Chapter 51: The Heavenly Maiden Astounds the Cultivators

Tong Shishi shook her head. “The rules of the ruins are set. How could our Qixi Festival Sect monopolize them? Moreover, you should understand that we were the ones who spread word of this place to the Golden Dragon Market. The goal was to attract a sufficient number of cultivators here to find one hundred practitioners of different techniques, so the ruins could be opened.”

Zhong Lingfeng sneered. “Why should I believe a word you say?”

Seeing his reaction, Tong Shishi shook her head again.

Words were useless now. He didn’t care whether she was telling the truth or not; he simply refused to believe her.

Tong Shishi could only say, “Whether you believe me is your own affair. But until one hundred cultivators with different techniques appear, I do not wish to see anyone attempt to enter the ruins. Otherwise, we will take any action necessary to guard them.”

Zhong Lingfeng brandished his staff. “Any action necessary to guard them, you say? Then let me see just what this so-called Qixi Festival Sect is capable of. Your Sect Master is only at the Late Foundation Establishment stage, yet you dare form a sect. Truly laughable!”

The situation was about to explode.

This was a scenario Tong Shishi did not wish to see, but she knew some things were unavoidable.

Zhong Lingfeng was decisive, charging forward at top speed. Behind him, the other cultivators in his group also rushed forward.

But just then…

“All of you, stand down!”

A low shout came from the sky.

Zhang Yongchang strode through the void, the aura of a Late Golden Core cultivator radiating from him, instantly freezing the chaotic scene.

The people from Blazing Heaven Sect had been present all along; they had simply delegated the task of handling peripheral matters to the Qixi Festival Sect. Now that the Qixi Festival Sect faced trouble, Blazing Heaven Sect, as their ally, naturally could not stand idly by.

With Zhang Yongchang’s appearance, the expressions of every cultivator present changed.

Blazing Heaven Sect was a sect near Magpie Mountain, and Zhang Yongchang was a veteran Golden Core True Person. He was recognized by many the moment he appeared. Countless faces showed reverence, and no one dared to approach him.

A single Golden Core True Person was an existence beyond the reach of many cultivators.

At this moment, Zhong Lingfeng and his group felt as if a mountain were pressing down on them, making every movement arduous. Cold sweat trickled uncontrollably down their foreheads.

“True… True Person Zhang, do you have any instructions for us?”

Zhong Lingfeng had never expected Zhang Yongchang to appear, and he asked with an expression of utmost respect.

Zhang Yongchang said flatly, “The Heavenly Maiden has stated the rules of these ruins. Everyone here will act according to those rules. If anyone attempts to force their way into the ruins, do not blame me for being merciless.”

As his words fell, a commotion rippled through the crowd.

When the Qixi Festival Sect mentioned the Heavenly Maiden, few had taken it seriously. But now that Zhang Yongchang also spoke of her, the cultivators were forced to pay attention.

Just what was the Heavenly Maiden?

…

Su Xiaoyu opened her eyes.

It was the middle of the night. A cool breeze blew in through the window, and the large residential complex was completely silent.

She had stopped cultivating because she sensed activity within the Diorama Box. Looking inside now, she saw quite a few figures had already appeared around the ruins, making the dark mountain depths look rather lively.

This was the moment Zhang Yongchang had made his entrance, intimidating the crowd. Because he mentioned the name of the Heavenly Maiden, cultivators all around began murmuring in low voices, curious about just what kind of existence this Heavenly Maiden was.

There were already close to two thousand cultivators present. When so many people thought of the Heavenly Maiden because of Zhang Yongchang’s words, even if only some felt reverence in their hearts, the effect was significant.

Seeing this, Su Xiaoyu glanced at the Faith Value displayed on the wall of the box. The number had increased once again, and the increase was not small, jumping from around 600 to about 1800 in one go.

A satisfied look appeared on Su Xiaoyu’s face.

“It seems that even without personally manifesting, as long as others mention me and cause those who haven’t seen me to feel emotions like reverence and veneration, I can still gain Faith Value. This is very good.”

Su Xiaoyu was in an excellent mood.

Seeing the situation within the Diorama Box was still completely under control, she closed her eyes again and resumed her cultivation.

…

Just what was the Heavenly Maiden?

Every cultivator present was intensely curious, and Yin Mengyu was no exception.

She had traveled a long path in the Cultivation World and witnessed many strange and bizarre things. Yet even so, she had never heard the title of Heavenly Maiden.

But if even a Late Golden Core True Person treated her with such respect, could the Heavenly Maiden be a Nascent Soul True Monarch? Or perhaps even a Soul Formation Divine Lord?

Yet that didn’t seem right either. Whether a Nascent Soul True Monarch or a Soul Formation Divine Lord, no existence that reached that level would be unknown. At the very least, they would be someone everyone had heard of. Yet this Heavenly Maiden seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

Could such an existence as a Heavenly Maiden truly exist?

Yin Mengyu was somewhat skeptical.

Those around her harbored similar doubts. Yet, suppressed by the might of Golden Core True Person Zhang Yongchang, even if they doubted, they dared not speak much.

The earlier troublemakers, Zhong Lingfeng and his group, had now dejectedly retreated back into the crowd, their earlier arrogance completely gone.

What kind of existence the Heavenly Maiden was remained uncertain.

But the presence of Golden Core True Person Zhang Yongchang was undeniable, not something a group of Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators could resist.

Yin Mengyu’s gaze shifted, landing on the members of the Qixi Festival Sect. She couldn’t help but feel curious about them.

She had heard of Blazing Heaven Sect, so that wasn’t strange. But what was the story with the Qixi Festival Sect?

Normally, establishing an Immortal Cultivation Sect required at least one Golden Core True Person. This wasn’t a rule set by anyone, but an unspoken convention. So if some Foundation Establishment cultivators actually formed a sect, it shouldn’t attract many followers, and such a so-called sect would be ridiculed.

Yet this Qixi Festival Sect seemed to have quite a number of people.

Moreover, the relationship between the Qixi Festival Sect and Blazing Heaven Sect looked quite good. Otherwise, Zhang Yongchang would have no reason to step in and help. Did this mean the existence of the Qixi Festival Sect had even gained the recognition of Blazing Heaven Sect?

Yin Mengyu twitched her ears.

Others around her were also paying attention to the Qixi Festival Sect and were now discussing it. Since the Qixi Festival Sect was based within Magpie Mountain and its members often came to the Golden Dragon Market to trade, there were at least some people who knew about it.

In this way, Yin Mengyu quickly learned about the composition of the Qixi Festival Sect.

“A sect like this actually exists?”

Yin Mengyu felt dazed.

From the conversations she overheard, she learned that the Qixi Festival Sect was unlike typical Immortal Cultivation Sects. It was simply a group of low-level cultivators with poor aptitude, united to help one another. The so-called “sect” was merely a vessel for this group of cultivators.

This philosophy filled Yin Mengyu with a sense of yearning. She thought of her own past. If the people on her side had been able to help each other back then, how could their family have ended up scattered, each fleeing in different directions?

What her family could not achieve, this small Qixi Festival Sect had accomplished.