Flower-Appreciation Gathering (6)

Although the Profound Heaven Sect was immensely wealthy, it adhered to a rigorous and fair set of rules when it came to allocating resources to its disciples.

The sect would never haphazardly pour vast resources into blindly piling up a disciple's cultivation, nor would it thoughtlessly provide them with high-grade magical artifacts. Every resource had to be earned through the disciple's own efforts: completing sect missions to accumulate points, then using those points to exchange for what they needed.

In this regard, everyone throughout the sect was treated equally, without exception. The greatest difference between direct disciples and ordinary disciples was simply that the former had an elder as their master.

There was naturally no need to say more about cultivation matters. As for resources, if a master was willing to dip into their own pocket to support a disciple, the sect indeed had no right to interfere. Yet the masters of the Profound Heaven Sect were clearly not the sort to spoil their disciples without conditions.

If disciples needed resources, they could certainly take the initiative to ask their masters for them. However, whether their masters ultimately gave them anything depended entirely on the masters' own judgment.

Usually, what masters proactively gave their disciples were mostly life-saving items that could preserve their lives at critical moments, along with spiritual medicines prepared against unexpected circumstances.

Other than that, there were their bonded spirit swords.

For direct disciples, there were certain conveniences when obtaining their bonded weapons. The sect would forge a suitable weapon for every direct disciple.

Of course, materials could not be taken without limit. The materials the sect could provide were restricted in both grade and quantity. If disciples had need, they could also seek high-grade materials themselves and hand them to the sect for specialized forging.

The Profound Heaven Sect had a Sword Tomb, where the bonded swords of deceased disciples rested forever, but there was no such thing as inheritance.

A spirit sword was a spirit sword because the blade possessed a spirit. Once its master died, most such swords would seal themselves and fall asleep. To sword cultivators, bonded spirit swords were exceedingly private, carrying their masters' lifelong cultivation insights and emotions.

The sect master who had built the Sword Tomb back then believed that allowing later generations to directly inherit the spirit swords of their predecessors was no different from stripping a dead man's undershirt off and wearing it oneself. Not only did that violate ethics, it could also interfere with the sword cultivator's own compatibility with their spirit sword.

Thus, this sect master had expended great effort to carve out an independent space within the trunk of the Twin-Life Tree, specifically to house these ownerless spirit swords and allow them to "enjoy their old age" there.

As the years rolled on, the Sword Tomb and the Twin-Life Tree gradually formed a wondrous, harmonious symbiotic relationship.

The sword intent contained within the spirit swords of the Sword Tomb influenced the Twin-Life Tree day after day, year after year, making the tree's sword intent increasingly refined and profound.

Meanwhile, the Twin-Life Tree's rich, pure spiritual energy carefully nourished the slumbering spirit swords, preventing them from dispersing spiritually and being destroyed for lack of their masters' nurturing.

Over time, the Twin-Life Tree itself became an excellent forging material, though its grade was so exceptional that it became difficult to use.

Moreover, the Twin-Life Tree itself held extraordinary significance, so it naturally could not be casually used for forging artifacts. Only when disciples had become capable of standing on their own and made great contributions to the sect would they be awarded Twin-Life Tree wood to reforge their bonded weapons.

Of course, all that was beside the point.

Simply put, in the Profound Heaven Sect, although masters would forge swords for their disciples, monthly spirit stone allowances still followed the established standards. Whatever amount was due was the amount given.

In short, sword cultivators were poor. Even direct disciples of the Profound Heaven Sect could not become rich so long as they were sword cultivators.

This topic was truly a little unfriendly to the sword cultivators present. Lin Huaixu gave a light cough and was about to change the subject when Shen Yuxi's voice entered everyone's ears—

"I'm not, I didn't, don't frame me. What do you mean, poor? It's clearly called knowing how to live, carefully budgeting and diligently practicing thrift—the mark of a fine young man!"

His heart-voice carried a deliberately aggrieved, teasing note. The harder he tried to defend himself, the more it seemed like he was trying to cover up the truth.

"Second Senior Brother..." Everyone was speechless, yet also somewhat gratified. Setting everything else aside, Shen Yuxi's mindset truly was optimistic and broad-minded.

"Besides, if we're talking poor, who can compare to Seventh Junior Brother? Of every heavenly treasure that falls into his hands, thirty percent gets obediently handed over to the sect, sixty percent goes to worship that precious sword in his hand, and only the final ten percent is left for him to scrape by on."

This time, his heart-voice carried several shades of mockery and teasing, somehow making everyone hear a sense of taking pleasure in another's misfortune.

The senior and junior brothers: "!!! No way, Old Seven, you really do that?"

Ye Jingxuan: "...It isn't quite that miserable."

Shen Yuxi continued exposing him: "Don't be fooled by how polished this kid usually looks. In reality, he just cycles through and mixes two outer sect disciple uniforms, two inner sect disciple uniforms, and two direct disciple uniforms. Add in that elegant scholarly style of his, and you really can't tell at first glance.

"Even if you stripped him clean, the only valuable things on him would be that storage ring and his wooden sword. The storage ring probably just holds ordinary daily necessities and pills. If a bandit ever robbed him, they'd probably cry and dig into their own pockets to lift him out of poverty."

After hearing Shen Yuxi's remarks, the senior and junior brothers all turned their gazes toward Ye Jingxuan, examining him carefully from head to toe. Only then did they realize that it really was exactly as Shen Yuxi had said!

Ye Jingxuan truly was a master of dressing. Though they were plainly just ordinary disciple uniforms, after a few simple combinations from him, they somehow gave off the refined, dashing air of a scholar.

At this moment, a trace of pity unconsciously appeared in everyone's gazes as they looked at Ye Jingxuan.

Ye Jingxuan: ...

"But if you truly think this kid is poor, then you're gravely mistaken—his wooden sword might look utterly unremarkable, but it's a spirit artifact. Though he's only at the middle stage of the Golden Core Realm now, with that wooden sword in hand, he can trade blows with a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator without falling behind.

"Did you really think all the treasures he's offered to that spirit sword over the years had gone down the drain?"

The senior and junior brothers were astonished: What a sly brat!

Seeing Shen Yuxi grow more animated the more he spoke, Ye Jingxuan hurried to find a way to interrupt him, lest even more of his affairs be aired out.

Feigning calm, he turned to speak with Lin Huaixu, trying to change the subject. "If what Fifth Senior Brother said is true, does that mean the Heavenly Sword Sect can only swallow this insult in silence? Those two clashed again outside the valley just now. From what I saw, not everyone on the Heavenly Sword Sect's side can endure humiliation and swallow their anger. It seems this Flower-Appreciation Gathering may not be peaceful."

Shen Yuxi indeed followed his train of thought, quietly pondering, I remember the Flower-Appreciation Gathering being rather peaceful. Nothing went wrong. But how strange—Wang Rong's name clearly sounds familiar. Why can't I remember it...?

Lin Huaixu's heart was as clear as a mirror. He immediately noticed that Ye Jingxuan was subtly changing the subject, and he tactfully did not continue pressing the matter.

After all, Ninth Junior Brother merely had a sharper tongue. Even when he got angry, he did so openly. If he truly intended to act, he would even say beforehand, "I'm angry. I'm going to take revenge," so everyone knew what was coming.

But Seventh Junior Brother was different. If this kid got angry, his methods were far more concealed. He often directly caused trouble in secret, striking swiftly and ruthlessly. Only after it happened would he lightly offer an apology: "Sorry, I didn't notice."

On the surface, it looked as if it really had been an unintentional mistake. Yet with even the slightest thought, one could taste the hidden edge within it. He was devious.

Thus, Lin Huaixu wisely followed Ye Jingxuan's lead and said, "It probably won't escalate to actual fighting. On someone else's territory, exchanging a few harsh words is one thing. If they truly fight, both sides will lose face."

The group continued leisurely touring along the path as they talked, occasional bursts of laughter drifting softly through the surroundings.

Deep within Medicine King Valley, inside a quiet side hall, massive doors as heavy as boulders were tightly shut, completely sealing the hall off from the outside world. It was as though all living vitality had been barred outside, leaving behind only a stifling, oppressive dead silence.

The hall was dimly lit. Several weak beams of light squeezed through the cracks of the narrow window lattice, casting shadows across the ground like fanged, clawing monsters.

The candle flame swaying atop the sandalwood table flickered in the sinister currents of air, brightening and dimming as though it might go out at any moment. The shadows throughout the chamber shifted constantly, adding an extra layer of terror.

With his back to the doors stood a man in a blue-purple brocade robe patterned with dark designs. His hands were clasped behind his back, and a cold, stern aura radiated from him. He stood tall and straight, yet exuded an authority that made one shudder.

"Did they truly only take a walk around the valley, without making any suspicious moves?" The man's voice was low, every word wrapped in chill.

"Y-yes, Eldest Senior Brother." A junior disciple dressed in the same color scheme, though his clothing was clearly made from much plainer material, answered respectfully. Yet he looked hesitant, as though words were caught on the tip of his tongue but difficult to utter.

The man noticed the junior disciple's odd behavior, and irritation surged within him. He pressed, "Why are you hemming and hawing? Speak plainly if you have something to say."

The junior disciple's gaze darted about in panic. After stammering for a long while, he finally forced out, "They... they also met the Eldest Miss."

The instant those words were spoken, the room fell into deathly silence.

After a moment, the junior disciple cautiously raised his head and secretly glanced at the man from the corner of his eye, his expression full of apprehension and unease.

Eldest Senior Brother loved the Eldest Miss. This was no secret in Medicine King Valley. Once the usually approachable Eldest Senior Brother encountered matters related to the Eldest Miss, he easily lost his reason.

This Flower-Appreciation Gathering had brought quite a number of talented young people to the valley. The Valley Master was poor at socializing, so the task of receiving guests had largely been given to Eldest Senior Brother and the Eldest Miss. Eldest Senior Brother must have been very uneasy.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, rage instantly rose in the man's heart. With a fierce sweep of his sleeve, a sharp crash rang out. The valuable crackle-glaze tea set—pot and cups alike—was swept to the floor by that tremendous force and shattered into countless fragments, just like his patience and reason, already broken beyond repair.

The man's face turned livid as he roared, "Profound Heaven Sect!"

"Please calm your anger, Eldest Senior Brother!" Seeing this, the junior disciple hastily tried to dissuade him, his voice trembling slightly. "They only exchanged a few pleasantries with the Eldest Miss before parting ways. There was no deeper contact. It must have merely been a chance encounter, right?"

Gu Xiaoyue took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fury in his heart before slowly turning around. "Chance? How can there be so many chances? The Profound Heaven Sect has always had little contact with Medicine King Valley, yet this time they came in such a grand procession. That was suspicious enough already. The moment they entered the valley, they just happened to encounter Yueyao? They must be plotting something!"

Terrified by Gu Xiaoyue's eagle-sharp, intimidating gaze, the junior disciple shuddered all over and hurriedly lowered his head, burying it so low that he barely dared breathe.

He paced back and forth through the hall, the crisp crunch of his black brocade boots stepping over porcelain shards echoing as thoughts raced through his mind. "Not only has the Profound Heaven Sect's sect master come in person this time, he has also brought many direct disciples with him. Such a formation cannot possibly be just for attending a Flower-Appreciation Gathering.

"They deliberately approached Yueyao. Could it be that they intend to use her to harm Medicine King Valley?" At that thought, his gaze became increasingly sinister, like a deep black abyss radiating a chilling aura.

"Eldest Senior Brother, isn't that a little too serious...? Perhaps they really only came to have some fun? Aren't you thinking too much?" the junior disciple asked cautiously.

Gu Xiaoyue slowly crouched before the junior disciple, bringing his gaze level with the other's. He let out a long sigh, then gently patted his shoulder. His tone abruptly became gentle. "Junior Brother, you are still too naive.

"Matters between sects are tangled and complex. You must never judge them only by appearances. The Profound Heaven Sect has stood in the Heavenly Domain for three thousand years. Who knew how many sects had been suppressed by them until they had no hope of ever rising again? Their depth of scheming and strategy is obvious.

"When dealing with them, you must be especially careful. One careless step, and the entire board will be lost. Do you understand?"

"Eldest Senior Brother, then... then what should we do?"

Seeing the junior disciple nod in panic, Gu Xiaoyue rose to his feet, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Watch every move the people of the Profound Heaven Sect make, especially those who have come into contact with Yueyao. The moment you discover even the slightest suspicious action, report to me immediately. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother!" the junior disciple hurriedly answered.

"And," a ruthless gleam flashed through Gu Xiaoyue's eyes, "notify the other disciples. Tell them to remain alert as well and heighten their vigilance. Do not let the Profound Heaven Sect's people find an opening."

"Yes!" The junior disciple did not dare delay in the slightest. After accepting the order, he hurriedly withdrew, his figure soon vanishing beyond the hall doors.

Gu Xiaoyue stared fixedly at the hall doors, which had briefly opened and shut again. The venomous light in his eyes flickered like ghostly fire in a dark forest, and the surging malice within him completely tore away his mask.

His hands clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles turning a frightening white from the force, as though they might embed themselves in his palms.

He viciously forced out a murmur through clenched teeth. "I don't care what Profound Heaven Sect you are. Whatever I, Gu Xiaoyue, want, I will definitely claim for myself. No one will stop me!"

In truth, his claim that they might "harm Medicine King Valley" was merely an excuse used to deceive the junior disciple. It was not what he truly feared at all.

Gu Xiaoyue had an exceedingly clear understanding of Medicine King Valley's standing in the cultivation world.

Medicine King Valley's disciples had always focused on cultivating medicinal herbs and refining pills; they were not skilled at fighting others in battle. If the Profound Heaven Sect truly intended to deal with Medicine King Valley, then with True Person Yu Qing's strength, he alone would be enough to wipe out Medicine King Valley in the flick of a finger. Why would they need to painstakingly devise any scheme?

This time, the Valley Master had sent invitations far and wide, inviting all the major sects to the Flower-Appreciation Gathering. Though everyone would send people out of respect for the Valley Master, most other sects had merely casually dispatched an elder, or simply had their direct disciples lead a group. They were only going through the motions; as long as propriety was observed and no one could criticize them, all would be well.

Yet the Profound Heaven Sect alone had its sect master personally lead the delegation. Such importance was truly beyond the ordinary.

This could not help but fill Gu Xiaoyue with doubts. Why would the dignified sect master of the Profound Heaven Sect make such a grand show over an exotic flower from outside the region?

On the surface, the Valley Master was holding the Flower-Appreciation Gathering to display spirit flowers, but what was the more important purpose? To choose a suitable husband for his daughter and seek Medicine King Valley's future heir!

Ordinary disciples naturally were not worth a sect master's personal intervention. But what if the foremost direct disciple among the Profound Heaven Sect's next generation—the one most likely to inherit the position of sect master—had developed genuine feelings for Gu Yueyao?

If such an influential figure had fallen for Gu Yueyao, then the sect master's personal visit to assess matters for his disciple seemed perfectly reasonable.

The more Gu Xiaoyue thought about it, the more reasonable he found his deduction. Chu Shihan must harbor improper intentions toward Gu Yueyao; that was why the Profound Heaven Sect attached such importance to what he considered nothing more than a mere Flower-Appreciation Gathering.

How could he endure that?

He slowly turned and walked to the grand chair in the hall, dropping heavily into it, his eyes filled with unwillingness and resentment.

"I have been careful at every turn in Medicine King Valley, flattering everyone in every matter, watching the Valley Master's face before acting, and exhausting my mind to please Yueyao. Only after great difficulty did I achieve my current position.

"Just when everything was under my control, just when Medicine King Valley and Yueyao were about to become mine, why should you, Chu Shihan, come whenever you please and take whatever you please?" He ground his teeth, his voice trembling slightly with fury.

Anyone who had schemed for decades, only to see their ambitions finally about to shine into reality before a Cheng Yaojin suddenly appeared from nowhere and forcibly thrust a foot in the door, turning years of painstaking effort into bubbles, would never easily let the matter rest. Gu Xiaoyue was no exception.

Nine Domains Encyclopedia:

○ Sword Tomb

An independent space carved out within the Twin-Life Tree's trunk, specifically used to store the swords of deceased Profound Heaven Sect disciples from past generations.

The sword intent within the Sword Tomb is pure. After forging a good sword, one may also apply to place it in the Sword Tomb for tempering. The better the spirit sword, the longer it can remain there. After being tempered by the Sword Tomb's sword intent, all of a spirit sword's attributes will be greatly enhanced, and it will be easier for it to nurture a sword spirit.