No matter what Wen Qingtang said, Yu Chanxin stood by his words: “Even if I die, I will defend the dignity of the Yuandao Sect.”
His voice was proud, resolute, and fearless of death. Looking at him, the corners of Wen Qingtang’s eyes instantly turned red. “Alright, since Senior Brother has made up his mind, today I will die alongside Senior Brother.”
As soon as he finished speaking, tears streamed down Wen Qingtang’s face in large drops, immediately panicking Yu Chanxin. “Hey now, I didn’t ask you to die.”
Wen Qingtang, who had just been advocating for the greater picture, now hardened his heart. “When Master left, he instructed us fellow apprentices to advance hand in hand and look after one another. Since you are going to your death, naturally I will not live on cowardly.”
To make matters worse, Cen Ji, Yue Tianji, and Zhong Juetian chimed in from the side: “Though a man may die, his backbone must not break!” and “Even facing a thousand deaths, I have no regrets!”
The entire assembly hall descended into utter chaos.
Gu Yan had a headache from all their arguing and quickly sent a message to Mu Qinghe, telling him to bring the two junior apprentices over immediately.
Soon, Mu Qinghe, Zhu Yingzhen, and Feng Wusheng hurried over. They appeared quite calm upon seeing the chaotic scene inside the room, looking like people who had experienced this many times before.
At this moment, Gu Yan spoke up: “Everyone has arrived. Go back to your respective seats and sit down.”
The group obediently walked over and took their seats. Yu Chanxin sat on the lower-left side of Gu Yan, with Mu Qinghe, Zhu Yingzhen, and Feng Wusheng standing behind him. Wen Qingtang sat on the lower-right side of Gu Yan, with Cen Ji, Yue Tianji, and Zhong Juetian standing behind him. No one spoke, and for a moment the only sound in the hall was Wen Qingtang’s sobbing.
Watching from the side, Gu Shi was dumbfounded. Is the internal dynamic of the Yuandao Sect always this eccentric?
Seated at the head, Gu Yan brought up the main business: “This time, the Wuxiang Sect has dispatched Elder Chen Ci to collect this year’s tribute in advance. Just like previous years, it is one million superior-grade spirit stones, ten Earth-grade spiritual plants, and ten Tier 3 medicinal pills. We have the spiritual plants and pills, but we are short by 500,000 spirit stones. Therefore, I intend to use a Danmu wood, ten Zhuyu grass, and ten Yubei grass to make up the difference. If any of you have objections, discuss it internally and give me your answer after the burning of an incense stick.”
Having said that, Gu Yan stopped looking at them, closed his eyes, and quietly waited for their reply.
Yu Chanxin was the first to speak: “I object.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Mu Qinghe spoke up weakly: “Master, I agree.”
Zhu Yingzhen also chimed in: “Master, I agree as well.”
After speaking, the two of them looked at Feng Wusheng. He did not say anything, merely nodding.
Glaring at the three of them, anger practically radiating from the top of Yu Chanxin’s head, he snapped: “How many times have I told you? A cultivator must never lose their spine! With the two of you being so timid, how will you ever establish yourselves in the world in the future?”
Mu Qinghe replied weakly: “Master, but fighting will destroy the spirit fields! For three hundred and sixty-five days a year, apart from going out on experiential training, I spend every single day guarding the spiritual plants. To me, they are more important than my own life.”
Zhu Yingzhen also chimed in: “That’s right, Master. Your disciple only wants to practice alchemy in peace. Besides, we now have Junior Brother Shen; he is a once-in-a-millennium genius. Given time, he will certainly lead the sect so that we are never bullied again.”
Feng Wusheng didn’t speak; he just kept nodding, indicating his complete agreement with his senior brothers’ views.
Thinking of something, Mu Qinghe bit his lip, his eyes instantly turning red as he looked like he was about to cry again. Yu Chanxin glared at him. “Alright, if we aren’t fighting, then we aren’t fighting. Stop sniffling and crying, what does that look like?”
Mu Qinghe turned around to wipe away his tears, then heard Yu Chanxin say, “I’ll find another Danmu wood for you.” Hearing this, Mu Qinghe immediately stopped crying and replied obediently, “Thank you, Master.”
Yu Chanxin let out a sigh. What a disaster of disciples.
On the other side, Cen Ji knelt and petitioned Wen Qingtang: “Master, we are not cowards. The Wuxiang Sect is bullying us too much! This disciple begs to go alone to challenge Chen Ci and establish the might of our Yuandao Sect.”
Yue Tianji and Zhong Juetian knelt down one after the other as well: “Master, this disciple also wishes to offer his single life to establish the might of our Yuandao Sect.”
With tear-blurred eyes, Wen Qingtang looked at them. The young men wore resolute expressions. “Since you have this intent, as your master, I will not stop you. I am of dull talent and have never taught you much, so naturally I cannot shoulder the merits you strive for with your lives. Now, we shall sever our master-disciple relationship; go down the mountain yourselves.”
All three of them were dumbfounded, never expecting that their usually gentle master could be so ruthless at a time like this. They hurriedly pleaded: “Master, when we entered the sect, we took an oath never to betray the sect in this lifetime. Since Master does not wish for us to resort to force, we won’t go! Master, you must not cast us away!”
Gu Shi was shocked. Can you even do that?
The time of one incense stick was up. Gu Yan opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping sequentially across Yu Chanxin and Wen Qingtang. “Well?”
Reluctantly, Yu Chanxin replied, “My Little Lotus Peak has no objections.” Wen Qingtang followed up with, “Liji Peak has no objections.”
Gu Yan was not surprised by this outcome. “Since there are no objections, once I discuss this matter with Elder Chen, we will proceed accordingly. You may all return.”
Because Gu Shi still wanted to ask about the little red bird, he stood in place without moving. He watched as the group strode toward the door, only for all of them to stop dead in their tracks at the same time. Looking over, Gu Shi saw a middle-aged man standing at the entrance, of ordinary appearance with a mocking smile hanging on his face.
“With everyone so complete, it seems this year’s tribute is prepared.” The newcomer was precisely Chen Ci of the Wuxiang Sect, and he was followed by two disciples, both bearing fierce expressions.
Chen Ci walked into the main hall, and naturally, the group stayed behind. Gu Yan went forward to greet him, speaking very politely: “Elder Chen, we had some internal sect matters to discuss, which are finished now.” With that, he looked toward the others. “You all go back.”
Instead, Chen Ci interrupted him. “Don’t leave just yet, I have something to say.” Chen Ci walked straight up to the seat of honor and sat down. “Everyone, my Wuxiang Sect has conscientiously protected the common people on behalf of the Yuandao Sect for fifteen years, enduring hardship and achieving great merits. This tribute should be raised as well.”
Hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the Yuandao Sect changed drastically. As everyone knew, this tribute was merely a fabricated means of extorting wealth invented by the Wuxiang Sect. They had repeatedly tolerated it, but they never expected the Wuxiang Sect to be so shameless.
Gu Yan asked in a deep voice, “How much does Elder Chen plan to raise it by?”
Chen Ci smiled. “Not much, just one Earth-grade spiritual plant.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Mu Qinghe’s expression changed first; he knew the Yuandao Sect simply did not possess such high-grade spiritual plants. As the sect master, Gu Yan naturally knew this as well. He said in a deep voice, “Elder Chen, protecting the common people is the duty of cultivators, and we have never shirked from it. However, the Yuandao Sect is in its twilight while the Wuxiang Sect is thriving; the capable should shoulder more work, but using maps from several hundred years ago is already improper. In the past, for the sake of the common people, our Yuandao Sect said nothing, but for the Wuxiang Sect to press us so hard, could it be that you have completely forgotten the original intent of cultivation, leaving behind nothing but money?”
The internal disputes of the Yuandao Sect were strictly internal; now that outsiders were present, they naturally formed a united front against the foe. Wen Qingtang, who had just been tearful, also put on an icy expression. “How much of our Yuandao Sect’s spiritual plants has your Wuxiang Sect looted over the years, and what is even left in our gardens? Elder Chen probably knows this better than I, the Master of the Spiritual Plant Garden. Why put on such a hypocritical act to make things difficult for us?”
Yu Chanxin also said coldly, “Leave a margin for human relations in everything you do. If the Wuxiang Sect wants no dignity, we will not allow ourselves to be slaughtered like lambs either.”
With a disdainful gaze, Chen Ci swept across the crowd as if looking at disobedient dogs, smiling with smug contentment: “By the order of the Sect Master, if anyone objects, feel free to try.”
As soon as those words fell, Cen Ji drew his sword and charged straight at Chen Ci. His movements were so fast that no one had time to react. Immediately afterward, Chen Ci waved his hand, releasing the full pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Without even getting close to Chen Ci, Cen Ji was blasted backward, blood instantly spilling from the corners of his mouth. Like a kite with a broken string, he crashed heavily onto the ground and passed out, blood spreading out beneath him.
“I’ll kill you!” Yue Tianji and Zhong Juetian panicked in anger and rushed forward, but this time Gu Yan stopped the two of them. He shot a glance at Wen Qingtang while grabbing Yu Chanxin’s tightly clenched hand, forcing him to stay calm.
Understanding Gu Yan’s intent, Wen Qingtang stopped Yue Tianji and Zhong Juetian, then gave a cold order: “Go check on how Cen Ji is doing.”
Careless about the chaos he had caused, Chen Ci remained entirely unconcerned, merely asking, “Any more objections?”
Gritting his teeth, Gu Yan’s eyes filled with hatred. Yet as the smell of blood grew stronger in the hall, he had no choice but to soften his tone. “Elder Chen, our sect truly has no Earth-grade spiritual plants right now. I will immediately open sect tasks and have the disciples work hard to search for them.”
Chen Ci rejected his explanation. “By order of the Sect Master, this trip’s tribute must be brought back in full.”
Gu Yan frowned. “If Elder Chen does not believe me, you are welcome to go to the Spiritual Plant Garden and inspect it yourself.”
Chen Ci retorted, “Don’t use tricks like that to stall me. I am here to collect items, not to inspect your garden.”
Gu Yan’s brow furrowed tighter and tighter. He could not figure out why Chen Ci was pressing them step-by-step. “There is simply none, I cannot produce it.”
Looking at Chen Ci’s condescending expression, Gu Shi clenched his fists at his sides out of anger. However the people inside the Yuandao Sect argued or cried, he hadn’t cared, even finding it somewhat amusing; but Chen Ci was different. He sat in his father’s position, issuing high-and-mighty commands and resorting to violence at the slightest disagreement. His previously detached state of mind was bit by bit ignited, reigniting the raw grit in his bones.
His upbringing had made Gu Shi accustomed to a peace-first mentality. But looking at Chen Ci now, he only hated himself for being so useless that he couldn’t kill Chen Ci. It also made him realize that in this world where the strong prey upon the weak, the security bought by weakness is worthless, ultimately resulting in being completely swallowed up.
Secretly, he swore in his heart that one day, he would make Chen Ci kneel on the ground and beg for forgiveness.
No matter how stormy Gu Shi’s inner turmoil was, Chen Ci remained seated high above, his voice nearly teasing, like a cat watching a mouse: “Since there aren’t any, then take something Sect Master Gu does have.”
A bad premonition surged in Gu Yan’s heart, but at this moment he could only follow up and ask, “What?”
Chen Ci smiled. “In the past two days since I arrived, I heard that Sect Master Gu has taken in a fine disciple, possessing the supreme Ice Spiritual Root and reaching Foundation Establishment in ten months. The Yuandao Sect is in its twilight; keeping such a fine sapling here is just a waste. Why don’t I do a favor and bring him back to the Wuxiang Sect to be trained?”
As soon as those words were uttered, the people of the Yuandao Sect instantly turned dark-faced. They never expected the Wuxiang Sect to be shameless to this degree, openly and flagrantly snatching people away.
Gu Shi, who had been silent, blurted out, “No way!”
It was precisely at this moment that Gu Shi clearly felt the deviation of the plot. He could be certain that this part definitely did not exist in the original plot. In the original storyline, Shen Yunsheng reached Foundation Establishment in a year, and it was because he had smashed countless treasures to accelerate that progress that it triggered the Wuxiang Sect coming to snatch him.
This world operates on its own.