“Alright, Zhangzuo Dajiu. I’m at the He Lou Family, I’ll be right back.”
After replying and putting away the Jade Slip, Qian Duoduo’s face remained expressionless. “Palace Lord Tang is looking for me; he wants me back quickly.”
Jin Yongqiang’s cheeks puffed out, then he immediately smiled. “Good. I also have something to do at the Sect, I’ll take you.”
One does not hit a smiling person. With lightning speed, Qian Duoduo rode Jin Yongqiang’s Winged Vehicle and landed outside the Outer Sect of Mengyuan Mountain.
Running to the manor, there were indeed over a hundred people outside. When they saw Qian Duoduo return, they were about to swarm him, but Wu Binghuo stopped them. “Palace Lord is looking for Senior Brother Jin, you all step aside.”
At the mountain gate, Elder Hu walked out from behind him, waved his hand, and a Flying Sword appeared beneath him, inviting Qian Duoduo to step on. Elder Hu rarely came out; he only managed the affairs of his own mountain and had a calm temperament.
As the Flying Sword ascended, Qian Duoduo realized they weren’t going to the top of Mengyuan Mountain. “Elder Hu, where are you taking me?”
“Preaching Mountain. The Palace Lord and Sect Leader are both there.”
“Preaching Mountain? Where is Preaching Mountain?” Qian Duoduo was immediately confused. There were only Five Immortal Mountains in the Sect; where did this Preaching Mountain come from?
Elder Hu did not explain. The Flying Sword flew southeast, into Lingwu Avenue, at the intersection of Mengyuan Mountain, Xiongjin Mountain, and Jianjian Peak. Qian Duoduo only felt the space tremble, and before his eyes appeared an Immortal Mountains he had never seen before.
On the Immortal Mountains, nine waterfalls gushed down. The spiritual mist in the mountain was like white clouds, like surging waves, constantly rolling and changing. Spiritual Cranes flew within it. A magnificent golden-roofed great hall grew closer and closer. In the center above the hall, two large characters, “Purple Firmament,” stood.
Needless to say, this was Preaching Mountain. The most mysterious treasure land of our Refining Spirit Sect.
Stepping off the Flying Sword, Qian Duoduo saw eight Orange Robe Disciples outside the Purple Firmament Great Hall, all handsome youths around twenty, tall, with treasure swords at their waists, and cultivation levels around Condensing Qi Stage Level Eight. The copper coins on their orange robes were embroidered with gold thread. If they were placed outside, they would surely be the most prominent Disciples of various Immortal Mountains.
These few hall-guarding Disciples looked at Qian Duoduo, who was dressed unusually with both orange and purple on his robes, and stared for a few more glances.
Elder Hu stepped forward and bowed to these hall-guarding Disciples. “Please announce that Purple-Gold Disciple Jin Buhuan has arrived.”
Not long after, a voice from inside told them to enter. Elder Hu remained outside, and Qian Duoduo walked in alone.
Upon entering the hall, Sect Leader Niu Jinshui and the Palace Lords of the Five Immortal Mountains, Elder Bi, and another unfamiliar Elder were seated inside.
The Sect Leader and Zhangzuo Dajiu nodded slightly to Qian Duoduo, while the other Palace Lords remained motionless, as if it had nothing to do with them.
After Qian Duoduo bowed to them, Zhangzuo Dajiu said to Elder Bi, “Protector Elder, you explain the investigation.”
Elder Bi took out a Jade Slip and read aloud, “Upon investigation, it is found that Mengyuan Mountain Disciple Jin Buhuan was performing the Sect’s store guarding mission, and the Mission Hall violated regulations by increasing the difficulty. The violator is Jin Buque. Jin Buhuan was forcibly ordered to search for Outer Sect Disciple Wang Longyu, and the Mission Hall violated regulations by deploying important personnel who were already on a mission. The violator is Jin Buque. Furthermore, evidence shows that during the mission, there were instances of targeting Jin Buhuan and framing fellow Disciples. The violator is Jin Buque.”
He turned to the other Elder and said, “Elder Jin, do you have any objections or explanations regarding the above matters?”
Elder Jin lowered his head. “No objections. I have re-examined the above matters, and there are indeed problems. The Mission Hall was poorly managed, and I am willing to accept punishment.”
Sect Leader Niu Jinshui looked at the five Palace Lords. “What are your opinions, everyone?”
Hall Master Ping of Xiongjin Mountain was the first to speak. “This Jin Buque is not suitable to continue in the Mission Hall.”
“More than just unsuitable.” A round-faced Palace Lord said, “His dereliction of duty not only almost cost the life of Wang Longyu, a Disciple of my Jianjian Peak, but also nearly allowed the Helou Family to successfully betray us, triggering a crisis for the entire Sect. This person has an abominable character and must be expelled from the Inner Sect.”
This round-faced Palace Lord, it seems, is Chu Wannian, Chu Tianqi’s uncle from Jianjian Peak.
“Palace Lord Tang, Jin Buhuan and Yu Yixiang are both from your Mengyuan Mountain, what do you say?”
Niu Jinshui looked at Zhangzuo Dajiu.
“The Mission Hall is an important department of this Sect. Whether its actions are fair and whether its rewards and punishments are reasonable not only concern the interests of millions of Disciples but also the warmth of the hearts within the Sect. To put it on a larger scale, it concerns the rise and fall of the Sect. As for Jin Buque, I suggest expelling him from the Sect, throwing him into Jail, and imposing a huge fine on the He Lou Family.”
Tang Honggong said in a deep voice.
“Elder Jin, what do you think of Palace Lord Tang’s suggestion?”
Elder Jin wiped the sweat from the back of his neck. “I completely agree.”
Niu Jinshui looked at Qian Duoduo. “Bu Huan?”
Qian Duoduo straightened his body. “How to deal with Jin Buque of the Mission Hall is entirely up to the Sect’s decision. It’s just that he still has one more matter—”
In his heart, he always felt that he was not Jin Buhuan.
He felt that Jin Buque’s harm to him was not directed at himself.
Otherwise, he would definitely not let this scourge remain.
“Oh.” Niu Jinshui smiled. “Then you tell us.”
“This—” Qian Duoduo looked at the others in the hall. On the way here, Liu Boli reminded Qian Duoduo that he could now talk about the gold mine in the Phoenix Mountains.
The smile on Niu Jinshui’s face deepened. “Our Purple-Gold Disciple seems to have something important to say. Palace Lord Tang, please stay. Everyone else, please step out for a rest.”
Zhangzuo Dajiu looked at Qian Duoduo, not knowing what Qian Duoduo was going to say.
“When I was exploring the Phoenix Mountains, I sent a message back to the Mission Hall—‘There is a major discovery in the mountain range!’ I wonder if the Sect received it?”
After everyone else withdrew, Qian Duoduo said with a serious expression.
Niu Jinshui shook his head. “It wasn’t reported to me.”
“Sect Leader, this matter is significant. Are you sure Palace Lord Tang can know about it?”
Niu Jinshui looked at Tang Honggong. “Speak. Your Zhangzuo Dajiu doesn’t need to avoid it.” He waved his hand, seemingly strengthening the shielding Formation in the hall.
“Good.” Qian Duoduo took a deep breath. “In the Phoenix Mountains, I discovered a gold mine.”
Niu Jinshui’s chair creaked. Zhangzuo Dajiu stood up. “Sect Leader, I’ll excuse myself.”
Waving his hand, Niu Jinshui flicked his fingers a few times, strengthening the Formation in the hall by another layer. “You sit down. Bu Huan, continue.”
Qian Duoduo took out a Jade Slip and handed it to Niu Jinshui. “Underneath the desert of Phoenix Tail Mountain in the Phoenix Mountains, there’s a gold mine, with ordinary gold mixed with hao gold.”
“How much ore is there?” Niu Jinshui’s face lit up with joy. Tang Honggong’s hands alternately opened and clenched.
“A lot. If refined into gold coins, it could be tens of billions.”
In the great hall, Niu Jinshui and Tang Honggong’s breathing was clearly audible. After a few rapid breaths, it became long and steady again.
“Good, good. I’ll trust my own eyes. Jin Buhuan is the God of Wealth of this Sect, the lucky star of this Sect.” Niu Jinshui took the Jade Slip recording the precise location of the gold mine, and countless sparks flew from his eyes. “Palace Lord Tang, look at your good nephew.”
Tang Honggong said with a wry smile, “Sect Leader, I am temporarily deaf; I didn’t hear anything.” Discovering a gold mine was a monumental event. As a Palace Lord, he knew about it a bit too early.
“There’s more.” Qian Duoduo continued, “When I was in the desert, I also encountered a strong practitioner from another Sect, a withered old man who could stand suspended in the air, accompanied by a Mystic Sky Crocodile.”
“A withered old man, a Mystic Sky Crocodile?” Niu Jinshui and Tang Honggong exchanged glances.
“It’s likely Old Ancestor Feng Fan of the Ba Ling Sect,” Tang Honggong thought for a moment and replied.
“He was going in and out of the desert, as if he was also searching for ore.”
“Did he find the gold mine?” Niu Jinshui eagerly asked Qian Duoduo.