Chapter 49: A Man of Ruthless Action, Not of Empty Words

This was the first truly good person Qin Haoxuan had met since entering the Taichu Sect, and it filled him with a sense of warmth. Most people in the cultivation world were callous and self-serving, disregarding the lives of others for their own benefit—Master Guyun was a prime example. But there were still a few good people. If what Pu Hanzhong said was true, then his master was also one of them.

“Senior Brother Pu seems so honest and kind. Why would you be sent to confinement?”

Pu Hanzhong gave a bitter smile. “My Nature Hall is the weakest of the five halls in Taichu. For some particular reasons, my master’s cultivation is also not very strong, so the other halls look down on us. Once, a Thirtieth-Leaf Spirit Sprout Realm expert from the Ancient Cloud Hall publicly insulted my master. I beat him until he was heavily injured and was sentenced to confinement here. I’ve been here for half a year already. In a few more days, my sentence will be up, and I can see my master again.”

“A Thirtieth-Leaf Spirit Sprout?” Qin Haoxuan was stunned. Pu Hanzhong was only at the Tenth-Leaf stage. How could he possibly have injured an expert at the Thirtieth-Leaf?

Seeing the question in his eyes, Pu Hanzhong smiled. “Of course, I didn’t do it with my bare hands. My master once expended a great deal of his own spiritual energy to craft a powerful Spiritual Talisman for me. I used that to injure him.”

“I see. Senior Brother Pu’s devotion to his master is admirable,” Qin Haoxuan said with a warm smile. His image of Pu Hanzhong grew even taller. To defend his master’s honor, he had dared to fight someone 20 leaves above him. Such a crazy act could only be born from deep respect and love. And to use such a powerful talisman for it… in the Spirit Field Valley, even a talisman equivalent to a Sixth or Seventh-Leaf expert’s strike was priceless. A talisman of this power would be a rare treasure anywhere in the sect.

At this thought, Qin Haoxuan’s interest in the Nature Hall and its master, Master Xuanji, grew even stronger.

Over the next dozen days, four more waves of Sixth-Leaf disciples were sent into the Nine Yin Ice Cavern to assassinate him. But with Pu Hanzhong’s help, all of them were thwarted. Under his protection, Qin Haoxuan not only stole all their food for himself but also slept soundly at night, completely safe.

The assassins, on the other hand, were dumbfounded. With a Tenth-Leaf expert protecting him, they had no chance. Their days were miserable; they were starving, sleep-deprived, and constantly on edge. Several times, Qin Haoxuan had launched surprise attacks in the middle of the night, severely injuring four of the six new arrivals.

He had been called a man of ruthless action and few words back in the Spirit Field Valley, a reputation that these Sixth-Leaf disciples now understood through painful, first-hand experience.

They also learned that he held a grudge. He would launch sneak attacks without warning. Even if you were already injured, if he felt you were still a threat, he would come and torment you again. If you were lucky, you’d end up with one broken bone. If you were unlucky… well…

They were filled with憋屈 anger. They wanted to team up and ambush him, but they couldn’t get past Pu Hanzhong.

Of course, now they couldn’t even if they wanted to. All they could do was pray that the little monster wouldn’t get bored and wander over for a visit.

Time passed quickly. In the harsh environment of the Ice Cavern, Qin Haoxuan was like a fish in water. With Pu Hanzhong’s protection, he could focus entirely on his cultivation. His Immortal-Demon Seed grew larger and larger with the accumulation of spiritual energy, but it still showed no signs of sprouting, which puzzled him.

During these days of relentless cultivation, Pu Hanzhong had also come to admire him greatly. The boy rested for at most an hour or two a day; the rest of the time, he was cultivating. Such high-intensity training should have been incredibly damaging, especially for a weak seed who had just completed the Rooting Stage. But after half a month, not only had he not collapsed, but he seemed even stronger than when he had arrived.

What impressed Pu Hanzhong the most was that this new disciple, who had been in the sect for less than a month, had been the target of four or five assassination attempts, yet he seemed to have completely adapted to this life, remaining calm and decisive, seeking every opportunity for revenge.

After dinner, Pu Hanzhong looked at Qin Haoxuan, who was still wolfing down his food. “Junior Brother Qin, I’m being released tomorrow. You’ll need to be careful for the next few days.”

“Congratulations, Senior Brother Pu…” Qin Haoxuan said, his mouth full. This starving-ghost appearance of his made Pu Hanzhong want to both laugh and cry, especially when he glanced at the corner where the assassins lay, having not eaten in nearly ten days.

He looked at Qin Haoxuan with some concern. “You’ve taken all their food. You only give them half a bowl a day. That’s hard to endure even outside, let alone in a place like this. Maybe you should give them a little more.”

“If it weren’t for your kind heart, Senior Brother, I would have let these people who came to kill me starve to death. Giving them half a bowl is already showing them mercy. When they came to kill me, did they plan to leave me a path to survive?”

Pu Hanzhong nodded silently. Over the past half a month, he had gotten to know Qin Haoxuan well, and the two had come to appreciate each other. He had even thought of recommending him to his master. The Nature Hall could protect him, and they needed a decisive talent like him. He had a premonition that this boy was destined for great things.

The next day, the iron door opened, and an old Daoist in a purple robe with a white beard and hair walked in. He looked old and frail, as if his lifespan was nearly exhausted.

Seeing him, Pu Hanzhong’s eyes filled with tears. He rushed forward and fell to his knees. “This unworthy disciple, Pu Hanzhong, pays his respects to Master!”

This old Daoist was none other than the master of the Nature Hall, Master Xuanji. He quickly helped Pu Hanzhong up. “Rise, quickly.”

“This disciple is unworthy! I have been in the Nine Yin Ice Cavern for half a year, unable to serve you. Yet Master still remembered this unworthy disciple and came personally to receive me. I… I am eternally grateful, and deeply ashamed…”

With that, the 50-year-old Pu Hanzhong began to cry like a child.

“Hanzhong, you have suffered. You’ve lost so much weight. But in this half a year, you have continued to cultivate diligently and have not fallen behind. That is truly commendable,” Master Xuanji said with a kind smile, looking his disciple up and down with relief.

At his master’s praise, the tearful Pu Hanzhong became a little embarrassed. “Speaking of diligent cultivation, this disciple is far inferior to this Junior Brother, Qin Haoxuan. In the half a month he has been here, he spends all his time cultivating, except for an hour or so of sleep. And he is still so robust. This disciple is filled with admiration.”

Eager to recommend him, Pu Hanzhong immediately brought up his name. Hearing himself being praised, Qin Haoxuan quickly walked over and bowed respectfully. “Disciple Qin Haoxuan has seen Senior Xuanji.”

Master Xuanji’s eyes, which seemed to see through to one’s soul, swept over Qin Haoxuan, and he nodded with satisfaction. “There is no need for formalities. Hanzhong rarely praises anyone like this. You must be very outstanding.”

“This disciple would not dare. Senior Brother Pu is too generous,” Qin Haoxuan said with another slight bow and a smile.

Pu Hanzhong suddenly knelt on the ground again. “Master, this disciple has a request. Junior Brother Qin is humble and kind, and his Dao Heart is firm. It is a pity he is just a weak seed. Because of his outstanding performance, he has earned the jealousy of the Purple Seed disciples of his year, who have sent assassins after him time and again. If not for this disciple’s protection, he would likely be dead. This disciple implores Master to accept him into our hall. Firstly, to protect him with your name, and secondly, because he is an exceptional talent who can surely bring glory to our Nature Hall in the future. I hope Master will grant this request.”

Hearing Pu Hanzhong plead on his behalf, Qin Haoxuan was overcome with gratitude and also fell to his knees. From what he had observed, Master Xuanji was indeed as kind-hearted as Pu Hanzhong had described, a rare good man in the cultivation world. Although the Nature Hall was weak and struggling to survive, if Master Xuanji would have him, he would join without a second thought, drawn by the unity and kindness that permeated the hall.

Having lived for over a hundred years, although Master Xuanji’s cultivation was not as high as the other Hall Masters, his judgment of character was excellent. Coupled with the high praise from Pu Hanzhong, who had never lied to him, he was also very satisfied with Qin Haoxuan. If he could accept such a disciple, perhaps the glory of the Nature Hall could be restored at his hands.