Xu Guan could honestly say he hated his junior fellow disciple, Qin Ruoshan, to the very marrow of his bones.
The story that Qin Ruoshan had fallen in love at first sight with a female cultivator from the Longevity Dao Sect was nothing more than a lie told to outsiders.
Xu Guan and Qin Ruoshan had grown up herding cattle in the same village. Back then, their master had encountered them while traveling through the mortal world and, recognizing their exceptional roots, brought them back to the Asking-Gods Sect. He even gave them new names and devoted himself to teaching them.
Their master could clearly have used the sect’s resources for his own cultivation, yet he had given them to his two disciples instead, hoping they would one day restore the sect to its former glory. But after taking a single trip to the Longevity Dao Sect, Qin Ruoshan had committed such an act of betrayal.
If he had truly admired the Longevity Dao Sect, he could have explained himself clearly to their master, then repaid the resources the Asking-Gods Sect had spent on him. But Qin Ruoshan had done no such thing. Instead, he had taken the Asking-Gods Sect’s possessions with him when he joined the Longevity Dao Sect. He had even handed over the Asking-Gods Sect’s cultivation methods without his master’s permission.
Afterward, the aristocratic family that Qin Ruoshan married into had shamelessly claimed that the techniques of the Asking-Gods Sect were ancestral secrets, even fabricating all sorts of “evidence” to support the lie.
The Asking-Gods Sect had been helpless. They could not even obtain justice. It was only because their master had taken such a hard line that they managed to force the Longevity Dao Sect into making a perfunctory promise.
If the sect had not been on the verge of collapse, and if Shu Xin’s background had not been clean, with her being an unaffiliated cultivator “forcibly recruited” by the Longevity Dao Sect, Xu Guan would never have set foot on the Longevity Dao Sect’s mountain again, even if it meant starving to death.
“Senior Brother, you still have quite the temper. It seems all those years of cultivating your composure did nothing for you.” Qin Ruoshan smiled calmly, not taking Xu Guan seriously in the slightest.
He had already reached the Immaculate Realm. As one of the Li family’s current powers, he even had enough standing to ensure that any children born afterward could bear the surname Qin. The Li family could do nothing but turn a blind eye.
Compared with Xu Guan, who had only reached the Immaculate Realm by exhausting all the resources of his sect, Qin Ruoshan believed that his own future was far brighter.
Every man for himself, and the heavens would condemn anyone who acted otherwise.
If he had not sold the Asking-Gods Sect’s cultivation methods for a handsome price back then, he would probably have remained in the Asking-Gods Sect, forever living in Xu Guan’s shadow.
“Fellow Daoist Shu is, at the very least, a disciple of our Longevity Dao Sect, and the Lin family is also willing to speak on her behalf. As long as Fellow Daoist Shu passes the test of her Dao heart in the Discipline Hall, she will naturally be released.” Qin Ruoshan looked at Xu Guan with a smiling face. “Senior Brother, after we parted ways all those years ago, you never once set foot on our Longevity Dao Sect’s mountain. You’ve come here specifically this time, so I imagine you have some other purpose.”
Xu Guan sneered. “That’s right. I came to see whether I could hack you, you traitor who betrayed his master and sect, to death.”
The disciples following Xu Guan glared at Qin Ruoshan with equal hostility.
“These disciples of yours are quite promising. As their martial uncle, I’ll offer them a few words of advice. How far a cultivator can go often depends on the foundation of their sect. If you remain in the Asking-Gods Sect, you’ll have almost no chance of advancing any further. If you ever change your minds, you can come find me.”
Qin Ruoshan had delivered this shameless speech with complete seriousness.
Xu Guan was so furious that he nearly attacked him.
“Martial Uncle Qin is right. Those who recognize the times are the true heroes.” Shu Xin, who had been more or less ignored until then, suddenly cut in.
She understood the situation now.
Xu Guan’s sudden arrival had clearly made Qin Ruoshan wary. And given how well Qin Ruoshan knew Xu Guan, he had probably realized that Xu Guan had taken Shu Xin as a disciple with some ulterior motive. With the Lin family fanning the flames from the sidelines, Qin Ruoshan had come looking for trouble.
There was nothing she could do about it. If she wanted to enjoy the convenience of “changing sects” with the Asking-Gods Sect’s backing, she would naturally have to bear the consequences as well.
Qin Ruoshan did not get angry when he heard Shu Xin interrupt. “Fellow Daoist Shu may be young, but she certainly sees things clearly.”
“Of course.” Shu Xin gave Xu Guan a look that said, Keep calm, then continued with a beaming smile. “Take you, Martial Uncle Qin, for example. You married into the Li family, and in only a few short centuries, you managed to make your descendants bear the surname Qin again. Clearly, enduring the humiliation of marrying into another family was worth it. Otherwise, how could you enjoy such wealth and status today?
“Perhaps one day, if our sect goes to war with another sect, Martial Uncle Qin can use the same trick again—endure humiliation and bear the burden before defecting to them. After all, once there’s a first time, there’s bound to be a second. If you could leave the Asking-Gods Sect, which raised you from childhood, then naturally you can leave the Longevity Dao Sect as well. As long as the price is right, what difference does it make where you go?
“Looking at how successful you are today, it seems the saying ‘Only those who endure the bitterest hardships can rise above others’ really is true!”
Xu Guan and several cultivators watching the spectacle could not help laughing aloud.
That sarcasm was quite something.
On the one hand, she had not used a single vulgar word. Every sentence sounded like praise.
On the other, she had driven a sharp needle straight into Qin Ruoshan’s pride.
Aristocratic families and sects had always been at odds in this way. On the one hand, they wanted to use resources and wealth to make people betray their allegiance. On the other, they expected those same people to remain utterly loyal to them, forever serving as their dogs.
In the end, they only cared about whatever benefited them.
They never seemed to realize that a vicious hound, if raised for long enough, would eventually bite its master.
Qin Ruoshan was a crafty old fox. How could he fail to hear the malice hidden in Shu Xin’s words?
Xu Guan, however, had grown somewhat interested. He and Shu Xin had originally only been using each other, but given how sharp her tongue was, perhaps she could teach his foolish disciples a thing or two. Ideally, she would talk Qin Ruoshan into losing all face and taking his own life to atone for his sins.
“Fellow Daoist Shu, I can understand that you’re upset after having your engagement with Fellow Daoist Situ dissolved today, but that still doesn’t give you the right to speak disrespectfully to your elders. In terms of age, cultivation, and contributions to the sect, Elder Qin is far beyond anything you can compare with. Isn’t your behavior utterly rebellious?” a cultivator from the Lin family rebuked her.
Classic.
Absolutely classic.
People who broke down after hearing the truth all reacted the same way.
“Elder Lin is right. I’m young and ignorant. Elder Qin, you’re magnanimous, so please forgive this little girl. I know I was wrong.” Shu Xin immediately changed her expression and lowered her head in apology. “Surely you can forgive my unintentional mistake, right?”
Qin Ruoshan had been left with nowhere to vent his anger.
“With a tongue as sharp as yours, Fellow Daoist Shu, I imagine you’ll have no trouble proving your innocence in the Discipline Hall.” Qin Ruoshan’s smile seemed to carry the unmistakable strain of someone gritting his teeth.
Situ Jian frowned slightly.
These people kept insisting that Shu Xin go to the Discipline Hall. They clearly had ulterior motives.
At last, Shu Xin’s fears had been confirmed.
The sword spirit had previously asked whether she could guess how the Lin family intended to deal with her, and she truly had not been able to say.
There were simply too many ways to harm someone.
Even if she were completely innocent, they could still fabricate a whole list of charges against her. And she was hardly spotless to begin with.
Still, this outcome was somewhat unexpected.
Shu Xin’s original plan had been that the best possible result today would be for Xu Guan to take her away from the Longevity Dao Sect, severing her ties with this wretched sect once and for all. The worst result would be Xu Guan changing his mind and the Lin family launching an attack, forcing her to rely on the sword spirit’s abilities to fight her way out.
The current situation fell somewhere between the two—not good, but not terrible either.
Rather than remain on the defensive, she might as well take the initiative.
Thinking this over, Shu Xin decisively cupped her hands and said, “I can go to the Discipline Hall, but I have one condition: this Discipline Hall Elder and the Spirit-Fruit Merchant must accompany me. The three of us must also be locked up together so that we can confront one another.”
“No,” Xu Guan immediately objected.
Situ Jian glanced at Shu Xin, only to see her give him a slight raise of her brows. He stopped what he was about to do.
Shu Xin never did anything without being certain of success.
【Are you insane? You know perfectly well that the Discipline Hall is full of things that will work against you, and you still want to go there?】
“You still don’t understand. If I were on my own, I would have run away without a trace by now. But this time, the Lin family is using the opportunity to drag me into the grudge between Xu Guan and Qin Ruoshan. Qin Ruoshan doesn’t know what’s wrong with me, nor does he know what use I might be to Xu Guan. He simply wants to destroy anything Xu Guan wants. Do you understand? Sigh… The Wen Shen Sect isn’t a simple place either. For a cultivator like me, who yearns for freedom, joining a sect is merely jumping from one latrine into another. The only choice I can make is to pick the latrine that other people use a little less often.” Shu Xin sighed to the sword spirit.
Rather than expending every effort to evade the Lin family’s arrangements while remaining ignorant of whatever schemes they might be plotting, it would be better to go straight to the Discipline Hall and take a good look around.
The Lin family could not control the Discipline Hall single-handedly. Once she was there, she would have a chance to fish in troubled waters. She might even be able to drag a few more people into the mess. That way, she would naturally be safe.
On the other hand, if she rashly went outside, the Lin family might be driven to desperation and hire an assassin to kill her, which would be far more troublesome.
【Your words may be crude, but your reasoning is sound. Still, you’re being far too crude.】The sword spirit had run out of things to say. 【Please, I beg you—don’t talk like this in front of outsiders. Especially after I’m repaired. If you keep speaking this way, the illustrious reputation my previous masters and I fought so hard to build will be ruined.】
“Don’t worry. I still have some dignity,” Shu Xin replied casually.
You don’t have anything of the sort!
The sword spirit felt that perhaps it had killed too many immortals in the past and was now receiving its comeuppance.
Otherwise, how could it have ended up with a master like Shu Xin?
“This is only a minor matter.” The Lin family members smiled. “The innocent will naturally be cleared of suspicion. I believe, Fellow Daoist Shu, that you will certainly emerge safely. My Lin family is willing to vouch for you.”
“Thank you.” Shu Xin returned the smile.
“Good disciple, I’ll be waiting for you in the Wen Shen Sect.” Although Xu Guan was not very adept at handling worldly affairs, he could now see from Qin Ruoshan’s aggressive bearing that his own appearance had probably implicated Shu Xin.
In truth, it would have been best if he had not come and had merely sent one of his disciples instead.
But those disciples of his were all single-mindedly devoted to cultivation, and their natural talents were excellent. If he did not accompany them and let them come to the Longevity Dao Sect alone, would that not be like delivering meat to a dog?
He would have to find an opportunity to give Shu Xin more guidance in her cultivation later.
“Thank you, Sect Master.” Shu Xin openly bowed to Xu Guan.
“Then let’s leave now.” Shu Xin smiled at the Discipline Hall Elder. “I’ll trouble you to accompany me for the time being.”
The Discipline Hall Elder gave Shu Xin a cold look.
This little girl clearly did not understand how treacherous the world was. Did she really think that dragging him and the Spirit-Fruit Merchant into the Discipline Hall and having them detained together would ensure her safety?
Foolish.
As long as everything went smoothly, he would be able to leave the Discipline Hall and find somewhere else where he would not offend anyone.
The Discipline Hall was a truly awkward place. On the surface, it seemed to exist to purge disciples who violated the sect’s rules, but after the sect had been established for so many years, it had completely degenerated into a blade used for struggles over power and influence.
Compared to that, dealing with Shu Xin was already a fairly simple task.
【This Elder probably won’t live much longer.】Having stayed at Shu Xin’s side for so long, the sword spirit had gained some understanding of the ways of humankind. 【You humans are truly more vicious in your internal struggles than all the other races combined.】
“Useless pawns are always most convenient to discard,” Shu Xin said to the sword spirit. “Since they’ve chosen to harm me, they can go to the Yellow Springs and scout out the road for the Lin family ancestor. One day, I’ll send the entire old Lin family down to reunite with them.”
“By the way, I heard the Discipline Hall has quite a few good things that have been confiscated. We can take a look while we’re there.” Shu Xin was filled with anticipation.
You could never have too much money.
Shu Xin, the Discipline Hall Elder, and the Spirit-Fruit Merchant set off together for the Discipline Hall. Qin Ruoshan glanced at Xu Guan, and the two of them seemed to have reached an understanding. They went off in another direction to deal with the matter.
In an instant, the fine spectacle that had been unfolding lost all its leading characters.
The onlookers felt somewhat helpless as well. The whole thing had ended with an anticlimactic whimper.
Why hadn’t Sect Master Xu fought Qin Ruoshan?
The disciples and elders from the other sects who had come to attend the ceremony and enjoy the spectacle were more than happy to see the Wen Shen Sect cause trouble for the Longevity Dao Sect.
“We’ve made a fool of ourselves before everyone,” Situ Jian said, cupping his hands. “If you do not find it too troublesome, I invite all fellow Daoists to continue discussing the Dao with me.”
Lin Youwei glanced at Situ Jian, whose expression remained as calm as ever, and felt a little bitter inside.
Although she had wanted to snatch Situ Jian away from Shu Xin, Shu Xin had now gone to the Discipline Hall, yet Situ Jian showed not the slightest reaction. She could not help sighing inwardly that this man was truly too cold and heartless.
“Speaking of which, Fellow Daoist Situ, you and Shu Xin have already dissolved your engagement. Should you not now consider a marriage alliance with my useless niece?” Eldest Uncle Lin had not followed Qin Ruoshan and had naturally remained among the crowd.
His purpose in coming today, besides finding a way to send Shu Xin to the Discipline Hall, was, more importantly, to settle the marriage between Situ Jian and Lin Youwei.
He really could not understand what was so special about Shu Xin that she was worth ordering the ancestor to eliminate.
Situ Jian came to a halt.
The other cultivators turned to look as well.
An engagement had been dissolved only moments ago, and now someone had come knocking to force another marriage.
Situ Jian was indeed highly sought after.
“Elder Lin was not present earlier, so perhaps there has been some misunderstanding.” Situ Jian spoke indifferently. “I have no interest in matters of love. My heart is devoted solely to cultivation. I entered into an engagement with Shu Xin back then to repay a debt of gratitude. Dissolving it now is likewise in accordance with my Dao heart. Naturally, I will not enter into an engagement with anyone else. The Great Dao stretches endlessly; one must simply fight for every moment.”
Eldest Uncle Lin’s expression changed at once, and Lin Youwei’s complexion was no better.
“Situ Jian, are you implying that my Lin family has no one to stand up for it?” Eldest Uncle Lin glared at Lin Youwei.
He was beginning to think that this useless niece of his truly was hopeless. The engagement had already been dissolved, yet she still could not win Situ Jian over?
Lin Youwei suspected that her eldest uncle had come solely to make things worse for her.
Who would try to seize someone by force at a time like this? At the very least, they should have waited for the current commotion to die down. There was no need to rush matters of marriage.
There was a reason Eldest Uncle Lin was only fit to run errands at his age.
“Fellow Daoist Situ, my eldest uncle must have misunderstood.” Under the mocking gazes of the others, Lin Youwei stepped forward awkwardly to explain.
“Elder Lin has indeed misunderstood.” Situ Jian paused, then calmly took out an exquisitely crafted jade pendant.
One glance was enough to tell that it was a jade pendant belonging to the Brocade-Clad Lin family.
“I have already become the Ancestor’s disciple. I simply haven’t formally performed the apprenticeship ceremony yet.” Situ Jian turned to Lin Youwei and Eldest Uncle Lin. “Originally, I intended to wait a while before announcing this, but the timing happened to work out. Once I have formally completed the ceremony, we can discuss seniority then.”
If Situ Jian became the Ancestor’s disciple, his status would immediately surpass theirs by several generations. The next time they saw him, they might have no choice but to address him as “Ancestor Situ.”
When had this happened?
Although Situ Jian was a core disciple of the sect, he shouldn’t have formally taken a master yet. The people teaching him were merely nominal masters.
If he had already become a formal disciple, why would the Lin family have tried to form a marriage alliance and win him over? He would have been marked as belonging to his master’s faction long ago.
Eldest Uncle Lin and Lin Youwei were both stunned.
Lin Youwei in particular seemed to suddenly understand why the Ancestor had summoned her, and why he had insisted on taking action against Shu Xin.
Most likely, Situ Jian had already reached an agreement with the Ancestor before she and Shu Xin ever made contact. The Ancestor was merely using her to dissolve Shu Xin’s engagement with Situ Jian.
The Ancestor had always been domineering and suspicious. He would never allow any potential threat to remain by Situ Jian’s side.
That was why Shu Xin had to die as well.
To enter the Lin family, one had to abandon everything and devote oneself wholeheartedly to the family.
In any case, as far as the Ancestor was concerned, so long as Situ Jian was willing to pledge his loyalty to the Lin family, she and Eldest Uncle were nothing more than two useless descendants. Even if Situ Jian eventually discovered that the Lin family had something to do with Shu Xin’s misfortune, the two of them could simply be cast out to appease his fury.
For a moment, Lin Youwei felt as though her hands and feet had gone ice-cold.
She realized that she could not see through the Ancestor.
Nor could she see through the Situ Jian standing before her.
Shu Xin: What a joke. I’ve known him for so many years, and he still hasn’t been sold out by me. Do you really think he could be an ordinary person?
