"What did you say? Yao Qianci, you're crazy!"
Lu Guichen never expected Yao Qianci to actually agree. Almost the instant Yao Qianci's words fell, he blurted out.
"How can you just give away a Guest Elder Token so casually?"
Just what kind of bewitching potion had this Yuan Shu fed Yao Qianci for him to agree to such an outrageous condition?
On what grounds did a mere Foundation Establishment disciple like her deserve the Guest Elder Token of Yaoyun Peak?
The surrounding disciples who were watching the drama unfold fell silent for a moment before erupting into an even more heated discussion.
"What? Peak Master Yao actually agreed to give Yuan Shu a Guest Elder Token? Did I hear that right? That's a Guest Elder Token!"
"If she can become a guest elder of Yaoyun Peak, doesn't that mean I can be the Peak Master? She's just a little piece of trash who barely entered the Foundation Establishment stage. What gives her the right?"
"Could Peak Master Yao have been drugged? How could he make such an absurd decision?"
"Crazy, he's completely crazy!"
Amidst the chatter, a fleeting look of astonishment crossed Yuan Shu's normally calm face.
Because she had only said it casually, originally intending to make Yao Qianci back down from the sheer difficulty of the request.
She didn't want Yao Qianci getting involved in her conflict with Lu Guichen.
She never expected Yao Qianci to actually agree!
"Peak Master Yao, are you serious?"
"I never joke about serious matters."
Facing Yuan Shu's doubt, Yao Qianci replied earnestly, then waved his hand, tossing a token straight to her.
"The one I gave you before was my personal retainer token. This one is the true Guest Elder Token of Yaoyun Peak. If you don't believe me, you can drip your blood to bind it right now."
That day in the pavilion, Yao Qianci had given her a token—his retainer token—making it convenient for Yuan Shu to seek him out if she needed anything.
To think that before Yuan Shu even sought his help, he couldn't wait to stand up for her.
However, thinking of Yuan Shu's deep understanding of medicinal plants and ancient lost prescriptions, he felt he hadn't misjudged her!
The token that landed in Yuan Shu's palm was small and light, carved entirely from pale green jade, bearing the image of Yaoyun Peak's main mountain.
A unique energy fluctuation emanated from it, noticeable the moment one's divine sense drew near.
It really was the Guest Elder Token of Yaoyun Peak!
Yao Qianci had not lied to her.
Yuan Shu looked up and met Yao Qianci's gentle yet resolute gaze, which was fixed steadily upon her.
Yuan Shu felt momentarily dazed.
In a trance, it was as if through those eyes, she saw her former fellow disciples of the Joyous Sect, who had supported her ascension to high power in the exact same way.
They had trusted her just like this!
Yuan Shu's heart stirred, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Since Peak Master Yao has shown such sincerity, it would seem ungrateful of me to refuse."
"This Guest Elder Token..."
"Yuan Shu, don't you dare!"
Before Yuan Shu could finish her sentence, Lu Guichen's shocked and furious voice rang out. Before his words even faded, he was already charging at Yuan Shu with his longsword in hand.
Earlier, it was one thing. Lu Guichen had only intended to spare her life; out of consideration for his relationship with Yaoyun Peak, he had tolerated it somewhat.
But now, a trash disciple he had expelled from his peak was suddenly transforming into a guest elder of another peak?
Wasn't this trampling on Qingyun Peak and slapping him right in the face?
Openly telling everyone that Qingyun Peak couldn't tell good from bad, and that disciples they threw away were highly sought after by others?
Seeing Yuan Shu reaching out to actually accept the Guest Elder Token, Lu Guichen's eyes turned red with rage, and he attacked her with reckless abandon!
Yuan Shu slightly raised her eyes. Before she could speak, Yao Qianci had already stepped in front of her.
"Clang!"
The jade medicine pestle clashed with the spirit sword, emitting a crisp, ringing sound.
Lu Guichen's natal spirit sword was an immortal-grade spirit weapon. Having been meticulously nurtured by him for many years, its power was extraordinary.
In comparison, Yao Qianci's medicine pestle was mostly used for processing delicate medicinal plants and was not suited for combat.
Not to mention facing an offensive fighter like Lu Guichen and his natal spirit sword.
At the moment of impact, Lu Guichen didn't retreat a single step, while Yao Qianci was forced back three steps by the shockwave.
Lu Guichen snorted coldly and immediately raised his sword again to slash at Yuan Shu.
The fierce sword wind felt as if it truly meant to strike Yuan Shu down to the ground.
It was too fast. Even if Yao Qianci steadied himself and rushed back to Yuan Shu's side, it would be too late!
Yuan Shu raised an eyebrow and lightly tapped her fingertips, conjuring a divine tree leaf in preparation for the worst.
Right at that moment, a fierce beam of sword light descended from the sky.
"Clang!"
At an incredible speed, it stabbed fiercely into the bluestone ground right in front of Yuan Shu.
A powerful spiritual energy barrier instantly expanded, firmly shielding Yuan Shu behind it.
When Lu Guichen's longsword struck the spiritual energy shield, it was like hitting refined crystal spirit iron, unable to advance a single inch.
Only the powerful waves of spiritual energy, deflected by the barrier, rippled outward layer by layer.
The surrounding disciples with lower cultivation levels were blown off their feet by this force.
Those with higher cultivation quickly gathered their spiritual energy to resist the powerful shockwave, barely managing to steady themselves.
And when they clearly saw the phantom-like longsword blocking Yuan Shu, everyone's expressions changed.
"Heaven's Punishment! It's the Sect Master's Heaven's Punishment Sword!"
Someone in the crowd was the first to snap back to reality, staring at the longsword protecting Yuan Shu and shouting in astonishment.
Amidst the crowd's bewildered expressions, several streaks of azure light descended from the sky and landed on the martial arts arena.
The one leading them was none other than the Sect Master of the Luoxian Sect, Qu Qing.
Behind him followed several executive elders of the sect, as well as a few peak masters.
The moment he landed, Qu Qing waved his hand, retracting the Heaven's Punishment Sword from in front of Yuan Shu.
The crowd was stunned by the scene before them.
Was that just... Qu Qing making a move to block Lu Guichen's attack for Yuan Shu?
"Greetings, Sect Master!"
When Qu Qing swept his cold gaze over them, everyone present woke up as if from a dream and bowed in greeting.
Even Lu Guichen and Yao Qianci temporarily put aside their conflict.
Qu Qing cast a faint glance at the crowd before him and casually waved his hand. "Rise."
Then, he walked straight toward Yuan Shu on the side of the arena.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, his gaze swept up and down, inspecting Yuan Shu.
"Are you alright?"
The crowd looked astonished. Was the Sect Master actually showing concern for Yuan Shu?
Her? What gave her the right?
On what grounds did she deserve the Sect Master's concern?
Doubtful and bewildered gazes landed on Yuan Shu as everyone bore different expressions.
Lu Guichen couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward to speak. "Sect Master, she..."
Qu Qing raised a hand, cutting off Lu Guichen's words. He continued to look at Yuan Shu and asked again, "Are you hurt?"
The corners of Yuan Shu's mouth curled up. The divine tree leaf she had gathered at her fingertips quietly dissipated as she covered her mouth and let out a cough.
"Cough... I was struck by a palm strike just now. My chest feels tight and I'm short of breath. I'm afraid my internal organs might be injured."
"Tight chest and short of breath?" Qu Qing frowned. "Who injured you? Do you need healing medicine?"
Saying this, still feeling uneasy, he simply took out some top-tier healing medicine from his spatial pouch and offered it to Yuan Shu.
"I don't need medicine. It was the Peak Master of Qingyun Peak, Lu Guichen. He felt I wasn't worthy of being a guest elder of Yaoyun Peak, so he attacked with the intent to kill me."
Yuan Shu looked up, meeting Qu Qing's gaze, and spoke with a faint smile.
"Sect Master, surely my crime... doesn't warrant death?"
