Chapter 89

Five floating mountains of varying sizes drifted in the sky, each as large as Shuijing Peak.

Amid the dense vegetation stood several ancient Eastern-style buildings.

On the ground beside him lay several people scattered about: Ye Fan, Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan, Kleine, Lu Mingfei, Weigong Shilang, Luffy, Han Li.

Zhongli sat at the only intact stone table, clutching his head, back turned to the others, lost in thought; on the table sat a teacup, steaming with rising vapor.

The grassy area around the lake where they lay was more like wasteland—plowed as if by a giant hoe, not a single spirit herb or wildflower to be seen, only dark yellow-black soil remaining.

The straw-hat boy gripped a wine goblet, his belly swollen like an overfilled sack, straw clinging to his lips.

Su Lin refused to dwell on what had happened to the grassland last night, shifting his gaze to the others.

Ye Fan, Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan, and Han Li each held a jade bottle—the bottle of Zui Xian Nian—lying drunk on the ground, still fast asleep, clearly having consumed far too much.

'Three bottles?'

'Three?!'

Su Lin quickly checked his system points: 【Manifestation Points:】

Where are my points?!

I only exchanged for one bottle—why do they each have three?!

Even with three bottles of Zui Xian Nian plus cake, it's under ten thousand—why did I lose over twenty thousand points?

What the hell did I do last night?

Su Lin crouched down in panic, trying to recall the events of last night.

'Can immortal wine make you blackout?'

He remembered only fragmented images: dragging everyone around, pointing out the landscape, standing before a painting—what painting was it again?

The qi surging within him, the enhanced physique, brought no warmth—he only felt icy cold in his hands and feet. What exactly happened last night?

He turned to the only person awake and walked toward Zhongli.

'Zhongli.' Su Lin greeted him. 'Good morning, last night—'

'Good morning, but it's already noon, Zongzhu,' Zhongli said, flipping through an ancient text while lifting his teacup with one hand.

'So it's already twelve?' Su Lin sighed. He'd drunk far too much last night—he never drank normally, but the immortal wine had made him greedy for cups.

'Wait!' Su Lin pinched his forehead, pausing for two seconds: 'What did you just call me?'

'Zongzhu,' Zhongli replied solemnly, looking at Su Lin. 'If you're uncomfortable with it, I can continue calling you Su Lin.'

'It's not that—'

Su Lin shook his head, asking softly: 'Why are you calling me Zongzhu?'

'Sigh.'

Seeing Su Lin's expression, Zhongli sighed—he'd expected this. Su Lin clearly remembered nothing.

Su Lin had somehow obtained Zui Xian Nian, a liquor rich with concentrated qi that aided cultivation, its age having refined its flavor and potency; its only flaw was its overwhelming strength.

As the qi was absorbed, the alcohol's effect seeped into the body.

'You founded Tianyi Sect last night. I'm in charge of its management and operations,' Zhongli closed the book and explained. 'Including disciple selection, assessments, and martial arts instruction.'

'Ahahaha, really?' Su Lin's mouth twitched.

'Yes,' Zhongli affirmed.

'Just drunken nonsense!' Su Lin hastily denied it. He'd never considered forming a sect—he felt guilty dragging Zhongli into this. 'Sorry, Zhongli.'

But Zhongli shook his head and pointed to a golden scroll nearby.

'Take a look at that first.'

'…'

A bad premonition struck Su Lin—he rushed to a shattered stone table, dug through the rubble, and retrieved the golden scroll.

It radiated multiple auras, among them his own.

With trembling hands, Su Lin unrolled the scroll and read its contents.

【January 1, 2023】

【I, Su Lin, founded Tianyi Sect and became its Zongzhu, taking residence at Shuijing Peak and overseeing the sect's scriptures.】

【Ye Fan is the Enforcement Elder and Master of Beidou Peak, responsible for monitoring disciples' conduct and instruction.】

【Han Li is the Inner Sect Elder and Master of Tiannan Peak, teaching disciples talisman and artifact crafting, puppet-making… and alternating with Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan in teaching pill-making knowledge.】

【Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan is the Outer Sect Elder and Master of Tianhuo Peak, teaching disciples combat techniques, and alternating with Han Li in teaching pill-making knowledge.】

【Weigong Shilang is the Armory Elder and Master of Jian Peak, supplying the sect's weapon inventory and later teaching weapon forging.】

【Zhongli is the Internal Affairs Elder and Master of Jin Yu Peak, managing internal affairs, disciple selection and assessment, and may hold classes during free time.】

【Kleine Mo Leidi is the Survival Instructor, teaching wilderness survival skills and enhancing disciples' resistance to anomalies, affiliated with Shuijing Peak, whose training ground is under Kleine's control.】

【Master Meng Qi Luffy is a mysterious NPC, appearing randomly to impart the Qi technique to the chosen.】

【Lu Mingfei is… Senior Disciple (struck out) Dragon-Slaying Elder (struck out) Dragon-Class Elder (struck out) Fire-Transmission (struck out) Interstellar Strife (struck out) Magical Girl (struck out) Gunplay (struck out) Currently registered as a visitor, to be promoted to Elder later.】

【All Elders and the Zongzhu hold equal status, jointly building Tianyi Sect; the Zongzhu bears the duty to contribute more to the sect's development.】

【Grow big, grow strong, create glory.】

【This covenant is overseen by the Covenant God Morax.】

Su Lin collapsed onto the ground, staring at the fingerprints and his own true spirit imprint on the covenant—his mind went numb.

So that's how the five floating mountains came to be?!

Noticing more space on the scroll, Su Lin pulled it further—beyond lay a design blueprint.

Five peaks encircled Shuijing Peak, annotated everywhere: where to inscribe arrays, where to place ancient killing formations, which peak to carve a heavenly cave…

The handwriting varied.

'Did I propose forming a sect?' Su Lin turned to ask Zhongli.

"Actually, yes." Zhongli was about to reply, but was interrupted by a coughing fit.

"Cough! Cough!" The spirit form of the Medic Elder had appeared beside Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan without warning. "You all made quite a ruckus last night—I nearly had to drag you back."

"."

"Why 'drag'?" Su Lin asked, puzzled. He now only wanted to know what else had happened last night.

Zhongli pulled out his phone, displaying a video: "You several went to Rongcheng and hit the streets recruiting people."

"Hey, young man, don't go! I'm Ye Fan—I see you've got great potential. Want to learn the Ye Zhetian Art from me?" Ye Fan, face flushed, shouted at a young man passing by with a briefcase.

"You're Ye Fan? I'm Shi Hao!" the young man shook his head. "Reading web novels at your age is one thing—but drunk like this?"

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan, carrying the Mystic Weight Ruler and holding a banner that read 【Infinite Fire Realm Recruiting—If you're a brother, join me and Shatter the Heavens!】, swayed unsteadily, clearly not knowing what he was doing.

"Young sir, young sir."

The camera's viewpoint shifted to several young women.

"It's really Zhongli."

"So handsome! So accurate!"

"Is Liyue recruiting? Hehe."

"No, if you want to cultivate, you can sign up with our Su Zongzhu."

A hand appeared in the frame, pointing at a young man curled up beside the road, head buried in his knees, fast asleep.

"Haha, you guys are funny."

"Goodbye, Zhongli."

After the video ended, Su Lin fell silent again.

After a long while.

"Damn!"

He clutched his head and crouched down, suddenly wanting to exchange for another bottle of Zui Xian Niang and just escape reality.

(End of Chapter)