Chapter 154
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Chapter 154: Benches, Sunflower Seeds, and Peaches
After Changchun left, Wang Chen returned to his estate.
Reflecting on his exchange with the Purple Palace master, he still felt a lingering unease.
In that earlier situation, had Changchun shown even a hint of malice, Wang Chen would not have been able to pass through so effortlessly!
This made him realize that Changchun was not as inept as others had made him out to be.
As a Purple Palace cultivator, Changchun’s reputation within the inner sect of the Yunyang Sect had always been tarnished. Nicknames like "Spirit Stone Master" and "Tofu Master," laced with mockery and disdain, had further sullied his standing.
This was especially evident during that incident when Huang Yuxiu from Mingxiu Peak publicly demanded repayment, leaving him utterly humiliated.
He lost both face and credibility entirely.
In the eyes of the disciples of Sunset Peak, his standing plummeted dramatically!
After that incident, Changchun disappeared from public view, and even the rotating Purple Palace lectures came to a halt.
It left everyone at a loss for words.
Though Wang Chen held no personal bias against Changchun, he couldn’t help but be swayed by the prevailing opinions.
Now, however, he understood that no Purple Palace cultivator should ever be underestimated!
Moreover, Changchun’s demeanor was truly remarkable.
The Purple Palace master had clearly recognized that Wang Chen had encountered a stroke of fortune, yet he showed no signs of envy or covetousness.
While his proposal to take Wang Chen as a true disciple was puzzling, after Wang Chen declined, Changchun did not press the matter and departed without hesitation.
At no point did he use his status to pressure Wang Chen.
His final words carried no hint of threat.
They felt more like a gentle reminder!
Nevertheless, Wang Chen had no intention of abandoning his practice of Sword Control simply because of Changchun’s words.
His Sword Control was just a few experience points shy of reaching the advanced level, and he had already set aside the necessary Virtue points for it.
There was no way he would give up halfway!
Wang Chen surmised that the disturbances he caused during his training had drawn the attention of the Purple Palace master.
Thus, he promptly relocated to the lower reaches of the small creek, finding a secluded spot to continue refining his swordsmanship!
Wang Chen would not rest until he achieved perfect mastery of Sword Control!
Days turned into weeks.
Wang Chen’s hidden cultivating proceeded without further incident, and Changchun never reappeared.
Then, by the end of November, the discussions of law at Sunset Peak commenced.
The Yunyang Sect was composed of nine peaks and nine lineages.
With the exception of the main peak, Taihao, the other eight peaks held their internal discussions of law once a year.
Determining the representatives for the Top Ten Disciples.
Participating in the Nine Peaks Discussion.
This is the sect competition!
According to the inner sect’s regulations, disciples from the eight peaks must participate in the peak debate unless there are special circumstances.
As for whether to step onto the debate stage and vie for the title of Top Ten Disciples’ representative, that is entirely up to individual choice.
Of course, the rewards for the Top Ten Disciples are quite lavish, including techniques, elixirs, magical artifacts, and various high-quality cultivation resources, which attract many cultivators. Every year, the competition is fierce, with intense battles.
As for the Nine Peaks Discussion, it is even more significant.
The performance of the eight peaks’ representatives in the sect competition determines the resource allocation ratio for each lineage in the coming year.
Therefore, even a weaker peak like Sunset Peak must strive to give their best!
On the day of the peak debate, Wang Chen left home early and summoned the Willow Leaf Flying Boat, heading straight to the summit of Sunset Peak.
He arrived quite early.
However, upon reaching the training ground, he found that a large crowd had already gathered around the debate stage.
There were at least a thousand inner sect disciples!
Clearly, everyone took this peak debate very seriously.
Just like when Wang Chen attended lectures at the training ground before, these inner sect disciples were divided into their respective groups.
The boundaries between them were very distinct.
Wang Chen was already accustomed to this, so he habitually found an inconspicuous corner to sit down.
Considering that the peak debate would last for a long time, Wang Chen took out a stool and some books from his storage bag, grabbed a large handful of sunflower seeds, and began munching on the seeds while reading casual books.
Of course, he did not forget to enhance the effect of his Perfected Level Breath Concealment Technique, making himself blend into the edge of the crowd like a shadow.
This made him feel quite at ease.
“Junior brother…”
To Wang Chen’s surprise, just as he had finished a couple of sunflower seeds, a soft voice came from behind him, “Could you sell me some sunflower seeds?”
Wang Chen turned around and saw a slightly plump young cultivator sitting diagonally behind him.
With a large head, small eyes, a broad nose, and thick lips, he had a rather honest and simple appearance.
The Breath Concealment Technique is not an invisibility technique; even Wang Chen’s Perfected Level Breath Concealment Technique could only significantly reduce his presence. If someone kept their gaze fixed on him, it would lose effectiveness.
“Sure.”
Wang Chen took out a bag of sunflower seeds and handed it to him, saying, “It’s only worth a few spirit fragments; consider it a gift.”
In his estate, there were several acres of vegetable fields where the previous owner had planted some pumpkins.
After taking over, Wang Chen tended to the vegetable fields and harvested many ripe pumpkins during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
These sunflower seeds came from those pumpkins, and he had roasted them himself.
“Thank you!”
The slightly plump cultivator hurriedly stepped forward to take the sunflower seeds and brought his own mat to place beside Wang Chen.
He sat down contentedly and began to crack the seeds.
As he munched, his gaze drifted toward the book Wang Chen was holding, and he gradually became distracted.
After a moment, the slightly plump cultivator could no longer hold back his curiosity and leaned over to whisper, “Junior brother, what kind of books are you reading? Perhaps we could exchange some thoughts.”
What books?
Of course, there were “The Tale of the Joyful Monarch,” “The Jade Beauty,” “The Story of Leisure,” “The Joyful Rival,” “The Strange Fate”…
Wang Chen silently flipped the cover of his book to show him—“True Explanation of Talismans.”
His cultivation in the talisman path relied entirely on self-study, so he had purchased several related books to deepen his theoretical understanding.
Though having a Cultivation Panel cheat was thrilling, without some foundational knowledge, practicing would only yield half the results with twice the effort.
Wang Chen planned to attempt mastering Intermediate Talisman Making after advancing to Qi Training ninth level.
Thus, building a foundation early was essential.
“True Explanation of Talismans” covered content related to second-level spiritual symbols and third-level treasure symbols, making it a standard textbook.
However, the slightly plump cultivator lost interest as soon as he saw it, remarking, “Oh, it’s that kind of book.”
Wang Chen smiled and asked, “What’s your surname, senior brother?”
The slightly plump cultivator replied, “My humble surname is Pang, Pang Zitong.”
“Ah, so it’s Brother Pang,” Wang Chen said, cupping his hands. “I’m Wang Chen.”
Pang Zitong turned out to be quite an intriguing figure, his demeanor and speech setting him apart from most inner sect disciples.
He didn’t seem to come from a humble background, yet he lacked the arrogance typical of those from noble families.
Overall, Wang Chen had a favorable impression of him, and the two chatted amiably while cracking seeds.
When their mouths grew dry from the seeds, Wang Chen brought out a basket of Spirit Peaches to share with Pang Zitong.
They were all homegrown.
Pang Zitong felt a bit embarrassed.
Then he proceeded to eat most of the peaches, repeatedly complimenting their exquisite flavor.
Dong—
As the bell tolled to mark the hour, this year’s Sunset Peak laws officially commenced!
