Chapter 15: Looks Like They Ate Too Many Red Beans and Fell in Love

At that moment, a disciple from the Western Sect rushed in from outside, his voice tinged with urgency.

“Bad news! The Shen Nong Gang has blocked all mountain paths—we can’t get down the mountain anymore!”

As he spoke, he handed over a letter shot into the compound with an arrow.

Xin Shuangqing took the letter, glanced at it, and her face instantly darkened with shock and fury.

She passed the letter to Zuo Zimu, who, after reading it, also furrowed his brow into a deep “ Chuan ” shape.

The letter’s tone was brazen beyond measure: it ordered the Wuliang Sword Sect to sever their right hands, break their weapons, and vacate the Jianhu Palace on Wuliang Mountain—or face total annihilation.

Zuo Zimu turned to Xin Shuangqing and asked urgently, “Sister, our Wuliang Sword Sect has never had any feud with the Shen Nong Gang—how did we provoke them?”

Xin Shuangqing took a deep breath and said slowly, “Last autumn, four incense masters of the Shen Nong Gang came to the Jianhu Palace seeking an audience, claiming they wished to gather a few herbs from our back mountain.”

“Their demeanor was arrogant—they were clearly using herb-gathering as an excuse to spy on our forbidden grounds.”

“A conflict broke out; we killed three of them and let one escape to deliver the news.”

“We never expected they’d come back for revenge today.”

Upon hearing that the Shen Nong Gang had spied on their forbidden grounds, Zuo Zimu lost all other thoughts.

He exchanged a glance with Xin Shuangqing, then turned to the gathered cultivators and bowed apologetically.

“Today’s incident has dragged Itachi all into danger.”

“This is our Wuliang Sword Sect’s personal feud, yet Itachi’ve been placed at risk—I deeply apologize.”

At that moment, Luo Jie also took the letter, scanned it quickly, and his expression grew cold and grim.

Hmph!

Though I provoked this, I’m certainly not afraid of a fight!

The Shen Nong Gang has forgotten who holds the cards.

Looks like they’ve eaten too many red beans and fallen into longing.

It’s time to strike hard now!

He let out a cold snort, suddenly crushing the bamboo message tube and shouted loudly, “Why wait for them to attack the mountain?”

“Will any of our disciples follow me to exterminate them?”

Upon hearing Luo Jie’s words, the elite disciples of the Eastern and Western Sects immediately surged with Rexue , all declaring they would follow their senior brother in this endeavor!

“Yes! Senior Brother Luo is right—let’s fight them to the death!”

Their voices merged into a roar that echoed throughout the Jianhu Palace, the fury rising higher, the atmosphere taut as a drawn bowstring.

Duan Yu stepped forward to Luo Jie, his expression earnest, and said slowly, “Senior Brother Luo, Master Meng once said: Compassion is the seed of benevolence. The Buddhist teachings also say: Saving one life surpasses building a seven-tiered pagoda.”

“This tense situation may still be resolved—could I be allowed to go to the Shen Nong Gang and plead for peace? Perhaps we can avoid a bloody massacre.”

The moment Duan Yu finished speaking, Luo Jie frowned.

Despicable outsider, so rude.

I’m already furious.

Even if Itachi’re destined to be my future brother-in-law, I won’t show Itachi any mercy.

Nearby, Zhong Ling couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

She blinked her eyes, a mischievous smile on her lips, and said, “Earlier, while searching for snakes in the grass to feed my weasel, I happened to overhear a group walking by.”

“One of them said: This time, we’ll kill every last person of the Wuliang Sword Sect, seize Wuliang Mountain and the Jianhu Palace.”

“Itachi want to mediate? They won’t even let Itachi speak—likely they’ll kill Itachi too!”

Hearing this, Xin Shuangqing hurried forward and asked urgently, “Young lady, can Itachi recall anything else Itachi heard?”

Zhong Ling tilted her head, thought for a moment, then continued, “I heard them say they’d kill everyone, so I found it amusing and stayed quiet.”

“Then I heard them mention they were acting under orders from the Lingjiao Palace on Piaomiao Peak—to seize the Jianhu Palace and search for something called the Wuliang Jade Tablet.”

“One of them also said they needed to find Tongtian Grass from Wuliang Mountain to ease their boss’s suffering from the Life-and-Death Mark.”

After hearing this, Xin Shuangqing frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then said, “Though Tongtian Grass has some medicinal value, it’s nothing extraordinary.”

“If Shen Nong Gang’s Sikong Xuan needs it for healing and pain relief, we could give him some.”

“But their intent is to seize our Wuliang Mountain and Jianhu Palace—that’s an outrageous insult we cannot tolerate!”

Zuo Zimu nodded firmly beside her.

Though for the next few decades, the Eastern Sect may never be able to reside in the Jianhu Palace,

as a member of the Wuliang Sword Sect, Zuo Zimu could never allow outsiders to occupy his sect’s sacred grounds.

Thus, Zuo Zimu approved, “Sister is right—this concerns our Wuliang Sword Sect’s survival, dignity, and honor—we must not retreat.”

“We must make them understand that our Wuliang Sword Sect is no soft peach to be squeezed at will.”

…

Moments later, Luo Jie led the elite disciples of the Eastern and Western Sects toward the Shen Nong Gang’s encampment.

Less than half a cup of tea’s time, the group rounded a mountain bend and the scene ahead opened up.

There, among a pile of scattered rocks, over twenty Shen Nong Gang members sat in a circle, resting.

Among them, a thin old man sat high atop a prominent boulder.

Though his frame was small, his elevated position made him stand out sharply.

He had a goatee, an arrogant expression, and eyes that gleamed with cruelty.

Confirmed.

This face and bearing must be Sikong Xuan, the boss of the Shen Nong Gang.

Born evil, this old Shen Nong Gang bastard—I’ll just…

The next instant, Luo Jie lightly tapped his foot and activated Lingbo Microsteps.

In an instant, his figure became ghostly and elusive.

Afterimages flickered where he stood, and before anyone could blink, he had closed the distance to Sikong Xuan.

Before the crowd could even make out his motion, Luo Jie was already beside Sikong Xuan.

Immediately, Luo Jie’s aura shifted violently—his internal energy surged like a tidal wave into his sword, then slashed out.

In an instant, several sharp sword qi erupted, howling through the air, piercing straight at Sikong Xuan.

Sikong Xuan’s face turned pale with terror.

He never imagined Luo Jie’s attack would come so swiftly, so brutally.

He hastily gathered his internal energy, swinging his weapon frantically to block the rain of sword qi.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Sparks flew with every clash, each impact numbing his arms.

Yet Luo Jie gave Sikong Xuan no chance to breathe.

Seizing the instant Sikong Xuan’s guard faltered from blocking the sword qi, Luo Jie flashed forward, closing the distance.

He extended his right hand like lightning and seized Sikong Xuan’s pulse point.

Sikong Xuan felt a powerful, strange suction emanating from his pulse—his internal energy poured out like a dam broken, endlessly drained away.

“No!”

Sikong Xuan screamed in terror, struggling desperately, but found his strength utterly powerless against this suction—he couldn’t break free.

In mere moments, seven-tenths of his internal energy had been absorbed by Luo Jie.

Sikong Xuan collapsed like a pile of mud, face as white as paper, breath shallow and fading.

Shh… can we make peace now?

Luo Jie read the old man’s gaze.

He sneered.

At this moment, Itachi’re joking, aren’t Itachi?

Soon, Sikong Xuan had not a single drop of internal energy left—he was completely withered.

Luo Jie stood tall, one foot planted on Sikong Xuan’s body.

Hehehe, having witnessed the might of the Beiming Divine Art, Itachi’ve died a worthy death.

At this moment, the other Shen Nong Gang members had just begun clashing with the Wuliang Sword Sect disciples.

Blades flashed, shouts deafening.

Yet when they caught sight of their boss being effortlessly subdued and lying helplessly on the ground, their fighting spirit instantly doused like water thrown on fire.

What?

Their boss lost?

Ugh! Everyone, run!

They stared at each other, their will to fight shattered, and fled in the opposite direction.

(End of Chapter)