After listening to Master Bei’s explanation, Gong Ling exclaimed, “There’s actually such a capable youth? I want to meet him. So that’s why he has the courage to barge into our Neo-Vestige Sect.”
Master Bei’s eyes flickered. “Ever since this kid established the Great Eastern Alliance, he has caused millions to die tragic deaths. He’s actually terrifying. This disaster should best be taken care of.”
Gong Ling smiled and sipped from a cup of tea, though he did not respond to Master Bei. Instead, he said, “Right, I heard Gong Chou mention that only Little Peach is left from that line. How is Little Peach? What happened?”
Master Bei smiled drily. “She’ll be arriving soon. Senior will be able to meet with her shortly.”
Gong Ling exclaimed, “After being in seclusion for some decades, my old friends are no longer around. Little Peach, keke. It’s just like her to pick such a name.”
Neo-Vestige Sect was a rather sparse sect. Other than a space station that floated outside the mountain gate to receive incoming spacecraft, the only form of travel within the mountain was walking, as there were no teleportation devices. Fortunately, the speed of the current group was quite fast. If it were commoners, they would not have been able to reach the main hall even after walking for ten years.
“Brother Gong, what is that place?” Lu Yin asked as he pointed to a certain location that he saw on their way to the main hall.
Gong Chou replied, “That’s Arrow Mountain. My Neo-Vestige Sect’s weapon of choice is the bow and arrow, and over the course of countless years, we have searched far and wide for all sorts of rare materials that can be used to create arrows. Those arrows are then placed on Arrow Mountain. Disciples with contributions can go there and exchange contribution points for them.”
“Your Highness, Arrow Mountain’s arrows were all created using rare treasures, and even the worst ones are more precious than the arrows that you normally see. They are all very valuable,” Peach quietly explained as she moved over to Lu Yin’s side.
Lu Yin nodded. He had noticed Arrow Mountain not because of the arrows, but rather because there was a peculiarly boundless amount of rune lines there. Neo-Vestige Sect contained an absolutely terrifying number of rune lines, most of which came from Arrow Mountain. Could the rune lines all be from those arrows? That was impossible. No matter how precious these weapons might be, they could not possess such a terrifying number of rune lines.
Peach was in possession of one of the original three arrows, and it had continued to be passed down since ancient times, but Lu Yin had never seen such terrifying rune lines from her.
“Arrow Mountain’s security must be very tight,” Lu Yin said casually.
Gong Chou smiled. “There’s no security, just an Elder who oversees it year round.”
“An elder? Are they an Enlighter as well?” Lu Yin was curious.
Gong Chou smiled. “Perhaps. We are rarely able to see that elder.”
“Rumor has it that a single arrow from Neo-Vestige Sect took out a powerhouse from the Innerverse whose power level was over 300,000. It must have been this elder who attacked,” Meng Tianlong probed.
Gong Chou nodded. “That’s right, Elder rarely makes a move, but once he does, there’s no trouble that he cannot take care of.” This sentence was said with a tone of arrogance, but nobody could refute such a claim. This crowd knew just how powerful a powerhouse with a power level of over 300,000 was.
Just a few minutes ago, Master Bei had nearly overpowered all of them to the point of exhaustion, so there was no need to mention an expert whose power level exceeded 300,000.
Regarding powerhouses at this level, the only ones that Lu Yin remembered were Northgate Taisui and that elder from the Seven Courts’ Yōu family. As for the Sea King, Mister Mu, Blackless God, and other such experts, Lu Yin did not know how powerful they were at all, though they all definitely surpassed a power level of 500,000.
A power level of 500,000… Lu Yin wondered when he would be able to achieve such strength, and he was looking forward to that day.
Soon, the group arrived at Neo-Vestige Sect’s main hall, which was at the top of the mountain.
The main hall was grand and magnificent, but it was not overly impressive to Lu Yin since he had visited the Sea King’s Dome in the past.
The rune lines that he saw in the main hall were very majestic, and he could tell that there were two Enlighters here. One of the rune line groups was from Master Bei, who had just attacked them, so the other should belong to Neo-Vestige Sect’s Sect Leader Gong Ling.
In the Outerverse, any organization that had an Enlighter could dominate an entire region. Frostwave Weave, Northcastle Weave, and quite a few other weaves did not even have a single Enlighter, but Neo-Vestige Sect had three Enlighters along with an unfathomable elder. This was a great power that possessed multiple hidden trump cards that could make even forces from the Innerverse hesitate.
Lu Yin had visited this place with his status as the Great Eastern Alliance Leader along with the Vastdearth Sect Leader Meng Tianlong, which meant that this trip was a more formal occasion. However, as soon as they entered the main hall, Gong Ling did not bother with anyone and simply stared straight at Peach.
Peach saw Gong Ling as well, and her eyes turned red.
Gong Ling instantly appeared in front of Lu Yin and the others, and he looked at Peach apologetically as he reached out with his hand to lightly touch Peach’s hair. “You have suffered, child.”
Peach was once again reminded of the pain that she had gone through, but she did not cry like she had been alone with Lu Yin. However, her expression was even more heart-wrenching in this moment.
Gong Ling looked over at Gong Chou. “Back then, which disciples chased after Little Peach? Has this been investigated?”
Gong Chou answered in a deep voice, “The investigation was finished long ago, but Training Elder did not allow us to take action.”
Gong Ling looked at Master Bei with cold eyes.
Master Bei stood up. “There might have been a misunderstanding back then. I know those disciples, and they are not bad people by nature. Possibly-”
Gong Ling quickly raised a hand to cut off Master Bei, and he looked at Gong Chou. “No matter what their reason is, anyone who acted against Little Peach back then shall be captured and thrown onto Arrow Mountain as slaves. Return everything that once belonged to Little Peach’s line back to their original owner, and anything that is missing will be replaced by those disciples’ seniors and mentors.”
“Yes, Sect Leader,” Gong Chou acknowledged.
Master Be’s face twisted into an ugly expression. He was an Enlighter, but he had just been forcibly interrupted, and the Sect Leader’s unspoken meaning was plain for Master Bei to hear.
“Sect Leader, how should we handle Shao Zisong?” Gong Chou asked.
Master Bei looked over at Gong Ling.
Gong Ling’s expression trembled. “Throw him onto Arrow Mountain as a slave for ten years. Nobody is to plead for mercy for him.”
“Yes.”
Shao Zisong’s face turned ashen, and he looked pleadingly at Master Bei. Although there would be no threat to his life while he worked as a slave on Arrow Mountain, how would he ever be able to lead Neo-Vestige Sect after enduring such an experience? How would he ever be able to fight for the position of Sect Leader in the future?
Master Bei desperately wanted to plead for mercy, but when he saw Gong Ling’s icy expression, he ultimately decided not to speak up.
Lu Yin observed this Neo-Vestige Sect Sect Leader’s actions with a calm expression.
Meng Tianlong’s expression became even uglier as, after all, he was the Vastdearth Sect Leader. But despite that, he was being shunned to a corner.
“Little Peach, how are you? Come and let Uncle Sect Leader take a look at you,” Gong Ling cooed at Peach in a gentle and apologetic tone.
Peach shook her head. “I’m alright. I’ve been living in the Great Yu Empire all this while, and it’s thanks to His Majesty that I was saved.”
Gong Ling only noticed Lu Yin and the others at this moment, and he looked at Lu Yin with a smile. “You’re the one who awakened me?”
Lu Yin respectfully answered, “I disturbed Senior’s seclusion, but I really had no other choice. I ask for Senior’s forgiveness in this matter.”
Gong Ling smiled. “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. You are very intelligent and also very daring. It’s makes sense how you were able to establish the Great Eastern Alliance. Even Sect Master Meng has been pulled in by you.” Finally, at this time, the Sect Leader looked at Meng Tianlong.
Meng Tianlong forced a smile onto his face. “It’s been a long time, Sect Leader Gong.”
Gong Ling nodded. “You’ve become so big in just the blink of an eye. Back then, I even drank with your grandfather.”