The Fenglei Mystic Qi Tower was the only cultivation tower in Fenglei Xuanzong, and it was also the sect's most valuable structure—built by the First Sect Master himself.
It contained more than six hundred formations, drawing in earth-vein qi from within a hundred-li radius.
In truth, the Fenglei Mystic Qi Tower was the real core of the entire sect.
The tower-guarding elder had seen Lin Ye yesterday, so when Lin Ye arrived, the elder immediately stood up to welcome him.
Each core disciple was allowed to enter the Fenglei Mystic Qi Tower for ten hours of cultivation time per month.
As for inner disciples—there was no chance.
Lin Ye's former self had never come, because his strength was insufficient. Even though he held the title of core disciple, his Spirit Spring Realm cultivation meant that taking a single breath inside would likely scorch him.
"Greetings, Sect Master."
"Mm. I came to test this Mystic Qi Tower."
Lin Ye spoke calmly.
Although Lin Ye cultivated by drawing power from the Shura Blood Sea, the richer the external spiritual qi, the faster his absorption and refinement would become.
And when spiritual qi was abundant during cultivation, it also benefited the physical body.
"The Fenglei Mystic Qi Tower has seven floors. Each floor has fifteen cultivation chambers. The lower four floors are for disciples. The upper three floors contain qi that is far too dense—only those at the Earth-Transformation Realm can withstand it. But with the Sect Master's strength, even the top floor is no issue."
The tower-guarding elder handed Lin Ye a key.
He wanted to guide Lin Ye personally, but Lin Ye refused.
"I can go up myself."
Lin Ye took the key and stepped inside, quietly reflecting that this was the advantage of power.
In the past, if he wanted to cultivate inside the Mystic Qi Tower, he would inevitably face countless difficulties and deliberate obstruction from the tower-guarding elder.
But now, he could enter whenever he wished.
Zhang Wenxu happened to be exiting the tower at that moment.
When he saw Lin Ye walking in—and saw the normally cold and arrogant tower-guarding elder bowing and scraping before him—Zhang Wenxu's heart jolted in shock.
That posture, that expression… it looked like the elder would roll on the ground twice if Lin Ye told him to.
Zhang Wenxu inhaled sharply.
The news that Lin Ye had regained his status as a core disciple had already spread.
And rumors said the Fifth Elder and Sixth Elder had both died.
As for what truly happened in the main peak's grand hall that day, few people actually knew.
But after thinking carefully, Zhang Wenxu no longer dared to clash with Lin Ye.
Especially now that he had personally witnessed the tower elder's attitude.
"Greetings… greetings, Senior Brother Lin Ye."
Zhang Wenxu immediately bent at the waist and saluted.
"Mm."
Lin Ye still remembered Zhang Wenxu. After getting beaten last time, the man had become much more obedient.
Besides, Lin Ye had even visited the Zhang Clan in Lei River City and extorted twenty-five million spirit stones from Zhang Wenxu's father.
When Zhang Wenxu lowered his head and noticed the key in Lin Ye's hand, his shock intensified.
The cultivation rooms on the upper three floors were structurally different from those on the lower four floors, so their keys were different as well.
And the key Lin Ye held was clearly an upper-floor key.
Zhang Wenxu's mind trembled.
Lin Ye… had broken into the Earth-Transformation Realm?!
Previously, he had heard all kinds of stories about Lin Ye killing numerous Law Enforcement Hall experts and slaying countless people, but those tales sounded too unbelievable—more like a fantasy novel than reality.
Yet seeing the truth in person was utterly different.
The direct pressure was overwhelming.
Zhang Wenxu did not even dare lift his head.
Lin Ye, however, paid him no attention at all.
He went straight to the seventh floor.
In fact, even while climbing the stairs, one could feel the rising density of spiritual qi inside the tower.
And because the tower drew in massive amounts of earth-vein qi, the ambient pressure was extremely heavy.
An ordinary hundred-pound object, if weighed inside, would easily register as three hundred pounds.
It was a change in gravity caused by the concentration of earth-vein qi.
The seventh floor contained only one cultivation chamber.
Lin Ye opened the stone door.
The moment he stepped inside, the crushing pressure was ten times greater than outside.
In the entire Fenglei Xuanzong, the only person who could endure this level before today was Pei Tianzhuo.
Even Song Wuque could not.
"Not bad."
With such a place—combined with the amplification of his Nether Passage Mystic Vein—his cultivation speed would soar.
Lin Ye sat down on a stone platform and began circulating the Nine Revolutions Shura Art.
Immediately, the surrounding earth-vein qi was drawn toward him on its own, flooding into his qi sea.
At the same time, the Star-Calling Bridge above his qi sea rapidly connected to the blood-red star above the Shura Blood Sea.
Streams of power poured into his body.
The Nether Passage Mystic Vein amplified his cultivation speed threefold.
Vast quantities of mystic qi were continuously absorbed and refined by Lin Ye.
While Lin Ye was in closed-door cultivation, news arrived from one of Fenglei Xuanzong's mining regions.
They had discovered a new spirit-stone vein beneath the existing mine—ten times richer than the original.
But a problem had arisen.
Because part of the new vein extended into the territory of the Fire Cauldron Sect.
A temporary meeting hall was convened inside Fenglei Xuanzong.
The original grand hall had already been destroyed.
Lin Ye had leveled it with a single strike—an assembly hall that had cost thirty million spirit stones to build.
"The Fire Cauldron Sect is nothing but a filthy alchemy sect. What is there to fear? How dare they oppose Fenglei Xuanzong?"
The elders' seats totaled eighteen.
As long as ten elders were present, a meeting could proceed, but any decision required at least eight votes of approval.
Because of the massive upheaval two days earlier, fourteen elders attended this meeting in full.
Wen Lang had already become Deputy Sect Master.
One elder was assigned to guard the Mystic Qi Tower and did not participate.
The Fifth Elder and Sixth Elder positions had been filled temporarily, but no official new elders had been appointed yet.
Second Elder Jin Shengbai spoke.
Now, what did Fenglei Xuanzong have to fear?
Setting aside the secluded Supreme Elder, the sect still had three Heavenly Phenomenon Realm experts.
And on top of that, Lin Ye's existence—someone who could contend with the Star River Realm.
The Fire Cauldron Sect was something they could crush at will.
"The Listening Mystery Peak's intelligence indicates that the Fire Cauldron Sect has allied with the Azure Thunder Sword Sect. They intend to swallow our spirit-stone vein."
The Azure Thunder Sword Sect.
Broadly speaking, the Fenglei Riverlands was divided into five major regions, each ruled by a top-tier sect.
Fenglei Xuanzong was one of them.
It was the hegemon of its region.
There were smaller forces such as the Earthsplit Sect and the Skyaxe Gate, but none posed a true threat to Fenglei Xuanzong.
The Azure Thunder Sword Sect was the hegemon of another region.
It had existed longer than Fenglei Xuanzong and possessed deeper foundations.
The Fire Cauldron Sect had always preferred to remain neutral.
No one expected it to ally with the Azure Thunder Sword Sect this time.
To reach into Fenglei Xuanzong's mine was pure audacity.
They had to make the Fire Cauldron Sect understand how hard Fenglei Xuanzong's fist truly was.
"Azure Thunder Sword Sect… hmph. If they dare stretch their hand into Fenglei Xuanzong's territory, I will chop that hand off!"
Grand Elder Song Wuque snorted coldly.
Several elders nodded in agreement.
"However, I heard the Azure Thunder Sword Sect has been rising like wildfire recently, absorbing several sects in succession."
"Should we first ask for the Sect Master's opinion?"
One elder suggested it.
Wen Lang shook his head.
Everyone looked toward him.
"No need. The Sect Master does not participate in sect decision-making unless we encounter a problem we cannot resolve. Only then do we seek his instruction."
Lin Ye had made his stance extremely clear.
Fight however they wished. Kill however they wished. Develop however they wished.
But if they learned of any treasures someone possessed, they should simply seize them outright.
The message could not have been more direct.
"In that case, we will issue the final ultimatum. If within three days the Fire Cauldron Sect and the Azure Thunder Sword Sect do not withdraw from our mining region, they will bear the consequences!"
A spirit-stone vein—especially one ten times richer than the original—meant unimaginable output.
Such profit could never be handed over.
Establishing sects and building power was ultimately about fighting for resources like this.