"Chen Yan?"
The voice of Elder Mo within Ye Xiu's mind sounded rather peculiar.
It was as if he had never expected Ye Xiu to mention the name Chen Yan at all.
"Chen Yan, the Chief Disciple of Kongshan Sect's Kongyuan Mountain. It is said he broke through to the Martial Spring Realm less than a month ago..."
Elder Mo said:
"Although the depth of Chen Yan's true qi is indeed noteworthy, no matter what, he is still just a cultivator in the early stages of the Martial Spring Realm. As someone at the peak of the Martial Spring Realm, you have no possibility of losing to him."
"I want to teach him a lesson."
A deeply displeased expression surfaced on Ye Xiu's face.
"All because of two or three mid-grade spirit stones?"
"That's not just about two or three mid-grade spirit stones. It's about Chen Yan daring to make a fool of me."
Ye Xiu said, enunciating each word clearly:
"Does being a disciple of one of the Five Great Sects truly make him superior?"
"Doesn't it?"
Elder Mo's attitude towards Ye Xiu's impassioned, heartfelt words was one of utter disdain:
"Disciples of the Five Great Sects *are* superior!"
Hearing this, Ye Xiu's eyes sharpened, and he used his spiritual sense to question Elder Mo:
"But, Senior, why must disciples of the Five Great Sects necessarily be able to look down on me?"
"Stop spouting such thoughtless, childish nonsense."
Elder Mo said sternly:
"I ask you, is there a gap between your cultivation talent and that of Huang Jing, Yi Liang, Chu Xiyao, Li Haowen, and the others?"
"This junior does not know."
"There is none. In fact, it could be said your talent even surpasses that of those prodigies!"
Elder Mo continued:
"Fine birds choose their roosts. With your talent, becoming a personal disciple of any peak lineage within any of the Five Great Sects, even a Chief Disciple, would be an effortless matter. So why do you stubbornly insist on remaining in Beiyuan Sect?"
"Beiyuan Sect recognized my talent and gave me my start!"
Ye Xiu stated.
"Correct. Beiyuan Sect recognized your talent and gave you your start. Whether to stay in Beiyuan Sect or join a Great Sect is entirely your freedom."
Elder Mo said:
"Think carefully. How have you been treated within Beiyuan Sect?"
Ye Xiu began to reminisce.
As the strongest genius in Beiyuan Sect's history, Ye Xiu's treatment within the sect, in certain aspects, was even better than that of the sect leader himself.
He could freely mobilize any cultivation resource within the sect, whenever he wished.
The courtesy shown by his fellow junior brothers and sisters when they met Ye Xiu was comparable to that shown to an elder.
All the elders in the sect imparted their knowledge to him without reservation, holding nothing back.
Wasn't Ye Xiu himself riding high above the heads of the other disciples in the sect?
What difference was there between him and those lofty disciples of the Five Great Sects?
"......"
Ye Xiu fell into silence.
"As I just said, your natural talent is sufficient to make you a personal disciple of any peak lineage within any of the Five Great Sects. But since you have chosen to remain in a minor sect like Beiyuan Sect, you must learn to hide your sharpness."
Elder Mo said with profound earnestness:
"The cultivation techniques I have taught you, unless absolutely necessary, should not be used lightly. In a life-or-death crisis, this old man will naturally intervene."
"This junior understands."
Ye Xiu replied.
"You must know that this last wisp of my soul remaining in this world is now completely bound to your own spirit. If any mishap befalls you, this old man will naturally also scatter to the winds."
Elder Mo continued:
"Therefore, when encountering any situation, you must endure and conceal your strength. Do not act rashly."
"Yes."
Ye Xiu said.
"However, this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry is indeed not a bad opportunity for you to make a name for yourself. You truly do need a chance to spar with disciples of the Five Great Sects."
Elder Mo said:
"Among these fifteen Dao Inquirers from the Five Great Sects, the one with the lowest cultivation level is indeed Chen Yan, who is in the early stages of the Martial Spring Realm."
"......"
Ye Xiu's eyebrow twitched slightly, but he said nothing.
"Know when to stop. Remember, do not go too far."
"This junior understands."
...
The viewing stand where the Kongshan Sect delegation was located.
Lin Xinyang, who had effortlessly defeated Hunyán Sect's Zhu Bang, returned from the ring to Chen Yan and Chu Xiyao's side.
"Senior Brother Lin fought brilliantly."
Chen Yan praised him thus.
"I merely showed my inadequate skills."
Lin Xinyang replied with a smile.
As for the topic Chen Yan and Chu Xiyao had discussed not long ago, the two men tacitly agreed not to mention a single word of it.
However, Lin Xinyang did not take a seat beside Chen Yan. Instead, he continued walking towards the direction of the viewing stand where the Kongshan Sect elders were seated.
"Senior Brother Lin?"
Chen Yan asked, puzzled.
"After this round of the Dao Inquiry ends, it will be at least several hours before it's my turn to take the stage again."
Lin Xinyang said:
"There are some matters I must discuss with my master."
"What matters?"
Chen Yan pressed.
"I hope my master will focus his attention within our own sect, rather than continuing to target the other four Great Sects."
Lin Xinyang stated.
At this moment, the relationship between Kongshan Sect and the other four Great Sects on Heavenly Summit Mountain, while not exactly like fire and water, had reached the most hostile freezing point in several thousand years.
Kongshan Sect had dispatched disciples to stand guard outside the lodgings of the other four Great Sects, subjecting all entries and exits to strict surveillance and control.
Not only ordinary disciples, but even elders had to undergo questioning.
This was the will of Elder He Furen, Elder He.
Even the nominal person in charge of Kongshan Sect's affairs on Heavenly Summit Mountain, Kongyuan Mountain's True Dharma Elder Wen Hongli, felt He Furen's methods were somewhat too excessive, too presumptuous.
He Furen seemed not to have considered at all how to explain things to the other four Great Sects after leaving Heavenly Summit Mountain.
When that time came, even Elder Huo Mu would inevitably find himself in the wrong when facing the other four Great Sects.
And the other four Great Sects—Lingxiao Temple, Mirage Palace, Star Heaven Sect, and Wind Ravine Valley—had shown no intention of defying Kongshan Sect's control.
Firstly, because of the orders from the Grand Elders of their respective sects, commanding the disciples on Heavenly Summit Mountain to cooperate with Kongshan Sect's actions.
Secondly, because the number of experts Kongshan Sect had currently dispatched to Heavenly Summit Mountain was simply too great.
Wen Hongli, Bai Qiming, Zhong Yin, He Furen, Yue Chi.
There were five great experts of the sixth realm, the Myriad Transformations Realm, alone.
Cultivators of the Myriad Transformations Realm represent the most exaggerated gap in combat power differentiation among all the major realms within the Nine Realms Below Immortality.
Cultivating a single strand of innate true energy qualifies one as a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator.
Perhaps a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator with one strand of innate true energy could still put up a fight against those with two or three strands.
But when facing a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator who has cultivated ten strands of innate true energy, they can only be crushed unilaterally.
A Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator who has cultivated a hundred strands of innate true energy can simultaneously suppress five cultivators with ten strands each.
And a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator who has cultivated a thousand strands of innate true energy can defeat over a dozen cultivators with a hundred strands each.
Kongshan Sect's Kongyuan Mountain True Dharma Elder Wen Hongli has now mastered over seven thousand strands of innate true energy.
He is the strongest individual currently on Heavenly Summit Mountain.
It could even be said that if all the Myriad Transformations Realm cultivators on Heavenly Summit Mountain attacked together now, they might still not be able to defeat Elder Wen.
Therefore, the other four Great Sects besides Kongshan Sect are truly seething with anger but not daring to speak.