A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 96 - 93: Assault on Lotus Peak

The massacre lasted for half an incense stick’s time, and the main peak of Yuqing Mountain fell completely silent, the entire mountain head dyed as if in blood.

The Third Elder stared blankly at everything before him, beside him were only fifteen or sixteen lost Zhou Family cultivators.

Zhang Shouchang stood on the blood-spattered rooftop of the main hall, looking down. The various buildings of the Zhou Family’s residence were built against the mountain, all in full view. The beautiful Yuqing Mountain was finally under his feet.

The wish of a hundred years was finally realized, and he couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Beside him, Qian Ruyi reminded, "Sect Leader, there are still two honored guests of the Zhou Family..."

Zhang Shouchang nodded and instructed, "Order the first squad to seal all the Zhou Family’s storages, the second squad to monitor the movements of Lotus Peak, and the others to rest in place. No private actions are allowed; it is not yet the time to loot the spoils. After Elder Qian and I handle important matters and everyone has rested, we will capture Lotus Peak and then discuss the rewards."

He then smiled at the tottering Third Elder, "Patriarch Zhou, you now bring people to clean this place up. All this blood on the ground should be cleaned up and not sully the scenery of Yuqing Mountain for nothing."

The Third Elder could hardly believe his ears.

This is asking me to personally clean up the bodies of my kin!

At that moment, the Third Elder seemed to hear a burst of laughter from the surrounding Chaosheng Sect cultivators.

He looked at the bodies all over the ground, his heart in intense pain. These were all fellow cultivators related by blood! An entire Yuqing Mountain, bustling with vitality a moment ago, had turned into a hell on earth the next.

This was completely different from his imagination; this was not the outcome he wanted!

The Zhou Family, in this world, the Zhou Family actually no longer exists!

It was only then that he felt overwhelming remorse in his heart.

Suddenly, a Chaosheng Sect cultivator came to report, "Sect Leader, there are many mortals on this Yuqing Mountain, presumably the family members of Zhou Family cultivators. How should they be handled?"

The Third Elder was shocked, suddenly kneeling to the ground, "Sect Leader Zhang, no, Sect Leader, they are all mortals, just like weeds! I will immediately send people to keep them at home, not to step out of their doors, and they will surely not disturb the fellow Daoists of Chaosheng Sect. Once Lotus Peak is captured, I will move them all away. I beg the Sect Leader to spare their lives!"

Zhang Shouchang smiled, lifting the Third Elder up, "Since you have rendered great service to our sect, I’ll grant you this favor."

The Third Elder hastily agreed, leading the remaining Zhou Family cultivators away.

Zhang Shouchang watched him walk away, then suddenly whispered, "Keep a close watch on those mortals, and once we break Lotus Peak, we’ll deal with them all, eradicate the roots!"

A moment later, Zhang Shouchang and Qian Ruyi were already inside the mountain of Yuqing Mountain. Beside the spirit veins, there were two small arrays, each covering a cultivator. The cultivators inside the arrays were still concentrating on absorbing the spiritual mechanism, completely unaware that the world had changed.

Qian Ruyi sighed, "Thousand-Leaf Snow Lotus, broadening the meridians... such a rare treasure, which Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn’t be tempted? This open strategy naturally cannot be resisted by anyone."

Zhang Shouchang laughed, "Such a treasure, I am also reluctant to part with. Fortunately, Yuqing Mountain is now mine, and this is where I earn the payback."

After speaking, Zhang Shouchang’s spiritual power surged, attacking the two arrays while loudly shouting, "Fellow Daoists, wake up quickly!"

Amidst the spiritual power’s agitation, the Foundation Establishment Feather Scholars in the arrays became instantly alert, abruptly breaking their meditation, opening their eyes to see Zhang Shouchang and Qian Ruyi.

Having crossed paths several times, they were certainly familiar with each other. Immediately, the two Feather Scholars shouted, leaping up with spiritual power surging, preparing to attack Zhang and Qian.

"Wait! The Zhou Family has been annihilated; you are no longer honored guests of the Zhou Family!"

Zhang Shouchang took a step back, shouting, causing the two Feather Scholars to be stunned.

"Our ability to reach here is proof enough, isn’t it?" Qian Ruyi said with a smile, "Fellow Daoists, while you were in meditation absorbing the Thousand-Leaf Snow Lotus, the Zhou Family was destroyed by our Chaosheng Sect. Your mission has failed."

Zhang Shouchang immediately added, "I have learned that the Zhou Family attracted the two of you through ’shares’. Now that Yuqing Mountain belongs to our Chaosheng Sect, the agreement between the Zhou Family and yourselves is void. Now, consider your future path. What the Zhou Family could offer, I can too, under the same conditions, I invite you to join our Chaosheng Sect."

A tea’s time later, the four walked out of the mountain interior. Honored Guest Fang cupped his hands to the other three and then left, riding an escape light.

Although Zhang Shouchang earnestly persuaded him, he didn’t accept Chaosheng Sect’s conditions. He felt guilt in his heart, not yet able to switch allegiances so smoothly. Besides, after this incident, he felt some disillusionment, believing it was better to earn a salary in spirit stones than to ’invest’.

But another Feather Scholar, named Wan An, chose to stay.

Serving who wasn’t still service? The Zhou Family was wiped out due to their stupidity, and what did it have to do with him? This Chaosheng Sect was continuously growing, far stronger than the Zhou Family, providing greater security for his shares.

Having resolved the biggest issue, the Chaosheng Sect now had three Foundation Establishments. Among them, he was at Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, while the two elders were at Early-Stage Foundation Establishment. Controlling two secondary mid-level spirit veins at Bichao Mountain and Yuqing Mountain, Zhang Shouchang was full of ambition, waving his hand grandly: "Order the entire army to gather, and we’ll take down Lotus Peak in one fell swoop!"

The cultivators of Chaosheng Sect swiftly mobilized. Except for one team left to guard, everyone else, including the Third Elder and the Zhou Family cultivators he led, were summoned.

Two floating battleships reascended into the air, flying towards Lotus Peak. Dozens of escape lights spread out, surrounding the small Lotus Peak tightly.

On the flagship, the three Foundation Establishments looked at the Mountain Protection Grand Array of Lotus Peak and were all astonished. In the dense clouds and mist, faint green chains shuttled, with an extremely hazardous buzzing sound coming from within.

This was undoubtedly a Foundation Establishment level grand array!

Zhang Shouchang and Qian Ruyi exchanged glances, both knowing that it was set up by that peculiar Array Cultivator, Sect Leader Lu Qian of the Yunshan Sect. Wan An also frowned, sensing the dangerous aura of the grand array and unwilling to try it easily.

"Was there any movement from Lotus Peak just now?" Zhang Shouchang asked.

The cultivator monitoring Lotus Peak quickly replied, "Sect Leader, our brothers watched from the air and saw nothing unusual."

Could it be that the people of Lotus Peak intended to hide inside like turtles in their shells? Zhang Shouchang saw many buildings on the mountainside, then turned to ask the Third Elder, "Who lives here? Why aren’t they covered by the array?"

"This is the residence of my family’s non-familial cultivators," the Third Elder said respectfully.

Zhang Shouchang sneered, "The Zhou Family is declining, yet still practicing favoritism, drawing a line between the main and branch families. Who can they blame for their demise?"

After giving a few instructions, several disciples of Chaosheng Sect went to investigate and reported back that the buildings were now empty.

However, before Chaosheng Sect was surrounded, the former Young Master Zhou Chao led many people out. But there was no subsequent sighting of them escaping far away. Could they all be hiding in Lotus Peak?

Immediately, Zhang Shouchang waved his hand, and the spirit cannons of the two floating battleships had fully charged. Multicolored beams of light shot out, aiming straight for the grand array.