439 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 439: Drinking and Singing Turning off the lights... Font Size: Large Medium Small [Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter] When it came to He Yu, Qi Xiu had his own plans, but making a move under the watchful eyes of the Nangong family was both risky and difficult. Unless he was sure He Yu would never be captured by the Nangong family, any help extended to him could be a grave mistake. Moreover, considering He Yu’s character... Qi Xiu wasn’t someone who couldn't be ruthless, but the Chu Qin Sect was his obsession and his solace. He Yu had once been a disciple who ventured south with him, risking life and limb in the unnamed valley. During their struggles at Clear Waterfall, He Yu had contributed. There was still some sense of camaraderie, and it was hard for Qi Xiu to bring himself to betray and deceive him. "That's how it is!" Having made up his mind, Qi Xiu decided to give He Yu one more chance. If He Yu trusted him unreservedly, then he’d find a way for He Yu to escape. But if He Yu remained self-serving, Qi Xiu wouldn't have to concern himself any longer. After scanning with his All-Seeing Eye several times, Qi Xiu finally located He Yu. He wasn't dressed in his usual white robes but was instead cloaked in a drab gray mantle, his face only partially visible, huddled inconspicuously in a corner of the great hall. "I heard the Nangong family set a trap outside Jixia City just to capture him. Yet, he had the skill and audacity to sneak in. He's truly someone who would abandon everything for the sake of the Dao..." Pondering further, his disgust for He Yu slightly diminished. "I’ll go over there to take a look. You go find the members of the Qi Yun and Chu families, so we can all look out for each other." After sending Chu Wuying away, Qi Xiu headed towards He Yu's position while the Nangong family members pretended not to know him, their eyes moving away. As they were diagonally across from each other in the great hall, maintaining a significant distance and not wanting to be overly conspicuous, Qi Xiu adopted a social demeanor, smiling and greeting familiar faces as he approached. Fortunately, nearly all the sects with business ties—like Duobao Pavilion, Guanghui Pavilion, Lingyao Pavilion, and Nalin Temple—had arrived. Among them, young talents whom Qi Xiu had met once or twice were easy enough to acknowledge, allowing him to work his way through the crowd. Now just three zhang away from where He Yu stood, He Yu kept his head down, showing no intention of greeting Qi Xiu. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Qi Xiu was just about to call out He Yu’s name when two others beat him to it. "He Yu! How dare you come here!" they shouted, brazenly accusing him in the hall, surrounding He Yu angrily from both sides. Almost every eye in the room turned their way. The two were dressed in the attire of the Qi Meng Sect, indicating they were He Yu's fellow disciples. Qi Xiu frowned slightly and stopped, concealing himself among the crowd. A quick glance at the Nangong family signaled that this wasn't their doing, so he decided not to intervene just yet, choosing to wait and see. "The sect is in decline, and you've been missing for decades!" The older man, likely He Yu's senior martial brother, had been seen by Qi Xiu during a treasure hunt beneath Black River Peak years ago. Pointing at He Yu's nose, he loudly accused He Yu before the assembly: "This man coveted our sect’s Profound Yang land and begged his way in halfway as our sect revered his sincerity. For over a century, we supported him, giving him the best resources, nurturing him into a promising mid-stage Golden Core. What did he do? After our master’s fall, he disappeared for decades, never responding to summons, as if defecting from the sect! While the sect faced bullying, he offered no help whatsoever. Moreover, after sorting our late master's relics, many treasures were found missing!" "Everyone, judge for yourselves! What right does such a traitor have to participate in this trial!?" His senior brother’s zealous accusation left the crowd silent, with no one echoing his sentiments. Everyone present was a Golden Core cultivator, each having lived several decades at the least. None would be so rash as to believe one-sided claims. He Yu remained with his head bowed, posture unchanging, as if the person being spoken about wasn’t him. Seeing nobody responding, the senior brother appeared at a loss and, with growing agitation, reached out to seize He Yu’s collar, saying, "I'll bring you back to face the sect's discipline!" "Does he even know where he is, making a scene in the City Lord's mansion?" Qi Xiu secretly mocked. What this senior brother said wasn't far from what Qi Xiu himself felt upon learning of He Yu's defection years ago. He even felt a bit schadenfreude—serves them right for poaching from the Chu Qin Sect, only to end up with nothing. Yet, the Ji family of Jixia City wouldn’t tolerate such chaos. Before any supervisor intervened, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator from Jixia City came forward, sternly admonishing, "You think this is a place for such behavior? Disperse!" Faced with a reprimand from the host, further disturbance would likely lead to eviction. Hence, He Yu’s two fellow disciples backed away hesitantly but continued glaring daggers, clearly signaling their intent to cause trouble after the trial. The disturbance was loud but brief and subsided as quickly as it arose. People returned to their socializing, while He Yu remained silent and unmoving. After waiting briefly and sensing another spiritual probe from the Nangong family, Qi Xiu judged it was time and approached once more. "So, in conflict with the fellow disciples? Are they ostracizing you?" He started a conversation feigning concern, using voice transmission. He Yu didn’t respond, motionless like a wooden post. "Hey!" A bit exasperated, Qi Xiu increased the strength of his transmission, "Can’t you recognize me? Don’t you want to?" He Yu finally reacted, swallowing slightly before lifting his head slowly. It was only then Qi Xiu saw his face was deathly pale, devoid of color, and his dull eyes caught his own gaze for just a moment before dropping back into the shadow of his hood. "Master Brother..." He Yu's voice transmission was feeble, almost like a dying breath, hinting he was badly hurt. Yet his address softened Qi Xiu’s heart greatly. "Why do you look like this? Are you injured? I have some medicine with me. Where are you hurt?" These caring words were genuine and heartfelt. "I’m fine..." He Yu refused to elaborate. "Sigh! How did you end up like this..." Qi Xiu continued to show concern, but the soul-draining pressure from the Nangong family persisted. Qi Xiu realized the Nangong family likely had a skill akin to his own Truth Listening ability. Pondering briefly, Qi Xiu said again, "After this trial, I’d like your help with something." "Okay." He Yu replied with a soft agreement. Was it truly that easy? Overwhelmed with guilt, Qi Xiu pressed, "Come to Meditative Mountain afterwards, you don’t object to that, do you?" Concerned that He Yu might be answering inadvertently due to his injuries, he made sure to confirm. "No objection." He Yu’s response remained succinct but definitive. Qi Xiu felt a deep surge of emotion and resolved firmly to find an opportunity to warn him. As long as He Yu could avoid making mistakes, the Nangong family wouldn’t catch on! It was a huge risk, largely for someone as self-centered as He Yu, yet Qi Xiu felt compelled to help. "Then it's settled?" "Alright." For now, his immediate concern was to evade the Nangong family’s watchful eyes. With a simple farewell to He Yu, who merely nodded slightly in return, it seemed He Yu cared for nothing beyond this trial which promised aid in his Nascent Soul advancement. As Qi Xiu turned to leave, he suddenly recalled a memory of Zhan Yuan, "Master Brother, you're being partial!" His vehement complaints lingered vividly, drawing a wry smile from Qi Xiu. Meanwhile, the Nangong family’s scouts had quietly vanished into the crowd. With He Yu’s matter tentatively resolved, Qi Xiu prepared to rejoin Chu Wuying. Scanning with his All-Seeing Eye again, he spotted him at the center of the great hall, caught and unable to escape from Chu Wen’s hearty embrace, visibly stewing with annoyance. Chu Wen, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator with an eccentric personality, rarely mingled even with Qi Xiu and their familial connections. He didn’t get along well with Chu Shentong, either, often adventuring alone while befriending like-minded people. Right at the moment Qi Xiu was conversing with He Yu, Chu Wen stood amidst the hall’s center, with five or six scholars around him. They formed a small circle, holding wine jugs in their left hands and cups in their right, trading poems with the slower thinkers drinking the whole cup. Except for Chu Wen, the other participants were dressed as scholars. Nobody knew what potent tier of wine they consumed, but after several rounds, they all showed signs of inebriation. In their drunken stupor, they let loose. Some began disrobing, others drinking directly from the jug, their original literary pursuits devolving into singing disheveled odes and jumping around. Surprisingly, their vocal timbers shone, their songs lingering beautifully and occasionally touching upon profound themes, offering slight enlightenment on greater truths. Aside from some rationalists and monks and nuns who kept their distance, most found amusement in the spectacle, either cheering them on or suggesting poems, escalating the chaos, yet maintaining a delightful and liberating atmosphere. This spirit aligned perfectly with the essence of Jixia City, where the cultivators seldom stifled such exuberance, many even joining in. Chu Wen, with an arm around a visibly frustrated Chu Wuying, continued to revel at the center, unfazed by his cousin's exasperation. "He sure lives a carefree life." Qi Xiu couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. His path of cultivation was fraught with storms and intricacies, with no shortage of schemes and bloodshed. Look at them... If there ever came a day when he could live as freely and joyfully as Chu Wen, it would truly be... Unfortunately, he couldn't bring himself to part with his home, the Chu Qin Sect, nor was he the type to let go of everything that easily. "Old Qi, come on over!" Chu Wen, already quite inebriated, sensed Qi Xiu’s presence and warmly beckoned him to join the circle. Chu Wuying, that rascal, shot him a glance filled with encouragement, though his intentions remained unclear. Imagining himself belting out songs and downing fine wine in front of everyone filled Qi Xiu with an immediate sense of embarrassment. He waved them off repeatedly, absolutely unwilling to participate. "A bunch of shameless boors..." Beside him, a Righteous Path scholar from the Tianli Sect muttered under his breath, though his words were quickly drowned out by the crowd's joyous cajoling. On the opposite side of the hall, several nuns from Nalin Temple turned away to recite scriptures with closed eyes. Among them was the beautiful nun Miaoqing, who feigned disinterest but was actually using her sect's secret techniques to enjoy the spectacle. (To be continued...) [Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Add Bookmark] [Next Chapter]