Large red lanterns hung high.
Red—not the joyous red of celebration, but a blood-red hue.
At Li Garden, beneath the pavilion, Daoist Qingwen showed Li Xunhuan one of the Cultivation World's cruelest sights.
What it meant to kick someone when they were down.
On the surface, though, everyone was a refined person.
Daoist Qingwen stroked his beard, his features upright and respectable, like a virtuous Daoist who had attained the way.
“Lord City Lord, have you heard of the Yu Family of Bamboo Leaf Mountain?”
“I know nothing about them.”
Li Xunhuan was taken aback. Back when his cultivation had been low, he had cultivated cautiously.
Even after obtaining his Golden Finger, he had kept to himself.
He knew the names of the many cultivation families outside Jiayuan City, and little else.
Daoist Qingwen nodded with a smile, having already expected Li Xunhuan to be ignorant of the wider world.
This City Lord was clearly a scholar, not only poor at managing affairs but also engrossed in cultivation.
That only made him want to help him more.
How delightful it was to lure an upright person into the mire.
Seeing Daoist Qingwen's expression, Li Xunhuan secretly grew more vigilant and asked,
“Daoist, is something the matter?”
“There is indeed something. To be precise, it’s good news.”
“Please speak plainly, Daoist.”
“Lord City Lord, have you heard of Old Master Yu of the Yu Family?”
Li Xunhuan was puzzled. Was he asking despite already knowing the answer?
Old Master Yu of the Yu Family was a rare Foundation Establishment cultivator. How could any cultivator in Lan Prefecture not know of him?
He answered honestly,
“Well, I have heard of him, but only by reputation.”
“Ha ha, exactly. It’s perfectly normal that you haven’t heard much, City Lord. Old Master Yu of the Yu Family is two hundred years old this year, and there are no newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators in the family.”
At this point, Daoist Qingwen took a drink to conceal the fervor in his heart.
“It’s only normal not to know. If the Yu Family knew, then they’d truly be in danger.”
He placed heavy emphasis on the word “danger.”
The insinuation was obvious.
He was telling him outright: Old Master Yu’s lifespan was nearly over. The Yu Family would either flee or die.
When a whale falls, all things thrive.
When the Yu Family fell, rogue cultivators would feast.
After saying this, Daoist Qingwen studied Li Xunhuan’s expression, hoping to see greed, longing, fear, and all the rest.
That was exactly how he had been back then.
But when he saw Li Xunhuan’s calm expression and not a hint of curiosity in his eyes, he couldn’t help feeling a little frustrated.
There was a vast gulf between cultivation families and rogue cultivators.
Cultivation methods, magical artifacts, pills, inheritance—rogue cultivators couldn’t easily obtain any of them.
As fellow rogue cultivators, shouldn’t they be happy to hear news of a family being wiped out?
This was a rare chance to make a windfall.
Could it be that Lord City Lord had such high moral standards that he couldn’t bear to destroy a family?
That only made him want to lead Li Xunhuan further astray.
They were all Black Fiend Sect cultivators. Why should Li Xunhuan be the only one with clean hands?
With a persuasive air, Daoist Qingwen continued,
“Lord City Lord, have you heard of Feiyu Shangren of Tainan Valley?”
“You mean Feiyu Shangren, one of the three great Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators in Lan Prefecture?”
Li Xunhuan pretended to look shocked. That was what befitted his identity as a rogue cultivator.
If he showed no interest at all, that would be suspicious.
Sure enough, when Daoist Qingwen saw Li Xunhuan’s expression finally change, he was delighted. At last, he had found what interested him.
“That’s right. Foundation Establishment is incredibly difficult.
There are countless rogue cultivators like us, yet only three great Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators. Feiyu Shangren is one of them.
Seeing how rogue cultivators like us are bullied by cultivation families and sect cultivators, Feiyu Shangren specially established a marketplace in Tainan Valley to give us rogue cultivators a fair chance to Trade.
What a magnificent feat.”
How much that resembled the aspirations of their Black Fiend Sect Leader.
As he spoke of Feiyu Shangren, Daoist Qingwen could barely contain his fervent admiration.
Li Xunhuan put on a similar expression.
After a long while,
“Daoist, why are you telling me all this?”
Daoist Qingwen’s hand paused as he poured the wine. Though he was already in the late qi refining stage and had developed divine sense, he still looked around like a Mortal, as cautious as could be.
Only after confirming with his divine sense that there were no cultivators nearby did he lean close to Li Xunhuan and speak in a low, mysterious voice:
“The one leading the rogue cultivators attacking the Yu Family this time is Feiyu Shangren himself.”
“What?”
Li Xunhuan cried out, his face full of shock.
That wasn’t entirely an act.
This was the first time he had experienced—or even heard of—such a brazen robber cultivator.
It was common knowledge in the Mortal World: the strong preyed on the weak, those of higher realms overwhelmed those of lower realms, and when it came to fighting those of the same realm, it was best to avoid a fight if possible.
Daoist Qingwen was very pleased with Li Xunhuan’s expression, as if he could see him taking one step after another toward the abyss.
He even gave him a solemn warning:
“Keep your voice down. Don’t let anyone else hear.”
They were all cultivators. What was he pretending for?
Li Xunhuan played along, looking around. After confirming that no one was there, he lowered his voice too and asked excitedly,
“Daoist, is this really true?”
“Absolutely. It’s completely true.”
“Then, Daoist, why are you telling me this?”
Li Xunhuan’s face was alight with excitement, as if he were eagerly anticipating all the treasures the Yu Family would leave behind after its downfall.
“Lord City Lord, I was originally planning to join the group on my own, without telling anyone.”
“I understand. Success depends on planning, and secrecy.”
“But when I saw you, brother—well, you don’t have much to your name—so I thought I’d give you a hand.”
Daoist Qingwen looked Li Xunhuan over. Unable to find a word for how destitute he was, he could only put it bluntly.
Then he thumped his chest and assured him,
“When the time comes, stick close to me. With my cultivation in the late qi refining stage, I’ll make sure you come away with plenty.”
At the very least, he could get a mid-grade magical artifact.
He wanted a high-grade magical artifact too.
He swore he was genuinely trying to help.
However, as soon as he heard about joining the group to destroy a family, Li Xunhuan immediately shook his head.
“No, my cultivation is too low. I’d better not go.
Xunhuan will stay in Jiayuan City and obediently help the Sect Master gather things.”
Daoist Qingwen plucked out another handful of beard, his eyes wide as saucers.
Did being at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining mean he couldn’t go out and become a robber cultivator?
Sure, it was a little low.
But even cultivators with useless spiritual roots or Five Spiritual Roots, who couldn’t break through past the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining, still fought desperately for cultivation.
Besides, they were only going along to get a share.
“Lord City Lord, don’t you want a high-grade magical artifact? Don’t you want to break through sooner?”
“Daoist, of course I do.”
Li Xunhuan nodded, then shook his head.
“But I don’t think destroying a family is right.”
Compassionate and merciful—a scholar.
Daoist Qingwen had pinned plenty of labels on Li Xunhuan. In the end, he gave him a thumbs-up and said, with ill humor,
“You’re something else. So noble and high-minded.”
How much he resembled Qingwen back then.
What would have happened if he had kept going like that?
He shook his head. He’d probably have died at the hands of some unknown person long ago, with weeds growing high over his grave by now.
To cultivate, one had to fight—to fight for a sliver of hope.
Still, he felt an ever-growing fondness for Li Xunhuan.
Even a bad person wanted a good person for a friend.
The deeper one was in darkness, the more one yearned for the light.
By now, he had lost interest too. He snorted to show his displeasure, then asked one last time,
“You really won’t go?”
“Take care, Daoist.”
Daoist Qingwen flicked his high-grade magical artifact fly-whisk and drifted away.
Seeing Li Xunhuan look at him enviously, he could barely suppress a smile as he left.
Watching Daoist Qingwen disappear into the night, a flicker of amusement crossed Li Xunhuan’s eyes.
A scholar could act so well he’d make you cry.
Then he turned back and continued cultivating.
Ice Spirit Root, here he comes.