Chapter 259: Hidden

The Mountain Selection Ceremony was drawing ever closer.

An atmosphere of arduous training permeated the Outer Mountain area, where everyone was racing against time to intensify their cultivation, striving to become even stronger before the ceremony arrived. After all, everyone knew what the Mountain Selection Ceremony represented: their future prospects.

They had traveled countless miles across many continents to gain the opportunity to enter the Cangxuan Sect. If they failed to seize the chance to enter the Inner Mountain, they would inevitably waste precious years. Even if they managed to enter later, they would have missed the optimal time, and by then, some of their peers would likely have already surpassed them. Therefore, no one in the Outer Mountain area could relax in the face of the immensely important Mountain Selection Ceremony, not even Zhou Yuan.

In a mountain stream, Zhou Yuan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. Around him, robust golden Genesis Qi roared and vibrated. Faintly, three torrents of Genesis Qi swirled, and within them, three indistinct beast shadows seemed to be visible. A fierce and domineering aura emanated, accompanied by faint dragon roars.

The three torrents of Genesis Qi suddenly jolted, causing cracks to abruptly appear on the bluestone Zhou Yuan was sitting on, and the air itself emitted a low explosive sound.

Zhou Yuan slowly opened his tightly closed eyes. A light bloomed within them, then gradually receded. He exhaled a puff of white mist, a faint hint of joy in his eyes. After more than half a month of arduous cultivation, his Nine Dragon Scripture had finally refined the essence blood of three dragon-type Genesis Beasts, successfully cultivating three streams of Nine Dragon Scripture Genesis Qi.

As long as he could properly integrate them, these three streams of Nine Dragon Scripture Genesis Qi would undoubtedly possess formidable power.

“It seems your Nine Dragon Scripture has achieved a minor breakthrough,” a graceful figure in red said with a smile, gliding over to Zhou Yuan as he savored his success. She brought with her a subtle fragrance and stood poised before him on her long legs.

Zhou Yuan glanced at her and chuckled, “Recently, you Sacred Continent disciples haven’t been getting along with us. Yet, you still come here every day.”

During this period, she continued to come for Zhou Yuan’s guidance on the Art of Illusion, completely unaffected by the escalating conflict between the two factions of disciples.

Gu Hongyi pursed her lips and said, “What do these boring squabbles have to do with me?”

She knew that the disciples from the Sacred Continent simply had an excessive sense of superiority, believing themselves to be above others. Conversely, the disciples not from the Sacred Continent were also prodigies from various other continents, naturally proud and arrogant, so conflicts inevitably arose when they clashed. She was powerless to stop such conflicts, but she also didn't want to get involved.

Zhou Yuan said, “If everyone thought like you, these troubles would naturally disappear.”

Although Gu Hongyi was also proud by nature, she rarely used her status or background to bully others, which was something Zhou Yuan admired about her.

Gu Hongyi sat down cross-legged in front of Zhou Yuan and asked with interest, “After the Mountain Selection Ceremony, which peak do you want to enter?”

Zhou Yuan paused, then instead of answering, he countered, “What about you?”

Gu Hongyi propped her chin on her small hand and said, “Of course I’m going to enter Cangxuan Peak! Cangxuan Peak is where the Sect Master resides, making it one of the most popular peaks among disciples.”

“Isn’t your ancestor the Peak Master of Hongya Peak?” Zhou Yuan asked, surprised.

Gu Hongyi pouted, “Hongya Peak specializes in external cultivation techniques. Everyone who cultivates there becomes all muscle, like lumps of iron. It’s terribly ugly; I definitely don't want to go to Hongya Peak.”

Zhou Yuan paused. Once Genesis Qi cultivation reached a certain level, there were internal and external refining methods. Internal refining involved purely cultivating the Genesis Qi within one’s Qi Manor, making it as vast and boundless as a galaxy. External refining, on the other hand, involved tempering the physical body with Genesis Qi. When the two merged, the physical body could shatter heaven and earth with a mere gesture. It was said that cultivating it to the extreme could lead to the body becoming saintly, capable of shattering stars with a flick of a finger.

However, both internal and external refining required reaching a certain level. At the very least, Zhou Yuan was not yet qualified for this stage, because ultimately, his own Genesis Qi was not formidable enough to even fill his Qi Manor, let alone talk about internal or external refining.

“What about the other peaks?” Zhou Yuan asked curiously.

Gu Hongyi smiled sweetly and said, “For example, Sword Cometh Peak cultivates swords with one’s own Genesis Qi, transforming it into Sword Qi. It is incomparably sharp and can cleave through star rivers. In terms of sharpness, it is said to be the first in the Cangxuan Sect.”

“That’s why Sword Cometh Peak is also extremely popular among disciples.”

Zhou Yuan’s eyes flickered. Lu Feng had mentioned earlier that he had an elder holding a high position on Sword Cometh Peak.

Gu Hongyi glanced around with her beautiful eyes, then whispered, “As far as I know, the Peak Master of Sword Cometh Peak was once a mere attendant under Patriarch Cangxuan, the founder of the Cangxuan Sect.”

“However, he later listened to the Patriarch’s teachings and even obtained the Patriarch’s personal sword. So, after the Patriarch’s demise, he established Sword Cometh Peak on his own.”

“But the Patriarch never explicitly stated that he took him as a disciple. So, strictly speaking, he doesn’t truly belong to the Cangxuan lineage.”

“In the future, you must be careful. Never mention the word ‘attendant’ in front of this Peak Master. It’s a taboo for him.”

Zhou Yuan was surprised. He hadn't expected the Peak Master of Sword Cometh Peak to be merely an attendant under Patriarch Cangxuan, not his disciple. Such a matter was probably a secret of the Cangxuan Sect, and if it weren't for Gu Hongyi’s ancestor being the Peak Master of Hongya Peak, it would likely be impossible to know.

“Are the other Peak Masters all disciples of Patriarch Cangxuan?” Zhou Yuan asked.

“Patriarch Cangxuan had four disciples. Our current Sect Master is the eldest disciple, and my ancestor, along with the Peak Master of Spirit Rune Peak and the Peak Master of Snow Lotus Peak, are the other three disciples.”

“What about Thunder Prison Peak?” Zhou Yuan noticed Gu Hongyi had omitted something.

“The Peak Master of Thunder Prison Peak… he’s probably the highest-ranking person in the Cangxuan Sect right now,” Gu Hongyi whispered. “He’s also not a disciple of Patriarch Cangxuan, but rather a former friend of the Patriarch. When the Patriarch founded the Cangxuan Sect, this friend came to join him. The Patriarch gave him many pointers, enabling him to achieve great things, and later even allowed him to establish Thunder Prison Peak, giving him authority over the Cangxuan Sect’s punishments.”

Zhou Yuan nodded slightly, surprised that the Cangxuan Sect’s Seven Peaks held such stories.

However, this complex situation also made Zhou Yuan somewhat wary. In the Sacred Remains Domain, Patriarch Cangxuan had subtly hinted that his demise might have been due to internal reasons within the Cangxuan Sect. This might have just been a speculation of Patriarch Cangxuan, so he wasn't entirely certain. Nevertheless, Zhou Yuan felt he should still be a little cautious.

“Oh, and there’s one last peak, Saint Genesis Peak. It’s the most unique peak within the Cangxuan Sect because it was Patriarch Cangxuan’s former cultivation retreat. Now that the Patriarch has been gone for many years, the main peak of Saint Genesis Peak is sealed, and it has somewhat withered. Very few disciples choose it,” Gu Hongyi added.

Zhou Yuan nodded. Just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly shifted. He looked up towards the outside of the mountain stream, where some commotion had suddenly arisen.

Zhou Yuan’s gaze swept over. He saw many disciples who had been cultivating there dispersing like a receding tide, their faces etched with some fear.

He frowned slightly and stood up. Then he saw, as the many disciples moved away, a woman dressed in dark robes slowly walking in.

The woman had a beautiful face and fair skin, but her willow-like eyebrows seemed a little sharp and aloof. In her delicate hand, she held a long, green-edged sword.

Zhou Yuan’s gaze finally settled on her slender waist, where a golden belt was wrapped, accentuating its delicate curve.

Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

An Inner Mountain Golden Belt disciple.

Gu Hongyi also saw the woman at this moment. Her willow eyebrows immediately furrowed, and she slowly asked, “Why is she here?”

“Who is she?” Zhou Yuan asked.

Gu Hongyi gave him a helpless glance and said, “Lu Xuanyin, a Golden Belt disciple from Sword Cometh Peak.”

Zhou Yuan understood. This must be the clan sister Lu Feng had mentioned earlier.

It seemed the visitor meant trouble.