444 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

### Chapter 444: A Sudden Change in the Trial Under the blood-red moonlight, which cast a rosy glow upon the faces of the people, four men sat on the ground in the shadows of some dilapidated ruins, forming a square. "So, Chu Qin Qi Xiu is willing to return the 'Invisible Crane' to the Beast Mastery Sect's Jade Crane, with both parties agreeing to have no further entanglements in the future." "Qi Xiu promises that Chu Qin and the southern Chu family, as well as the Qi Yun Chu family, will not seek revenge against Jade Crane and Xi Yu in the future. In return, Jade Crane and Xi Yu promise not to trouble the two Chu families." "This location does not permit a soul contract to be formed, so after making a verbal agreement, everyone must ensure they do not go back on their word." Upon An Siyuan's words, the other three nodded in unison. "Let's seal it with a handshake then!" An Siyuan extended his right hand, and the other three followed suit, solidifying the agreement and putting an end to all past grievances. "Can you really speak for the Chu family?" Xi Yu, still uneasy, questioned Qi Xiu. With Chu Hongshang and Chu Shentong, the two Nascent Soul cultivators, now mostly following his lead, particularly because they knew they were in the wrong, Qi Xiu confidently assured him, "And your twin sister?" He reminded Xi Yu, hoping to avert any conflict with the Chu family for Xi Jing, who was at the Pei family. "She forcefully formed her Gold Core a while ago and passed away." Xi Yu answered mournfully. "She really has... sigh. My condolences..." "My condolences..." Qi Xiu and An Siyuan offered a few words of comfort, to which Xi Yu waved his hand as if to thank them. "And now... let's leave... Thank you, thank you." With the matter settled, Jade Crane rose to leave. He had scarcely spoken throughout, only uttering an awkward thanks before departing. As a cultivator at the peak of the Gold Core stage, participating in the trial was of a different standing than Qi Xiu and the others, and his pride was evident—thus, he had Xi Yu handle reclaiming the 'Invisible Crane.' "Consider it a personal favor I owe you. I will repay it in the future," he called back from a short distance. "Brother Jade Crane, you are too kind..." Qi Xiu bowed in respect. Jade Crane and Xi Yu reciprocated the gesture and walked away. The invisible crane, already released by An Siyuan, surely followed them. "Jade Crane is braver than most, daring to bring his beast companion into the trial land." Watching them leave, An Siyuan commented. Even Jade Crane was enigmatic; in this place where everyone's powers were nullified, for him to detect the invisible crane suggested he still retained some hidden techniques. Qi Xiu had no interest in probing such personal secrets. Fortunately, once inside, the invisible crane turned into an ordinary bird. Otherwise, it could have easily slaughtered the trial cultivators who'd lost their cultivation. Of course, Jade Crane was not that kind of person. Having the 'Invisible Crane' fall into his hands was merely a coincidental 'blessing.' As someone involved in the baby theft, Qi Xiu's priority was to eradicate all loose ends. In this matter, he valued Xi Yu's stance more than Jade Crane's. Thus, when Xi Yu approached him, he readily agreed. Getting an assurance from these twins to let bygones be bygones was a satisfactory resolution to past mistakes. It's regrettable that Chu Xi Jing has already passed. "However, I recognize that invisible crane; others might too. It would be wise for them to withdraw voluntarily. If such a large-scale rule violation surfaced, it would cause quite a stir." An Siyuan's rationale made sense, but Qi Xiu, having witnessed Lecuan's arrogance, knew that dealing with the Beast Mastery Sect's inherent haughtiness was unnecessary. "It doesn't concern us, then." The two resumed their journey, exploring and reflecting upon the battlefield relics. Sadly, victory was not theirs. The winner, someone familiar, was the Ming Yang Mountain cultivator, Wang Hu Xi, with whom they had a minor conflict earlier. Surrounded by those more powerful, Qi Xiu was growing numb from the continuous blows to his self-esteem. The environment of the sixth stage was a damp, dark cave. Upon awakening, Qi Xiu found An Siyuan missing. Apparently, they had been separated by the trial's illusion. Now, truly alone. Though An Siyuan was talkative and often scattered in thought, he proved to be decent company, and Qi Xiu found himself unaccustomed to the silence. Thus, he started exploring the cave on his own. With no one to converse with, he could focus his attention and outlook on his surroundings or delve into his inner world, fostering a more perceptive nature. Half a day later, he stumbled upon an underground cold spring, its surface lightly veiled in mist. Ice-cold, but just as his hand reached to scoop the water, the droplets disappeared upon touch. "It somewhat resembles the cold spring beneath Black River Peak..." He murmured to himself. Indeed, the setting somewhat mirrored the area around the Black River Peak cold spring, but most underground cold springs shared a similar appearance. If this place were a real environment, the cold spring's level would surely surpass Black River Peak's. Realizing he was overthinking, he sat down by the spring, organizing reflections from these trial days. "And albeit I’m now a mere mortal, even if I regain all my cultivation, I fear I would still be unable to differentiate it." Reflecting on the nature of the trial participants, Qi Xiu noticed that as trials progressed, encounters with fellow cultivators became increasingly rare. Heard tales suggested being transported to different illusions along the way. So, did the environment per participant vary or was it entirely random? A question not initially pondered by Qi Xiu, but upon confronting this cold spring, his thoughts drifted back to the depths of Black River Peak, spurring the suspicion, ‘Was this intentional or just a coincidence?’ Days passed in meditative reflection without yield; the absence of a day-night cycle underground kept time ambiguous. Perhaps to lessen the difficulty, glowing stalactite minerals dotted the cave walls. "Opportunities, insights—for trial grounds, it lacks the depth of the pseudo-Six Paths I once struggled with. Within the pseudo-Six Paths' human realm, it presented a lively, vivid picture of urban life, significantly aiding my mindset. Here, however, it is but cold, unchanging nature. Overexerting my thoughts yields no revelation!" Growing exasperated, acknowledging the absence of opportunities, he resolved to continue onward, seeking elsewhere. Unbeknownst to him, nearly a month had passed since he had stayed here. "If no one achieves victory here, will we be left searching aimlessly for all eternity?" A sudden, absurd thought crossed his mind, then dismissed as nonsensical. This was a trial, not the cursed pseudo-Six Paths. The underground was vast, with many interconnected caverns, and as Qi Xiu roamed, faint human voices reached his ears. The trial thus far had people mostly acting solo; rare were the gatherings, even if casually encountered, a brief exchange would suffice before each parted ways. As participants were assigned to different illusions, fortuitous meetings dwindled further. Yet the voices carried a tint of commotion, suggesting a considerable congregation of cultivators. Curiosity piqued, he hastened to observe. There, within an expansive chamber, was a group of about ten cultivators, animatedly conversing in urgent, slightly irate tones around some object. "Weren't we to have essay trials? How did someone meet with misfortune!" "Indeed! Unexpected dangers abound here, while we're but mortals, utterly powerless to handle it!" "Contact the officials in charge at Jixia City immediately! We are Golden Core cultivators, holding certain standings in our clans. I’m not looking to die inexplicably like this Ming Yang Mountain cultivator here!" "And it might even be due to some nefarious skill!" Amidst their heated exchanges, none noticed Qi Xiu's arrival. "Someone’s dead?" Startled, Qi Xiu pushed forward, and through the crowd, he glimpsed the body at their center—a cultivator in the blue scholarly robes of Ming Yang Mountain, collapsed face-down, a small wound at the back of his head. A fellow cultivator squatted to turn the body. "Wang Hu Xi!" As Qi Xiu recognized the face, he gasped in shock—the deceased was none other than Wang Hu Xi! A small blood hole punctured the back of his head, extending through the skull to create a large opening at the forehead, devoid of blood, as if the brain had vanished entirely. (To be continued)