“ xiàn zài shuō zhè xiē hái yǒu shén me yì yì ， dāng wù zhī jí ， shì qù qí yào gǔ kàn kàn ， nà lǐ nǎi běn mén de shū niǔ suǒ zài ， rú guǒ yí dàn chū le wèn tí ……”
“现在说这些还有什么意义，当务之急，是去奇药谷看看，那里乃本门的枢纽所在，如果一旦出了问题……”
"Now, what's the point of talking about this? The top priority is to go and check on the Mystical Medicine Valley. That place is the heart of our sect; if something goes wrong there..."
“ shì a ， shī xiōng ， xià fǎ yù ba ！”
“是啊，师兄，下法谕吧！”
"Yes, senior brother, issue a decree! Let's do it!"
jǐ wèi tiān mù pài de gāo shǒu qī zuǐ bā shé ， rán ér kū mù zhēn rén què yì zhí bì zhuó yǎn jīng ， chōng ěr bù wén ， zhòng rén suī rán xīn zhōng jīng yí ， jí dé yǒu rú rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ ， què bù gǎn shàn zì xíng shì 。
几位天目派的高手七嘴八舌，然而枯木真人却一直闭着眼睛，充耳不闻，众人虽然心中惊疑，急得有如热锅上的蚂蚁，却不敢擅自行事。
The high-ranking experts from Tianmu Sect chattered away, but Kumu Zhenren kept his eyes closed, ignoring them. Although everyone was alarmed and agitated like ants in a pot, they dared not act on their own.
yī lái zì rán shì zhǎng mén shī xiōng wēi xìn sù zhù ， èr lái zé shì qí yào gǔ nǎi běn mén jìn dì ， chú le cháng nián zhù shǒu yú nà lǐ de dì zǐ ， qí tā rén ， bù dé zhǎng mén fǎ yù ， shì bù zhǔn shàn zì chuǎng rù dī ， gù ér jí shǐ shì chū le zhè yàng de dà shì ， tā men yě yào xiān lái kū mù zhēn rén de dòng fǔ qǐng shì 。
一来自然是掌门师兄威信素著，二来则是奇药谷乃本门禁地，除了常年驻守于那里的弟子，其他人，不得掌门法谕，是不准擅自闯入滴，故而即使是出了这样的大事，他们也要先来枯木真人的洞府请示。
Firstly, the senior master had long-established authority; secondly, the Mystical Medicine Valley was a restricted area within the sect, accessible only with the chief's decree. Therefore, even for such a major incident, they needed to seek permission from Kumu Zhenren first.
zhèng dāng jǐ wèi níng dān qī xiū shì jiāo zào bù ān de shí hòu ， kū mù zhēn rén zhōng yú zhēng kāi le yǎn jīng ， rán ér liǎn pí què chōu chù le yī xià ， shēng yīn hán lěng wú bǐ ：“ liú shī dì sǐ le 。”
正当几位凝丹期修士焦躁不安的时候，枯木真人终于睁开了眼睛，然而脸皮却抽搐了一下，声音寒冷无比：“刘师弟死了。”
Just as several Core Formation cultivators were agitated and restless, Kumu Zhenren finally opened his eyes. His face twitched, and his voice was icy cold: "Junior Brother Liu is dead."
“ shén me ， liú shī xiōng zhēn de yù hài le ？”
“什么，刘师兄真的遇害了？”
"What? Senior Brother Liu has really been murdered?"
suī rán zhòng rén duō shǎo yǐ yǒu xiē xīn lǐ zhǔn bèi ， kě dé dào zhè ge xiāo xī de shí hòu ， biǎo qíng hái shì nán kàn dào le jí diǎn 。
虽然众人多少已有些心理准备，可得到这个消息的时候，表情还是难看到了极点。
Although they had some psychological preparation, the shock on their faces was still extreme.
“ shī xiōng ， nǐ kěn dìng ， huì bú huì shì gǎo cuò le ？”
“师兄，你肯定，会不会是搞错了？”
"Senior brother, are you sure? Could it be a mistake?"
miàn duì níng tiān yǔ de zhì yí ， kū mù zhēn rén bìng méi yǒu xiǎn chū nù yì ， fǎn ér kǔ xiào zhe tàn le kǒu qì ：“ wǒ dào yě xī wàng shì zì jǐ de fǎ shù chū le wèn tí ， kě wǒ gāng cái yī lián xiàng liú shī dì fā chū le sān dào chuán yīn fú ， dōu yǒu rú ní niú rù hǎi ， ruò fēi yǐ jīng zāo yù bù cè ， tā zěn me huì duì wǒ de xún wèn bù lǐ bù cǎi 。”
面对宁天宇的置疑，枯木真人并没有显出怒意，反而苦笑着叹了口气：“我倒也希望是自己的法术出了问题，可我刚才一连像刘师弟发出了三道传音符，都有如泥牛入海，若非已经遭遇不测，他怎么会对我的询问不理不睬。”
In response to Ning Tianyu's doubt, Kumu Zhenren did not show anger but sighed bitterly: "I wish it were my cultivation technique that failed. But I sent three transmission talismans to Junior Brother Liu one after another, and none of them worked. If he hadn't met with misfortune, why would he ignore my inquiries?"
zhòng rén yě dōu mò rán le xià lái 。 guò le bàn xiǎng ， níng tiān yǔ cái chóng xīn kāi kǒu le ：“ shī xiōng ， nà wǒ men xiàn zài gāi zěn me bàn ？”
众人也都默然了下来。过了半响，宁天宇才重新开口了：“师兄，那我们现在该怎么办？”
The others fell silent. After a moment, Ning Tianyu spoke again: "Senior brother, what should we do now?"
“ qù qí yào gǔ kàn kàn ， dàn dà jiā zhù yì ， bú yào zǒu sàn le ， duì fāng néng yú chóng chóng jìn zhì zhōng shā le liú shī dì ， shén tōng kěn dìng fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， shuō bù dìng huì shì yuán yīng qī de lǎo guài wù 。” kū mù zhēn rén shēng yīn yīn hán de shuō 。
“去奇药谷看看，但大家注意，不要走散了，对方能于重重禁制中杀了刘师弟，神通肯定非同小可，说不定会是元婴期的老怪物。”枯木真人声音阴寒的说。
"Go to the Mystical Medicine Valley, but everyone be careful not to get separated. The opponent who killed Junior Brother Liu can penetrate multiple restrictions; their abilities are undoubtedly formidable. They might even be an old monster at the Core Formation stage."
“ ń 。 shuō bù dìng yě yǒu kě néng shì nèi jiān hùn rù 。” níng tiān yǔ mō le mō xià bā 。 ruò yǒu suǒ sī dì fēn xī dào 。
“嗯。说不定也有可能是内奸混入。”宁天宇摸了摸下巴。若有所思地分析道。
Nodding in agreement, Ning Tianyu said: "Perhaps it could also be a traitor among us."
“ yě xǔ ba 。 dàn bù guǎn zěn me shuō 。 xiǎo xīn zǒng shì méi yǒu dà cuò 。 rú jīn liú shī dì yǐ sǐ 。 qí yào gǔ yě qíng kuàng bù míng 。 běn mén zhèng miàn lín zuì wēi xiǎn dì chǔ jìng 。 gè wèi shī dì gèng yào hǎo hǎo bǎo zhòng zì jǐ 。”
“也许吧。但不管怎么说。小心总是没有大错。如今刘师弟已死。奇药谷也情况不明。本门正面临最危险地处境。各位师弟更要好好保重自己。”
"Maybe so. But regardless, being cautious is never wrong. Now that Junior Brother Liu is dead and the situation at the Mystical Medicine Valley is unclear, our sect faces its most dangerous predicament. You all should take extra care of yourselves."
“ jǐn zūn zhǎng mén fǎ yù 。”
“谨尊掌门法谕。”
"We will follow the chief's decree."
zhòng rén yì qǐ gōng shēn xíng lǐ 。 kū mù zhēn rén dì dà xiù yī shuǎi ：“ chū fā ！”
众人一起躬身行礼。枯木真人地大袖一甩：“出发！”
The group bowed in unison. Kumu Zhenren waved his large sleeves: "Let's go!"
gè sè dùn guāng téng kōng ér qǐ 。 xiàng zhe qí yào gǔ dì fāng xiàng ér qù 。
各色遁光腾空而起。向着奇药谷地方向而去。
Various forms of magical light ascended into the sky, heading towards the Mystical Medicine Valley.
líng qì dì yì cháng bō dòng 。 bù zhǐ shì jīng dòng le jǐ wèi zhǎng lǎo gāo shǒu 。
灵气地异常波动。不止是惊动了几位长老高手。
The unusual fluctuations in essence energy not only alarmed several high-ranking experts but also stirred the entire Tianmu Mountain. Base Foundation and even Flexible Spirit cultivators rushed out from their cultivation places, staring at the cloud-like mass in the sky with a mix of shock and uncertainty.
zhěng gè tiān mù shān ， rén shēng dǐng fèi ， zhù jī qī ， shèn zhì shì líng dòng qī de dì zǐ dōu fēn fēn cóng zì jǐ xiū liàn de dì fāng pǎo le chū lái ， jīng yí bù dìng wàng zhe tiān kōng zhōng dì qì tuán 。
整个天目山，人声鼎沸，筑基期，甚至是灵动期的弟子都纷纷从自己修炼的地方跑了出来，惊疑不定望着天空中地气团。
Some were terrified; some were bewildered, but most felt uneasy...
yǒu de jīng kǒng ， yǒu de máng rán ， dàn gèng duō de què hái shì bù ān ……
有的惊恐，有的茫然，但更多的却还是不安……
Some gathered with friends to whisper privately, while others stood silently, mouths agape, lost in thought.
huò jǐ gè hǎo yǒu jù zài yì qǐ qiè qiè sī yǔ 。 huò dú zì yī rén zhǎng dà le zuǐ bā mù rán dāi shì ……
或几个好友聚在一起窃窃私语。或独自一人长大了嘴巴木然呆视……
Many sharp-witted ones began searching for their mentors, hoping to get information from seniors. However, they discovered that the sect's high-ranking experts had not appeared, and a greater unease spread among them.
yě yǒu bù shǎo jī líng de ， kāi shǐ xún zhǎo zì jǐ de shī zhǎng ， xiǎng cóng qián bèi nà lǐ liǎo jiě yī xiē qíng kuàng 。 rán ér què sà rán fā xiàn běn mén zhǎng lǎo jū rán yí gè dōu méi yǒu chū xiàn ， gèng dà dì bù ān kāi shǐ zài rén qún zhōng màn yán 。
也有不少机灵的，开始寻找自己的师长，想从前辈那里了解一些情况。然而却飒然发现本门长老居然一个都没有出现，更大地不安开始在人群中蔓延。
At the Welcome Pavilion, where guests were staying, most of whom were Core Formation cultivators attending the trade fair, they woke up in the middle of the night due to the astonishing essence energy fluctuations. Although they weren't from Tianmu Mountain, these outsiders, all having reached Great Golden Core, understood what this ominous sign meant.
yíng bīn lóu 。
迎宾楼。
Looking at the floating green cloud mass in the sky, some were surprised, others sighed, but there were also many who gloated.
zhù zài zhè lǐ de dōu shì lái cān jiā jiāo yì huì de níng dān qī gāo shǒu ， yuán běn xiǎng děng dào míng tiān yī zǎo zài xià shān de ， kě shuì zhì bàn yè ， nà jīng rén yǐ jí de líng qì bō dòng què jiāng tā men yí gè gè dōu jīng xǐng le guò lái 。
住在这里的都是来参加交易会的凝丹期高手，原本想等到明天一早再下山的，可睡至半夜，那惊人以极的灵气波动却将他们一个个都惊醒了过来。
Although it couldn't be confirmed that the nearby spirit vein had been completely destroyed, Tianmu Sect's days ahead would certainly be difficult. They might even face the danger of extinction.
suī rán bú shì tiān mù shān zhōng rén ， dàn zhè xiē wài lái de gāo shǒu jì rán quán dōu jīn dān dà chéng ， nǎ yí gè bú shì dà fēng dà yǔ chuǎng guò lái de ， yǎn qián zhè jīng rén de yù zhào dài biǎo zhe shén me ， wú bù yì qīng èr chǔ 。
虽然不是天目山中人，但这些外来的高手既然全都金丹大成，哪一个不是大风大雨闯过来的，眼前这惊人的预兆代表着什么，无不一清二楚。
Among them, only a couple were independent cultivators; the rest had their own sects or families behind them. Those close to Tianmu Mountain, with eyes wide open, pondered what they could do.
cǐ shí tā men wàng zhe piāo fú yú tiān kōng zhōng de qīng sè qì tuán 。 yǒu dì jīng yà ， yǒu de tàn xī ， dàn xìng zāi lè huò zhī rén yě zhe shí bù shǎo 。
此时他们望着漂浮于天空中的青色气团。有地惊讶，有的叹息，但幸灾乐祸之人也着实不少。
In one room on the second floor, a window was open, and cold moonlight illuminated it. Two cultivators sat by a table: one in yellow robes, the other in green.
suī rán bù néng jiù cǐ kěn dìng zhè fù jìn líng mài de quán yǎn yǐ jīng bèi chè dǐ pò huài ， dàn tiān mù pài jiē xià lái dì rì zi kěn dìng nán guò yǐ jí ， nòng bù hǎo jiù huì miàn lín pài huǐ rén wáng de wēi jī 。
虽然不能就此肯定这附近灵脉的泉眼已经被彻底破坏，但天目派接下来地日子肯定难过以极，弄不好就会面临派毁人亡的危机。
These two were brothers-in-arms; the man in yellow robes was named Yue Tong, while the green-robed guest was surnamed Fu with the given name Yi.
zhè xiē rén zhōng ， sàn xiū jǐn yǒu yī liǎng gè ér yǐ ， zhì yú qí tā de ， bèi hòu yě dōu yǒu gè zì de mén pài yǔ jiā zú ， yóu qí shì jù lí tiān mù shān bù yuǎn de 。 cǐ kè yǎn zhū luàn zhuǎn ， bù zhī dào zài dǎ zhe shén me zhǔ yì 。
这些人中，散修仅有一两个而已，至于其他的，背后也都有各自的门派与家族，尤其是距离天目山不远的。此刻眼珠乱转，不知道在打着什么主意。
Both belonged to the Snow Shadow Sect, which was just over 200 miles from Tianmu Mountain. Although their strength couldn't match that of Tianmu Sect, they still had Core Formation cultivators, so they shouldn't be overlooked.
èr lóu de mǒu gè fáng jiān lǐ ， chuāng hù dǎ kāi ， qīng lěng de yuè guāng zhào shè xià lái ， zài fáng jiān de zhuō zi páng biān ， zuò zhe liǎng gè xiū shì ， yī rén chuān huáng yī ， lìng wài yí gè zé qīng shān zhào tǐ 。
二楼的某个房间里，窗户打开，清冷的月光照射下来，在房间的桌子旁边，坐着两个修士，一人穿黄衣，另外一个则青衫罩体。
"Senior brother, look at those green clouds; it must mean the spirit veins of Tianmu Sect have been destroyed. Our chance has come," Fu Yi clenched his fists and said excitedly.
liǎng rén nǎi shì shī xiōng dì ， qí zhōng huáng yī rén míng jiào yuè tōng 。 qīng shān kè zé xìng fù 。 dān míng yī biāo biǎo zì 。
两人乃是师兄弟，其中黄衣人名叫岳通。青衫客则姓傅。单名一彪表字。
However, Yue Tong looked outside with a hesitant expression, as if unsure what to do.
cǐ èr rén yě shì yōu zhōu běi jiāng de xiū shì ， suǒ shǔ zōng pài “ xuě yǐng mén ” jù lí tiān mù shān bù guò èr bǎi yú lǐ 。 suī rán shí lì wú fǎ hé tiān mù pài xiāng bǐ ， dàn yōng yǒu níng dān qī xiū shì ， zì rán yě jiù bù róng hū shì 。
此二人也是幽州北疆的修士，所属宗派“雪影门”距离天目山不过二百余里。虽然实力无法和天目派相比，但拥有凝丹期修士，自然也就不容忽视。
Seeing this, Fu Yi's face showed a hint of disdain: "Senior brother, why are you still hesitating? Has our sect not been humiliated enough by Tianmu Sect?"
“ shī xiōng ， nǐ kàn nà xiē qīng sè dì yún tuán ， tiān mù pài de líng mài quán yǎn yí dìng shì bèi rén huǐ huài ， wǒ men de jī huì lái le 。” fù biāo shuāng shǒu wò quán ， yǒu xiē xīng fèn de shuō dào 。
“师兄，你看那些青色地云团，天目派的灵脉泉眼一定是被人毁坏，我们的机会来了。”傅彪双手握拳，有些兴奋的说道。
"Junior brother, don't say such things. Our two sects have always gotten along well; when did we ever clash?"
rán ér yuè tōng wàng le wàng wài miàn ， biǎo qíng què yǒu yī xiē chí yí ， sì hū yǒu xiē ná bù dìng zhǔ yì 。
然而岳通望了望外面，表情却有一些迟疑，似乎有些拿不定主意。
"Getting along?" Fu Yi sneered with mockery on his lips: "That's built on the foundation of our Snow Shadow Sect enduring humiliation and suffering. This Tianmu Mountain has such a vast spirit vein stretching for dozens of miles, more than enough to accommodate several sects. But they insist on being the sole power, monopolizing all the spirit veins. With only a few thousand cultivators, do they really need so much? Even if it is wasteful, they don't want to share any with us."
fù biāo jiàn le ， liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī bù yǐ wéi rán zhī sè ：“ shī xiōng ， nǐ hái zài yóu yù shén me ， běn mén nán dào bèi tiān mù pài qī rǔ dé hái bù gòu me ？”
傅彪见了，脸上闪过一丝不以为然之色：“师兄，你还在犹豫什么，本门难道被天目派欺辱得还不够么？”
"For decades, you've deliberately maintained good relations with them. I must say, your efforts were more than just courting favor. But when did they ever give our sect any benefits beyond superficial respect? You proposed moving the Snow Shadow Sect's main hall next to Tianmu Mountain several times, but each time, their response was a firm rejection."
“ shī dì ， bié luàn shuō ， wǒ men liǎng pài sù lái jiāo hǎo ， shén me shí hòu mó cā guò 。”
“师弟，别乱说，我们两派素来交好，什么时候摩擦过。”
"Senior brother, are you still clinging to this illusion? This Tianmu Sect is selfish and paranoid about its surroundings. Why? They're just waiting for us to have good cultivation grounds so that more disciples can advance to higher stages, posing a threat to them, even potentially taking over Tianmu Mountain?"
“ jiāo hǎo ？” fù biāo lěng xiào yī shēng ， zuǐ biān mǎn shì jī cháo ：“ nà shì jiàn lì zài wǒ xuě yǐng mén rěn rǔ fù zhòng de jī chǔ shàng ， zhè tiān mù shān de líng mài rú cǐ kuān guǎng ， mián yán shù shí lǐ ， jiù suàn róng nà shù gè mén pài xiū liàn yě shì chuò chuò yǒu yú ， kě tiān mù shān què piān yào yī jiā dú dà ， jiāng suǒ yǒu de líng mài quán dōu zhàn wèi jǐ yǒu ， tā men bù guò qū qū liǎng qiān duō míng xiū shì ， yòng dé zhe zhè me guǎng de líng mài ma ， kě jiù suàn shì làng fèi ， yě bù yuàn yì fēn gěi wǒ men fēn háo 。”
“交好？”傅彪冷笑一声，嘴边满是讥嘲：“那是建立在我雪影门忍辱负重的基础上，这天目山的灵脉如此宽广，绵延数十里，就算容纳数个门派修炼也是绰绰有余，可天目山却偏要一家独大，将所有的灵脉全都占为己有，他们不过区区两千多名修士，用得着这么广的灵脉吗，可就算是浪费，也不愿意分给我们分毫。”
"In the past, we had no choice; the Cloud Sea Split Light Array was powerful enough. But if the spirit veins were destroyed, this array would lose much of its power regardless. Why don't we...?" Fu Yi became angrier as he spoke, eventually becoming agitated and his face flushed with excitement.
“ zhè shù shí zài lái ， shī xiōng kè yì yǔ tā men xiū hǎo ， shù xiǎo dì zhí yán ， shuō shì qū yì yíng fèng yě bù wèi guò ， kě tā men chú le xū yǔ wēi yí ， biǎo miàn shàng gěi nǐ yì diǎn zūn zhòng wài ， shén me shí hòu shī shě guò běn mén yì diǎn hǎo chù ， shī xiōng nǐ shù cì tí chū ， xī wàng jiāng xuě yǐng mén de zǒng tán bān dào tiān mù shān dì biān shàng ， tā men nǎ yī cì bú shì yī kǒu bó huí le 。”
“这数十载来，师兄刻意与他们修好，恕小弟直言，说是曲意迎奉也不为过，可他们除了虚与委蛇，表面上给你一点尊重外，什么时候施舍过本门一点好处，师兄你数次提出，希望将雪影门的总坛搬到天目山地边上，他们哪一次不是一口驳回了。”
However, Yue Tong, as the head of Snow Shadow Sect, had to be more cautious: although he was equally moved by his brother's words, he hesitated: "Even if the Cloud Sea Split Light Array loses much of its power, Tianmu Sect's strength far exceeds ours. Acting rashly would be like throwing a stone at an egg!"
"Now, what's the point of talking about this? The top priority is to go and check on the Mystical Medicine Valley. That place is the heart of our sect; if something goes wrong there..."
"Yes, senior brother, issue a decree! Let's do it!"
The high-ranking experts from Tianmu Sect chattered away, but Kumu Zhenren kept his eyes closed, ignoring them. Although everyone was alarmed and agitated like ants in a pot, they dared not act on their own.
Firstly, the senior master had long-established authority; secondly, the Mystical Medicine Valley was a restricted area within the sect, accessible only with the chief's decree. Therefore, even for such a major incident, they needed to seek permission from Kumu Zhenren first.
Just as several Core Formation cultivators were agitated and restless, Kumu Zhenren finally opened his eyes. His face twitched, and his voice was icy cold: "Junior Brother Liu is dead."
"What? Senior Brother Liu has really been murdered?"
Although they had some psychological preparation, the shock on their faces was still extreme.
"Senior brother, are you sure? Could it be a mistake?"
In response to Ning Tianyu's doubt, Kumu Zhenren did not show anger but sighed bitterly: "I wish it were my cultivation technique that failed. But I sent three transmission talismans to Junior Brother Liu one after another, and none of them worked. If he hadn't met with misfortune, why would he ignore my inquiries?"
The others fell silent. After a moment, Ning Tianyu spoke again: "Senior brother, what should we do now?"
"Go to the Mystical Medicine Valley, but everyone be careful not to get separated. The opponent who killed Junior Brother Liu can penetrate multiple restrictions; their abilities are undoubtedly formidable. They might even be an old monster at the Core Formation stage."
Nodding in agreement, Ning Tianyu said: "Perhaps it could also be a traitor among us."
"Maybe so. But regardless, being cautious is never wrong. Now that Junior Brother Liu is dead and the situation at the Mystical Medicine Valley is unclear, our sect faces its most dangerous predicament. You all should take extra care of yourselves."
"We will follow the chief's decree."
The group bowed in unison. Kumu Zhenren waved his large sleeves: "Let's go!"
Various forms of magical light ascended into the sky, heading towards the Mystical Medicine Valley.
The unusual fluctuations in essence energy not only alarmed several high-ranking experts but also stirred the entire Tianmu Mountain. Base Foundation and even Flexible Spirit cultivators rushed out from their cultivation places, staring at the cloud-like mass in the sky with a mix of shock and uncertainty.
Some were terrified; some were bewildered, but most felt uneasy...
Some gathered with friends to whisper privately, while others stood silently, mouths agape, lost in thought.
Many sharp-witted ones began searching for their mentors, hoping to get information from seniors. However, they discovered that the sect's high-ranking experts had not appeared, and a greater unease spread among them.
At the Welcome Pavilion, where guests were staying, most of whom were Core Formation cultivators attending the trade fair, they woke up in the middle of the night due to the astonishing essence energy fluctuations. Although they weren't from Tianmu Mountain, these outsiders, all having reached Great Golden Core, understood what this ominous sign meant.
Looking at the floating green cloud mass in the sky, some were surprised, others sighed, but there were also many who gloated.
Although it couldn't be confirmed that the nearby spirit vein had been completely destroyed, Tianmu Sect's days ahead would certainly be difficult. They might even face the danger of extinction.
Among them, only a couple were independent cultivators; the rest had their own sects or families behind them. Those close to Tianmu Mountain, with eyes wide open, pondered what they could do.
In one room on the second floor, a window was open, and cold moonlight illuminated it. Two cultivators sat by a table: one in yellow robes, the other in green.
These two were brothers-in-arms; the man in yellow robes was named Yue Tong, while the green-robed guest was surnamed Fu with the given name Yi.
Both belonged to the Snow Shadow Sect, which was just over 200 miles from Tianmu Mountain. Although their strength couldn't match that of Tianmu Sect, they still had Core Formation cultivators, so they shouldn't be overlooked.
"Senior brother, look at those green clouds; it must mean the spirit veins of Tianmu Sect have been destroyed. Our chance has come," Fu Yi clenched his fists and said excitedly.
However, Yue Tong looked outside with a hesitant expression, as if unsure what to do.
Seeing this, Fu Yi's face showed a hint of disdain: "Senior brother, why are you still hesitating? Has our sect not been humiliated enough by Tianmu Sect?"
"Junior brother, don't say such things. Our two sects have always gotten along well; when did we ever clash?"
"Getting along?" Fu Yi sneered with mockery on his lips: "That's built on the foundation of our Snow Shadow Sect enduring humiliation and suffering. This Tianmu Mountain has such a vast spirit vein stretching for dozens of miles, more than enough to accommodate several sects. But they insist on being the sole power, monopolizing all the spirit veins. With only a few thousand cultivators, do they really need so much? Even if it is wasteful, they don't want to share any with us."
"For decades, you've deliberately maintained good relations with them. I must say, your efforts were more than just courting favor. But when did they ever give our sect any benefits beyond superficial respect? You proposed moving the Snow Shadow Sect's main hall next to Tianmu Mountain several times, but each time, their response was a firm rejection."
"Senior brother, are you still clinging to this illusion? This Tianmu Sect is selfish and paranoid about its surroundings. Why? They're just waiting for us to have good cultivation grounds so that more disciples can advance to higher stages, posing a threat to them, even potentially taking over Tianmu Mountain?"
"In the past, we had no choice; the Cloud Sea Split Light Array was powerful enough. But if the spirit veins were destroyed, this array would lose much of its power regardless. Why don't we...?" Fu Yi became angrier as he spoke, eventually becoming agitated and his face flushed with excitement.
However, Yue Tong, as the head of Snow Shadow Sect, had to be more cautious: although he was equally moved by his brother's words, he hesitated: "Even if the Cloud Sea Split Light Array loses much of its power, Tianmu Sect's strength far exceeds ours. Acting rashly would be like throwing a stone at an egg!"