Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering

Feeling the surging power within his body, Zhou Qing was overjoyed.

Taking advantage of the remaining half day, he hurriedly began to consolidate his gains.

But before long, the liquid in the blood pool began to visibly recede at a noticeable speed.

Zhou Qing was stunned, and before he could react, the entire cave shook violently.

At the same time, a vast, abyss-like pressure descended like a heavenly curtain, crashing down with overwhelming force.

"You damned little thief, where do you think you're running!" The Grand Elder's furious roar rolled like thunder, and in an instant, a Fierce and Unmatched Sword Qi tore through the void.

As Zhou Qing scrambled to put on his clothes and rush out of the cave, he saw a brilliant golden light coalescing in the sky into a seal that seemed capable of suppressing all ages, crashing down with world-ending might.

High in the air, several Grand Elders darted about like ghosts, locked in fierce battle.

"Is a peerless enemy intruding?" Zhou Qing's heart jolted, and he quickly retreated back into the cave, then cautiously poked his head out to watch, afraid of being caught in this earth-shattering conflict.

The mountains ahead rumbled with deafening booms, and in the sky, dazzling spherical lightning flashed like divine wrath.

A resplendent Starry Sky Map poured down like an inverted Milky Way, countless starlight beams shooting out like sharp swords.

Afterimages wove together various runes, gradually outlining a complex and profound formation, from which endless killing intent erupted.

Golden Dao Lotuses and purple gourds—these treasures radiated a dazzling spectacle that illuminated heaven and earth, leaving Zhou Qing gaping in awe.

"Is it just because I absorbed a bit of medicinal power? How stingy you all are. Hmph, if I can't afford to provoke you, can't I just hide? I'm off!"

A voice drifted over leisurely, and then the sounds of battle gradually faded away.

Zhou Qing's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he muttered to himself, "Second Uncle!"

At the foot of Divine Peak, Zhou Qing paced back and forth anxiously.

After a while, a beam of light descended from the sky.

"Master, how did it go?" Zhou Qing asked, a hint of guilt in his voice.

Mo Xingjian said, "That thief acted extremely swiftly and seemed quite familiar with the Taiqing Sect, likely having scouted the area beforehand. All peaks are now conducting a full-scale search."

Hearing this, Zhou Qing breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"Did anyone get a look at his face?" Zhou Qing pressed further.

Mo Xingjian eyed Zhou Qing suspiciously. "Why do you seem more concerned about this than we are?"

Zhou Qing's heart jolted, but he quickly put on an indignant expression. "That wretched thief absorbed all the medicinal liquid that should have been mine—how could I not be furious? This was an opportunity I risked my life for!"

Mo Xingjian nodded, finding this understandable.

"According to the Grand Elder, the thief was dressed in black robes, clearly prepared. Enough of that—go back early and don't wander around with Third Child. There may be a full-scale manhunt soon!" Mo Xingjian instructed.

Zhou Qing secretly relaxed again and nodded.

Watching his master's retreating figure, he scratched his head.

"Even if they find out it's Second Uncle, so what? They already know he's alive—what does his leaving have to do with me? If he gets caught and rats me out, I'll just say I didn't know, that I was completely out of it at the time, and as for any Top-Grade Spirit Stone, I never even saw one!"

Soon, Zhou Qing had a plan ready: deny everything to the death.

Once back at Little Spirit Peak, he focused his mind and opened his panel.

[Name: Zhou Qing]

[Age: Nineteen]

[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Middle Stage]

[Cultivation Method: Taiqing Mysterious Qi Art]

[Talent Skills: Mind Mirror Vision—LV1 (64/100), Reduce Presence—LV2 (51/100)]

[Skill Shards: 1/3 (Unobtainable)]

Seeing that both talent skill progress bars were over halfway, Zhou Qing felt a surge of delight.

Now, at the Foundation Establishment Realm, there was a half chance of ignoring his presence. If Mind Mirror Vision soon reached level two, he could bind more people—he'd need to scout out candidates in advance.

With nothing else to do, Zhou Qing took out the Grand Elder's notes on cultivating the "Silver Dragon Hand" and began to study them.

Over the next few days, every peak was turned upside down in chaos, yet nothing was found.

The final conclusion: the thief had either already fled the sect or was concealing his tracks with some advanced Secret Technique, since even several Grand Elders had been fooled at the time.

The sect issued an order, demanding all disciples be cautious and not let their guard down.

If any suspicious person was spotted, they were to report it immediately.

If the report proved true and the thief was captured, the reward would be no less than the Flame Spirit Blood Pool Zhou Qing had soaked in.

As soon as this order was announced, excitement surged through the crowd. Everyone's eyes gleamed as they looked at those around them, as if every person could be a thief worth turning in for a reward.

[Heart Insight Points +3]

Just as Zhou Qing was repeatedly trying the "Silver Dragon Hand," a prompt suddenly rang out, followed by Yan Xiaohu's voice from outside.

"Fourth Child, you there?"

Zhou Qing smiled faintly, then rose and opened the courtyard gate.

Sure enough, Yan Xiaohu's original [Sorrowful Little Junior Brother] tag had already changed to [Unlucky Little Junior Brother].

Zhou Qing was speechless. Bro, it's been ten days already, and you're only now sympathizing with me? Isn't your reaction time a bit too long?

"Third Senior Brother, is something the matter?" Zhou Qing asked.

Yan Xiaohu looked Zhou Qing up and down, saw his ruddy complexion, and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you tell me that scoundrel also snatched your opportunity!" Yan Xiaohu said, his face full of distress.

No one listened during the lecture, he ran into danger on the trip to the Grotto-Heaven, and after barely scraping by to earn an opportunity, someone else snatched it away.

Tell me, isn't that infuriating!

[Heart Insight Points +4]

[Heart Insight Points +6]

But before he could speak, two more notification sounds rang out, leaving Zhou Qing stunned.

He looked at Third Senior Brother's tag note; it hadn't changed again.

Wait, are you all just now finding out?

Through the conversation, Zhou Qing learned that everyone only knew the scoundrel had been detected first by the Grand Elders, but they didn't know the reason he was discovered was because he had drained all the medicinal power from the Flame Spirit Blood Pool.

What more could Zhou Qing say? Strictly speaking, he'd already gotten the better end of the deal—the extra half-day was a bonus to begin with.

Besides, with the help of the Flame Spirit Blood Pool, he had smoothly broken through to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

"Everyone has their fate, ordained by heaven. It's fine. Oh, by the way, Senior Brother, you can take a look at this 'Silver Dragon Hand'—it should be of great benefit to you!"

Zhou Qing said, pulling out a jade slip and a manual, but Yan Xiaohu refused.

"I already have a divine ability suited to myself. Biting off more than you can chew is no good. You keep this and cultivate it. I heard from Master that this 'Silver Dragon Hand' is Elder Duanmu Shu's signature divine ability, combining offense and defense, extremely formidable." Yan Xiaohu said seriously.

Zhou Qing agreed with that point. He'd looked over the cultivation method's essentials—it was terribly complicated and gave him a headache.

Seeing that Zhou Qing was fine, Yan Xiaohu didn't want to dwell on the topic any further, lest it upset his little junior brother.

Soon, he seemed to think of something and said cheerfully, "Oh, right, this time the [Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering] will be held at the foot of our Taiqing Sect's mountain. Then we brothers can go and have a good look around."

"Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering?" Zhou Qing looked puzzled.

Yan Xiaohu explained, "The Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering, as the name implies, is an event where disciples of the five major sects exchange items and set up stalls to trade. It's only held once every twenty years. Don't worry, I've been to it several times already. I'll take you to broaden your horizons."

"Oh, and do you have any junk? We could set up a stall. We can trick... I mean, earn a bit here and there."

Zhou Qing finally understood and couldn't help feeling curious.

But unfortunately, he didn't have anything worth trading.

Yan Xiaohu had to say, "If you don't have anything, that's fine too. Just prepare some money. Picking up bargains at the stalls is common. All kinds of items, good and bad mixed together. The stall owners set prices however they like, and it's hard to tell real from fake. It all comes down to your eye."

"When is it?" Zhou Qing asked.

Yan Xiaohu grinned. "Seven days from now!"