Chapter 181: Chapter 177: Don’t Reward Him
Lin Sha opened her eyes and plucked the slowly approaching Jade Slip from the air.
She wrapped her Divine Sense around the Jade Slip and immediately absorbed all the information it contained.
’Lead the Sect’s disciples to explore a newly discovered set of Relics as a trial?’
’After so much stillness, I suppose it’s time for some action. My protective Sacred Artifact is ready, but I still haven’t been able to acquire a Core Formation Spiritual Object. It’s making me a bit restless. It might be good to get out and clear my head,’ Lin Sha mused.
Suddenly, another thought struck her.
’The Relics are within the Han Kingdom’s borders, which means...’ The face that had infuriated her on several occasions appeared in her mind.
Lin Sha subconsciously bit her lip.
’If he humiliates me again, I’ll risk the punishment and teach him a lesson he’ll never forget! I’ll show him why people from the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect are all called lunatics.’
~~~~~~~~~~~
Songyangzi performed a Daoist salute. "Greetings, Master."
Master Yu Song, who was on duty, had the white hair of a crane and the complexion of a child. A long, elegant white beard flowed from his chin, yet his skin was as smooth as a baby’s.
He looked at Songyangzi, whose aura was somewhat mottled, and thought of the divination Master Wan Shi had performed all those years ago. He sighed inwardly.
If Songyangzi had managed to reach Core Formation, he would have been able to avoid a calamity.
But as things stood, it seemed Songyangzi’s time of tribulation had come.
On the surface, however, he smiled kindly. "Martial Nephew, it is a true shame that your attempt at Core Formation ended in failure just short of success. But there is no need to be discouraged. Many of our Sect’s predecessors only succeeded on their second, or even third, attempt. You must maintain a peaceful heart and continue to advance with courage and diligence. Do you understand?"
The corner of Songyangzi’s mouth twitched.
Ten years ago, his attempt at Core Formation had failed.
Although he had exchanged his Sect Contribution for a Life-Saving Elixir and managed to survive without suffering severe backlash, the Core Formation Spiritual Object had been consumed.
Now, he would have to spend several more decades accumulating Sect Contribution points to exchange for a new Core Formation Spiritual Object and another Life-Saving Elixir.
A second attempt at Core Formation was far easier said than done.
"Thank you for your guidance, Martial Uncle."
Master Yu Song said, "This time, a set of Relics has opened, with the entrance located in Yu Kun Mountain. According to divinations by the Core Formation Masters from the Taihe and Holy Blood Sects who specialize in deduction and prophecy, it should be the Blessed Land of a sect from ten thousand years ago, the ’Cyan Yang Sect’."
"This Cyan Yang Sect is not well-documented in the records of various sects, but its scale and the level of its Inheritance should be comparable to a First-class Sect. Therefore, sects below Second Class are not permitted to participate in this exploration. Instead, the Nine Great Sects will send their Qi Cultivation Disciples to explore it jointly."
"You shall lead our Sect’s disciples! Although the divinations from the Core Formation Masters of both the Taihe and Holy Blood Sects suggest the exploration will be thrilling but not truly dangerous, you must still be cautious and ensure the safety of all the disciples."
Songyangzi bowed deeply. "Songyangzi humbly accepts this order!"
~~~~~~~~~
A spacious Flying Boat, hidden above the clouds, sped westward.
Du Youqian sat in the cabin with his eyes closed in meditation. The Qi Cultivation Disciples were all as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound that might disturb him.
Du Youqian had warned them beforehand that if anyone annoyed him, they would be thrown off the Flying Boat.
Members of the Demon Sects, though fond of lies and pretense...
...were often true to their word when it came to torture.
If they said they would flay your skin, they wouldn’t leave a single half-inch. If they said they would pull out your tendons, they wouldn’t leave a single one behind.
No one dared to test whether a Sect senior would keep his word.
Du Youqian was studying the Secret Technique, the *Seven Elements Purple Mansion Qi Eating Skill*. Once this Secret Realm exploration was complete, he planned to resign from his post as the Guardian Envoy of the Han Kingdom and enter seclusion for his Cultivation.
The Flying Boat soon reached Yu Kun Mountain. After circling the entrance to the Relics once, Du Youqian landed the vessel.
The Qi Cultivation Disciples filed out of the cabin, curiously sizing up the disciples from other Sects who had already arrived.
Gu Xiaofang was also among them. As Du Youqian’s only trusted subordinate who had not yet reached Foundation Establishment, Du Youqian had naturally abused his authority to secure him a spot for the exploration.
The gregarious Gu Xiaofang had already familiarized himself with all the Holy Blood Sect disciples on the Flying Boat. Clearly not satisfied, he stepped off the boat with a smile and headed toward the encampments of the other Sects, intending to befriend the outstanding disciples from their ranks.
Gu Xiaofang had a very clear understanding of his own role.
He wasn’t particularly skilled or enthusiastic about Cultivation or Magical Combat. Instead, he preferred making friends and gathering information, and Du Youqian did indeed need someone by his side to handle such matters.
Therefore, rather than forcing himself to spend time on things he wasn’t good at, it was better to help Du Youqian by gathering intelligence and befriending some talented young prodigies who could perhaps be recruited to serve Du Youqian in the future.
This was where his value lay.
Du Youqian glanced around. Seeing that the Flying Boat from the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect had not yet arrived, he found a spot to do some last-minute refining on the two Treasures the Sect had temporarily bestowed upon him for this mission.
The first was named the "Boundary-Setting Pearl." It could temporarily stabilize a small Secret Realm or a Pocket World Blessed Land on the verge of collapse, allowing it to remain stable for a while longer.
The second was the "Thousand-Mile Shuttle." As its name implied, it was a treasure that could travel a thousand miles in an instant once activated. It was a Treasure used for rescuing people from within Secret Realms and Relics. Used in conjunction with the Boundary-Setting Pearl, it could handle most crises without the need for a Core Formation Master to intervene.
Du Youqian was green with envy over these two Treasures, especially the Thousand-Mile Shuttle. If he could possess it, he was confident he could escape even from the grasp of a Core Formation Master.
Unfortunately, it was the property of the Sect, only temporarily loaned to him for use.
After waiting for half a day, the Flying Boat from the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect arrived. To Du Youqian’s surprise, the one leading the group was none other than Lin Sha.
He had assumed Lin Sha would be holed up, not stepping foot outside her door, adjusting her body and mind in preparation for Core Formation.
In recent years, a total of four prodigies from the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect had failed at Core Formation.
The most recent one was a year ago, when Mei Shuyu—the master of Chen Yingzhi, with whom Du Youqian had previously interacted—failed her Core Formation attempt.
This meant that when Du Youqian wanted to go and collect some interest, he couldn’t even find the person to collect it from.
So, one could imagine that the pressure of the entire Sect had fallen on Lin Sha’s shoulders.
’Perhaps she couldn’t bear the weight of it all and wanted to come out for a breath of fresh air.’
Du Youqian had no intention of greeting Lin Sha.
Unexpectedly, when Lin Sha saw him, her white hair flowed behind her as she gracefully glided toward him.
Walking barefoot in the mountains, one couldn’t help but worry that her delicate soles would be scraped raw by the coarse stones.
Of course, Du Youqian knew this was just an illusion.
With the physical strength of her Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivation, not even Strong Bow and Arrows or Divine Weapons could so much as scratch her skin.
Du Youqian closed his eyes, truly not wanting to deal with her.
’The more I say, the more I might slip up. Until I’ve grown into one of the top powers in the Nine Countries of Momenan Desert, I can only hide myself carefully.’
’I’m so obviously showing that I don’t want to talk. She should be sensible enough not to bother me, right?’
And yet...
"Fellow Daoist Yu, I offer my respects."
Lin Sha’s voice was as cold as if she were speaking with a mouth full of ice.
Du Youqian sighed inwardly and opened his eyes. "Fellow Daoist Lin, what is your business with me?"
Lin Sha observed all the proper etiquette, but her expression remained icy. "How strange. We are both of the Holy Sect camp. If I don’t come to you, should I go to the people from the Taihe Sect instead? The ones I have brought with me are the future hope of the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect. If any accidents occur during the exploration of the Relics, I must ask Fellow Daoist Yu to lend a helping hand."
Du Youqian nodded. "As I am the Guardian of the Holy Blood Sect, I will naturally look after these seeds of the Holy Sects."
At this, he couldn’t help but fall back into his habit of posturing. "However, as for who to save first, there has to be a priority."
Lin Sha shot him a glare, her tone growing even colder. "Fellow Daoist Yu, are you openly soliciting a bribe?"
Du Youqian laughed in exasperation. ’Who even talks like that?’
"I think the disciples of the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect are very capable of surviving. Saving them last shouldn’t be a problem."
Lin Sha glared at him again. Magical Power gathered at her snow-white, bare feet as if she wanted to kick him, but she ultimately restrained herself. She had probably thought it through and decided she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
By evening, the Nine Great Sects had finally assembled.
The Nine Great Sects were:
From the Demon Sect Camp: the First-class Sect, the Holy Blood Sect; and the Second-class Sects, the Destruction Sect, the Red Lotus Sect, and the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect.
From the Profound Sects Orthodox Camp: the First-class Sect, the Taihe Sect; and the Second-class Sects, the Lingxiao Sword Pavilion, the Chongzhen Sect, the Ten Thousand Laws Sect, and the True Preservation Sect.
The order was based on their respective strengths.
The Guardian from the Taihe Sect had arrived long ago. He was a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator with a typically righteous and calm demeanor, wearing a high crown, a longsword at his side, and clad in simple yet intricate ancient-style robes.
Likely aware of Du Youqian’s reputation, he hadn’t greeted him upon arrival.
Now, however, he stood up, nodded at Du Youqian, and announced in a low voice, "Everyone is here. Let us begin."
The one hundred and fifty Qi Cultivation Disciples from the five sects of the Profound Sects Orthodox Camp spontaneously came forward and stood before the Taihe Sect’s Guardian. Although no one organized them, their formation was not chaotic.
In contrast, on the Demon Sect Camp’s side, there were a total of one hundred and twenty Qi Cultivation Disciples from the four sects.
They were pushing and shoving each other, pulling out Magical Artifacts for sneak attacks at the slightest provocation, and were on the verge of trampling one another.
Some female disciples were shouting lewd and vulgar phrases, while some male disciples opened their mouths only to curse their targets’ entire families.
By the time they finally formed a line, Du Youqian took one look and thought, ’Holy shit, how are there only one hundred and eighteen of them?’
’Where are the other two?’
’Two whole people, where did they go?’
Du Youqian felt a pang of regret. He had been secretly clashing with the leader of the Lingxiao Sword Pavilion using their Sword Intent and hadn’t paid attention to the commotion over here.
Otherwise, with the Divine Sense of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, not a single clue could have escaped his notice.
The two missing people were both from the Red Lotus Sect.
And the flock of chattering girls from the Red Lotus Sect were already confronting the disciples of the Destruction Sect.
"You were the ones sneakily staring at Junior Sister Lu and Junior Sister Ding just now! You must be responsible for this! Let them go, now!"
"Bullshit! Those two were so ugly they made people want to puke. Why would we have taken them? Our Destruction Sect’s tastes aren’t that peculiar."
"Won’t admit it? Then let’s see what you’ve got! I hope your skills are as tough as your mouths!"
"Little lady, we ’brothers’ have something else on us that’s even harder. Care to give it a try?"
"Shameless! Take this!"
Du Youqian watched them, yawning, without intervening.
If the Foundation Establishment leaders from the Red Lotus Sect and the Destruction Sect couldn’t handle it, he would just suppress both of them directly.
’Dignified Foundation Establishment Cultivators, letting people cause trouble right under your noses. You’ve brought shame to all Foundation Establishment Cultivators!’
As for himself, stepping in to deal with a few brats in the Qi Cultivation Realm?
’Is my appearance fee that cheap?’
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