124: Qingxia Sect

Lin Feng's gaze swept over the old miner's hunched back and the numb faces of the surrounding miners. His expression remained calm and undisturbed as he replied indifferently, "It's fine."

Afterward, Wang Mingyuan led Lin Feng to a relatively bustling trading area. A Cultivator, who appeared to be from a small Family, was selling several medicinal herbs at a stall.

Wang Mingyuan walked straight over, casually picked one up, examined it, and said, "This Fire-Beard Grass is of average quality. My Wang Family will take it at the old price."

The stall owner's face showed a look of hesitation. "Steward Wang, this... this price is really..."

Wang Mingyuan's face darkened, and he exerted the Spiritual Pressure of the Early Foundation Establishment Stage. The stall owner's face instantly turned pale, and sweat broke out on his forehead. He couldn't say another word and could only nod dumbly.

Only then did Wang Mingyuan put on a smile again and say to Lin Feng, "I've let Fellow Daoist see a joke. These people always fail to appreciate favors. In this Shattered Gold Valley, the price set by my Wang Family is the fair price."

After wandering for about half an hour, Wang Mingyuan brought Lin Feng to a tea stall where Cultivators rested. Without waiting for Lin Feng to speak, he ordered the shopkeeper on his own, "Bring two bowls of your best 'Cloud Mist Spirit Tea'." After sitting down, he smiled at Lin Feng and said, "Since Fellow Daoist is new here, I, Wang, will be the host. This mere tea is just a small token of my regard."

However, once the tea was served and Lin Feng had just taken a sip, Wang Mingyuan's tone shifted. He looked at Lin Feng with a faint, knowing smile. "However, the flying Magical Artifact and Storage Pouch you carry don't seem like ordinary items. I wonder which sect Fellow Daoist hails from? Did you really come to my Shattered Gold Valley just to see the scenery?"

Lin Feng put down his tea bowl. "I am a Loose Cultivator, belonging to no sect or school. The Magical Artifacts were passed down by my ancestors, used only for self-defense and travel. Steward Wang is overthinking it."

"Passed down by ancestors?" Wang Mingyuan sneered. "I don't think so. Your movements are suspicious, and you carry heavy treasures yet speak evasively. I think it's better if you come back to the Wang Family with me to clear things up!"

Lin Feng sighed inwardly, knowing that conflict was now unavoidable. He reached into his robes, took out that special leather scroll, and spread it on the table. To this day, he didn't know exactly what this leather scroll pointed to, only that it was related to Shattered Gold Valley.

"Steward Wang, to be honest, I am passing through this place at the request of a deceased elder to inquire about matters related to this map. I wonder... has the Wang Family ever seen something similar? If you can provide a lead, I am willing to compensate you with Spirit Stones."

However, when Wang Mingyuan's gaze fell upon the leather scroll, the cruel grin on his face froze. His breathing quickened, and his fingers trembled as he pointed at the scroll.

"This... this pattern? You... you actually have this thing?" His voice cracked slightly with excitement. "So that's it! You came for 'that'! Good! Excellent! Heaven is truly helping my Wang Family! Capture him! I want him alive!"

At this point, Lin Feng moved. The effect of the hidden star pendant was deactivated, and the Spiritual Pressure of the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage was released without reservation.

The wild joy and murderous intent on Wang Mingyuan's face were instantly replaced by horror. "Foundation Establishment Mid-stage? You..." His words cut off abruptly.

Lin Feng's figure flickered. Under the execution of Mirror Flower Snow Moon, a faint afterimage remained in place. At the same time, light flashed from the Storage Pouch at his waist, and three Early Foundation Establishment Puppets—a Stone Puppet, a Water Puppet, and a Vine Puppet—appeared silently, accurately meeting the two guards and Wang Mingyuan.

The Stone Puppet clashed head-on with a guard's blade aura, the Water Puppet entangled another person's Magical Artifact, and the Vine Puppet's root system burst from the ground, firmly binding Wang Mingyuan's feet.

The flowing cloud immortal binding silk in Lin Feng's hand coiled around Wang Mingyuan. Wang Mingyuan felt a massive force surge through him, his Dantian throbbed with pain, and his cultivation drained away rapidly like air from a punctured bag.

He collapsed limply to the ground, looking at the unscathed, cold-eyed Lin Feng and the three Puppets. His face was filled with unbelievable terror and despair. The two guards he had brought had also long since been heavily injured by the Puppets and lay on the ground, their fates unknown.

Inside and outside the tea stall, there was a deathly silence. The original shopkeeper and the few tea drinkers had long since hidden in the distance, shivering in fear.

Lin Feng walked up to Wang Mingyuan and looked down at him. "Now, can we talk properly? What exactly is the connection with this leather scroll? And what is 'that'?"

Wang Mingyuan's face was ashen as he answered with a trembling voice, "Se... Senior, spare my life! I'll talk! This leather scroll is a remnant map... it is said... it is said to point to a natural treasure called the 'Xin Gold Spirit Pearl'."

This item contains the purest xin gold Origin and has a Heaven-Defying effect on cultivating metal-attribute Cultivation Techniques. My Wang Family... my Wang Family was only ordered to stay here and collect clues. The real information is all... all with the 'Qingxia Sect' above us!"

Having obtained the information he wanted, Lin Feng's gaze turned cold. Wang Mingyuan was overbearing and sinister; leaving him alive would bring endless trouble. With a flick of his right hand, he ended his life. Afterward, he quickly cleaned the scene and collected the Storage Pouch.

Having finished all this, he left Shattered Gold Valley as quietly as he had arrived, without attracting anyone's attention.

However, a few days later, the news of Wang Mingyuan's mysterious death still began to circulate quietly among the low-level Cultivators of Shattered Gold Valley. No one knew exactly what had happened, and various speculations and imaginings began to sprout.

"Have you heard? That smiling tiger Wang Mingyuan is dead!"

"Good riddance! He must have committed too many evils and finally met his retribution!"

"Retribution? I think he provoked someone he shouldn't have! Maybe a passing Senior couldn't stand the sight of him..."

"It could also be internal strife within the Wang Family! I heard they were looking for some treasure recently; maybe it was an unfair distribution of loot..."

Those who had witnessed Wang Mingyuan being killed instantly at the scene didn't dare to reveal a single bit of information.

Meanwhile, Lin Feng had already been sitting in "Zuixianju" in Qingxia Town at the foot of the Qingxia Sect for three days.

Several travel-worn Cultivators were talking loudly nearby.

"Have you heard? On the eighth of next month, the Qingxia Sect is going to open its gates to recruit disciples again."

"An opportunity that comes once every ten years. Unfortunately, the requirements are too high. Loose Cultivators like us probably can't even get into the Outer Sect."

"Isn't that the truth! Unless you're a disciple of one of those subsidiary families, or... heh, if you have that legendary 'azure profound diagram'."

"azure profound diagram? What's that?"

"That's ancient history. It's said that a hundred years ago, to thank several subsidiary families for their contributions, the Qingxia Sect bestowed several special maps. The holder of a map could directly become an Inner Sect Disciple. But in recent decades, I haven't heard of anyone using such a map to enter. It's probably long since become invalid, or it's just a legend!"

Lin Feng's hand holding the wine cup paused slightly. azure profound diagram? He continued to listen nonchalantly.

"To enter the Qingxia Sect, one must pass through three rounds of assessments! The first stage tests Spiritual Root Aptitude, the second stage tests Heart-Nature and perseverance, and the third stage is the deadliest—actual combat experience. I heard that last year, a Qi Refining Late Stage Loose Cultivator almost lost his life in the mountains during the third stage!"

"That's why those Family disciples have the advantage; they have legacies and resources..."

"But the Qingxia Sect's 'Spirit Summoning Technique' is truly formidable! I saw a Qingxia Sect Inner Sect Disciple perform it once; they could temporarily borrow the power of a Spirit Beast, causing their speed and strength to explode. Yao Beasts of the same rank were no match at all!"