Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, Tianxu Pavilion — a secluded courtyard where flowers and herbs grew in abundance, blooming in gorgeous profusion, a feast for the eyes.
Several tables had been set up here. Nan Gong Xian Yin, Sect Master of the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, was hosting a grand banquet for her guests. Several of the sect's most powerful figures had also arrived.
Nan Gong Xian Yin sat in the seat of honor, lost in thought.
"Sect Master, may I ask what prompted you to summon us all here today?" Grand Elder Yan Hong Ye cupped her hands slightly toward Nan Gong Xian Yin.
"Isn't it because of that Feather God Sect..." Nan Gong Xian Yin snorted.
"What about the Feather God Sect?" Yan Hong Ye looked at Nan Gong Xian Yin, puzzled.
"Their Sect Master,
"Sect Master, the Feather God Sect forming alliances with us through marriage isn't a bad thing for our Heavenly Sound Divine Sect at all. With the help of sacred medicine, our sect's strength has increased several times over, and now that the Feather God Sect is looking out for us, we can enjoy some well-deserved peace." Yan Hong Ye cupped her hands and said with a smile.
Nan Gong Xian Yin shot her a glance and snorted. "Don't think I don't know — you've taken quite a few favors from that brat Nie Li. Are you thinking of becoming Sect Master yourself next?"
"Sect Master, you wound me. I've risked my life alongside you — surely you can still trust me?" Yan Hong Ye's eyes flickered, and she cupped her hands again. "Sect Master, consider this carefully — it isn't only me who has accepted benefits from the Feather God Sect. Everyone has. Even the Sect Master herself has. So why shouldn't I?"
At Yan Hong Ye's words, Nan Gong Xian Yin's weathered cheeks flushed slightly red. She had indeed accepted things herself, so what right did she have to criticize others? She could only blame that scoundrel Nie Li for being so cunning — before anyone realized it, he had bought off the entire Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, top to bottom. Even Nan Gong Xian Yin had no idea how many people within the sect actually sided with the Feather God Sect.
This gathering of the various sect leaders wasn't about confronting the Feather God Sect. She simply wanted to give them something to think about, to stop them from pushing their luck any further.
"Sect Master Nie Li has arrived!" a servant called out from below.
Nie Li was seen approaching with
"This junior Nie Li greets Sect Master Nan Gong!" Nie Li cupped his hands toward Nan Gong Xian Yin with a beaming smile.
"Hmph." Nan Gong Xian Yin let out a cold snort, her dissatisfaction evident.
"Is Sect Master Nan Gong still upset about what happened before?" Nie Li said with a grin. He knew Nan Gong Xian Yin had already given in — she was just throwing a bit of a tantrum. If she truly wanted to break with the Feather God Sect, she would do more than just pull a face.
"You know perfectly well!" Nan Gong Xian Yin grumbled darkly.
"Ha ha ha! To make amends to the esteemed seniors of the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, I've prepared some special gifts for each and every one of you." Nie Li laughed, cupping his hands toward Nan Gong Xian Yin and the various elders of the sect.
Nan Gong Xian Yin pretended not to hear, but the eyes of the many Heavenly Sound Divine Sect elders lit up at once.
Nie Li produced a golden pill and smiled faintly. "This is my latest creation — the Dragon Flame Pill. It is currently the most powerful sacred medicine in existence, dozens of times more concentrated than ordinary sacred medicine. Only a Warrior-class powerhouse can withstand its medicinal power!"
"It takes a full year to fully refine and absorb. An ordinary Warrior at the eighth level could advance directly to the eighth level of the Warrior realm, and an eighth-level Warrior who takes it may well break through to the ninth level. A single pill is truly priceless!" Nie Li said with a broad smile. "This time, I am gifting one Dragon Flame Pill to the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect as a token of goodwill. But be warned — the pill must never be split for shared use, or I cannot guarantee what might happen."
The moment the elders of the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect laid eyes on the Dragon Flame Pill, their eyes gleamed with undisguised desire.
The box containing the pill was placed on the table.
"There is only one Dragon Flame Pill, and the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect has seven elders. How do you expect us to divide it?" Nan Gong Xian Yin frowned.
"The Dragon Flame Pill is indeed extraordinarily precious. Having even one is already a rare fortune," Nie Li said with a rueful smile.
"Such a powerful pill is naturally exceedingly rare and valuable. Sect Master, you must not let Sect Master Nie Li's kindness go to waste," Yan Hong Ye said, her eyes briefly alight before dimming again. With only one pill available, there was absolutely no chance it would end up in her hands.
Nan Gong Xian Yin felt utterly awkward inside. This Dragon Flame Pill was a real hot potato.
Such a treasure — refusing it would be an absolute waste, but accepting it raised the question of who should use it. If she used it herself, the other seven elders would inevitably seethe with resentment. If she gave it to someone else, a year from now the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect would have an eighth-level Warrior on its hands, and whether she could hold onto her position as Sect Master would be anyone's guess.
Nan Gong Xian Yin looked up and saw Nie Li smiling smugly. Despite the irritation bubbling inside her, there was nothing she could do. Knowing full well that Nie Li had done this deliberately, she could only swallow her pride.
"Then I thank Sect Master Nie Li," Nan Gong Xian Yin said, cupping her hands and accepting the Dragon Flame Pill.
When she tucked the pill away, every elder in the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect cast a lingering, reluctant glance at it before sighing inwardly in resignation. For people who devoted themselves to cultivation above all else, nothing could possibly be more tempting.
"Formless Divine Sect — Sect Master Xiu has arrived!" A crisp voice rang out from the front of the hall.
A party of six entered the courtyard. Leading them was an elderly man in a silvery-gray robe, his eyes sharp and vigorous, his stride steady. The others behind him carried themselves with spirited dignity. Most striking of all, among this group, one figure had a pair of dragon-shaped wings on his back, and his entire body gleamed gold, as though forged from metal.
This was none other than
"Who is that person? Why have we never seen him before?" The female disciples of the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect turned to look, whispering amongst themselves and guessing at Duan Jian's identity.
The aura Duan Jian displayed was truly formidable — he even seemed to rival the Formless Divine Sect's Sect Master Xiu in presence.
Duan Jian was walking forward when he spotted Nie Li. His eyes lit up, and he immediately headed in Nie Li's direction.