54: Chapter 54 Big Shots Gather

The day after the next day.

Above Nanyun Lake.

A three-story treasure ship flying the banner of the "Duobao Pavilion" was sailing slowly.

The ship's body was magnificent, its glazed tiles shimmering under the scorching sun.

Inside the cabin, the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments were pleasant to the ear, and laughter was constant; a lively welcoming banquet was underway.

The banquet hall was filled with people.

There were Nascent Soul True Monarchs, Golden Core Immortal Masters, and Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

The tables were laden with spiritual fruits, delicacies, and fine wine; everyone toasted each other, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

Chu Feng sat quietly.

Since the banquet began, the stream of people coming over to offer toasts and strike up conversations had not stopped.

It couldn't be helped; as a True Disciple of Duobao Pavilion, his status was noble.

Now that he was making a rare appearance, which of the Golden Core Guest Elders present wouldn't want to come over and make themselves known to him?

Although Chu Feng was inwardly impatient with these social pleasantries, he still had to maintain appearances.

After finally finding the excuse of "going out for some fresh air," Chu Feng rose from the banquet and walked quickly to the deck.

Leaning against the railing, a breeze carrying moisture blew against his Face, finally dispersing some of the stuffiness.

He gazed at the distant green mountains and the river water beneath his feet, wanting to quiet his mind, but footsteps sounded behind him.

Looking back, he saw True Lord Haoyue and True Lord Xinghe walking side by side.

"True Disciple Chu," Pavilion Master True Lord Xinghe spoke first, "Regarding the situation in Nanshan Prefecture, I have already reported it in detail to the headquarters. I just received a reply; the headquarters will send people to settle the chaos."

Chu Feng was somewhat surprised.

The influence of Duobao Pavilion spread across the five continents and four seas, and its foundation was unfathomably deep. To settle the trouble in Nanshan Prefecture, sending two Soul Transformation Cultivators would easily solve it.

But Duobao Pavilion had always strictly maintained neutrality and never meddled in local disputes. This had been the rule for many years; why make an exception this time?

True Lord Haoyue, standing to the side, saw Chu Feng's confusion and supplemented at the right time: "There is something you don't know. Ancestor Chusheng successfully broke through to the Soul Transformation Stage. After his Breakthrough, his strength already stands above all the Sects in Nanshan Prefecture, and he has shown signs of wanting to dominate the region."

"Therefore, if he does not proactively head to the Central Continent within the allotted time to accept the constraints of the great powers there..."

"Not only will our Duobao Pavilion send people, but other top Sects in the Central Continent will also dispatch experts to intervene forcibly."

Chu Feng was quite surprised. "So, anyone who breaks through to the Soul Transformation Stage outside of the Central Continent cannot stay for long and must go to the Central Continent?"

"Exactly."

True Lord Haoyue continued to explain: "This is a rule jointly established by the various top Sects of the Central Continent. It is meant to constrain the power of Soul Transformation Cultivators outside the region and prevent them from causing too much upheaval in places where low-level Cultivators gather."

"So, the situation in Nanshan Prefecture will settle down in a year or two?" Chu Feng asked.

"That's right."

True Lord Haoyue smiled and said, "With Duobao Pavilion and the top powers of the Central Continent intervening together, even if Ancestor Chusheng has great ambitions, he can only bow his head."

"Once he leaves, the situation in Nanshan Prefecture will quickly stabilize. At that time, the Duobao Pavilion branches in Nanshan Prefecture will also be able to resume normal operations."

"I see!!" Chu Feng nodded.

Of course, he didn't really care what happened to Nanshan Prefecture.

...

Meanwhile, in the distant Central Continent.

Within the Duobao Sect.

The long, heavy toll of a bell suddenly rang out.

The sound of the bell, carrying majestic spiritual power, penetrated through layers of halls and instantly spread to every corner of the mountain gate.

A moment later.

On Duobao Peak, inside a towering hall suspended high in the sky, dozens of hazy phantom figures slowly condensed.

Each phantom exuded an unfathomable aura, with spiritual power fluctuations as deep as an abyss and as heavy as a mountain. Clearly, they were all Peak Master-level figures of the Duobao Sect, each possessing a cultivation at or above the Soul Transformation Stage.

"Urgent news has come from the Heavenly Mystery Platform."

A voice as warm as a spring breeze echoed in the hall.

The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every Peak Master.

"Monitoring shows that the outer boundary has recently experienced abnormal fluctuations. Initial judgment is that it was triggered by some powerful Formation, and the range of the fluctuations is slowly expanding."

The voice fell.

Dozens of phantoms in the hall turned their heads, their gazes focusing on the illusory figure on the highest throne in the hall—that was the Sect Master of the Duobao Sect, Daoist Duobao.

The Peak Master of Zhenbao Peak spoke first, his tone grave: "The boundary has operated smoothly for tens of thousands of years; this kind of problem has never occurred before."

"A Formation capable of triggering its fluctuations is definitely no ordinary thing. There must be a great power controlling it from behind. We must not take this lightly."

"Indeed. In my view, we must discuss this with the Heaven Sword Sect and the Yunyao Sect as soon as possible to conduct a joint investigation. We must find the source of the fluctuations and control it in time to avoid a great disaster," the Peak Master of Danbao Peak said.

The Peak Master of Qibao Peak followed: "The boundary is related to the safety of the entire cultivation world. Once a crack appears, Extraterrestrial Demons could take advantage of it. This matter must not be treated lightly; there are certainly people with ill intentions plotting in the shadows."

"Hmph, no need to think too much; it's definitely the work of those lunatics from the Baibao Pavilion!"

The angry voice of the Peak Master of Huobao Peak rang out. "Baibao Pavilion has become increasingly arrogant over the years, doing all sorts of shady dealings and repeatedly provoking the bottom lines of the major Sects."

"This boundary fluctuation is most likely their doing."

"That's right, this matter definitely has something to do with Baibao Pavilion," several other Peak Masters echoed in succession, clearly having long-standing grievances against Baibao Pavilion.

The warm voice from the throne spoke again, its tone calm yet carrying an unquestionable authority: "Everyone, please remain calm. Currently, there is no conclusive evidence to prove this is related to Baibao Pavilion."

"If it really is their doing, I will naturally pay a visit to Baibao Pavilion myself."

"But regardless of who the mastermind is, the impact of the boundary fluctuations has already appeared. Our Duobao Sect must make full preparations in advance to deal with various possible contingencies and safeguard the continent's safety."

At this time, the Peak Master of Zhenbao Peak said: "Calculating the time, in another fifty years, it will be the Year of the Heavenly Dog."

"In the Year of the Heavenly Dog, the heaven and earth's spiritual power becomes chaotic, often accompanied by various disasters and opportunities."

"Since we need to prepare in advance, I suggest we early-activate that secret treasure that Duobao Pavilion has been researching for many years."

"At the same time, appropriately shift resources to focus on cultivating a group of Core Disciples and backbone forces to deal with the unknown risks of the Year of the Heavenly Dog."

As soon as his voice fell, an argument broke out in the hall.

The Peak Master of Tubao Peak immediately shook his head in opposition: "The distribution of resources among the peaks has always followed the principle of balance; it has never been shifted for so many years."

"Rashly adjusting the distribution plan will definitely break the existing pattern and trigger conflicts between the peaks, thereby affecting the overall stable operation of Duobao Pavilion. This simply will not do."

"Those words are too heavy."

The Peak Master of Zhenbao Peak countered, "It's just focusing on cultivating True Disciples, not a large-scale misappropriation of resources from each peak. How much spiritual power and materials could it consume?"

"Compared to the boundary fluctuations and the crisis of the Year of the Heavenly Dog, cultivating True Disciples is the urgent priority, concerning the future survival of Duobao Pavilion."

"No, no, no. The boundary fluctuation is the most pressing matter right now. While cultivating True Disciples is important, it cannot destroy the balance between the peaks because of it."

"I don't think so. Without enough strength, even if the source of the fluctuation is found, we might not have the ability to deal with it, let alone resist the disasters of the Year of the Heavenly Dog..."