plumnovel Chapter 107 Elders' Meeting
Chapter 107 Elders' Meeting
"No, Master means that as an elder of the Qixia Sect, Elder Du has the right to participate in many matters within the sect. Taking the position is not mandatory; Elder Du can choose voluntarily."
Forgive my bluntness, but I suspect that Master did this because he didn't want Elder Du to have any estrangement from the Qixia Sect.
Su Rong raised her eyelids and glanced cautiously at Du Fan. Only after finding that he showed no unusual expression did she speak.
"I see. Thank you, Miss Su. I understand now." Du Fan quickly realized Elder Mudan's intention. To put it bluntly, she wanted him to find a sense of presence in the Qixia Sect.
"Elder Du, you're too kind. I'll take my leave now." Su Rong smiled sweetly at him, curtsied, and then departed.
"I should go and take a look. Since Qixia Sect is so sincere towards me, there is no need for me to completely isolate myself."
After a moment's thought, Du Fan made his decision.
Next, he suddenly raised his arm, slapped a speed talisman on himself, and with the enhancement of the first-level Divine Speed Technique, he transformed into a breeze and rushed towards the main hall of the peak.
In less than half an incense stick's time, Du Fan arrived outside the main hall and found that there were still a few people entering the hall. He thought to himself that he was not late.
Since everyone else had arrived, he didn't hesitate and stepped directly into the main hall.
At this moment, there were already more than thirty people seated in the main hall. Regardless of age or gender, these people all possessed extraordinary bearing and unfathomable cultivation, clearly indicating that they were all elders of the Qixia Sect.
As soon as Du Fan entered the main hall, he immediately attracted the attention of most people. When they looked at Du Fan, they were slightly taken aback at first, but then, as if remembering something, they all showed him a kind smile and gave him a friendly greeting.
Du Fan didn't dare to be negligent and returned the greetings one by one. He was a little nervous being in the same hall with these Golden Core experts, but he remained relatively calm.
"Elder Du, you've arrived too. Please sit here." A loud voice suddenly rang out. The speaker was none other than the Maple Leaf Sect Master, who was sitting in the head seat.
The few people who hadn't noticed Du Fan before, upon hearing this, all turned their gazes to him instantly, their faces showing curiosity as they scrutinized him from head to toe.
Du Fan then glanced into the depths of the main hall and found the Maple Leaf Sect Master sitting there.
The two people under the maple leaves were Du Fan's nominal master, the Peony Fairy, and Ouyang Xuan, who had met Du Fan once before. At this moment, all three of them were looking at him with gentle smiles.
After bowing to the group from afar, Du Fan walked deeper into the main hall.
"Sit here." As Du Fan approached, the Peony Fairy smiled slightly, parted her red lips, and spoke softly.
"Thank you, Elder Peony." Du Fan cupped his hands in thanks again and sat down next to Fairy Peony.
Ouyang Xuan looked at Du Fan with a strange gaze. As soon as Du Fan looked over, he coughed lightly and looked away unnaturally.
Seeing this, the Peony Fairy suppressed a laugh but said nothing.
Du Fan looked completely bewildered.
Even at this point, people were still occasionally entering the main hall.
After about half an incense stick's time, there were already fifty or sixty people in the main hall. The status and position of those who could sit here at this time were self-evident.
Another cup of tea's time passed, and very few people came anymore.
After looking around, Du Fan was secretly shocked. There were eighty-seven people in the hall, not counting himself.
Moreover, judging from the conversation between Peony Fairy and the others, these people were all elders of the Qixia Sect, not including the enshrined ones. What shocked him the most was that these were only some of the elders.
A medium-sized sect like Kongsang Sect only has six Golden Core experts, yet it can dominate a region. If Qixia Sect were to move to Qingzhou, Huanyun Sect and Zanggui Sect would probably be out of a job.
"Alright, no need to wait any longer, let's begin now." The Maple Leaf Sect Master suddenly stood up, his expression solemn, and said loudly.
Upon hearing this, the previously noisy hall immediately fell silent, and everyone turned their gaze to the Maple Leaf Sect Master.
"First of all, congratulations to Elder Peony. I'm sure you've all heard the news. Several months ago, she successfully broke through her cultivation and advanced to the late stage of the Golden Core realm."
The Maple Leaf Sect Master actually brought up the matter of Elder Peony's advancement right from the start, and the other Golden Core elders naturally stood up and offered their congratulations.
Next, the Maple Leaf Sect Master recounted some developments within the sect over the past six months.
This includes the total income from cultivation resources within the sect over the past six months, several disciples successfully breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, a significant conflict between a branch sect in a certain country and local forces, and a disciple undergoing trials abroad accidentally obtaining an exceptionally rare spiritual herb, etc...
To Du Fan's surprise, the sect leader didn't seem inclined to introduce him, which made him happy to have some free time. Otherwise, he would have had to introduce himself again.
Du Fan, who had initially been quite enthusiastic, suddenly became bored after listening attentively for an hour. He regretted coming here, but he couldn't just get up and leave. He couldn't exactly say he needed to use the restroom, that would be ridiculous. At this point, he was already feeling drowsy.
"One last thing!" The Maple Leaf Sect Master cleared his throat and raised his voice considerably.
Upon hearing the word "last," Du Fan immediately perked up and sat up straight.
"The Valley of a Hundred Flowers will open in three months. What suggestions do you have for the disciples who will participate in the selection of those who enter the valley? Please feel free to share them." The Maple Leaf Sect Master suddenly became serious, even showing a hint of worry, and solemnly spoke.
Du Fan noticed that the Golden Core elders present also became serious upon hearing the words "Hundred Flowers Valley," as if they were pondering something. The hall fell silent for a moment.
"May I ask the sect leader, what kind of place is Hundred Flowers Valley?" Just as the main hall was silent, Du Fan suddenly spoke up for some reason.
Upon hearing this, the Maple Leaf Sect Master was clearly taken aback, but did not immediately say anything.
Upon hearing this, the other Golden Core elders, who were frowning and deep in thought, couldn't help but turn their gazes over in a flash.
Ouyang Xuan, on the other hand, had a flash in his eyes and smiled as he spoke:
"Elder Du is so young, yet he has become a retainer of the Seven Star Merchant Alliance and is appreciated by Senior Xiao. He must have some talent in some area. Sect Master, you might as well tell us about this. Perhaps Elder Du can offer some insights for us."
Du Fan rolled his eyes inwardly upon hearing this. Although Ouyang Xuan's words were veiled, how could he not understand that the other party meant: that since he had low cultivation and poor aptitude, he must have some extraordinary abilities to be valued by the Seven Star Merchant Alliance...
"Junior Brother Ouyang is absolutely right. Elder Du, I will share my thoughts with you. As for whether I can offer any insights, that is irrelevant. You don't need to feel any pressure."
"Hundred Flowers Valley is actually an ancient place. According to later generations' speculation, in ancient times, Hundred Flowers Valley was likely a medicinal garden, and this medicinal garden existed for the Hundred Flowers Pill." Maple Leaf Sect Master smiled slightly at Du Fan and said slowly.
"Hundred Flower Pill? Could it be a top-tier Foundation Establishment stage pill that requires a hundred kinds of spiritual herbs to refine?" Upon hearing this, Du Fan's eyes flashed, and he blurted out.
"Oh? Elder Du is indeed knowledgeable, you have actually heard of the Hundred Flower Pill! The Hundred Flower Pill is a very special pill. As for the claim that it requires a hundred kinds of spiritual herbs to make, that is a bit of an exaggeration, but there are still more than eighty kinds."
This pill is the best medicine for cultivators at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. If taken during the formation of the Golden Core, the chance of successfully forming the Golden Core can even increase by as much as 20%.
Even in a sect like our Qixia Sect, the significance of a Golden Core cultivator is extraordinary, as it directly relates to the very foundation of the sect. Therefore, the value of this pill is considerably higher than that of ordinary Golden Core pills.
Most importantly, this pill is extremely rare; even our Qixia Sect has only a handful of them.
While the refining of this elixir is indeed very difficult, the main reason for this is that among the more than eighty kinds of spiritual herbs required for its production, more than ten are extremely rare outside, and several spiritual flowers and herbs have even become extinct elsewhere.
The Maple Leaf Sect Master looked slightly surprised, but then nodded and added a few more words.
"Outside? Could it be that those extinct spiritual creatures that the sect leader mentioned grow in Hundred Flowers Valley?" Du Fan's expression shifted, and he said thoughtfully.
"That's right, the Valley of a Hundred Flowers is located in the center of Zhongzhou."
The Valley of a Hundred Flowers is an exceptionally large area with abundant spiritual energy, containing hundreds of rare and precious spiritual objects. Many of these are medicinal herbs needed to refine the Hundred Flower Pill, including the few spiritual flowers and herbs that have long been extinct in the outside world.
This place is completely enveloped by an ancient restriction that loosens every ten years. When the restriction is at its weakest, our three super sects will use the power of the magic array to send one hundred disciples into it to collect spiritual herbs.
However, there are restrictions on who can enter. Only those with a cultivation level below Foundation Establishment are allowed to enter. Those with a cultivation level above Foundation Establishment will be forcibly isolated by this space.
Once inside, one can stay for a week, but will be ejected when the time is up. Therefore, every time Hundred Flowers Valley opens, our three sects send their most powerful disciples to collect spiritual flowers.
Of course, each time we instruct our disciples to first collect a few extinct spiritual plants from outside. Besides that, any other spiritual flowers and herbs are naturally welcome.
The Maple Leaf Sect Master stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming, and spoke slowly.
"Sect Master, why do you speak so harmoniously? This is not gathering at all, it is clearly robbery!"
To be honest, Elder Du, the trip to Hundred Flowers Valley was extremely dangerous. Every time Hundred Flowers Valley opens, no more than half of our Qixia Sect disciples are able to walk out alive, and the harvest is far from satisfactory. This has been the case for the past few decades.
The sect has already lost quite a few outstanding disciples because of the Hundred Flowers Valley incident, but this matter cannot be ignored. Alas…
A bald, burly man in a black brocade robe, upon seeing the Maple Leaf Sect Master bring up the matter, glared and interrupted without hesitation.
(Finally posted before 9 o'clock!)