Chapter Twenty-Three: Entering the Pavilion

“Does anyone else have questions? If you have doubts, speak up now—don’t wait until you’re inside and end up flustered and confused. You heard it all just now: once you leave Longxiang Peak, you must not mention anything about today to anyone. Everything you see and hear must stay locked in your heart. The sect can answer your questions now, but once you’re outside, I won’t be able to say more. Take care and act wisely.” Zhuoran’s face was icy as he swept his gaze back and forth over the young faces before him.

“Sect Master, I noticed the Xuan藏 Pavilion has nine levels. How many contribution points are needed to access each of the other levels? What treasures do the elders find on the fifth and sixth floors?” Since Zhuoran had made it clear that any question could be asked, Lin Feng would not miss this opportunity.

Everyone was curious—elders from the inner sect, who could control magical artifacts, came here to exchange treasures and could only enter up to the sixth floor. Wouldn’t the treasures stored in the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors be even rarer and unimaginable?

Zhuoran smiled, his eyes flashing with a peculiar light. “To enter the third floor, you need five thousand contribution points; the fourth floor, ten thousand; the fifth floor, fifty thousand; the sixth, two hundred thousand. As for the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors—so far, no one has ever entered them. What treasures lie within, only the Grandmaster and the Sect Leader might know. Even I don’t know what’s on the fifth and sixth floors. Look—I’m accumulating contribution points myself, hoping that next time I’ll have enough to enter the fifth floor.”

The Sect Master displayed the jade slip in his hand to everyone. Golden characters glimmered: 41370.

Everyone held their breath, faces pale with ghostly astonishment. Over ten thousand points! One might not gather that in a lifetime of effort!

“Sect Master, is there no hint when choosing a treasure? Shouldn’t at least the name be provided?” Helian Ruxue asked.

Zhuoran nodded, pleased by the question. “You’re right. Most treasures have names, whether they’re magical tools and secret manuals discarded by elders or pills and artifacts crafted by the sect. But there are exceptions. Some things have been around so long their origins can’t be verified. These items are stored together, and the required contribution points are relatively low. If you happen to pick a nameless treasure worth far more than its cost, that’s your luck. However…”

Everyone’s faces brightened, ears pricked for what came next.

Zhuoran deliberately drew out his words, his face adorned with a mysterious smile. “However… there’s a lot of useless junk and rubbish among them as well.”

“Tch…” A wave of disappointed groans swept through the crowd.

“All right, all right—pull yourselves together, keep your eyes sharp. When you go inside, you’ll know what to do. You have just one hour, so don’t just gawk and forget to take something. Keep your mindset steady…” Zhuoran, like a grandmother seasoned by hardship, patiently and tirelessly advised these fledgling disciples.

From the distant horizon came a piercing shriek, and everyone turned to look. Across the clouds, a massive ancient green sword sped toward them, arriving overhead in the blink of an eye. Two people leapt down from the immortal sword, their eyes straight ahead, heading directly for the Xuan藏 Pavilion.

“Hong Yang!” Lin Feng’s heart trembled. He didn’t recognize the middle-aged man in front, but the one behind was the mysterious figure Hong Yang, whom he’d met just yesterday. Caught up in excitement, Lin Feng hadn’t given the man a second thought—now he appeared with such a high-profile entrance.

On the plaza, all eyes turned to the pavilion’s entrance. The two gatekeeper elders had just finished examining a batch of disciples and were about to rest. Seeing these two approach, a look of confusion flickered in their eyes.

“Elders, this young friend has a special order from the Sect Leader to visit the third floor. Please let him pass.” The middle-aged man in green raised his palm and tossed a shining jade token into the air.

“The Sovereign’s Order!” The elder on the left’s face changed dramatically. The Sovereign’s Order meant the Sect Leader’s personal involvement. Who was this youth, to receive such favor?

“Wait! Elder Liang, without the green jade slip, even with the Sect Leader’s order, he still can’t enter the third floor—at most, he can browse the first.” The elder on the right frowned slightly and raised his hand to stop them.

“Oh, almost forgot. Here’s my green jade slip—see for yourselves if I qualify.” Hong Yang raised his palm and displayed the jade slip.

The two elders glanced at it and fell silent. Hong Yang smiled and swaggered into the mysterious treasure pavilion.

“Who is he? Why does he get to cut in line?” Outside, several inner sect disciples voiced their displeasure, the ringleaders raising their voices.

“What’s all this noise!” Elder Liang spun around, his gaze sharp and merciless. Under his scrutiny, everyone fell silent.

“Heh, that guy’s connections are really strong. If only I knew the Sect Leader—at least I could get in through the back door.” The group’s low voices were clearly heard by all present, especially the outer sect disciples, whose faces were lit with schadenfreude.

Lin Feng smirked coldly. As the saying goes, there’s always someone stronger out there. You all don’t know yet, but that fellow is the number one in the outer sect, Hong Yang.

Not long after Hong Yang entered, the chief disciples from the four peaks of the Hundred Flowers Sect emerged from the pavilion, most of them smiling. After leaving, they soared away on magical swords, dazzling colors swirling among the mountain clouds in a magnificent display.

This spectacle continued for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. The first batch of inner sect disciples emerged, maintaining the vibrant scene—sword energy and treasure light filled the mountains and seas of clouds with radiant colors, a feast for the eyes.

Soon, Hong Yang exited the pavilion, disappointed, and left with Elder Liang.

“Tsk tsk, escorted by an elder both ways—probably even an emperor wouldn’t receive such treatment.” The crowd grew ever more envious, especially the inner sect disciples, whose indignation was palpable, their resentment toward Hong Yang fierce.

By contrast, the outer sect crowd was more composed, knowing they could never compare with someone like him and accepting their lot.

Lin Feng noticed that ‘Senior Brother Yi Yuan’ and the white-clad woman piloting the lotus leaf boat were whispering together, nodding frequently, clearly very close.

Another two hours passed. The last batch of inner sect disciples entered the pavilion, and finally, it was the outer sect’s turn.

“All those with over two thousand contribution points, stand to my left,” Zhuoran commanded, his face stern.

Nangong Ke, Luo Shangqing, and Jiang Baifeng stepped out together, arrogant and dismissive of all others. Helian Ruxue also walked over, glancing at Lin Feng as she did.

Two more disciples joined them: Guo Ming, Nangong Ke’s trusted ally, skilled with twin axes, and Zhao Mu, the famous lone wolf of the outer sect. These six were well-known masters in the late stage of Qi refining—everyone in the outer sect recognized them.

Lin Feng patted Du Song on the shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Don’t rush when you get inside.”

Du Song was startled, but Lin Feng smiled and passed him, moving to stand at Zhuoran’s left. The crowd watched in shock.

“Hmph!” Nangong Ke was seething, his face dark as ink.

Lin Feng smiled faintly, turning his gaze calmly toward the distant pavilion.

The remaining disciples were divided again at the threshold of fifteen hundred contribution points, splitting into two groups. Thus, Lin Feng and six others, along with Du Song and fifteen more, would form the first batch to enter the pavilion, while the seventeen with fewer points would go in last.

The long-awaited moment had arrived. Sect Master Zhuoran checked the jade slips of the first batch one by one, nodded to the two elders, and cast a look of deep shock at Lin Feng. Many disciples inwardly smiled bitterly—entry to the pavilion was no easy feat; three sets of discerning eyes watched the process, making sneaking in harder than climbing to the heavens.

After showing his green jade slip to the gatekeeper elders, Lin Feng took a deep breath and stepped into the ancient and slightly oppressive Xuan藏 Pavilion.

“Brother, it’s been a strange year. First, the Sect Leader gave that boy the Sovereign’s Order, now an outer sect disciple has reached six thousand points. Tsk tsk…” As the first batch entered, the elder on the right murmured.

“What! Six thousand points? Are you sure?” The elder on the left was shocked.

“Brother, we’re both hundreds of years old—trust me, I couldn’t be wrong even if I looked with my heels. If it weren’t for the uncle being here, heh, I’d sneak in myself to see what treasure he’d choose…”

“Ah, old days… When you and I first entered, we barely had over three thousand points; even the Sect Leader only had a bit over two thousand…” The two elders stood silently at the door, conversing.

Inside the pavilion, the dim light made Lin Feng frown at first, but he soon adapted. He looked up—the left side near the door held a suspended stairway to the second floor; on the right stood a shrine with three incense burners, one large, two small, the incense eternally burning.

The room, about thirty meters square, was hexagonal with five walls. Before each wall stood two antique carved wooden cabinets, their colors deep and slightly purple-black. Each cabinet was divided into countless small compartments, displaying many rare treasures. Most eye-catching were the cabinets holding magical weapons and pills, whose contents radiated dazzling light, making the whole structure gleam.

Others had already rushed forward to browse and choose, but Lin Feng was in no hurry. He glanced around and walked straight to the two rows of cabinets containing pills on the right.

“Where is the Feng Shui Yuan Gathering Pill…” He searched each label intently from top to bottom. Many labeled pills tempted him, but he deliberately ignored them.

There was the “Eight Jade Life Renewing Pill”—about the size of a pearl, white tinged with red, flickering mysteriously, able to cure all manner of ailments…

The “Spirit Gathering Gold Sand Powder”—shining gold, resembling scattered sand, with wispy illusions rising, able to quickly replenish spiritual energy…

The “Gen Snow Pill”—crystal clear, shaped like an olive, snowy white with unique purple filaments inside, able to greatly enhance Qi refining cultivation…

There were also mid-grade enhancement pills, Three Treasure Agarwood Powder, Clear Luo Essence Dew, Purple Sun Pill, Great Return Revitalizing Pill… Most pills had samples on display, while the rest were stored in various porcelain bottles, arranged neatly, waiting for selection.

At last, in the first compartment of the third row, the name Feng Shui Yuan Gathering Pill appeared!

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