Chapter 47: Diverting the Disaster, Firing a Cold Arrow

The Nine Yin Ice Cavern was even smaller than the Lava Cellar. To say that a drop of water would freeze in mid-air was no exaggeration; a mouthful of spit would turn to ice before it hit the ground.

After surveying the layout, Qin Haoxuan was surprised to find the prisoners divided into two groups. On one side, a dozen men were huddled together. On the other, a middle-aged man of about 50 sat alone, occupying an entire side of the cavern. The larger group would rather squeeze together than sit near him, and yet, the occasional glances they cast his way were filled with contempt.

In the cultivation world, where lifespans were generally longer than ordinary people’s, 50 or 60 years old was only considered middle-aged.

No one bothered him after he entered. After sensing that his aura was weak and that he wasn’t even at the Spirit Sprout Realm, they didn’t even bother to look at him.

“A strange group of people.”

Muttering to himself, Qin Haoxuan found a spot and began to cultivate. Although the Ice Cavern wasn’t as comfortable as the Lava Cellar, the intense cold was still a good fit for his overheated body. The unique, frigid spiritual energy of this place had a different flavor when he used it to neutralize the heat from the One-Leaf Golden Lotus.

What he didn’t know was that as he absorbed this frigid spiritual energy and infused it into his Dantian, the demonic part of his Immortal-Demon Seed—the part that had yet to sprout its main root—began to stir.

While Qin Haoxuan had found his peace, his heroic feat of beating the Seventh-Leaf Gu Xiaoyun had deeply shocked everyone in the Spirit Field Valley. Even though he was gone, he was not forgotten. Li Jing was one of those who couldn’t forget.

Sitting alone in his room, staring at the inky black sky, he muttered to himself, “Incredible. He even managed to take down the Seventh-Leaf Gu Xiaoyun. Even for a sneak attack, that’s going too far.”

He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with a sharp, murderous light. Finally, he slammed his hand on the table. “So be it! Qin Haoxuan, you can only blame yourself for being such an eyesore. If Xu Yu weren’t so loyal to you, if she were willing to join my side, I might have let you live. But now… since you’re hiding in the Nine Yin Ice Cavern, don’t blame me for using some tricks to frame someone else.”

Having made his decision, Li Jing decided to reveal some of his hidden strength. He personally summoned two Sixth-Leaf Spirit Sprout disciples who, on the surface, were not affiliated with him but were in fact core members of his faction. “Senior Brothers, please sit. There is a matter I wish to entrust to you.”

The two disciples were overwhelmed. Although their cultivation was currently higher than his, Li Jing was an Unsurpassed Purple Seed, destined to become a great figure. He had deliberately kept them in the shadows, and they had been regretting the lack of opportunity to prove their worth.

Now, their chance had come. “If it is within our power, we will not refuse. Just give the order, Junior Brother.”

“Alright, then I will be direct. I want you two to deliberately cause some trouble, get sent into the Nine Yin Ice Cavern, kill Qin Haoxuan, and then frame Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang!”

The two Sixth-Leaf experts were shocked. Killing a fellow disciple was a grave crime in the Taichu Sect, one that could lead to expulsion or worse. And if they were to accuse Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang, what if they sought revenge in the future…

Li Jing saw the worry in their eyes and smiled. “If this is done, I will not treat you unfairly. After you serve a few years of punishment, we will have brought down Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang. The day I rise to power will be the day I handsomely reward you both.”

Their faces turned grim. The fate of the Yuan brothers was a clear warning. If they really killed Qin Haoxuan, it would be them, not the Purple Seed Li Jing, who would face the consequences.

They were willing to bully people and get into fights for him, but this… this was a job with no clear benefit and immense risk.

Li Jing saw their hesitation and, though cursing them inwardly, kept the smile on his face. “Are you worried you’ll end up like the Yuan brothers? After you kill him, just say that he went crazy for no reason and attacked you. That you had to defend yourselves. As for the other prisoners in the cavern, I will bribe them…”

They wanted to refuse, but as Li Jing laid out his plan, they felt that perhaps it was a risk worth taking. If they succeeded and were not punished, their future under Li Jing would be bright.

Li Jing watched them quietly. He knew that these two had been stuck in the Spirit Field Valley for too long. With their aptitude, they would never get ahead on their own. He was their only chance, no matter how dangerous.

Under his gaze, they were swayed.

Even if Li Jing couldn’t surpass Zhang Kuang in the future, he would still be a major figure in the sect. Leaning on a big tree provides good shade.

After weighing the pros and cons, the two Sixth-Leaf experts steeled their resolve. They looked at each other, saw the determination in their eyes, and said in unison, “Junior Brother, please tell us the plan.”

The three of them plotted for a long time before the two disciples quietly departed, ready to act the next day.

At dawn, Li Jing went to Xu Yu’s door, his expression a mask of anxiety. “Junior Sister Xu, I’ve received a report. Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang were up all night looking for someone, plotting to send another expert into the Nine Yin Ice Cavern to harm Junior Brother Qin.”

“Ah!” Xu Yu gasped. She had been worried about this, but she hadn’t expected them to act so quickly. However, her time with Qin Haoxuan had made her more composed.

“Don’t worry, Junior Sister. I won’t let their scheme succeed. I will also find an expert to go in and protect him. But you must not speak of this to anyone, especially not the elders. We don’t want to startle the snake and make them more cautious.” Li Jing said, half-offering a favor, half-threatening.

She was, after all, a pure-hearted young girl with little experience of the world. And this concerned the safety of her beloved Brother Haoxuan. Frightened by his warning, she immediately abandoned the thought of seeking help from the elders. “Then I must ask for your help, Senior Brother Li.”

Seeing her earnest expression, Li Jing readily agreed, his heart swelling with pride. Just a little girl, so easy to fool. After I kill Qin Haoxuan and frame Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang, you’ll be eternally grateful to me. And with your pillar of support gone, you’ll have no choice but to rely on me.

Qin Haoxuan, of course, knew nothing of this. But his experience in the Lava Cellar had taught him to be cautious. The first day passed peacefully. The other prisoners in the cavern kept to themselves, barely giving him a second glance.

On the second day, being a cultivation maniac, Qin Haoxuan slept for only an hour or two before getting up to meditate. As he was enjoying the process, the iron door creaked open, and two newcomers were escorted in.

His experience had made him vigilant. He immediately opened his eyes. The moment his gaze met those of the two new Sixth-Leaf experts, he felt an inexplicable sense of crisis.

Sure enough, after the enforcers left, the two men walked over to him with cold smiles. “You’re Qin Haoxuan?”

Qin Haoxuan gathered his energy and replied without a trace of fear, “I am.”

“Good. We were sent by Junior Brother Zhang Kuang to eliminate you, an arrogant brat who doesn’t know his place.” With that, one of them began to form a hand seal, while the other blocked his escape route, also preparing to attack.

There was no escape. Qin Haoxuan did not panic. He knew he had no chance against even one Sixth-Leaf expert, let alone two. But he was not one to give up without a fight. Even if he were to die, he would go down swinging.

“Die!” The two experts’ techniques were ready. A fierce surge of spiritual energy erupted around them as they unleashed their strongest killing moves. They did not dare to underestimate this monstrous opponent. They had to succeed in this one strike. If they failed, not only would Li Jing’s plan be in jeopardy, but they would lose their one chance to prove their worth.

Qin Haoxuan must die.

Two Sixth-Leaf disciples simultaneously unleashed their ultimate attacks. If they landed, Qin Haoxuan would be heavily injured, if not killed outright.

This ruthless assault finally startled the other prisoners.

The lone middle-aged man who had been sitting by himself suddenly leaped to his feet. Just as the two assassins were about to strike, he also formed a hand seal. But his technique was much faster than theirs. In an instant, an unstoppable wave of spiritual energy swept out, not only blocking the fatal attacks but also sending the two Sixth-Leaf experts flying.

They were not injured, but they scrambled to their feet and stared at the man in disbelief. He was only about 50 years old, at the Tenth-Leaf Spirit Sprout Realm. Given his age, his aptitude was average. He didn’t seem to be from one of the four main halls.

Qin Haoxuan, who had been tensed to dodge, relaxed. He watched carefully, trying to figure out if these three were putting on a show, or if someone had really come to his aid.

One of the assassins demanded, “Do you know who sent us?”

“Disputes between disciples are unavoidable,” the middle-aged man said calmly. “But to send people to commit murder is going too far. And he is just a new disciple who has barely completed the Rooting Stage. For two Sixth-Leaf cultivators to use killing moves on him… aren’t you afraid of being ridiculed? As for a Purple Seed disciple… so what? They are still disciples of Taichu.”