The scene spiraled out of control, leaving the Outer Sect Instructors and Inner Sect Elders numb, their scalps tingling as chaos erupted.
Missing out on the Radiant Heaven Tower’s Heavenly Dao Alchemist after all the cold treatment, and now potentially losing a future female Sword Immortal of immense potential—it could only be called the darkest moment in Divine Splendor Cloud Estate’s history.
Even the Ancestor Master would have jumped out of his grave to purge these unworthy disciples!
Xiao Xinran was utterly petrified, unmoving despite the Senior Sisters shaking her, her gaze empty, her delicate face frozen.
Her mind had short-circuited from the moment her fiancé withdrew from the Sect, and her anger plummeted below freezing.
It was well known that in utter despair, a person showed no reaction at all.
What hurt Miss Xiao the most wasn’t losing the Heavenly Grade Foundation Establishment Pill or an exceptional protector, but her own foolishness.
She had actually believed that if she made up for every debt, Xiao Yun would turn back.
Last time, her realization was filled with endless regret; this time, the parting left her heart in agony.
No warning.
No farewell.
Nothing at all.
Just two of the most familiar strangers.
So, from the very start, had she already lost Yun Liu?
Was that it?
The situation was dire.
Before the results of the promotion selection could even be announced, the Grand Elder immediately put everything on hold and rushed back to Falling Cloud Peak to convene an emergency meeting.
Five-Colored Auspicious Clouds stained the sky, lingering endlessly, as Flying Sword Radiance swarmed in.
The last time such a monumental upheaval occurred in the Shenhua Sect was the last time.
“Everyone with a Sword Emblem bearing a star, get in here!”
With a shout, the Five Peaks Elders and Inner Sect core disciples filed in, taking their seats with solemnity inside the Dragon Subduing Hall.
The doors slammed shut, the lighting dim, and elites from the Four Peaks gathered in the hall.
Anyone still on the mountain, regardless of whether they were in seclusion, dropped everything and assembled.
In such a grand assembly, disciples with weaker cultivation, like the Clear Mist Peak Senior Sister, hardly dared to breathe.
Unlike the team-building events for younger disciples of the Four Academies, this gathering was made up entirely of the pillars of the Sect, all with at least Golden Core cultivation.
At present, Shenhua Sect’s strongest lineup was here—Outer Four Academies Nascent Soul Mentors, Sword Dao Class Nascent Soul Directors, Elders of the Administrative Office, and even the half-paralyzed Head of Hidden in Mist Peak was trembling as he was carried in. Mr. Kuai crawled out of her noble, ruined tree hollow as well.
As core members of the Heavenly Concord Alliance’s six great Sects, all faces were grave.
The Three Peaks Chiefs looked particularly grim, instantly grasping the seriousness of the situation.
Aside from the semi-retired Sword Dao Leader, the only one missing was Aunt Master.
The Tianxiang lineage was completely wiped out today.
“Everyone should know the ins and outs by now, right?”
Within the golden clouds, the Grand Elder of First Peak was so anxious he nearly clawed his scalp off.
Even if they hadn’t known before coming, news had spread among peers along the way, and all had gained a basic understanding of the Xixu Peak incident.
The gist was simple: the chief disciple defected, the last promising seedling of the Tianxiang line couldn’t endure and fled, seeking another master.
Shanhai Pavilion swooped in to snatch talent, and the chief disciple of Tianxiang Peak led the exit from the Sect, even taking a close companion—possibly a new girlfriend with Sword Immortal potential—with him (under suspicion).
That was pretty much it~
Of course, Aunt Master’s specialty was emotional detachment.
Forcing disciples away wasn’t a first; everyone was used to it.
But this case was different.
The runaway turned out to be a Heavenly Dao Alchemist, a Radiant Heaven Tower venerated member.
How could they accept this?
No one else had a clue.
If it hadn’t been for the arrival of a Penghu Island alchemist, everyone would have still been kept in the dark.
A peerless genius suddenly emerged from the barren Cloud Sea—a blessing of the highest order.
But before they could even foster and promote this talent, he was poached in public.
How infuriating was that?
For a moment, the room buzzed with discussion.
“Heavenly Dao Alchemist… What does that even mean?”
A clueless Inner Sect disciple obsessed with sword practice whispered the question.
The chief disciple of Hidden in Mist Peak explained to his Junior Brother, “You know Mr. Canghai? Senior Kuai’s idol. With a single alchemical technique, he’s renowned throughout the Boundless Sea, with vast connections and endless allies. Though only a peak Nascent Soul-level Dao Alchemist, if trouble arises, a single call could summon three or four Nascent Soul cultivators.”
“He’s the most promising Radiant Heaven Tower pharmacist in the eastern lands of the Nine Provinces. Normal people aren’t even qualified to ask him to refine pills. You see what kind of status a Heavenly Dao Alchemist holds?”
Even if Sword Cultivators didn’t understand the ways of Alchemists, everyone at least understood the weight of Shanhai Pavilion.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
“Hiss, East Pole Pavilion Lord… a Foundation Establishment Junior Brother? No way!”
“Shanhai Pavilion changed hands, and Lady You publicly acknowledged him as her lord. It’s absolute truth—how could it be false?”
It was no wonder even the Inner Sect immortals were stunned.
Shanhai Pavilion was a massive entity.
Not participating in power struggles didn’t mean they lacked the confidence to remain neutral.
Even being just one of the Nine Provinces’ Pavilion Lords commanded immense respect—strength alone was no longer the measure.
In other words, if something truly happened, there was no need for the Lord himself to act; the Pavilion’s stewards would handle it.
Mr. Kuai was devastated by the news.
Weren’t things perfectly fine when the young couple returned from their date?
The two elders were already secretly arranging the marriage, yet the worthy son-in-law just left without warning.
Looking over, Qin Yao seemed absent-minded, head lowered as she combed her long hair, as if her heart had drifted away with Junior Brother Yun.
“Yun Liu… Why does that sound so familiar?”
Ah, I remember now.
He’s the only son of that Yun nephew from First Peak—resembles his father, and his mother’s from Clear Mist Peak as well.
By rights, he should have deep ties to Cloud Sea.
How could he abandon Divine Splendor?
The Head of Setting Sun Peak, burly and thunder-voiced, quickly pinpointed the key issue.
At this, the Head of Clear Mist Peak lost composure, crushing the chair’s armrest with a hand, black lines crawling across his forehead.
Gran had wanted to curse on Xixu Peak already, nearly bursting with rage, but restrained herself for the sake of her image.
Now, with Liu-er gone, both son and son-in-law were lost—her resolve was so fierce that no one dared interject.
Yan Bingling was utterly useless.
Zha-er only knew how to lower his head and play dead.
In a critical moment, neither was reliable.
She couldn’t even keep a man—if she’d known, she’d have done it herself!
On the Falling Cloud Peak side, the young, soft-spoken Elder Fang stood nervously at the back, terrified of being implicated and dragging his whole family down with him.
In his heart, Elder Fang fumed with nowhere to vent.
How could someone just bask in the sun and then—Fang Ting, that fool, why did you have to play with bird eggs!?
In the Clear Mist lineage, the Master of the Medicine Hut sighed, covering her face in shame.
“This is my greatest failing. I’ve long known Yun Liu’s exceptional talent in alchemy and should not have concealed the matter of the two Heavenly Grade Foundation Establishment Pills.”
“You—!”
The Grand Elder gaped in shock, trembling as he pointed at Kuai, nearly suffering a heart attack.
Well, well, you could even hide such a huge matter—why not write it into your will before you enter the grave?
The Head of Setting Sun Peak slammed the table in frustration.
“Hmph, I could tell from the start what you were plotting. You wanted to use deception to bind him to Clear Mist Peak and monopolize a Heavenly Dao Alchemist. But in the end, your trick backfired. Typical short-sightedness!”