Chapter 677: Ambush from All Sides

Ten days later, Qin Feng, who had only managed to refine a sliver of Sea God Essence Qi, had no choice but to emerge from his seclusion.

The selection for the position of Peach Blossom Village Chief had begun.

The position of Peach Blossom Village Chief held a great deal of temptation for Qin Feng, who was currently weak and isolated.

According to the rules, a Cave Master could only keep ten percent of their Cave’s Wish Power Pearl income and had to submit the other ninety percent.

Next, a Mountain Lord took a twenty-percent share and submitted seventy percent.

Peach Blossom Stronghold took a twenty-percent share and submitted fifty percent to Shaoyang Stronghold.

Shaoyang Stronghold similarly took twenty percent, submitting the final thirty percent to the Eastern Demon Subduing Celestial King Palace.

Fubo Cave presided over three major mountain cities, countless large and small strongholds, and a million mountain folk. Based on Qin Feng’s original calculations, it could generate nearly four thousand Top-grade Wish Power Pearls a year.

According to the rules, a Cave Master like Qin Feng could only take a ten-percent share.

That amounted to around four hundred Top-grade Wish Power Pearls.

Based on Qin Feng’s calculations, for his Chaos Grotto Heaven to advance to a Large Grotto Heaven, he would need at least one hundred thousand Top-grade Wish Power Pearls.

This meant that he would have to remain in the position of Cave Master for at least two hundred and fifty years—skimping and saving, without spending a single pearl—to have any chance of advancing his Chaos Grotto Heaven to a Large Grotto Heaven.

Of course, he had to be meticulous with his budget. From the four hundred Top-grade Wish Power Pearls he received annually, he also had to pay the salaries of all his subordinates in Fubo Cave.

Fubo Cave had a whole retinue of subordinate positions: a Chief Clerk, an Inspector, a Proctor, and below them, six departments. Under the six departments were positions like Master of Steeds, Treasurer, Armory Supervisor, and so on.

If he calculated it carefully, Qin Feng would be lucky to have over three hundred Wish Power Pearls left at the end of the year, and that would only be after docking his subordinates’ pay.

But being a Mountain Lord above a Cave Master was different, like the Mountain Lord of Lush Peach Mountain, who was under Peach Blossom Stronghold.

According to the rules, a Mountain Lord could draw a twenty-percent share.

This didn’t sound much different from a Cave Master’s compensation.

But in reality, the difference was enormous.

Take Lush Peach Mountain, for example. It had seven or eight Grotto Heavens under its jurisdiction.

Drawing twenty percent from each Grotto Heaven.

Using Fubo Cave as an example, the income from one cave would be eight hundred Top-grade Wish Power Pearls. With eight Grotto Heavens, that would be six thousand four hundred Wish Power Pearls.

Compared to his own four hundred Wish Power Pearls, that was more than ten times the amount.

And at the level of the Peach Blossom Village Chief, it was even more staggering. The annual income in Wish Power Pearls would exceed thirty thousand at the very least.

Three hundred versus thirty thousand—that was a hundredfold difference!

If Qin Feng could secure the position of Peach Blossom Village Chief, his Chaos Grotto Heaven could potentially advance to a Large Grotto Heaven in just three short years.

Several hundred years versus three years—the disparity was mind-boggling!

Wish Power Pearls were a good thing, a hard currency that circulated throughout the All Heavens and Myriads of Worlds.

‘Wealth moves the hearts of men!’

…

Three thousand li of peach blossoms, a sea of pink petals.

The roots of ancient peach trees coiled like Qiu Longs, devouring the essence of the mountains and rivers, extravagantly displaying their own delicate beauty.

Streaks of starlight bloomed across the mountain—each one a powerful expert.

Silently, the sky rippled like water. A figure tore through the Void, appearing in mid-air and revealing himself above the Sea of Clouds!

“A Void Tear! Another Great Power has arrived!”

“What a formidable figure! He created a Void Tear without revealing any aura, not even stirring a light breeze! His control over the Void has reached a sublime level!”

One of the experts watched with a grave expression.

“I think that’s the Cave Master of Fubo Cave!”

Someone recognized Qin Feng.

“What’s he doing here? According to the rules, aren’t only the Mountain Lords under the Village Chief qualified to compete?”

“That’s right. It would be impossible for an ordinary person, but this is a True Disciple. By the rules, a True Disciple’s rank is considered one level higher than their official post. This means that although he’s only a Cave Master, his status is equivalent to a Mountain Lord’s. Plus, he’s independent of the major mountains, so he does indeed have the right to compete for the position of Village Chief!”

“But I don’t think he has much of a chance. The other Mountain Lords are all experts who have been entrenched in their positions for hundreds of years. Every one of them is exceedingly powerful, and most are Quasi-Saints! I heard that just half a month ago, this Qin Feng was merely a Martial Artist in the Sea of Reincarnation Realm. The gap is just too wide!”

“You’re behind the times. He already succeeded in his Heaven and Earth Creation. I heard he even leaped straight to the Great Power Realm and comprehended the Void Law!”

“What? The Void Law, one of the Ten Strong Iron Rules…?”

Amidst the fervent discussion, the expressions of many Cave Masters who had come to watch the spectacle changed to shock.

From atop a wooden tower, Yang Qin’s gaze was filled with a cold light as he scrutinized Qin Feng. ‘So this is the newly promoted True Disciple?’

The Village Chief of Bai Man Stronghold, Chimo, had skin like bronzed metal that seemed to ripple. His crimson hair was like a Flame, and his entire body resembled a volcano, brewing with a rage that could shatter the heavens.

“Yang Qin, I hope you don’t disappoint me. Otherwise, you know the consequences!” Chimo’s expression was grim.

“Venerable Lord Chimo, I understand completely. Since I, Yang Qin, have accepted your favor, I will certainly see this through for you. With that Treasure you gave me, Qin Feng’s death is guaranteed!”

Pausing for a moment, Yang Qin smiled to himself. “Besides, you’re not the only one who wants Qin Feng dead this time. With all of us working together, even if Qin Feng truly has the ability to slay a Quasi-Saint, he is doomed to die!”

His gaze swept around. Atop several other wooden towers, figures whose auras were like blazing suns distorted the Void. Faintly, a few gazes met his, and as if by tacit agreement, they broke contact in an instant!

When Qin Feng arrived at Peach Blossom Stronghold, all eight of its Mountain Lords had already been there for some time.

Mountain Pearl of Lush Peach Mountain, Ling Mufeng; Mountain Lord of Jiupan Mountain, Long Shuyun; Mountain Lord of Diyun Mountain, Yu Dongfang; Mountain Lord of Small Spirit Mountain, Li Yun; Mountain Lord of White Wolf Mountain, Yang Qin; Mountain Lord of Cyan Lotus Mountain, Gongsun Jiuniang; Mountain Lord of West Ancient Hua Mountain, Yin Wan Nian; and Mountain Lord of Danxia Mountain, He Xin!

Behind each of the eight Mountain Lords stood proud and fierce warriors. Countless points of starlight manifested, creating a magnificent spectacle of myriad phenomena and endless rosy glows. Vaguely, massive worlds could be seen rising and falling, concealing innumerable experts within.

The eight Mountain Lords stirred the winds and clouds in all eight directions.

Their immense auras shook the land for a thousand li.

Besides the eight Mountain Lords, there were two other experts qualified to compete for the Village Chief position.

‘Killing intent is everywhere!’

The moment Qin Feng arrived, he sensed several threads of bone-deep killing intent surface around him. Although they were extremely well hidden, they could not escape the Spirit Turtle-like sensitivity of the Spiritual Sense he had cultivated with the Qiankun Celestial Phenomenon Technique.

The cicada feels the autumn wind before it blows; death arrives unseen, sent by an imperceptible hand!

‘Who exactly wants to kill me?’ Qin Feng frowned and scanned his surroundings, but the countless gazes with their ambiguous intentions muddled his perception.

“Look, the two Vice Village Chiefs, Lian Biyun and Huangzishan, have appeared!”

“It seems the two Vice Village Chiefs will also be vying for the position of Peach Blossom Village Chief this time!”

Two brilliant auras, like great suns high in the sky, appeared. The surging power washed over the heavens like waves.

These were two experts at the Supreme Great Power Realm.

However, the auras they emanated were no weaker than some Quasi-Saints.

Even so, the countless experts present knew that these two did not hold an advantage over the eight Mountain Lords.

BZZZZ!

Just then, the entire Void suddenly began to tremble without a sound.

The expressions of all the experts changed as they looked toward the center of the stronghold. There, a tiny seed suddenly appeared out of the ground. The seed took deep root in the Void and sprouted, and in an instant, an ancient tree radiating boundless cyan light appeared in its place. Atop the ancient tree was what looked like a great cyan sun.

The moment this great cyan sun appeared, some of the Mountain Lords on the surrounding high towers felt a terrifying sensation, as if their own Grotto Heaven worlds were being drained and their Vitality frozen solid!

Space-Time was frozen!

The Third Village Chief of Shaoyang Stronghold, True Monarch Qinghuang, had arrived.

‘What a terrifying existence!’ Qin Feng felt as if he were seeing a world-supporting Qing Mu tree, one that blotted out the clouds and moon!