Chapter 79

You Liang is paralised with anxiety. All his life, he has never seen a sword cultivator with this kind of personality. Yet this person has the highest cultivation level of anyone he has met. You Liang can’t help but doubt his entire upbringing from childhood. Can it be that the teaching for sword cultivators to ‘discipline and control oneself’ is all wrong?

In a blink of an eye, he feels that the sword in his hand isn’t worth much anymore.

Yan Zhengming doesn’t bother with courtesy as he speaks. Fortunately, Wu Changtian’s patience is well-honed, so he doesn’t rise up to the provocation.

Wu Changtian quietly takes out two small and ancient-looking seals made of stone from his robe. One of the seals is all white without stain, as if carved from jade. The other one is all black, on which a sigil in the shape of a tortoise is carved. One can tell without checking the name where this seal comes from: the Black Tortoise Hall of the primordial glaciers in the far north.

Yan Zhengming raises his eyebrow. Not bothering to reach out to receive the seals, he says, “What are those?”

“The two lords of White Tiger Estate and Black Tortoise Hall asked me to deliver these to you, Sect Leader Yan,” Wu Changtian says, “According to them, you’ll know what they are for yourselves once you see them.”

Obviously, these two seals are none other than the passwords for the ‘Earth’ lock. Yan Zhengming can tell it without even looking.

He puts the cup of tea to one side, then gives a chilly smile as he says, “Is this your way to bribe me? To be blunt, these seals were entrusted by my sect to the Four Sages. It’s natural that they return to us. Who dares to deny me when I claim them?”

Sect Leader Yan’s gaze shows that he may not know how to talk to people, but he definitely can insult them. As his eyes sweep across the scene, it can be understood clearly what he means: ‘who asks you busybodies to interfere in other people’s business?’

In the present, even if the Four Sages have been on the decline, who would dare to look down on them like that?

This person dares to kill an Elder right in front of Bian Xu’s eyes. Wu Changtian smiles ruefully, as he thinks that dealing with someone like that is even more troublesome than dealing with those old foxes.

“You…” You Liang is on the way to losing his temper, but Wu Changtian pushes him back down.

“I dare not accept such praise from you, Sect Leader Yan,” Wu Changtian says nearly timidly, “I just deliver these because I happen to be on the way here. It’s not something worth mentioning. To someone like you, wouldn’t it be an insult to talk about ‘favour’ or ‘benefits’, Sect Leader Yan?”

With an arrogant air, Yan Zhengming doesn’t reply. In this respect, Official Wu is truly clumsy. Sect Leader Yan has been the “Money Hunting Young Master” for so many years, that there is not much left of his ‘dignity’. He really welcomes other people to bring him this kind of insult.

Yan Zhengming picks up the Black Tortoise seal and examines it. Seeing the words ‘Seal of Bian Xu’ carved on one of its side, he says in a bland tone, “Fine, what’s your name?”

You Liang’s face becomes white. In contrast, Wu Changtian is in complete control of himself. He replies, “My family name is Wu, the first part of my name is Chang, the second is Tian.”

“Ah, so you’re Wu Daoyu,” Yan Zhengming glances from the corner of his eyes. He suddenly says, “Oh, there is something that has been bothering me all these years. Wu Daoyu, do you mind explaining it to me? In your opinion, why did Zhou Hanzheng make the effort to plot the murder of someone who only laboured for the benefits of other people like Gu Yanxue?”

On the surface, the battle on Azure Dragon Island looked like a collaboration of Bai Ji and Tang Yu to drive Gu Yanxue in a corner. Zhou Hanzheng and his black-clad goons only fanned the flame. However, when one thinks about it, the role of the Celestial Divination Bureau must have been substantial. The ‘drawing on soul’ spell that many people on the island were subjected to was a masterpiece of Zhou Hanzheng.

You Liang’s face is full of confusion. He doesn’t understand what Yan Zhengming is talking about.

Wu Changtian’s back suddenly stiffens. Tension is all over his face.

Yan Zhengming glances at him with a vague smile. He lightly flicks the stone seal, making it ring out a soft sound. He turns it over and over in his hand, idly thinking that he still lacks a finger guard made of jewels. After a few wriggles of his thumb, he finally says apathetically, “Of course, you don’t have to say anything if it’s a secret of the court. It’s been more than a hundred years. I’m getting out of touch. How many times has the throne changed hands? Does it still belong to that family?”

As Yan Zhengming thinks Wu Changtian won’t say anything, he suddenly speaks, “What happened to Gu Yanxue was a suggestion of Zhou Hanzheng. The order to kill him was signed by the Celestial Divination Sect Leader himself.”

Yan Zhengming pauses his movement. “Hmm? Wasn’t Zhou Hanzheng a member of Azure Dragon Island in name? Did those fools never feel any gratitude for what Lord Gu granted them?”

Wu Changtian says, “It’s because he was the Left Guardian of the Lecture Hall, that the situation became clear: the Lecture Hall’s influence among the cultivators in the world had gone out of control.”

Normally, how many people would have the luck to become disciples of well-established sects?

The Nine Provinces are vast, but how many cultivators come from prestigious lineages? The majority of those who take up this path have to undergo the hardship of working out everything by themselves. For the rogue cultivators who cannot find a sect, the Lecture Hall of Azure Dragon Island is their only hope.

“Gu Yanxue ranked first among the Four Sages. His position was at the peak. In general, cultivators don’t have any regard for the Emperor or their blood families. After Heaven and Earth comes the “Teacher”. You should know it yourself the implication of the ‘Teacher of the World’ title,” At this point, Wu Changtian lets out a sigh. His face becomes downcast, showing a rather out of place sorrow. “With just a word from Lord Gu, the cultivators who had received help from the Lecture Hall would level the entire world for him. It was a highly dangerous situation. Sect Leader Yan, everything could go wrong with just a wrinkle of temptation in his heart. Who could let him live?”

Yan Zhengming observes him without saying anything. Wu Changtian doesn’t avoid the stare. He looks back, as he says calmly, “Sect Leader Yan, since you asked about this matter, it seems like you don’t know something related to it. As I already opened my mouth, there is no point hiding it. The Lecture Hall was originally the ‘Hall of Initiation’, which was founded by your disciple grandfather Tong Ru together with the Four Sages.”

As soon as these words are spoken, silence reigns over the room.

Yan Zhengming stops all of his provocative, arrogant gestures. In a corner, Puddle’s eyes are wide. Behind the decorative screen, Li Yun and Cheng Qian are stunned too.

Cheng Qian immediately remembers what Ji Qianli said to him on the Immortal Binding Platform. What that geezer said seemed to be complete nonsense. As it turns out, everything has a hidden meaning.

Killing intent fills the outer part of the room. Yan Zhengming’s power is at ‘joining the sheath’ level. It doesn’t manifest in an obvious manner, yet its oppressive weight is felt even more keenly, as it swirls above Wu Changtian’s head.

Wu Changtian doesn’t even stir. He continues. “Yes, it was indeed Tong Ru. Your ears aren’t deceiving you. People think the Three Lives Mystic Site appears randomly, but it isn’t the case. The key to open that Mystic Site is the heirloom of our Celestial Divination sect. If the person who enters it doesn’t have a heart free of desire, they will fall to it. Indeed, Tong Ru went mad after leaving the Mystic Site. Ignoring the advice of the Four Sages, he tossed his Sect Leader seal to his disciple, then climbed the hundred and eight thousand steps of the Tower of No Regret to take out the Wish Granting Stone.”

A cracking sound can be heard from Yan Zhengming’s knuckles. Had it not been for the password to the ‘Earth’ lock, the seal would be crushed by him already. He says with a chilly smile, “Can’t this world tolerate a person who wishes to do some good for others?”

Wu Changtian says evenly, “There is no tolerance for powerful people who can control the elements yet still get involved in worldly affairs. Sect Leader Yan, you should know well that cultivators are still human. Even someone like Xu Yingzhi, who pursued purity in the Vermillion Bird Tower, can you be sure he knows no temptation? Society is like a bowl of water. The water level may be high or low. There can be some ripples, but it must not tip to one side. No matter if it’s mortals or cultivators, balance is needed such that the water won’t spill out for things to last a long time.”

Wu Changtian tilts the cup of tea in his hand as he speaks, causing some of the tea to fall outside. Then he gracefully signs a spell with his finger. The water that spilled out is paused mid-air, then turns into a wheel of water, which quietly flies back into the cup.

You Liang fearfully cries out, “Senior brother!”

“This is the Celestial Divination sect. We act as the hand that keeps the world in balance,” Wu Changtian rolls up his sleeve. With a self-mocking smile, he says, “The secret of the Celestial Divination Sect has been passed on for hundreds of generations. The one who reveals that must die. As it turns out, I myself tell you about that. It’s nothing, Xiao-Liang. In the present, the Celestial Divination sect has fallen and become a bunch of dogs serving a master. Does it really matter if I keep the secret or not?”

Compared to his weapon, Sect Leader Yan’s impossible personality is much more impactful. When he is in a bad mood, even a non-sentient statue will be annoyed. However, no matter how he acts out, Wu Changtian’s amicable face remains impenetrable. Still, in this second, his friendly tone becomes bitter. An indescribable hint of frost flashes under the warmth of his expression.

Wu Changtian pays no heed to Yan Zhengming’s unwelcoming face and talks on like a monk in a meditation trance. “A person with a strong obsession will become more powerful in a shorter time compared to the average. They are also much more dangerous once they go mad during cultivation. Tong Ru made a wish to that stone which spoke to the demons of the heart. The stone demanded him to pay back with human lives. Tong Ru was a warrior of righteousness, so how could he kill the innocents indiscriminately, even in his madness? So, he chose to kill demonic cultivators, who had committed many evil deeds, as tributes for the stone. Because of this, he accidentally won the post of Lord Beiming.”

“Unfortunately,” Wu Changtian lets out a strange smile. Yan Zhengming understands what he is about to say next without him even speaking.

If a demonic cultivator wants to walk the path to the end and succeed, they must never spill blood. The karmic stain of blood can never be washed clean, even if it’s just a drop. Even if the person’s heart is full of integrity, they’ll inevitably fall into the endless killing rage. This is something everyone knows.

“In his killing rage, Tong Ru claimed the lives of countless innocent cultivators and mortals. Having no other choice, the Four Sages had to work together and deal with their old friend,” At this part, Wu Changtian lets out a long sigh. “Still, Tong Ru was indeed an extraordinary genius without match. He was even with all Four Sages in that battle. It was indeed… In the end, Xu Yingzhi exchanged his own life and lured Tong Ru into the Valley of No Sorrow. The Valley of No Sorrow is the place where lost souls of the world gather. In that place, black is black and white is white. No one can hide the sins they committed when alive there. Tong Ru’s sin of killing was deep, so the Valley inevitably punished him, such that he perished there.”

Those few sketchy descriptions made the listeners feel a chill down their spine.

Wu Changtian lets out a laugh and shakes his head. “Unexpectedly, Gu Yanxue had short memory. Learning nothing from that battle, he changed the name of the ‘Hall of Initiation’ to the Lecture Hall and moved to Azure Dragon Island. If back then the Celestial Divination Bureau hadn’t arranged for Tong Ru to go mad, the lineage of Fuyao Sect wouldn’t have been broken. Everyone here would probably still be peacefully cultivating on Fuyao Mountain. You might not be able to attain such great achievements you currently have, but you wouldn’t have had to live an exiled life at Azure Dragon Island. Your disciple brother wouldn’t have fallen to the ‘soul drawing’ spell of Zhou Hanzheng. The current great disaster of the demonic dragon wouldn’t have happened. Well, we Celestial Divination sect don't avoid the consequences of our own actions. As the Heavens will it, our lifeline is coming to an end.”

Wu Changtian robs Yan Zhengming of everything he is about to say, so Sect Leader Yan has nothing left for his reply.

Wu Changtian says, “I still have something else to deliver to you, Sect Leader Yan.”

He takes out a scroll from his robe and lifts it with both hands in Yan Zhengming’s direction, saying, “Sect Leader Yan, please have a look.”

As soon as he opens the scroll, Yan Zhengming feels that something is wrong. There is a ringing sound in his ears. The Sect Leader seal, which has been lying quietly on his chest, begins to heat up, as if it is resonating with this unknown scroll. The starry ‘Heaven’ lock suddenly appears in front of his eyes. The glitter dots swirl maniacally and form a huge whirlwind.

The aura of Fuyao Mountain swells up as the scroll slowly opens. The upper part has only names on it, names of Fuyao Sect Leaders throughout the ages. The lower part records the cultivation paths they took. At the end, there is the red stamp of a seal. Yan Zhengming has never seen the words on that stamp, but he knows what it says.

He unconsciously blurts out, “Demon Vanquishing Seal…”

At that moment, the silence of the room is broken by the glare of a sword. All You Liang feels is an overwhelming frostiness all over him. He instinctively raises his sword to defend himself, but he can’t move. It is as if he has fallen into an invisible sea of ice, which freezes everything around him. Even his gaze has become ice. He has already formed his primordial spirit, but he can’t even lift his arm.

Such power with just one strike!

As soon as he senses that something strange is underfoot, Cheng Qian immediately flies out from behind the decorative screen. He places the blade on You Liang’s neck, and angrily thrusts the sheath at Wu Changtian’s back. His frost-filled killing intent firmly locked down these two, while vehemently striking at the resonance between the scroll and the Sect Leader seal.

Under Shuang Ren, You Liang’s arm shakes uncontrollably. Cheng Qian’s gaze is like the ice lake of Ming Ming Valley. “Daring to bring something like this to Fuyao Estate, do you want to die?”

Yan Zhengming closes the scroll. With a strange expression, he calls with a low voice, “Xiao-Qian.”

Cheng Qian’s killing intent subdues a little, as he turns to look at Yan Zhengming.

Yan Zhengming says, “Release them first.”

Cheng Qian finally lets out a disgruntled ‘hmm’ and withdraws his killer sword.

Wu Changtian takes a deep breath and quietly moves his spiritual energy around his body. It takes two rounds of circulation for the frost on his back to completely dissipate. He clasps his hands and salutes Cheng Qian politely. “Cheng Zhenren, you have only cultivated for a hundred years, but you are already at such a level. How admirable!”

Cheng Qian, who is set out to play the nasty one, replies immediately, “My ability is not worthy of such admiration. It’s only enough to kill you.”

Wu Changtian says, “Cheng Zhenren, you misunderstand me. All I did was to return this object to its original owner. That is the ‘Demon Vanquishing Scroll’. It originally belonged to Fuyao Sect, and contains thirty oaths that were signed between the ancestors of our Celestial Divination sect and your esteemed sect. Sect Leader Yan should know already whether it’s real or fake.”

Cheng Qian raises his eyebrows.

Wu Changtian says, “Of course, Fuyao Mountain is still sealed off, and the Fuyao Sect Leader has established a different Fuyao Estate. Strictly speaking, you aren’t really bound by the oath of ancient people. There is no need for you to comply with it. However, how many innocent lives will this battle between the righteous and demonic sides?”

Wearing a frosty face, Cheng Qian is about to speak, but Yan Zhengming cuts in first. “The oath has the demon-vanquishing seal, but it doesn’t require us to be commanded by you. It doesn’t prevent us from dealing as we see fit with the Celestial Divination Bureau goons either.”

Wu Changtian says, “You think too highly of us. Sect Leader Yan, if our side wronged you in any way, feel free to deal with us as you see fit.”

Yan Zhengming glares. “Official Wu, you sure have a lot of integrity. May I ask how many people that sect of yours signed this oath with?”

Wu Changtian just smiles without saying anything. Obviously, he doesn’t want to reveal that.

Yan Zhengming waves his hand, “Han Tan, see our guests off.”

Wu Changtian pulls out an invitation card and places it on the table. He salutes the host properly, then says politely to Puddle, “Miss, no need for you to trouble yourself on our account. Please stay here.”

Waiting for them to leave, Li Yun emerges from behind the decorative screen and asks, “What’s wrong?”

Having said that, he picks up the opened scroll on the table and quickly goes through it. Staring fixedly at the strange demon-vanquishing seal at the end, he asks, “Is this really…”

Cheng Qian says, “This bullshit oath was made by the Sect Leaders of the previous generations. What do we have to do with it? Let’s throw it in a fire and be done with it.”

“I can’t burn it. The oath is linked to the Sect Leader seal,” Yan Zhengming’s expression stiffens. “If I don’t comply, it’ll be taken as me not accepting the Sect Leader seal, and from then on, my awareness in the Sect Leader seal will be removed…”

Yan Zhengming taps lightly on the end part of the scroll, where his name is listed as the latest Sect Leader. “Which is the same as me betraying our sect.”

Li Yun’s mind, which is rich in ways to cheat, quickly comes up with a solution. He immediately says, “That’s nothing. As the saying goes, ‘even murderers can become Buddhas’. That so-called oath doesn’t prevent a cultivator from leaving their sect then returning. What can they do when you take off the Sect Leader Seal, burn this oath, then come back?”

Yan Zhengming angrily glares at him. “Don’t talk nonsense. Your petty tricks are always useless for something serious!”

Having said that, he waves his hand. The Heaven lock in the Sect Leader seal appears in the shape of a giant starry clock. One end of the lock is pointing at the scroll.

“If all of us turn our back at our Fuyao Sect, the Fuyao lineage will come to an end, and the Sect Leader seal will definitely self-destruct. When it comes to that, Fuyao Mountain will never appear again. What do you think we should do then? Hang ourselves in front of our Master’s grave?”