Master Green Feather

But after thinking it over carefully, he did not do so.

Of course, it was not because he could not bear to part with them.

Lin Xiaoyao had originally intended to give the treasures he had checked in from the system, the ones he had no use for himself, to the Feathering Sect's cultivators.

After all, he planned to lie low here until he truly possessed the cultivation of a Saint.

Strengthening the sect would therefore bring him nothing but benefits.

So what if he gave away some trash he did not even care about?

The reason he had not done so was that giving them away like that would be like walking at night in splendid robes. The recipients would not know who had gifted them these treasures, so they would be even less likely to feel grateful to him.

He wanted to give away treasures, but he did not want to do good deeds without leaving his name behind.

Lin Xiaoyao wanted to gain their gratitude—or, to put it bluntly, he wanted to show off.

But reason told him that his identity absolutely could not be exposed.

Keeping a low profile was the kingly path.

If he wanted to quietly lie low here, he had to remain a little nobody.

Thus, his two wishes were simply contradictory.

This left Lin Xiaoyao deeply conflicted and frustrated.

Was there really a way to have the best of both worlds?

He could remain a little nobody and quietly lie low, yet occasionally step out to show off without anyone discovering him.

For the moment, he could not think of one.

But there was plenty of time ahead.

So he was in no hurry to give away the treasures. He even casually placed the three Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures into his storage space.

He would keep them for now.

Once he came up with a reliable plan, it would not be too late to give away those treasures.

Then, fully satisfied, Lin Xiaoyao walked out of the Heart-Refining Path.

Just as when he had entered, he strode over level ground as though no one else existed. Whether it was the Feathering Sect's inner-sect elders constantly extending their divine sense to search and scan the area, or the carefully arranged restrictions and formations, all seemed to have failed.

Not until several days later.

Sect Master Master Green Feather finally came up with a temporary solution to the abnormal change in the Heart-Refining Path.

Only then did he lead many of the sect's experts to the Heart-Refining Path in a grand procession.

They had been extremely cautious on their way there, but once they entered, every one of them was stunned beyond measure.

At the deepest point of the Heart-Refining Path.

They looked at the formation before them, which had already stopped operating, and at the cracks across the enormous iceberg.

Even Master Green Feather, a mighty cultivator of the Mystic Profound Realm, could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

The elders and peak heads following behind him were even more dumbstruck.

After a while, someone finally spoke. It was the Head of Sword-Flying Peak. "The formation has been destroyed. Could the Outer-Realm Heavenly Demon have escaped?"

As he spoke, a trace of fear actually appeared on his face.

The other elders also looked around in every direction, as if afraid that the Outer-Realm Heavenly Demon might suddenly leap out from somewhere nearby and strike while they were vulnerable.

"If that devil had truly escaped, how could it possibly let the matter rest? Outer-Realm Heavenly Demons are the most petty and vindictive of all, repaying every slight with an eye for an eye. It has been imprisoned by our sect's predecessors for tens of thousands of years and must hate the Feathering Sect to the bone. Even if we remain on guard, we might still fall to its poisonous hand, much less ordinary disciples. But has anyone in our sect been harmed now?"

Master Green Feather shook his head, clearly disagreeing with what the Head of Sword-Flying Peak had just said.

"Sect Master, are you saying that the Heavenly Demon has already perished?"

"I do not know."

Master Green Feather's expression was equally grave. Then he sighed. "There are no traces of battle nearby. Several junior brothers were guarding outside, yet they heard no disturbance either. I find it difficult to imagine which great expert possessed such ability that he could so effortlessly slay a terrifying Outer-Realm Heavenly Demon."

Everyone fell silent as well.

Thirty thousand years ago, one of the Feathering Sect's ancestor-founders found the Heart-Refining Path within an ancient ruin and recognized that it would be of great use in tempering the Dao Hearts of disciples.

Overjoyed, he brought it back to the sect's headquarters.

But afterward, he discovered that it was a hot potato.

At the deepest point of the Heart-Refining Path, an Outer-Realm Heavenly Demon had actually been hidden.

It waited for an opportunity to make its move.

That senior had nearly been possessed.

Fortunately, the Feathering Sect had been extremely prosperous at the time, with an ancestor in the Great Vehicle Realm presiding over the sect.

Only by wielding great divine abilities did he finally suppress the Heavenly Demon, using a formation in tandem to seal it at the deepest point of the Heart-Refining Path.

Before that ancestor passed away, he left behind a final instruction: the sect's later disciples must never enter the deepest part of the Heart-Refining Path out of momentary curiosity.

Fortunately, the formation laid down by that ancestor was extremely reliable.

It had never gone wrong in thirty thousand years.

It was precisely because of this that everyone had grown somewhat lax. Thus, no one had expected that not long ago, when a Golden Core Realm disciple of the sect entered the Heart-Refining Path, he would nearly be exploited by the other party.

Fortunately, it was discovered in time, and the other party was still trapped within the formation, so no catastrophic disaster occurred.

But after Master Green Feather came to inspect the place, he discovered that perhaps because the formation had operated for too long, the other party had found a small flaw in it.

Although it still could not escape.

Such a hidden danger could not be left unresolved.

Thus, security was tightened, and disciples were ordered not to approach this place.

Meanwhile, all the sect's senior figures were racking their brains to resolve this crisis.

Only recently had Master Green Feather finally thought of a method. It required the combined strength of the sect's many experts, and would only temporarily plug that flaw.

Never had they imagined that after arriving here so cautiously, they would witness such a scene.

Everyone was bewildered, and all sorts of conjectures arose for a time.

Yet none of them led anywhere.

Because the one who had resolved this matter had left behind no clues at all.

The surrounding security had been extremely tight, yet it had served no purpose. That person had walked in as though treading level ground and entered this place with ease.

At this thought, the elders and peak heads present all felt a chill run down their spines. That person could secretly break into this forbidden ground, protected by layer upon layer of defenses. If he wished to harm the Feathering Sect...

They did not dare think any further.

"Enough. That person resolved our sect's crisis, so he naturally bears no ill will toward the Feathering Sect. He should be a friend, not an enemy."

"Since he does not wish to reveal himself, none of you should speculate recklessly. Some seniors have very strange temperaments. If we insist on getting to the bottom of this and offend him instead, it would be most unwise. Let this matter end here. No one is to mention it again in the future."

"Yes!"

The elders and peak heads saluted one after another. Since the sect master had issued a decree, naturally they had no reason not to obey.

"Senior Brother, could it have been someone from Sitting-Delusion Cave...?"

Another voice then reached his ears. It was the head of Treasure Pill Valley.

Master Green Feather frowned and turned around. "Junior Brother, I just said that this matter is not to be mentioned again."

"My apologies. This little brother misspoke."

He had only thought of it suddenly and blurted it out. He regretted it deeply afterward, but once the words had left his mouth, it was too late to take them back.

Sitting-Delusion Cave...

The other elders had already heard it, and thoughtful expressions appeared on their faces.

Naturally, these old monsters who had cultivated for hundreds or thousands of years would not easily reveal their thoughts. No one spoke again, and they all headed outside.

"Oh, right, Senior Brother, what about this Heart-Refining Path...?"

"Since the hidden danger has already been removed, inspect it to see whether anything remains amiss. If there is no problem, then it can naturally be reopened to the disciples. After all, treasures capable of tempering one's Dao Heart are few and far between."

Master Green Feather's voice reached their ears, but he himself had already drifted away.