Wen Li and Zongzheng Huangyue returned to the inn under the cover of night.
Wen Li analyzed the information obtained from the Soul Search on Gong Xu. “It turns out the conflict between Danfeng Valley and the Moquan Sect in Wanbeiwu was to fight over the tokens to enter this tomb. Danfeng Valley saved Luo Yuntian and those five disciples on the condition that they cooperate and enter the tomb together. These tokens were issued by the current Imperial Prince, Wangquan Qihuan, a descendant of Wangquan Wuho. He only gave them to five forces: the Seven Fiends Hall, Wind-Thunder Hall, Huayan Villa, Danfeng Valley, and the City Lord’s Estate.”
Danfeng Valley had yielded a few entry spots to the Moquan Sect to go in together.
“In seven days, the royal family will lead the group into the tomb. The five forces will assist them in retrieving the Moon Soul Arrow. Within the tomb lie countless funerary treasures. Each of the five forces will rely on their own abilities to seize opportunities; the royal family won’t interfere with that. Currently, Danfeng Valley has sent Luo Yuntian, who is at Early-Stage Golden Core, along with the Third Elder, Ouyang Ao, who is at Late-Stage Golden Core.”
Wen Li sat in the main seat, stroking her chin. “Since Danfeng Valley sent them, the other forces likely won't have Nascent Soul cultivators either.”
No wonder the relationship between the Moquan Sect and Danfeng Valley was so bad, yet they kept prisoners alive instead of killing them. Danfeng Valley might not necessarily care about those five disciples, but Luo Yuntian was a Golden Core cultivator. Trading a few spots for a Golden Core was naturally a bargain they were willing to make.
Zongzheng Huangyue frowned. “Why? Didn’t you say, Master, that the Moon Soul Arrow was created by the Nascent Soul stage Wangquan Wuho? Wouldn't it be more certain if the royal family sent Nascent Soul cultivators?”
“What are you thinking? The Saint Emperor assigned you a Nascent Soul protector because your status is vital. Do you really think Nascent Soul cultivators are everywhere?” Wen Li gave her a strange look and reached out to tap her head.
“Do you know why no one calls a Golden Core an ‘Old Monster,’ but they all say ‘Nascent Soul Old Monster’? Cultivating to the Nascent Soul realm takes six hundred years. Every single one of them is as wily as a fox. For most cultivators, the transition from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation is a massive hurdle that at least two-thirds fail to clear. And the probability of a Golden Core cultivator breaking through to Nascent Soul is about one in a thousand. Any Nascent Soul cultivator can establish their own sect and become a local hegemon.”
“Since the royal family wants the Moon Soul Arrow and uses others as cannon fodder, they naturally won’t allow cultivators stronger than themselves to enter. Who knows what others might be plotting? As for whether there will be Nascent Soul cultivators within the royal family’s own team, that’s hard to say.”
Zongzheng Huangyue sighed. “Entering the tomb requires a token, and aside from the royal family, only those five forces have them.” However, since her master dared to bring her here to snatch an opportunity, victory must be guaranteed.
“Master, are you going to snatch a token directly?” She looked up at Wen Li with eyes full of hope. It made sense; her master could make Soul Formation cultivators call her 'Senior,' so handling a mere Golden Core should be trivial.
“...”
Wen Li was at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. To snatch a token from several Golden Core cultivators... what would she use? Her life? Or perhaps use Hold On—that kitchen knife which had already been reduced to crushing garlic—to sting the opponent's eyes?
Wen Li realized that her fourth disciple had developed the same kind of blind faith that Yao Dai once had. It was as if Huangyue expected her to overturn the tomb and start a fight with the Saint Emperor the next second.
She raised a hand. “Wait! I think it's necessary for you to recognize one fact.”
Wen Li stood up with a worried expression, gesturing wildly with her hands. She activated her spiritual energy to reveal her cultivation, attempting to explain once more.
“Didn’t I tell you? My cultivation is only at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. Although, well, I am pretty impressive and can have a bit of fun fighting a Mid-Stage Golden Core just to show off, if there’s even one more person, I’ll drop dead right there.”
“...” Huangyue had thought her master was just being humble. If so, and her master still dared to bring her to snatch an opportunity, could it be that she—a mere Late-Stage Foundation Establishment—was supposed to be the one to do it?!
Zongzheng Huangyue froze, looking dazed.
Fearing that her disciple would roll her eyes at some Nascent Soul or Soul Formation expert in the future and push her forward saying things like, “My master is stronger than you and can defy destiny, you're finished,” or “Master, save me, hurry up and kill his body and soul,” Wen Li patted Huangyue’s stunned head and sighed.
“So, do you understand, my dear disciple? Whenever we encounter trouble from a Late-Stage Golden Core or above, we run. Bolt out of there. If I’ve run and you haven't, then you're on your own. At a time like that, it's every man for himself.” Wen Li spoke with great earnestness, not feeling in the slightest that she was an unreliable or heartless master.
“...”
Zongzheng Huangyue’s small mouth pressed into a straight line, her expression a mix of bizarre speechlessness and a hint of confusion.
“Master, then why can you still make Wangquan Chumo call you ‘Senior’?”
Her master must have had a glorious past and was now in decline. As for why, she knew she shouldn’t ask, but why was Wangquan Chumo—someone her master trusted and who could teach Gu Linshu swordsmanship—still so respectful even if her master was like this?
Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that Wangquan Chumo was simply upright and had the excellent quality of respecting his elders. Yet, when her master was in a drunken slumber last time, the panic and fear Wangquan Chumo showed while trying every possible way to wake her up was not just the respect one should have for a declining elder. She could see that Wangquan Chumo felt a sense of dread regarding the fact that her master was asleep in the pharmacy. That was a dread involving life and death, not an attitude he should have had as a top swordsman of the Eastern Province, whether past or present.
“...” Tsk. As expected, Yao Dai and Xie Tinglan were much easier to fool.
Wen Li knew this kid was frighteningly smart. The more she said, the more mistakes she would make, so she directly pinched Huangyue’s mouth shut.
“Alright, time to sleep. You need to grow, you know. You don’t want to be under five feet tall forever, right? Don’t be like your Second Senior Brother, who has the height of a four-year-old like some dwarf.”
“Fine.” Zongzheng Huangyue pursed her lips. “Master, then what about the tokens?”
Wen Li walked to the bed and lay down. “We aren't the only ones who want to go in. Let’s see what others do. Anyway, if he can get in, so can we.”
He?
Zongzheng Huangyue realized she meant Wangquan Sheng. True, he was in disguise, and he had long since broken ties with the Wangquan royal family. When his talent was apparent, everyone flocked to him, but now that people saw him as a waste, he had been expelled from the branch family. Coming here this time, he would naturally hide his identity and not join the royal team. This was his opportunity; he would certainly have a way in. They just had to wait and see.
...
Seven days later.
At high noon, the sunlight was blinding.
“...”
“Master, this is the ‘way in’ you were talking about?”
In the wilderness, at the foot of a green mountain blocked by boulders, Zongzheng Huangyue stared at the dog hole beneath the rocks and fell into deep thought.
She had thought they would go through a bloody battle to fight for a spot; she hadn't expected this method...
When Wen Li saw Wangquan Sheng seven days ago, she had released a corpse bug that flew onto him, silently and painlessly entering his flesh. Even the soul within his bone ring hadn't noticed. Today, the royal team had led the five forces into the deepest forests of Wuho City, opening a secret passage to enter the underground entrance, entering through the main gate of the tomb with their tokens in a grand fashion.
Once they had all entered, Wangquan Sheng followed closely. However, he didn't rely on a token. Instead, he had somehow captured a demon beast and made it dig a hole to get in. Although it was somewhat absurd—given that there were arrays, boundaries, and stone walls built beneath the tomb—how could a mere demon beast just dig a hole inside? Yet, the corpse bug on Wangquan Sheng’s person had led them right here.
Rate on N.U.
