing of the sect's crisis.