Peach Blossom Stronghold was a village of verdant mountains and clear waters, nestled between several majestic, towering mountain ranges.
The vast Peach Blossom Stronghold was a land of opposing green mountains and the Wolfwood Ancient Forest.
Countless peach blossoms fell in a vibrant, swirling shower.
A multicolored miasma hung over the mountains, clearly indicating the presence of deadly poison.
The stronghold seemed to be built atop an Earth Vein. As Qin Feng’s Divine Thought swept across the area, he discovered that the Earth Veins of these mountain ranges had been refined by a Mystic Master. They were filled with countless Prohibition Runes, all linked together.
They were like iron chains stretched across the sky—a terrifying sight!
Countless powerful auras were gathered within the stronghold. With a brief scan, Qin Feng sensed the auras of no fewer than five Great Powers.
He even sensed the aura of a Grotto Heaven.
Through his Spiritual Sense, Qin Feng felt thousands of auras converging near this Grotto Heaven’s presence. The fluctuations of power were exceptionally brilliant. To his senses, the Grotto Heaven was like a star in the sky.
It was like a real peach blossom tree.
But that wasn’t all. Qin Feng also saw countless Earth Veins and Spirit Veins connected to this Grotto Heaven, making it the hub of the entire vast landscape.
‘To break Peach Blossom Stronghold, I would have to break this Grotto Heaven first!’
‘The Star Sect is truly formidable. This is a strategy of fueling war with war. No wonder those True Disciples rack their brains trying to get into the various battlefields. If one can turn their own Grotto Heaven into a hub, it’s almost like using the power of the entire landscape to help refine it. That would save countless years of effort!’
This was another method of cultivation: refining a Grotto Heaven with the power of the landscape and its Earth Veins.
Furthermore, countless Martial Arts Strongmen toiled away, helping to manage and build the area.
The power of this single stronghold was comparable to an ordinary third-class sect!
“Please inform the Village Chief that the Master of Fubo Cave has come to register!”
Qin Feng entered Peach Blossom Stronghold to register with the Village Chief as per the rules.
At the gate, several Star Soldiers and Star Generals with powerful auras thick with Evil Qi sized up the black-robed youth before them. Stationed at Peach Blossom Stronghold, they were worldly men. Seeing Qin Feng’s demeanor, they immediately knew he was no ordinary person. They became even more respectful when he identified himself as the Master of Fubo Cave.
“Please wait a moment, sir. We will go and announce you!” one of the Star Soldiers said before speeding off toward the depths of the stronghold.
Qin Feng felt countless faint Divine Thoughts probe him from the shadows as soon as he revealed his identity.
Qin Feng frowned. The next moment, his figure flickered, becoming like an invisible vortex.
“Hmph.”
A moment later, numerous muffled groans sounded from the shadows, their owners’ gazes filled with shock.
Qin Feng was even stronger than they had imagined.
He was like a bottomless black hole.
“So that’s the Master of Fubo Cave.” Deep within the stronghold, atop a wooden building, two young men in Silver Battle Armor looked down condescendingly at Qin Feng outside the gate.
“I heard it took him less than two years to go from entering All Stars Academy to being promoted to a True Disciple!” one of them, a young man with an emerald tattoo near the corner of his eye, remarked, his gaze sweeping coolly over Qin Feng.
“Just some sheltered brat straight out of a greenhouse,” the other young man said with a sneer, crossing his arms and looking at Qin Feng with disdain.
He was tall with bronze-colored skin and short hair that stood up like barbs, exuding an aggressive aura.
Beneath Peach Blossom Stronghold were ten Spirit Mountains. Each Spirit Mountain had a Mountain Lord, and under each Mountain Lord were various Cave Masters.
Fubo Cave had originally been under the jurisdiction of the Master of Rotten Peach Mountain within Peach Blossom Stronghold.
However, because Qin Feng and the others held the status of True Disciples, the cave was partitioned off as an independent territory. This created a natural hostility in many of the other Cave Masters.
“Let’s go meet this high and mighty True Disciple!” With a flash, the two of them appeared outside the stronghold’s gate.
“So you’re the legendary Chief Alchemist of the Medicine King Hall? I heard you advanced to True Disciple while still in the Sea of Reincarnation Realm. You’re not quite what I expected from the rumors.”
Hearing the provocation in his tone, Qin Feng looked up. Two young men had appeared silently about ten steps in front of him.
Both men had powerful auras. From a distance, a surging pressure washed over Qin Feng like a tidal wave.
‘Are they trying to intimidate me?’
Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. “And you two are?”
“I am Kong Fang, Cave Master of Spirit Source Cave, under the command of Rotten Peach Mountain!”
“And I am Mi Yi Yuan, Cave Master of Wuyun Cave, also under Rotten Peach Mountain!”
Faint smirks played on their lips. They fully intended to make a fool out of Qin Feng. Two auras, both nearing the level of a Half-Step Martial Arts Peak Power, descended upon him like a thunderbolt.
Meanwhile, atop another tall building, two strongmen with imposing temperaments were watching the scene.
They were Ling Mufeng, the Master of Rotten Peach Mountain, and Long Shuyun, the Mountain Lord of Jiupan Mountain.
Both had profound expressions, radiating an aura of authority that inspired awe without any hint of anger.
“Brother Ling, it seems your two favorite subordinates are dead set on giving this new Cave Master a show of force,” Long Shuyun remarked.
Long Shuyun’s gaze was peculiar as he observed the unfolding scene.
The Master of Rotten Peach Mountain, Ling Mufeng, watched with a calm gaze and said nonchalantly, “It’s just a bit of roughhousing, nothing to worry about. These young people need a baptism by fire when they first arrive at the Barbaric Battlefield. It will help them adapt.”
The Mountain Lord of Jiupan Mountain scoffed. He knew perfectly well that the Master of Rotten Peach Mountain was just venting his frustration over Fubo Cave being made independent.
Every Spirit Cave was tied to the interests of its Mountain Lord.
Beyond the various strongholds and Grotto Heavens, the Ten Directions Mountain was also home to countless mountain folk, smaller strongholds, and mountain cities.
To have a cave partitioned off was to lose a significant amount of profit for no good reason.
Other losses were manageable, but losing the annual harvest of Mind Power Pearls was heartbreaking.
If one of his own Spirit Caves were to be partitioned off without reason, he would be displeased too.
This Kong Fang, the Cave Master of Spirit Source Cave, and Mi Yi Yuan, the Cave Master of Wuyun Cave, were both highly capable subordinates under the Master of Rotten Peach Mountain.
Both were at the Realm of Half-Step Martial Arts Peak Power.
Among the many Cave Masters serving under the various Mountain Lords, they were considered outstanding.
“You two Cave Masters are too kind!”
Qin Feng chuckled lightly. When the two immense auras passed over him, they felt like nothing more than a spring breeze on his face.
Kong Fang and Mi Yi Yuan’s expressions changed. They felt as if their auras had landed on a mountain of cotton—there was no purchase, no resistance. It was incredibly strange.
Just then, Qin Feng suddenly looked up and grinned. In an instant, an incredibly violent aura erupted from him, crashing toward them like a ferocious storm.
BANG!
The ground trembled under their feet. The next moment, their faces flushed crimson as their Qi and Blood surged, almost causing them to spray a mouthful of blood mist.
Their eyes filled with terror. From that single blow, they felt as if their bodies had been shattered. If Qin Feng hadn’t held back, they would have been utterly humiliated!
“A Martial Dao Great Power?” The Master of Rotten Peach Mountain, Ling Mufeng, and the Mountain Lord of Jiupan Mountain, Long Shuyun, exchanged a look, both seeing the shock in the other’s eyes.
That aura definitely belonged to a Martial Dao Great Power!
“Weren’t the reports saying he was only at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm?” The faces of the two mountain masters showed their disbelief.
Kong Fang and Mi Yi Yuan looked horrified. When they saw Qin Feng give them a slight nod, their faces went pale. ℴ
“Master Qin, the Vice Village Chief invites you in!”
The Vice Village Chief of Peach Blossom Stronghold was a gentle-looking, beautiful woman named Lian Biyun. After learning of Qin Feng’s identity, she immediately prepared the necessary documents.
“Master Qin, I will report your arrival to Lin Village Chief. He has been in seclusion for the past half-month cultivating his Divine Abilities. You may go. From now on, as long as there are no major incidents, you only need to report to Peach Blossom Stronghold once a year.”