Chapter 5173: Yue Ling’s Request
“Benefactor, I have an audacious request to make of you.”
As she spoke, Yue Ling actually kneeled down to Chu Feng.
“What are you doing? You can just speak your mind. There’s no need for this between us.”
Chu Feng quickly pulled her back to her feet.
Yue Ling revealed everything that had happened.
The World Spiritist Technique Sect was long-term allies with another power known as the Nine Levels Pavilion. They had once explored an ancient remnant together and discovered stones that harnessed Exalted level martial power. These stones later came to be known as Exalted Stones.
They could become a huge stream of fortune if harvested in large quantities.
The two allied powers initially made an agreement to harvest Exalted Stones together and split it equally between them. However, as they mined deeper into the ancient remnant, they discovered that the quality of Exalted Stones was going up.
There was no such thing as eternal allies in the world of cultivation. With huge interests at stake, those of the Nine Levels Pavilion soon succumbed to greed.
The two sectmasters of the previous generation were old friends. While there were still occasional conflicts over the harvesting of Exalted Stones, they were quickly settled whenever the two sectmaster intervened.
However, as the two sectmasters passed away, the incumbent sectmaster of the Nine Levels Pavilion started revealing his ambitions. He secretly ordered the sect members responsible for harvesting Exalted Stones to exert pressure on those from the World Spiritist Technique Sect, resulting in even more frequent conflicts.
The World Spiritist Technique Sect’s sectmaster knew that their sect wasn’t on par with the Nine Levels Pavilion anymore, so he had no choice but to swallow it down despite knowing that his sect members were being bullied.
The Nine Levels Pavilion only grew more arrogant with time.
When their sectmaster finally made a breakthrough from rank seven Martial Exalted level to rank eight, he tore off all pretense and demanded to monopolize all of the Exalted Stones in the ancient remnant. He was going to forbid the World Spiritist Technique Sect from entering the ancient remnant.
One must know that the World Spiritist Technique Sect was fully reliant on the ancient remnant’s Exalted Stones to purchase cultivation resources for their members. If they lost this stream of income, they would swiftly fall into decline, and it was only a matter of time before they were destroyed.
The World Spiritist Technique Sect refused to cave in this time, but it didn’t make a difference. In the world of cultivation, any conflicts that couldn’t be amicably resolved were settled through force.
Thus, the World Spiritist Technique Sect’s sectmaster sought the descendants of those who had witnessed the alliance between their powers and invited the Nine Levels Pavilion’s sectmaster to the ancient remnant for a negotiation.
It was a negotiation on the surface, but everyone knew that it was going to be a clash of strengths.
Unfortunately, the strongest ones in the World Spiritist Technique Sect at the moment were the sectmaster and the First Elder, which was none other than Yue Ling’s master. They were both rank seven Martial Exalted level cultivators, which meant that they were no match for the Nine Level Pavilion’s sectmaster.
That was exactly what the Nine Levels Pavilion’s sectmaster was going for. He was exploiting the fact that he had successfully made a breakthrough ahead of them.
Knowing that this was an impossible battle for them, the World Spiritist Technique Sect’s sectmaster went out with all of the sect’s resources to search for an expert who could help them. However, as the day of the negotiation approached, the sectmaster still hadn’t returned yet.
If the World Spiritist Technique Sect failed to attend the negotiation, that would be equivalent to acceding to the Nine Levels Pavilion’s demand. That meant that they would no longer be qualified to step into the ancient remnant anymore, and the other witnessing powers would no longer interfere in this matter.
It was just that the World Spiritist Technique Sect didn’t stand a chance as it was. Yue Ling’s master simply wasn’t a match for the Nine Levels Pavilion’s sectmaster.
When Yue Ling’s father abandoned her in the World Spiritist Technique Sect, her master took her in and raised her. Her master was the one who treated her the best in the sect.
She couldn’t bear to see her master in such distress, so she decided to seek Chu Feng’s help.
“Yue Ling, there’s no need for you to be so courteous for minor issues like this,” Chu Feng replied.
“Young master Chu Feng, it isn’t convenient for you to make a move. Allow me to go instead,” Song Yuwei said.
“Elder Yuwei, are your injuries fine now?” Chu Feng asked.
“Young master Chu Feng, my injuries don’t pose a problem anymore,” Song Yuwei replied.
“Good. Let’s head there together then.”
While it was inconvenient for Chu Feng to make a move, he wouldn’t be able to allay his worries unless he personally went there. Thus, he decided to conceal his presence and discreetly follow them.
As soon as they stepped out of the forbidden land, Song Yuwei’s legs suddenly caved in. She nearly fell to the ground.
“Elder Yuwei!”
Chu Feng rushed forward to check on her condition. Her previously stabilized soul had started tearing, resulting in a deterioration in her physical condition too.
“Yue Ling, hurry up and bring Elder Yuwei back inside!” Chu Feng urged.
Realizing that something wasn’t right, Yue Ling quickly did as she was told and brought Lord Yuwei back into the forbidden land. Indeed, Lord Yuwei’s condition started to improve. Within moments, she recovered back to her earlier state.
“Young master Chu Feng, what happened to me earlier?” Lord Yuwei asked.
She didn’t understand why her body would suddenly collapse earlier.
“Elder Yuwei, you only feel as if you have recovered due to the constant nourishment from the dense recovery energy here, but your injuries remain severe. The moment you leave this area, your injuries will immediately relapse, resulting in a deterioration in your health. You’ll probably have to stay here for quite some time in order to make a full recovery.
“You mustn’t leave this place, at least not for the time being. You absolutely cannot head out right now,” Chu Feng instructed.
“But… what about Yue Ling? We can’t leave her to the lurch,” Lord Yuwei said.
“I’ll go,” Chu Feng replied.
“Young master Chu Feng, isn’t it inconvenient for you to make a move?” Song Yuwei asked.
“It’s indeed inconvenient for me to show myself, but just as you have said, we have to help Yue Ling.”
Chu Feng then turned to Yue Ling and said, “Yue Ling, it’s only a matter of time before I am wanted by the Situ World Spiritist Clan, but I can’t disguise myself due to certain reasons. I can conceal myself though, but there’s a chance that someone might see through it.
“That’s why I need you to give your master a heads up so that he understands the risks here. I am willing to help him, but there could be danger afterward. If he’s fine with it, I’ll accompany your World Spiritist Technique Sect to the ancient remnant. If he objects to it, I’ll try to find another way to help you,” Chu Feng said.
“Alright, benefactor. I’ll do it right now!” Yue Ling said as she prepared to head out.
“Wait a moment! Do you know what to tell your master? You do know that I’m not supposed to be here, right?” Chu Feng asked.
“Rest assured, benefactor. I know what to say. I’ll tell my master that I met you by coincidence and requested your help. I won’t tell him anything about the forbidden land,” Yue Ling replied.
“Good. Go on,” Chu Feng said with his heart set at ease.
It didn’t take long for Yue Ling to return.
“Benefactor, my master was delighted to learn of your offer. He says that our World Spiritist Technique Sect will be put in dire straits if we fail to obtain the upper hand in the negotiation. The consequences won’t just stop at losing the ancient remnant. After all, both my master and the sectmaster could make a breakthrough to rank eight Martial Exalted level at any time, and there’s no doubt that we would compete for the rights over the ancient remnant once that happens.
“Thus, if our World Spiritist Technique Sect loses the negotiation, the Nine Levels Pavilion’s sectmaster will definitely make a move on us once the other witnessing powers leave. In other words, this negotiation is our final chance. If we lose, we’ll have to escape from this place.
“My master understands that your identity is a little sensitive, but he thinks that you can discreetly make a move while under concealment,” Yue Ling said.
“I can deal with enemies far weaker than me while remaining under concealment, but the same cannot be said for enemies that are roughly around my level of strength. I’ll have to show myself and go all out in order to win the battle,” Chu Feng replied.
“My master is aware of that too, and he’s willing to take that risk if it comes down to it,” Yue Ling replied.
“Good. Let’s head off then.”
The two of them left the forbidden land together to meet Yue Ling’s master.