53 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

The guest was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, appearing to be in his thirties. He was sitting brazenly in the main seat of the Baoyuan Hall, waiting for Qi Xiu. His shifty mouse-like eyes were darting over the maid serving tea, and his sallow face revealed an unabashedly lecherous grin, a demeanor that did not fit a decent person. It was no wonder Gu Ji described him as an uninvited guest. Qi Xiu approached to greet him, yet the cultivator didn't spare him a glance. He picked up the tea cup, slowly skimming the floating leaves on its surface with the lid. After a long pause, he spoke in an eerie tone, "You've offended someone, do you know that?" Hearing this cryptic statement, Qi Xiu was both startled and puzzled. He meticulously recalled his actions, especially his efforts to win over three Foundation Establishment cultivators, precisely to avoid offending anyone. Logically, apart from these three, no one else should be out to trouble him. "May I ask what you mean? Our sect is of humble strength, always cautious not to err. How have I offended, and whom? I hope the elder can clarify." With a strange laugh, the cultivator slammed the tea cup onto the table. In a sinister manner, he asked, "You are Qi Xiu, right? The head of Chu Qin Sect, right?" "Yes, I am the fifth-generation head of Chu Qin Sect, Qi Xiu. May I have the honor of knowing the elder's name?" "Heh, you barely deserve to know my title, but I'll reluctantly tell you. I am Swintai of the Shandu Sect, known as the Wind-Piercing Tiger on Baishan." It turned out he was a cultivator from Baishan. Qi Xiu was greatly displeased at this point. A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator from Baishan dared to act so brazenly on his turf! At the very least, he was under the protection of the Southern Chu Sect. Unless this unheard-of Shandu Sect had a Nascent Soul cultivator, this was tantamount to slapping the Southern Chu Sect in the face. Having been in the Southern Regions for over half a year, Qi Xiu was familiar with the local area. Baishan did have Nascent Soul cultivators, but they all stayed atop Baishan and hardly interacted with those below. It was a region of many small sects, and having even a single Golden Core cultivator was a big deal. For instance, the Qifu Alliance, which held a major cultivation city, had only a few Golden Core cultivators. In his own Heihe, he'd encountered various Baishan Foundation Establishment cultivators, most of whom at least pretended to be polite upon hearing about Chu Qin's connection to Southern Chu. What was this Swintai up to, acting so unjustly? His inner thoughts seeped into his speech, and he was less than polite. Immediately, he pulled out an old strategy, using the Southern Chu Sect's name to pressure him. "My skills are paltry; I doubt I've offended anyone significant. But since you've taken the trouble to inform me, the force behind this must not be small. Let me report this to the Chu family of Southern Chu to help settle the matter; how does that sound?" "Oh? What's your relationship with the Chu family?" The cultivator's expression changed. His previously slouched posture shifted into an upright one. Ha! Turns out he’s clueless about the situation. Qi Xiu’s estimation of Swintai lessened, and he boisterously recounted, half-true, half-false, how he was under the protection of Qi Yun from the Chu family and had immigrated to the Southern Regions. "I didn't expect you to have such ties..." Swintai's expression changed repeatedly, staring intently at Qi Xiu as if trying to discern something from his face. After pondering for a long while, he finally softened, changing to a more respectful tone. "To be honest, Chu Qin Sect has opened a market at Heihe, correct?" "Yes." "You’ve given Zhao Liande, Wang Guan, and Chu Youmin properties, correct?" "Yes!" Qi Xiu puffed up his chest and responded firmly. He had a sense of why Swintai was here; it seemed that his efforts to win over three families had led others to think they could exploit him. He hadn’t anticipated offending such individuals. "Well then, you've rewarded the east, west, and north of Baishan. Why is the south left out?" Swintai asked aggressively, though his tone lacked confidence, making him seem more bark than bite. Seeing through the bluster, Qi Xiu grew more confident and spoke sharply, "Hmph, our Heihe is under the Southern Chu Sect’s jurisdiction. There's no need to show face to other cultivators. We only thanked those predecessors who welcomed us when our Chu Qin Sect first arrived. We're not a charitable organization, handing out favors to everyone. Besides, the south is under the Qifu Alliance. What relation does Shandu Sect have with them?" "You dare, you Qi-refining insect!" Swintai finally erupted in anger, slamming his palm on the table, smashing it to pieces. "We of Shandu Sect have a Golden Core ancestor! Unless you can really invite Chu Hongshang, I can annihilate your whole sect. Believe it or not?!" Under the oppressive aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Qi Xiu's breath caught, and his legs went weak. However, he knew he couldn't be intimidated by someone like this; otherwise, he’d end up being endlessly extorted. A surge of courage rose up, and he sternly declared, "Elder, have some self-respect! If someone truly wishes to annihilate us, Chu Qin Sect will fight to the last, at least leaving them with a memorable mark!" He retrieved the sect leader's token from his bosom and decisively activated the Guangkai Path's Golden Light Martial Array. Instantly, the golden auspicious clouds in the sky above Heihe Peak billowed mightily, accompanied by a clanging sound akin to metal striking metal. Within the cloud layers, golden lightning flashed intermittently, ready to strike at any moment. Outside the hall, Gu Ji heard the commotion, barging inside with a talisman in one hand and his spirit monkey in the other. Man and beast stood behind Qi Xiu, glaring at Swintai. "Hahaha," Swintai laughed. Seeing Qi Xiu's resolute stance and the formidable protective array, he had no certainty of overcoming it. He changed his demeanor once more, simpering, "Oh dear, no need for anger, Sect Leader Qi. I was wrong just now, spoke out of turn, my apologies. Ahem... Let me put it simply: our Shandu Sect wishes to open a shop at your Heihe market. What's your opinion on that?" His abrupt change from arrogance to obsequiousness was utterly shameless. Qi Xiu kept the token firmly in hand, regardless of what Swintai said. He placed the decision in the hands of the Chu, Zhao, and Wang families, stating clearly that if they agreed to a shop for Shandu Sect at Heihe, he would have no objections, but he firmly refused to commit. Realizing that neither threats nor entreaties worked on Qi Xiu, Swintai had no choice but to leave with a few harsh words, departing in embarrassment. As soon as he left, Qi Xiu collapsed to the floor, his whole body like a heap of mud. "Sect Leader!" Gu Ji, thinking Swintai had ensnared him with some trick, burst into tears, rushing over to shake him, crying out, "Sect Leader, what happened? If anything happens to you, I'll fight him to the death!" Qi Xiu felt intensely awkward, realizing he was purely frightened. "Silly boy." Wiping the tears from Gu Ji's face, Qi Xiu felt both ashamed and tender, smiling ruefully. "This sect leader was just terrified. Thirty years have gone by without ever quarreling, let alone fighting anyone. I managed to hold my ground while the tension was high, but the moment he left, I just crumbled. No worries, let me rest, and I'll recover." Gu Ji broke into a smile, wiping away his tears. "Good child..." Qi Xiu remarked silently, feeling a deep sense of commendation. Though usually playful and somewhat reckless, Gu Ji's recent behavior impressed even Qi Xiu. To stand up to a higher-level cultivator took real courage, a rare quality indeed. "With the new year, you'll be fifteen; you're not a child anymore. You should learn from He Yu, maybe become a bit more grounded—that would be even better." Upon hearing this, Gu Ji's face took on a complex expression, and he murmured, "Brother He... I feel he's becoming more arrogant, not as close to us as before." "Sigh!" Qi Xiu sighed, having noticed as well that ever since He Yu had received the favor of Lin Kan and frequently received guidance, his cultivation had progressed rapidly. While he seemed more open than before, he was increasingly aloof and didn't mingle well with others. Except for Zhang Shishi, conversations with other peers were brief, neglecting even the effort of maintaining appearances. The discord between Zhang Shishi and the others like Shen Chang and Pan Rong arose mainly from resentment towards He Yu's arrogance and his access to more resources. Perhaps it was time to figure out how to temper his attitude...