Is That All?

Qi Yuan read through the records with rapt attention. The furrow in his brow gradually smoothed out. "The Black Mountain Sect is just this?" Previously, the Black Mountain Sect had acted rampant and arrogant across Great Shang. Qi Yuan had assumed their power was overwhelming. Yet now that he was looking into it, the sect's own foundation actually belonged to only the third tier within Great Shang. The first tier consisted of the three great cultivation sects. The second tier required at least one combatant at the Divine Infant realm, or some method capable of repelling an attack from a Divine Infant expert. The Black Mountain Sect had neither. They possessed a mere seven Origin Core True Persons. Among those seven Origin Core True Persons, the strongest was their sect master, who stood at only the mid Origin Core stage. All the rest were merely in the early Origin Core stage. Such strength truly put them in the third tier of Great Shang. "In other words, without Old Demon Black Chicken, that's all the Black Mountain Sect amounts to?" The more Qi Yuan thought about it, the more at ease he felt. Cleaver had already awakened spiritual wisdom. Had they possessed a late Origin Core cultivator with a fully mastered protective core light, he might still have harbored some wariness. Yet they had only one mid Origin Core and a handful of early Origin Cores, and their formed Golden Cores were of mediocre grade at best. A glint appeared in his eyes, and he sneered. "With strength like that, they dare come looking for trouble with me? They're practically courting death! "Strike first to seize the upper hand; hesitate, and court ruin! "They surely never expected that I would cross time and space to strike them down beforehand, strangling this karmic knot in the cradle." Qi Yuan plotted his course of action. Old Demon Black Chicken did not reside at the Black Mountain Sect. As long as he was swift enough, he could exact his vengeance and slip away without a trace. "A pity I'm still too weak. Otherwise, why would I even need to dodge Old Demon Black Chicken? "I'd just lop his dog head off with a single stroke! "Old Demon Black Chicken, I'll remember you! "If only I could truly travel through time. I'd definitely slaughter him while he was still a chick to brew chicken soup, or dance on his grave after he runs out of lifespan." Qi Yuan could not help recalling a certain heroine from the Go world back on Blue Star. That heroine was an expert who truly grasped the rules of time. In the present, she defeated the top female player of the past; in the past, she defeated the top female player of the present. People reverently described her as "punching the Nanshan nursing home and kicking the Beihai kindergarten." "Senior Brother Qi Yuan, what are you doing here?" A familiar voice suddenly called out. Zheng Jianghe was staring at Qi Yuan with a bizarre expression. The moment Zheng Jianghe reached the third floor of the Library Pavilion, he had spotted Qi Yuan. Qi Yuan was dressed bizarrely and sneaking around like a scoundrel. Huddled in a corner like that, it would have been stranger if he didn't draw attention. Zheng Jianghe had stared for quite a while before finally confirming that this was indeed Seven Colors Peak's head disciple, Senior Brother Qi Yuan. Seeing Zheng Jianghe gave Qi Yuan quite a start as well. It felt just like a couple being caught doing something illicit in a library. Even so, he quickly composed himself. "Ahem, just came over to check some reference materials." "Are you reading up on the Black Mountain Sect, Senior Brother? "If you're finished, could you hand those materials over to me? "I need to check them out of the pavilion and deliver them to several elders," Zheng Jianghe said solemnly. "No problem." Qi Yuan set the books down. Then, thinking of something, he abruptly asked, "What's written here is true, right? Old Demon Black Chicken is never at the Black Mountain Sect?" Zheng Jianghe found the question odd, but he answered truthfully, "Old Demon Black Chicken's dao arena is in the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, a thousand li away from the Black Mountain Sect. "Rumor has it he's currently attempting a breakthrough to the late Divine Infant stage, so he should be in death seclusion for the foreseeable future." "That's good to hear." Qi Yuan felt completely relieved. Zheng Jianghe gave him a peculiar look. "May I ask why you're looking into the Black Mountain Sect, Senior Brother?" Qi Yuan looked at him, drew a kitchen cleaver, and asked, "Do you know what this is?" "Senior Brother's... pet." This blade was practically legendary to Zheng Jianghe's ears. He had frequently seen Qi Yuan taking the kitchen cleaver out on walks. "I heard that Chu Tianxiong and Patriarch Baiji of the Black Mountain Sect died under the blade of a mysterious expert," Qi Yuan said with complete gravity. "And since I happen to use a blade as well, I'm terrified the Black Mountain Sect will misunderstand and assume I'm that mysterious expert. "Therefore, I must prepare in advance and see what experts the Black Mountain Sect has to offer." Zheng Jianghe: "..." He cleared his throat and finally replied, "Senior Brother is truly... vigilant against future perils." How could anyone in the Black Mountain Sect possibly suspect you? Zheng Jianghe found the thought utterly preposterous. Yet, considering Senior Brother Qi Yuan's usual train of thought, it made a strange kind of sense. After all, in the entire Divine Light Sect—no, across all of Great Shang—Qi Yuan was the only person bold enough to call the Peak Master of Seven Colors Peak his wife to her face. Zheng Jianghe picked up the books and departed. Qi Yuan tilted his head in thought. "Looks like I need to find an excuse to leave the sect for a bit." The Black Mountain Sect was quite a distance from the Divine Light Sect. Unlike Rong City, it was not a journey one could make there and back in just a few hours. Leaving would require filing a notice. After all, he was the head disciple of a peak, not an ordinary disciple. *** Dong Xian cradled a stack of bamboo slips, walking briskly through the Divine Light Sect. Before coming to the Divine Light Sect, he possessed no cultivation whatsoever, and he had even taken the initiative to break his marriage engagement. It was precisely that series of maneuvers that allowed him to slip away from the swirling vortex of royal power struggles and find refuge in the Divine Light Sect. Just a few days ago, the remnant soul within his body had begun to awaken. That remnant soul belonged to a formidable artifact refiner who had been betrayed and murdered by scoundrels. Left with only a wisp of soul, he had drifted into Dong Xian's body. Over the past few days, the remnant soul had guided Dong Xian's cultivation and imparted secret artifact-refining methods to him. Just yesterday, under the remnant soul's direction, he had even picked up several precious artifact-refining materials at the market for a bargain. "Elder Qi, if Old Demon Black Chicken reaches the late Divine Infant stage, do you think all of Great Shang will plunge into chaos?" Dong Xian asked via mental transmission as he carried the bamboo slips. Elder Qi chuckled. "You've only just begun Qi Refinement, kid. Why worry yourself over such things? "Could it be... you're still pining for your lost worldly influence?" Dong Xian fell silent. After a long pause, he answered, "If I could wield that power... it would also make it easier to help you restore your strength, Elder Qi." "If you could seize power, that would naturally be fine and dandy. But your foundation is far too thin, and your mother's clan lacks influence. You'd do best to focus on your cultivation and take things step by step. "With my artifact-refining arts, barring any mishaps, you'll be able to step into the Divine Infant realm within a few centuries. Strength is the true root of all things." Elder Qi offered earnest, well-meaning counsel. Dong Xian held a special identity; in truth, he was an unfavored prince of Great Shang. At present, the Emperor of Great Shang was aged and muddle-headed, with little lifespan remaining. The various princes were fiercely ambitious, vying for power and scheming for the throne of supreme dominion. Among all the princes, Dong Xian had the weakest background and the thinnest backing. That was why he had taken the initiative to break his engagement, gracefully bowing out of the fray to come to the Divine Light Sect and distance himself from that treacherous mire. "Huh?" Suddenly, Elder Qi gasped in surprise. "Who is that man?" Dong Xian quickly followed his gaze and saw a strangely dressed man walking along the main avenue. Even so, he recognized him. "The head disciple of Seven Colors Peak, Qi Yuan." Dong Xian had no idea why Elder Qi was paying attention to that person. "Do you see the kitchen cleaver at his waist? That is definitely something extraordinary. "It's a pity my divine sense cannot extend outward right now, or I'd be able to tell what makes that cleaver so special. "Quick, buy that kitchen cleaver from him!" Elder Qi urged in a frantic tone. Dong Xian froze. If that were merely an ordinary kitchen cleaver and Qi Yuan were an ordinary disciple of the Divine Light Sect, he might have had a chance of purchasing it. But... that was not the case. Yet with Elder Qi pressing him, Dong Xian had no choice but to brace himself and walk over.