“Character is a trump card that can oulast strength and skills.”

The following years were all the more peaceful within the mountain peak.

Ever since it hosted the traditional tournament, no one really dared to challenge the might of Qai and his Saints Hall.

Such an atmosphere was a very much welcomed for Qai who encouraged everyone in the mountain peak to focus on cultivation.

Among them, the only ones who had been experiencing slow progression were the clan patriarchs, Old Ye Mo, Steward Fatty, Teng Gui, and Ji Wuheng.

They were the older generations in the group.

Teng Hu, on the other hand, had been obsessed with Pill alchemy ever since he became Qai’s follower—and his attainments in such field were second to none in Rising Sun City.

In fact, he became the most demanded Pill master when he finally concocted Foundation Establishment Pills.

While he remained in the mid Foundation Establishment stage for years, his fame did not diminish a bit.

As a result of such achievement, the Saints Hall only saw itself as wealthier than ever.

With every bit of medicinal pill put up in auction, it was no wonder that the mountain peak would be able to amass a great sum of resources.

Eventually, the Saints Hall’s 3 establishments became the most prestigious stops for cultivators.

Surprisingly, in 10 years' time, the Crimson Edge Continent enjoyed a period of peace as well.

Qai by now was around 32 years old but still looked 20—thanks to the ‘Ageless Bone Pill.’

He was already at the peak of the mid Foundation Establishment stage and was preparing to make a breakthrough.

Even with the help of the pocket dimension and almost a fourth of the entire resources of the Saints Hall, he only attained such cultivation base in that span of years.

In fact, his Blood Knights had even better progress who were now all in the great circle of Qi Condensation stage except for 3 who already broke through to early Foundation Establishment stage.

They were Lin Ming, the commander of his Blood Knights, and two others who became the captains of the 2 squads.

Every now and then, the 33 Blood Knights would march through the Rising Sun City’s road in line formation and on Blood Horses leading the way for Steward Fatty whenever the latter would visit the Saints Hall’s 3 establishments.

With such might and ferocity, not even the city guards tried to block their way.

As for the 7 Saints, they were all in different Foundation Establishment stages and had been making names for themselves and the Saints Hall by roaming around together in the center of the continent joining tournaments here and there.

The youngest Fang Zhao became their established leader.

One day, in a specific manor in the Saints Hall, an unknown intruder arrived.

No one knew how he got through the restrictions of the mountain peak except for the one—Old Ye Mo.

In fact, the unknown cultivator was his personal guest.

“How long do you plan to hide in this place? This puny mountain peak does not suit your prestige, Fellow Daoist Ye Mo.”

However, the tool refinement master did not speak a word.

The guest had a small stature that he almost looked like a 7-year old boy—but obviously, he was not. In fact, he was already over 500 years old.

“I can see that you haven’t fully healed yet. Here, I brought you something that will speed up the recovery of your Nascent Soul. Were it not for the things I owe you, I wouldn’t bother looking for you.”

Old Ye Mo just nodded as he took the medicinal pill bottle.

He opened it—and immediately, a strong medicinal scent wafted from it.

“Eccentric Jin, thanks for this. I’ll be staying here for a while. There are a few interesting fellows here in this mountain peak whom I would like to see how far they could go in this chaotic continent.”

“Are you talking about that brat who ’saved’ you from the bandits!? He was indeed capable but that's only because he has the help of his Spirit Beasts. However, I am also curious about how he trains those blood cultivators. Other than that, he doesn't look really special.”

After inspecting the properties of the medicinal pill, Old Ye Mo flicked his hand and placed the bottles in his storage pouch.

“Well, his methods are indeed strange, his demeanor unlike many other young cultivators, and he maximizes well the strength of his Ant colony. But as we both know, while Spirit Beasts live longer than cultivators, they take longer time to breakthrough. I wonder what he’s going to do once he overtakes the level of his Ants. Will they still be useful to him? And will he ever reach the Nascent Soul realm?”

“That is why I am telling you, nothing else is special about him other than his methods. And as far as his strength is concerned, he would just be ordinary back in the Three Suns Continent.”

The guest simply stood as he mockingly gestured while he spoke.

“But that is exactly what I am curious about. I still haven't seen his little army fight using those weird formations in a true battle. What do you know, maybe we could get to see some action soon? And maybe we would be able to see something different. I have a feeling that this brat is a different breed of cultivator altogether. Besides we know that this moment of peace around here would soon come to an end.”

“Well, I am not interested.”

“I am not asking you to say.”

“But what are you planning to do?”

“Nothing, I kind of like this place. Maybe I’ll play along some more with this brat while I recuperate.”

“Hah, don't tell me you're gonna make a fool of yourself acting like the Dao reserve of this pathetic Saints Hall!? You jest!”

“It’s not like I’m gonna personally fight in this continent’s war. It's their own battle. I’ll just enjoy the show.”

“Well, it’s not even funny that you pretend to be a mediocre tool refinement master. I can't believe you decided to stick with these bumpkins. It's so unlike you.”

“Let’s just say I kind of get tired of the noisy life back in the Three Suns Continent and I am getting the retreat here that I deserve.”

A deep sigh came out of Old Ye Mo’s guest—he seemed defeated.

“I need to go back to now. I didn't say these things to force you out of here anyway. I just can't reconcile what’s your real intention in staying here.”

Right after the ‘Eccentric Jin’ said those words, he instantly disappeared without a trace.

Of course, everyone else in the Saints Hall was unaware of what just transpired in Old Ye Mo’s manor—not even Qai’s ever-reliable Queen Ant detected the intruder’s presence.

However, it really did appear that there was no malicious intent since after he left, nothing untoward happened to any part of the mountain peak or to anyone from the Saints Hall.

Thus, life went on without any hitch whatsoever within the confines of the Qai’s ‘territory.’

During those years, another traditional tournament was held but the city lord learned his lesson and hosted the competition himself. He saw to it that the Saints Hall would no longer have any part of it and did not want to make another opportunity for clan patriarchs to openly follow the young lord, Qai, and his mountain peak.

It was obvious though that the city lord’s enmity with the Saints Hall was just a facade and that he really did not have enough backing to start a fight.

The Saints Hall knew of it and just let the city lord look like a clown in the minds of the people.

Time passed by and three years later, when Qai was about 35 years of age, news of another heaven shaking event broke out in the Crimson Edge Continent like volcanic eruption.

Large sects were organizing a continent-wide conscription!