Fifth Peak

The halls of Fifth Peak stood west of the main peak, and they were indeed far plainer than those of the other peaks.

When Qin Yuan followed that disciple into the main hall, three elders were already seated inside.

In the center sat a white-bearded old man with a kindly face—Xu Changqing, the elder in charge of Fifth Peak.

To the left was a stern middle-aged woman, while to the right was a scruffy old man hugging a wine gourd and dozing off.

"Disciple Qin Yuan greets Elder Xu and the two elders." Qin Yuan cupped his hands.

Xu Changqing hurriedly rose and personally helped him up, his face blooming with delight. "Good! Good! Good child! No need for such formalities!"

He looked Qin Yuan up and down, growing more satisfied the longer he looked. "Sixth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, with a solid foundation and condensed spiritual power... Good! Excellent! Fifth Peak has not produced a genius like you in fifty years!"

Elder Yan, the middle-aged woman on the left, also revealed a rare smile. "Qin Yuan, choosing Fifth Peak today was a wise decision. Though the other peaks have abundant resources, they are filled with intrigue and factional strife. Fifth Peak has few people and is peaceful—the most suitable place for devoted cultivation."

The scruffy Drunken Elder on the right let out a wine burp and mumbled drowsily, "Kid, can you drink?"

Qin Yuan said, "...A little."

"Good! Come drink with me often from now on!" After saying that, Drunken Elder flopped back down and fell asleep again.

Xu Changqing shook his head helplessly, then said to Qin Yuan with a serious expression, "Qin Yuan, now that you have entered Fifth Peak, you are a core disciple of our peak. By the rules, core disciples may live alone in a courtyard, receive three hundred Mid-grade Spirit Crystals and ten bottles of Qi Gathering Pills each month, and freely peruse the first three floors of the cultivation technique pavilion. In addition..."

He paused and took a token from his robes. "This is Fifth Peak's 'Xuan Yuan Token.' With this token, you may enter the 'Xuan Yuan Secret Realm' to cultivate once. The Spiritual Energy within the secret realm is ten times denser than outside, and it also accelerates time—one day outside is three days within. You have only recently reached Foundation Establishment and need to consolidate your realm. This token is yours."

Qin Yuan accepted the token. It felt warm and smooth in his hand. The words "Xuan Yuan" were engraved on the front, while the mountain-shaped emblem of Fifth Peak was carved on the back.

"Thank you, Elder."

"No need to thank me." Xu Changqing waved a hand, his expression turning solemn. "Qin Yuan, you showed your edge too openly today and offended Third Peak and Seventh Peak. Neither Liu Zhenshan nor Li Changqing is broad-minded. They will surely seek a chance for revenge. Within the sect, they would not dare act openly, but once outside the sect..."

He took out a Jade Talisman. "This is a protective Jade Talisman. It can withstand a full-force strike from an early Golden Core Realm cultivator. Keep it on you to guard against the unexpected."

Qin Yuan accepted the Jade Talisman, warmth stirring in his heart.

Though Fifth Peak was weak, this sincerity and desire to protect him were far better than Seventh Peak's empty promises.

"This disciple will remember."

Xu Changqing nodded. "Go. Your courtyard is at Listening Bamboo Garden on the eastern side. It has already been prepared. Rest well. In three days, I will take you into the secret realm."

Qin Yuan bowed and took his leave.

When he walked out of the main hall, the sun was setting in the west, and golden afterglow spilled over Fifth Peak's plain halls, lending them an unusual tranquility.

He looked at the Xuan Yuan Token in his hand, then recalled the system panel's new function: "cultivation could be accumulated for three days."

One day outside was three days in the secret realm.

If the system accumulated for three days, he could extract sixty years of cultivation.

What if he used it within the secret realm...

A sharp gleam flashed through Qin Yuan's eyes.

The speed of his cultivation from here on might frighten even more people to death.

He put away the token and headed toward Listening Bamboo Garden.

Behind him, Xu Changqing and Elder Yan stood at the entrance to the hall, watching his retreating figure.

"This child may allow Fifth Peak to regain the glory it had a hundred years ago," Elder Yan said softly.

Xu Changqing stroked his white beard, his smile full of gratification. "Fifth Peak has lain silent for too long. It is time to let the other peaks see what it means to lie silent until one day, then stun the world with a single cry."

The setting sun stretched their shadows long.

Meanwhile, on Third Peak, Liu Zhenshan looked at his grandson Liu Feng, who lay on the bed barely clinging to life. His face was so gloomy it seemed water could drip from it.

"Qin Yuan... Fifth Peak..." He gritted his teeth, his voice cold as iron. "Just wait. I will avenge Feng'er!"

He turned and said to the shadows behind him, "Investigate! Find out Qin Yuan's movements over these past three days! What opportunity did he obtain to reach the sixth level of Foundation Establishment in three days?!"

A low voice came from the shadows. "Yes."

On Seventh Peak, Elder Li sat in a quiet chamber, with a disciple kneeling before him.

"Master, that Qin Yuan does not know what is good for him. We..."

"No rush." Elder Li closed his eyes. "A genius? This world lacks nothing less than geniuses. Only those who survive are true geniuses. Go, spread the news that Qin Yuan chose Fifth Peak. Embellish it a little—say Fifth Peak gave him a treasure he could not refuse..."

He opened his eyes, and a trace of cold malice flashed within them. "I want to see whether he, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, can protect those 'treasures' when possessing a jade invites disaster."

The disciple understood and bowed as he withdrew.

As night deepened, undercurrents surged through the various peaks of Xuan Yuan Sect.

Meanwhile, in Listening Bamboo Garden, Qin Yuan sat cross-legged on a bamboo couch, with the system panel floating before him.

[One Day Grants Twenty Years of Cultivation System]

[Current Level: 2 (47/5000)]

[Cultivation Storage: 0/60 years]

[Today's cultivation has not been extracted]

He closed his eyes and began extracting today's twenty years of cultivation.

The barrier at the sixth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm began to loosen beneath the impact of twenty years of pure cultivation...

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