Chapter 88: Tiangang Sect’s Attack

Soon, Jing Yue sent more than ten disciples to Xiang Kingdom and removed all the spiritual stones from the cave.

At this point, Mini Frostcloud Sect had enough spirit stones. In addition, the disciples of the Talisman Hall gradually became familiar with talisman-making. Jing Yue decided to teach them to make use of the spiritual energy in the spiritual stone to refine the talisman so that they could refine charms useful to cultivators in advance.

At the same time, he asked the emperors of Chen and Xiang to arrange for the establishment of a chamber of commerce to sell Mini Frostcloud Sect’s talismans to all parts of the Western Continent.

For a time, the talisman business in the west continent was in full swing. The living habits of both the cultivators and mortals were changing little by little and gradually spread to other continents of the Haotian Realm. The entire cultivation world started to seek after this change, and Mini Frostcloud Sect that produced the talisman quickly gained fame.

Arcane Ocean, Tianshui Palace.

Today was the inner gates competition in Tianshui Palace. On the arena stage, a girl in purple was forced to retreat by a girl in green. Just as she was about to be forced out of bounds, at the critical juncture, the girl in purple tore a talisman.

The sharp sword beams bloomed like autumn chrysanthemums and the girl in green had to retreat. However, the sword beam seemed to be cognizant as it chased after the girl in green. After a few breaths, the girl in green was surrounded by the sword beams and had to give up.

“Guan Xiaofeng wins this round!”

As the elder of the sect spoke, the girl in purple had won another round.

The girl in green graciously bowed, “Guan-shimei, congratulations.”

The disciples in the audience commented, “Guan-shijie won again. Qiao-shijie is obviously stronger. It’s such a shame for her to lose this match.”

“What can be done? The competition only prohibits pill consumption. Guan-shijie is willing to spend money to prepare for this, so she should win.”

One person lowered his voice, “I heard that this sword talisman is a new product from Mini Frostcloud Sect. Guan-shijie spent more than 10,000 spirit stones before she got her hands on it.”

“So expensive?” The other person was startled and said, “But it’s worth it! The sword Qi just now is equivalent to the strength of a Foundation Establishment, right?”

“Yes, so Mini Frostcloud Sect is very powerful indeed. They were already so well-known all over the cultivation world in just a few years. I heard that the cultivation levels of their disciples were nothing to shout about, but if everyone holds a stack of talismans in their hands, they’d probably be quite difficult to deal with if we encounter them.”

The group discussed with great enthusiasm and didn’t notice a woman with an unhappy face on the side. “Tsk, only a third-rated sect will rely on crooked methods to gain an advantage. Where is the true ability in that? In the past, the big sects didn’t care to fight and allowed them to have their way. Now…”

The woman sneered. She was born with a mean attitude and her behavior now made her even more sinister.

The few surrounding people didn’t respond to her. The woman didn’t care either and continued talking to herself, “The west continent has always been under the influence of the Tiangang Sect at Lion Mountain. As the saying goes, one mountain cannot contain two tigers. Such publicity from Mini Frostcloud Sect will invite trouble for them sooner or later.”

Someone acutely perceived something and asked, “Is Tiangang Sect going to make a move?”

Woman, “Hmph, if Mini Frostcloud Sect behaves, so be it. But they rely on their little tricks and disregarded Tiangang Sect. It is said that they actually concealed a spirit mine! How bold of them! If not taught a lesson, they’d think they rule over the west continent!”

Seeing that she spoke with such conviction, everyone suddenly remembered that the woman seemed to be connected to the Tiangang Sect. In that case, this was not just empty talk, and they pondered over it.

Some people thought that Mini Frostcloud Sect was not a pushover, and Tiangang Sect’s retaliation would end up in a vicious fight. When both parties suffered heavy losses, perhaps other immortal gates would even take advantage of it. Others thought that Mini Frostcloud Sect would not escape this calamity. After all, Tiangang Sect had a deep heritage, so how could it tolerate provocation from ordinary sects? Besides, there was not even a Golden Core cultivator in Mini Frostcloud Sect.

Everyone had their own thoughts, but they were all worried that Mini Frostcloud Sect would suffer a great blow over this, and it would be difficult to find talismans in the future, so they planned to stock up more goods after this. Not only could they use them, but they could also make a fortune in the future!

Similar rumors also spread quietly in other schools. Toward this matter, Mini Frostcloud Sect seemed to know nothing.

On this day, Qin Yanzhi came down from the east summit alone. At this time, he was 13 years old and already a handsome young man. His cultivation had already reached level-8 Qi Refining stage and no longer needed Jing Yue to follow him around at any time and place.

Just outside the mountain gate, he heard a commotion inside, and said coldly, “Why is it so noisy?”

When the disciples turned their heads to see him, all of them went quiet. Everyone knew that the younger brother of the sect leader was amazingly talented but always had an indifferent attitude. Other than his preference of sticking to the sect leader, he was always aloof to others, and most of the disciples were a little afraid of him.

Qin Yanzhi didn’t hear a reply and frowned in dissatisfaction. The disciples shivered and someone quickly said, “Qin-shishu! Many sneaky people are gathered at the foot of the mountain!”

Although the sect leader said that Qin Yanzhi was not a disciple of Mini Frostcloud Sect, his seniority was high, and he also joined in the cultivation with other sect disciples. Over time, everyone called him ‘martial uncle’.

Qin Yanzhi, “Is the sect leader informed about this?”

At the mention of the sect leader, his expression noticeably softened.

The disciples were long used to it and ignored it as they replied, “A Shixiong has gone in to pass the message.”

“Mm.” Qin Yanzhi responded ambiguously and went around them to look for Jing Yue.

Once inside the hall, he saw only Jing Yue inside. At this time, he held his face with one hand, the other writing and drawing with a pen. There was also a little blue chicken standing on the table, holding an ink bar and grinding ink.

One sleeve of Jing Yue’s arm had fallen to the elbow, revealing a forearm, and a few strands of his hair fell over that arm, accentuating his translucent skin, causing Qin Yanzhi to steal a few more glances.

Jing Yue didn’t even look up. “Is Yanzhi here?”

Qin Yanzhi, “Ge, what should we do with those people at the foot of the mountain?”

Jing Yue, “Just let them wait. They can’t come up anyway. Let me draw this formation arrangement. Later, you can take the disciples to set up the formation according to the practice in the past.”

Although his tone was indifferent, Qin Yanzhi still heard a hint of excitement. “Is the Tiangang Sect finally here?”

The corners of Jing Yue’s mouth curled. “Who else could it be? I've been waiting for them for a long time.”

If Tiangang Sect was more vigilant and turned up a year earlier, maybe it would cause Mini Frostcloud Sect some trouble. But now… the materials for Jing Yue’s great formation were ready, just waiting to peel a layer of skin off from Tiangang Sect.

He gallantly filled a piece of paper with writing and handed it to Qin Yanzhi. “Do you have any questions?”

Qin Yanzhi smiled lightly. “No, don’t worry, Gege.”

Jing Yue, “Well then, let them into the mountain. It’s time to show them who has the final say in the west continent!”

Flying Blossoms Mountain, the broken cliff.

About a thousand disciples of Tiangang Sect gathered here, each looking very menacing, but there was a trace of bafflement on their stern faces.

It had been nearly ten hours since they arrived here but they had not even seen a single disciple of Mini Frostcloud Sect, and they were still trapped outside the mountain gate, at a loss.A cultivator with pockmarks on his face said, “Luo-shishu, if we made such a big spectacle and can’t even get into the mountain gates, I'm afraid we'll be laughed at by others.”

The Luo-shishu he spoke of was tall and sturdy, a fierce expression on his face, and at a high-level Foundation Establishment stage. He was always held in high prestige among the disciples. At this time, he said angrily, “Mini Frostcloud Sect is nothing but a bunch of cowardly turtles. I don’t believe that they can hide in the mountains for the rest of their lives and never come out!”

As soon as he said that, they saw a sudden change in the surroundings. A stone staircase appeared, leading directly to the sky, half-hidden in the clouds.

Everyone was taken aback for a moment before turning ecstatic. Cultivator Luo held a pair of hammers in his hand and exclaimed, “Everyone, charge!”

However, the pockmarked cultivator felt that the appearance of this path was too fishy. He was vaguely uneasy and quickly said, “Wait, maybe it’s a trap!”

Unfortunately, his Luo-shishu did not pay attention, and his words were completely caught in the wind and blown away.

While the disciples of the Tiangang Sect were in an uproar, on an island somewhere in the western continent, an old man was concentrating on blending cinnabar. His eyes were focused and his movements were meticulous, but suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps outside the door.

The old man looked over impatiently and saw a child rushing in like a whirlwind. “Shifu, I got it! I got it!”

“What?” The old man stood up abruptly, unable to restrain his surging heart, and stammered, “You really bought it?”

The boy took out a piece of yellow talisman paper and said with a pained expression, “It costs 70,000 spirit stones! And I even grabbed it with great difficulty.”

Seeing that the old man didn't pay attention to his words at all, staring at the talisman with bright eyes instead, the boy got angry and said, “Both are talisman practitioners, Mini Frostcloud Sect can make so much money, but you? You only know how to spend spirit stones without earning a single piece. Now that 70,000 spirit stones are given out, we can’t even afford to buy cinnabar soon!”

“Hmph, what’s so great about Mini Frostcloud Sect’s talisman? Although the attack talismans are powerful, they are just at Foundation Establishment stage, and won’t pose a threat to someone of my level.” The old man retorted dismissively.

Boy, “Why do you contribute so many spirit stones to them then? And you make a fuss to buy new talismans as soon as they come out?”

The old man’s face flushed suspiciously. “It’s for research! Know oneself and thy enemy and we can win a hundred battles. Didn't they brag about purifying the main spiritual root and eliminating the miscellaneous spiritual roots this time? I don’t believe it. How can the purity of the spiritual root be changed? We must expose the scam of Mini Frostcloud Sect!”

After that, he gleefully snatched the talisman from the child's hand.

The child curled his lips exaggeratedly, thinking that his master was clearly a Golden Core cultivator, but obsessed with talismans, and had been living in seclusion on the island in the lake for a hundred years.

Three years ago, his master accidentally tried out a talisman from Mini Frostcloud Sect. He was immediately shocked and had fallen into the pit since then. From then on, whenever Mini Frostcloud Sect released a new talisman, the master would go to great lengths to grab it at once, but he would always say disdainful words, while his actions spoke otherwise.

Seeing that his master had activated the talisman, he silently hoped that Mini Frostcloud Sect was not bluffing this time.

His master was a double spiritual root of fire and wood, but the fire element was so small that he could almost be considered a single wood spiritual root. Therefore, even though his master was only a rogue cultivator, and also delayed a lot of cultivation progress because he was obsessed with talisman research, he still achieved the golden core. If the talisman was really useful, it might completely remove the master’s fire spiritual root over time, would the master have a chance to achieve the Great Dao then?

The child struggled to open his eyes wide and saw a few faint rays of light penetrate his master's body. The latter crossed his legs in meditation and started to refine.

Time passed slowly and the boy got bored waiting, but at the foot of Flying Blossoms Mountain, the pockmarked cultivator waited anxiously.

He didn’t rush up the mountain with Luo-shishu but stayed behind with dozens of prudent disciples, ready to watch for a while longer.

At first, they could faintly hear the sound of fighting and cursing coming from a short distance away, but soon, the mountain forest gradually quieted down.

A disciple said, “Yu-shixiong, Luo-shishu and the others may have gone far. If they noticed that we didn’t follow them, I’m afraid they’d blame us for escaping the battlefield.”

Pockmarks frowned and thought about it. “In that case, let’s head up too. Everyone must stay alert. Don't fall into the enemy's scheme.”

“Yes!”

But they gave chase the entire way and saw no hide or hair of any disciple of the Tiangang Sect. Pockmark's anxiety grew and was about to retreat when he heard someone say, “Yu-shixiong, there are signs of a fight ahead.”

When they rushed over to take a look, they abruptly saw an open space in the mountain forest. The ground was scorched, the surrounding trees were burnt, the fallen leaves and branches were mixed in the soil, and weapons could be seen scattered everywhere.

“Ah! That’s Luo-shishu’s Mountain Splitting Hammer!”

Pockmark's heart jumped as he also saw the hammer in the clearing.

Subconsciously, everyone rushed over, but when they stepped into the clearing with one foot, they were shocked!

Author’s Notes:

A certain forum

Anonymous: Let’s gossip about a certain extremist in our clan with the finest double standards.

1-L: Hehe, there are simply two faces to the sect leader and ordinary disciples like us. Normally, seeing us, cold and aloof and doesn’t speak. At the sight of the sect leader, innocent and cute, obedient and well-behaved. What a flatterer.

2-L: That seems familiar. Is that the one I’m thinking about?

3-L: No decoding.

4-L: Well, if it’s that dim-witted son who loves changing clothes, rest assured. Sooner or later, the sect leader will see through his true colors.

5-L: Seal the forum!