The fact that Long Shou-si, a fourth-layer expert, could be killed, and it required the combined efforts of Shi Cheng and Ouyang Jiankang to subdue him completely, was enough to prove that Long Shou-si’s strength was undoubtedly above the fourth layer. Therefore, Qiao Yihong, who repelled Long Shou-si with a single strike, could only be a fourth-layer expert.

In the cultivation world, strength is, after all, paramount. Qiao Yihong's move immediately proved that the Medical Saint Martial Sect was not merely famed in name only.

The greed that had swelled in the hearts of the assembled sect leaders and family heads, stemming from their covetous desire for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach, was suddenly doused by a bucket of icy water, leaving the scene in an abrupt, awkward silence.

After the awkwardness came anger.

“Right, where is Zhao Lei!”

Realizing they had been used, the various sect leaders and family heads snapped back to their senses and began shouting in fury. They looked around frantically, only then noticing that Zhao Lei, the head of the Zhao family, had long since vanished without a trace.

“Bad news, even Du Xu-gang of the Du family is gone!”

“And that traitor of the Long family, Long Jiang—why haven’t we seen him appear? Where is he hiding, daring to scheme against us like this!”

...

The disappearance of Du Xu-gang was quickly discovered as well. Faced with the torrent of accusations, the Zhao family disciples responsible for hosting them had already turned pale; they were caught in an impossible position, unable to leave or stay.

“We... we truly don’t know where Master Zhao has gone…”

The gazes cast upon them by the deceived sect leaders and family heads were almost predatory enough to devour them, yet these Zhao disciples had clearly been kept in the dark by Zhao Lei himself, possessing no real knowledge of his whereabouts.

“They must have gone to fight over the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach!”

“Exactly! They must have gone!”

With Qiao Yihong, Abbot Shi Cheng, and Ouyang Jiankang—the Ouyang family head—all present, the leaders, despite their rising agitation, eventually directed their verbal assaults toward these three figures after venting for a while.

Abbot Shi Cheng had utilized a unique Shaolin technique to restrain Long Shou-si, binding him tightly. He was temporarily left under the watch of Shi Fang and other Shaolin disciples, prepared to be delivered to the Long family later for Zhang Yang's handling. However, Ouyang Jiankang, standing beside the Abbot, still looked concerned. He looked at Qiao Yihong and asked with lingering unease, “Brother Qiao, according to Long Jiang’s plan, he should be leading Zhao Lei and Du Xu-gang to the place where the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach grows right now. Do you, Senior Zhang, have any contingency plans for this?”

Abbot Shi Cheng also turned to Qiao Yihong, his eyes reflecting the same worry.

Qiao Yihong offered a faint smile, completely unconcerned. He knew with absolute certainty that the underground area where the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach grew was absolutely secure; even if Zhao Lei, Du Xu-gang, and Long Jiang joined forces, they would never manage to steal the Peach.

Long Jiang had indeed deduced the truth of the matter, but the truth he grasped was separated from the actual reality by an extremely subtle gap. Yet, it was precisely this minute disparity that would ensure that their attempt to seize the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach would only lead them into a carefully laid trap—after all, the Great Perfection Master Shi Ming of Shaolin was guarding the underground area. If the three of them went down there, what could they possibly accomplish?

“Please set your minds at ease, esteemed masters. Your Great Perfection Master Shi Ming has already agreed to Sect Leader Zhang’s request to remain underground and guard the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach for the Medical Saint Zhang Family. If Long Jiang, Zhao Lei, and Du Xu-gang go there, it is nothing less than walking straight into a net.”

Qiao Yihong turned toward Abbot Shi Cheng and explained softly.

Abbot Shi Cheng was momentarily stunned, then clasped his hands together and silently recited a Buddhist invocation. Though he was the Abbot of Shaolin, he respected and would support Master Shi Ming’s decision.

Although Qiao Yihong’s voice was low, Ouyang Jiankang beside him and the assembled sect leaders and family heads all heard his words clearly.

Nearly everyone present was utterly shocked!

The Great Perfection Master Shi Ming of Shaolin had actually agreed to Zhang Yang’s request to guard the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach for the Medical Saint Zhang Family, while the five major super-sects—the Zhou, Hua, Li, Wudang, and Demonic Sects—had all simultaneously withdrawn from Kunlun. This could only signify one thing: the upheaval across Kunlun Mountain last night was indeed caused by a conflict between Great Perfection masters vying for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach. But the result might be more than just mutual injury; there was another possibility—that all five Great Perfection masters had been defeated by the Medical Saint Zhang Family.

Previously, no one believed the Medical Saint Zhang Family could defeat five Great Perfection masters consecutively, which is why they had believed Long Shou-si’s account. But now…

The great man from the Northeast Xinyi family was the first to step forward. After cupping his hands toward Qiao Yihong, he announced loudly, “Brother Qiao, I am Xin Tianfeng from the Northeast Xinyi Family.”

Qiao Yihong looked at the man from the Northeast and returned the gesture, unsure of what he intended to say.

“The traitor from the Long family previously claimed that the reason the five great families left Kunlun was the result of their respective Great Perfection masters suffering heavy injuries after fighting your sect’s two seniors over the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach. I wonder… I wonder if this is true?”

Being a forthright man from the Northeast, Xin Tianfeng, despite feeling that asking such a question was inappropriate, could not hold back and asked directly.

Immediately, the cluster of sect leaders and family heads behind Xin Tianfeng all perked up their ears, awaiting Qiao Yihong’s answer.

“Benefactor Qiao, I am Juechen, the Abbot of the South Sea Putuo Gate. We gathered at Kunlun merely to witness the splendor of this miraculous treasure about to emerge, with absolutely no intention of contending with the Medical Saint Zhang Family. Therefore, I implore Brother Qiao to tell us the truth.”

Abbess Juechen, the leader of the South Sea Putuo Gate, also stepped forward. However, she had already shed her desire for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach in her heart; she was now purely curious about the outcome of the five great families’ struggle for the treasure.

Seeing Xin Tianfeng and Abbess Juechen step forward, the other sect leaders and family heads immediately followed their lead, surrounding Qiao Yihong, Abbot Shi Cheng, and Ouyang Jiankang.

It was not just Xin Tianfeng and Abbess Juechen who were curious; everyone present was intensely curious. Although many had already vaguely guessed the truth, they still hoped to hear Qiao Yihong of the Medical Saint Martial Sect personally disclose what kind of conclusion the battle over the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach between these Great Perfection experts had reached.

Qiao Yihong sighed. The ultimate reason these people were so easily swayed by Long Jiang’s scheme was the overwhelming temptation of the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach. If anyone among them still harbored thoughts of causing trouble using this opportunity, it would become very problematic. Since Long Jiang and Zhao Lei had essentially revealed the truth in their recording, whether he concealed it or not made little difference; it was better to state it plainly to serve as a deterrent.

“Indeed, the abnormal tremors on Kunlun last night were caused by a clash between several major super-families and sects fighting over the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach.”

Qiao Yihong took a deep breath and suddenly addressed the crowd, “I must apologize for being unable to share the specific details, but the result is true: the five Great Perfection experts from the Zhou, Li, Hua, Wudang, and Demonic Sects joined forces to compete against my Zhang Family for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach, only to be ultimately defeated by Sect Leader Zhang Yang of my Medical Saint Martial Sect, after which they all retreated in disarray. Meanwhile, Master Shi Ming of Shaolin forsook the pursuit of the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach to maintain the alliance with my Medical Saint Martial Sect.”

Qiao Yihong was inherently full of vigor, and his delivery now was overwhelmingly heroic and intensely proud.

One could hardly blame him for his pride; anyone would be unable not to be proud of the Medical Saint Martial Sect. A moment’s reflection would show that in the entire Huaxia cultivation world, who else could achieve what Zhang Yang had accomplished?

He was now the Protector of the Medical Saint Martial Sect; the more powerful the sect, the more honor reflected upon him. Therefore, as he spoke these words, his pride surfaced naturally.

Of course, he certainly would not disclose the fact that Old Master Zhang had yet to fully recover from severe injuries, nor that Zhang Yang’s internal energy was currently weakened.

“Hiss!!”

Although Abbot Shi Cheng and Ouyang Jiankang had mentally prepared themselves, hearing the confirmation with their own ears made them both dizzy and unable to process it immediately.

As for Xin Tianfeng of the Northeast Xinyi family, he staggered backward, bumping into Abbess Juechen behind him, instantly losing his balance and falling to the ground.

The horsetail whisk in Abbess Juechen’s hand dropped, yet she neither bent to retrieve it nor scolded Xin Tianfeng for his rudeness; she simply stood slack-jawed, speechless for a long time.

Both of them were so profoundly shocked by Qiao Yihong’s words that they lost all composure.

As for those behind them, there was no need to elaborate. Within the camp of the Northwest Zhao family, the silence was so profound that the sound of a dropped needle could be heard clearly.

To defeat five major super-families and sects single-handedly—such strength was terrifyingly overwhelming, bordering on the monstrous.

This was an outcome that no one dared to believe, as it vastly exceeded the scope of their imagination. In the entire history of Huaxia, there had never been a family or sect capable of simultaneously opposing five major families and sects and remaining undefeated.

Strictly speaking, this was the second time the Medical Saint Zhang Family had achieved such a feat.

The first time, they had resisted the alliance of the five major families and sects and protected the Long family at the Guardian’s Fault Line; this time, they had actually defeated the five great families and sects, forcing them to withdraw from the contest for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach.

Opposition, they could accept, but defeat... the sect leaders and family heads present could no longer process the implication.

It could be said that the Medical Saint Zhang Family, the creators of the Medical Saint Martial Sect, were now undeniably the foremost sect and family in the Huaxia cultivation world, even if they hadn't secured the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach.

Furthermore, now that even Shaolin, the only power still capable of competing for the Peach, had withdrawn, who else possessed the means to challenge the Medical Saint Zhang Family for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach?

At this point, no one harbored any further intention of vying for the treasure. Facing such an overwhelmingly powerful sect and family, they dared not risk offending them in the slightest. Many sect leaders and family heads were already feeling the urge to retreat, preparing to lead their disciples or clan members away from Kunlun.

If the five major super-sects had left Kunlun, what good did their own contingent of fourth-layer experts matter? Even an outsider from the Medical Saint Martial Sect possessed fourth-layer strength, let alone the renowned Zhang Daofeng and Zhang Yun’an in the cultivation world.

Quite a few people present had already quietly slipped away from the Northwest Zhao family camp, readying themselves to depart from the perilous grounds of Kunlun immediately.

Qiao Yihong hadn't expected his words to yield such an immediate effect, but he remembered that this was not yet a time for celebration. He then turned his attention back to Abbot Shi Cheng and Ouyang Jiankang.

“Abbot Shi Cheng, Brother Ouyang. I must ask for your continued assistance in escorting this Long family traitor, Long Shou-si, back to the Long Family. Moreover, I now need to return to the Long Family myself to inform Sect Leader Zhang of Long Jiang’s whereabouts, as well as the fact that Zhao Lei and Du Xu-gang have gone to the location of the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach.”