The gathered crowd looked left and right, wondering who had dared to interrupt Ning Fan's peak selection. In the next instant, everyone involuntarily turned their gazes toward the sky. A figure swept through the void from the horizon, landing before them within a single breath.

"Greetings, Peak Lord."

"Greetings, Peak Lord Ghost."

Various respectful voices rang out. The Talent Scouts and disciples of each peak bowed toward the newcomer. The other new disciples, stunned for a moment, quickly realized the figure's identity and saluted with equal reverence.

It was Ghost Fang.

The Peak Lord of Yin Yang Peak.

The five main peaks were the very foundation of the Yin Yang Divine Sect, and nearly all disciples walked the world and cultivated under their banners.

Thus, a Peak Lord held immense status.

This was especially true for the Yin Yang Peak, the first among the five. Its Lord's standing was essentially equal to that of the sect's high Elders-an existence that ordinary disciples could not overstep.

"Greetings, Peak Lord."

Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao also clasped their hands and bowed. Even though they had no intention of joining the Yin Yang Peak, they could not afford to offend the master of a peak.

"Boy, why do you refuse my Yin Yang Peak? Do you have some grievance?"

Peak Lord Ghost stared down at Ning Fan.

This master of the first peak appeared rather unkempt. He was entirely bald save for a fringe of gray hair, and his exceptionally small, triangular eyes exuded a chilling, icy pressure as they locked onto the youth.

"Apologies, Senior Peak Lord."

"This disciple simply cannot accept the dual cultivation rules of the Yin Yang Peak. Casual dual cultivation is a hurdle I cannot overcome in my heart."

Ning Fan spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Heh, ha, ahahaha!"

Hearing the answer, Ghost Fang paused briefly before bursting into wild laughter, as though he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.

Ning Fan frowned deeply. He took great offense at the Peak Lord's mocking reaction, but he forcibly suppressed his anger.

"Boy, there are plenty of people who think like you when they first arrive. But do you know what it means to give up the Yin Yang Peak for Changming Peak?"

"Let me give you a rough estimate."

"In a single month, you lose at least one thousand Spirit Stones. If you perform well on my peak, that number could easily rise to two or three thousand."

Ghost Fang held up three fingers, his eyes gleaming with playfulness.

The weekly allowance for Yin Yang Peak disciples surpassed all others from the start, and they held an absolute advantage when claiming sect assignments.

Coupled with the dense Spirit Qi of the first peak, an ordinary disciple there received resources equivalent to a thousand more Spirit Stones per month than someone on Changming Peak.

For a stellar talent who received extra rewards, the disparity would only widen. The reserves the first peak could distribute were simply incomparable to those of the fifth.

Ning Fan was slightly taken aback.

Even though he had anticipated a gap, a difference of one to three thousand Spirit Stones worth of cultivation resources per month still made him click his tongue.

The divide between the first and fifth peaks was indeed vast.

Yet, even if the gap were as wide as the heavens, he would not change his mind.

"Apologies, Senior Peak Lord."

"This disciple still chooses Changming Peak. Handing my Dao companion over to be used by others is something I will never accept."

Ning Fan's voice was resolute.

Many onlookers sighed inwardly. To persist in choosing Changming Peak after learning the true extent of the resource disparity-they did not know whether to call Ning Fan foolishly stubborn or remarkably principled.

Of course, none of them knew that Ning Fan's gaze had long been fixed on the ancient ruins hidden within Changming Peak.

Mostly, they felt envy.

The luxury of having all five peaks vie for him was an achievement the rest could never attain in their lifetimes.

Surprisingly, despite being rejected a second time, Ghost Fang showed no anger. As if he had long foreseen this response, he merely shook his head with a sigh.

"I have seen too many disciples like you, boy. Most end up miserably. Setting aside whether your Dao companion remains faithful, let me ask you one question-"

"Can you safeguard her fidelity forever?"

"Once chastity is lost a single time, it loses all meaning. If you are stuck on Changming Peak by then, unable to leave, it will mean decades of torment."

"In the end, you will lose both your companion's virtue and your cultivation path."

Ghost Fang smiled faintly.

In truth, the vast majority of disciples arrived with normal morals. Why did they ultimately succumb to the top four peaks? Ghost Fang's words laid bare the decisive factor.

Chastity was a fragile thing.

Losing it once was no different from losing it a hundred times.

To protect a Dao companion's virtue meant one could not fail even once. Even leaving aside the companion's own resolve, who could guarantee they would never encounter an existential threat from someone with greater strength or background while walking through the sect?

If one stubbornly clung to Changming Peak only to fail in protecting their companion, they would truly end up as Ghost Fang described-losing both the person and the wealth.

Faced with that grim reality, most cultivators chose to abandon their principles entirely. They threw themselves into the highest-ranked peaks to secure resources. Furthermore, the dual cultivation rules were blind; both parties could freely indulge under the sect's protection.

Strictly speaking, no one lost out.

Ghost Fang watched Ning Fan with a curled lip, confident the youth merely hadn't weighed the pros and cons. A little persuasion should be enough to make him defect to the Yin Yang Peak.

"Senior Peak Lord,"

Ning Fan looked directly at Ghost Fang and clasped his hands.

"This disciple fully understands your words. Safeguarding a companion requires eternal vigilance and is fraught with immense peril. I have already tasted a piece of this reality."

Back in the fated chance domain, Ji Wuxi and his cohorts had already coveted their dual cultivation constitutions, openly talking about 'sharing the fun.' Future predators would undoubtedly harbor the same thoughts.

"But that is no reason to degenerate."

"Cultivation is like rowing against the current; to retreat is to flow backward. If a martial artist abandons their path simply because the road ahead is difficult, they have already failed."

Ning Fan spoke word by word, his voice echoing like ringing steel.

"The path ahead may be treacherous."

"But I, Ning Fan, shall cleave a way through!"

"Husband."

Yun Qingyao grasped his hand, her face filled with equal determination. "No matter what comes, Qingyao will stay by your side."

At this, Ghost Fang's expression finally turned utterly grim. These two were entirely unteachable.

"Good, good, good!"

Ghost Fang barked three times, a sharp, menacing glint flashing in his eyes.

"Since you choose the hard way, do not blame this Peak Lord for exercising his privilege!"

"You two-"

"I, Ghost Fang, Lord of the Yin Yang Peak, hereby invoke the Disciple Snatching Rule!"