Martial Peak

Chapter 2778, Qiu Ran's Anger

Translator: Silavin & frozenfire

Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

Gao Xue Ting lowered her head to the side and mumbled under her breath, "I already said I'm sorry, what else do you want? That's why you're still unable to find a companion after so many centuries. Serves you right to be single until you die!"

"What did you say?" The veins on Qiu Ran's temples throbbed.

"Nothing," Gao Xue Ting made a poker face and met Qiu Ran's raging anger head-on before taking it upon herself to say, "However, this matter was caused by me. If Senior Brother wants to mete out punishment, just punish me alone, as it was not their fault."

The other Elders nodded their heads in succession after hearing her words.

You Kun added, "That's right, Senior Brother. This matter was caused by Junior Sister Gao. We are just the victims. If you want to mete out punishment, just punish her alone. Furthermore, you have to make sure it is a severe one. It will not appease the masses if she doesn't get punished sufficiently."

Yang Kai responded by staring at him in stunned silence, appearing as though this was the first time that he had met You Kun.

Qiu Run replied with a sneer, "Who else can force you all to drink alcohol?"

Di Rong scratched his face and replied, "Your vision is truly sharp, Senior Brother! That's precisely it!"

"Nonsense!" Qiu Ran erupted with great anger, "None of you will escape from yesterday's matter!"

The group sagged like lifeless corpses, with their heads drooping down, disheartened after hearing his words.

"Just state the punishment. What's with the long-windedness?" Gao Xue Ting shouted back with an extremely impatient look on her face.

"You, you, you… you are utterly devoid of any respect for your Seniors!" Qiu Ran slammed the table yet again. After venting his anger for a while longer, he declared, "Yesterday's matter is absolutely unacceptable! If our disciples were to know of your actions, how would our temple maintain its dignity in the future? In view of this, this Old Master will punish you all by deducting 3,000 Elder Contribution Points from all of you!"

"What!?"

"Please don't do it, Senior Brother Qiu… that's 3,000 Elder Contribution Points! Why not just kill me!"

"Please be merciful, Senior Brother!"

The group of Elders immediately started to shout out, appearing as though they were having their skin peeled off by Qiu Ran. In fact, Chen Qian even proceeded to carve a pitiful stance as she looked at Qiu Ran and cried, "Senior Brother… please don't be like that…"

She was actually using a soft approach of attack that was just shy of flirting.

"Stop this disgraceful act before this old man! If any of you dare to utter one more word, I will deduct another 2,000 points!" Nevertheless, Qiu Ran continued to wear a steely and unemotional expression on his face, with his words sounding so sharp it appeared to cut through everything like butter.

Those words immediately shut everyone up, their shouting coming to a screeching halt.

"Hmph," Qiu Ran shot a cold glare at Gao Xue Ting, "As for you, the cause of this disaster, other than the deduction of 3,000 Elder Contribution Points, you will be further deducted 1,000 points, for a total of 4000 Elder Contribution Points! On top of that, you will be locked up for three months in solitary confinement! If you commit such an offence again, your punishment will be increased!"

Gao Xue Ting spat disdainfully in response. Clearly, she did not accept those terms of punishment, though she did not say anything to refute it.

Yang Kai's heart was filled with distress as he stood by the side. While he was an in-name disciple of Azure Sun Temple, he did not have much interaction with these Elders. Of those rare interactions, due to the difference in their statuses, he hadn't had the opportunity to observe their true natures.

Now, with his title of High-Rank Guest Elder, giving him equal status as them, Yang Kai finally managed to gain a better understanding of the minds and characters of these high ranking people. For a moment, Yang Kai felt that his impressions of them had been completely wiped clean and replaced by an utterly new one.

A sharp gaze suddenly shot over, leaving Yang Kai gulping his saliva down before meeting it with a dry laugh.

Qiu Ran remained silent for a while, before continuing, "Junior Brother Yang, in light of this being your first offence, this Old Master will not say anything to you and you will not be punished."

Yang Kai was ecstatic upon hearing this and hastily replied, "Many thanks Senior Brother Qiu! Senior Brother truly is a paragon of virtue and understanding."

As his words rang out, eight pairs of eyes turned to look at him…

"Only this time. There will be no next time. If there is a next time…"

"There absolutely will not be a next time!" Yang Kai made a solemn vow as a guarantee.

"That would be best," Qiu Ran let out a long sigh before saying in a sincere and gentle tone, "Junior Brother Yang, you have such achievements at such a young age, with you being destined to have immeasurable prospects for your future. Therefore, you should not mix around with this group of hooligans and be sure to protect your Martial Heart, okay?'

His words left Yang Kai unable to reply, leaving him filled with embarrassment.

Fortunately, Qiu Ran did not continue as he went back to scolding the rest of the Elders before waving his hands to get them to shoo off.

The group of Elders felt as though they had received the amnesty of their dreams and hastily departed.

Upon leaving Spirit Jade Peak, the group of Elders had their heads drooping down in depression, while Gao Xue Ting at the front was continuing to mutter incessantly, something vaguely along the lines of cursing. As she did so, a frosty aura radiated from her, causing no living creature to dare come near to her, creating an utterly frightening spectacle.

"Haa… It was only yesterday that I informed you about the Three Great Taboos of our temple. Who would have known that you would be lucky enough to bump into two of them within the short span of two days, Junior Brother Yang," You Kun let off a sigh, patting Yang Kai's shoulder and asking with deep concern, "Were you frightened, Junior Brother?"

"I'm alright," Yang Kai nodded his head, before asking curiously, "Why is everyone so afraid of Senior Brother Qiu?"

Chen Qian replied with a soft voice, "Not only is Senior Brother Qiu our temple's Vice Temple Master, but he is also the Elder in charge of the Punishment Hall, which is in charge of disciplining everyone from the Temple Master down to the disciples. With the temple's law and order under his control, who isn't afraid of him? Even the Temple Master has to give him face."

"So, that's how it is," Yang Kai finally understood the reason, before asking another question, "So, what are those Elder Contribution Points that were mentioned?"

When Qiu Ran said that he was going to deduct 3,000 Elder Contribution Points from them, the various Elders seemed so dejected to the point it appeared as though their parents had died. Clearly, those Elder Contribution Points were very useful.

You Kun explained, "Junior Brother Yang, you've just become an Elder for a few days, so you haven't come across this yet. Elder Contribution Points, erm, is something that every big Sect will have. Take our temple for example. Our disciples have Disciple Contribution Points, while we Elders have Elder Contribution Points. These contribution points can be exchanged for many benefits from the temple. The most straightforward exchange would be one Elder Contribution Point being equivalent to 1,000 High-Rank Source Crystals!"

"That many?" Yang Kai was shocked by what he heard and proceeded to silently calculate in his mind. Didn't that mean that 3,000 Elder Contribution Points was equivalent to three million High-Rank Source Crystals?

A single drinking session led to the loss of three million High-Rank Source Crystals. That was why these Elders were feeling incomparably dejected over the punishment. 3,000 Elder Contribution Points was really not a small number to them.

"Although you can exchange High-Rank Source Crystals for Elder Contribution Points, there is a limit to how many you can earn that way per year. Every person can exchange for at most 2,000 points per year in this way. If you want to obtain more Elder Contribution Points, you have no choice but to complete certain tasks that are beneficial to the temple. An example would be completing Elder Missions."

"Generally speaking, the amount of Elder Contribution Points that we accumulate in total will not amount to more than five or six thousand."

"That's right. Elder Contribution Points are very useful for us. For example, if you want to enter the Divine Ascension Mirror, you need to spend Elder Contribution Points. 2,000 Elder Contribution Points will allow you to enter once."

You Kun patted Yang Kai's shoulder and said in a heartfelt manner, "Junior Brother Yang, let's work hard together in the future."

Yang Kai gave a casual reply, only to see You Kun scoot over and speak mysteriously, "I'll tell you in advance that it will be Temple Master's birthday in three months' time. Around that time, you'd best leave if you can, or lock yourself up in secluded retreat. Just make sure to not reveal yourself unless absolutely necessary."

Chen Qian by the side nodded her head furiously in agreement, appearing as though she had experienced some kind of nightmare before, "That's right, Junior Brother Yang. You've already experienced two out of our temple's Three Great Taboos; you absolutely do not wish to experience that last one."

Yang Kai's face turned pale as he replied, "Could it be more terrifying than Senior Sister Gao drinking alcohol?"

Chen Qian pondered over it in deep thought, before replying, "Definitely, however… in any case, it will not be anything good."

You Kun could not help but shiver, "That's enough, that's enough. I have to go back and properly recuperate. Ah my heart, my heart…"

"I'm also going. If you're free, please come to my Small Spring Peak for a visit, Junior Brother," Chen Qian turned in another direction, before flying away.

After a short while, the various Elders scattered, heading back to their respective peaks. Gao Xue Ting, the first one to leave, was already long gone, most likely having already returned to her Purple Bamboo Peak. Qiu Ran had punished her with three months of solitary confinement, which would definitely leave her angry for quite a while.

Yang Kai returned to his Spirit Sword Peak, looked at the wine bottles that were strewn messily around his Spirit Sword Palace, before letting out a long sigh.

Extending his hand, he pulled a wine bottle over before flinging it down the mountain with a flick of his wrist.

This continued for a few dozen wine bottles before a black shadow suddenly scuttled out from behind one of the bottles before lunging over towards him.

Remaining calm despite the appearance of the black shadow, Yang Kai gave it a light flick. Immediately, a whimper rang out as the black shadow shot backwards and landed on the ground.

Lowering his head, Yang Kai was somewhat surprised by what he saw.

Present before him was a little jet-black coloured beast that spanned the size of his palm. On first look, it appeared similar to a dog. Plastered to the ground, it bared its fangs at Yang Kai as it grimaced in pain, a threatening growl rumbling out from its throat.

"Where did this little thing come from?" Yang Kai was seriously surprised.

The critical point was that he had unexpectedly not discovered any trace of this little beast before it showed itself. Although Yang Kai had not intentionally scanned his surroundings just now, it was unreasonable for him to have failed to discover the presence of a living creature that had been hiding in plain sight only a few steps away.

However, the truth of the matter was that Yang Kai had only sensed it when the little beast had suddenly shot out towards him.

Sending his Divine Sense out, he discovered that there seemed to be no unique traits possessed by this little beast. Its appearance here on Spirit Sword Palace was most likely due to it being attracted by the strong smell of alcohol.

After observing it for a while, Yang Kai snickered and he extended his hand to grab the little beast. Never did he expect the little beast to sense the impending danger and attempt to evade. Nevertheless, it still ended up being captured by Yang Kai and held in his hand.

Immediately after being captured, the little beast actually instantly restrained its hostility. Extending its tongue, it proceeded to pant at Yang Kai, making it appear just like a little dog.

"Seems you know how to judge the situation and respond accordingly," Yang Kai grinned, and with a slight move of his hand, tossed the little beast away.

Having removed this mysterious visitor, Yang Kai retrieved his Jade Elder Token and opened the barriers around Spirit Sword Peak. He then started to infuse some of Spirit Sword Peak's Earth Vein energy into his token, in accordance with Qiu Ran's teachings.

Only when this was completed would he become the true master of this Spirit Sword Peak.

The refining process was rather simple, the only problem being the huge expenditure of Spiritual Energy. Locating the exact position of the Earth Vein and grasping hold of its fluctuations was a simple task for Yang Kai, but that didn't make it any less laborious.

This refining process took five days, before a streak of light flashed faintly above the jade token. At the same time, a miraculous feeling surfaced within Yang Kai's heart, like the jade token had become one with the Spirit Sword Peak, and everything between the two was connected and shared.

With a single thought, the entire Spirit Sword Peak was within the grasp of his hand.

Refinement complete!

Just as he was putting away the jade token, Yang Kai suddenly discovered a familiar strength fluctuation appearing outside the Spirit Sword Peak's barrier. A surprised expression appeared on his face, before a hole appeared in the barrier, letting the visitor in.

After a few moments, a streak of light landed in front of the Spirit Sword Palace, revealing the figure of Gao Xue Ting.