Chapter 494: Infamous

On the training ground of Taiyin Shengdi, the wind sounded grim and the cranes cried; rumors fluttered about like autumn leaves, filling the sky.

Luo Xiong's accusation against Huang Daxian was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, sending ripples spreading through the Taiyin Shengdi base.

"Have you heard?

"That brat Luo Xiong cultivated the Nine Yin True Classic passed down by Huang Daxian, yet behind his back he tried to frame Huang Daxian—what a shameless scoundrel!" said a cultivator, filled with righteous indignation.

"Exactly, that Luo Xiong brat is a classic 'betraying one's benefactor'—he learned someone else's technique and then turned around to bite them, a true white-eyed wolf!" another cultivator echoed.

"He doesn't know a good heart; Huang Daxian kindly passed on his technique, yet this scumbag repays him with a stab—a rotten‑hearted, black‑hearted piece of trash." A female cultivator sneered, her teeth itching with hatred; if she could beat Luo Xiong, she'd want to spar with him.

"Luo Xiong is just relying on Elder Yin's influence, right?"

"He takes a chicken feather for a command arrow, thinking he's clever, but his cleverness backfired; I heard the great elders scolded him half to death—he really deserves it."

"It's also that the elders are tolerant; otherwise, if it were me, I'd rip his mouth apart." Another scrawny cultivator said, shaking his head and swaying.

"He cultivated the Nine Yin True Classic yet dares to accuse Huang Daxian; anyone who still values gratitude and righteousness wouldn't do such a thing—of course, except beasts!" said a plump cultivator disdainfully.

"From now on, we'll keep our distance from Luo Xiong.

"That sort of toad wants to eat swan meat, not knowing his own weight—a piece of stinking dog shit; getting too close to him will inevitably drag one down." said a tall cultivator mockingly.

"Damn, doing high jumps in the toilet—too crude!"

"Covered in shit, he still dares to show off; Huang Daxian almost lost his life before obtaining the scripture!"

"That damned Luo Xiong actually cultivated it and then framed Huang Daxian.

"If it weren't for the elders being wise and mighty, I'd be crying out for injustice on Huang Daxian's behalf." said a sharp‑tongued, monkey‑cheeked cultivator mockingly.

Luo Xiong's accusation of Huang Daxian has drawn criticism, and the matter has now spread throughout Taiyin Shengdi.

Luo Xiong's name has thus become a laughingstock in Taiyin Shengdi, his reputation plummeting.

As for Huang Daxian, his prestige has risen even further because of this incident.

The cultivators praise his integrity without cease.

Huang Daxian stood on the training ground before many cultivators and spoke loudly: "Junior Brother Luo Xiong may have erred in his conduct, but he acted out of sincere devotion to the holy land."

"As fellow disciples, we should treat him with tolerance, help him correct himself, rather than kick him when he's down."

His words were like spring wind turning to rain, moistening everyone's hearts, and once again Luo Xiong's name became the focus of the holy land.

Only this time, epithets such as "villain" and "base" were added before his name.

Walking within the holy land, Luo Xiong constantly felt the gazes around him like needles pricking his skin, making him ill at ease.

He knew he had become the target of everyone's resentment.

One day, Luo Xiong returned to his cultivation chamber; upon opening the door, a pungent stench assailed him.

He stared, almost fainting—someone had dumped a lump of dog feces in his cultivation chamber!

Luo Xiong's face turned green with rage as he burst out of the chamber, shouting: "Who did it?"

"Who did it?"

"Come out and face me!"

However, only a few scattered cultivators were on the training ground, pretending to train as if nothing had happened, and nobody paid Luo Xiong any heed.

Luo Xiong's anger had no outlet; he kicked a stone flying, which soared far away, struck a large tree, and startled a flock of birds.

"Luo Xiong, what's wrong with you?"

"Did you find treasure in your cultivation chamber?" a weird, effeminate voice came from behind.

Luo Xiong turned around and saw his arch‑rival, Zhao Tiezhu.

Zhao Tiezhu looked at him with a smug grin, his eyes full of schadenfreude.

"Zhao Tiezhu, was it you who did this?" Luo Xiong asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh, Luo Xiong, you've got that wrong."

"I, Zhao Tiezhu, may be untalented,

"but I wouldn't stoop to such despicable deeds." Zhao Tiezhu shook his head, putting on an innocent act.

"Hmph, if not you, then who?"

"Don't think I don't know; you've always looked down on me!" Luo Xiong snapped.

"Luo Xiong, you're blowing things out of proportion."

"Look at your reputation now—do you really need me, Zhao Tiezhu, to frame you?" Zhao Tiezhu sneered, "I think you'd better go back and clean your cultivation chamber first, so that stench doesn't pollute the holy land's air."

Having said that, Zhao Tiezhu laughed loudly and turned to leave.

Luo Xiong trembled with rage.

Although Zhao Tiezhu's words were harsh, they were true: Luo Xiong's reputation in the holy land had become utterly foul.

Luo Xiong returned to his cultivation chamber, endured the nausea, and cleaned up the lump of feces.

As he cleaned, he silently swore: "I, Luo Xiong, will surely wash away this humiliation and let everyone see that I'm not easy to bully!"

However, the matter did not end there.

In the days that followed, Luo Xiong found his cultivation chamber frequently vandalized, its door smeared with filth.

His clothes were often torn, and even the spiritual herbs he'd planted by the chamber door were secretly pulled out.

Luo Xiong knew these were deliberate acts aimed at him.

He began to act cautiously, even setting up a warning formation around his cultivation chamber.

Yet these small measures did not stop.

One day, while Luo Xiong was cultivating on the training ground, he suddenly felt the urge to relieve himself and went to the outhouse.

When he returned, he found a note placed on his cultivation platform that read: "Luo Xiong, you vile villain, today you'll taste what it's like to be framed!"

Luo Xiong's face instantly turned ashen; he looked around, but everyone was earnestly cultivating, with nothing out of the ordinary.

He knew these people were secretly laughing at his plight, hoping he would go mad and collapse.

However, Luo Xiong would not easily yield; he wanted to prove himself and make these people pay the price.

Luo Xiong began to train hard, intending to fight back with his own strength.

He no longer paid attention to the rumors and gossip, nor to those petty tricks.

He believed that as long as his cultivation level was strong enough, he could make these people shut up.

Huang Daxian sat in his cultivation chamber, legs crossed, idly playing with a crystal-clear jade slip in his hand.

Heifeng stood opposite him, vividly recounting Luo Xiong's recent misfortunes.

"Have you heard, Huang Daxian? That brat Luo Xiong has been terribly unlucky lately, ostracized by all the cultivators of the holy land, becoming a rat everyone shouts at." Heifeng said, eyebrows dancing, his tone tinged with schadenfreude.

Huang Daxian smiled slightly, a glint flashing in his eyes: "This is called 'praise to kill'; using a bull knife to slaughter a chicken is unnecessary

"A mere Luo Xiong, just moving his lips can make him lose face."

Heifeng, hearing this, couldn't help but applaud: "Huang Daxian truly plans before acting; his schemes are unfathomably deep.

"Your strategy of repaying hatred with virtue not only earned everyone's admiration but also let that brat Luo Xiong reap what he sowed—truly brilliant!"

Huang Daxian shook his head, saying lightly: "This is merely a little trick.

"True wisdom lies in how to turn enemies into friends and transform opponents into allies."

Heifeng nodded thoughtfully: "What Huang Daxian said is absolutely correct.

However, that brat Luo Xiong truly brought this on himself; if he hadn't been disrespectful to you earlier, he wouldn't have ended up like this."

Huang Daxian waved his hand: "Let the past be past.

Luo Xiong may be at fault, but he does not deserve death.

"Those who cultivate the Dao should harbor compassion."

Heifeng's eyes flashed with admiration: "Huang Daxian's breadth of mind is truly impressive, worthy of respect.

Huang Daxian rose, walked to the window, gazing at the rolling clouds outside, and said slowly: "Heifeng, you must remember, the path of cultivation is long and arduous; it requires not only strength, but also wisdom and breadth of mind.

Heifeng performed a respectful salute: "Heifeng will keep Huang Daxian's teachings in mind.

Huang Daxian turned, his eyes like torches: "Alright, no more of this.

"Have any major events occurred recently in the holy land?"

Heifeng thought for a moment, then said: "Actually, there is one thing recently: Elder Xuan Zhen is preparing to open the secret treasury of the Cangjingge, seeking techniques to enhance the holy land's strength.

Huang Daxian's eyes flashed with interest: "Oh?

"That is actually good news.

"Elder Xuan Zhen has always had keen judgment; the technique he seeks is certainly not trivial."

Heifeng nodded: "Indeed, if we obtain these techniques, the holy land's strength will surely increase greatly.

Huang Daxian pondered for a moment, then said: "Here's what we'll do, Heifeng: help me keep an eye on the progress of this matter, and inform me immediately of any news.

"Yes, Huang Daxian." Heifeng replied.

Huang Daxian returned to his seat and continued studying the jade slip in his hand.

At this moment, deep within the Taiyin Holy Land, inside Elder Yin's secret chamber.

Elder Yin was seated upright on a chair made of millennium cold jade, his gaze deep, as if able to perceive all schemes and plots in the world.

He knew Luo Xiong bore resentment toward Huang Daxian for framing him, and also knew Luo Xiong's potential, so he decided to intervene.

Elder Yin lightly tapped the armrest of his chair, and a black-clad figure silently appeared before him, as if born from the shadows.

"Go, deliver that godslayer rat to Luo Xiong." Elder Yin's voice was low and powerful.

The black-clad figure nodded slightly, flickered, and vanished into the secret chamber.

Luo Xiong stood in his cultivation chamber, after finishing his training, dazed before a pile of destroyed spiritual herbs and clothing, his heart filled with anger and helplessness.

Suddenly, he sensed a faint aura approaching, and immediately became alert.

"Who?" Luo Xiong shouted sternly.

"Luo Xiong junior brother, it's me." A familiar voice came from outside the door; it was Elder Yin's trusted aide, the black-clad figure.

Luo Xiong opened the door and saw the black-clad figure holding a cage containing a seemingly ordinary small mouse, but Luo Xiong could feel the immense power within it.

"What is this?" Luo Xiong asked, puzzled.

"This is a godslayer rat, already tamed." The black-clad figure said softly, "As long as you place it outside Huang Daxian's cultivation chamber, it can bite through his spiritual form and devour his soul."

Luo Xiong's eyes lit up instantly; he knew this was an excellent opportunity, a chance to avenge his past humiliation.

"Thank you, Elder Yin!" Luo Xiong exclaimed excitedly.

The black-clad figure nodded, handed the cage to Luo Xiong, then departed silently.

Luo Xiong carefully placed the godslayer rat inside his cultivation chamber; this would be the crucial moment for his turnaround.

Moreover, upon checking the classics, he discovered:

The godslayer rat, a legendary ferocious beast, though small in size, harbors a fearsome power.

Its appearance seems harmless, even somewhat cute, but that is merely a disguise to deceive prey.

Especially, the godslayer rat's fur is smooth as silk, its color changeable, able to rapidly shift its hue in different environments, blending with the surroundings, making it almost undetectable to the naked eye.

Its small eyes glitter with cunning, as if able to discern every weakness of its prey.

Its sharp teeth are hidden beneath its seemingly harmless mouth; once it bites a target, it can release a venom that corrodes the soul.

The godslayer rat also possesses a mysterious stealth ability.

It can approach prey soundlessly; even the most vigilant cultivator would struggle to detect its presence.

Its movements are light, hardly causing any vibration; its breathing is so faint as to be nearly nonexistent, so even the keenest perception cannot catch its trail.

The godslayer rat's most terrifying ability is its capacity to devour souls.

Its sharp teeth and claws contain a special toxin that can directly erode a cultivator's spiritual form.

Once bitten by it, a cultivator's soul is swiftly devoured, causing unbearable agony, ultimately leading to a severe loss of cultivation, or even the annihilation of both body and soul.

The next night, Luo Xiong secretly brought the God-slaying Rat to the outside of Huang Daxian's cultivation chamber.

He placed the God-slaying Rat at the entrance of Huang Daxian's cultivation chamber, then quickly left the scene.

After Luo Xiong left, the God-slaying Rat became active, its eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light.

It silently bit through the door of Huang Daxian's cultivation chamber, then slipped inside.

Huang Daxian was cultivating when he suddenly felt a strong sense of danger; opening his eyes, he saw a small mouse lunging at him.

In the face of danger, Huang Daxian almost instinctively manifested his true form.

A golden treasure weasel stood upright, its body surging with terrifying light; its violent, fierce aura directly frightened the God-slaying Rat into rolling its eyes in midair.

Then it fell straight down.

The God-slaying Rat trembled all over, foaming at the mouth, its eyes rolled back.

Oh?

It turned out to be this little vicious beast」

Huang Daxian's eyes showed surprise; with a flick of his hand he captured the God-slaying Rat, then repeatedly examined it.

Seeing Huang Daxian's round, shiny eyes, the God-slaying Rat could hardly believe it; it never imagined that a vicious beast could one day cultivate into a human.

Moreover, Huang Daxian's level was obviously far higher than his.

Without waiting for Huang Daxian's question, the God-slaying Rat uttered a series of 'yi ya' sounds, directly spilling all the details and selling out Elder Yin, Luo Xiong, and the others completely.

「Hmph, I didn't go looking for trouble with them, yet they came first to seek revenge—do they really think I wouldn't dare kill them? 」 Upon hearing this, Huang Daxian's eyes flashed with a chilly light.

He then looked at the God-slaying Rat, ordering it to secretly hide and then secretly gnaw at Luo Xiong's soul, so that Luo Xiong would secretly disappear.

Upon hearing Huang Daxian's orders, the God-slaying Rat almost without hesitation nodded in agreement, and on the ground it chirped 'yi ya', promising to definitely complete the task.

If other cultivators were to witness this scene, they would surely feel they were hallucinating.

Because in the Universe Cultivation World, no one can truly communicate with vicious beasts; even if they could, it would only be guesswork based on the beasts' bodily movements.

But they don't know that Huang Daxian is different from those vicious beasts—he has long since taken human form, and as a Demon King, his aura permeates everything, giving him an innate ability to suppress lower-level vicious beasts.

Moreover, the hierarchy among vicious beasts is strict, with lower-level ones showing absolute obedience to higher-level ones.