The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

After figuring this out, Chen Dong began searching the bookshelves again. A moment later, he pulled out a book titled *A Recent History of the Five Sects* and started reading.

He had actually asked Mu Qingzhu about how to leave the Wangyou Realm, but she didn't know at all. Before her breakthrough, she was only at Foundation Establishment Perfection and hadn't yet reached a level where she would encounter such a problem.

For the next three days, Chen Dong remained in the history section of the Miscellaneous Hall without sleep or rest. And for all three days, Feng Wei stayed right there with him, maintaining perfect surveillance.

DONG! DONG! DONG! ... A deep, sonorous bell toll rang out again and again throughout the Qixia Sect.

Upon hearing the bell, Feng Wei vanished in a flash. All the other disciples in the Miscellaneous Hall left as well, leaving only Chen Dong and the Palace Guardian Elder inside.

'A bell like that means something must be happening,' Chen Dong thought. 'But I feel no loyalty to the Qixia Sect. Besides, I'm only at the Third-Layer Foundation Establishment. If I go charging in, I'll probably just end up as cannon fodder. It's better to stay right here.'

Six hours later, Feng Wei returned.

Chen Dong asked offhandedly, "What was with the bell earlier?"

Feng Wei's expression was grave. "That was the Mu Chenzhong, the bell that summons the disciples. The Wangyou Sect and the Black Dragon Sect have officially declared war on us!"

Chen Dong just gave a quiet "Oh," and went back to his book.

Feng Wei asked, annoyed and baffled, "Are you part of the Qixia Sect or not? Aren't you worried in the slightest?"

Without looking up, Chen Dong said, "Would you believe me if I told you I had no choice in joining the Qixia Sect? That I was forced by your Sect Leader?"

Feng Wei froze for a second. 'An Elder Token at Early-stage Foundation Establishment, and he was forced? The Qixia Sect has never had an Elder in Early-stage Foundation Establishment since its founding. He's the very first. If that's what being forced is, then countless people in the world would be begging for it.'

'But then again,' Feng Wei considered, 'if he were a normal Elder, why would I have been assigned to monitor him? And he didn't even react to the sound of the Mu Chenzhong. Maybe he really was forced.'

Feng Wei sighed softly. "You're better off this way. You won't have to fight the Wangyou Sect and the Black Dragon Sect. I, on the other hand, have no such luck."

Chen Dong raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? You don't strike me as someone who's afraid of a fight."

Feng Wei shook her head. "I have very few friends; Mu Qingzhu is one of them. If I were to face her on the battlefield, I don't know how I could bring myself to strike."

Chen Dong suddenly felt he couldn't figure these people out at all. 'Feng Wei, who seems so proud and domineering, actually thinks of Mu Qingzhu as a dear friend. Yet Mu Qingzhu, who appears so pure and aloof, secretly views Feng Wei as a rival, her first concern upon meeting her being the quality grade of her newly formed Golden Core.'

Then, Chen Dong said, "You don't have to worry about that."

"Why?" Feng Wei asked, puzzled.

Chen Dong was suddenly at a loss for words. 'I can't just tell her Mu Qingzhu is inside me.'

So he said, "The Wangyou Sect has countless disciples. It's unlikely you'll happen to run into her."

Feng Wei gave a wry smile. "I suppose that's true. I wonder if she's reached the Golden Core realm yet. I've sent her several messages by flying sword, but she hasn't replied."

Chen Dong fell silent. Inside him, Mu Qingzhu fell silent as well.

Feng Wei continued, a touch of melancholy in her voice, "We made a pact to have another match after we both broke through to the Golden Core realm. I knew that because of her constitution, the best she could hope for was a second-grade Core. I thought I had victory in the bag, but in the end, I only managed to form a second-grade Core myself."

Chen Dong frowned. "What's wrong with a second-grade Golden Core? It's not like it prevents you from comprehending the Great Dao. According to the histories I've been reading, the founder of the Qixia Sect only had a third-grade Golden Core, yet he eventually attained the Dao and ascended."

Feng Wei remained dispirited. "I know all that. But how can my opportunities possibly compare to the founder's? I've only managed to comprehend three of the great arts from the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual, whereas the founder comprehended the entire text."

At this, Chen Dong smiled faintly. "In that case, how about we make a deal?"

Feng Wei asked, surprised, "What kind of deal?"

"This isn't the place to discuss it. Let's return to Little Mist Peak."

Chen Dong checked out an apocryphal history titled *Deeds of the Perfected* and returned to Little Mist Peak with Feng Wei.

After entering the main hall, Chen Dong set up a simple restrictive ward. Although he had never studied the art of wards in depth, he was able to use some of the simpler techniques found in the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual.

Seeing how cautious Chen Dong was, Feng Wei frowned. "What's this mysterious deal you're proposing?"

Chen Dong stated solemnly, "If you wish to comprehend the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual in its entirety, I can help you."

Feng Wei cried out in astonishment, "What? You can't be serious! A person can only enter the Dragon and Phoenix Valley once in their entire life, you can't possibly be unaware of that, right? And even if you comprehended a different great art than I did, the arts cannot be spoken, nor can they be recorded. How could you possibly help me comprehend anything?"

Her shocked expression made it clear she didn't believe a word he said.

But Chen Dong simply said with cool pride, "The Dragon and Phoenix Valley is but a manifestation of the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual. I know the manual in its entirety. Naturally, I can manifest it for you to observe and comprehend."

Feng Wei was stunned. "What nonsense are you spouting? You've comprehended the entire Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Manual? Since the founder, no one in the Qixia Sect has ever managed that! Besides, without grasping its divine essence, what would you even use to manifest it? That's just a fool's dream! Why, back then, even the founder couldn't teach his own disciples..."

Feng Wei, who had been in the middle of protesting, suddenly found her jaw hanging open, unable to speak. Her eyes were filled with utter shock.

For the scenery inside the main hall had changed. The cries of dragons and phoenixes filled the air, and towering, withered trees rose around her. Feng Wei felt as if she were standing right inside a living, breathing replica of the Dragon and Phoenix Valley.