When Liu Qin quietly regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a sickbed within the Hall of Alchemy, with Lu Xun occupying the bed next to him.
He asked groggily, "What happened?"
"Don't you remember? Di Nufeng came to the Hall of Alchemy and caused a scene. When we were going out, she happened to run into us. She attacked us." Lu Xun reminded him. "She kicked each of us once."
Liu Qin shuddered suddenly, recalling some fragmented memories. Due to Di Nufeng's swift and fierce attack, he hadn't even managed to see her face clearly before losing consciousness.
After a while, he inquired once more, "So Di Nufeng beat us up when she visited our hall. Our teacher wouldn't have let it slide easily. What was the outcome?"
"It's all sorted out now," Lu Xun replied, "Our teacher offered a Spirit-Enhancing Pill as compensation, and Di Nufeng has forgiven us."
Liu Qin felt so confused.
Is my brain malfunctioning because I just regained consciousness? Why does this sentence just sound so weird?
Lu Xun didn't elaborate further but rose from his bed, stating, "You rest a bit more. I'll go to the restroom. I will fill you in on the details when I am back."
Although Liu Qin held the position of senior brother, Lu Xun's cultivation level was significantly higher, which explained why his injuries weren't as severe.
Lu Xun exited the room, glanced around, and then left the Hall of Alchemy. He soared to the rear of a desolate mountain peak and discovered a secluded spot to settle down.
An illusory figure immediately separated from his body.
He was using the Immortal Art: Roaming the World!
He sensed a summoning call from the depths of his consciousness, and there was only one person who could directly summon him through his divine consciousness.
"Boss."
Lu Xun's ethereal form materialized in the quiet room. The typically dim space was now illuminated by candlelight, and indeed, there was another person present.
It was an elegant-looking man dressed in white.
His name was Lu Chengchou.
For individuals like Lu Xun, Lu Chengchou was like a foster father. He had raised them since childhood and imparted to them divine skills and techniques.
This mysterious organization was also founded single-handedly by Lu Chengchou, with the sole purpose of undermining the Mount Shu Sect. Although Lu Chengchou had never revealed the exact reasons behind this grudge, they were very aware that he absolutely hated the Mount Shu Sect.
Seeing Lu Xun's arrival, the black-clad man beside Lu Chengchou spoke first. "Why did you take so long? The boss has been summoning you for a while."
"I got into some trouble at Mount Shu, and... I was seriously injured by someone, so it wasn't very convenient for me to leave," Lu Xun explained.
"Hmm?" Lu Chengchou raised an eyebrow and asked, "Trouble?"
"It's unrelated to our plan..." Lu Xun hurriedly clarified, then hesitated before continuing, "Well, I can't say it's entirely unrelated. If the Dual Wielder had killed Chu Liang, perhaps none of this would have transpired..."
With that, he briefly recounted the series of conflicts.
Initially, they had been arguing about who to bear the greater responsibility for the failed assassination of Chu Liang, but with the Dual Wielder dead, the issue was resolved. They could simply blame it on the dead.
It was entirely the Dual Wielder's fault for not performing this task well.
"For such a trivial matter?" Upon hearing the explanation, Lu Chengchou pondered for a moment and advised, "You better not provoke her in the future. Let's put aside the task of assassinating Chu Liang."
"What?" Lu Xun was surprised. He never expected such a statement from their usually ruthless and decisive leader. He expected Lu Chengchou to boldly launch a revenge plan following the Dual Wielder's death.
"I've summoned you to let you know that I've successfully lured Taowu out of the Evil Demon Mountain, and everything is proceeding as planned. We simply need to await the opportune moment to attack. During this time, you should lay low on Mount Shu and avoid getting into any trouble," Lu Chengchou said. "People like Di Nufeng are lunatics, so it's best not to provoke them anymore. Otherwise, you might suddenly find yourself dead one day."
Lu Xun hesitated. He wanted to explain but found himself at a loss for words. He had heard that Di Nufeng was fierce but he had no idea she could really display such fierceness.
He paused for a moment and eventually said, "Understood."
"You have been on Mount Shu for a long time. You should know who you can provoke and who you can’t," said Lu Chengchou.
"I've only heard of her fierce reputation over the years. It was my first time interacting with her..." Lu Xun responded with a hint of apprehension.
"In any case, remember this from now on. There are two absolute lunatics on Mount Shu that you should steer clear of," Lu Chengchou said sternly.
"Aside from the first problem of Mount Shu, Di Nufeng, who is the other lunatic?" Lu Chengchou asked curiously.
He had lived on Mount Shu for about thirty years, but he wasn't entirely familiar with the people and events from the past.
Lu Chengchou said slowly, "The Discipline Master, Tian Lingxin."
...
"What exactly is your relationship with the Discipline Master?" Chu Liang finally asked the question.
Ever since he returned from the Hall of Alchemy, he had been curious about this. Over the years, he hadn’t witnessed his teacher interact or contact the Discipline Master much. Yet, she was addressing the Discipline Master as Aunt Tian in such a casual manner, as though she had been doing so for a long time.
No one else on Mount Shu dared to address the Discipline Master that way.
"Maybe it's similar to ours," Di Nufeng said casually as she sat in the lofty hall of the pavilion.
She continued, "I lost my mother at birth, and my father didn't want me either. It was Aunt Tian who brought me to Mount Shu... She faced a lot of pressure in doing so. I heard that even the sect leader was against it at the time, but she stood firm and raised me."
"Is she your teacher?" Chu Liang inquired.
Before this, he had never heard Di Nufeng mention her teacher. Does this mean that the Discipline Master is my grandteacher? Chu Liang wondered.
We have a big shot to rely on!
"No," Di Nufeng shook her head, "I don’t have a teacher. No one on Mount Shu taught me any divine skills and techniques."
"Eh?" Chu Liang was confused.
As he pondered over it, he realized that his teacher followed the Dao of physical cultivation. No one on Mount Shu could teach her. Still, even if she had never been taught by the Discipline Master, she should have formalized their relationship as teacher and disciple.
Di Nufeng's background appeared somewhat mysterious. In the past, Chu Liang had asked her about it out of curiosity, but she had always been very vague in her responses.
But it was understandable why she would keep her background a secret. After all, the fact that his teacher could use the Samadhi True Fire hinted at a possible connection with the imperial family.
"Anyway, I grew up under her guidance," Di Nufeng said. "I seized this Silver Sword Peak because I wanted to break away from her and establish my own foothold."
It all started to make sense.
Chu Liang naturally had no idea of these events from decades ago. And now, it sounded as though the Discipline Master played at least the role of Di Nufeng’s guardian.
No wonder she was able to thrive and grow despite her tyrannical behavior on Mount Shu. It turned out that she and the Discipline Master were family!
Even if the Discipline Master remained impartial in enforcing the law and would handle Di Nufeng's matters justly, it wouldn’t change the fact that the enforcer and the offender were from the same family. This meant that anyone in conflict with her had to carefully consider their options.
It was no wonder that she had been concerned about that little troublemaker, Chen Lingtong, stealing her title as the first problem of Mount Shu.
Every time the seventy-year-old Di Nufeng looked at Chen Lingtong, she must be seeing herself from when she was seven.
Since his teacher didn't want to say anything more, Chu Liang obediently chose not to ask any further questions. He turned around and fed the pill to the Golden-Furred Hou.
When they went to the Hall of Alchemy to scam...claim compensation, they received a Spirit-Enhancing Pill. This pill was intended for spirit beasts and could assist them in maturing and breaking through to the next realm.
It was extremely valuable.
The Baize youngling, which had yet to reach maturity, would naturally progress to the seventh realm. As a celestial beast, it had a chance of attaining the eighth realm without needing the Spirit-Enhancing Pill.
However, beasts like the Golden-Furred Hou, which were already mature, had little hope of advancing in cultivation level. Even if they could advance to the next level naturally, it might take hundreds or thousands of years. Therefore, they were the kind of beasts that truly needed Spirit-Enhancing Pills.
Feeding the pill to the Golden-Furred Hou was not difficult at all. Chu Liang simply needed to place any edible items near its mouth. Even if it was asleep and had its eyes closed, it would extend its tongue and maneuver the food into its mouth.
Moreover, it was currently full of energy.
However, shortly after consuming the Spirit-Enhancing Pill, the Golden-Furred Hou began to feel drowsy. The pill didn't take effect immediately; it required a digestion process that wasn't short.
It seemed probable that the Golden-Furred Hou would remain in this drowsy, hibernation-like state for some time to come.
But once it fully digested the Spirit-Enhancing Pill, Silver Sword Peak would have a spirit beast of the sixth realm!
At the thought of having a sixth-realm spirit beast, Chu Liang just felt so excited.
Normally, only the Eminent One at the seventh realm could possess such a mount. However, in the future, he would also relish the prestige of owning a mount from the sixth realm!
He patted the Golden-Furred Hou's head.
This beating was worth it!
When Liu Qin quietly regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a sickbed within the Hall of Alchemy, with Lu Xun occupying the bed next to him.
He asked groggily, "What happened?"
"Don't you remember? Di Nufeng came to the Hall of Alchemy and caused a scene. When we were going out, she happened to run into us. She attacked us." Lu Xun reminded him. "She kicked each of us once."
Liu Qin shuddered suddenly, recalling some fragmented memories. Due to Di Nufeng's swift and fierce attack, he hadn't even managed to see her face clearly before losing consciousness.
After a while, he inquired once more, "So Di Nufeng beat us up when she visited our hall. Our teacher wouldn't have let it slide easily. What was the outcome?"
"It's all sorted out now," Lu Xun replied, "Our teacher offered a Spirit-Enhancing Pill as compensation, and Di Nufeng has forgiven us."
Liu Qin felt so confused.
Is my brain malfunctioning because I just regained consciousness? Why does this sentence just sound so weird?
Lu Xun didn't elaborate further but rose from his bed, stating, "You rest a bit more. I'll go to the restroom. I will fill you in on the details when I am back."
Although Liu Qin held the position of senior brother, Lu Xun's cultivation level was significantly higher, which explained why his injuries weren't as severe.
Lu Xun exited the room, glanced around, and then left the Hall of Alchemy. He soared to the rear of a desolate mountain peak and discovered a secluded spot to settle down.
An illusory figure immediately separated from his body.
He was using the Immortal Art: Roaming the World!
He sensed a summoning call from the depths of his consciousness, and there was only one person who could directly summon him through his divine consciousness.
"Boss."
Lu Xun's ethereal form materialized in the quiet room. The typically dim space was now illuminated by candlelight, and indeed, there was another person present.
It was an elegant-looking man dressed in white.
His name was Lu Chengchou.
For individuals like Lu Xun, Lu Chengchou was like a foster father. He had raised them since childhood and imparted to them divine skills and techniques.
This mysterious organization was also founded single-handedly by Lu Chengchou, with the sole purpose of undermining the Mount Shu Sect. Although Lu Chengchou had never revealed the exact reasons behind this grudge, they were very aware that he absolutely hated the Mount Shu Sect.
Seeing Lu Xun's arrival, the black-clad man beside Lu Chengchou spoke first. "Why did you take so long? The boss has been summoning you for a while."
"I got into some trouble at Mount Shu, and... I was seriously injured by someone, so it wasn't very convenient for me to leave," Lu Xun explained.
"Hmm?" Lu Chengchou raised an eyebrow and asked, "Trouble?"
"It's unrelated to our plan..." Lu Xun hurriedly clarified, then hesitated before continuing, "Well, I can't say it's entirely unrelated. If the Dual Wielder had killed Chu Liang, perhaps none of this would have transpired..."
With that, he briefly recounted the series of conflicts.
Initially, they had been arguing about who to bear the greater responsibility for the failed assassination of Chu Liang, but with the Dual Wielder dead, the issue was resolved. They could simply blame it on the dead.
It was entirely the Dual Wielder's fault for not performing this task well.
"For such a trivial matter?" Upon hearing the explanation, Lu Chengchou pondered for a moment and advised, "You better not provoke her in the future. Let's put aside the task of assassinating Chu Liang."
"What?" Lu Xun was surprised. He never expected such a statement from their usually ruthless and decisive leader. He expected Lu Chengchou to boldly launch a revenge plan following the Dual Wielder's death.
"I've summoned you to let you know that I've successfully lured Taowu out of the Evil Demon Mountain, and everything is proceeding as planned. We simply need to await the opportune moment to attack. During this time, you should lay low on Mount Shu and avoid getting into any trouble," Lu Chengchou said. "People like Di Nufeng are lunatics, so it's best not to provoke them anymore. Otherwise, you might suddenly find yourself dead one day."
Lu Xun hesitated. He wanted to explain but found himself at a loss for words. He had heard that Di Nufeng was fierce but he had no idea she could really display such fierceness.
He paused for a moment and eventually said, "Understood."
"You have been on Mount Shu for a long time. You should know who you can provoke and who you can’t," said Lu Chengchou.
"I've only heard of her fierce reputation over the years. It was my first time interacting with her..." Lu Xun responded with a hint of apprehension.
"In any case, remember this from now on. There are two absolute lunatics on Mount Shu that you should steer clear of," Lu Chengchou said sternly.
"Aside from the first problem of Mount Shu, Di Nufeng, who is the other lunatic?" Lu Chengchou asked curiously.
He had lived on Mount Shu for about thirty years, but he wasn't entirely familiar with the people and events from the past.
Lu Chengchou said slowly, "The Discipline Master, Tian Lingxin."
...
"What exactly is your relationship with the Discipline Master?" Chu Liang finally asked the question.
Ever since he returned from the Hall of Alchemy, he had been curious about this. Over the years, he hadn’t witnessed his teacher interact or contact the Discipline Master much. Yet, she was addressing the Discipline Master as Aunt Tian in such a casual manner, as though she had been doing so for a long time.
No one else on Mount Shu dared to address the Discipline Master that way.
"Maybe it's similar to ours," Di Nufeng said casually as she sat in the lofty hall of the pavilion.
She continued, "I lost my mother at birth, and my father didn't want me either. It was Aunt Tian who brought me to Mount Shu... She faced a lot of pressure in doing so. I heard that even the sect leader was against it at the time, but she stood firm and raised me."
"Is she your teacher?" Chu Liang inquired.
Before this, he had never heard Di Nufeng mention her teacher. Does this mean that the Discipline Master is my grandteacher? Chu Liang wondered.
We have a big shot to rely on!
"No," Di Nufeng shook her head, "I don’t have a teacher. No one on Mount Shu taught me any divine skills and techniques."
"Eh?" Chu Liang was confused.
As he pondered over it, he realized that his teacher followed the Dao of physical cultivation. No one on Mount Shu could teach her. Still, even if she had never been taught by the Discipline Master, she should have formalized their relationship as teacher and disciple.
Di Nufeng's background appeared somewhat mysterious. In the past, Chu Liang had asked her about it out of curiosity, but she had always been very vague in her responses.
But it was understandable why she would keep her background a secret. After all, the fact that his teacher could use the Samadhi True Fire hinted at a possible connection with the imperial family.
"Anyway, I grew up under her guidance," Di Nufeng said. "I seized this Silver Sword Peak because I wanted to break away from her and establish my own foothold."
It all started to make sense.
Chu Liang naturally had no idea of these events from decades ago. And now, it sounded as though the Discipline Master played at least the role of Di Nufeng’s guardian.
No wonder she was able to thrive and grow despite her tyrannical behavior on Mount Shu. It turned out that she and the Discipline Master were family!
Even if the Discipline Master remained impartial in enforcing the law and would handle Di Nufeng's matters justly, it wouldn’t change the fact that the enforcer and the offender were from the same family. This meant that anyone in conflict with her had to carefully consider their options.
It was no wonder that she had been concerned about that little troublemaker, Chen Lingtong, stealing her title as the first problem of Mount Shu.
Every time the seventy-year-old Di Nufeng looked at Chen Lingtong, she must be seeing herself from when she was seven.
Since his teacher didn't want to say anything more, Chu Liang obediently chose not to ask any further questions. He turned around and fed the pill to the Golden-Furred Hou.
When they went to the Hall of Alchemy to scam...claim compensation, they received a Spirit-Enhancing Pill. This pill was intended for spirit beasts and could assist them in maturing and breaking through to the next realm.
It was extremely valuable.
The Baize youngling, which had yet to reach maturity, would naturally progress to the seventh realm. As a celestial beast, it had a chance of attaining the eighth realm without needing the Spirit-Enhancing Pill.
However, beasts like the Golden-Furred Hou, which were already mature, had little hope of advancing in cultivation level. Even if they could advance to the next level naturally, it might take hundreds or thousands of years. Therefore, they were the kind of beasts that truly needed Spirit-Enhancing Pills.
Feeding the pill to the Golden-Furred Hou was not difficult at all. Chu Liang simply needed to place any edible items near its mouth. Even if it was asleep and had its eyes closed, it would extend its tongue and maneuver the food into its mouth.
Moreover, it was currently full of energy.
However, shortly after consuming the Spirit-Enhancing Pill, the Golden-Furred Hou began to feel drowsy. The pill didn't take effect immediately; it required a digestion process that wasn't short.
It seemed probable that the Golden-Furred Hou would remain in this drowsy, hibernation-like state for some time to come.
But once it fully digested the Spirit-Enhancing Pill, Silver Sword Peak would have a spirit beast of the sixth realm!
At the thought of having a sixth-realm spirit beast, Chu Liang just felt so excited.
Normally, only the Eminent One at the seventh realm could possess such a mount. However, in the future, he would also relish the prestige of owning a mount from the sixth realm!
He patted the Golden-Furred Hou's head.
This beating was worth it!
