The Portrait

"Sect Master Zhenren." As the title slipped out, both froze. In unison, their eyes turned toward the portrait hanging on the wall of the main hall. The painting depicted only a figure from behind, standing with hands clasped, appearing to command a sword against an enemy. Sword qi cascaded like a waterfall, radiating extraordinary majesty. Upon his thumb, an iron ring rested conspicuously. The person in this portrait was none other than the legendary founding patriarch of the Demon Flame Sect. Even Meigu had never seen the patriarch's true face, and had only been able to paint a view from behind using her imagination to enshrine here. "Who knows where Sect Master Zhenren is now, or whether he is still well..." Meigu murmured softly. Zhao Shanran sighed. "Sect Master Zhenren has not shown himself for so long; I fear he might have long since... Even if he is still alive, he must have forgotten all about us. Back then, Sect Master Zhenren merely gathered a few of us rogue cultivators on a whim to establish a sect, and we never even saw his true face. One can easily imagine what he thought of us." "Junior Brother, do not be impudent!" Meigu's brow furrowed tightly. Showing no leniency, she rebuked him angrily, "You and I were once mere rogue cultivators, living from hand to mouth with little hope of Foundation Establishment. It was Sect Master Zhenren who imparted cultivation methods and pills, guiding us to successfully achieve Foundation Establishment. He also founded our sect here and laid down a top-tier grand array, giving us a place to establish ourselves in the cultivation world. During the subsequent chaos of the Sin Abyss, it was solely through the magic tools and pills left behind by Sect Master Zhenren that we were able to turn the tables on that Sin Abyss cultivator and obtain the Zanpo Pills. That kindness gave us a second life—have you forgotten all of it?" Meigu was furious. Startled, Zhao Shanran hurriedly admitted his fault. "It was my slip of the tongue. Please calm your anger, Senior Sister." "Go apologize before Sect Master Zhenren. Let there not be a next time!" Seeing Zhao Shanran confess his mistake, Meigu waved her hand. "Go down for now, Junior Brother, and make the arrangements as quickly as possible. I will send word to several good friends to watch over you all. As long as you do not rashly leave the mountain gates, you need not worry too much. Even if Junior Brother Lu has formed a core, his strength will not be exceptional, and the Yinquan Sect will not dare launch a direct assault on our mountain-protecting grand array." Watching Zhao Shanran leave, Meigu let out a faint sigh. Even though those words were all true. Sect Master Zhenren had thrust the heavy burden onto her while playing the absentee master himself, neglecting the sect entirely. How could Meigu not harbor any resentment in her heart? Yet, to preserve sect morale and unity, she had to stand on moral high ground and could never permit anyone to openly criticize Sect Master Zhenren. Meigu closed the hall doors and walked toward her cave dwelling. Moments later, Qin Sang quietly materialized in the hall, admiring his own portrait. The four had been carefully handpicked by Daoist Jiupao from among rogue cultivators, all possessing outstanding talent. Still, Qin Sang had not anticipated that two of them would actually succeed in Core Formation. This was also his first time hearing of the Zanpo Pill; it was likely an elixir used by Sin Abyss cultivators to aid in Core Formation. In times of chaos, some could actually turn misfortune into fortune. With Qin Sang's discernment, he naturally saw that Meigu and Zhao Shanran harbored grievances, but that was only human nature. What mattered most was their character. Since he had nothing urgent at hand, Qin Sang decided to observe a bit longer. Qin Sang already had a plan in mind. He needed to attend to matters in the monster domain and could not be in two places at once. The sect master of the Qingyang Demonic Sect was at the peak of his fame and was no simple figure. Unless strictly necessary, Qin Sang did not wish to resort to drastic measures and risk making an enemy of him. Absorbing the Ancestral Holy Fire could no longer be done through deception as it had been last time. Knowing oneself and the enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles. It would not be too late to pay a visit to the Qingyang Demonic Sect's master after finding out their true background. With the Demon Flame Sect submitting to the Qingyang Demonic Sect, it would be much easier for Meigu to come into contact with Qingyang Demonic Sect cultivators and gather intelligence. *** Having received her orders, the Demon Flame Sect began vigorous preparations. A month later. A whistling sound pierced the air, and several figures promptly landed before Earth Fire Mountain. Leading them was a daoist with white hair and a youthful complexion—the sect master of the Yinquan Sect. Beside him stood a cultivator wearing a hooded cloak. "This is not Dong's first visit, yet every time I behold your noble sect's mountain-protecting grand array, it takes my breath away." The Yinquan Sect Master sent in a command talisman, his eyes burning eagerly as he gazed at the grand array. The cloaked figure said casually, "As long as you help me eliminate the two of them, the Demon Flame Sect will be ours to command, and I will naturally honor our agreement." As they spoke, the mist churned, revealing a path out of thin air that led straight to the mountain summit. Meigu's voice drifted from afar: "Sect Master Dong honors us with a visit; forgive me for not welcoming you from afar." "It was Dong who was presumptuous!" the Yinquan Sect Master called out in reply. Then he whispered, "Fellow Daoist Lu, Elder Wu, follow me. The rest will wait outside." The cloaked figure and another burly man followed the Yinquan Sect Master into the Demon Flame Sect. At the mountaintop, Meigu personally led the sect's disciples to greet them. "Sect Master Dong, Fellow Daoist Wu..." Meigu stepped forward, exchanging courtesies with each in turn. Then her gaze shifted to the cloaked figure, and she asked with a smile, "May I ask who this fellow daoist is?" "He is an old friend of mine. However, he also shares deep roots with your noble sect..." Before Sect Master Dong could finish speaking, the cloaked figure walked toward the Sect Master Hall in silence, minding only himself. "Halt!" "Insolence!" Zhao Shanran and the Demon Flame Sect disciples flared with anger, intercepting the cloaked figure with drawn swords. Meigu's expression chilled as she said coldly, "Sect Master Dong's old friend seems rather lacking in manners! Or do you three Golden Core cultivators believe you can do as you please within our grand array?" Sect Master Dong simply met her with a smile. The cloaked figure gave a cold snort and yanked off his hood. Seeing his true face, the Demon Flame Sect disciples cried out in surprise. "I, Lu, have come to pay respects to my master, and you dare block me?" Lu Xing roared, the overwhelming aura of a Golden Core expert bursting forth. The Demon Flame Sect disciples' faces drained of color as they were forced backward by Lu Xing's aura. Zhao Shanran hated him to the bone and cursed furiously, "It truly is you, ungrateful wretch! You let greed blind your conscience and slaughtered your fellow disciples, yet you have the gall to return?" "A mere Foundation Establishment ant dares bark before me?" Lu Xing's face was filled with contempt. "What proof do you have? I might as well say that the two of you brutally murdered Junior Brother Hongye for the Zanpo Pills, striking first to frame me! Fortunately, I was alert enough to slip from your evil clutches." Sect Master Dong, who had been waiting for this moment, stepped forward to smooth things over. "The rights and wrongs of the past are likely impossible to untangle now; only those involved know the truth. You were disciples of the same master, yet turned against each other—even Dong feels pity for the Demon Flame Sect. Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Lu has never forgotten the nurturing kindness of his sect. Not long ago, he personally went to the Qingyang Demonic Sect to plead and had the Demon Flame Sect's conscription quota cut by half, which speaks volumes of his sincerity. Surely this should at least earn Fellow Daoist Lu the right to pay respects to his master?" Lu Xing's anger turned into an amiable smile. "I watched you all grow up; how could I bear to send you to your deaths?" At these words, Zhao Shanran's face changed dramatically. In just a few words, Sect Master Dong and Lu Xing had muddied the waters of that past scandal and then made a show of performing a favor, their vicious intentions as clear as day. Meigu remained relatively composed. Just as she was about to speak, the doors of the Sect Master Hall suddenly swung open on their own, and a calm, indifferent voice drifted from within. "How is it that this old man does not recall when I ever took you as a disciple?"