Gong Hua slammed into Dawn Peak’s Defense Array, and Ding Huan was jolted awake.
At this moment, the third swirl of Star Nebula had already formed within his Dantian.
Ding Huan’s Divine Will swept out and he saw Gong Hua and Liu Yinzhu.
Seeing that Gong Hua was about to make a move on Liu Yinzhu, Ding Huan initially wanted to rush out and help. However, Elder Po Xun and Elder Jia Sha soon arrived, and they were going to convene a Sect Elder meeting.
Ding Huan knew that he would likely be called to the meeting.
Ding Huan ceased his Cultivation, understanding that he needed to improve his knowledge on Arrays first.
Ding Huan wasn’t afraid of the Sect meeting, but he was concerned that Gong Hua, that bastard, might stealthily come to Dawn Peak at night and kill him.
Since he couldn’t cultivate, he might as well engage in Artifact Refining.
Ding Huan had practiced both Array Dao and Talismanic Dao, and his Talisman-making skills weren’t bad. With the Magic Artifact Talisman Pen, he could even craft Third-Level talismans.
His choice to refine artifacts wasn’t driven by a desire to become an Artifact Refiner but to forge good Array Flags for himself.
With good Array Flags and a bit more effort in his Array Dao, he could at least elevate Dawn Peak’s Protecting Array to the Third Level.
The current Second-Level Protecting Array wasn’t arranged by himself, living there was a constant source of fear.
The Artifact Refining Room on Dawn Peak wasn’t of low level; at least the Earth Fire inside was much stronger than Ding Huan’s Foundation Establishment True Fire.
Upon entering the Artifact Refining Room, Ding Huan grabbed all the materials he needed.
These were leftovers from his talisman-making; to become a Third-Level Array Master, he first had to become a Second-Level Artifact Refiner.
Ding Huan was already a Third-Level Talisman Maker, and Talismanic and Artifactual knowledge shared a connection.
Added to that, Ding Huan had previously refined a bunch of Array Flags and had obtained a basic artifact-refining reference book.
This time, it only took Ding Huan two hours to successfully refine a First-Level Artifact Array Flag.
Just then, someone came to fetch him, and it was still Elder Jia Sha.
Ding Huan already knew that he definitely had to attend this meeting or Gong Hua wouldn’t let things slide.
"Mr. Ding, Gong Hua may not let matters rest this time. If push comes to shove, we may have to make some concessions.
Elder Gong Hua’s cultivation is far stronger than me and Elder Liu, at the Perfect Realm of True Pill. He wants Dawn Peak to attempt breaking through to the Primordial Soul Realm."
Jia Sha didn’t know Ding Huan’s personality and took the initiative to inform Ding Huan about Gong Hua en route, his voice tinged with apprehension.
Ding Huan understood Jia Sha’s meaning; he was suggesting that Ding Huan should give up Dawn Peak.
Dawn Peak was perfectly suited for his Cultivation; how could he possibly give up such a great location?
Besides, to surrender Dawn Peak for Gong Hua’s attempt at the Primordial Soul Realm was like helping Gong Hua sharpen his knife to slay himself.
He was convinced Sect Master Gu Mo wouldn’t ignore this matter; if Gu Mo did, he’d go as far away as possible.
"Elder Jia, rest assured, I know what to do," Ding Huan said, knowing Jia Sha was naturally cautious and didn’t bother explaining further.
Jia Sha, shrewd from age, immediately saw that Ding Huan hadn’t taken his words to heart and could only continue with a sigh,
"Although the Sect Master’s injury has been healed, he was injured too severely before and is not yet able to take action, so the Sect Master needs some time to recover. Later on, we can ask the Sect Master to help you reclaim Dawn Peak."
Ding Huan frowned – the Sect Master couldn’t take action?
How could that be?
The Sect Master had been saved by him, and he was well aware of Gu Mo’s condition.
Despite looking skeletal when he saved Gu Mo, as long as the poison was removed, Gu Mo could recover more than 70% of his strength in at most a half-month.
That meant Gu Mo was definitely able to attend the Sect Elder meeting.
So why did Jia Sha say that Gu Mo couldn’t take action?
"How many Primordial Soul Realm elders are there in Purple Mist Valley?" Ding Huan asked again.
If Gu Mo couldn’t take action, and there were other Primordial Soul powerhouses in Purple Mist Valley supporting Gong Hua, then he didn’t even want to go to the meeting.
Jia Sha replied with a bitter smile,
"If Purple Mist Valley had Primordial Soul powerhouses, Nine Sounds Sect wouldn’t dare to be so arrogant.
There are indeed three Primordial Soul powerhouses in Purple Mist Valley; one is the Sect Master, another is the Guardian Elder Pu Jun. With the Sect Master seriously injured and Elder Pu Jun fallen, that’s why Nine Sounds Sect dares to bully us like this."
"The third one?" Ding Huan inquired, puzzled.
Jia Sha said, "Elder He is always in retreat, attempting to break through to higher levels. He is also the backer for people like Gong Hua. However, he never gets involved in affairs."
Ding Huan now understood; Gong Hua and the others also had support from a Primordial Soul powerhouse.
This Primordial Soul powerhouse was unacceptable; his own Sect was being bullied by another, yet he remained inactive as if dead.
"If Purple Mist Valley were destroyed, wouldn’t Elder He come out?" Ding Huan asked, somewhat surprised.
Jia Sha shook his head and said nothing.
Ding Huan inwardly despised such behavior. If he were the Sect Master, he would have sent any such individual, who used Sect resources without caring for the Sect’s fate, as far away as possible.
This also somewhat reassured Ding Huan in his opposition to Gong Hua since that Elder He, even if he was Gong Hua’s backer, wouldn’t show up.
"Does Nine Sounds Sect have many Primordial Soul powerhouses?"
Jia Sha scoffed,
"They only have one Primordial Soul Cultivator. Without Purple Garden Mountain, they wouldn’t even have one."
"Oh," Ding Huan nodded. With only one Primordial Soul Cultivator, why was Nine Sounds Sect so emboldened?
"By the way, Elder Jia, is the Heavenly Artifact Sect far from Purple Mist Valley?" Ding Huan asked again.
Jia Sha looked at Ding Huan somewhat speechlessly, thinking that Mr. Ding’s thoughts were really erratic.
"Just now we were talking about cultivators in the Primordial Soul Realm, and in the blink of an eye, you’re asking about the Heavenly Artifact Sect. You sure switch topics quickly."
"It’s not very far. We’ve arrived at the Sect’s Council Hall. Let’s go in together, and remember to speak cautiously." Elder Jia Sha pointed at a large gate in front of them and walked in first as he spoke.
Ding Huan followed Elder Jia Sha into the Council Hall.
The main hall of Purple Mist Valley’s Sect looked quite imposing, with twenty-one elders including Elder Jia Sha.
Ding Huan didn’t sweep the room with his Divine Will, but as soon as he entered, he sensed that all present were True Pill Realm cultivators thanks to his cultivation of the Great Universe Technique.
Elder Liu Yinzhu’s seat was almost at the very back. Elder Jia Sha sat together with Elder Liu Yinzhu, obviously one of the elders with the lowest status.
Ding Huan thought to himself that these two really didn’t seem to be doing too well.
If not for Sect Master Gu Mo being saved by him, he would have advised these two to leave the Sect as soon as possible.
To Ding Huan’s surprise, instead of Sect Master Gu Mo, a cultivator dressed in an elder’s robe and in the True Pill Realm was sitting in the Sect Master’s seat.
This fellow seemed even stronger than Gong Hua.
The Sect was a mess; there was no unity. The Sect Master wasn’t yet dead, and someone was already sitting in his seat.
Was there any difference between this guy’s actions and what Gong Hua did by stationing people outside his Dawn Peak?
Both were waiting for Sect Master Gu Mo to kick the bucket, then divide the spoils among themselves.
"Ding Huan, why are you hoarding Dawn Peak?" A stern voice called out.
A powerful aura tried to oppress Ding Huan into silence.
The speaker was the guy sitting in the Sect Master’s seat.
Ding Huan scoffed inwardly. A mere True Pill cultivator thought he could use his aura to silence him?
Did he really think that Ding Huan couldn’t withstand the pressure and would just kneel down?
"Ding Huan pays respects to the Sect Master."
Ding Huan stepped forward, cupped his fists in a very polite greeting, as if the guy who had just tried to oppress him wasn’t even there.
"My name is Dong Lishang, Officer of the Enforcement Elders of the Sect, not the Sect Master. Mind your words," said Dong Lishang.
Although Dong Lishang reprimanded Ding Huan, this time he didn’t use his oppressive aura.
After all, Ding Huan’s words hit home. With Sect Master Gu Mo’s falling, the position of Sect Master was destined to be his.
This was the result of an exchange of interests, just like how Dawn Peak belonged to Gong Hua and couldn’t be taken by anyone else.
Ding Huan figured out that all was going to be well for him and understood what was going on.
Surely Sect Master Gu Mo must be here as well. Why hasn’t he gone to form a sworn brotherhood with Lao Liu?
Sect Master Gu Mo wasn’t showing up now because he was waiting to see how things would pan out, perhaps wanting to figure out exactly how many traitors there were.
Ding Huan greatly despised Sect Master Gu Mo’s approach.
You’re a Sect Master, in the Primordial Soul Realm, is there really a need for this?
Just come out, lay down the law, punish the guilty, suppress the dissenters, and execute the traitors.
"So it turns out you aren’t the Sect Master? According to the comprehensive code on the governance of power by Purple Mist Valley’s Sect regulations, chapter seventeen, sub-chapter thirty-one.
It states that non-Sect Master Sect members or elders who take a seat in the Sect Master’s position will be punished with confinement in Residual Abyss Cliff for one to three years, or stripped of their cultivation technique for more severe cases.
Elder Dong, you have violated the Sect’s regulations."
Dong Lishang was furious but couldn’t say Ding Huan was wrong.
Although everyone knew about this, Sect Master Gu Mo was about to pass away, and him sitting there was warming up for the new Sect Master.
Once he became Sect Master, who would dare say he violated the master’s authority?
This unwritten rule, now publicly acknowledged by Ding Huan, was more than just angering Dong Lishang.
"Ding Huan, it’s not your place to criticize Elder Dong’s affairs. The issue here is you. By what virtue or ability do you claim Dawn Peak?"
Gong Hua’s words redirected everyone’s focus back to Ding Huan.
Gong Hua didn’t realize that Ding Huan was not a disciple of Purple Mist Valley yet; had he known, he would have been even more vocal.
Indeed, it was Elder Liu Yinzhu who was in charge of recruiting disciples this time, and if she insisted that Ding Huan was the disciple she recruited, no one could contest it.
Ding Huan said indifferently, "I took up residence on Dawn Peak with the Sect Master’s token. Is there a problem with that?"
Gong Hua sneered:
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"The Sect Master can scarcely speak now, and you claim to have his token? Not only that, you conspired with Liu Yinzhu to kill my disciple Gao Ou."
After speaking, Gong Hua cupped his fists toward Dong Lishang:
"Law Enforcement Elder, Liu Yinzhu conspired with Ding Huan to hoard Dawn Peak and killed a Sect disciple within our halls, what should be their punishment?"
"Elder Liu is to be confined in Residual Abyss Cliff for ten years, and Ding Huan, as a disciple who disrespects his superiors, shall be executed without mercy. Bring..." Dong Lishang said coldly.
Ding Huan chuckled:
"So, Sect Master Dong, you’re saying your word is law, and neither Elder Liu nor I have the right to defend ourselves?"
"I of Purple Mist Valley am fair and just. You were brought here, so you could die with conviction," Dong Lishang snorted.
Ding Huan gave a thumbs up:
"Well said, Sect Master Dong. Earlier you mentioned killing without mercy for those who disrespect their superiors, I agree with that. Because there indeed is such a rule in Purple Mist Valley.
What I want to clarify is that Gao Ou was killed because he not only disrespected his superiors but also committed insubordination, showing contempt for the Sect Master."
"You talk in fanciful circles to no avail; if you can’t provide evidence, everything you say is slander. And you, for occupying Dawn Peak, the evidence is irrefutable," Gong Hua’s murderous intent grew stronger.
If not for Elder Po Xun interfering, what need would there be for such a meeting? They could have simply killed him directly.