A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 288 Iron Spear Storm
Tianshan, Hongyi Hall
When Shen Henian heard that the sect leader had assigned his eldest disciple Cheng Feng to lead the team, he felt relieved. He glanced at Xue Wanshan and then had someone summon Cheng Feng.

Just then, a commotion was heard outside the hall. Upon seeing this, Xue Wanshan flicked his whisk and chuckled, "It's Fourth Junior Brother and the others."

Shen Henian smiled slightly upon hearing this, but felt somewhat uneasy inside.

Before long, the two saw Li Dengping, Ni Qingfeng, and Fu Tianjiao enter the hall. After exchanging greetings, everyone took their seats. Ni Qingfeng clapped his hands, and twenty disciples carried in ten rather large wooden boxes.

"Junior brother, what's this?"

Shen Henian's expression shifted slightly as he turned to look at Ni Qingfeng. The wooden box was quite heavy, so it must contain some valuable items. Considering that his junior brother had wiped out the Evil Ghost Cave and made arrangements with the An family, the contents of the box were self-evident.

"Aside from the two boxes of medicinal herbs and furs given by Old Master An, the rest of these are all valuables that were found in the Demon Cave."

Ni Qingfeng nodded to the disciple, who immediately and decisively opened all the boxes. The first few boxes were filled with gold and silver treasures, and the entire hall was instantly glittering with gold, so bright that it was hard to open one's eyes.

Upon seeing this, Shen Henian took a deep breath. Those five boxes of gold and silver jewelry alone were already a fortune. It would take the Tianshan Sect at least five or six years to acquire such a large amount.

Li Dengping was also startled, but quickly calmed down. At the same time, she was very excited. The Tianshan Sect was short of money, and her fourth junior brother had really helped her in her time of need. With these things, it would be enough to train dozens more elite disciples and increase the sect's strength.

Xue Wanshan, who was usually calm and composed, paused slightly upon seeing so much wealth. He said, "Fourth Junior Brother, you must be tired from your journey. Third Junior Sister, take out one box and deliver it to Fourth Junior Brother. Send the rest to the storeroom."

Hearing the sect leader say this, Shen Henian did not dare to object. These things originally belonged to Ni Qingfeng, and the sect had no right to interfere in how they were disposed of. This time, he was willing to hand them over selflessly, and the sect leader would surely appreciate it. However, even if he took out a box, his fourth junior brother would still suffer a great loss. If it were up to him, he would be considered selfless if he could take out even ten percent of it.

"Yes, senior brother."

Upon hearing this, Li Dengping immediately responded and gave an order to the disciples carrying the boxes. The group then lifted the boxes and followed Li Dengping out of the main hall.

"You must be tired from your journey, go and rest first. Junior Brother Ni, please stay for a moment."

Upon hearing this, Fu Tianjiao and the others bowed to their masters and then left the main hall one after another, leaving only Xue Wanshan and his two companions in the hall.

“Junior Brother Ni, the three Qiu brothers from Qiushui Manor came to pay their respects a month ago. I have already agreed to let them settle down in the town at the foot of the mountain. In addition, the area around Tianshan is not peaceful. Just recently, Zixia Temple and Luanshi Mountain clashed. Luanshi Mountain is a spies that Zhongxin Hall has planted near Tianshan. This time, Yuyang came to ask for help, and I have sent my second junior brother's eldest disciple, Cheng Feng, to go. Also, the Iron Spear Sect is also making moves. I wonder if Junior Brother has any considerations?”

Xue Wanshan is currently stretched thin. He needs to be in charge of Tianshan and cannot leave easily. Shen Henian also has to deal with the sect's mundane affairs and is not available. Li Dengping's strength is somewhat weak, and he may have some difficulty dealing with the Iron Spear Sect. This time, Ni Qingfeng's return is just in time to hand it over to him.

"Hasn't the Iron Spear Sect always been at peace with our sect? Why are they causing trouble? Senior brother, is there some reason behind this?"

Ni Qingfeng's expression hardened slightly upon hearing this. He remembered that the Iron Spear Sect's Sect Master Zhao was not an ambitious person, and he was not far from Tianshan. With such a behemoth by his side, it would not be easy for him to develop. Therefore, Sect Master Zhao maintained absolute respect for the Tianshan Sect, but he was not too obsequious.

"Alas, Sect Leader Zhao was murdered without cause a few months ago. His junior brother, 'Soul-Hooking Spear' Chen Ji, has become the new sect leader. As soon as he took over the sect, he began to expand his power, inevitably leading to a conflict with our Tianshan Sect. In just half a month, several members of the Tianshan Sect were seriously injured. I originally wanted to discuss things with him, but the Iron Spear Sect has become increasingly arrogant, injuring several disciples in succession. This matter has damaged the reputation of our sect, and it has come to the point where we have no choice but to take action."

Shen Henian added from the side: "Chen Ji is unknown in the Iron Spear Sect, but from the current perspective, he is a very cunning person. He has eliminated those who oppose him in the sect by eliminating them and expanding the sect's strength several times in less than half a month. If he doesn't have anyone backing him up, he will definitely not dare to have a direct conflict with our Tianshan Sect."

Ni Qingfeng nodded upon hearing this. Although Shen Henian did not say who was backing him, his words implied that the target was Zhongxin Hall. However, Ni Qingfeng felt that something was amiss. Zhongxin Hall had just annexed Qiushui Manor, and it was unwise for them to support the Iron Spear Sect in a contest with the Tianshan Sect at this time.

"The Iron Spear Sect is only second-rate. If our Tianshan Sect were to exert its strength, we could wipe them out in an instant. Chen Ji is a cunning person, and he must be able to see the stakes involved. Unless he doesn't care about the Iron Spear Sect's legacy, such a futile act is truly puzzling. Moreover, what my senior brother just said about the disciples in the sect being only seriously injured and not in mortal danger proves that this person knows how to handle things and is not a reckless person."

"Besides, Zhongxin Hall is busy dealing with the things left behind by Qiushui Manor and can't take care of Tianshan. If Chen Ji is really a member of Zhongxin Hall, he should be secretly lying in wait and cooperating with Zhongxin Hall. But he is so high-profile now. Isn't this giving us time to prepare?"

“Junior brother is right. In that case, junior brother can sit quietly on the mountain for a few days and observe the Iron Spear Sect’s next move. If there is any movement, then I will trouble you to go to the Iron Spear Sect in person and see what that Sect Master Chen is up to.”

Upon hearing this, Xue Wanshan's heart sank slightly. He had initially thought that Chen Ji was backed by Zhongxin Hall, but now that his fourth junior brother had explained it, most of his doubts had disappeared. He was also very perceptive, and after a moment's thought, he came up with a guess.

Just as the three were discussing, a disciple outside the door reported that Cheng Feng had arrived. Shen Henian told him to come in quickly, and soon a young man with a refined appearance and a thin build walked in.

"Sect Leader, Master, Fourth Uncle."

Cheng Feng bowed respectfully to the three men. Shen Henian glanced at Xue Wanshan, who nodded and then handed over the instructions.

"Cheng Feng, I'm entrusting this matter to you. Don't let us down," Shen Henian said in a deep voice.

"This disciple will certainly complete the mission perfectly and live up to the expectations of my master."

Upon hearing this, Xue Wanshan stroked his beard and smiled, "Given Cheng Feng's current martial arts skills, dealing with Qiu He of Luanshi Mountain should be a piece of cake. So, just in case, Second Junior Brother, I will bestow a Xuan Tie Sword upon Cheng Feng to enhance his strength."

Shen Henian was overjoyed upon hearing this. Of the eight Xuan Tie swords, only Zhao Kai and Gu Ming each had one. The fact that his senior brother, the sect leader, had bestowed this sword upon him made him think deeply.

"This disciple thanks the sect leader."

Cheng Feng was overjoyed to hear that he had been given the Xuan Tie Sword. With this sword, his confidence was greatly boosted.

“Junior brother, now take Cheng Feng to the storeroom to retrieve the sword. Tomorrow, have them descend the mountain and resolve the matter at Luanshi Mountain as soon as possible.”

"Yes, senior brother."

Upon hearing this, Shen Henian immediately agreed, nodded to Ni Qingfeng, and led Cheng Feng away from the main hall.

"Senior brother, is there any news from Cha Mulong?"

Ni Qingfeng knew the reason why Qiushui Manor was destroyed, and now Qiutangbai's Dragon Pearl must have fallen into Chamulong's hands.

"There's no news, but given his martial arts skills and the Dragon Pearl protecting him, there are probably few in the entire martial arts world who can rival him. He shouldn't be in any danger. What, Junior Brother, do you have something to ask him?"

"There are some things I'd like to ask Chief Chamu for help with."

Ni Qingfeng transmitted the energy of the two dragon pearls he had collected to his main body, making his primordial spirit completely solid. The next step was to open up a blessed land in the outside world.

Reaching the level of a blessed land in cultivation requires a great deal of spiritual energy. If one cultivates diligently, it would take at least a hundred years. Now that we have a rare item like the Dragon Pearl, it may be possible to greatly shorten the time required.

"Well, in a few days, when you go down the mountain to deal with the Iron Spear Sect's affairs, I can give you the Sect Leader's Token. With this token, you can mobilize the various branch sects, which will make it easier to find people."

"Thank you, senior brother."

This sect leader's token is extremely important and is not easily taken out of Tianshan. Otherwise, if it is lost, it will cause chaos in the Tianshan Sect. Xue Wanshan will bear a lot of pressure if he lends it out.

Ni Qingfeng recounted his journey down the mountain in detail. When he mentioned the Golden Whip Sect, Xue Wanshan's eyes flickered slightly. He glanced at Ni Qingfeng and said, "Xia Zhengfang is pragmatic, but he is also a capable person. Junior Brother is willing to protect him under the Tianshan Sect, which shows that he has put in a lot of effort."

“Indeed, the Golden Whip Sect contributed greatly to the extermination of the Evil Ghost Cave this time. At least 30% of the sect’s disciples were lost. I took the liberty of giving him 10% of the confiscated property as a reward for his hard work.”

"Yes, Junior Brother did a good job. You used force and incentives. Not to mention Xia Zhengfang, everyone else did the same. Now that Zhongxin Hall has swallowed up Qiushui Manor, they will make their move on our Tianshan Sect in at most half a year. We don't have much time left. If we can't clean up the area around Tianshan, we will be attacked from both sides when we deal with Zhongxin Hall in the future. This is a big taboo." Xue Wanshan is not afraid of Shangguan Yun now, but he is afraid that he will not have enough time to raise Tianshan Sect to another level. If they face Zhongxin Hall in half a year, the best-case scenario is a Pyrrhic victory, and the worst-case scenario is a complete defeat, and the Tianshan lineage will be cut off.

“Senior brother, there’s no need to worry. Zhongxin Hall may seem incredibly powerful now, but it’s actually quite weak. The rise and fall of Zhongxin Hall depends almost entirely on Shangguan Yun. Once he dies, Zhongxin Hall will have no one to support it, and it won’t be long before it falls apart. I’m not afraid to say something arrogant, but even if I were to face Shangguan Yun now, I’m confident I could defeat him.”

Seeing that the sect leader's spirits seemed somewhat low, Ni Qingfeng gave him a boost. Sure enough, Xue Wanshan's face lit up with joy upon hearing Ni Qingfeng's words. He stood up, looked him up and down, and realized that he couldn't see through this junior brother. Moreover, the deeper he looked, the more unfathomable he felt.

"Junior brother, have you already reached that point?"

Xue Wanshan exclaimed in surprise, his face showing disbelief.

Ni Qingfeng nodded. He had already reached and far surpassed the Innate Realm, but in order not to provoke Xue Wanshan, he restrained his strength and only released the aura of the Innate Realm for a moment.

"Indeed, it is the Innate Realm!"

Xue Wanshan was extremely excited and murmured, "Junior brother is a genius. Our Tianshan lineage will be able to live without worry for a hundred years!"

Now that Ni Qingfeng had already cultivated to the Innate Realm, Shangguan Yun was no longer a threat under his absolute power. Xue Wanshan's heart was gradually relieved. However, after thinking it over again, he realized that keeping Shangguan Yun might be the best choice. He could use Zhongxin Hall as a whetstone for the Tianshan Sect to hone its disciples. In the martial arts world, a single sect that dominates never ends well.

"Junior brother, who else knows that you have achieved the Innate Realm?"

"Apart from the sect leader, there is no one else."

Upon hearing this, Xue Wanshan nodded and said in a deep voice, "Don't tell anyone else about this. Just continue as before."

Upon hearing this, Ni Qingfeng immediately understood his senior brother's thoughts and agreed.

"For now, we can only ask you to make do, Junior Brother. Once everything has calmed down, the Tianshan Sect will hold a grand ceremony for you and invite all martial arts practitioners."

Xue Wanshan is now treating Ni Qingfeng as a trump card for the Tianshan Sect, which is really unfair to him. After all, in the past, when a sect had a new genius emerge, they would announce it to the world with great fanfare. Compared to this, it seems a bit awkward.

“Junior brother doesn’t care about these things. Let’s talk about it when senior brother thinks it’s appropriate. I will handle the Iron Spear Sect matter myself, but it will take two days. Gu Ming’s martial arts have reached a bottleneck, and I, as his master, need to lend him a hand.”

"That's to be expected. Although Gu Ming started late, his progress has been rapid. Now his martial arts are not far behind Zhang Yong and Tianxiang. With the help of his junior brother, he will undergo a complete transformation and his future achievements may even surpass those of Tianjiao and the others."

"This is also because of the sect leader's care. When my junior brother was in seclusion, my senior brother personally guided him. If he still doesn't live up to expectations, then all my teachings will have been in vain."

Because of his previous serious illness, Gu Ming's vital energy was much weaker than others. If it weren't for Ni Qingfeng sending him green wood spiritual energy every full moon night to help him expand his meridians and cleanse his marrow, how could he have caught up with Zhang Yong and Fu Tianxiang in such a short time?

"Senior brother, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

After bowing to Xue Wanshan, Ni Qingfeng turned and left the main hall. Without stopping, he returned to his residence. Gu Ming had already placed the box of valuables that had been delivered in his bedroom. Upon seeing this, Ni Qingfeng swept it under the bed with a flick of his sleeve.

After washing his face, Ni Qingfeng sat cross-legged on the bed and meditated silently. Soon, wisps of spiritual energy from heaven and earth surged towards him.

Three days passed in a flash. Ni Qingfeng finished up his business, helped Gu Ming successfully break through one of the two main meridians, and then had Gu Ming give some handwritten notes on the Seven Absolute Swords of Tianshan to Luo Ying. After that, he went down the mountain alone and headed towards Cuiping Mountain, where the Iron Spear Sect was located.

At this moment, at the foot of Mount Kongtong, a row of carriages are lined up, each bearing the flag of Zhongxintang, which flutters in the wind with gold and silver trim and black characters on a white background, making it very eye-catching.

"father."

Shangguan Feiyan pulled He Yanrong into a magnificent carriage, wanting to call Shangguan Yun to come along, but under He Yanrong's watchful gaze, she had no choice but to remain silent and obediently get into the carriage.

"This place is still far from Zhongxin Hall. Madam, please rest in the carriage and travel on the official road. It will take at most half a month to return to Si'an City."

"Ah."

He Yanrong gave a faint reply, stepped forward, and the servant hurriedly lifted the curtain. He Yanrong bowed and stepped inside.

Seeing this, Shangguan Yun didn't say anything more. He mounted his horse, gave an order, and the carriage started moving, heading southeast.

With such a powerful presence, Zhongxintang naturally attracted the attention of various parties. The sect closest to Kongtong Mountain was the White-headed Eagle of Bailing Mountain.

"What is Shangguan Yun up to now? He Yanrong has already semi-retired, so why is she jumping out again at this time? Shangguan Yun has gained another great help."

What the White-Headed Eagle feared was not He Yanrong's martial arts skills, but rather the connections she possessed. During her medical practice, countless sects had benefited from her kindness to varying degrees. If Shangguan Yun were to use her name to gather the remaining forces from all sides, there was a very high chance of success.

"Is there any movement from the Tianshan Sect?"

The situation in the martial arts world is gradually becoming clear. The only sect that can rival Zhongxin Hall is Tianshan Sect. If they can profit from the fighting between the two sides, perhaps Bailing Mountain can also become a regional overlord.

“Master, apart from wiping out Luanshi Mountain, the Tianshan Sect hasn’t made any major moves lately. However, Ni Qingfeng has recently appeared near Cuiping Mountain, seemingly looking for trouble with the Iron Spear Sect.”

"Oh, the Iron Spear Sect, hmm, when Zhao Xi was around, the Iron Spear Sect was nothing special. But now that his junior brother has taken over, it's become quite something. Ni Qingfeng has approached the Iron Spear Sect, which is rather interesting. Have your men keep a close eye on things, and also the Zhongxin Hall. Report back immediately if they make any moves."

In this chaotic martial arts world, firsthand information is crucial and can even determine the life or death of a force. Although Bailing Mountain has some strength, if it is not careful, it may collapse even faster than some small sects.

Cuiping Mountain, Iron Spear Gate

After Ni Qingfeng presented his visiting card, he waited in the pavilion at the foot of the mountain. Disciples of the Iron Spear Sect served him tea and snacks and stood respectfully to the side.

Before he could finish his tea, a group of people walked briskly over from the mountainside. The leader was a burly man with a resolute face and a steady gait. Every step he took was measured with an iron ruler, without the slightest deviation. He seemed to be a very disciplined person.

“Master Ni has come from afar, and I, Chen Ji, have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me.”

Chen Ji walked a few steps quickly from a distance of about ten feet from the pavilion, came to Ni Qingfeng, clasped his hands in a salute, and the latter stood up and returned the salute.

“Master Ni, this is not the place to talk. Please come up the mountain with me for a chat.”

Ni Qingfeng nodded upon hearing this and said, "I'll trouble Sect Leader Chen to lead the way."

Chen Ji gestured, and Ni Qingfeng walked alongside Chen Ji. After walking along the narrow mountain path for a while, they saw a tall stone tablet at the end of the path with some blurry characters on it. Beside the stone tablet was a seven-foot-long, mottled iron spear that was about four inches thick.

"This is the Iron Spear Stele erected by the founding ancestor of the sect, which is now eighty years old."

(End of this chapter)