Chapter 16: Masters Can Be a Trap
\nMany troubles stem from greed.
\nZuo Meng didn’t consider himself greedy – he merely wanted to become the world’s greatest martial artist. Once his master’s and junior sister’s problematic luck stopped affecting him, he could finally live peacefully.
\n“Heifeng Fort?”
\nThrough three months of investigation involving shady methods, Zuo Meng had followed clues westward beyond Liuhe Sect’s territory to Jiang’an City. Here, he adopted extreme caution, swapping his sect robes for a wandering warrior’s disguise.
\n“I used every trick available,” he muttered, “and all roads lead here.”
\nThe information broker was a greasy man with curled mustache called Earth Rat, known for underground knowledge and rat-like cunning. Though prone to exaggeration, his reliability had proven true throughout Zuo Meng’s journey – though his prices demanded multiple “borrowed” funds along the way.
\n“What connects Heifeng Fort to Heifeng Zhai?”
\nZuo Meng recalled his near-disastrous encounter at Liuhe City’s Heifeng Zhai. The naming similarity felt ominous.
\n“Both answer to Senior Black Wind,” Earth Rat whispered, the name making him hunch instinctively. “Since you’ve paid well, free advice: avoid anything involving Black Wind. Lives end that way.”
\nBlack Wind?
\nThe name meant nothing to Zuo Meng. His former life as a martial arts mediocrity left little time for worldly affairs beyond his junior sister’s antics and clan gossip.
\n“Powerful?”
\nZuo Meng’s knowledge barely extended beyond Liuhe Sect’s six-clan origins. Faction territories and power structures remained mysteries.
\n“Know the Three Great Lords?”
\nThe blank response made Earth Rat chuckle. “Greenhorn! They tower above all factions – solitary sovereigns earning their title through might.”
\n“That strong?”
\nZuo Meng scoffed internally. How fearsome could martial artists be? His golden finger could match century-old cultivators soon enough. These “Lords” just seemed aged hoarders. Energy sources mattered more than titles – “borrowing” plans remained unchanged.
\n“Respect demands power!” Earth Rat hissed. “Ordinary experts are men; the Lords are gods! Rumors say they cultivate immortal essence, not mere qi – seekers of eternal life, not mere martial artists!”
\nImmortal Cultivators?
\nZuo Meng’s eye twitched. This changed calculations.
\nMemories surfaced of his Dream World’s second era – even with restricted laws, entities like Ancestor Dragon and era protagonist Huang had emerged. If real-world equivalents existed…
\n“Actual Immortal Cultivators?”
\nThe world suddenly felt deadlier. His luck-blessed master and junior sister might drag Liuhe Sect into catastrophe – he’d heard enough “avenging sole survivor” tales.
\n“Just rumors,” Earth Rat shrugged. “But their legends span two centuries – far beyond ordinary martial artists.”
\nTwo hundred years?
\nIf that\u2019s true, the Three Great Lords might not be ordinary people after all. I\u2019d need to rethink all my plans.
\n\u201cBlack Wind is one of the Three Great Lords\u2014the Human Respect, a curse master.\u201d
\nHuman Respect, Earthly Lord, Heavenly Lord!
\nThose are the titles of the Three Great Lords.
\n\u201cAny way to get into Heifeng Fort?\u201d
\nZuo Meng decided to switch tactics. Maybe he could get closer to the Black Wind Lord first\u2014steal some dust powder or learn his cultivation method.
\n\u201cNone.\u201d
\nEarth Rat sneered.
\n\u201cHalf the world wants to join the Three Great Lords. You\u2019re not special.\u201d
\n\u201cNo backdoor methods?\u201d
\n\u201cThere\u2019s one, but you\u2019d never manage it.\u201d
\nTrue to his trade, Earth Rat spilled secrets without being asked. \u201cThe Lords aren\u2019t hermits. Each controls territories. Top-tier clans under them can recommend disciples. Get recommended, and you\u2019re in.\u201d
\nHe took a loud slurp of tea.
\n\u201cHeard of Liuhe Sect?\u201d
\nLiuhe Sect?
\nZuo Meng began connecting dots about the six merged clans.
\n\u201cUsed to be six second-rate sects. To gain recommendation rights, Zuo Han Sheng of Taiyuan Sword Sect and Wu Tianchuan of Mountain Sect ambushed and murdered the other four Headmasters. Forced a merger. Got their recommendation tickets to Earthly Lord\u2019s faction.\u201d Earth Rat shook his head. \u201cMade them infamous overnight. Those two became the poster boys for betrayal\u2014and the six Headmasters had been sworn brothers!\u201d
\n\u201cWait\u2014who?\u201d
\n\u201cZuo Han Sheng and Wu Tianchuan.\u201d Earth Rat eyed Zuo Meng. \u201cYou know them?\u201d
\nOh hell.
\nZuo Han Sheng\u2014that was his backstabbing master!
\nNow Zuo Meng understood why those people had tried so hard to kill him last time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter 16: Masters Can Be a Trap Many troubles stem from greed. Zuo Meng didn’t consider himself greedy – he merely wanted to become the world’s greatest martial artist. Once his master’s and junior sister’s problematic luck stopped affecting him, he could finally live peacefully. “Heifeng Fort?” Through three months of investigation involving shady methods, Zuo Meng had followed clues westward beyond Liuhe Sect’s\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3],"tags":[],"fcn_genre":[],"fcn_fandom":[],"fcn_character":[],"fcn_content_warning":[],"class_list":["post-1394","fcn_chapter","type-fcn_chapter","status-publish","hentry","category-dreaming-to-become-a-creator"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fcn_chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1394"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1394\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1394"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_genre?post=1394"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_fandom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_fandom?post=1394"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_character","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_character?post=1394"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_content_warning","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_content_warning?post=1394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}