Raise a sword!

In the mountains and forests.

Since Chen Fu dared not pursue them, Jiang Peng and Wei Zhilan quickly found a secluded spot to settle down and began to sort through their spoils.

Wei Zhilan then pulled out more than a dozen storage bags, each filled to the brim.

"Most of it has to be handed over to the sect... There's no way around it, this plan was arranged by that wicked Chu Chun'an, and he even got the information about how to break the formation of the Heartless Valley from who-knows-where."

"If we hadn't had a well-thought-out plan, the two of us would have been surrounded and attacked by four Foundation Establishment cultivators. Although we weren't afraid, the commotion we caused would have been much greater. We couldn't have gotten away with it so easily. We don't even know how many reinforcements the Chen Kingdom will have later."

Jiang Peng was initially a little confused, feeling that her cameo as a tribulation cultivator had gone by far too smoothly.

But upon hearing Wei Zhilan's words, he realized that there seemed to be many details in the plan that Wei Zhilan had not revealed.

However, Jiang Peng didn't have much interest in probing.

"Senior sister, Chen Fu was the only one left just now. The two of us should be able to take him down." Jiang Peng said, somewhat puzzled.

Jiang Peng had no qualms about dealing with the Chen clan, especially the Chen clan from the Heartless Valley.

When he first arrived at the Valley of Heartless Love, he was blocked by the Chen clan. He narrowly escaped after killing the Chen clan's Qi Refining cultivator.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhilan gave Jiang Peng a strange look.

"You're quite the killer."

Jiang Peng shrugged.

"Since the sect has declared war on the Chen family, I, as an elder of the sect, will naturally fight the Chen family to the death as well."

"The sect leader will definitely like to hear that," Wei Zhilan chuckled. "But there's no need. We need to leave one survivor to send a message, otherwise how will we attract more support from the Chen family?"

Jiang Peng raised an eyebrow, realizing that this attack on Wuqing Valley was just one part of the sect's plan.

The sect's upper echelons still had a backup plan; what they were really eyeing were the reinforcements that the Chen family would send later.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Peng realized the brilliance of the plan.

First, let's look at the location of the Valley of Heartlessness.

This place is an important node on the Chen family's trade route, but it happens to be close to the Diming Mountains and in the north of the Chen Kingdom.

For the Cangshan Sect, this was a natural breakthrough point for the Chen Kingdom, but the Chen family had been operating here for many years and found it difficult to give up.

In this way, as long as the Cangshan Sect responds well.

Then the Valley of Ruthlessness will become a wound on the Chen family's body that is difficult to heal, constantly bleeding the Chen family dry.

"Don't overthink it. The sect leader will handle the important matters. We just need to follow orders. Of course, we can also make some money along the way."

"You choose for yourself."

Wei Zhilan casually handed over several storage bags, then ignored Jiang Peng and began selecting the treasures she had snatched.

Seeing this, Jiang Peng didn't stand on ceremony.

He selected more than ten portions of second-tier spiritual materials and also chose several suitable refining materials.

As for the finished second-tier magic artifacts, he didn't particularly like any of them. He only picked out a low-grade second-tier protective magic artifact for Lan Yingying—an exquisite ring.

[Cloud Mist Ring: Tier 2, Low Grade, Maze]

The description of the golden text only reveals its basic effects.

Jiang Peng chose the Cloud Mist Ring because it is a rare magical artifact that can absorb spiritual energy on its own, and even Qi Refining cultivators can activate it.

After everyone had chosen their favorite treasures, Wei Zhilan put away their storage bags one by one.

"Let's go back and report."

...

Two days later, Jiang Peng and Wei Zhilan returned to Cangshan Sect.

This time, Jiang Peng had only been away from the sect for six or seven days, but when he returned to the sect, he found that the atmosphere was completely different.

The disciples all looked serious and preoccupied.

Clearly, the sect has launched a major war. Even if these disciples are not involved, as members of the sect, they are still quite worried.

Inside the sect's main hall.

Wei Zhilan handed over all the storage bags with a pained expression.

Chu Chun'an acted nonchalantly, not even bothering to open the storage bags to see what valuable treasures were inside.

He casually beckoned to a disciple and handed him the storage bag.

"Go and put these into the treasury, and exchange 30% of them for gate tribute, which will be recorded under the names of Elder Wei and Elder Jiang."

After the disciple left, Chu Chun'an first nodded slightly to Jiang Peng and said thank you for your hard work, and then looked at Wei Zhilan.

"The Chen family's counterattack has already begun in the past two days. Many of the sect's properties in the mountains have been harassed by the Chen family. Because of this, the sect summoned the elders yesterday to discuss the matter."

Chu Chun'an invited Jiang Peng and Wei Zhilan to the back hall of the main hall.

This was Jiang Peng's first time here.

Seeing the curiosity on Jiang Peng's face, Chu Chun'an, who was leading the way, smiled and said, "I usually live and cultivate here. This is the core of the sect's grand formation and the eye of the sect's feng shui."

"There are many benefits to cultivating here. One's cultivation progresses by leaps and bounds. Even someone with mediocre talent like me can reach the peak of Foundation Establishment before the age of two hundred."

Jiang Peng was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and subconsciously looked at Wei Zhilan beside her.

Wei Zhilan had previously praised the sect leader for his prowess, but now the sect leader himself says he is nothing special.

Wei Zhilan naturally saw through Jiang Peng's thoughts and immediately began to introduce Chu Chun'an's life story through telepathy.

Sect Master Chu Chun'an is a genius with a superior-grade lightning spiritual root.

Different spiritual roots outside the Five Elements each have their own unique characteristics, with the Thunder Spiritual Root being particularly known for its killing power.

Is Chu Chun'an unremarkable?

Within the sect, his talent was recognized early on by his teachers, who nurtured him with great care.

Outside the sect, he traveled all over the Southern Mountain Region in his youth and never suffered a defeat among his peers.

There were even rumors that he had exchanged a few blows with a Golden Core cultivator.

"It's just that he has been cultivating his character and not showing any sharpness for the past few decades as the sect leader... If there were a list of geniuses in folk tales, ranking the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Southern Mountain Region, the one surnamed Chu would at least be in the top five."

"He is destined to become a Golden Core cultivator."

Just as Wei Zhilan was transmitting her voice, Chu Chun'an, who was in front of her, turned around and smiled inexplicably.

"How can the Golden Core be predetermined? Junior Sister Wei thinks too highly of me."

Wei Zhilan's face stiffened instantly.

How could someone's voice transmission be heard? And she didn't even notice? Just how powerful is this Chu's cultivation?

Seeing this, Chu Chun'an waved his hand and laughed, "Junior sister is also an outstanding person. You and I are like the peaks of the sect, standing on this peak and looking at that peak, but in reality, it is hard to tell which is higher."

"You flatter me too much." Wei Zhilan looked rather cautious for some reason, as if she had been caught red-handed.

As they were talking, the three of them arrived at a quiet room.

Chu Chun'an waved his hand to close the door to the quiet room, then looked at Jiang Peng first.

"This matter originally had nothing to do with Junior Brother Jiang, but I already used the excuse of insufficient cultivation to dismiss you once last time, so it wouldn't be right to ask you to avoid it again this time."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Peng got up and tried to leave.

He wasn't that curious, and he didn't feel like he was being treated as an outsider.

But Chu Chun'an still stopped him.

"Sit down. Now that you've come this far, there's no reason for you to leave."