Chapter 868: Left Elegant

The impact of the Heaven Flame Ritual completely faded after about half a month. After all, in the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling, which is the core area of the entire Tianyuan Region, there are simply too many exciting events and various power struggles to keep track of.

Here, even experts at the Heavenly Sun stage are not particularly remarkable. If it weren't for the Four Pavilions' special status in the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling, the topic of the Heaven Flame Ritual likely wouldn't have lasted even half a month.

Therefore, even Zhou Yuan, the Pavilion Master of the Wind Pavilion who shone brightly at the Heaven Flame Ritual, was quickly forgotten, only to be mentioned briefly in occasional conversations.

However, as time passed, the names of Zhou Yuan, Lu Xiao, Han Yuan, Mu Liu, and others gradually gained traction within the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling, reaching a level of prominence far beyond any previous occasion.

All of this was solely due to the impending contest for the overall Pavilion Master of the Four Pavilions.

In the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling, the hierarchy is strict. Aside from the five supreme Grand Elders, the most esteemed positions belong to the Elders of the Elder Council. Even the five Grand Elders contend and strategize for these Elder seats.

With Grand Master Cang Yuan's disappearance and no one in the entire Tianyuan Region able to make unilateral decisions, all major resolutions must be approved by a vote within the Elder Council. Even the five Grand Elders cannot implement policies individually, which underscores the importance of Elder Council seats in the Tianyuan Region.

However, in the Tianyuan Region, aspiring to a high-ranking Elder position first requires reaching the Nascent Source stage, followed by passing various assessments. The difficulty is undeniably high.

There is, however, one exception: the overall Pavilion Master of the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain Pavilions.

This position is highly unique because the Four Pavilions represent the future fresh blood of the Tianyuan Region. Thus, it is the only position without a cultivation level restriction at the Nascent Source stage. This role is equivalent to an Elder Council member and holds voting rights in the Elder Council meetings.

Therefore, securing this position is akin to a meteoric rise, establishing one as an undisputed high-ranking figure within the Tianyuan Region, wielding immense power and prestige.

Consequently, if it were merely any single Pavilion Master of the Four Pavilions, even Lu Xiao, it likely wouldn't attract much attention in the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling, where hidden talents abound. However, should someone ascend to the overall Pavilion Master position, even a Heavenly Sun stage expert would not dare to act presumptuously in their presence. They could even interact as equals with some Nascent Source stage experts.

This is the status and prestige of the overall Pavilion Master of the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain Pavilions.

Precisely because of this, when the contest for the overall Pavilion Master approaches, the entire Tianyuan Cave Dwelling buzzes with discussion. The level of attention is far beyond anything Zhou Yuan had experienced before; even the Heaven Flame Ritual pales in comparison in terms of influence.

Inside a grand manor on a certain island in the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling.

Yi Qiushui stood gracefully on a pavilion, her beautiful eyes gazing somewhat boredly at the scene below. Numerous young boys and girls were there, their clear laughter occasionally echoing, exuding an air of lively youthfulness.

This was a gathering.

Yi Qiushui's grandfather, Yi Yan, held a high-ranking Elder position and had extensive connections, often attending various social events. In the past, she spent most of her time in the Wind Pavilion, but since the Heaven Flame Ritual, the Four Pavilions had been unusually quiet, and Zhou Yuan had been in secluded cultivation for many days. With nothing much to do, she naturally returned home to accompany Yi Yan.

Most importantly, her younger sister, Yi Dong'er, had been brought to the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling a few days prior. To ensure Dong'er wouldn't be bored, Yi Qiushui had agreed to Yi Yan's request to attend today's banquet.

The young people below were, of course, not ordinary individuals. Like her, they possessed notable backgrounds, though most were younger and had not yet reached the Divine Dwelling stage, thus they hadn't entered the Four Pavilions.

Naturally, they clearly yearned for the Four Pavilions. So, when Yi Qiushui appeared, she garnered significant attention, and to avoid being bothered, she had retreated upstairs.

"I wonder how Zhou Yuan's secluded cultivation is progressing..." Yi Qiushui's beautiful eyes gazed in the direction of Wind Island, a hint of worry appearing on her oval-shaped face.

She knew that the impending contest for the overall Pavilion Master had brought immense pressure upon Zhou Yuan. His current secluded cultivation was an attempt to make another breakthrough to better contend with Lu Xiao.

Yi Qiushui could offer little help in this struggle. All she could do was manage the various affairs of the Wind Pavilion well, allowing him to worry less and focus entirely on his breakthrough.

Yi Qiushui sighed softly to herself. Immediately, she noticed some commotion from the courtyard below, faintly hearing sounds of an argument. At first, she paid little mind, but then she recognized a familiar voice—it was Dong'er.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. With a movement of her lithe body, a flicker of Genesis Qi, she appeared among the crowd.

At that moment, several young girls were arguing: three on one side, and Yi Dong'er alone on the other.

Yi Dong'er's small face was flushed, and she was glaring angrily at the three somewhat arrogant girls.

"Dong'er, what's happening?" Yi Qiushui asked, her beautiful eyes sweeping over the three girls. She recognized them as girls from well-known families within the Tianyuan Cave Dwelling.

Yi Dong'er pouted, saying somewhat tearfully, "They're scolding Brother Zhou Yuan and saying he cheated."

Yi Qiushui paused, then understood. The families behind these three girls all belonged to the Heavenly Spirit Sect. One of the girls' elder sisters was even the Deputy Pavilion Master of the Fire Pavilion. Recently, under Zhou Yuan's leadership, the Wind Pavilion had repeatedly defeated the Fire Pavilion, causing the latter to lose face.

As individuals closely associated with the Heavenly Spirit Sect, they naturally held no good feelings towards Zhou Yuan, which led to their disrespectful remarks.

Zhou Yuan was Yi Dong'er's lifesaver, and she had always harbored great affection and respect for him. Hearing their insults, she had naturally engaged them in an argument.

Yi Qiushui's eyes coldly fixed on the three girls, who were still rather pretty. All three were at the Alpha stage, and under her gaze, they immediately felt pressure, their arrogant demeanor somewhat subdued.

However, Yi Qiushui had a gentle nature and was disinclined to engage in a war of words with them. She simply extended her hand, took Yi Dong'er, and turned to leave.

Just as she turned, a teasing laugh suddenly rang out.

"Yi Qiushui, the children are just speaking the truth. There's no need to be so serious, is there?"

Yi Qiushui paused, then turned her head to see a slender, tall figure emerge from the crowd, approach the three girls, and cast a provocative gaze at her.

"Zuo Ya?"

Yi Qiushui's beautiful face remained impassive. She certainly knew this tall girl before her, for she was none other than the Deputy Pavilion Master of the Fire Pavilion.

She glanced at the three girls in front of Zuo Ya and understood. This argument was likely instigated by Zuo Ya.

As Yi Qiushui and Zuo Ya confronted each other, they instantly became the focal point of the courtyard. Many young boys and girls gathered around, curiously observing the two. After all, both Yi Qiushui and Zuo Ya were high-ranking figures in the Four Pavilions in their eyes, and they would be under their command should they later join.

Zuo Ya saw the growing crowd around them and subtly curved her red lips. In about a year, some of these young people might reach the Divine Dwelling stage. Most of the attendees here had distinguished backgrounds and exceptional talent, making them worth her effort to recruit into the Fire Pavilion.

It was precisely with this in mind that she had orchestrated the current situation. Her aim was to seize this opportunity to discredit Zhou Yuan and the Wind Pavilion, ensuring the Wind Pavilion left a poor impression on these promising young talents.

As these thoughts ran through her mind, the smile at the corner of Zuo Ya's lips became increasingly playful. She looked directly at Yi Qiushui, her faint voice echoing through the courtyard.

"Aren't they right? Your Wind Pavilion Master merely relied on some cheating tactics to fortunately defeat our Fire Pavilion."