Chapter 438: Covert Operations

Ye Liuyun led everyone into the Council Hall, sat on the main seat, and Piao Yun stood by his side.

Next, according to the procedure, the Deputy Helmsman introduced each Steward and their tasks to Ye Liuyun, then began reporting the situation here to Ye Liuyun by rank.

Ye Liuyun listened roughly; there were no urgent matters, only some trivial or speculative information.

After hearing this information, logically Ye Liuyun should give a specific reply.

But he only said, "From now on, when I cultivate, report everything to Piao Yun. Her decisions are my decisions. For today's matters, you should all ask Piao Yun for her handling opinions later! That's all for today, go about your business."

The others originally didn't expect any opinion from him. Yet his words clearly meant he wanted Piao Yun to vet things for him, so they had no objections and dispersed.

Ma Tiantong exchanged a glance with Chen Yue and left the Council Hall together. They needed to find something for Ye Liuyun to do, to demonstrate that only they truly understood the Qingcheng Branch and were suitable candidates for helmsman.

Piao Yun hadn't expected Ye Liuyun to dump all the sect affairs onto her. However, she guessed Ye Liuyun was preparing for the Cangyun Grand Competition, so she didn't refuse.

From then on, most of the time Piao Yun handled internal sect matters for Ye Liuyun, and she actually managed the routine affairs quite well.

Since the day Ye Liuyun first appeared after assuming the helmsman role, he has stayed in the Cultivation Room and never emerged.

At this moment, his Buddha‑Demon Golden Body and Physical Body have been cultivated to the Third Layer, but the illusory shadow of the Physical Body differs from that of the Soul. The Physical Body's shadow envelops Ye Liuyun's form for defensive purposes.

His Soul's cultivation progressed faster, already reaching the Fifth Layer. The Soul's trailing illusory shadow is taller and more solid. A single palm strike, bearing Buddha Light and Nether Ghost Fire, can annihilate the Soul of an Eighth Layer Heavenly Gang Martial Cultivator.

Ye Liuyun intends to use this killing move as his Trump Card. So far, the strongest Heavenly Gang Realm cultivators he has encountered are at most Eighth Layer.

At the same time, the news of Ye Liuyun becoming helmsman of the Qingcheng Branch spread rapidly. Even the Golden Peng Dynasty learned of it. Moreover, reports of Ye Liuyun kidnapping the queen and slaughtering people before the Poison Dragon Tomb were also circulated by the Iron Eagle Sect.

Upon learning the news, Piao Yun immediately informed Ye Liuyun, warning him of retaliation from the Golden Peng Dynasty.

"It spread so quickly?" Ye Liuyun's mind cleared instantly; someone must have deliberately leaked it. Jing Wudi had previously recounted Ye Liuyun's deeds to convince everyone, presenting them as his achievements.

Piao Yun also knew someone had leaked the information, but they had no evidence and could not speak recklessly. They could only remind Ye Liuyun: "Helmsman, should we return to the main sect to lay low?"

"No need! Fortune is not disaster; disaster cannot be avoided! Just manage the daily affairs for me. If something major happens, call me!"

Ye Liuyun also knew that evading could only buy time, not a lifetime; sooner or later he would have to face the Golden Peng Dynasty. Moreover, the two sides were originally hostile.

The Golden Peng Dynasty did not launch a direct strike in retaliation. After all, the incident had passed, and Ye Liuyun eventually released the queen. To avoid a direct clash with the Iron Eagle Sect, they merely incited several families around Qingcheng to trouble the Iron Eagle Sect.

Once these families received support from the Golden Peng royal house and learned that the Qingcheng Branch was helmed by an inexperienced youth, they began scheming, first applying tentative pressure.

But Ma Tiantong and Chen Yue, citing Ye Liuyun's lack of orders, cooperated unusually by repeatedly feigning weakness, causing the nearby families to momentarily think Ye Liuyun's ability was insufficient and become arrogant.

At that moment, Wan Chongshan, whom Ye Liuyun had met inside the Poison Dragon Tomb, also learned of Ye Liuyun's command of the Iron Eagle Sect's Qingcheng Branch, and rushed to cause trouble, allying with the local biggest family, Luo Jia, to prepare to strike Ye Liuyun.

These reports, after Ma Tiantong and Chen Yue learned them, were not relayed to Ye Liuyun. Piao Yun only knew that recently the various families had become more active, and several of their strongholds had been taken down by the families.

However, this loss didn't affect the fundamentals, and Ye Liuyun's order to them was to hold and not attack, so they didn't mind much.

Ye Liuyun himself remained unaware of these pieces of information. He spent each day cultivating inside the Xuan Kong Shi with everyone, and also passed on the Buddha‑Demon Golden Body techniques to them. In an instant, everyone's realm advanced one layer.

The highest‑ranked, Lei Ming, has broken through to the First Layer Heavenly Gang and possesses strength to contend with the Fourth and Fifth Layers. Bai Hu, though only at Golden Core Ninth Level, can still fight at the Second Layer Heavenly Gang. Wu Qingcheng has reached Golden Core Seventh Level, Yu Er Golden Core Fifth Level, and even the lowest, Ru Yue, has advanced to Golden Core Fourth Level.

Moreover, they have almost all cultivated both Dual Golden Cores and the Buddha‑Demon Golden Body, so their overall combat power has risen dramatically.

Besides the improvement in his Buddha‑Demon Golden Body, Ye Liuyun's void‑evading ability has also greatly advanced with his realm. After reaching the Heavenly Gang Realm, he feels closer to nature, and his understanding of space has changed markedly from before.

He can now easily touch the void, and can even slip into the Fourth Layer of void for short periods. As for the Third Layer void, he can remain hidden within it for a long time.

His realm has also reached the mid‑stage of the First Layer Heavenly Gang, and it's about time he went out to train.

But before Ye Liuyun could emerge, the Luo Jia group and the bandits led by Wan Chongshan simultaneously charged at the Qingcheng Branch, intending to eliminate both the branch and Ye Liuyun.

Wan Chongshan, who previously lost an arm to Ye Liuyun, is now one‑armed, but after inheriting the Poison Dragon's legacy his realm rose another layer, and he has become more adept with poison.

The Luo Jia contingent, besides the clan's founder himself, includes another Elder of the Sixth Layer Heavenly Gang and over a dozen Heavenly Gang Realm strongmen, truly an elite force. It seems Luo Jia intends to wipe out the Iron Eagle Sect's Qingcheng Branch in one blow.

Ma Tiantong and Chen Yue were shocked upon learning the news. They hadn't expected the situation to develop to such an extent.

Ye Liuyun's information was indeed leaked by their covert operation. They thought the Golden Peng Dynasty would only target Ye Liuyun specifically.

Unexpectedly, the Golden Peng Dynasty even incited Luo Jia to annihilate the Qingcheng Branch in one stroke.

Without the Qingcheng Branch, what are they fighting over for the helmsman?

Thus they ignored Ye Liuyun's hold‑and‑don't‑attack order, both reporting the helmsman while marching forward to meet the fight. Yet the two of them are only at the Fifth Layer Heavenly Gang; even together they can only fend off that Elder from Luo Jia, far from matching Wan Chongshan and Luo Jia's founder.

After only a few rounds, Chen Yue was captured alive, and Ma Tiantong was wounded and defeated. In an instant, the entire Qingcheng Branch faced the danger of annihilation.

Helpless, Piao Yun had to report to Ye Liuyun again.

"What now?" Ye Liuyun, deep in cultivation, had to emerge from the Xuan Kong Shi again. It was already the third interruption of his day.

"Helmsman, Luo Jia and the bandit Wan Chongshan have united to assault the branch; Protector Chen Yue was captured, Deputy Helmsman Wan Chongshan is injured," Piao Yun reported.

"Who sent them into battle? Didn't I say to hold and not attack?"