Chapter 61: Whose Death Date

This list was indeed stressful.

If Dugu Qingli was not counted, and only the Profound Heaven Sect itself was discussed, after Jin Mingxiu died, Shen Tang was the only fourth-rank left in the whole sect, and the others were unbearable.

And there were three third-ranks in this list of the Burning Incense Tower, two of whom were in the combat sequence. Even if the leading alchemist’s actual combat wasn't very good, crushing low-level ones was like crushing shrimp.

Even if Shen Tang was invincible at the same level, there was a big threshold of the upper three ranks between the third rank. It was very difficult to win by leapfrogging. Being able to hold a tie was already quite remarkable, but the other side had three.

No matter how you look at it, this was a crushing game. When Sheng Yuanyao saw the list, she couldn't imagine how the Profound Heaven Sect would win.

The so-called division and disintegration, you have to come up with conditions that move the other party... Just such a declining sect of the Profound Heaven Sect, Sheng Yuanyao couldn't figure out why no matter how she supplemented it. Do you want to destroy the tacit understanding and promote the Princess identity yourself?

The consequences brought about might be more serious.

Wouldn't the Profound Heaven Sect be exterminated by this move...

There was no force in Xiazhou that dared to easily participate in this war involving imperial will, and no force could accept and hide the Burning Incense Tower powerhouses in large numbers. In order to avoid the gathering of a large number of powerhouses in Xiazhou, which would arouse the vigilance of the government and the Profound Heaven Sect, the Burning Incense Tower people entered in batches and hid separately.

Some lived directly in inns, and some went to the homes of familiar friends to stay, just waiting for the signal to rush to the Profound Heaven Sect together.

Zhang Shaoyou sat in the private courtyard of the inn, quietly wiping and nourishing his beloved flying sword.

The snow these days was getting heavier and heavier. Killing on a snowy night was quite in line with the style of a swordsman. It was clearly an atmosphere he liked, but for some reason, he had some uneasiness in his heart.

Maybe it was the sudden inquiry from the Demon Suppression Division today?

Although the people from the Demon Suppression Division just understood the situation and left, if it were discovered that so many Burning Incense Tower people had entered Xiazhou, he didn't know what the City Lord of Xiazhou would react.

If it were him, Zhang Shaoyou, making the decision, he should choose to launch in advance and not wait for the scheduled date. If some people didn't arrive, they didn't arrive. Anyway, the existing strength was enough to plow the Profound Heaven Sect several times...

If the Profound Heaven Sect was really prepared, it might add difficulty. Zhang Shaoyou was a sword cultivator, and he knew very well what kind of power a former third-rank sword sect’s mountain-protecting formation would have. Once the other party reacted and was prepared, it would add difficulty.

It was a pity that the leader was not him, but the alchemist Chang Qing. Not only was there the alchemist Chang Qing, but also Zhu Lianfeng, who had always been at odds with him.

Zhang Shaoyou’s face had a bit of gloom unknowingly.

To put it bluntly, this was the Burning Incense Tower not trusting these foreign guardians. On the surface, they were their own people, but at the critical moment, they had never given him, Zhang Shaoyou, a chance to be alone.

A knock on the door suddenly sounded in the small courtyard.

Zhang Shaoyou’s heart moved: "Who?"

The outside didn't answer, but the door opened automatically. A white-haired girl pushed a wheelchair, and a beauty with excellent temperament sat on the wheelchair, smiling politely at him: "Uninvited, don't blame Guardian Zhang."

The smile bloomed, just like the begonia flowers blooming.

Shen Tang!

Zhang Shaoyou subconsciously gripped the sword hilt.

"Guardian Zhang, don't be nervous. No one outside knows." Shen Tang smiled slightly: "I am not here to be an enemy of Guardian Zhang."

Zhang Shaoyou said flatly: "Sect Master Shen killed two guardians of this sect a few days ago, and even publicly declared that we would never die if we met on the left. I don't think I am in a relationship with you that can talk face to face."

"I don't think so." Shen Tang said leisurely: "Otherwise, Guardian Zhang is alone here, I can concentrate the elite to hunt and assassinate, why bother to come here and be open and honest?"

Zhang Shaoyou fell silent. Shen Tang was right.

He felt it. The white-haired girl beside Shen Tang was a fourth-rank sword cultivator, and Shen Tang’s combat power was very obvious at the ceremony, killing two people of the same level like cutting vegetables. It was said that the Profound Heaven Sect also had a fourth-rank Chief of the Sword Peak Hall. With these three as the bottom line, in the case of intentional calculation and unintentional, there was indeed a certain success rate of assassination.

At least if he wanted to raid Shen Tang now, without knowing the layout outside, he didn't have much confidence and didn't dare to act rashly.

But Shen Tang chose to talk.

And Shen Tang came here, did it mean that their Burning Incense Tower’s plan had been completely exposed to the Profound Heaven Sect?

Seeing Zhang Shaoyou’s silent appearance, Shen Tang knew he had figured it out and smiled: "In fact, in my heart, Guardian Zhang and the Burning Incense Tower are not treated as one."

Zhang Shaoyou subconsciously said: "Please don't talk nonsense."

Shen Tang said leisurely: "Isn't it like this in the eyes of the Burning Incense Tower?"

Zhang Shaoyou stuck for a while and couldn't respond to this sentence.

"The gentleman is an outsider after all. Compared with the kind of Zhu Lianfeng who has been cultivated since childhood, the closeness is naturally different. I think in the eyes of the Burning Incense Tower, the gentleman is the one who broke through the third rank after eating their pills, right?"

Zhang Shaoyou still didn't speak, this time it hit his heart even more.

Indeed, the Burning Incense Tower treated him with a gesture of kindness, as if he were ungrateful if he didn't repay. However, how could things be calculated like this? The pills were the reward for the Burning Incense Tower hiring him. He received the Burning Incense Tower’s pills, but he also worked for the Burning Incense Tower. How many times had the Burning Incense Tower and other sects broken out in conflict over the years, and he was the first to rush to the front?

Essentially, this was just receiving a salary and joining the job. How did it become a kindness... It’s just that in people’s concepts in this world, they always feel that helping you break through is a great kindness, and compared with it, the combat power is not enough to repay. Even he, Zhang Shaoyou, subconsciously thought so.

But at this moment, being said by Shen Tang, the grievance was hard to avoid.

I risked my life to help you work in exchange for pills, how did it become your kindness...

Shen Tang smiled: "In addition... I also heard that Guardian Zhang has gained a lot of resource tilt in the Burning Incense Tower, is it a community of interests?"

"Fart!" Zhang Shaoyou instinctively burst out, then realized he had spoken out of turn and closed his mouth.

"Let me guess... Guardian Zhang’s cultivation is there, his rank is in a high position, and his monthly quota is higher than others. This is a matter of course for his official income. But in their eyes, they always feel that the gentleman has taken advantage of how much, and how much cultivation he has received... " Shen Tang smiled: "Zhu Lianfeng is the first guardian, and his quota income is higher than yours, but no one says he has received any resource tilt... Because he is his own person in the Burning Incense Tower, the gentleman is not. They want the gentleman to feel that you owe them."

Zhang Shaoyou’s breathing finally became heavy.

"In addition..." Shen Tang paused and smiled lightly: "Since the gentleman broke through the third rank, it seems that there has been no progress in these years, right?"

Zhang Shaoyou was silent for a long time and shook his head: "Nine ranks and nine heavens, one is more difficult than the other. My aptitude is insufficient, and that’s it."

"That’s not necessarily true. In fact, the difficulty of breaking through the second rank from the third rank is not higher than the difficulty of breaking through the third rank from the fourth rank... Isn't it because the Burning Incense Tower only has the third rank in alchemy, and the help to the gentleman is already very small? Just like Zhu Lianfeng is also stuck at the third rank."

Zhang Shaoyou heard this and couldn't help but laugh: "Could it be that the seventh-rank alchemist of your sect can be better than the Burning Incense Tower’s pills?"

Shen Tang subconsciously wanted to speak for Lu Xingzhou: "First of all, he is already a sixth-rank alchemist; secondly, his alchemy can beat the fourth-rank Bai Jingtian, which has already been proven at our sect’s ceremony."

Dugu Qingli glanced at her, expressionless.

"Cough." Shen Tang coughed and added: "However, he really can't refine pills exceeding the third rank. What I am talking to the gentleman is not his business."

"Then what is it?"

"The gentleman is a sword cultivator. We sword cultivators don't like to borrow external objects."

Zhang Shaoyou was silent. If it weren't for no way, who would like to mess with pills... and it’s not you Xiazhou people.

Shen Tang continued: "Since the gentleman has no way to improve from the pill aspect, why not consider returning to the essence and considering it from the sword cultivator himself? The Burning Incense Tower is an alchemy sect. What beneficial insights can they have for sword cultivators? Are there insights and realizations of sword cultivators over the years? Are there different sword intents for reference? Is there a trial place set up specifically for sword cultivators?"

Zhang Shaoyou’s heart jumped uncontrollably, and he said very reluctantly: "Sect Master Shen... what does this mean..."

"It’s just to let the gentleman consider clearly... As everyone knows, our Profound Heaven Sect is now broken and urgently lacks talent. At this time, everyone who joins is considered a veteran. And the Burning Incense Tower doesn't trust you, it’s not good wood. If the gentleman continues to waste time, this life will be like this... Might as well open up new horizons, or have new heavens."

"I... Zhang is not a traitor."

While speaking, a cluster of fireworks rushed straight into the sky in the distance. Zhang Shaoyou turned his head to look, his expression changed greatly.

Shen Tang also glanced at it, signaling Dugu Qingli to turn and leave, and her last words echoed in the courtyard: "What is betrayal... A first-rank mountain-protecting sword formation, all who enter are powder. Is the gentleman going to test the sharpness of the sword formation for them first, or turn around and look at the vast sky, only in himself."

Almost at the same time, in another inn, Anuo pushed Lu Xingzhou to leave the courtyard. Lu Xingzhou was looking at the fireworks in the sky and laughing: "It seems that your sect has gathered people. Mr. Qin, don't send me far. If you are late, it won't be good... Come to visit another day, Lu will sweep the bed and welcome you."

The fourth-rank guardian of the Burning Incense Tower, Qin Buwang, sent Lu Xingzhou away, watching the gathering signal fire in the sky from afar, and was silent for a long time.

He thought secretly in his heart, the sect finally felt that the raid tonight was the best... It’s just that it seems now, this cluster of orders, I don't know whose death date it means.

(End of this chapter)