Chapter 144: Heaven Only Takes Those Who Court Death

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Ye Yiming said, “The tradition in past years is that for those who have not yet sprouted a leaf before ‘Entering the Mortal World,’ they will continue to be led by their original Guiding Senior Brother. For those who have, their hall will arrange for a different senior brother. Of course, it is also possible for the original guide to continue. If a Hall Master holds a disciple in extremely high regard and feels they are worthy of cultivation, they might even dispatch a team to accompany the disciple for their training in the mortal world, ensuring their safety. The mortal world has its own dangers—demon cultivators, monsters, and Nether-Creatures. To prepare for this, you must spend this next month cultivating diligently and improving your combat strength, because you are very likely to encounter danger after you enter.”

“The mortal world, the mortal world…” Qin Haoxuan muttered to himself after hearing this. He then nodded seriously. “Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother.”

“Alright, it’s getting late. We’ve been on edge in the Aqueous Manor for days. You should get a good rest.” Ye Yiming was very satisfied with Qin Haoxuan’s humble and unassuming attitude. After saying goodbye, he returned to his own room.

After Ye Yiming left, Qin Haoxuan sat cross-legged and began to cultivate, planning to take a trip to the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley later, when the night was deeper.

Just then, there was another knock on his door. When he opened it, he found the master of the Ancient Cloud Hall, Master Guyun.

“This disciple pays his respects to Hall Master Gu.” Although Qin Haoxuan felt a jolt of apprehension upon seeing him, his expression remained calm as he respectfully bowed.

“No need for formalities,” Guyun said, smiling as he sat down in the only chair in the room. “Did you have a good harvest in the Aqueous Manor this time?”

“I am ashamed to say, Hall Master, that not only is my aptitude inferior to others, but my luck is as well. I did not obtain anything during this trip,” Qin Haoxuan said, putting on a look of regret and sighing.

Guyun encouraged him, “That manor is full of mysteries. What one finds inside is purely a matter of luck and has little to do with aptitude. If you didn’t get anything this year, you can always go again next year.” After a few words of comfort, he looked at the now First-Leaf Qin Haoxuan and smiled with satisfaction again.

In Guyun’s mind, the only reason Qin Haoxuan had been able to sprout his seed and then a leaf was thanks to the Corrosion Pills he had provided. The faster his cultivation progressed now, the stronger he would be after being refined into a corpse soldier. As long as he cultivated Qin Haoxuan well, after Zhang Yang obtained him, he would certainly be able to contend with the Purple Seeds. At this thought, Guyun’s conviction to continue feeding him the pills grew even stronger.

“Have you finished the pills I gave you last time?” Guyun asked, getting straight to the point.

Qin Haoxuan nodded. “I have finished them all. The pills you bestowed are extremely effective. After taking them, my cultivation speed has clearly increased, and my body feels much stronger.”

Guyun smiled with satisfaction and took out another small bottle of pills from his robes. “When you finish this bottle, come and find me.”

Qin Haoxuan accepted the bottle of Corrosion Pills naturally and respectfully thanked him. He then took out a pill and swallowed it on the spot, beginning to cultivate right in front of him.

Seeing that his cultivation was proceeding as normal, Guyun watched for a little while longer and then quietly departed.

On his way back, Guyun unexpectedly ran into someone: his junior brother, the Ancient Cloud Hall elder, Master Chi Lian.

At that moment, Master Chi Lian’s face was as pale as paper. He wore a veiled hat that covered his face, and his already gaunt features looked even more sharp and haggard.

“Junior Brother Chi Lian, what brings you to the Spirit Field Valley so late at night?” Guyun asked, blocking his path with an expression of concern.

Master Chi Lian’s spiritual sense was injured, and he could not be directly exposed to the sun, so he wore the veiled hat at all times. Through the veil, Guyun could see that his junior brother’s face was pale, as if he were seriously injured.

A sharp glint flashed in Master Chi Lian’s eyes. For an elder of his stature to come to the Spirit Field Valley for no reason would surely arouse Guyun’s suspicion. But he quickly came up with an answer. “Reporting to Senior Brother, I learned that a new disciple named Qin Haoxuan has been at odds with our nephew, Zhang Yang, so I was preparing to go and teach him a lesson on his behalf.”

Guyun naturally did not believe this excuse, but since he didn’t know his true purpose, he couldn’t expose him on the spot. He was certain, however, that he was after Qin Haoxuan. His face turned stern. “Junior Brother,” he warned, “I have taken an interest in this Qin Haoxuan. He is of some use to me. I hope you will not provoke him in the future. Otherwise, if he loses even a single hair, it would be a shame for us to tear face over it. As for the conflict between him and Zhang Yang, that is a matter for the younger generation. We as elders should just watch from the side.”

Although Guyun’s tone was mild, his meaning was clear. A jolt went through Master Chi Lian. When did the notoriously ruthless and protective Guyun take an interest in Qin Haoxuan? There must be something strange going on.

Could it be that he has also discovered the great treasure on Qin Haoxuan? Master Chi Lian knew that in his injured state, he was no match for Guyun. To openly oppose his notoriously cruel senior brother at this juncture would be unwise. So, he put on a smile and bowed. “Since Senior Brother feels this is not a matter for the elders, then I will return. Rest assured, I will not bother him.”

Master Chi Lian turned and left, but in his heart, he thought, Just you wait, Qin Haoxuan. I will endure for another month. When you enter the mortal world, I will deal with you then!

Guyun watched his back and shook his head with a wry smile. That Qin Haoxuan is a real troublemaker. I wonder how he managed to provoke such a dangerous person.

After Guyun left, Qin Haoxuan was lying on his bed, preparing to possess the little snake and take a trip to the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, when he heard another knock at the door. He sighed with a wry smile. His door was certainly busy today.

Standing outside was Xing, disguised as Hua Lao. The moment Qin Haoxuan opened the door, he furtively slipped inside.

Qin Haoxuan closed the door and looked at the sneaky-looking Xing with a questioning gaze. “It’s so late. What is it?”

“Of course it’s something! Why else would I come looking for you?” Xing said with an air of righteousness. He then continued in a tone of moral outrage, “Did you know? That Zhang Yang fellow is full of wicked ideas. The moment he got back, he gathered his lackeys to plot against you! He’s decided to find a way to kidnap you and use you to blackmail Xu Yu for her Qi-Circulating Powder! As your sworn brother who has shared life and death with you, how could I stand by and watch his evil plot unfold? So, I risked my life to come and warn you! And I’ve even come up with a peerless plan to help you deal with him!”

The more righteous Xing acted, the more Qin Haoxuan felt he had no integrity or shame. His skeptical gaze intensified. “Explain.”

“I’ve decided to eat Zhang Yang for you, to eliminate this future trouble!” Xing said, licking his lips. He put on an expression of selfless loyalty. “I know that if I eat him, your sect will surely investigate. But for you, my brother, I can’t worry about such things! If any problems arise, I will bear them all myself and will absolutely not implicate you!”

Qin Haoxuan just smiled faintly, completely ignoring Xing’s performance. The guy was just hungry and was using their feud as an excuse.

Zhang Yang was a special seed, highly valued by the sect. Especially after Zhang Kuang’s disappearance, the level of secret protection on the colored seeds had been increased. If he were to suddenly vanish, his master, Guyun, was no fool and would certainly cause an uproar. But Zhang Yang’s plot to kidnap him and threaten Xu Yu was intolerable.

Qin Haoxuan’s eyes turned cold, a sharp light flashing within them. Finally, he said to Xing, “You can eat him, but you absolutely cannot do it within the sect’s grounds. If you have a way to lure him outside the Taichu Sect’s borders, you can eat him however you like.”

Xing rolled his eyes. “If I could leave the Taichu Sect’s territory, I would have run away long ago! Do you think I want to stay in a place crawling with you cultivators? You’re all cold-blooded and merciless. If I make one slip-up, I’ll be killed by your sect’s experts. Your entire sect, for thousands of li, is protected by a great mountain array. It’s a cage you can’t get out of without a special entry-exit talisman.”

Qin Haoxuan laughed. “I was wondering why you didn’t run. So, you’re trapped.”

Xing plopped down on a stool in annoyance. “If I could leave, I would have been long gone. You should be considering my proposal to eat Zhang Yang. He’s plotting to kidnap you to blackmail your Sister Yu right now. If you fall into his hands, who knows how he’ll threaten her.”

Qin Haoxuan’s expression grew colder, his face grim. In his time as a cultivator, his state of mind had matured a great deal. He could let many things slide, but if the people around him were in danger, that was something he could not tolerate.

He muttered to himself, “It seems Zhang Yang is courting death. To dare to plot against a Purple Seed, he really is courting death. We both come from Datian Town; I can let minor frictions go. But if he continues to act so recklessly… then I will have to find a way to get rid of him. If it comes to it, I’ll just have to challenge him in the Minor Martial Tournament in five months and kill him before he has a chance to surrender.”