"Eighteen?"
Xu Guangwen fell silent. What had he been doing at eighteen? Probably struggling against a rat demon.
This revelation about Su Yuan's age instantly silenced everyone present, including disciples like Zhuge Jian.
Su Yuan's power and composure had nearly made people mistake him for an elder, yet he had only joined the sect for just over two years.
"As for the Peak Master position, you're suitable - it's yours now, no more arguments!" Su Yuan waved dismissively.
"Then regarding the secret techniques... could Elder Su... I mean, Elder Su, consider taking some disciples to pass them on?" Xu Guangwen asked again.
"About the secret techniques," Su Yuan pondered briefly, "I'll establish a monthly lecture series. Disciples interested in learning can attend."
Xu Guangwen sighed in relief: "Understood. I'll make the arrangements!"
He paused, glancing at Zhuge Jian and the other three.
Understanding the cue, Zhuge Jian and the others immediately clasped their hands: "Senior Brother Su, we have matters to attend to - we'll take our leave!"
Su Yuan nodded: "Go ahead."
The four quickly departed.
Along the way, Nangong Huoyu transmitted her voice: "Are you going to study Elder Su's legacy?"
Zhuge Jian responded swiftly: "Didn't you get the hint? From now on, address him as Elder Su or Ancestor Su! Of course I'll learn it!"
Clearly, Zhuge Jian had also heard about the lineage-founding ancestor matter.
Back in the courtyard, Xu Guangwen continued: "Elder Su, with Three Peaks Peak now officially open, there are many matters to handle. The most critical is the issue of assets."
"Oh? Explain in detail." Su Yuan nodded.
"From what the Sect Leader told me, it's customary that whenever a new peak opens, other peaks will each allocate portions of their assets to the new peak. These assets include marketplaces, shops, mines, forests, fisheries, cultivation cities, mortal nations, defense points against demon sects, border guards, immortal-demon battlefields, secret realm guardianship and exploration, management of affiliated forces within the territory, maintaining territorial order, expanding territory, and numerous other responsibilities. There's also new disciple training, veteran disciple instruction, elder mission assignments, matters concerning neutral associations, alliance affairs, negotiations with equivalent sect forces, coordination with higher sects - a whole series of matters requiring handling."
Su Yuan's eyes flashed with post-disaster relief.
Thank goodness! Thank goodness!
Perfect timing to pass on the Peak Master position!
Just hearing about these responsibilities gave him a headache, let alone actually doing them!
Su Yuan's gaze toward Xu Guangwen transformed - what a good man, truly a great man! If anyone dared say Xu Guangwen obtained his position improperly, he'd argue with them!
"Ahem, Peak Master Xu, since you're now the Peak Master, all these matters are yours to handle! Go ahead boldly!" Su Yuan waved grandly, eyes full of trust.
"But..." Xu Guangwen also looked overwhelmed, "These assets are too numerous. We don't have enough Golden Core elders in our peak, and we have zero Nascent Soul elders. The demon sects' hostility toward our sect has become quite evident recently. These assets will require more people for defense. Elder Su, perhaps you could think of a solution?"
Su Yuan rolled his eyes: "What can I do? I can't command Nascent Soul elders either! After the asset handover, do disciples from other peaks withdraw?"
"Exactly. With authority transferred, responsibility transfers too!"
"I'm curious - how did previous lineage-founding ancestors handle things after taking over?" Su Yuan asked.
"I just checked the biographies. It records that after taking over reserve peaks, lineage-founding ancestors also faced countless tangled threads, found asset arrangements stretched thin, and constantly faced external harassment. The ancestors all acted decisively. While handling asset issues, their strength advanced rapidly, they encountered successive fortuitous opportunities, comprehended secret techniques in battle, and even fought against Nascent Soul enemies in adversity! They achieved consecutive victories, ultimately breaking through like butterflies emerging from cocoons through continuous tempering, reaching Divine Transformation and Void Travel stages before departing freely."
Su Yuan remained silent for a moment, then said: "Let me see that!"
Xu Guangwen quickly retrieved a book titled "Biographies of Past Ancestors" from his storage ring, handing it to Su Yuan.
Su Yuan rapidly flipped through it.
He kept rolling his eyes, laughing angrily: "The recorder exaggerated outrageously! Is this even believable? Golden Core fighting Nascent Soul? Nascent Soul fighting Divine Transformation? One against five? Consecutive victories! This is cheating! Definitely glorified. These can't be humans! The last generation of ancestors was nine thousand years ago! This is a multiply revised version! Absolutely wrong!"
Su Yuan vented furiously.
"Your breakthrough speed and comprehension of cosmic principles seem to corroborate these records!" Xu Guangwen said.
"I'm just..." Su Yuan swallowed his words - he had a cheat system, buddy! Did they think every ancestor had a terminology system?
Indeed, Su Yuan believed these ancestors ultimately reached the Void Travel stage and ventured to higher realms, possibly overcoming level gaps - but probably minor ones!
Later generations just glorified them.
Su Yuan said: "Here's what you do - tell other peaks to allocate fewer assets to us. We don't need so many."
"It's already divided!" Xu Guangwen whispered.
"So fast?" Su Yuan's eyes widened.
"Well... perhaps they wanted to quickly establish connections with Ancestor Su. Before I could speak, they'd already transferred all assets, just waiting for us to send disciples to take over!"
Su Yuan shook his head: "I'm not the Peak Master now!"
Xu Guangwen panicked, bowing deeply: "Ancestor, you can't abandon us! You'll receive a share of those assets' output too!"
Su Yuan's expression shifted: "How much?"
Xu Guangwen paused, quickly catching on. He calculated rapidly: "Our Seven Extremes Sect has numerous assets. Roughly estimating, the assets allocated from other peaks can produce 370 billion spirit stones annually. After deducting various expenses, sect contributions, disciple support etc., typically 10 billion spirit stones remain for the Peak Master's allocation. Normally these would still be used for the peak, but if the lineage-founding ancestor requires them, they can be directly given to you."
"Ten billion? Are you sure? That much?" Su Yuan's tone grew urgent.
"Correct. Ten billion seems enormous, but it's just one hundred top-grade spirit stones. For those below Golden Core, it's a fortune;for Nascent Soul cultivators, merely decent income."
"These aren't the sect's main wealth. I've heard Nascent Soul cultivators guard more valuable assets where output is truly staggering."
Su Yuan understood, falling into thought.
He glanced at the Big Dipper formation in the spirit field, deep in contemplation.
Xu Guangwen also curiously looked toward the spirit field, noticing many spirit plant sprouts emerging. With his spiritual sense, he detected mysterious formation patterns on the soil surface.
"How to reduce long-distance consumption?" Su Yuan murmured.
Suddenly, his gaze fell on a jade pot mark in his palm, then back to the formation patterns. An idea struck him.
"Got any blank formation disks?" Su Yuan asked.
"Ah, yes!"
Xu Guangwen immediately produced one.
Su Yuan took it and, channeling true energy, quickly imprinted it.
Soon, a Big Dipper formation appeared inside the disk.
Activating it slightly, a faint starlight descended from the Big Dipper above.
This wisp of starlight seemed insignificant but provided excellent spatial positioning and transmission pathways!
Su Yuan handed it to Xu Guangwen.
"Take this disk far from the sect - the farther the better. When you feel sufficiently distant, activate it while calling my name! I'm testing something." Su Yuan instructed.
Though puzzled, Xu Guangwen complied.
"Understood. I'll proceed immediately!"
Xu Guangwen flew from Su Yuan's cave abode toward the sect's outskirts.
Meanwhile, Su Yuan set up a Seven-Star Magic Altar atop his cave's mountain.
This time, he didn't just use the Nine Stars Linked Pearl Sword for the formation core.
He summoned the jade pot, placing it at Alkaid's position - the brightest, fastest-responding star.
When the sixth-grade spiritual treasure joined the altar, the formation's grade instantly rose several major levels, reaching fifth-grade!
Through this altar, Su Yuan perceived the Big Dipper with unprecedented clarity - even clearer than during [Balanced Cultivation]!
"Didn't expect such dramatic effects!"
Su Yuan hadn't anticipated this!
And this was just one spiritual treasure's effect. With seven, it would be even more remarkable!
But the sixth-grade treasure's high grade sufficed - he sensed the results would be impressive enough.
He began waiting.
Two full hours later, a mental echo came from afar!
The call was unmistakable.
Su Yuan immediately activated [Mind Echo].
Instantly, part of his consciousness crossed vast distances to a barren mountaintop.
There, Xu Guangwen chanted "Ancestor" while activating the disk.
Though saying "Ancestor," his mental focus clearly targeted Su Yuan, who could directly sense it - names and titles mattered less than correct orientation.
Su Yuan saw Xu Guangwen's disk indeed guiding down faint Big Dipper starlight - negligible in effect but providing crucial directional guidance!
Back at the altar, Su Yuan released his conceptual realm toward the Big Dipper, channeling his attacks and techniques through the spiritual treasure and formation toward the stars.
The altar erupted with power as a stellar pillar carried his strength skyward.
The prepared spirit stones barely depleted - the sixth-grade treasure's innate grade alone flawlessly transmitted his power to the Big Dipper!
[Seven Stars Shine Bright] glowed intensely!
The Big Dipper responded to his invocation!
Far away, Xu Guangwen saw the Big Dipper suddenly brighten.
Then seven sword beams descended with heavenly majesty!
Xu Guangwen panicked, dodging frantically before realizing the attack struck a neighboring peak.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A small mountain was reduced to rubble under stellar swords.
Gaping at the scene, Xu Guangwen looked skyward, then at the disk in his hand, then toward the sect.
He murmured: "The descriptions in 'Biographies of Past Ancestors' were far too conservative!"

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