Chapter 651 - Mountain Dew Sect (Patreon)

Mountain Dew Sect.

Sect Master Gunung and various Elders were holding a meeting.

“Sect Master, is the news true? Did the Leyan Family really raze the Gold Digger Sect in just a single night?” an Elder asked.

“Em, it’s true. There’s no mistake about it. The news has already been confirmed. The Gold Digger Sect is no more. Apparently, half of them were killed on the spot and the rest were imprisoned. Nobody managed to escape.” Sect Master Gunung replied solemnly.

“This… how did they even accomplish it? The Gold Digger Sect isn’t just a random sect like us. They have several Nascent Soul Realm powerhouses with them.” The Elder was shocked.

Sect Master Gunung’s mouth twitched. What do you mean random sect like us? Are we random? Don’t make me randomly demote you.

“According to the report, several witnesses say they saw a massive coral structure trapping the entire sect. When it disappeared, everything was already over.” Sect Master Gunung replied.

“Coral trapping the entire sect? Unbelievable. Just what kind of means does the Leyan Family possess now? I can’t believe they used to be a part of our sect.” Another Elder expressed pure amazement.

Vivian and Bobori glanced at each other. Having frequently visited the Leyan Family, they were naturally aware of a mysterious lady who lived in a coral mansion within the estate.

Through a quiet sound transmission, Vivian asked, “Do you think it was Lady Coryl?”

Bobori replied just as softly, “It would explain the coral. No one else we know has that kind of power.”

“What are you talking about, Elder Merah? Elder Leyvi, Elder Anda, and Elder Lilian are still a part of our sect. They are our sect’s Famed Elders. Don’t forget about that.” Sect Master Gunung corrected.

Previously they had only been the sect’s Honorary Elders, a title given mainly out of respect.

But after their many contributions to the sect, Sect Master Gunung had decided to upgrade their title to Famed Elders. The change placed them on the same level as several legendary figures from the sect’s past, individuals whose names were still spoken with reverence generations later.

Nobody had objected to the decision. Their contributions were as clear as the sky. Thanks to the steady support of the Leyan Family, the overall strength of Mountain Dew Sect had risen at a pace few could have predicted.

Even though the sect still lacked a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse, the number of Core Formation Realm members had doubled over the past decade. That alone was a staggering achievement. At the same time, the ranks of Qi Refining Realm and Foundation Building Realm disciples had grown significantly, and the momentum showed no sign of slowing. For the first time in many years, the future of Mountain Dew Sect truly looked bright.

“Ah. I misspoke. Forgive me, Sect Master. They are our most important sect members.” Elder Merah, who always wore red, corrected herself directly.

“But Sect Master, is the Leyan Family allowed to just destroy a sect like this? Won’t they get into trouble for it?” Another Elder asked, his concern plain.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t know every detail, but if they decided to act, I’m certain they already prepared for any consequences. It is possible there will be none at all.” Sect Master Gunung said with quiet certainty.

“How can you be so sure, Sect Master?” the same Elder asked.

“I trust what I have seen. They have created miracle after miracle. Every time news about them spreads, it is something that should not be possible. And every single time, they have come out ahead. This will be no different. Whatever happens next, I believe it will benefit them once again.” Sect Master Gunung replied, his confidence steady and absolute.

“And even if they end up getting into trouble, our Mountain Dew Sect will stand with them and remain on their side.” He continued after a slight pause.

Most of the Elders in the hall nodded in agreement. Only a few still looked unconvinced.

Those few belonged to the opposing faction that had long stood against the Sect Master.

Decades ago, the two factions had been roughly equal in number. Over time, however, the opposing side had steadily lost ground. Each success Sect Master Gunung delivered made his leadership harder to challenge, and many who once doubted him gradually shifted their support. What had once been a balanced rivalry had become a clear majority in his favor.

The turning point had come more than a decade earlier, during the decision surrounding the three cultivation talents the sect had obtained: two top-grade spirit roots and one high-grade spirit root.

The opposing faction had wanted to reduce the cultivation resources given to ordinary disciples so that everything could be focused on nurturing those three talents for the sect’s future.

Sect Master Gunung had disagreed. He believed such a choice would damage the foundation of the sect itself.

The resources prepared for disciples were earned through tasks and labor. Taking those rewards away after the work had already been done, simply to favor three individuals, would create lasting resentment.

Disciples would begin to see the talents as the reason their own efforts no longer mattered. In the end, the sect would grow divided rather than stronger. As someone who had always preferred peace and harmony within Mountain Dew Sect, he could not accept that outcome.

Instead of cutting resources from the other disciples, Sect Master Gunung and his faction volunteered to sacrifice their own cultivation time. For two years they frequently left the sect and worked to gather extra resources specifically for the three talents.

That decision carried real weight. Many from the opposing faction were moved by the willingness to bear the cost personally rather than force it onto others.

That choice not only won over many from the opposing side, but it ultimately earned Leyvi’s approval as well.

The Leyan Family had been pouring resources into Mountain Dew Sect ever since. No one in Gunung’s faction needed to sacrifice their cultivation time any longer. In fact, they now possessed a comfortable surplus they could use for themselves.

Even so, although the opposing faction had greatly diminished in number, Sect Master Gunung never attempted to drive them out or fully consolidate power. That had never been his goal.

At the end of the day, everyone present still worked for the sake of the sect. They simply held different opinions and preferred different methods. As long as that shared care for the sect remained, he saw no need to force them away.

After that, the meeting moved on to the continent-wide hunting operation. They confirmed which members of Mountain Dew Sect would participate and when they would depart for the cultivator city of their territory.

Later in the same meeting, Sect Master Gunung suddenly received a message from Anda. He did not waste a moment and read it at once.

“WHAT??”

Sect Master Gunung shot up from his seat so abruptly that the chair scraped loudly against the floor. His eyes went wide, staring at the array communication device as if it might suddenly change its words. He read the message again, then a third time, still struggling to believe what he was seeing.

“What’s going on, Sect Master?” the Elders asked, clearly puzzled.

None of them had ever seen him react with such intensity. Whatever the message contained, it had to be something extraordinary.

“HAHAHA! HAHAHA!”

The shock broke all at once. Sect Master Gunung threw his head back and laughed, the sound deep and unrestrained, echoing through the hall. Tears streamed freely down his face as he clutched the communication device, still laughing as if he could not stop.

“Come on, Sect Master! Stop laughing and tell us! What news did you receive?” The Elders grew even more curious, some already rising from their seats in their eagerness to know.

After calming down, with tears still streaming down his cheeks, Sect Master Gunung announced the news with open happiness.

“I’ve just received a message from Elder Anda. She told me that our Mountain Dew Sect can claim the Gold Digger Sect’s previous site. It will be ours to manage from now on! HAHAHA!”

“WHAT??”

This time it was the Elders’ turn to be shocked. Several of them rose halfway from their seats. Others simply stared, as if they needed a moment to confirm they had heard correctly.

Everyone knew the land the Gold Digger Sect had occupied was rich with resources. Now all of it would fall under Mountain Dew Sect’s management. It was the greatest news the sect could possibly receive.

From this day forward, resource problems would no longer hold them back. They might even reach the same height the Gold Digger Sect had once held, and perhaps climb higher still. The path ahead suddenly looked wider than any of them had dared to imagine.

“HAHAHA!”

The Elders began laughing as well, the sound filling the hall with unrestrained joy. Vivian and Bobori joined in without hesitation.

The few remaining members of the opposing faction sat in stunned silence as they watched the joyful scene unfold.

They had expected trouble to follow the Leyan Family’s actions. Instead, Mountain Dew Sect had gained an enormous benefit. Not a small advantage, but an entirely new and promising future that would reshape everything for years to come.

The leader of the opposing faction let out a long, quiet sigh. He sat still for a moment, looking around the hall at the faces of those celebrating. In that silence he finally accepted what he had been resisting for years. He truly could not compete with Gunung any longer, and perhaps he never should have tried so hard to begin with.

From this point on, he decided he would put all of his effort and dedication into contributing to the sect rather than competing for position. The old rivalry no longer mattered.

Mountain Dew Sect was already heading in the best possible direction, and for the first time he felt ready to walk that path without resistance.

...

Bara City.

A few days had already passed, yet the fall of the Gold Digger Sect remained the biggest topic of conversation throughout the city.

With the recent increase in population, the streets felt even livelier than usual. People gathered in small groups, voices overlapping as they shared the latest details and rumors.

The discussions only grew fiercer after City Lord Layla’s announcement earlier that day.

Everyone was now talking about the public execution of Sect Master Bagon and his closest followers, scheduled to take place in the city’s grand plaza the following day.

The event would be broadcast so that every resident could witness it.

What shocked people most was the identity of the executioner. The public execution would be carried out personally by Bara City’s most respected and most feared figure, the South Region’s famed Alchemy Grandmaster, Big Madam Anda Leyan.

Speculation filled the streets. Some believed she wanted to make an example that no one would ever forget. Others whispered that she simply enjoyed the authority such a moment gave her. A few even wondered whether there was a deeper reason she had not yet revealed. Whatever the truth, the entire city was waiting to see what she would do.

In Layla’s office, Envoy Diana was equally puzzled as she posed the question to Anda.

Even as an Envoy who had seen many things, Diana found herself growing more unsettled the longer she spent around Anda.

She simply could not figure out what Anda was thinking, and that uncertainty left a cold weight in her chest. The more time she spent near her, the less predictable Anda seemed, and the more Diana felt she was standing beside someone whose mind moved on a level she could not reach.

What unsettled her most of all was the aftermath of that night. With the exception of the sect master and his closest followers, nearly everyone Anda had burned to death in agony had later been verified to have committed truly heinous crimes. Those she had allowed to live showed no evidence of involvement in such activities.

The accuracy was almost unnatural. It was as if Anda had already known every secret before the first flame was lit. This was what made Diana truly fearful. How had she known the difference so precisely?