Chapter 171: Crisis in Wind Thunder Valley!

The Border-Pacifying Divine Soldiers don't even belong to Wind Thunder Valley—what's there to yield about?

Nie Jinfeng remained expressionless, taking in the clash between the Demon Suppression Office Colonel investigating mountain spirits below and the valley disciples, his eyes devoid of any ripple.

Since even after a thousand years of guarding Wind Thunder Valley we cannot gain the Divine Soldiers' acknowledgment, we might as well let it find another master, lest it emerge someday and bring disaster.

As the Sect Leader said, though Wind Thunder Valley has produced outstanding talents for a thousand years, we still cannot gain the Divine Soldiers' acknowledgment.

How can the Sect Leader believe that boy can take away the Divine Soldiers?

The short, sturdy old man, while exhaling mist and inhaling clouds, kept his eyes on the boy drawing nearer to the mountain's base, voicing his inner doubt.

Because of talent!

No longer looking at the mountain gate thrown into chaos by the Demon Suppression Office, Nie Jinfeng sat back down in the pavilion, flicked his sleeve, and a tea set flew out from his sleeve, causing even the sturdy old man's eyelid to twitch.

"A mustard seed contains Mount Sumeru—Junior Brother, could you have already reached the Divine Realm?"

The sturdy old man watched the teapot and teacup appear out of thin air, a deep shock welling up in his eyes.

"Senior Brother, you're overthinking—it's just a mustard-seed stone I bought from Amitabha Temple."

Nie Jinfeng's expression stayed normal as he lifted the teapot, refilling a cup for himself and the short old man, then continued:

"Senior Brother, living long in the mountains, news is bound to be delayed. That boy excels at archery and once repelled Yue Shan with it."

"He can repel Yue Shan with archery?"

The short old man gulped down his tea like a cow drinking water, then after a while turned his gaze back down the mountain and spoke:

"At such an age and cultivation, his archery talent is indeed extraordinary!"

"Yet many in the jianghu practice this archery; why has the Sect Leader chosen him?"

"Because the archery method he uses happens to be our Wind Thunder Valley's Wind Thunder Archery Technique."

Nie Jinfeng lightly turned the teacup with his finger, then continued: "Although Yue Shan claims he uses moon essence instead of true Qi to unleash the Storm Arrow, I am certain that is our Wind Thunder Valley's Wind Thunder Archery Technique."

"Moreover, he has attained the Perfected Level Storm Arrow, having comprehended the True Essence of the Storm."

"A Perfected Level Storm Arrow? How is that possible?"

Zhang Youlong's eyes first showed shock.

Since that renegade disciple was expelled by him from Divine Arrow Peak and stripped of his true transmission status there, over the past decade only a handful of Divine Arrow Peak disciples have mastered this supreme ultimate art.

Not a single one has reached perfection!

A boy under twenty has mastered the Perfected Level Storm Arrow.

Doesn't that mean the boy's archery talent surpasses that renegade disciple by a notch?

Just……

Wind Thunder Archery Technique is Wind Thunder Valley's supreme ultimate art; even some exceptionally gifted inner-door disciples must undergo rigorous trials before it can be passed on.

Where did the boy learn his Wind Thunder Archery Technique?

Could it have been leaked by that renegade disciple?

In a moment, Zhang Youlong thought of many things, then exclaimed in frustration:

"It must be that renegade disciple!"

"To repair the heavenly meridians, he dares to concoct Myriad Spirit Blood Pills!"

"This Wind Thunder Archery Technique must also have been leaked by that renegade disciple."

"A renegade disciple, truly a renegade disciple!"

The short, sturdy old man trembled with rage; his teacup cracked with a 'Crack!' as he crushed it, scalding tea splashing onto the back of his hand, yet he seemed unaware.

"No matter where that Qin-surnamed person learned it, since he studied our Wind Thunder Valley archery, he must pay the price!"

Nie Jinfeng's tone remained indifferent as he continued: "Although I don't know what the condition for the Divine Soldiers to acknowledge a master is,"

"but since the sect's founding, only those with outstanding archery talent can glimpse its true form."

"Thus, the condition for the Divine Soldiers to acknowledge a master is likely archery talent!"

"That Qin-surnamed boy, able to cultivate the Perfected Level Storm Arrow at such a young age, has archery talent not inferior to, and possibly superior to, that of Xue Chengkong of old."

"If I'm not mistaken, he must also have sensed the existence of the Border-Pacifying Divine Soldiers."

"That's why, when I probed with the Border-Pacifying Divine Soldiers earlier, he agreed so readily."

"Moreover, he carries something even the Demon Saint Bai Ze covets, to the point of sending three demon kings in pursuit."

"That is a great demon that has lived for thousands of years."

"What could make it spare no effort to obtain, other than the Border-Pacifying Divine Soldiers? I can think of nothing else worth such a massive upheaval."

"Therefore, on that Qin-surnamed person's person, either he hides another Border-Pacifying Divine Soldier,"

"or he obtained something related to the Border-Pacifying Divine Soldiers from the Howling Moon Demon King, thereby drawing the pursuit of the three great demon kings."

"That's why, Valley Master, you're convinced he can take away the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow hidden in the valley for thousands of years."

Zhang Youlong frowned slightly, clearly unable to fully believe Nie Jinfeng's conjectures.

"Not bad!"

Nie Jinfeng hid nothing of his thoughts.

Zhang Youlong fell into silence, and only after a long while did he speak:

"I still have one matter unclear: Junior Brother, you always say the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow will bring disaster to the valley."

"Yet this Divine Bow has existed in the valley for over a thousand years,"

"except for a few, hardly anyone knows of its existence."

"Even many true-transmission disciples and elders in the valley know nothing of the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow—Junior Brother, what exactly are you worried about?"

"If what you say is true, the condition for the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow to acknowledge a master is archery talent."

"Looking across the whole Cloud Prefecture, who could match you, Junior Brother?"

"Even that Qin-surnamed person falls far short, doesn't he?"

He knew his junior brother's archery talent better than anyone else.

Both had been true disciples of Divine Arrow Peak back then; when the master originally appointed him as the valley lord's heir, many elders in the valley supported him challenging this junior brother to vie for the valley lord position.

Only he himself knew how terrifying the archery talent of this junior brother, who was over ten years younger than him, was.

Thus, he initially bowed without a word, becoming the first to support this junior brother inheriting the valley lord position.

The facts proved the master's judgment was correct.

A few years after being selected as junior valley lord, this junior brother's archery cultivation soared, successfully comprehending the Wind Thunder Four Symbols and thereby breaking through to the Master level.

And he only managed to reach the threshold of advancement to Master more than ten years after his junior brother did—a gap that cannot be called small.

Therefore, even upon learning that the Qin-surnamed youth's archery talent surpassed that of Xue Chengkong, he still did not believe the youth could surpass his own junior brother.

He even felt that, if even his junior brother could not obtain recognition from the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow in the whole Cloud Province,

then this bow should be unobtainable by anyone.

However, Nie Jinfeng's answer greatly exceeded his expectations.

"Yes!"

"Who?"

"Chen Muyun!"

"Cloud Province Prefect?"

"Not bad; although I've only met this person once, I can affirm that this civil-official-born Chen Prefect's archery talent is absolutely not inferior to mine!"

"I even suspect that the figure atop the Myriad Ren Mountain in the Divine Weapon Secret Realm is this person!"

"Unfortunately, with my current archery cultivation, I can only climb a thousand ren of the mountain."

"One can imagine how terrifying the archery skill of the person on the mountain peak is!"

"I fear they have already reached the pinnacle, attaining a level comparable to the divine abilities of a Martial Saint."

"If that is indeed the case, once this person passes the Divine Weapon trial and causes the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow to reappear in the world, Wind Thunder Valley will inevitably become the battlefield where heroes from all under heaven contend for the divine weapon."

"At that time, even if you and I, as sworn brothers, exert all our strength to defend it, Wind Thunder Valley's thousand-year endeavor will be destroyed in an instant."

"Based solely on a single silhouette, my junior brother intends to send out the Realm-Suppressing Divine Weapon that our Wind Thunder Valley has guarded for generations—wouldn't that be too hasty?"

"Furthermore, if that Chen Prefect's archery talent is even greater than your junior brother's, and he is the person on the mountain peak, why wouldn't my junior brother directly seek cooperation with the Chen Prefect?"

"Instead, he pins his hopes on a Demon Suppression Office commandant who is at odds with our Wind Thunder Valley?" Zhang Youlong was full of puzzlement.

"Senior Brother, could it be that you think I haven't tried to find him?"

Nie Jinfeng lightly turned his teacup, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.

"However, that Chen Prefect's appetite is greater than you imagine, Senior Brother; he not only wants the Realm-Suppressing Divine Weapon, but also the thousand-year foundation of our Wind Thunder Valley."

"With such wolfish ambition, how could I possibly agree?" Zhang Youlong was full of puzzlement.