Jia Wuzong was where the Primordial Spirits of Celestial Profound Sect members—such as Registered Disciples, Core Disciples, Third Generation Disciples, and Stewards—were summoned back if they died outside the Sect without their spirits shattering. This allowed them to pass safely through Reincarnation.

The Jia Wuzong was incredibly gloomy and cold. Residing there long-term would have a severe impact on both one’s body and Primordial Spirit. For this reason, the Celestial Profound Sect typically assigned servant disciples to maintain it—usually those who had committed grave errors.

Wen Qingye’s expression remained as placid as still water as he listened to Li Zhouyu. After a moment, he parted his lips and smiled. "What are the consequences if Registered Disciples kill one another?"

Though his tone was calm, a cold, murderous glint flickered in his eyes.

They had all come from the Celestial Martial Country, only to be bullied for their perceived weakness. While Wen Qingye couldn’t completely alter their destinies, he refused to stand idly by.

Just because they hailed from the Celestial Martial Country—a mere backwater in the eyes of others—they were subjected to endless mockery.

And now, these despicable methods were being used just to force him out into the open.

At that moment, Wen Qingye’s heart was ablaze with fury.

"Hahahaha! Do you really think I wouldn’t dare to kill you?" Li Zhouyu clasped his hands behind his back, his tone arrogant and domineering. "So what if I kill a Registered Disciple from some backwater country?"

The disciples from the Luocheng Ancient Country all nodded in agreement, their eyes fixed on Wen Qingye with mocking amusement.

A woman took a light step forward and chuckled. "He’s just trash from a backwater country. What’s the harm in killing him?"

"You... How can you be so audacious? Harming a fellow disciple is a grave taboo under the Celestial Profound Sect’s rules!" Yann Xiangyang’s face flushed with anger. She couldn’t believe the people from the Luocheng Ancient Country could be so outrageously arrogant.

The man who seemed to be dozing off suddenly snapped his eyes open. They were like a viper’s, and his voice was bone-chillingly cold. "Killing you lot would be as easy as slaughtering chickens and dogs. Don’t believe me?"

The onlookers couldn’t help but sigh as they watched the lone Wen Qingye. This was the power of an Ancient Country—they could gather dozens of people at a whim, while a backwater like the Celestial Martial Country only had a handful.

"Hahahahaha!"

Wen Qingye walked forward, step by step, his gaze icy. The dozen or so disciples from the Luocheng Ancient Country before him did not cause him the slightest bit of alarm.

THUMP-THUMP!

The woman’s heart suddenly pounded a few times. She narrowed her eyes. She had to admit, this genius from a backwater country was undeniably captivating, with his handsome face and remarkable presence.

Wen Qingye’s eyes burned brightly as he swept his gaze over the crowd. "I hear," he said softly, "that the Celestial Profound Sect has a place called Hidden Peak, where disciples go to settle their grudges. Life and death are of no consequence there. I would like to pay it a visit."

For some unknown reason, a sudden silence fell over the surroundings, so profound that one could have heard a pin drop.

"What is this guy from the Celestial Martial Country doing? Is he trying to get himself killed?"

"The Celestial Profound Sect’s rules are actually very strict. Disciples are forbidden from killing one another. If he just stayed here, the people from the Luocheng Ancient Country wouldn’t dare to kill him wantonly."

"On Hidden Peak, there is only life and death. The Luocheng Ancient Country has experts as numerous as clouds. If he goes, he’s almost certainly not coming back."

Everyone in the crowd was stunned by Wen Qingye’s words.

The woman was also taken aback by Wen Qingye’s words and hadn’t yet spoken, but Li Zhouyu, standing beside her, was overjoyed. His eyes lit up. "Good! Excellent! Hidden Peak it is!"

Yann Xiangyang and Cheng Yu both pursed their lips, watching Wen Qingye’s back without a word.

The surrounding crowd was first astonished, then broke out into excited expressions, rushing off to spread the news.

...

「On Hidden Peak, within the Celestial Profound Mountain Domain.」

Hidden Peak had been mostly deserted since its founding; normally, no one wanted to come. But when it did draw a crowd, it was an unprecedented spectacle.

At the summit of Hidden Peak was a wide, flat clearing. Four stone pillars, etched with ancient patterns, stood at its edges, seeming to prop up the very heavens.

The Hidden Peak Steward watched the arriving crowd, his brow furrowed. ’Is there another duel on Hidden Peak today? Why else would so many people be here?’

More and more white-robed Registered Disciples, having heard the news, rushed over and gathered around.

"Someone from a backwater country thinks he can challenge a disciple from an Ancient Country? He’s really courting death."

"He’s probably from the backwoods and has never seen the world. He must have suffered some small grievance and couldn’t hold it in."

"Is this just another battle of the strong preying on the weak? To be honest, I just came to see the strength of the disciples from the Luocheng Ancient Country."

"See that woman? That’s Geng Yue from the Luocheng Ancient Country, ranked 237th. Her cultivation is at the Yin-Yang Realm Third Heaven. The sleepy-looking man is Zhong Liang, also at the Yin-Yang Realm Third Heaven, but his ranking is even higher than hers."

"Ah, what a shame. I wonder if that kid is even strong enough to make either of them step up."

...

Hidden Peak was lush and green under a vast, cloudless sky, the air clear and crisp.

The only difference from usual was the sea of white-robed figures that had gathered.

Cheng Yu and Yann Xiangyang were both nervous. Even though they believed in Wen Qingye, the sight of the massive crowd and the confident expressions on the faces of the Luocheng disciples left them feeling deeply uneasy.

The Hidden Peak Steward glanced at Wen Qingye. ’Only an Early-stage Yin Yang Realm cultivation,’ he thought, secretly shaking his head.

Wen Qingye strode forward, his eyes fixed on the group from the Luocheng Ancient Country. "Li Zhouyu, will you be coming first?"

Hearing Wen Qingye’s call, a smug smile appeared on Li Zhouyu’s lips. "I accept your challenge. But you’ll have to defeat my fellow disciples first."

Wen Qingye’s eyes narrowed slightly. He knew, of course, that Li Zhouyu wouldn’t dare to fight him directly. He nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips as his gaze swept over the disciples from the Luocheng Ancient Country.

"Who’s first?"

The disciples from the Luocheng Ancient Country glanced at each other, their eyes full of mirth.

"I can handle this. The rest of you can just watch."

"No way. Why should you have to bother with someone from a backwater country who’s only in the early Yin-Yang Realm? I think I’ll go."

"Don’t you all fight over it! We’re just here to help Zhou Yu get some payback. I’ll do it, I’ll do it!"

The disciples from the Luocheng Ancient Country bickered among themselves. Wen Qingye had suddenly become a hot commodity, and no one wanted to let another steal the glory.

After a long while, a young man finally stepped out from the Luocheng Ancient Country’s ranks.

The Hidden Peak Steward thought, ’This Registered Disciple from the Luocheng Ancient Country has a cultivation that’s neither high nor low—Yin-Yang Realm First Heaven. But with the deep foundation of the Luocheng Ancient Country’s Martial Arts... it looks like this other kid, who has only just entered the Yin-Yang Realm, is going to get crushed.’

The young man looked at Wen Qingye, a smug expression plastered on his face. "Hidden Peak is about to claim another lonely soul. Don’t worry, I’ll make your death a quick one."

"It won’t be just one lonely soul," Wen Qingye replied with a faint smile.

Before the young man could even process Wen Qingye’s words, Wen Qingye was already charging toward him. A grim killing intent filled Wen Qingye’s eyes. ’Li Zhouyu deserves to die, and these people helping him deserve to die as well.’

What Wen Qingye detested most was being coerced. To force him out, Li Zhouyu had made Yann Xiangyang and Cheng Yu guard the Jia Wuzong. This was something Wen Qingye could not tolerate.

The young man saw only a blur before him, accompanied by the whistle of rushing wind. He subconsciously thrust out a fist to meet the attack.

BANG!

The two fists collided. Waves of violent Primordial Qi billowed out from the impact, spreading like shockwaves.

BOOM!

The young man’s body flew like a kite with a snapped string, slamming heavily into one of the stone pillars. A spray of blood filled the air. He collapsed to the ground before he could even let out a cry of pain, and no one knew if he was still breathing.

One move!

Wen Qingye had used only a single move to defeat an expert from the Luocheng Ancient Country at the Yin-Yang Realm First Heaven.

The Hidden Peak Steward’s eyes suddenly lit up. He watched Wen Qingye and praised aloud, "This kid is interesting."

Geng Yue frowned slightly. "This guy from a backwater country is surprisingly strong. He defeated Han Feng with a single punch."

Standing to the side, Li Zhouyu stammered, "He wasn’t this strong before. He must have had some kind of breakthrough recently."

Geng Yue waved her hand dismissively. "Alright, saying that now is useless. Chen Fan, you’re at the Yin-Yang Realm Second Level. You go."

The man behind Geng Yue, Chen Fan, was about to step forward, but another person from behind stopped him.

"Hold on! How strong can a guy who just entered the Yin-Yang Realm possibly be? If you ask me, I should be the one to go up."

Before Geng Yue could even react, that disciple from the Luocheng Ancient Country—at the peak of the Yin-Yang Realm First Layer Heaven—had already rushed forward, an expression of extreme arrogance on his face.