The Five Elements Sect had exactly five peaks, one each to the east, south, west, and north, with another in the center. Green Wood Peak stood in the east, Yellow Earth Peak in the west, Still Water Peak in the south, Divine Fire Peak in the north, and Mystic Metal Peak in the center. Mystic Metal Peak was the main peak.
The peak they had crashed into earlier was Still Water Peak. The white-robed elder was Zhang Yan, its former peak master and one of the Five Elements Sect's two Nascent Soul grand elders.
Zhang Yan had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage a hundred years ago, but his cultivation was still at the early Nascent Soul stage. The other grand elder, Li Shuncai, was at the middle Nascent Soul stage.
Chen Ming, Tang You, Li Mei, Lin Hao, Lin Lie, Li Yao, Shen Yueru, Li Fengling, and the others all chose Green Wood Peak!
Foundation Establishment disciples like Chen Ming could choose their peaks, but those at the Golden Core stage could not. They were assigned to peaks and had no say in the matter.
Yuan Youdao, the former sect master of the Falling Moon Sect, Shen Changyuan, the master of Green Leaf Peak, and Zhang Kuang, the master of Wild Blade Peak, were assigned to Green Wood Peak as inner sect elders.
All in all, although the people of the Falling Moon Sect no longer had a say in things, they were at least more united than before.
The reason Chen Ming had not slipped away was that he had seen people willing to blow themselves up to blast a path open for the younger disciples, as well as a grand elder, peak masters, and Golden Core elders who had risked their lives to hold off great demons and clear a way for the younger generation.
In this cultivation world of mortals, who could do such a thing? Yet who would have thought that such a sect actually existed in this cultivation world? It was the Falling Moon Sect.
That was why Chen Ming had stayed rather than leaving when he learned that this was the territory of the Righteous Dao Alliance's Taizhen Sect, even though he knew Perfected Zhiyang was colluding with the demonic sects. In the past, he would have fled long ago.
Only now did Chen Ming understand the meaning of "a man will die for one who truly understands him."
Two years flew by.
Chen Ming also advanced from early to middle Foundation Establishment. During those two years, he occasionally took on missions, but spent most of his time running around with Li Fengling.
During that time, Chen Ming obtained the recipe for Foundation Establishment Pills from Yuan Youdao, the sect master of the Falling Moon Sect.
Over those two years, selling Foundation Establishment Pills had allowed him to repay all the energy points he owed the system. The system had even risen several levels and was now a level-one Yellow Grade Lottery System.
He had originally thought level nine would be the system's limit, only for it to spring a level-one Yellow Grade on him. A draw cost a million energy points, so he had not made a single one.
Chen Ming now suspected that the system was only useful when his life needed saving. When he was not in mortal danger, it was practically useless.
"Junior Brother Chen, heading down the mountain?"
Tang You and Li Mei asked when they saw Chen Ming. Last year, the two had become Dao companions, and now they went everywhere together.
"Hello, Senior Brother Tang, Senior Sister Li! Yes, I am!"
Chen Ming answered them with a smile.
"Oh! Why isn't Junior Sister Fengling with you today? Did you two have a fight?"
Li Mei teased him with a smile.
"No! I think she's been in seclusion lately, trying to break through."
Chen Ming merely replied with a light smile.
"No way! So soon? I remember Fengling only broke through to middle Foundation Establishment a little over a year ago. She's already about to break through again!"
Looking in the direction where Chen Ming had already disappeared, Li Mei muttered to herself in surprise.
After descending the mountain, Chen Ming entered a small cave and changed clothes before flying away on his sword.
Shortly before reaching Blackstone Market, he took the Wolf-Head Mask out of his storage pouch and put it on. He wore this mask every time he came out to sell Foundation Establishment Pills.
Even Li Fengling knew nothing about Chen Ming selling Foundation Establishment Pills. He always came secretly on his own, and no one knew he could refine them.
Although he had obtained the recipe from Yuan Youdao, having a recipe and knowing how to refine the pills were two different things.
Chen Ming made his way to the Donglai Auction House in Blackstone Market with practiced ease, handed the Foundation Establishment Pills to the manager, then turned and left.
After leaving the auction house, he turned into an alley and looked around. Seeing no one, he removed his mask and put it back in his storage pouch before strolling leisurely out of the alley!
Blackstone Market got its name because stone gambling was its most famous attraction. There were at least several dozen stone-gambling shops of all sizes.
One cut could make you poor, another rich. Nine gamblers out of ten lost, and the remaining one would be the ninth loser next time.
Chen Ming had won quite a bit in these stone-gambling shops, but it had all gone into the system. Sometimes the system would alert him, but it only reacted to things that could be converted into energy points.
Chen Ming had tested it. Even if a stone contained treasure, the system would not react unless it met its requirements.
Chen Ming made the rounds of the stone-gambling shops, but the system gave no response, so he turned to leave.
"Isn't this Fellow Daoist Chen Ming?"
The man approaching him was Liao Kongchen of the Immortal Ascension Sect. Liao Kongchen was a gambling addict. Almost every time Chen Ming came here, he saw him gambling on stones, though he rarely saw him win much. Chen Ming had met him while gambling on stones as well.
"Fellow Daoist Liao, how's your luck today?"
Chen Ming really did not want to deal with him. Every time they met, Liao Kongchen tried to drag him off to gamble on stones, so he merely offered a perfunctory greeting.
"Don't even ask. I lost everything and was about to head back. Then I happened to see you, Fellow Daoist Chen. How about lending me some spirit stones? I'll definitely pay you back in three days at most!"
Liao Kongchen promptly came up to Chen Ming and spoke in a sleazy manner, then hurriedly gave his assurance.
"I don't have any!"
Chen Ming was utterly speechless. Liao Kongchen was either gambling on stones or on his way to borrow money to gamble on stones. Chen Ming answered with firm resolve.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, do I look like someone who borrows spirit stones and never pays them back? How about I give you twenty percent of whatever I win this time?"
Unwilling to give up, Liao Kongchen stayed beside Chen Ming, pestering him relentlessly.
"A little tempting, but I have no money!"
Chen Ming pretended to consider it for a moment before speaking again.
As he spoke, Chen Ming casually brought out his flying sword and flew out of the market.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, you have to believe me!"
Seeing Chen Ming depart on his flying sword, Liao Kongchen immediately brought out his own and chased after him, speaking earnestly.
"I really don't have any. You have to believe me too, Fellow Daoist Liao."
Watching Liao Kongchen catch up on his sword, Chen Ming looked helpless. His entire mood had soured, and he could only answer with the same earnestness.
Before long, they saw thick black smoke billowing from an estate ahead, fierce flames blazing within it. Even from a distance, they could hear waves of battle cries.
Chen Ming and Liao Kongchen exchanged a glance, then headed toward the burning estate.
Ten Thousand Swords Manor was home to a cultivation clan that made its living forging swords, a clan with a Golden Core expert.
"It's actually the Azure Wolf Gang!"
Liao Kongchen suddenly exclaimed as he looked at the situation below.
"Oh! Fellow Daoist Liao, you know these people?"
Chen Ming could not help looking at him in puzzlement as he asked.
"Know them? These bastards have robbed me twice!"
Liao Kongchen spoke indignantly and was about to charge down to help.
Chen Ming took a glance, then found the best spot to sit and watch the two Golden Core experts fighting in the sky.
As a rule, he did not want to get involved in anything that did not concern him. How nice it was to watch the show and enjoy the spectacle-he might even get lucky and pick up something others had missed.