The disciples waiting outside the courtyard were filled with despair when they saw the shockwave descending. They had thought themselves dead for certain, yet all of them remained completely unharmed, leaving them momentarily stupefied.
"Where did the shockwave go? Why are we all fine?"
"Indeed, with that pressure just now, I truly believed I was about to perish."
"Could such a vast ball of Spiritual Qi really have emerged from inside the courtyard?"
Though still unsettled by fear, the disciples found it impossible to believe that such a terrifying ball of Spiritual Qi could originate from within the courtyard, especially since there were only three people inside, one of whom was a mortal.
An explosion of that magnitude surpassed even a strike from a Soul Formation Elder.
"What is happening? Why such a powerful attack? Could the Elders be fighting? Or is someone from outside attacking the Sect's grand formation?"
Lin Tiancheng had also felt the impact. His immediate thought was that the Elders had unleashed their power or that outsiders were assaulting the barrier, for only a Soul Formation cultivator could produce such a commotion.
"Sect Leader, the explosion came from Seven Stars Peak."
An inner disciple hurried forward to report.
"What? Could the Grand Elder have launched an attack on Seven Stars Peak?"
Hearing that the disturbance originated from Seven Stars Peak, Lin Tiancheng sprang to his feet and hastened toward it.
All the other Elders likewise flew toward Seven Stars Peak.
Their assumptions were identical: had the Grand Elder targeted Seven Stars Peak?
Only the Grand Elder himself was entirely bewildered. Who had struck? If Seven Stars Peak was under attack, he had better hurry there, lest the blame be pinned squarely upon him.
Before long, the Sect Leader and the Elders gathered in the skies above Seven Stars Peak.
While flying within the sect grounds was ordinarily forbidden, emergencies naturally warranted an exception.
"Have all the Elders arrived?"
Sect Leader Lin Tiancheng had arrived first. He had not descended because he found Seven Stars Peak entirely unscathed, showing no signs of having been attacked, though the protective formation had indeed activated, arousing his curiosity.
"Sect Leader, what on earth transpired here?"
Second Elder Yao Yongzhi inquired with similar puzzlement.
Though remaining silent, the other Elders watched the Sect Leader expectantly, hoping for an explanation.
"I arrived only a short while ago and have found nothing unusual."
Lin Tiancheng was himself perplexed; how could such a monumental commotion leave behind no trace at all?
"Hm? Did the Grand Elder arrive from the direction of Immortal Sword Peak?"
Noticing the Grand Elder arriving late, the crowd cast doubtful glances in his direction.
In their minds, the most likely culprit to strike at Seven Stars Peak was the Grand Elder, seeing as his Immortal Sword Peak had suffered repeated losses at the hands of Qin Xiao.
"Why are you all staring at me? I just got here as well.
Faced with everyone's gaze, Yao Tiansheng hastily defended himself.
"If none of us are responsible, and the Sect's grand formation bears no marks of assault, then who unleashed a Soul Formation stage attack?"
Third Elder Kang Zhengye asked skeptically.
"There is no sense in guessing. We need only descend and ask."
Curious himself, Yao Tiansheng desired to uncover the truth.
Following this, Sect Leader Lin Tiancheng and the nine Elders descended together onto Seven Stars Peak.
"Ah? The Sect Leader and the Elders?"
"Disciples pay respects to the Sect Leader, and to all the Elders."
As the ten figures touched down, the disciples lingering outside the courtyard snapped out of their shock and bowed.
"What are you doing here? Instead of properly cultivating on your respective peaks, are you standing watch at someone else's gate?"
Noticing disciples from Immortal Sword Peak among them, Yao Tiansheng barked a reprimand.
"Enough, Grand Elder. We should first question these disciples regarding what happened here."
Anxious to learn the truth, Lin Tiancheng had no patience for the Grand Elder's scolding.
"Speak at once! What occurred here, and what was that attack just now?"
Dropping the matter, Yao Tiansheng demanded answers.
Not daring to conceal anything, the disciples recounted the events from beginning to end.
Because the courtyard's formation on Seven Stars Peak had been active, they had been unable to perceive the interior from above and had come down to investigate.
"What? It was caused by Shimeng and Yun Man?"
Lin Tiancheng would never have anticipated such an answer.
"Reporting to the Sect Leader, every word this disciple speaks is true."
Checked by the inquiry, the disciple lowered his head in affirmation.
"So that is how it was. No wonder the Seventh Elder's formation activated; only an attack of that caliber could trigger its autonomous defense."
After a moment of reflection, Lin Tiancheng accepted the explanation, though he still found it hard to fathom how a Nascent Soul cultivator and a late-stage Golden Core cultivator could fuse their power into an attack rivaling the Soul Formation stage.
"So the formation really is functional? Master did not deceive me?"
Observing the shimmering barrier flowing across the courtyard, Qin Xiao's eyes widened in admiration.
Before departing, his master had instructed him that should a genuine crisis arise, he need only return to the courtyard and activate the formation to secure temporary protection. His master had also provided a token for controlling it.
Qin Xiao had not taken the matter very seriously at the time, reasoning that within the sect, such a defense would never be required; if he ever needed to activate it, he would surely be at his wit's end. Having lived peacefully for three years, he had nearly forgotten the formation entirely.
"Where is Qin Xiao? Open the formation at once."
Having learned the details, the Grand Elder intended to step inside, but finding his path barred by the barrier, he raised his voice in a shout.
"The Grand Elder's voice?"
Lost in his thoughts, Qin Xiao was startled to find the Grand Elder already present.
"Grand Elder, please wait a moment. I shall open the formation immediately."
With that, Qin Xiao hastened back into the main hall of the courtyard to retrieve the token.
Fortunately, the token had remained resting beneath the portrait undisturbed, save for a thick layer of dust accumulated over long disuse.
"What are you doing with that object? Hurry and open the formation."
Lin Shimeng watched him pick up the dusty token, her expression doubtful.
"Ah, Senior Sister Lin, this token controls the formation."
Qin Xiao replied with a trace of embarrassment.
To think he had left such a precious item gathering dust without ever utilizing it; it was truly a waste.
"Master, we possess such a formidable formation, yet you never mentioned it to me."
Yun Man stepped closer with an inquisitive look.
"Well, as for that... your master quite forgot the existence of this formation. Had you not caused such an explosion just now, I likely would have forgotten it altogether."
Qin Xiao was indeed speaking the truth; without this incident, he probably would not have remembered it until driven to desperation.
Clutching the token without knowing the proper incantation, Qin Xiao simply called out "Open," and the formation duly parted.
Anticipating this long beforehand, the Seventh Elder had imbued the token with Qin Xiao's voice imprint, allowing vocal commands alongside spiritual power.
"Oh? It truly is voice-controlled?"
Seeing the barrier open before him, Qin Xiao felt a mild sense of wonder.
"Fumbling about as usual! Was this commotion caused by the two of you?"
The Grand Elder launched into an interrogation the moment he stepped through, leaving Lin Tiancheng no opportunity to speak.
Naturally, Yao Tiansheng was incensed; he had nearly been forced to shoulder the blame for the disaster.
"Ah, this is merely a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding."
Qin Xiao hurried forward to smooth things over.
"Enough, Grand Elder. Since no harm was done, let this matter rest."
Lin Tiancheng stepped in to mediate, especially since his own daughter was implicated.
"Rest? That will not do. With a disturbance of this scale, should any disciples in secluded cultivation suffer a failed breakthrough or backlash injuries, who shall bear the responsibility?"
Unrelenting, the Grand Elder pressed the issue.
"If so, then since Seven Stars Peak is indeed at fault, I shall compensate each Elder with twenty thousand spirit stones as a token of our apologies."
Unwilling to let the matter drag on, Qin Xiao offered compensation.
"Very well, I have no objections."
Sixth Elder Wen Yuanying of Spirit Spring Peak was the first to consent.
Her agreement stemmed partly from the fact that the tremors, while noticeable, were not as catastrophic as the Grand Elder claimed, and partly from a desire to foster friendly relations with Seven Stars Peak.
The remaining peak masters and elders quickly followed suit. Securing twenty thousand spirit stones without effort meant they suffered no loss whatsoever.
"Hmph. Since the other Elders raise no objections, this old man has nothing more to say."
Intent on using the occasion to suppress Qin Xiao, Yao Tiansheng found himself checked by the collective agreement of the others and could voice no further complaint.
"Since all agree, this junior shall distribute the compensation at once."
Seeing that consensus had been reached, Qin Xiao stepped forward to dispense the payment, pouring out twenty thousand spirit stones before each individual. Any problem resolvable by wealth was no problem at all, and spirit stones were the one resource he possessed in abundance.
Watching his casual method of payment, the Elders wore fluctuating expressions. Was the lad offering compensation or merely flaunting his wealth?
Their business concluded, the Elders departed. As she left, Lin Shimeng cast one final glance back at Qin Xiao.
She had not expected him to take full responsibility upon his own shoulders, and her estimation of him rose accordingly.
"Disciple, an auction is to be held in Tianyuan City seven days from now. We shall attend to procure emergency pills. Relying entirely upon spirit liquid whenever danger arises is far from ideal. It is not that your master begrudges the cost, but as the saying goes: do not flaunt wealth. Should malicious individuals catch wind of this, they might harbor ill intentions and attempt to seize it from us."
With the visitors gone, Qin Xiao addressed Yun Man with a solemn expression.
Consuming two drops of spirit liquid during their spar had not been overly extravagant, but if she formed a habit of draining it during future perils and word leaked out, it could invite a fatal calamity.
"This disciple was in the wrong and will heed Master's arrangements."
Realizing her impulsiveness that day, Yun Man acknowledged her error without hesitation.
"Master does not fault you; we simply need to ensure we possess sufficient life-saving measures. Return to your cultivation, and in seven days, you shall accompany me to Tianyuan City."
Patting Yun Man's head in reassurance, Qin Xiao dismissed her.
For the next seven days, aside from curious disciples occasionally coming to peer at Seven Stars Peak, the area remained entirely undisturbed, and Qin Xiao simply ignored the onlookers.