Ch8 - This was both a threat and a provocation…

Only the creator of the secret realm can casually change its environment at will. Therefore, Feng Ci’s words were actually not even a question.

And here he was genuinely worried for Pei QianYue for a brief moment. 

This asshole.

Feng Ci grounded his teeth softly.

AD

 

 

On the contrary, Pei QianYue continued to speak with a cool and collected voice: “Unknown origins, questionable identity, shouldn’t I test you?”

“Oh.” Feng Ci sneered coldly: “Then may I ask, did City Master sir figure something out?” 

Pei QianYue: “You’re not Lu JingMing.”

 

Feng Ci shrugged: “Clearly.”

To save Pei QianYue and escape just now, he displayed a deep mastery of spiritual powers that a teenager shouldn’t possess.

In fact, Pei QianYue should have already guessed this way back in LingWu Mountain.

 

A disorientation array that was built originally by Grandmaster QianQiu as foundation and then improved later on by Pei QianYue… How could something like this be easily dispelled by two average cultivation disciples?

Pei QianYue wouldn’t have inspected him with the thread of spirit energy during their first meeting otherwise.

However, unfortunately, Feng Ci was at a far higher cultivation state than him. Pei QianYue wasn’t able to find anything and on the contrary, had his true form exposed.

AD

 

After that, Feng Ci manipulated the apparatus from WanFa Pavilion during the Immortal entrance exam. Pei QianYue should have grown even more suspicious of him. 

Therefore, keeping him in LangFeng City wasn’t because he’s an orphan from TianXuan Sect, much less the so-called ‘selecting 50-50’.

Pei QianYue never believed his identity from the start.

However, the real reason why there were so many exposed flaws…was because at that time, Feng Ci never even thought about concealing his true identity.

Later on, when he wanted to conceal himself, it was already too late. 

Pei QianYue didn’t speak anymore.

Feng Ci waited for a moment and asked: “…… That’s it?”

Pei QianYue: “That’s it.”

Feng Ci laughed out loud: “What kind of test is this?” 

Going through all this trouble just to figure out that he wasn’t Lu JingMing?

Pei QianYue stopped answering again.

 

However, this was indeed how things worked.

The disparity of power between different cultivation levels was extremely severe. Once an individual’s cultivation reached a certain state, they could freely conceal their presence, cultivation level, and even spiritual roots. Even when saving Pei QianYue just now, Feng Ci didn’t use all of his strength. 

Therefore, Pei QianYue could only see that he displayed spiritual powers that “Lu JingMing” shouldn’t possess. However, he still couldn’t figure out Feng Ci’s true strength.

In fact, he couldn’t even tell if Feng Ci utilized his full strength or not.

He wanted to see through Feng Ci’s identity, but with his current ability, it wasn’t enough.

This was also why Feng Ci felt safe enough to use his powers just now. 

Unless he actively divulged his identity, there was absolutely no way for others to know. At most, they’d only be able to confirm, like Pei QianYue did just now, that he wasn’t the real Lu JingMing.

But with Pei QianYue’s overly suspicious nature, did he feel assured knowing only this?

Feng Ci asked curiously: “Don’t you want to know who I am? How I entered Lu JingMing’s body? What’s my goal for infiltrating LangFeng City?”

“Just now, you could have rescued yourself without saving me.” Pei QianYue didn’t answer directly, but asked instead: “Why expose yourself?” 

Feng Ci thought: Wasn’t it obvious? This was his own family’s kid after all. How could he watch him die without doing anything?

He wasn’t that savage.

Feng Ci said sternly: “Turning a blind eye to the dying is not the way of a gentleman.”

Pei QianYue nodded: “Very good.” 

After saying this, he turned and headed deeper inside the passage.

Feng Ci: “?”

That’s it?

The narrow tunnel was dark and damp. Feng Ci chased after him: “What do you mean? Aren’t you going to ask me more questions?” 

Pei QianYue: “If I ask, will you answer?”

Feng Ci: “No.”

 

There was a moment of silence within the cave.

“But…… but who knows.” Feng Ci gave two dry laughs and tried to ease the atmosphere: “I can pick and say what I can say.” 

Pei QianYue said: “When I was in perilous danger, you didn’t harm me. That’s enough.”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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Feng Ci sighed silently.

Pei QianYue wanted to test him. How could he not want to test Pei QianYue as well? 

But the other refused to say anything, and refused to ask anything; Feng Ci didn’t even have the opportunity to probe him.

This asshole was actually pretty smart.

Feng Ci thought nonchalantly. Soon afterwards, Pei QianYue, who was walking in the front, suddenly stopped.

At the far end of the tunnel, there was a glimmer of light. 

“What’s the matter?” Feng Ci asked him.

Pei QianYue ignored him and continued walking forward.

Feng Ci: “……”

He really hated this kind of taciturn person! 

Perhaps due to his old age, he could no longer endure silence and loneliness like before and always liked to find people to chitchat, engage in a conversation, and reminisce about the events of his youth or something.

Staying together with someone like Pei QianYue, who spoke very little, was practically a type of torture.

 

As Feng Ci thought furiously, his footsteps unconsciously sped up. He rushed past and jumped out of the tunnel before Pei QianYue.

But the outside wasn’t the forest area from before. 

Feng Ci originally thought this secret realm had been created purposely by Pei QianYue to test him and the tunnel should have been the secret realm’s exit. It’s not until he exited that he discovered, at the end of the tunnel, it actually connected to another cave.

It was a sparkling, crystalline stone cavern. A babbling stream flowed past the bottom of the stone wall. Some clusters of aquatic plants grew along the shore.

Fireflies flashed and flickered in the air. Startled by the sound of footsteps, they flew off into the distance.

This was a naturally formed secret realm. 

The spirit deposit here was likely not excavated yet. The light from the spirit energy was bright, radiant, and pure. Just standing inside here made the body’s exhaustion feel swept away.

Feng Ci looked back. Pei QianYue landed lightly behind him.

This secret realm was most likely altered somehow. Nothing could be sensed from the outside, therefore, even Feng Ci couldn’t feel anything just now.

Pei QianYue walked directly inside the cave. 

This secret realm was a completely different world. Above their heads were spirit stones that could be excavated for use. Beneath their feet, they stepped on clear spring water that was brimming with spirit energy. Even the blue aquatic plants next to the stream were all spirit herbs used to enhance cultivation or treat external injuries.

Feng Ci followed Pei QianYue, wading through the water.

When he walked to the deepest part of the cave, he was stunned.

There were a dozen or more corpses lying on the ground there. 

There were men and women, elderly and youth. The only common element was that all the dead bodies were in a dried and shriveled state.

—They died from having their spirit energy drained dry.

Feng Ci frowned faintly and then heard Pei QianYue say: “WuChang Sect’s disciples.”

Another name that Feng Ci has never heard of. 

In this time period, there were truly too many cultivators and cultivation sects. Other than the 6 Sects that established the Immortal Alliance and the 22 clans that joined the Immortal Alliance later on, there were also hundreds of big and small sects and groups not part of the Immortal Alliance, not to mention those rogue cultivators that belonged to no sects or groups.

Back in Feng Ci’s era, this was something that was unthinkable and unimaginable.

 

If there were this many cultivation sects available for assistance, perhaps the fight between humans and demons(魔) back then wouldn’t have resulted in such devastation.

And he wouldn’t have been ordained by the Heavenly Principles at the last moment to take on the duty of saving the world. 

Feng Ci’s thoughts ran away on him slightly before he dragged it back: “Why…… would they be here?”

Pei QianYue said: “A few days ago, WuChang Sect’s leader was worried that danger was imminent and begged me for protection. I found this place for him to hide inside.”

Feng Ci understood: “The secret realm outside… was something you built to protect them?”

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Pei QianYue: “Yes.” 

Hiding people deep inside a spirit deposit and then creating a brand new secret realm to conceal everything. This was indeed an extremely safe and foolproof plan.

Not to mention, Feng Ci experienced the perils of Pei QianYue’s secret realm just now. If this person didn’t stop the secret realm midway, who knew what kind of dangers still awaited them.

But why……

Feng Ci asked: “You weren’t notified of the intrusion ahead of time?” 

Pei QianYue: “No.”

Feng Ci felt shocked.

To infiltrate a secret realm without being sensed by the creator and also kill people silently, completely unnoticed… such high level expertise, just how many people in the world can do this?

There’s always someone better. Feng Ci couldn’t answer for sure. 

But what he did know was that, unless he retrieved his real body, even he wasn’t completely confident in doing something like this.

Then just what kind of person was this murderer?

Apart from this, he still had one thing that he couldn’t figure out.

Feng Ci asked: “There are over hundreds of cultivation sects within the Central Plain right now. How did WuChang Sect know that danger was imminent for them, and why would they seek you for protection?” 

Pei QianYue appeared to be waiting for him to ask this question.

With a wave of his hand, a column of dim gold words appeared in the air.

 

It was a list of various cultivation sects.

“Five months ago, LangFeng City received a list, which recorded the names of all the various Cultivation Sects within the Central Plain.” 

“WuChang Sect was number 14 on this list.”

Feng Ci looked over. Sure enough, he found WuChang Sect’s name within the list.

And right above WuChang Sect…… was QingYang Sect and TianXuan Sect.

Which just happened to be #12 and #13. 

This murderer…… had actually announced in advance the Sects to be exterminated.

Feng Ci looked at that kill list and frowned faintly: “You didn’t disseminate this list?”

“Disseminate it?” Pei QianYue raised his hand and put away the list, saying: “Disseminate it so the world can dissolve into panic? Or perhaps allow people with personal grudges to take advantage of the situation, emulate and follow suit?”

Pei QianYue’s words here weren’t without reason. 

When they first received this list, the Immortal Alliance didn’t pay much attention to it. It wasn’t until later on, when more and more cultivation sects fell victim, that the list finally gained value; however, it was already a step too late.

By this point, everyone in the cultivation world felt jeopardized because of these frequent incidents. Disseminating the list now would only create an even greater panic, which would not help the current situation.

Protecting WuChang Sect was indeed the most reliable method.

However, WuChang Sect was still exterminated. 

Feng Ci thought briefly and asked: “Pei QianYue, why do you think the murderer killed them?”

After Pei QianYue exposed him as not the original owner of this body, Feng Ci was too lazy to pretend and act courteous any further. He directly called the other by his name.

Pei QianYue remained silent for a moment, almost like he felt an objection towards this; however, ultimately, he didn’t say anything about it.

Pei QianYue said: “Spiritual energy.” 

“I thought this at first as well.” Feng Ci nodded his head: “Because of a certain reason, this murderer requires a great deal of spiritual energy and cultivation. Therefore, he started to massacre cultivation sects wantonly.”

“But now I don’t think this way anymore.”

 

“First of all, the murderer already has such a high level cultivation, to be able to move freely within your secret realm as if it were a masterless realm, why would he need to set his sights on these small sects and groups?”

Up until now, the victims were all small scaled sects. 

Naturally, the cultivation level of disciples from these kinds of sects couldn’t be very high either. Even if an entire sect’s disciples were drained dry, the spirit energy obtained most likely wouldn’t even match the energy of any one of the Immortal Alliance’s elders.

Not to mention, the murderer didn’t even let off a young child who just established their foundation; how much spiritual energy could there possibly be here?

Originally, Feng Ci thought this murderer didn’t have a very high cultivation level and was avoiding the strong while targeting the weak. However, now this didn’t seem like the case.

Since the murderer has the ability to break into Pei QianYue’s secret realm to kill people, why not go directly to LangFeng City to cut down Pei QianYue? Wouldn’t that be faster than going through all the trouble of massacring ordinary cultivation sects? 

Of course, Feng Ci didn’t dare to say these words in the end.

After listening to his analysis, Pei QianYue said: “Perhaps he doesn’t want to provoke the Immortal Alliance and create an unnecessary inconvenience.”

“This is still not called provoking the Immortal Alliance?” Feng Ci felt incredulous: “He’s practically pointing a finger at the Immortal Alliance’s nose and cussing, ‘So long and still haven’t found a single clue yet? What a bunch of useless trash’.”

Pei QianYue: “……” 

Feng Ci gave a soft cough: “I wasn’t calling the Immortal Alliance useless trash.”

“No, you’re absolutely right.” Pei QianYue said calmly: “The Immortal Alliance is indeed a bunch of useless trash.”

Feng Ci was very afraid Pei QianYue might suddenly ask him if the words “useless trash” included him, the Leader of the Immortal Alliance. Good thing, Pei QianYue didn’t persist in this topic and said instead: “Continue.”

“Ah? Oh……” Feng Ci paused and then said: “This second reason, well…… I can’t figure it out. If the murderer wanted spirit energy, why didn’t he touch this spirit deposit?” 

This spirit deposit, which Pei QianYue had used to hide the WuChang Sect, could be regarded as top-notch throughout the entire cultivation world.

Regarding the group of disciples within this cave, besides the elderly who seemed like the Sect Leader and had somewhat of a higher cultivation, everyone else were all youngsters.

The spiritual energy that was absorbed was probably not even compared to digging out the spirit stones within this cave and then going off to cultivate.

“Killing people only, not stealing any treasures. Such a lawful murderer.” Feng Ci clapped expressionlessly. 

Pei QianYue: “…….”

Speaking here, Feng Ci suddenly realized in the aftermath: “Wait a second. You hid the people here… were you also trying to test the murderer’s precise target?”

 

Pei QianYue actually answered with righteous conviction: “Why would I save WuChang Sect otherwise?”

Feng Ci: “……” 

Every time Feng Ci wanted to believe that his family’s little snake didn’t actually grow up crooked, he’d always receive a vicious blow from reality.

Xiao Hei, oh Xiao Hei. Did no one tell you that if you continued behaving like this, your nature will become more and more affected?

This was more than a dozen lives. Was this something that could be casually used as experiments?

You’re really quite worrisome. 

However, Pei QianYue clearly didn’t care. In fact, from seeing the dead bodies all over the ground to now, his expression didn’t change one bit.

Pei QianYue asked him: “So what’s your conclusion?”

“My conclusion is……” Feng Ci looked towards the dead bodies of the WuChang Sect disciples laying all over the ground once again and lowered his eyes: “The murderer most likely has an ulterior motive.”

Whether in notifying the Immortal Alliance of his kill list ahead of time or killing people inside Pei QianYue’s secret realm, the murderer only had one aim. 

He’s using these actions to announce to the Immortal Alliance that he truly has the ability to threaten the safety of the entire cultivation world on his own.

This was both a threat and a provocation.

This was really…… very interesting.

When he first started to investigate this matter, Feng Ci more or less wanted to find out if this was related to the imminent catastrophe in the future.  But now, this incident itself has also attracted his interest. 

A person who dared to deliver a letter of challenge to the entire cultivation world…. Feng Ci was truly very interested in meeting them and seeing what they can do.

Feng Ci and Pei QianYue left the secret realm and returned to the forest where they came from.

They spent a large portion of the night inside the secret realm. When they came out, there was already a faint light over the horizon. The grayish-blue sky was shrouded by mist, fresh like it had been washed clean.

Feng Ci gave a yawn. He was just about to walk forward when he saw Pei QianYue still standing in the same spot. 

He suddenly had a bad premonition: “You can’t be……You’re not returning to the sect, are you?”

“No.” Pei QianYue said: “Are you going to continue stalking me?”

 

This courteous tone seemed like he was asking Feng Ci what he planned to eat in the morning.

The situation was already like this, can it still be called stalking? 

“How could I dare to do such a thing as stalking?” Feng Ci gave a ha ha and also answered very courteously: “I just happened to be going the same way as the City Master, that’s all. Oh right, where does the City Master plan to go next?”

Pei QianYue lowered his head slightly.

For some inexplicable reason, Feng Ci actually thought he gave a soft chuckle. The smile was so faint, it seemed to have been blown away instantly by the morning breeze.

Pei QianYue: “If you want to know, then follow along.” 

After speaking, he ignored Feng Ci’s answer, raised a hand, and created a long sword from spirit energy.

When a cultivator reaches a certain level, they cultivate into a state of unity between the person and the sword. A sword can be created from concentrating energy, which could then be used to engage enemies.

Feng Ci watched as the long sword created by Pei QianYue landed next to his feet. Suddenly, he thought inadvertently: As a demon(妖), soaring over the clouds and harnessing the mist should be an extremely easy spell for Pei QianYue.

But why does he still utilize LangFeng City’s Flying Sword technique? 

When LangFeng City disciples leave the mountain to complete tasks, even they’d choose to take a flying ship.

Only Pei QianYue still selected the oldest method of flying by sword.

For the moment, Feng Ci couldn’t figure out why he cared so much about this. He also didn’t plan to continue studying such a senseless issue. Pei QianYue activated his spirit energy. A brilliant white light surrounded him. He looked ready to transform into the afterimage of a sword and disappear.

Feng Ci yelled loudly: “City Master, wait for me—” 

Immediately afterwards, he jumped up.

The pure white afterimage of a sword ripped through the air; Feng Ci landed firmly on Pei QianYue’s cultivation sword.

Pei QianYue: “……”

Feng Ci grabbed Pei QianYue’s arm to steady himself. He raised his head and gave the other a smile. Recalling that Pei QianYue might not be able to see it, Feng Ci said: “After messing around all night, I’m too tired. Since we’re going the same way, City Master, why not give me a ride?” 

Not sleeping at night was really very physically exhausting for an old man.

But Pei QianYue only replied with a brief smile.

 

That smile was like clear skies after the rain, the melting of ice and snow.

Then, Feng Ci felt a hand lifting him up by the back of his collar, and throwing him off unceremoniously. 

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