Zhanxian

Many years ago, there had been a debate in Pure Yang Palace about the ownership of treasures found by disciples. That time, it was decided that any treasure found by a disciple would belong to him.

This golden seal was Yang Chen’s spoil of war, so naturally, it belonged in Yang Chen’s pouch. It would be impossible for others to snatch it forcefully, even if they wanted to. The only method was to find some way to purchase it or obtain it from Yang Chen according to his wishes.

In comparison, it would be simpler to use the last two methods since it was impossible to forcefully snatch it from Yang Chen. After all, Yang Chen had a lot of treasures, and he had fire attributed spirit root, so he wouldn’t care much about a metal attributed tool refining material.

This could be taken up later, as presently, the priority for the sect’s elders was the matter of Hundred Thousand Mountains. Soon, everyone’s attention returned back from the affair of Yang Chen killing a YuanYing stage expert to discussing the necessary countermeasures.

“If the people of Hundred Thousand Mountain publicly declare war against our Pure Yang Palace, then we will not rest until they are all dead.”

The first person to open his mouth was Lin Yunfeng, who clearly stated his position:

“Moreover, they were the ones who had attacked the disciple of my Pure Yang Palace first, so reasonable justification is also not on their side. Additionally, we must send the message that any outsider cannot causally bully our disciples!”

Although the people of Pure Yang Palace were not usually tyrannical, when facing this type of matter, the first thought of the majority of the people would be to defend the interests of sect’s disciples. Even elder Lin Yunfeng, who looked unfavourably on Yang Chen, was of the same mind. His grudge was his own personal business, but outsiders bullying the disciples of their sect would absolutely not be forgiven.

“Yes, not only had those people broken the rule of their own auction house and attacked the disciple of our sect first, they had also dared to try and kill a disciple of my Pure Yang Palace at MeiQing Mountain. Do they really think that we will not retaliate?”

Immediately another elder continued in a righteous tone.

“Right now, we are not certain of how the Hundred Thousand Mountain would react, if we start declaring mortal enemies like this, then we would invite the ridicule of others for no reason.”

Said another elder:

“Let’s not take any action for the time being and see how the enemy responds?”

“Hundred Thousand Mountain had broken their own rules, naturally, they will also have other such debts. So temporarily, they certainly won’t dare to take any large-scale action against our Pure Yang Palace.”

Said Foreign Affair Hall’s hall master Xu Chengxin:

“MeiQing Mountain is not Hundred Thousand Mountain, if they come to our territory to attack, the other sects and schools will also not tolerate it, so there is no need to panic.”

“They broke their own rules and attacked the disciples of my sect first, we should not let them off lightly. However, when Yang Chen had killed their manager and young master, that was excessive.”

Liang Shaoming immediately opened his mouth:

“So they also sent people to kill Yang Chen, thus it should even out now.”

“What do you mean?”

After reaching YuanYing stage, Medicine Hall’s hall master Zhu Chentao’s confidence had increased greatly. Hearing Liang Shaoming’s words, he immediately furrowed his brows.

“Since they had attacked using the reason of vengeance and hadn’t affected any other people of the sect, then how can we all interfere?”

Liang Shaoming glanced at the Yang Chen, the only one standing in the room and then turned towards Zhu Chentao and continued:

“Since they insist on saying that this is a private matter between them, then it won’t be good for the whole sect to interfere!”

“They attacked the disciple of my sect first, how can it be equaled out with just losing two lives?”

Zhu Chentao coldly snort:

“This time again, they entered my MeiQing Mountain, do you think that at the places of my Pure Yang Palace which aren’t habited, anyone who wants to run amok can do so casually?”

“Naturally, the people of Hundred Thousand Mountains cannot get away with it, as long as a suitable opportunity arises, then naturally we must teach them a lesson.”

However Liang Shaoming said using a virtuous cause, but his gaze again turned towards Yang Chen:

“But, is it the sect’s intention to form enmity with Hundred Thousand Mountains?”

“Huh, do you think the disciples of Pure Yang Palace should allow all outsiders to plot against them?”

Yang Chen was furious, but before he could say anything, Zhu Chentao had already started speaking:

“What do you mean by these words?”

“I mean that after all is said and done, Gao Yue had gone to find materials to make a flying sword for her own disciple when she got attacked and later, Yang Chen went to quarrel with them.”

Obviously, Liang Shaoming was targeting Yang Chen, he sneered:

“It is a private affair of these master and disciple, so why must they insist on dragging my sect into it and even if my sect personally steps in to save them, then they also shouldn’t be let off lightly and must be disciplined by the sect. Otherwise, in the future, others will keep causing trouble when outside the sect, who will uphold the sect’s rule?”

Liang Shaoming meant that the sect should assist Yang Chen and Gao Yue in enduring the pressure from outside, but within the sect, they should be punished.

“Uncle master Liang, when master went to find the materials for flying sword, it was under the orders of Palace Master.”

Standing opposite to him, Yang Chen replied being neither servile nor overbearing:

“Could it be that uncle master Liang forgot that Palace Master had personally bestowed me with a flying sword?”

“When bestowing a flying sword to a foundation stage disciple, why must she insist on using such high grade materials?”

Liang Shaoming slowly said:

“Did the Palace Master say that such a high grade flying sword must be rewarded?”

“Good words, thanks for teaching me uncle master Liang.”

An angry smile appeared on Yang Chen’s face, looking straight at Liang Shaoming, he asked:

“Palace Master also didn’t say to not bestow such a high grade flying sword!”

However, this also couldn’t be retorted against. Palace Master Zhong Jiao had indeed conferred a flying sword on Yang Chen, but everyone had thought that it would be a normal flying sword.

As long as it is of fire attribute, it would be good. But, it was completely out of their expectation that Gao Yue would be willing to pay such price for Yang Chen’s flying sword. However, Liang Shaoming also couldn’t say anything, if he continued to pursue this question then he may end up offending Palace Master Zhong Jiao.

Previously, Palace Master’s authority was weak so he had to keep cordial relations with Lin Yunfeng and the other elders, so they could easily sway Palace Master Zhong Jiao’s decision.

But now, it was not the same, Wang Yong’s strength had been greatly increased, his cultivation exceeded everyone. Furthermore, there was also the Dacheng stage expert Gui Shanyou, in addition to the successive accomplishments of Yang Chen.

All these things had allowed Pure Yang Palace’s strength to increase greatly, allowing Palace Master’s prestige to swell. Even Lin Yunfeng didn’t dare to easily contradict him now, needless to say of Liang Shaoming.

“No need discuss this matter anymore. The Hundred Thousand Mountain had attacked first so it is their offense.”

Sure enough, Palace Master Zhong Jiao’s shot a glance towards Liang Shaoming and lightly gave the explanation:

“If it had been anyone else among you, then my decision would also have been the same. Regardless of whatever the cause is, we had followed the rules and gone to purchase something, but they attacked, so obviously, they are at fault.”

Surely, Liang Shaoming didn’t dare to say anything and could only ruthlessly stare at Yang Chen. In these few years, Yang Chen had left his mark, causing Liang Shaoming’s resentment towards him to increase. He was even thinking of personally teach him a lesson. But, after hearing today that Yang Chen had surprisingly dealt with a YuanYing stage expert alone, he was restrained due to fear.

“Yang Chen, what do you think we should do?”

After giving his decision, Palace Master Zhong Jiao immediately turned to Yang Chen and asked.

“Disciple wants to know, if the power behind Hundred Thousand Mountains falls, could my sect control the Hundred Thousand Mountains?”

Yang Chen didn’t speak for some time, but when he opened his mouth, he immediately gave a fright to everyone present.

The upper echelons of Pure Yang Palace were all aware that this disciple Yang Chen doesn’t lie. He only speaks when he has 100% guarantee that he could achieve his objective.

But even then, hearing about controlling Hundred Thousand Mountain from behind the scenes astonished everyone present on the scene, including Liang Shaoming. Liang Shaoming was just pushed down by Palace Master Zhong Jiao, but hearing Yang Chen’s words gave him a great fright.

Hundred Thousand Mountains, that famous dangerous region, dao cultivators, devil cultivators and demon cultivators, all gathered there. Even YuanYing stage experts would also have to be greatly cautious here. Not to mention other things, just the fact that even a formidable expert like old tree demon was silently staying there, clearly showed the fearfulness of the place.

That power behind the auction house controlled the majority of such a dangerous region. But now, Yang Chen suddenly asked whether Pure Yang Palace could control the Hundred Thousand Mountain or not, this...... this was simply a big joke.

“Ridiculous!”

After discovering that he had almost jumped because of fright and lost his cool, Liang Shaoming immediately yelled towards Yang Chen as if trying to remove his own embarrassment by lashing out at Yang Chen:

“Too arrogant!”

Although Liang Shaoming had loudly yelled in front of everyone, moreover, everyone also knew what he thought of Yang Chen. This time, no one felt that Liang Shaoming had said anything inappropriate.

How can a place like Hundred Thousand Mountains be so easy to control? Even though it lacks spirit power, it had abundant natural resources. In the past, for so many years, no dao sect had the idea to control it, even the sects like Greatest Heaven Sect or Five Phases Sect was the same. Didn’t this clearly illustrate the problem?

Not to mention other things, just the position of this place was greatly troublesome. Being at the boundary of regions controlled by all three powers including dao sects, devil sects, and demon race, it was also quite distant from all the sects. Any YuanYing stage expert who doesn’t have magic weapons like Yang Chen and Wang Yong, which could boost speed, would take at least one month’s time for a one way journey. So if some problem arises, the experts of the sects may not be able to arrive timely.

Moreover, the power structure of this place was also quite complex, so only a few YuanYing stage expert certainly couldn’t subdue everyone. Even Hao Yi manor, which had four peak stage YuanYing experts, had to rely on the power behind the auction house and curry favour with the clan’s young master to live comfortably.

Originally, after taking everything into account, Pure Yang Palace only had eight YuanYing stage experts. Even if they included a formidable expert like Gui Shanyou, She Kui and Xie Sha, also adding in Zhu Chentao who had recently reached YuanYing stage, the Pure Yang Palace only had one Dacheng stage expert and eleven YuanYing stage expert.

Even if they used their full strength to fight, they could at most control a small corner in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. As for controlling the whole Hundred Thousand Mountain, that was just a dream within a dream.

Besides, before thinking about anything else, there was also the power behind auction house, which won’t be destroyed so easily. Yang Chen’s words indeed were quite unreasonable.

“You tell me, what happens if we can control it or what happens if we can’t?”

Palace Master Zhong Jiao thought to himself, Yang Chen certainly wouldn’t speak without thinking. Since he spoke before all the elders and other people, he certainly must have a plan.

“If we can control it, then we will have an easy time sharing the profit.”

Yang Chen faintly smiled:

“If we cannot, then we have no choice but to lose some profit and act together joining hands with other big sects.”

He spoke clearly, if they can, then they could hog everything to themselves. If they can’t, then they would have to find some people and act together. But right now, the people of Hundred Thousand Mountains hadn’t suffered any great loss, so Yang Chen’s words had put everyone at a loss.

These words were indeed true and made Palace Master Zhong Jiao sink into deeper contemplation. The silence within the hall which lasted for a long time was broken when Xu Chengxin asked:

“Yang Chen, how do intend to deal with people of Hundred Thousand Mountains?”

“To gather experts and exterminate them.”

Yang Chen replied without any hesitation.

This was again an unreal reply, almost everyone present on the scene believed so. It’s not like people hadn’t tried to research the mastermind behind Hundred Thousand Mountains, those dao, devil and demon cultivators who wanted to dominate the Hundred Thousand Mountains, all believed that it wasn’t possible without at least two mid stage Dacheng experts.

This was the minimum requirement, but looking at the stability in Hundred Thousand Mountains for so long, where even any big sect hadn’t tried to dip their finger in the pie, it was clear maybe they were even more difficult to deal with.

Yang Chen’s unexpected words to find experts and exterminate them simply seemed to be a joke. Moreover, it also wasn’t like Dacheng stage experts would so easily agree to exterminate people. Furthermore, if two or three Dacheng stage expert of the same side wants to kill another expert of the same stage who was focused on escaping, then killing him also wasn’t easy.

When Palace Master Zhong Jiao and others thought about it, they realized that perhaps Yang Chen really had some assurance in gathering experts. Gui Shanyou of Pure Yang Palace, Senior black tiger of Beast Taming Sect, Elder Hua Wanting of Clear Sky School, they were all people who could be considered to be owing a favour to Yang Chen. So agreeing to attack once shouldn’t be a big problem.

But, exterminating the enemy would be greatly difficult for these people too. Driving them away was easy, but who knows when those people would try to make a comeback? It was also impossible for Yang Chen to make these Dacheng experts stay at Hundred Thousand Mountains the entire time.

This caused the Palace Master Zhong Jiao to have some embarrassment. But in front of so many people, he also couldn’t ask Yang Chen for the details. Moreover, he also knew that even if he asked, Yang Chen may not reply properly. With Liang Shaoming present on the scene, Yang Chen would certainly not reveal all his cards.

At the same time, Palace Master Zhong Jiao began to get fidgety. This Liang Shaoming was always trying to enter the power struggle all the time. Last time, he colluded with He Lianyun, who was the disciple of Luminous Moon Hall. He couldn’t even control a little Luminous Moon Hall properly, maybe it’s about time to find a new candidate for the position of hall master of Luminous Moon Hall.

This was the second time, Palace Master Zhong Jiao had this thought, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to alert those traitors within Pure Yang Palace.

Once he thought that the Greatest Heaven Sect had surprisingly arranged who knows how many people for how long within his sect, Palace Master Zhong Jiao couldn’t help but become furious. But after all was said and done, it was still because of the fact that Pure Yang Palace lacked strength. Its influence was insufficient, if they had the strength comparable to a big sect like Five Phases Sect, then how would Greatest Heaven Sect dare to be so brazen?

Presently, Yang Chen’s proposal seemed to be a good opportunity to make friendly relations with few other big sects. As for what kind of friendly relations, becoming brothers was good. Connecting by marriage was also good, but what could be more reliable than forming a bond for the interest of both parties?

Once he reached this conclusion, Palace Master Zhong Jiao kept on looking at the argument between the people in front of him without saying anything. But in his mind, he began to strategize to get sufficient bargaining chips in this huge meat pie.

“Humph, keep daydreaming!”

Regarding Yang Chen’s plan of exterminating the enemy, Liang Shaoming directly gave this evaluation. Although other didn’t say anything, they also had the same opinion. If it was really so easy, then how could Hundred Thousand Mountain remain stable for a whole millennium?

“He isn’t indulging in fantasy, he only asked if we can seize the Hundred Thousand Mountain and whether it will be worth joining hands with other big sects.”

However, Zhu Chentao remained on Yang Chen’s side, replying Liang Shaoming.