Inside the Scripture Pavilion, Xu Ergou, the narrow-faced Direct Disciple with prominent ears, was choosing a Qi Condensation manual when he caught sight of two figures walking side by side through the entrance from the corner of his eye.
His heart immediately stirred.
His own master was among them.
His backing had arrived.
With several thoughts flashing through his mind, Xu Ergou hurriedly put the manual back. A Menial Disciple nearby had already been waiting impatiently. He immediately picked up the same manual and headed toward Lu Qing.
That gave Xu Ergou exactly the opportunity he wanted.
“Peak Master Lu, you’ve gone too far!”
Xu Ergou shouted so loudly that the entire Scripture Pavilion instantly fell silent.
Lu Qing slowly raised his head and looked at Xu Ergou. A faint, wicked smile suddenly curled across his handsome face.
He had already decided to spare this ridiculous clown, yet the fool had actually come looking for trouble on his own.
Wasn’t this simply rushing headlong toward death?
Lu Qing was not afraid of Xu Ergou causing trouble. If anything, he had been worried that Xu Ergou would not.
Even with the grudge from his previous life, Lu Qing was still the dignified Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak. There was no chance he would lower himself to deliberately cause trouble for a junior.
But if the other party came knocking on his door…
That was different.
Meanwhile, the entire hall remained deathly silent.
The Menial Disciples and Auxiliary Peak disciples stared at Xu Ergou in disbelief.
They could hardly believe that he dared publicly challenge someone as important as Lu Qing.
He had even shouted at him so loudly.
Was Xu Ergou insane?
Yet under the attention of so many people, Xu Ergou suddenly felt lightheaded with excitement. For a brief moment, he felt as though he had become a Prodigy admired by everyone, the center of all attention.
At that moment, Lu Qing’s gaze settled on him.
With a faint smile still playing at the corner of his lips, Lu Qing softly asked, “Little fellow, what did you just say?”
“Peak Master Lu!” With his master standing behind him, Xu Ergou felt utterly fearless. He loudly declared, “You’ve gone too far! You’re the dignified Peak Master of one of the Seven Main Peaks, yet you’ve come here to search for Qi Condensation arts and even ordered disciples to help you. You’re seriously interfering with ordinary disciples like us who are trying to choose suitable Qi Condensation arts.”
He continued indignantly, “Isn’t it excessive for someone of your status to bully juniors like this? Just now, several Qi Condensation arts I had selected and intended to examine again were all taken away by those two Menial Disciples acting under your orders. Don’t you think you’ve gone too far?”
The other disciples did not dare make a sound.
This was the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak.
Forget merely taking some Qi Condensation manuals. Even if Lu Qing ordered the entire Scripture Pavilion closed for a day, ordinary disciples like them would have no right to complain.
Yet Xu Ergou actually dared challenge him over something so trivial.
He truly had no idea what death meant.
The smile on Lu Qing’s face grew more pronounced.
He stared at Xu Ergou and asked, “You think I’ve gone too far?”
“That’s exactly what I think.”
“Fine. Kneel.”
Lu Qing’s voice was completely calm.
“W-What? K-Kneel?”
Xu Ergou froze.
He had expected Lu Qing to argue or explain himself.
Instead, Lu Qing had simply ordered him to kneel.
“I… I won’t kneel!” Xu Ergou protested. “You’re clearly the one at fault. Why should I kneel?”
“Heh… Because I am the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak. Today, whether you want to kneel or not, you will kneel.”
Lu Qing calmly continued reading as he spoke.
Yet a terrifying pressure had already spread from his body.
Bang!
Xu Ergou crashed onto his knees.
His kneecaps struck the floor with a heavy thud.
His face instantly flushed crimson with humiliation. He could hardly believe Lu Qing had directly used his power to force him to kneel.
The humiliation felt unbearable.
Hatred twisted his expression.
Yet Lu Qing did not even spare him another glance.
Still calmly reading his book, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he said, “I am the dignified Peak Master of one of the Seven Main Peaks, while you’re merely a newly admitted Direct Disciple. What qualifications do you have to stand while speaking to me?”
“Allowing you to kneel before me is already showing you respect. A disciple like you could cultivate for another 1,000 years and still might not earn the qualification to speak to me face-to-face.”
Lu Qing’s voice remained indifferent as he continued, “So you should consider yourself fortunate today. I was willing to say a few extra words to you. After all, since becoming the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak, it has been many years since I’ve encountered someone bold enough to speak to me the way you just did.”
Xu Ergou’s face turned even redder.
Being forcibly pressed to his knees before everyone was already humiliating enough. Lu Qing’s words only drove the shame deeper.
His eyes reddened with fury, and he felt as though his chest might explode.
At the same time, however, unease began creeping into his heart.
Just then, a commotion came from the entrance.
Two people walked inside.
One was the Outer Sect Deacon Elder.
The other was the Sect Master herself, Ye Youran.
Both were drawn over by the disturbance. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
The moment Ye Youran arrived, she noticed Lu Qing sitting there reading.
His expression was tranquil and composed, while a faint, wicked smile lingered at the corner of his lips.
For a moment, Ye Youran’s mind drifted.
‘When did that little brat from back then grow up so much without me even noticing?’
He was already a grown man, old enough to marry and have children of his own.
Moreover, Ye Youran could not shake the feeling that her younger brother had changed.
He had always been remarkably handsome, but his presence had never been this transcendent and detached before. There was now an indescribable sense of freedom surrounding him.
The state of mind faintly reflected through that presence was enough to leave even Ye Youran momentarily dazed.
What she did not know was that Lu Qing’s state of mind had already broken through once again.
He was now approaching the transcendent state of mind associated with that mysterious realm beyond the Great Emperor Realm.
Naturally, such a state of mind had a considerable effect on someone at Ye Youran’s level.
Those who were too weak, on the contrary, could not perceive its true nature. They would merely feel that Lu Qing possessed an unusually distinctive and captivating presence.
“Peak Master Lu, Disciple, what happened here?”
The Outer Sect Deacon Elder stared at the scene with an ugly expression.
He had the same narrow features and prominent ears as Xu Ergou.
Xu Ergou was his most beloved disciple for no other reason than the fact that the young man looked remarkably similar to him, almost like an illegitimate son he had somehow lost outside.
Because of that resemblance, the Elder had always taken special care of him.
Whenever Xu Ergou caused trouble, he cleaned up the mess.
During the sect’s disciple recruitment assessment, he had even used his connections to bypass the normal process and directly accept Xu Ergou as a Core Direct Disciple, allowing him to enjoy the resources reserved for Core Direct Disciples.
Naturally, his expression was extremely unpleasant now.
Only then did Lu Qing raise his head.
He calmly swept his gaze across the Deacon Elder and said indifferently, “Does everything need to be reported to me for explanation? Do you think I have that much free time? Or has it reached the point where any random nobody can question me?”
Xu Ergou was furious when he heard this.
‘This bastard is unbelievably arrogant!’
Yet immediately afterward, he saw his own backing, the Outer Sect Deacon Elder, being humiliated by Lu Qing in such a manner.
The Elder’s expression became even uglier.
But he forcibly suppressed his anger and did not dare lash out.
Xu Ergou was dumbfounded.
The Outer Sect Deacon Elder was indeed furious.
But he truly did not dare act.
The fearsome reputation of the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak, the infamous “Lu the Slaughterer” as outsiders called him, was not a title Lu Qing had given himself.
Ordinary disciples within the sect might not know much about it, but among Deacons and subordinate Elders who had come from outside sects, who had not heard of Lu Qing’s terrifying reputation?
The Elder could only suppress his anger.
He turned toward a nearby disciple and asked, “What happened?”
Meanwhile, Ye Youran looked toward Lu Qing.
Her younger brother seemed even more domineering than usual today.
Lu Qing also turned toward her and said, “Sect Master, you’re here as well.”
“Ah Qing, what happened?”
Ye Youran found herself strangely reluctant to meet the eyes of this younger brother she had watched grow up.
Ever since the disciple recruitment assessment ended, the little fellow she had known since childhood seemed to have become an entirely different person.
Lu Qing said, “Sect Master, when we’re outside, please address me as Peak Master Lu.”
Ye Youran almost glared at him.
‘You’re still putting on airs in front of your elder sister? Are you asking for a beating?’
However, remembering that she was the Sect Master and could not lose her dignity in public, Ye Youran forcibly restrained herself.
She said, “Peak Master Lu, what happened?”
Only then did Lu Qing answer, “This junior offended me. I’m merely giving him a minor punishment as a warning.”
Ye Youran frowned and looked toward Xu Ergou.
A tangible pressure instantly descended upon him.
A newly admitted Direct Disciple had actually dared offend Lu Qing, the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak.
Such a thing could not be tolerated.
If word spread, Lu Qing would not be the only one humiliated.
The entire sect would lose face.
Thinking of this, Ye Youran’s expression gradually turned cold.
Yet at that moment, Xu Ergou suddenly began shouting again.
“Master, I did nothing wrong! This is what happened, and this is why I spoke out… It’s all because of Peak Master Lu! If he hadn’t behaved like this, I wouldn’t have lost my temper and spoken recklessly. Master, you have to seek justice for me!”
This time, Xu Ergou directly pointed at Lu Qing.
Lu Qing smiled.
But his smile was chillingly cold.
“What are you supposed to be? Who gave you the right to question my actions? I could overlook it before, but now your Sect Master and your own master are both present, yet you still show no remorse. Go and receive your death.”
Especially after hearing those final words.
‘Go and receive your death.’
No matter how foolish he was, he understood what those words meant.
Lu Qing had spoken them publicly before everyone.
The authority of a Peak Master could not be violated.
Xu Ergou had to die.
If he did not, Lu Qing’s authority would be swept away.
At this point, who would dare save him?
Who even could?
Xu Ergou had never imagined that Lu Qing would remain this domineering even with his own master present, openly tearing away any remaining pretense of cordiality.
“Peak Master, please reconsider!”
Xu Ergou’s master, Zhang Sanlai, immediately paled. He hurriedly pleaded, “My disciple is ignorant. Please give him a minor punishment as a warning and spare his life.”
Hearing this, Lu Qing raised his head for the final time.
His unfathomably deep eyes calmly settled upon Zhang Sanlai.
Under that gaze, Zhang Sanlai felt his entire body turn cold. A chill crawled down his back, and every hair on his body stood on end.
Only then did Lu Qing speak.
His tone was calm, but the warning was unmistakable.
“Elder Zhang, know your place. Watch your words and your actions.”
In his previous life, Lu Qing had taken Zhang Sanlai’s identity into consideration.
In this life, if Zhang Sanlai still refused to understand his position, Lu Qing would not mind adding another corpse to the world, an Elder who died with his eyes still open.
After saying this, Lu Qing lowered his head again.
Zhang Sanlai’s face turned ashen.
He understood perfectly.
Lu Qing was warning him not to court death.
Otherwise, he might end up exactly like Xu Ergou.
That completely enraged Zhang Sanlai.
“Peak Master, are you truly unwilling to show even the slightest mercy?” Zhang Sanlai asked, forcibly suppressing his anger.
Lu Qing suddenly smiled.
The moment Zhang Sanlai saw that smile, his heart turned ice-cold, even as his rage burned hotter.
But he did not dare erupt here.
In the end, Zhang Sanlai’s expression shifted between livid and pale. He violently flicked his sleeve, turned around, and left.
Even the Peak Master of Fifth Peak was wary of this infamous slaughterer and did not dare openly argue with him face-to-face.
So what if Zhang Sanlai lost a little face?
Losing face was still better than losing his life.
‘Lu Qing, once this is over, I won’t let you off. Unless you plan to remain inside the sect forever, the moment you leave will be my opportunity.’
Zhang Sanlai roared inwardly, hatred making his teeth itch.
He could not defeat Lu Qing here.
But once Lu Qing left the sect, Zhang Sanlai could call upon his connections and secretly hire killers to ambush him.
Of course, he only dared think these words.
He did not allow even the slightest trace of those intentions to show on his face.
“Master! Master! Master, save me!”
Xu Ergou’s face was deathly pale.
However, members of the Enforcement Hall had already arrived and seized him.
Within less than an hour, every meridian in his body and his dantian had been destroyed, reducing him to a cripple.
Just as the Enforcement Hall was preparing to execute him, Ye Youran’s order arrived.
Spare his life.
Expel him from the mountain.
Even the members of the Enforcement Hall felt a chill upon hearing the order.
For someone like Xu Ergou, death would actually have been more merciful than allowing him to live.
His meridians and dantian had been destroyed. His Qi and blood could no longer circulate properly, and the countless channels throughout his body were ruined.
From now on, he would live as nothing more than a cripple.
Even walking normally would become difficult.
Even if someone wanted him to leave descendants behind, he would no longer be capable of doing so. His bloodline and bodily functions had already been thoroughly ruined.
For someone in such a state, living was arguably worse than death.
Yet the Sect Master had ordered that his life be spared.
Clearly, the Sect Master was extremely partial toward Peak Master Lu.
Her decision represented unconditional support for him and openly displayed her stance.
Xu Ergou would spend the rest of his miserable life regretting the day he dared offend Peak Master Lu.
As for whether he could ever stir up trouble again?
That was even more laughable.
It was impossible.