Chapter 117: The Sect Leader Has Fled, Senior Brother, Please Divide the Luggage

Finally emerging from the Scripture Pavilion, Cao Chengyu let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his cultivation level had not been exposed, and he had learned quite a bit. The alternative escape technique he used on the spot was also fairly convincing.

He touched the jeweled crown on his head and felt much more at ease. The crown contained one hundred and twenty-eight black pearls, each concealing a tiny storage pouch. Though the space was limited, it was perfect for holding books.

Especially since the items offered for the Golden Core exchange were few—only a few hundred scrolls—which was enough for him to carry away. There were no cultivation guides or experiential manuals included.

It seemed that once one’s realm reached a certain height, even within the sect, teachings were never given without reservation. The situation was frustrating and bewildering.

After leaving, Cao Chengyu first went to the Yin-Yang Daoist Academy on Bow Mountain’s Strange Peak to temporarily store the stolen books. Since the Yin-Yang Daoist had died, no one else dared to enter, so placing them there was a precaution against the sect’s tracking methods or special sensing techniques.

To prevent such occurrences, this was the safest spot. Aside from the Daoist acolytes, no one else was present, ensuring security.

Once that was arranged, he flew to the Water Element Peak to notify Chen Yuqing. Among the five peaks and the hidden veins, only one insider remained alive. It was she who had originally unearthed Xiao Yan, and Cao Chengyu had noticed her before.

However, lately, he had been under considerable pressure regarding his women. He decided to postpone matters for a while, not being the type to rush to clear the leaderboards.

This was Cao Chengyu’s first time meeting Chen Yuqing.

She was not very tall, her skin smooth and radiant, with long black hair cascading over her shoulders, unadorned by any makeup.

Dressed in plain white robes, her flat figure and stiff demeanor made her, despite her delicate features, uninspiring and distant.

Beside her stood a middle-aged man in five-colored robes.

He was Chen Ze, the sect master of the Five Elements Sect.

Rumored to be nearly twelve hundred years old and nearing the lifespan limit of the Golden Core stage, it was unclear if he could break through to Nascent Soul. Yet there was no hint of decline about him. Standing next to Chen Yuqing, his expression was one of ingratiation.

“Qing’er, just come with me. The elders will watch over the sect; nothing will happen,” he coaxed.

“No. I am one of the vein masters; the Water Element Peak needs me,” she replied.

“You...”

“Can’t you just listen to your father once?”

Cao Chengyu entered without expression, pretending not to hear. After respectfully bowing, he spoke.

“Sect Master, Vein Master Chen, Senior Sister Lan Lou asked me to inform you that the books on the Purple Mansion and Golden Core floors of the Scripture Pavilion were stolen by thieves. The culprits have not yet been caught.”

After speaking, Cao Chengyu glanced sideways at the two.

Chen Yuqing looked shocked, then angry. Her already expressionless face became even more intimidating. She prepared to set off immediately.

Chen Ze quickly pulled her back, seeming unsurprised.

At this moment, Chen Ze thought to himself: The old timers acted quickly—already dividing the spoils. He couldn’t let his daughter foolishly investigate.

It was better to take this chance to visit the treasure vault, take some resources, and leave.

Seeing he couldn’t persuade her, he pulled out his trump card.

“Forget this nonsense. Let Zhao Fengxian handle it. Haven’t you always wanted to see your mother? This time, I’m taking you to her.”

Chen Yuqing paused, lips curling into a slight smile, quietly grasping her father’s hand. Clearly, her mother mattered more than this damn sense of responsibility.

Chen Ze glanced coldly at Cao Chengyu.

“You may leave now. I will notify Elder Zhao Fengxian to investigate this matter.”

“Understood,” Cao Chengyu nodded and withdrew.

The sect master was clearly preparing to leave. It was best to retreat before the enemy showed up.

As for the sect’s honor... that was in the hands of the core Purple Mansion forces. Without them, how could these rotten old roots compete for the sect’s glory?

Maybe other sects could manage, but the Five Elements Sect clearly could not.

No one wanted to investigate this matter.

Cao Chengyu, unbothered, went to gather the stolen books.

The black-and-white cultivation robe he wore had forty-two storage pouches sewn inside. One pure cloth pouch was the usual resting place of the Heavenly Scent Spirit Cat, considered a mobile treasure trove.

Having consumed large amounts of leftover spirit medicines that Cao Chengyu himself couldn’t fully utilize, he had been in a state of advancement these past few days.

The plundering of the Scripture Pavilion would likely be forgotten.

No one cared. Zhao Fengxian was the sect’s second elder and the only one who still hoped the sect would survive.

But she was no fool; knowing the sect’s dissolution was inevitable, she had been gathering cultivators from poor backgrounds these days.

She planned to lead them away together, and as for those self-established factions, a simple notice before departure would count as humane treatment.

She also took a fourth-grade spirit vessel from the sect’s treasury, bringing along some unlucky souls.

For long-distance travel, mortals needed horses, but cultivators had a similar tool: the Flying Spirit Vessel, essentially a giant flying ship.

It was a masterpiece of the current era’s artificer cultivators.

The ship’s design allowed smooth movement through the air. For pure speed, diamond or spindle shapes were better, but for cost and capacity, the ship shape was chosen.

Equipped with bedrooms, pill refining rooms, artifact workshops, and meditation chambers, Cao Chengyu—planning to take a whole family with him—also needed such a Flying Spirit Vessel.

Originally, he intended to wait until the sect fell into chaos to seize one.

But Chen Ze’s words spurred him on immediately.

He headed straight to the Flying Spirit Mooring.

“Wow!”

The five hundred-meter-long fourth-grade spirit vessels were already gone. Of the three hundred-plus third-grade vessels originally there, only a dozen remained.

“Good thing I came. Damn, who needs so many spirit vessels at the Golden Core stage? Moving coffins?” Cao Chengyu muttered as he chose a third-grade vessel about fifty meters long and twenty meters high, and charged aboard.

He had no storage pouches for this, so he had planned to take it last.

Now there was no time to worry about that. The Golden Core cultivators took the big ships; he’d take a small one—a very clever move.

Quickly mastering the central spiritual array controlling the vessel, he invested a hundred lower-grade spirit stones.

The ship sprang to life.

Through the vessel’s array patterns simulating his divine sense, he could clearly see everything within a thousand meters, making navigation easy.

The array worked like radar. Using only his divine sense to navigate risked attacks from other cultivators, but the “radar” effect blocked such attacks aimed at his divine sense.

A very clever design.

Cao Chengyu piloted the vessel toward the outer city of Guan Mountain, preparing to pick up family and friends, and deciding whether to bring Luo Yuzhu along.

His unauthorized use of the vessel had already attracted many disciples’ attention, so he needed to leave immediately, not caring for sentimental distractions.