443 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

**Chapter 443: Capturing a Bird Alive** The fifth trial saw Chu Wuying leave as well. He had let slip something earlier, and under Qi Xiu’s relentless questioning, he couldn’t hold up and had to flee. “That guy is definitely hiding something big from me!” Even Chu Wuying was keeping secrets from him now, leaving Qi Xiu with a feeling akin to the frustration of a parent whose grown child won’t listen. He conveniently forgot the fact that his own cultivation wasn’t yet as advanced as Chu Wuying’s. “You, why do you bother so much with other people’s affairs…” An Siyuan, without ceremony, advised him. Unexpectedly, he was the last one left to keep Qi Xiu company. This peculiar pairing of the ‘current and former leaders of Chu and Qin’ jointly taking the trial was intriguing. One hundred and fifty years ago, Qin Siyuan — as he was known back then — had tossed the leadership token to Qi Xiu, sparking a series of developments, including the eventual southward migration, which had profoundly changed countless lives. The ground of the fifth trial seemed to have been scorched by fire, turning into a kind of semi-ceramic hardened soil, with not a blade of grass growing, a scene of utter desolation. Rusty weapons and armor scattered around, but they were all mere ordinary iron. In the distant horizon, remnants of carriages, fortresses, trenches, and granaries could be seen, accompanied by a blood-red crescent moon, contributing to the scene’s macabre atmosphere. “What is this?” This environment seemed unfamiliar to Qi Xiu, and as he casually reached for a broken sword to examine it closely, it turned to black smoke at his touch and disappeared. “Heh, this is a battlefield relic!” An Siyuan laughed, adopting the mien of someone eager to teach. “A battlefield relic?” Qi Xiu was puzzled. It did resemble one, but wouldn’t cultivators’ battlefields lack such mundane objects? “Yes, it’s a relic of a mortal battlefield,” An Siyuan explained. “The Zhou Academy prohibits mortal wars because they are too bloody and brutal, and mortals often aren't rational, holding grudges over trifles and senselessly killing each other. Thus, such wars are rare here, so it’s normal for you to be unfamiliar.” “You mean mortals, like the cultivators’ battle formations, pit armies against each other in prolonged battles?” Qi Xiu asked curiously. “Exactly, why is that so unimaginable? Cultivators can slaughter fields and cities; mortals can do the same, albeit slower,” An Siyuan replied. Qi Xiu still found it hard to grasp. He had seen small-scale brawls among mortal warriors, but a battle of this scale, involving at least 200,000 mortals, seemed futile. Any Golden Core cultivator could easily descend from the sky and decimate them like plowing a field, rendering their struggles meaningless. “You don’t understand. Some places aren’t like this realm. They might not have cultivators overseeing them or might be realms dominated by demonic or ghostly cultivators, lying in wait to harvest souls from such wars.” An Siyuan waved his folding fan, full of pride at the chance to educate Qi Xiu. “You are too conventional. Back then, when your master told you to do something, you just did it, naïvely unaware of taking shortcuts or being crafty. You’ve become successful, leading a faction, but perhaps you’ve learned to feign compliance with higher-ups. Still, can you truly think beyond all rules and constraints?” “Consider this matter,” he gestured towards the ancient battlefield with his fan. “Why can’t mortals have wars? It’s merely a rule set by the Zhou Academy. Wars among mortals are certainly possible! Just because rules forbid it doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Imagine if this world had no cultivators, or if it was all cultivators, or if it was all demonic cultivators? Ponder these scenarios, and the outcome may be vastly different from what the Zhou Academy teaches you.” “Yes!” Qi Xiu was impressed, feeling enlightened as if receiving a profound revelation. Although experienced in scheming and social manipulation due to his long-standing position, he always felt something was missing. And he realized it was the ability to think beyond all norms, coupled with An Siyuan’s boundless imagination. He had learned rigid techniques from Wei Xuan and Qi Wushuang, which helped in dealing with people like Chai Yi but only allowed him to react step-by-step. After signing treaties with Chai Yi, the latter reneged within a few years. Even when a foolproof treaty was made, chaos erupted in the south of Baishan, providing the stability his opponent needed in the north. To gain an advantage over gigantic entities like the Five Elements Alliance, one must possess this quality of questioning and visualizing everything! “Furthermore…” Seeing Qi Xiu’s enlightened expression, An Siyuan spoke more enthusiastically. Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence, staring blankly ahead as if struck by an inspiration. “This is…” Qi Xiu, observing his state, thought, “Could it be he's having an epiphany?” A wave of envy welled up inside him. “Such talent and fortune...” Not daring to disturb him, Qi Xiu quietly backed away several steps to act as his protector. As the trial progressed, it seemed some participants had been moved to different environments. Encountering others was becoming increasingly rare, but the possibility wasn’t eliminated. Being interrupted during an epiphany would be a great loss. This fellow stood dumbfounded for a while, then began pacing in circles, slowly at first, then picking up speed, his circles becoming larger. “What’s wrong with him?” Qi Xiu was puzzled. Some cultivators indeed had peculiar habits when pondering matters, like Bai Xiaosheng fiddling with a piece of wood, or Mo Jianxin meditating by a cold spring, but they all sought quietude. An Siyuan, however, seemed to need perpetual motion. “Hey!” Not done yet, An Siyuan suddenly shouted out and leapt into the air to one side, then landed on the ground, arms wrapped around something invisible. He continued to roll vigorously on the ground, calling out, “Old Qi, come help, quick!” “Has he lost his mind?” Qi Xiu was utterly confused. “Help me, quick! I caught something!” Still shouting, An Siyuan, whose cultivation had temporarily regressed to mortal levels, was struggling, his grip weak, holding onto air, sweat pouring down his face, turning red with effort. “Caught something?” Qi Xiu became more attentive, sprinting over while closely observing. Indeed, An Siyuan’s exertion didn’t appear merely for show—there was something in that space… “It’s an invisible creature!” Qi Xiu realized, diving forward to pin it down. Sure enough, what An Siyuan had grabbed resembled a bird, its feathers palpable but entirely invisible and soundless, resisting fiercely enough to escape at any moment. With Qi Xiu’s significantly greater physical strength, honed through body refinement, he easily secured a grip on the bird’s slender neck, holding it like an iron clamp, feeling it gradually lose strength and stop resisting. “Could this bird be the opportunity associated with this trial?” The two exchanged glances, their eyes filled with excited speculation, both harboring the same thought. … Elsewhere on the ancient battlefield, far away, Yu He suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed. “What happened?” Alarmed at the sudden change, Xi Yu helped him sit up, scanning the surroundings for any sign of foul play. “Bad news! My Invisible Crane has been captured by Qi Xiu and his group!” As Yu He spoke, his face flushed with embarrassment, unclear whether from injury or shame. “Invisible Crane! How did you bring it in? Didn’t they say it was forbidden in the City of Jixia!?” Xi Yu exclaimed in shock. “Sigh! I wanted to test whether they had anyone capable in Jixia City, to see if they could detect my familiar. Surprisingly, I passed with ease, all the way in. Cough…” “The Chu family threatened me twice before. I suspected they might harm us after the trial, so I sent the Invisible Crane to follow Qi Xiu, but it was discovered by that Qi Yun cultivator with him!” Listening, Xi Yu seemed to deflate, sighing, “Brother! Breaking the rules and getting caught not only gets you expelled from the trial, but brings shame to the sect! Our clan’s Nascent Soul elders already don’t favor us, and with this mess, they might impose severe punishment for the sake of reputation!” “It’s over. This companion beast is extremely rare and grows slowly. Without it, I stand no chance of forming a Nascent Soul!” Yu He looked ashen. “Now the only option is to thicken your skin and ask Qi Xiu for it back…” After pondering briefly, Xi Yu quickly devised a plan. “Qi Xiu isn’t a bad person. Years ago, he helped me conceal a tremendous secret from the Chu family. Given his low standing within them, it was a rare kindness. He was also an orphan and sympathizes with my siblings’ plight. He might grant me this favor, so I’ll go ask him!” (To be continued)