Beneath each cave were countless strongholds and mountain cities.
Above these strongholds and mountain cities, all had Divine Temples of the Star Sect.
The Wish Power Pearls condensed from faith were of the utmost importance.
According to the rules, when a cave collected Wish Power Pearls, they could only keep ten percent and had to hand over ninety percent.
Then, a Mountain Lord would take twenty percent and hand over seventy percent.
Peach Blossom Stronghold would keep twenty percent and hand over fifty percent to Shaoyang Stronghold.
Shaoyang Stronghold would also keep twenty percent and hand over thirty percent to the Eastern Demon Subduing Celestial King Palace.
Each layer had a clearly defined role.
If any layer made a mistake, the consequences would be dire. Not only would their superiors refuse to let it slide, but the Star Sect itself would also pay close attention.
Qin Feng understood this point very well.
Although Lian Biyun had been very polite, Qin Feng faintly sensed a rejection, a resistance toward him from the entire Peach Blossom Stronghold.
Never mind Village Chief Lin Guangdong; none of the other Mountain Lords or Cave Masters showed up, except for two who had come looking for trouble.
The atmosphere was decidedly cold.
Many Star Soldiers and Star Generals passed by, occasionally casting inquisitive glances his way, but after whispering amongst themselves, they would quickly retreat.
Qin Feng didn’t understand the intricacies of the situation, but he instinctively grew more guarded.
After bidding farewell to Lian Biyun, Qin Feng flew toward Fubo Cave.
Fubo Cave was located on Lush Peach Mountain within Peach Blossom Stronghold’s territory. It was a desolate wilderness roamed by wild beasts, with withered autumn leaves and overgrown weeds.
Atop tall wooden towers, some Star Soldiers and Star Generals had established a stronghold.
From a distance, Qin Feng could see that the area was protected by a Prohibition. The miasma was held back by the power of an Earth Vein Prohibition, creating a large expanse of clear, clean air.
At the foot of the mountain lay a pool of water as clear as a mirror.
Hidden Dragon Pool!
The water surged, dark as ink. It was clearly a yin-aspected pool!
Legend had it that this place was originally called Black Dragon Pool. A Black Dragon used to emerge and cause chaos until it was slain in this very pool by an unparalleled expert. Afterward, the nearby mountain folk renamed it Hidden Dragon Pool.
This was a treasured pool.
The pool was extremely yin-aspected, and its water had special properties that Innately attracted all sorts of poisonous creatures. It was a rare treasure ground for Poison Cultivators.
Powerful venomous insects were often seen around the pool’s edge.
There were even rare Alien Species.
From high in the sky, Qin Feng saw miasma churning across the land. Even the Earth Vein itself had been tempered by potent toxic essence, forming a peculiar Poison Vein.
There were countless such veins, all originating from Hidden Dragon Pool.
‘What a desolate and wretched place!’
Qin Feng saw a group of Star Soldiers lazily herding sheep on the mountain.
Qin Feng swept the area with his Divine Thought, and his brow furrowed the next moment. According to the sect’s decree, he was to be allocated three thousand elite soldiers. Yet, in the stronghold below, there weren’t even three hundred.
And they were the old, weak, sick, and disabled at that.
Most wore tattered, sparse pieces of Star Armor. The auras they exuded were mostly around the Martial Arts Seventh Layer Heaven. Qin Feng scanned the entire stronghold.
There were only about a dozen Martial Artists at the Condensing Vein Realm.
As for experts at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm, there wasn’t a single one.
‘Are they deliberately trying to screw with me?’ Qin Feng snorted coldly to himself.
With a flash, Qin Feng appeared at the entrance to Fubo Cave.
It was called a cave, but it was merely a crude stronghold built atop a Spirit Vein.
“Who dares trespass in Fubo Cave? You must have a death wish!” 𝐟𝒓ℯⅇ
An arrogant voice carried over from a distance.
A slovenly, middle-aged Star Soldier with shifty, triangular eyes appeared before Qin Feng.
“Who is in charge of Fubo Cave right now? Tell him to come out.”
“And who are you? You think I’ll go get him just because you say so?” The Star Soldier glared at Qin Feng, holding out his hand.
A classic thuggish soldier, already asking for a bribe before anything was even done!
Qin Feng’s eyebrow twitched. He was tempted to give this clueless fellow a good slap, but after a moment’s thought, a Scroll appeared in the Star Soldier’s palm.
“Ooh, what a fine item! This looks like Starlight Silk spun by a top-grade Star Celestial Silkworm. Tsk tsk, it even seems to have Star Essence refined into it. Could this be some Upper Vehicle Martial Arts Skill? I didn’t expect you to be so generous!” The Star Soldier marveled, unrolling the Scroll.
“What’s this? ‘It is hereby decreed that the Star Sect True Inheritance disciple Qin Feng, for his outstanding talent and for bravely seizing fourth place in the trial at the True Inheritance Hall, is appointed as the Cave Master of Fubo Cave in Peach Blossom Stronghold, Ten Directions Mountain, Barbaric Battlefield, and is additionally ennobled as General Fubo…'”
The Star Soldier’s legs instantly went weak. “Cave Master, please forgive me! This lowly one deserves death! I was blind and failed to recognize you! Please, Cave Master, spare this subordinate’s worthless life!”
The Star Soldier was scared out of his wits. He presented the appointment letter with both hands, a bitter taste in his mouth, and kowtowed repeatedly.
“Enough. Go and get the one in charge!”
Qin Feng took back the appointment letter. The Star Soldier scrambled to his feet and rushed into the stronghold without daring to look back. Moments later, the entire stronghold was in an uproar.
The sound of a large group of hurried footsteps approached.
Leading them was a seedy-looking, middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache. He wore a Black Robe, and behind him followed a dozen fierce-looking men.
“Cave Master, your subordinate Sheng Yue has failed to welcome you from afar. I beg for your forgiveness!”
Qin Feng sized him up. “And you are?”
Sheng Yue glanced at Qin Feng and secretly used a Secret Technique to inspect him. He immediately drew in a sharp breath. The Qin Feng before him was like a boundless, starry sky—utterly unfathomable.
‘So strong!’ Sheng Yue became even more respectful. “This subordinate is Sheng Yue, the Chief Clerk of Fubo Cave!”
Then, he pointed to the three powerfully-built men ranked just behind him. “These three are Fubo Cave’s Civil Service Book, Military Book, and Criminal Book!”
As far as Qin Feng knew, each cave had six offices under its jurisdiction: Civil Service, Household, Rites, Military, Criminal, and Works.
The head of each office was called a “Book.”
For example, the head of the Criminal Office was the Criminal Book.
As Martial Artists, it was impossible for them to waste their precious time on such petty squabbles. Naturally, the tasks of collecting Wish Power Pearls and managing the various strongholds and mountain cities fell to these six offices.
Besides the six offices, there were also some miscellaneous positions.
Of course, while Qin Feng looked down on these positions, they were rare “iron rice bowls” in the eyes of ordinary Independent Practitioner Martial Artists.
Although these positions were not high-ranking, they provided a stable income. Moreover, the people holding them could be considered unofficial disciples of a behemoth like the Star Sect.
However, Fubo Cave looked truly pathetic.
Of the six offices, only three were staffed.
Furthermore, most of their Cultivation levels were shallow. The Military Book, in charge of military affairs, was only at the Second Secret Realm of Meridian Condensation.
Qin Feng appeared in the Unity Hall. He frowned deeply as he looked at the sparse group of fewer than ten subordinates gathered there.
“Chief Clerk Sheng, as far as I know, every spiritual cave of the Star Sect—in addition to the six offices—should have an Inspector responsible for arresting thieves and maintaining order, an Instructor to guide disciples in their Cultivation, and a disciplinarian. Where have those people gone? Also, Fubo Cave is supposed to be garrisoned by the Three Thousand Star Soldiers and Generals. Where have they all gone!”
Rage was visible on Qin Feng’s face.
Sheng Yue glanced at Qin Feng, crying foul internally. “Well… Cave Master…”
Seeing Sheng Yue stuttering with a troubled expression, Qin Feng’s face darkened as a guess formed in his mind.
‘It seems someone in Peach Blossom Stronghold is deliberately trying to make things difficult for me!’
Qin Feng’s expression was grim. Only a few people in Peach Blossom Stronghold had the power to pull the rug out from under him like this.
He reckoned it had to be either those few Mountain Lords or certain other people within Peach Blossom Stronghold!
Even the most clever housewife can’t cook without rice. The goal of these people was clear: to prevent Qin Feng from establishing a firm foothold.
‘I’m sure this is just the beginning. More schemes are yet to come!’