Chapter 72: Delivering the Message

Jin Chuan Gate’s abbot Pei Boyu has cultivated for over two hundred years and has reached the Fifth Rank of Core Formation; his appearance is merely around forty, the prime of his life.

Today he was hosting distinguished guests in the main hall of the sect.

Across from him sat a female Daoist priestess with her hair tied up, clad in a pure blue Daoist robe, her demeanor elegant and refined, lips red and skin pale, her complexion resembling that of a sixteen-year-old girl—yet her mature aura made her seem closer to thirty.

This female Daoist priestess was Sun Huanqin, the sect master of Bai Lu Gate and the master of the two true disciples, Guan and Yan.

Though seated face to face, the atmosphere was not awkward, as Jin Chuan Gate had also sent two female elders to accompany the guests.

The two sect masters met to discuss sending disciples into the Great Marsh during the Dragon Boat Festival to search for spiritual herbs and slay serpent jiao and venomous insects; this year’s Nine True Immortal Gate’s Dragon Boat Gathering was being hosted by Bai Lu Gate, so Sect Master Sun Huanqin had to personally visit each major immortal sect to negotiate all arrangements.

After agreeing that their disciples would watch over each other in the Great Marsh and how to resolve disputes, the formal matters concluded, and the conversation gradually turned to their disciples. Sect Master Sun smiled faintly and nodded: “Abbot Pei has an outstanding young disciple—Jin Chuan Gate’s future is secure! Pei Junhu is undoubtedly the top disciple of this generation in the Nine True Immortal Gate; he only lacks opportunity to form his Core.”

Pei Boyu laughed heartily: “Junhu is simply self-driven—I never interfere in his affairs. All his cultivation resources he secures himself… he’s honed his character well. Once he refines the lingering flaws from his early cultivation, he’ll surely achieve a Mid-Rank Core.”

Sect Master Sun chuckled: “Not just Mid-Rank—given Pei Junhu’s talent and disposition, even Upper Three Rank Core formation is within reach.”

“Hahaha…” Pei Boyu burst into laughter; he had always regarded this nephew as his own son, and hearing such praise from the Bai Lu Gate’s sect master filled him with delight. “Sect Master Sun, don’t flatter him to death.”

“My nephew’s ambition is great—he often vows: ‘If I cannot form an Upper Rank Core, I will never consolidate my Core.’ If he truly achieves this, he’ll surpass even our generation. The future of the Nine True Immortal Gate rests with them!”

“By the way, I’ve heard you’ve produced another young prodigy under your tutelage. At such a young age, he’s already established a Rank-One Foundation—his potential surpasses even my nephew Junhu. When Junhu established his Foundation, he was too reckless, his timing off, and only secured a Rank-Two Foundation, which delayed him for years before reaching the Upper Rank Core threshold.”

“Your disciple, so young and already achieving this—his future is boundless.”

Sect Master Sun nodded slightly: “Cai is sensible—she’s more reliable than her senior sisters.”

“My nephew Junhu has great potential, and your disciple is equally promising; their ages are close, perfect for a pairing. Why not unite our sects through a Daoist couple? They’ll support each other, their paths smoother—wouldn’t that be splendid?” Abbot Pei proposed with feigned enthusiasm.

But inside, Sect Master Sun was cursing.

Marry off your most outstanding disciple, and she’ll become your Pei family’s property.

She’s the one I’ve chosen as Bai Lu Gate’s next sect master! How could I possibly marry off my own sect master? Though I still intend to observe her further—Cai is decisive but too soft-hearted, perhaps unable to control the demons and monsters within our sect—she remains my top choice, and I will never lightly betroth her.

Especially not to the Pei family’s hungry tiger…

Sect Master Sun quickly feigned misunderstanding and smiled: “Oh? You mean Pingxuan? She’s long been close to your nephew—perhaps we could arrange that.”

Abbot Pei hurriedly said: “I meant Yan Cai…”

Sect Master Sun declined: “She’s still young, immature. Even if we consider marriage, it must wait until her cultivation is firmly established.”

Sect Master Sun’s plan to groom Yan Cai as Bai Lu Gate’s future sect master remained hidden; revealing it now would invite endless trouble, so she could only find another excuse to politely refuse.

At that moment, a Jin Chuan Gate disciple burst in without announcement, frantic and utterly disoriented: “Abbot… disaster! Brother Pei was dueling outside and was killed!”

Pei Boyu ruled his sect with iron discipline; seeing his disciple so unseemly and disrespectful, he was about to rebuke him—but upon hearing this, he lost all composure, eyes blazing like a ravenous tiger ready to devour, snarling: “What did you say? Don’t you dare speak nonsense! Tell me every detail—if there’s a single lie, you’ll receive three hundred lashes!”

The disciple trembled, terrified: “Just now, someone arrived bearing a Bai Lu Gate invitation. Since Sect Master Sun was here, a disciple went to inquire…”

“But…” the disciple bowed deeply, his voice faltering, unable to speak further.

Pei Boyu slammed his hand on the table: “But what?!”

“But that man threw Brother Pei’s head here, saying Brother Pei had wagered his life in a duel and lost—now he’s come to collect his prize.”

Pei Boyu, enraged beyond reason, laughed bitterly: “Good, good… a ruthless man indeed. Sect Master Sun, this man came bearing your Bai Lu Gate’s invitation—do you recognize him?”

Sect Master Sun had been quietly listening, but now found herself unexpectedly entangled in this matter; she spoke to soothe: “Brother Pei is nearly at Core Formation. Ordinary Ninth Rank Core cultivators wouldn’t stand a chance against him—even an Eighth Rank Core would struggle. How could he be so easily slain?”

“We must verify the evidence first.”

Pei Boyu nodded, agreeing inwardly; he abandoned his guest and rushed from the hall. At the doorway, someone presented Pei Junhu’s head. Trembling, Pei Boyu reached out, touched the cold, bloody flesh—the familiar aura confirmed the truth beyond doubt.

Pei Boyu’s vision darkened; a Core Formation cultivator, and he nearly lost his footing.

His lips quivered, then a thunderous roar shattered all his reason. At that moment, faint characters appeared above Pei Junhu’s head, fresh ink still glistening:

To Abbot Pei:

Your nephew once declared: “You possess the Ice and Steel Qi of the Heavenly Vortex; I possess the Yin and Chaos Qi like a tidal wave. Together, we unlock the Dao’s mystery. Since we cannot coexist peacefully, only struggle remains—no retreat allowed.”

A steadfast Dao-heart hinges on a single thought: even a hundred deaths, he would not regret.

I deeply agree…

But life rarely follows human will. In the struggle for the Dao, no mercy is shown. One sword strike proves life or death. Here, I present your nephew’s head as proof of victory. I bow again before you, asking on behalf of Brother Pei: Is the pact of life and death still binding?

I have come to claim the wager. Brother Pei’s Dao-heart is firm, his word as weighty as nine tripods. A glimpse reveals all—surely you, Abbot Pei, will not make me return in vain.

Hermit Qian Chen bows deeply.

Pei Boyu’s hands trembled violently, roaring in fury: “I swear to kill him! I swear to kill him! I will grind his bones to dust and burn his soul with poison fire to offer before my nephew’s spirit!”

Even as his rage burned, he remained uneasy—who was this madman? He killed someone, then dared to come to the sect to claim his prize?

Was this madness born of recklessness—or arrogance fueled by some hidden power?

“Where are Yu and Xing? Their elder brother is dead, and they do nothing?” Pei Boyu lashed out in anger.

Qian Chen entered the forbidden zone holding the Spirit Light Mirror; its radiance stabilized part of the formation’s changes and shattered another. Under Qian Chen’s baiting, a cultivator clad in white, hair flowing behind him, stepped into the formation.

He was Pei Boyu’s own son, slightly weaker than Pei Junhu but still a prodigy of Jin Chuan Gate.

“This man killed my elder brother—he’s truly insane! He dared to walk into the formation himself… Isn’t this a gift from Heaven? With my elder brother gone, the sect master’s seat was never mine—but now the killer has walked into his own death. If I use the formation to kill him, my prestige will soar, and seizing the future sect master’s position will be effortless!”

Qian Chen advanced deep into the formation, unleashing his Black Gold Sword Light to unravel its layers. His sword art, however, began to struggle against the formation, which drew power from the mountain’s earth veins.

At that moment, Pei Yu revealed a flying shuttle, activated the formation jade token, and launched it alongside the formation’s energy toward Qian Chen.

Instantly, torrents of thunder and fire erupted, their might immense—boundless flames spontaneously ignited, sweeping toward Qian Chen.

The shuttle hid within the inferno, waiting for Qian Chen to weaken under the assault, then strike to take his life.

Qian Chen, seeing someone enter the formation, had used the formation’s power to conceal his true form—but now he had also restrained its strongest variation. Smiling faintly, he raised his hand; the Celestial Net Umbrella hovered above his head, pouring down pure light. The roaring flames passed over him like spring rain in Jiangnan, leaving no harm.

Qian Chen parted the flames and thunderlight as if strolling through a courtyard, reaching the formation’s center. Only then did a hook of golden light surge forth, bypassing all defensive layers, striking directly at Pei Yu, hidden deep within.

Pei Yu, seeing Qian Chen bypass the formation and target him directly, turned pale, frantically recalling the shuttle to defend himself.

But the Black Gold and Yin Hook suddenly twisted its blade, locking the shuttle in place.

Qian Chen manifested his Core energy; his emerald Primordial Qi Grasping Hand withstood the formation’s relentless assault, casually reaching down and seizing Pei Yu.

Pei Yu’s soul nearly fled his body; he screamed: “Spare me! My father is the abbot! I’ll explain everything—this isn’t hopeless!”

Qian Chen spoke coolly: “In the struggle for the Dao, what talk of mercy? It’s not you who decides whether to spare me—it’s whether I choose to spare you.”

He took the formation jade token, sealed the shuttle in the Dragon Sparrow Ring, and with a flash of sword light, vanished from the formation.

Outside the formation, a more mature Pei family member was overseeing affairs. Seeing the sword light burst from the formation, his face darkened—he sensed disaster… then a blade of light flashed before him, slicing across his neck. He made no sound, and was dead.

Qian Chen had just emerged from the formation, saw a cultivator resembling Pei Junhu, assumed he was a Pei family member, and casually slew him with a single sword stroke—he didn’t care who he killed.