Do you know the Peak Master?
Do you recognize a few more?
Liu Bufan laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, throwing his head back and laughing loudly. His laughter was particularly jarring in front of the Dark Clouds -shrouded mountain gate.
Several Outer Disciple beside him immediately joined in the laughter, their eyes filled with mockery and contempt as if they were looking at a pair of overconfident country bumpkins.
Zhang Yu was already immune to this level of ridicule.
He was ridiculed countless times when he was with the Zhang Family, so he couldn't be bothered to take it to heart.
But Zhang Lingyun wasn't the type to swallow her anger.
Her face was so dark it could drip water, and she stared coldly at Liu Bufan: "As the peak master of Crimson Serpent Peak, is it laughable that I know several peak masters?"
"The Peak Master of Crimson Serpent Peak?"
Liu Bufan's laughter paused, as if he had choked on it, then he put on an expression of sudden realization:
"Interesting. You knew the Crimson Serpent Peak Master had been missing for a thousand years, so..."
As he spoke, he wanted to add a few more sarcastic remarks.
But just then, his laughter stopped abruptly, and he froze in place as if someone had cast a spell on him.
His pupils dilated suddenly, staring intently at the top of Zhang Lingyun's head—
There, a blood-red soul tablet floated eerily, its surface swirling with soul power, and clearly engraved with seven characters: Jiang Ling, Peak Master of Crimson Serpent Peak.
That's the real name of the Peak Master of Crimson Serpent Peak!
On the Soul Token, three golden lines moved like living things, radiating Soul Path pressure that made one's heart tremble, as if silently proclaiming the owner's identity and authority.
All disciples of the Soul Refining Sect possess Soul Token, which is closely linked to their own soul and cannot be forged.
Because the Soul Refining Sect specializes in cultivating the Soul Path, and some mountain peaks specifically collect Vengeful Spirit and evil ghosts, cases of Body Seizure and resurrection are common.
In order to identify individuals, the Soul Refining Sect invented this identity Soul Token that is linked to an individual's Soul Power.
No matter how a person's appearance changes, as long as the Soul Token remains the same, there's no problem.
The people of the Soul Refining Sect have always identified the Soul Token, not the person.
At this moment, the appearance of this soul tablet is tantamount to telling everyone nakedly that the person standing in front of them is the peak master of Chilian Peak who has been missing for thousands of years!
Liu Bufan's brain went blank as if struck by lightning. He froze on the spot, his mocking expression instantly turning deathly pale.
The Outer Disciple beside him were also stunned, their laughter caught in their throats, and their eyes changed from mockery to fear.
They were just mocking Zhang Lingyun for "impersonating the Peak Master".
But at this moment, the genuine aura of the Soul Token told them—this was not an imposter, it was real!
Jiang Ling, Peak Master of Crimson Serpent Peak!
That legendary figure who disappeared a thousand years ago is said Cultivation have already reached the Cultivation Earthly Immortal.
Liu Bufan felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his robes.
What did I just say?
I called her an "imposter of the Peak Master" and said she had been "missing for a thousand years"...
This isn't just a direct slap in the face, this is suicide!
His mind was in chaos, and an overwhelming sense of regret welled up inside him.
If I had known she was the peak master of Crimson Serpent Peak, I wouldn't have dared to utter a single word, let alone mock her!
It's over... it's over... not only am I going to be in trouble, but my whole Lineage will be implicated.
Wu Siyuan collapsed to the ground, completely stunned, as if struck by lightning.
He had just been desperately trying to signal to Zhang Yu and Zhang Lingyun to back down and admit their mistakes, so as not to anger Liu Bufan...
But now he realized that he had just been trying to persuade the peak master of Crimson Serpent Peak to "bow his head"?
His heart pounded, his palms were sweating, and then his mind raced. "Maybe this is my only chance."
The tens of thousands of test-takers around were also in an uproar, with whispers surging like a tide.
"My God, she's actually the Peak Master of the Soul Refining Sect?"
"It's over, it's over! What Liu Bufan just said... he's doomed..."
Liu Bufan fell to his knees with a thud, his knees hitting the Bluestone Slab with a dull thud.
He trembled all over, cold sweat poured down his face, and his voice was choked with sobs:
"Peak Master, spare my life!"
I... I didn't know it was you...
I was blind and disrespectful just now, and deserve to die.
"Please, Peak Master, have mercy and grant me a way to live."
His mind went blank, and he felt a chill on the back of his neck, as if the oppressive force of the blood-red Soul Token would crush his Divine Soul in the next second.
Zhang Lingyun glanced at him with her eyes lowered, her expression as cold as ice. She raised her hand and unleashed a streak of crimson Soul Power like a sharp blade.
"Snap!"
Liu Bufan's left arm was severed at the shoulder, and blood gushed out, staining half of his body red.
He screamed in agony, nearly fainting, but dared not even beg for mercy. He could only curl up on the ground, his body convulsing in pain.
A minor punishment serves as a warning.
Zhang Lingyun's voice wasn't loud, but it struck everyone's heart like cold iron. "Don't be arrogant and domineering again."
As her words fell, several powerful auras simultaneously surged from deep within the mountain gate—
Zhu Wuwang, the peak master of Wuwang Peak, stood with his hands behind his back above the clouds, his brows furrowed.
His gaze pierced through the crowd, locking onto Zhang Lingyun: "Jiang Ling... disappeared for a thousand years, and she's actually back."
He was initially surprised, but more than that, he felt an overwhelming sense of irritation.
"Master, Jiang Ling is back. What about what we did at Crimson Flame Peak...?"
Beside him, a young man dressed in black robes whispered, his tone tinged with unease.
Zhu Wuwang snorted coldly, his expression returning to its indifferent state. "It's alright. Given Master's current Cultivation and status, I doubt Jiang Ling would dare to be presumptuous."
Although he was somewhat agitated, he spoke calmly.
After dealing with Liu Bufan, Zhang Lingyun didn't linger. She turned to Zhang Yu and said calmly, "Let's go!"
Just as Zhang Yu was about to follow, Wu Siyuan suddenly got up, a fawning smile plastered on his face:
"Young man, you are clearly a man of great talent. I never imagined you would be the Peak Master's disciple."
"I'm so... so incredibly apologies."
He thought to himself, "To receive such care from the Crimson Flame Peak Master, who even wants to arrange inner disciple status for me."
This young man is undoubtedly Direct Disciple of the Peak Master.
Zhang Yu could tell that Wu Siyuan was trying to curry favor, but remembering that Wu had protected them in front of Liu Bufan before, he had a good impression of him, so he chatted with him casually for a few minutes.
But just then, Wu Siyuan secretly slipped a shrunken cloth bag into his hand, lowering his voice, his expression both nervous and expectant:
"Young brother, this is... just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you'll take good care of me."
This was all his savings.
This is his last year in the Soul Refining Sect. If he cannot enter the Outer Sect, he will be expelled from the Soul Refining Sect.
However, because of his ex-girlfriend, he was constantly targeted and was unable to successfully enter the Outer Sect.
He had already given up, but seeing the relationship between Zhang Yu and Zhang Lingyun today, he gritted his teeth and took out all his savings to gamble.
"Could this be the legendary Spatial Bag?"
Looking at the shrunken bag, Zhang Yu subconsciously thought of the Universe Bag from cultivation novels.
He didn't know what was in the bag, but at the very least, this Universe Bag was quite valuable.
However, Zhang Yu is, after all, a socialist successor raised under the red flag, and he despises this corrupt Evil Qi of bribery and networking!
"If you have something to say, just say it. As for this, let's forget about it."
He tossed the bag back stiffly, his tone tinged with displeasure.
Wu Siyuan's hand froze in mid-air, his smile instantly turning to a bitter shake of his head:
"That's right... The Peak Master disciple would never look favorably upon my humble offerings..."
A pang of bitterness welled up in his heart. This was his savings of thirty years, which he had been hoping to gamble on, asking Zhang Yu to put in a good word for him with the Peak Master so that he could enter the Outer Sect...
But at that moment, the long-lost mechanical voice of the system suddenly rang in Zhang Yu's mind:
Ding-dong!
Triggering the character's mission: Greedy for Money.
For every Spirit Stone embezzled/accepted, one gains one day of Cultivation.
The task is valid indefinitely. Do you accept it?
Zhang Yu was jolted, his heart pounding instantly.
There's a mission!
He has Cultivation!
But upon hearing the details of the task, his face immediately fell, and he said to the system in an annoyed tone:
"Will this ever end?"
Last time it was the Simp persona, which made me feel like I was in heaven for three years. Now it's this Greedy for Money?
Can't you give me a positive character?