Chapter 38 — The Price of Raising a Sect

Gu Tianhe stared at Shen Yuan.

"How attached are you to the current one?"

The question had sounded harmless.

Gu Tianhe had known Shen Yuan long enough to understand that harmless questions were often the beginning of expensive problems.

"Very."

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"It's a formation."

"It's a formation connected to five mountain peaks, seventeen secondary nodes, three spirit veins, the sect's defensive network, two cultivation grounds, and several structures older than you."

Shen Yuan considered that.

"So moderately attached."

"Very."

Mu Qinglan, who had been listening from several seats away, finally turned toward them.

"What are you two discussing?"

Gu Tianhe pointed at Shen Yuan.

"He wants to replace the sect's Spirit Gathering Formation."

"I asked how much it would cost to upgrade it."

"You asked how attached I was to it."

"I was gathering information."

Mu Qinglan looked between them.

Then at Shen Yuan.

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

That was enough to change her expression.

Mu Qinglan moved closer.

Unlike Gu Tianhe, she didn't immediately object.

She thought.

"The main formation can't simply be replaced."

Shen Yuan nodded.

"Why?"

Gu Tianhe stared at him.

Mu Qinglan, however, answered.

"The Five Peaks don't use five independent Spirit Gathering Formations. The network is interconnected."

She pointed toward the mountains surrounding them.

"Each peak has a primary node. Smaller nodes gather spiritual Qi from the surrounding environment and redirect it toward the main network. The central convergence formation then balances distribution according to demand."

"Efficient."

"It was when it was built."

"When was that?"

Mu Qinglan paused.

"Parts of it?"

"Yes."

"About fourteen hundred years ago."

Shen Yuan looked at Gu Tianhe.

Gu Tianhe crossed his arms.

"It has been repaired."

"How many times?"

"Frequently."

"That wasn't the question."

Gu Tianhe looked away.

Shen Yuan understood.

Ancient cultivation sects had apparently discovered the same principle as old buildings.

If something survived long enough, everyone became afraid to touch the foundation.

Mu Qinglan continued.

"The formation itself isn't even the largest limitation anymore."

"What is?"

"Several things."

She began counting.

"The western spirit vein has weakened. Two of Heavenly Sword Peak's transfer nodes lose nearly twelve percent of the Qi passing through them. Black Tortoise Peak's primary node prioritizes defensive stability over gathering efficiency. Vermilion Flame Peak places irregular strain on the network whenever their Earthfire chambers operate at full capacity."

From the Vermilion Flame seats, Tang Rui called:

"That sounds accusatory."

Mu Qinglan didn't even look at him.

"It was."

Tang Rui became quiet.

Mu Qinglan continued.

"And the central convergence core is approaching the limit of what its materials can safely handle."

Shen Yuan listened.

That was considerably more complicated than replacing one formation plate.

Good.

He preferred knowing that before doing something stupid.

Power wasn't a substitute for understanding.

He had learned that lesson thoroughly enough.

"So upgrading the central formation alone would accomplish little."

"It would accomplish something," Mu Qinglan corrected. "But if you pushed it too far, the surrounding network would become the bottleneck."

Shen Yuan nodded.

"What materials would you need?"

Mu Qinglan gave him a strange look.

"That depends on how far you intend to upgrade it."

Shen Yuan turned toward Chen An.

"Cloudveil's material inventory."

Chen An had already taken out a jade slip.

Of course he had.

Shen Yuan accepted it.

Rows of materials appeared.

Some had been acquired by Cloudveil before the system.

Others had accumulated afterward.

Pills.

Ores.

Spirit woods.

Formation materials.

Cultivation resources.

And a rapidly growing section labeled:

CURRENTLY NO ASSIGNED USE

Shen Yuan suspected Chen An had created that category specifically because of him.

He scrolled.

Stopped.

"Would this work?"

A small spatial ring appeared in his hand.

Mu Qinglan accepted it cautiously.

Her spiritual sense entered.

She stopped moving.

Gu Tianhe noticed.

"What?"

Mu Qinglan didn't answer.

Qin Feng, who had absolutely no reason to be part of the conversation, leaned closer.

"What is it?"

Mu Qinglan slowly withdrew a crystal from the ring.

It was no larger than a fist.

Five colors moved beneath its translucent surface, circulating without mixing.

The surrounding spiritual Qi immediately began gathering toward it.

Qin Feng stared.

Gu Tianhe stared.

Shen Yuan waited.

Mu Qinglan finally looked at him.

"Five-Element Earthheart Crystal."

"That's what the inventory said."

"Heaven-grade."

"Yes."

"High Heaven-grade."

"Apparently."

Mu Qinglan's eyebrow twitched.

"Do you know how rare these are?"

Shen Yuan considered the safest answer.

"Reasonably?"

Gu Tianhe closed his eyes.

Mu Qinglan looked ready to throw the crystal at him, then apparently remembered how valuable it was.

"Where did you get this?"

"Storage."

There was silence.

Chen An helpfully added:

"Third shelf of the eastern treasury."

Everyone turned toward him.

Chen An remained perfectly serious.

Shen Yuan appreciated the support.

Qin Feng rubbed his forehead.

"Why does Cloudveil have a Heaven-grade formation material sitting on a shelf?"

Shen Yuan looked at him.

"Where else should we put it?"

Qin Feng opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Gu Tianhe pointed at the crystal.

"How many?"

Shen Yuan glanced at Chen An.

"Four," Chen An answered.

Mu Qinglan almost dropped it.

"Four?"

"Three remain in storage."

Shen Yuan nodded.

"So we can use one."

Mu Qinglan looked at the crystal again.

Then toward the Five Peaks.

Her expression gradually shifted from disbelief to calculation.

That was much more dangerous.

"No."

Shen Yuan blinked.

"No?"

"Not yet."

She carefully returned the crystal to the ring.

"If we insert this into the current convergence core without redesigning the surrounding network, we'd waste most of its potential."

"How long?"

"For the design? Several days."

"Construction?"

"Weeks."

Gu Tianhe relaxed slightly.

Then Mu Qinglan continued.

"Possibly a month."

Gu Tianhe relaxed more.

"We would need Vermilion Flame Peak to refine new node housings. Black Tortoise Peak would need to reinforce the stabilizing arrays. Heavenly Sword Peak's eastern cultivation field would have to close temporarily while its transfer lines are replaced."

Qin Feng's relief disappeared.

"How temporarily?"

"Several days."

"Why is my peak suffering for Shen Yuan's generosity?"

"Because your transfer nodes are terrible."

"They've worked for centuries."

"They've leaked Qi for centuries."

"That sounds like a design feature."

"It isn't."

Shen Yuan leaned back.

This was promising.

Not because the upgrade would happen immediately.

Because it wouldn't.

Cloudveil could provide a resource.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

But Azure Origin still had to know what to do with it.

Mu Qinglan understood the formation network.

Vermilion Flame understood refinement.

Black Tortoise understood stabilization.

Gu Tianhe understood how to coordinate the sect.

Even Qin Feng apparently understood how to complain.

Everyone had a role.

Shen Yuan preferred that.

"Make the design," he said.

Mu Qinglan looked at him.

"If the numbers work, we'll use the crystal."

Gu Tianhe started to speak.

Shen Yuan added:

"One crystal."

Gu Tianhe stopped.

"One."

"Yes."

"You're not going to suddenly produce something worse?"

Shen Yuan thought about his inventory.

"Define worse."

"No."

Gu Tianhe stood.

"We're stopping here."

Shen Yuan hadn't moved.

"You're the one leaving."

"Exactly."

The following morning, Jian Wuchen was already awake when Shen Yuan reached the training courtyard.

That wasn't unusual.

Jian Wuchen was sitting beneath a tree with Clear Wind across his knees.

That was also not unusual.

What caught Shen Yuan's attention was where Jian Wuchen was looking.

The break.

Clear Wind had once been a complete straight sword.

Long ago.

Now only around two-thirds of the blade remained.

The upper section ended in an old, uneven fracture. Smaller chips marked the surviving edge, while thin scars ran through the metal around the break.

Jian Wuchen had carried it when his meridians were intact.

He had carried it after they were destroyed.

He carried it now.

Shen Yuan stopped beside him.

"Problem?"

Jian Wuchen ran one finger near an old fracture without touching the edge.

"My Sword Qi is becoming too much for it."

Shen Yuan crouched.

Now that he was looking carefully, he could see it.

One of the old fractures had deepened.

Barely.

Someone else might have missed it.

Jian Wuchen hadn't.

"Yesterday?"

"Chen Ziyu's match worsened it. Tang Rui's match did more."

Shen Yuan examined the blade.

Clear Wind had endured far beyond what an ordinary weapon in its condition should have.

But Jian Wuchen was changing quickly.

His sword was being asked to carry increasingly dense Sword Qi through a blade that had already survived catastrophic damage.

That couldn't continue forever.

Shen Yuan looked toward Jian Wuchen.

"We'll strengthen it."

Jian Wuchen's eyes lifted.

He hesitated.

"Master."

"Hm?"

"I don't want it restored."

Shen Yuan looked at the missing portion of the blade.

"Did you ask me to restore it?"

"No."

"Then why would I?"

Jian Wuchen became quiet.

Shen Yuan tapped the flat of the surviving blade.

"Broken isn't the same as useless."

Clear Wind gave a faint metallic hum.

Jian Wuchen's expression softened.

"Yes."

"We'll reinforce what remains."

"What material?"

Shen Yuan stood.

"I'll check."

He paused.

"And we'll ask someone who actually knows how to refine swords."

Jian Wuchen looked mildly surprised.

Shen Yuan noticed.

"What?"

"I thought Master would know."

"I know enough to destroy swords."

"That's different."

"Very."

Shen Yuan had no intention of pretending omniscience merely because his cultivation was absurd.

Vermilion Flame Peak existed for a reason.

And if Clear Wind was going to grow with Jian Wuchen, Shen Yuan wanted the sword strengthened properly.

Not replaced.

Not restored.

Strengthened.

The scars could stay.

The tournament resumed two hours later.

By now, the Five Peaks Arena barely resembled an internal sect assessment.

Disciples crowded every available viewing area.

Elders occupied seats they had ignored during the opening rounds.

Even servants and attendants had found places along the outer terraces.

Shen Yuan sat down.

Chen An handed him the updated bracket.

Shen Yuan read the first pairing.

Then read it again.

He smiled.

"That was inevitable."

Chen An looked toward the arena.

"Many disciples seem pleased."

That was an understatement.

The formation screen lit.

Two names appeared.

Lin Yue — Cloudveil Peak

Zhao Tianming — Heavenly Sword Peak

The arena erupted.

This wasn't simply another match.

Most of Azure Origin remembered the first one.

At the time, Lin Yue had barely begun rebuilding herself.

Her damaged spiritual root had prevented proper Qi cultivation.

Zhao Tianming had stood at Qi Refining Ninth Stage.

He had possessed the better realm.

The better conventional cultivation.

More experience.

And Lin Yue had beaten him without a weapon.

That fight had changed how the Five Peaks looked at Cloudveil.

Now Zhao Tianming had crossed the boundary into Foundation Establishment.

Lin Yue had reached Qi Refining Fifth Stage.

Both had changed.

The question wasn't whether Lin Yue could fight above her realm.

Everyone already knew she could.

The question was how much the distance between them had changed.

Zhao Tianming stood.

Qin Feng looked at his disciple.

"No advice?"

Zhao Tianming asked.

"You already fought her once."

"I lost."

"Then you received the lesson."

Zhao Tianming smiled.

"Fair."

He walked toward the arena.

Lin Yue was already approaching from the opposite side.

They stopped before entering.

Zhao Tianming cupped his fists.

"Junior Sister Lin Yue."

"Senior Brother Zhao Tianming."

Zhao Tianming glanced toward the arena.

"Last time, I was Qi Refining Ninth Stage."

Lin Yue nodded.

"I remember."

"You weren't even properly in Qi Refining."

"I remember that too."

Zhao Tianming laughed.

"This time should be better."

Lin Yue looked at him.

A small smile appeared.

"Yes."

They entered.

Shen Yuan leaned forward.

This one was worth watching carefully.

Not because he doubted Lin Yue.

Because Zhao Tianming was useful.

He was one of Azure Origin's best examples of what a talented young cultivator could become through conventional means.

A Heavenly-grade spiritual root.

Good instruction.

Proper resources.

Discipline.

Experience.

And now—

Foundation Establishment.

Yesterday's matches had shown the boundary clearly.

Foundation Establishment wasn't simply Qi Refining with a larger number.

Zhao Tianming's spiritual Qi had become more stable.

His circulation could sustain greater output.

His body received continuous spiritual reinforcement.

His sword and Qi connected more naturally.

Everything worked together.

Good.

If Lin Yue wanted to understand what her current cultivation could do, she needed opponents worth measuring against.

The examiner raised his hand.

"Begin!"

Zhao Tianming didn't wait.

His sword left its sheath.

Foundation Establishment Qi surged.

He crossed the arena.

Lin Yue stepped forward.

No Moonfrost.

Their first collision wasn't sword against sword.

Palm against sword hilt.

Zhao Tianming rotated.

Lin Yue shifted.

His shoulder struck.

Lin Yue blocked.

The impact cracked the stone beneath her foot.

She answered with an elbow.

Zhao Tianming's arm intercepted it.

Boom!

Both separated.

Zhao Tianming slid backward.

One step.

Lin Yue slid backward.

One step.

They stopped.

Zhao Tianming looked at her.

Lin Yue looked at him.

Then Zhao Tianming smiled.

"Better?"

Lin Yue nodded.

"Much."

His smile widened.

Last time, physical combat had been humiliatingly one-sided once Lin Yue closed the distance.

Not anymore.

Foundation Establishment had changed him.

Then Lin Yue moved.

Zhao Tianming met her.

Three exchanges.

Four.

Five.

No wasted movement.

Lin Yue's Perfect Body Tempering foundation still gave her terrifying physical strength.

Zhao Tianming's Foundation Establishment Qi allowed his entire cultivation structure to support his body continuously.

Neither dominated.

Then Zhao Tianming's sword flashed.

Lin Yue leaned aside.

A strand of hair fell.

The audience quieted.

Zhao Tianming didn't press recklessly.

He knew better.

His sword rose.

Spiritual Qi gathered.

"Azure Sky Sword."

A pale-blue sword light descended.

Lin Yue raised one hand.

Nine-Yin Lunar Qi gathered.

White met blue.

The collision should have favored Zhao Tianming overwhelmingly.

It didn't.

His Foundation Establishment Qi possessed greater volume.

Lin Yue's Lunar Qi possessed something else.

Quality.

The sword light entered the pale Lunar Qi.

Frost spread across it.

Zhao Tianming's technique slowed.

Not stopped.

Slowed.

His spiritual Qi continued feeding it.

Lin Yue's Lunar Qi continued suppressing it.

Shen Yuan watched the exchange closely.

Interesting.

One portion of Lin Yue's Qi was forcing Zhao Tianming to expend several times as much ordinary spiritual Qi simply to maintain the collision.

And Lin Yue was still only at Qi Refining Fifth Stage.

The Nine-Yin Lunar Scripture was beginning to show what an Immortal-grade cultivation technique actually meant.

Not simply faster cultivation.

Not simply cleaner Qi.

The difference was qualitative.

As Lin Yue went deeper, that difference would only widen.

Good.

Immortal inheritances should be unreasonable.

Otherwise, immortals needed better standards.

Zhao Tianming suddenly released the technique.

Lin Yue's Lunar Qi surged forward into empty space.

He was already moving.

His sword appeared beside her.

Lin Yue turned.

Clang!

Moonfrost left its sheath.

For the first time in the tournament.

The temperature across the arena dropped.

A thin layer of frost spread outward from Lin Yue's feet.

The crowd reacted immediately.

Zhao Tianming didn't.

His attention remained on the sword.

Moonfrost was pale and elegant, almost translucent beneath the sunlight.

More importantly—

it was awake.

Not fully.

But enough.

The sword spirit stirred.

Wrong.

The old impression flickered.

Stillness.

Cold.

End.

Lin Yue's fingers tightened.

Then relaxed.

"No."

The word was quiet.

Moonfrost trembled.

Lin Yue's Qi moved.

Advance.

Zhao Tianming attacked.

Moonfrost met his sword.

Recede.

Lin Yue gave ground.

Zhao Tianming followed.

Foundation Establishment Qi surged through his blade.

He had more.

More Qi.

More sustained pressure.

More room to continue.

That was exactly what he should use.

He pressed.

One sword.

Then another.

Lin Yue retreated.

Three steps.

Five.

Seven.

Zhao Tianming's eyes sharpened.

He remembered the previous fight.

Lin Yue didn't retreat without purpose.

His sword slowed.

Too late.

Return.

Lunar Qi that had withdrawn across the arena moved again.

Not from one direction.

From every place Lin Yue had stepped.

Faint traces of frost awakened.

Zhao Tianming's forward route narrowed.

He changed direction immediately.

Good decision.

Lin Yue had expected it.

Moonfrost turned.

Their swords collided.

Foundation Establishment Qi erupted.

Lin Yue's arm moved back.

Zhao Tianming pressed.

Then the rhythm changed.

Advance.

Recede.

Return.

Moonfrost disappeared from his defense.

For half a breath, Zhao Tianming felt no resistance.

His own force carried forward.

Lin Yue's Lunar Qi returned.

Not stronger.

Better timed.

Frost formed across one point of his defensive Qi.

A tiny point.

Nothing more.

But that point slowed.

Moonfrost touched it.

Crack.

The defense opened.

Lin Yue stepped through.

The pale blade stopped against Zhao Tianming's shoulder.

His sword stopped beside Lin Yue's waist.

Neither moved.

The arena was silent.

Zhao Tianming looked at Moonfrost.

Then at Lin Yue.

He exhaled.

"I lost."

The examiner's hand rose.

"Winner—Cloudveil Peak, Lin Yue!"

Sound crashed over the arena.

Qi Refining Fifth Stage.

Foundation Establishment First Stage.

The result appeared absurd when reduced to those words.

Shen Yuan didn't find it absurd at all.

Lin Yue had crossed much worse disparities before she could properly cultivate.

Now she possessed a functioning Immortal-grade cultivation system, an awakening Immortal Body, Lunar Channels, Moonfrost, and the beginning of a Dao that was becoming distinctly hers.

If she couldn't cross a major realm under those circumstances, Shen Yuan would have started questioning the meaning of the word Immortal.

Zhao Tianming looked at his sword.

Then Moonfrost.

Then smiled.

"I made you draw it."

Lin Yue looked at the sword in her hand.

"You did."

"I'll take that."

"You also lasted longer."

Zhao Tianming stared at her.

Lin Yue seemed to realize how that sounded.

"I meant—"

Zhao Tianming laughed.

"I know what you meant."

Lin Yue paused.

"Good."

They cupped their fists toward one another.

No humiliation.

No resentment.

Only a benchmark moved.

Again.

Qin Feng watched Zhao Tianming leave the arena.

He didn't look disappointed.

Shen Yuan noticed.

Good master.

Zhao Tianming had lost.

He had also demonstrated exactly how much he had improved since Chapter Sixteen.

Those weren't contradictory.

Notifications appeared.

[Disciple Lin Yue has defeated a Foundation Establishment cultivator while at Qi Refining Fifth Stage.]

[Cross-Realm Combat Achievement recorded.]

[Nine-Yin Lunar Circulation comprehension: 15% → 19%]

[Moonfrost Spirit Awakening: 5% → 7%]

[Disciple's personal interpretation is increasingly overriding incompatible inherited imprint.]

Then:

[Disciple Growth detected.]

Shen Yuan waited.

[Cause and Effect Amplification activated.]

[Return derived from Lunar Dao comprehension.]

A cool sensation passed through Shen Yuan's mind.

For an instant, he understood the rhythm Lin Yue had used from the outside.

Not as Nine-Yin cultivation.

Not as Moonfrost.

As a principle.

Advance.

Recede.

Return.

Presence.

Absence.

Return after absence.

His Heaven-Severing Dao stirred faintly.

Shen Yuan immediately stopped the thought from going further.

No.

That wasn't his path to take.

The understanding could help him teach Lin Yue.

That was enough.

[Obtained: Amplified Lunar Cycle Insight.]

Shen Yuan dismissed the notification.

Better.

The system seemed to be learning restraint.

Or perhaps Shen Yuan was.

Hard to tell.

The reaction around the Five Peaks continued long after Lin Yue left the arena.

"Qi Refining Fifth..."

"Foundation Establishment..."

"She did the same thing again."

"No. Last time was different."

"How?"

"Last time she didn't have Qi."

"That doesn't make this sound better."

Gu Tianhe heard the conversation.

He looked at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan looked back.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You keep doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Looking at me as though I've committed a crime."

Gu Tianhe glanced at Lin Yue.

"Give me time."

Shen Yuan decided not to ask.

Lu Chen had watched the entire match without speaking.

That was unusual enough for Jian Wuchen to notice.

"Lu Chen."

No answer.

Jian Wuchen looked toward him.

Lu Chen's eyes were fixed on the arena.

But his attention wasn't there.

Inside his body, Chaos circulated.

Arm.

Shoulder.

Chest.

Spine.

Lower body.

Return.

Again.

And again.

No deliberate command.

No conscious recognition.

The First Anchor remained.

Shen Yuan noticed.

His expression changed.

[First Anchor Stability: 91% → 94%]

Another cycle.

[94% → 96%]

Lu Chen breathed.

The circulation continued.

[96% → 98%]

Shen Yuan stood.

Chen An looked at him.

"Peak Master?"

Shen Yuan raised one hand.

Wait.

Lu Chen blinked.

The circulation faltered.

Then continued.

His eyes widened.

He felt it.

This time fully.

"Master."

Shen Yuan nodded.

"Don't interfere."

Lu Chen immediately stopped trying to understand.

That, ironically, helped.

Chaos moved again.

[First Anchor Stability: 98% → 99%]

[Primordial Chaos Foundation Mission: 98% → 99%]

Then—

nothing.

The circulation remained.

Stable.

Natural.

But the final percentage did not move.

Lu Chen waited.

Still nothing.

His excitement gradually became confusion.

"Why did it stop?"

Shen Yuan looked at the system.

[Final Foundation Condition: Incomplete.]

No explanation.

Good.

Annoying.

But good.

Shen Yuan could probably search for some ancient method.

Ask Mo Tian.

Use higher perception.

Perhaps even force an answer through abilities Lu Chen couldn't understand.

He didn't.

Instead, he remembered the problem that had remained from the beginning.

Lu Chen could maintain the First Anchor while distracted now.

But there was one state they hadn't tested.

"Lu Chen."

"Yes, Master?"

"What happens when you sleep?"

Lu Chen froze.

Jian Wuchen looked over.

Lin Yue, returning from her match, stopped as well.

Lu Chen's expression changed.

"When I sleep..."

His voice slowed.

"I'm not thinking."

Shen Yuan nodded.

"And if your Anchor still needs you awake?"

Lu Chen looked down at his chest.

The Chaos continued circulating.

For now.

He swallowed.

"Then it isn't really me yet."

Shen Yuan said nothing.

Lu Chen looked up.

"When do we test it?"

"Tonight."

Lu Chen blinked.

"By sleeping?"

"That's usually how it's done."

Lin Yue looked away.

Jian Wuchen's mouth moved slightly.

Lu Chen stared at his master.

"That feels too easy."

Shen Yuan sat back down.

"Then you've never tried sleeping while waiting for a breakthrough."

Lu Chen thought about it.

"Fair."

The final one percent remained.

Shen Yuan was satisfied.

Not every breakthrough needed to happen in an arena.

The tournament continued.

Two more matches passed.

The bracket narrowed again.

Cloudveil remained at the top of the Five Peaks standings.

More importantly, all three disciples remained in contention.

But Shen Yuan found his attention divided.

Tournament.

Lu Chen's foundation.

Clear Wind.

The sect formation.

For someone who had spent six years carefully avoiding unnecessary responsibilities, his life had become suspiciously crowded.

Chen An appeared beside him.

"Peak Master."

"What now?"

"Peak Master Mu Qinglan has completed the preliminary calculations."

Shen Yuan looked toward the Jade Lotus seating area.

Mu Qinglan was approaching with three jade slips.

"Already?"

Chen An nodded.

"She apparently worked through the night."

Shen Yuan looked at Mu Qinglan.

Then at the jade slips.

He suddenly understood why Jade Lotus Peak's formation network functioned better than everyone else's.

Mu Qinglan sat down without greeting him.

"The crystal isn't the problem."

Shen Yuan accepted the first jade slip.

"What is?"

"The current central formation could be redesigned around the Five-Element Earthheart Crystal."

"Good."

"It would increase gathering efficiency significantly."

"Also good."

"It would improve distribution between the Five Peaks."

"Still good."

Mu Qinglan placed the second jade slip into his hand.

"Which is why we can't do it."

Shen Yuan looked at her.

"You just listed three reasons we should."

"The Five Peaks' existing spirit veins can't supply enough spiritual Qi to use the upgraded formation properly."

Shen Yuan examined the calculations.

She was right.

The crystal could amplify and stabilize the network.

But amplification wasn't creation.

If the underlying spirit veins couldn't supply enough Qi, the formation would simply reach its ceiling earlier.

Shen Yuan thought.

"What if we improve the spirit veins?"

Silence.

Mu Qinglan stared at him.

A voice came from behind them.

"No."

Shen Yuan turned.

Gu Tianhe was standing there.

"I haven't said how."

"That's why I'm saying it early."

"You don't even know what I'm proposing."

"I know you."

"That isn't technical evidence."

"It has been sufficient so far."

Shen Yuan looked toward Mu Qinglan.

She was trying very hard not to smile.

Qin Feng had also wandered closer.

Again.

Shen Yuan was beginning to suspect the Heavenly Sword Peak Master had developed a hobby.

"Spirit veins can be improved," Shen Yuan said.

Gu Tianhe crossed his arms.

"Naturally?"

"That would take a long time."

"Good."

"Or artificially."

"No."

"With the correct materials."

"No."

"Safely."

"Especially no."

Shen Yuan sighed.

"You've become very negative."

"I lead a sect containing you."

"That sounds unrelated."

"It isn't."

Mu Qinglan finally intervened.

"Actually..."

Gu Tianhe turned toward her.

She looked at the calculations.

"If the material is appropriate, controlled spirit-vein nourishment is possible."

Gu Tianhe's expression betrayed him.

Shen Yuan smiled.

"Sect Master."

"Don't."

"You heard the formation expert."

"I heard the formation expert become infected by Cloudveil."

Mu Qinglan frowned.

"I'm sitting here."

"I know."

Shen Yuan leaned back and looked across Azure Origin.

Five Peaks.

Thousands of disciples.

Training grounds.

Spirit fields.

Libraries.

Halls that had stood for generations.

He had lived here before the system.

Before Lin Yue.

Before Jian Wuchen.

Before Lu Chen.

Before the Immortal Realm had become something he could casually visit.

Azure Origin hadn't suddenly become less important because Shen Yuan had become stronger.

If anything—

he was beginning to see just how much he could do for it.

Not everything at once.

Not recklessly.

But gradually.

One formation.

One spirit vein.

One cultivation ground.

One generation at a time.

Shen Yuan looked at Gu Tianhe.

"I'll show you the materials first."

Gu Tianhe narrowed his eyes.

"You'll show us?"

"Yes."

"You won't put anything into the mountain before Mu Qinglan approves it?"

"Yes."

"You won't cut, sever, alter, redefine, or otherwise interfere with the spirit veins using your Dao?"

Shen Yuan paused.

Gu Tianhe's eyes narrowed further.

Shen Yuan sighed.

"Fine."

"Say it."

"I won't use my Dao on the spirit veins."

Gu Tianhe visibly relaxed.

Shen Yuan found that slightly insulting.

Then again, perhaps not entirely.

"Tomorrow," Mu Qinglan said. "After the tournament matches."

Shen Yuan nodded.

That was reasonable.

Gu Tianhe looked between them.

"I want to be present."

"Why?"

"Because this is my sect."

Shen Yuan looked at him.

"Our sect."

Gu Tianhe stopped.

The words had come naturally.

Shen Yuan hadn't intended anything by them.

For a moment, Gu Tianhe said nothing.

Then he looked away.

"Yes."

His voice was quieter.

"Our sect."

A bell rang below.

The next tournament bracket was ready.

Shen Yuan turned toward the arena.

Lu Chen's final one percent waited.

Jian Wuchen's broken sword needed reinforcement.

Lin Yue had just crossed a major realm in combat.

And somewhere inside Cloudveil's eastern treasury were three Heaven-grade crystals Chen An had apparently organized neatly on a shelf.

Shen Yuan sighed.

He had wanted a peaceful life.

Perhaps he'd misunderstood what that meant.

Peace didn't necessarily require having nothing to care about.

Sometimes it simply meant having something worth returning to.

The formation screen lit.

Another name appeared.

And the Five Peaks Assessment continued.