Chapter 135: Kidnapping, Bounties, and Chaotic Rites

The succession ceremony of the sect leader was held as scheduled, and Canluo Sect invited all major sects to attend.

Chu Danqing naturally mingled among the guests, eating and drinking freely.

The fifteen days he spent on Canluo Mountain had been truly peaceful; his cultivation progress was steady as an old dog, and his series of skills, including the Five Elements Spirit Beast Scripture, had risen to Level 9.

The remaining one level would take another half-month to slowly grind out.

His basic Command skill had also risen from Level 1 to Level 3.

The summoning cost had changed from -1 to -3.

During this time, the Purple Jade Recluse, just as Yuan Chong had said, sent him a generous gift.

【Pure Yang Glass Incense ×60】

【Type: Offering Item】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Durability: 1/1】

【Effect 1: When used as an offering, the recipient gains one unit of incense offering】

【Effect 2: When used during cultivation, increases cultivation efficiency by 100%】

(Note: Only applicable to soul-based, spirit-type lifeforms and deities, immortals, or Buddhas)

(Note: Only applicable to Ordinary and Excellent quality transmission techniques; Fine quality transmission techniques gain only 10% efficiency boost)

Chu Danqing had inquired: this Pure Yang Glass Incense was not only expensive to produce, but its crafting process was extremely complex, yielding only a hundred incense sticks per year.

Thirty percent were purchased by the imperial court, and another twenty percent were released for trade.

Another twenty percent were reserved for annual rituals; Canluo Mountain itself possessed only twenty sticks.

Each stick, crafted with fine artistry, burned for thirty minutes; the total of twenty sticks amounted to only ten hours.

They were typically allocated in advance to the sect's geniuses, such as Zhuo Bufen and Zhao Mingqian.

Even they, even with their masters' shares not saved for them, received only two or three sticks per year.

The Purple Jade Recluse had directly gifted him sixty sticks—truly a gesture of sincerity.

Chu Danqing immediately began using them as daily morning and evening incense for the Snake Spirit.

He himself didn't need the cultivation boost, but using incense as a resource to nurture the Snake Spirit was a different matter.

If all went as expected, after completing the contract, the Snake Spirit's attributes might reach the Reserve Tier's maximum of 10 points.

After all, the Snake Spirit was a household guardian spirit, and incense offerings were well-suited to it.

Even if this household guardian was a mutated variant, it could still benefit somewhat.

Moreover, it could only be used now; once the offering contract with the Snake Spirit was complete, it would no longer receive incense.

After all, it wasn't a true household guardian—it still carried the Xiangliu bloodline after losing its body.

It could even become a household guardian only because the Paradise's rules were overwhelmingly dominant; otherwise, such a bizarre lifeform could never have existed.

Then Chu Danqing's daily routine gained another task: nurturing the Snake Spirit.

His life grew increasingly fulfilling; had he not still needed to meet Xiong Mou to discuss the Blood Oath Pact, he would have stayed at Canluo Sect indefinitely.

Having accepted the gift, he couldn't leave early, so he patiently waited until the succession ceremony began.

Near noon, the ceremony officially commenced.

Chu Danqing returned to his seat, acting like a mere tool, his face solemn, while his mind pondered whether to nap after the ceremony ended.

He was here to observe, not to organize the event; sitting and watching was enough.

"Wait a moment!" A woman's voice drowned out the ceremonial music.

Chu Danqing raised an eyebrow—trouble had arrived?

He turned toward the voice and saw a woman.

She was undeniably beautiful, as if stepped out of a Photoshop rendering.

At her cry, all eyes turned to her.

Zhuo Bufen's face showed hesitation, inner struggle, and unspoken words.

"Witch! How dare you show your face!" Purple Jade Recluse roared instantly, drawing his sword to strike.

But the Purple Jade Recluse was stopped by the Purple Jade Recluse.

"Miss Murong, Bufen is now the leader of Canluo Sect. You are unsuited to him," the Purple Jade Recluse said calmly.

Chu Danqing was baffled.

Canluo Sect didn't forbid marriage—what made them unsuited?

"Today, I'm taking him away. I dare anyone to stop me!" the woman said coldly. "You all know he never wanted to be sect leader—you forced him into it."

Chu Danqing's eyes widened—he'd heard of bride-snatching, but never sect-leader-snatching.

Indeed, live long enough, and you see everything.

"Uh, let's talk this out," Chu Danqing stepped forward.

He'd taken their gift—he couldn't hide in the back now.

So he stepped out as a mediator.

Mostly because he couldn't fight—these two clearly had feelings for each other.

Had the woman not come to snatch the sect leader, she might have stood beside Zhuo Bufen as his sect lady during the ceremony.

The woman glanced at Chu Danqing, then ignored him, turning back to Zhuo Bufen: "Say one 'no,' and I'll take you straight out of Canluo Mountain."

"Bufen, this is your duty," the Purple Jade Recluse said softly.

Canluo Sect's eldest disciple, raised since childhood with teachings and guidance, trained in the finest martial arts, used the best resources.

Even Zhuo Bufen's father had survived thanks to the friendship between his junior brother Zhao Mingqian and Chu Danqing.

Otherwise, why would Chu Danqing have cared for him at all?

Now you say you're quitting—is that fair?

"I—" Zhuo Bufen steeled his resolve and opened his mouth to refuse the woman.

But as soon as he uttered the word "I," another sudden change erupted.

"Kill the corrupt official! Restore justice!" A chorus of shouts rose as hundreds of bandits and rogue cultivators surged up the mountain.

The scale made it clear—they had planned this in advance.

Chu Danqing scratched his head—how was this his problem?

"Purple Jade Recluse, this is what you called 'minimal impact'?" Chu Danqing was speechless.

The sudden turn caught the Purple Jade Recluse off guard.

Everyone drew weapons instantly; the entire ceremony turned tense.

All could sense that not all these intruders were mere rogues.

Their weapons weren't forged by ordinary smiths; some even wore inner armor.

Weapons alone could be explained as expensive custom-made gear—but with inner armor, everyone saw the conspiracy.

"Forgive us, Purple Jade Recluse," a burly man stepped forward, bowing: "We didn't mean to disrupt your ceremony."

"It's just this corrupt official"—he pointed at Chu Danqing—but before he finished, a crossbow bolt shot straight into his eye socket, piercing his brain.

He collapsed dead on the spot.

The atmosphere froze.

"That's it?" Chu Danqing sneered.

The crossbowmen's eyes locked onto the crowd—anyone who stepped forward would be shot dead.

Inner armor? Try wearing a faceplate.

"Gentlemen, don't be blinded by the bounty—the Sushen people hope we fight among ourselves so they can invade," the Purple Jade Recluse seized the moment to ease tensions.

The matter of someone trying to steal his disciple no longer mattered.

"Hah, I think you old man wants to claim the million-bounty for yourself!" someone in the crowd goaded: "Brothers, let's—"

*Shhh!

The provocateur never finished—he was shot dead by the crossbowmen.

The bandits and rogue cultivators were numerous; the crossbowmen's bolts were few.

But they didn't need to kill everyone—only those who led.

No one wanted to be the first to step forward.

Chu Danqing estimated their positions and gave Da Bao a glance.

In the next instant, the Dujiaojiao appeared and unleashed a large-scale poison-area spell without hesitation.

Da Bao launched his attack; the Zhanji Tiger followed close behind.

Since they wouldn't strike first, Chu Danqing wouldn't hold back.

"No good! This corrupt official breaks the code—he ambushes!" someone shouted.

Chu Danqing didn't see it, but the crossbowmen did—they shot him dead instantly.

The battle erupted, but Canluo Sect and the attending sects didn't want to fight—they preferred peace.

But since Chu Danqing struck first, they had no choice but to join in.

Chu Danqing, however, acted like an outsider, protected by the Prince's guards, occasionally tossing spirit talismans and magic orbs outward.

Their damage was low, but the visual effects were dazzling.

Watching the one-sided victory, Chu Danqing grew uneasy.

So many natives involved—would this erase his Shining Pattern?

He wanted to tell them not to fight—but it was unrealistic.

"I hope they're not the last batch." Chu Danqing could only pray.

As for summoning Guo Ming from the start, it was already too late.

With so many people present, they couldn't just stand by and watch Guo Ming act—they'd all chip in, to some degree.

Chu Danqing glanced around and spotted something shocking.

That woman surnamed Murong had taken advantage of the chaos to flee with Zhuo Bufan.

"Damn it, I lost the sect leader." Chu Danqing's face turned green.

Ultimately, the root of this chaos was him.

Before the chaos broke out, Zhuo Bufan had firmly decided to stay and become sect leader.

From the woman's words and Zhuo Bufan's attitude, it was clear he had little interest in the position of sect leader.

About half an hour passed; the enemies who had climbed the mountain were either dead or captured, and the entire ceremony lay in ruins.

Ziyu Jushi's face showed helplessness—he had intended to leverage Chu Danqing's reputation, but had only made things worse.

Fortunately, the losses were minor; with proper management, their reputation could even rise further.

Casualties suffered in fighting evil sects and bandits could easily be turned into prestige, like the scars a warrior bears—not shame, but honor.

"Ziyu Jushi, I have something to tell you—you must hold steady." Chu Danqing leaned in.

Coming from Chu Danqing, these words made Ziyu Jushi instantly scan the scene—and his vision darkened. He staggered back two steps, barely standing.

Luckily, Chu Danqing reacted swiftly and caught him.

Ziyu Jushi knew what Chu Danqing was about to say: Zhuo Bufan had fled.

"It's fine—I'll go find Bufan," Ziyu Jushi forced a smile.

"Leave it to me—Da Bao can track him." Chu Danqing patted his chest. "Even if we don't find him, I'll give you an answer."

"But you handle the cleanup here."

Chu Danqing called for Da Bao and set off after them.

The longer we wait, the farther they'll get—we must leave at once.

(End of Chapter)