215: Chapter 215 Shocking Changes in the King Wu's Treasure Vault

Just as Lin Tian reached the foot of the mountain, a rapid rushing sound of breaking wind came from behind him.

He paused in his tracks and turned around. Peak Master Su Hanyan was sweeping down the mountain path, her purple robes cutting a sharp arc through the twilight.

She landed in front of him and spoke directly before even catching her breath, "Don't leave yet. Come with me to see the Sect Master."

Lin Tian was startled. See the Sect Master? Having stayed in the Qixia Sect for so long, apart from catching a distant glimpse of Sect Leader Dugu Yun during the entry ceremony back then, he had never been summoned individually.

"Did something happen?" he asked.

Peak Master Su Hanyan did not explain much, merely turning to walk toward the main peak's grand hall with hurried steps. "You'll know once we get there."

The main peak's discussion hall was brightly lit. When Lin Tian followed Peak Master Su Hanyan through the hall doors, more than half of the seven peak masters had already arrived. The Elders of each peak were lined up on both sides, and even Peak Master Gu Yunshen of Moxia Peak, who rarely showed his face, was sitting in a corner with his eyes closed, resting his mind.

Sect Leader Dugu Yun sat at the head of the hall with a solemn expression. An urgent missive was spread out on the long desk before him, and the teacup beside it had long since gone cold; clearly, the meeting had been underway for some time. The atmosphere in the hall was as heavy as lead.

Peak Master Su Hanyan led Lin Tian to the seats of Zixia Peak and nodded slightly to Sect Leader Dugu Yun. "Sect Master, I have brought Lin Tian."

Sect Leader Dugu Yun raised his gaze, letting it fall on Lin Tian. His gaze was not sharp, but it was as heavy as a mountain, making one unconsciously straighten their back.

He nodded to Peak Master Su Hanyan, who then took her seat, while Lin Tian stood quietly behind her. Sect Leader Dugu Yun picked up his cold tea and took a sip. His voice was unhurried, yet it carried clearly into the ears of everyone present: "Since everyone is here, let us continue the meeting.

You should all know the news by now—at the Mu Family's birthday banquet, the Black Snake Chen Family obtained the Mu Family's green wood token under the guise of a duel, and they worked together to open the ancient mechanism.

Hundreds of Martial Artists entered the Martial King's ruins, but it turned out there was a Demonic Beast hidden inside. All the Martial Artists who entered the ruins perished within, with not a single survivor.

The Mu Family has already sent a request for help. As an allied Sect, the Qixia Sect cannot sit idly by." He put down his teacup, his gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of the peak masters. "Discuss among yourselves: whom should we send, and how should we proceed."

Standing behind Peak Master Su Hanyan, Lin Tian's pupils constricted sharply when he heard the words "all perished within."

A thin layer of sweat silently broke out on his back—that day at the Mu Family's martial arts arena, when Chen Zhong announced the Martial King's Treasure Trove, the eyes of all the guests in the hall turned red as they scrambled to get a piece of the pie.

If he hadn't dragged Su Xiaoyue away at that time, his name would have also been written on that casualty list at this moment.

The warning signs from the Wanling Seal in his Sea of Consciousness were still faintly echoing—he had always trusted his intuition, but he hadn't expected this intuition to save his and Su Xiaoyue's lives.

The peak masters in the hall had already begun to discuss in low voices. Peak Master Chen Zhenshan of Chixia Peak advocated immediately dispatching elites to Qingshan City, while the Peak Master of Jinxia Peak was also considering which Disciples would be suitable to send.

Just then, Peak Master Su Hanyan suddenly stood up, her cold and clear voice cutting through the discussions in the hall: "Sect Master, before we dispatch manpower, I have a matter to report."

Sect Leader Dugu Yun nodded slightly, and everyone's gaze gathered on them. Peak Master Su Hanyan stepped aside and pointed to Lin Tian behind her: "Previously, I sent Lin Tian to the Mu Family to offer birthday congratulations. He participated in the banquet throughout and is one of the few eyewitnesses to this matter.

He has returned safely and might know some of the circumstances that occurred at the time." With a swish, the gazes of the seven peak masters and over a dozen Elders fell squarely upon Lin Tian.

Lin Tian stood behind Peak Master Su Hanyan. Being stared at by so many peak masters and Elders at the same time, even with his usual composure, he felt his shoulders sink slightly.

Sect Leader Dugu Yun's voice came over: "Lin Tian, speak. What exactly happened at the Mu Family's birthday banquet?"

Lin Tian had not yet fully recovered from the shock of the news that "all had perished."

He paused, organized his thoughts, and then took a step forward to stand beside Peak Master Su Hanyan.

He began by recounting from when Chen Zhong brought the people of the Black Snake Chen Family uninvited—the best-of-three challenge, the wager of the mind-focusing pill, the masked youth defeating the Mu Family's female Disciple in three palms, the Chen Family obtaining the green wood token, working together to open the entrance of the ancient mechanism, and the guests in the hall swarming in after Chen Zhong announced the Martial King's Treasure Trove.

He described the entire process calmly and in detail, without exaggeration or deliberate embellishment.

As he finished, Sect Leader Dugu Yun asked the question everyone wanted to ask: "Why didn't you follow them inside at that time?"

Lin Tian fell silent for a moment. Naturally, he could not say that he had Cultivated the Wanling Seal, that his Mental Energy far surpassed his peers, or that a warning had blared in his Sea of Consciousness,

so he simply said, "There were quite a few fifth-grade experts present at the time, while my Junior Sister and I were only two. Feeling that our strength was insufficient, we knew we might not be able to compete for any treasures even if we went in, and might instead drag down our fellow Disciples.

Therefore, this Disciple decided to bring my Junior Sister back first to report, rather than wading into these muddy waters."

These words were seamless, and none of the peak masters or Elders present raised any suspicions.

After all, experts had been gathered at the Mu Family Villa at that time, and the Chen Family's masked youth's strength clearly crushed the Mu Family's Prodigies. For a newly-Breakthrough Qixia Sect Disciple to take an inexperienced Junior Sister and choose not to get involved was only natural.

Peak Master Chen Zhenshan of Chixia Peak even nodded slightly, as if saying, "This kid at least has some self-awareness."

Sect Leader Dugu Yun fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "According to what you said, this birthday banquet was a trap set by the Chen Family from start to finish. The Black Snake Chen Family likely has ties to the Demonic Sect."

Peak Master Gu Yunshen opened his eyes and coldly spat out a few words: "It is the Demonic Sect. The Chen Family doesn't have the capability to hide a Demonic Beast in ancient ruins." A low murmur of discussion arose in the hall as several peak masters exchanged glances, their expressions turning grim.

The information received previously only said that the remnants of the Demonic Sect were causing trouble in the Taixuan Mountain Range. They hadn't expected their tentacles to have already reached Qingshan City, even secretly manipulating a local Family as a pawn.

The nature of this matter had completely changed—from a local ruins tragedy to a deliberate scheme by the Demonic Sect against the entire righteous forces of Qingzhou.

Sect Leader Dugu Yun stood up, his tall figure casting a deep silhouette in the light of the bronze lamps. "Since it has been confirmed that the Chen Family is in league with the Demonic Sect, it is no longer just about saving people, but weeding them out entirely. Each peak must return immediately to gather their forces and depart tomorrow morning for Qingshan City.

Zixia Peak, Chixia Peak, and Moxia Peak will each dispatch a team. Jinxia Peak will remain to guard the Sect, and Bixia Peak will be responsible for logistics and supplies.

Once you arrive in Qingshan City, join forces with the Mu Family first, map out all the strongholds of the Chen Family and the Demonic Sect in Qingshan City, and root them out one by one." He turned to Peak Master Su Hanyan,

"Peak Master Su, the intelligence Lin Tian brought back this time is of utmost importance. This contribution will be recorded for now, and rewards will be distributed once this matter is resolved."

The peak masters of each peak accepted the command in unison and stood up to leave one after another. Peak Master Su Hanyan led Lin Tian out of the discussion hall, stopping at the fork in the mountain path. She turned back to look at him: "You did very well this time. Not only did you bring back intelligence, but you also brought Xiaoyue back safely.

Go back and rest well. Over at the fishery, Field Master Zhou has already received the Sect's orders, and there is an even more important mission to be entrusted to you."

Lin Tian cupped his fists in a salute, then turned and swept toward the direction of the Yunhai Fishery.

In the night, his figure swept past the mountain path of Zixia Peak, past the mountain gate of the Qixia Sect, past that familiar dense forest, rapidly approaching the lake surface bathed in moonlight.