"What do you mean this concerns a top secret of the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect—if this kid can go, why can't I? What, is this kid your illegitimate son?"
In the center of the great hall, Bai Xuanling showed not the slightest hint of fear.
On the contrary, she appeared even more at ease than when she had been in the Tianyan Sect's grand hall.
After all, though she always claimed her sect master's face was worth about as much as a rag, even a rag had its uses. Keeping it around was still somewhat handy.
At the very least, it was convenient for wiping things down.
She fixed Li Moze with an unapologetic stare.
"Besides, you have a track record of bullying the weak—and the one you bullied was precisely this kid. You think you can just open your mouth and have him follow you in alone? That's wishful thinking."
"I'd say hearing the news is fake, but scheming something in private is real."
Bai Xuanling turned without hesitation.
"Let's go, kid. An insincere heart will only invite disaster. Don't get involved with the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect anymore, lest you suffer their hidden schemes."
Chu Xingchen's expression turned slightly innocent as he silently cupped his hands in greeting, then moved to follow in Bai Xuanling's footsteps.
Perhaps the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect meant well, but their goodwill wasn't exactly obvious at the moment.
Besides, when out and about, one had to save face for one's own people.
Xu Jin reacted swiftly.
"Senior Bai, please wait. Brother Chu can go in with my master, and I'm willing to stay here with you."
Bai Xuanling's footsteps halted as she cast a sidelong glance.
Was this an attempt to swap out the hostage?
Bai Xuanling gave a cold snort.
"Don't flatter yourself. I'm willing to treasure this kid, but your master may not feel the same about you. Besides, your life isn't worth as much as his in my eyes."
Chu Xingchen's gaze dropped slightly as he stood obediently behind Bai Xuanling without saying a word.
So this is what it feels like to have a big shot watching your back? Absolutely incredible.
"There's no need for that." Li Moze spoke with a calm expression.
"Let Xu Jin take Chu Xingchen inside. He's a core disciple and the next sect master. I'll stay here with you."
Xu Jin turned to look at his master upon hearing this, but saw only Li Moze give a slight nod. He could only swallow the words he wanted to say.
Bai Xuanling cast a sidelong glance at Chu Xingchen.
Chu Xingchen gave a slight nod, indicating that having only Li Moze there wouldn't be a problem.
Bai Xuanling retrieved a small sword, akin to a dagger, from her spatial ring.
"Take this sword with you. If anything goes wrong, inject a thread of spiritual energy into it. I'll kill him first, then come find you."
Chu Xingchen didn't decline. He reached out, accepted the dagger, and gripped it tightly in his hand.
Li Moze didn't say much in response to Bai Xuanling's threat. He simply remained silently where he stood.
Xu Jin gave a slight bow and gestured for Chu Xingchen to follow him.
Chu Xingchen followed behind Xu Jin, his gaze surveying the surroundings.
Xu Jin didn't take any winding detours to other peaks. Instead, he stayed within the main peak, leading Chu Xingchen directly toward the rear of the grand hall.
Beyond the great hall lay layer upon layer of ritual array verifications.
It was highly likely that Xu Jin had only been here once or twice before. His movements to undo the ritual arrays were extremely clumsy, often requiring a moment's thought.
"If this is a top secret of the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect, why let me know, and without bringing Senior Bai along?"
Chu Xingchen asked as he watched Xu Jin painstakingly undoing the ritual arrays.
"Wouldn't it be the same if I saw it and then told Senior Bai?"
"Once you've seen it, you may not necessarily tell her. And if you do tell her, that would be your choice."
Xu Jin fell silent for a moment before continuing.
"In truth, the one who has always had a choice was never the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect. As I've told you before, the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect has its own mission."
A moment after his words fell, the incredibly thick ritual array energy before them slowly dissipated, opening a narrow path for passage.
However, there seemed to be another layer of illusion-type ritual arrays within—even with the path opened, a glance inside revealed only a sea of golden brilliance.
Xu Jin stepped forward without hesitation.
"I've only been here once before. That was the day I was chosen as a core disciple."
Chu Xingchen hesitated briefly before stepping forward as well.
Surely the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect wasn't planning to self-destruct alongside the Tianyan Sect?
Upon stepping through, a sensation of spatial displacement washed over him. Moments later, the golden brilliance before his eyes instantly faded.
What entered Chu Xingchen's eyes next was not some blessed land, but a somewhat barren stretch of earth.
Further off stood burial mounds, each one seemingly radiating the purest killing intent.
Anyone who didn't know better would think they had stepped into the grave pits of the Evil Spirit Sect.
The sky above was a hazy gray.
An orange, turbid orb floated in midair. Several transparent diamond-shaped crystals, emanating the purest Dao resonance, wound around the turbid orb.
Chu Xingchen couldn't yet determine what the yellow orb was, but he could recognize those diamond-shaped crystal objects.
Those were fragments...
The Xuanqing Heavenly Sect truly deserved its former title as the number one sect under heaven. Its foundational heritage was so profound it left one speechless.
The slight spatial rift torn behind Chu Xingchen slowly dissipated.
Xu Jin's gaze swept across everything before them, then settled calmly upon Chu Xingchen.
"If the world were at peace, you'd be a top-tier heavenly prodigy, free to roam the world wherever you please. That would be what I envy most."
"But unfortunately, you carry a heavenly mandate—the same heavenly mandate as the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect."
"This has nothing to do with whether you're on good terms with the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect or the Tianyan Sect."
Chu Xingchen frowned slightly and did not answer.
Xu Jin's gaze shifted to the turbid orb as he suddenly gave a soft laugh and spoke.
"I imagine you've read the records of the Great Tribulation from back then. The human race gathered the scattered fortune and bore the tribulation—that was the fortune the human race recovered in ancient times."
"Even though it scattered once more after the Great Tribulation, the work of recovering fortune is something the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect has been doing all along."
"Although the fortune remains here, the most the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect can do is safeguard it."
"After the human race successfully endured the tribulation, this fortune had long since transformed into the fortune of the entire human race—not something any single person or sect could monopolize."
"It was the human race that endured the tribulation, so naturally the benefits shouldn't belong to the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect alone."
"Of course, it would be wrong to say it's of no use at all. We borrow this fortune to suppress this place."
"What wraps around the fortune are the Rules. Brother Chu, you must have seen them by now?"
Chu Xingchen withdrew his gaze and looked at Xu Jin.
"Brother Xu, are you saying I'm some chosen one? Planning to hand over the entire Xuanqing Heavenly Sect to me?"
"If that's the case, I suppose I could consider it. Go ahead and call me 'Sect Master'—let me hear how it sounds."
Xu Jin gave a light chuckle.
"I'm afraid that even if we wanted to give it, Brother Chu may not want to accept it."
Chu Xingchen spoke up. "Nephew Xu, what do you mean?"
Xu Jin didn't mind Chu Xingchen's choice of address. After all, taking a verbal advantage was better than being lured to some bizarre place.
He spoke in a calm tone.
"Because of the spirit veins, the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect was the one who started it all. Back then, they were the ones who killed the most and acted the most ruthlessly."
"The vast majority of those buried here were the fiercest killers of that era."
Chu Xingchen's tone also suddenly turned calm.
"Don't tell me you're trying to say that seizing the spirit veins and slaughtering across the Dongsheng Divine Continent was also your mission?"
"Of course it was." Xu Jin answered extremely quickly.
"Before monopolizing the spirit veins, the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect was already the number one sect under heaven. Even without seizing the spirit veins, the resources obtained wouldn't have been much different."
"Why would anyone willingly do something that incurs the wrath of heaven and the resentment of all? Why fight until the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect was nearly torn apart?"
Chu Xingchen's expression remained calm, but his words began to grow sharp.
"Naturally, it was for the eternal mission of the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect."
"What the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect did back then was not a mission."
Xu Jin pointed at the turbid orb and declared sternly.
"It was a heavenly mandate that the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect had no choice but to fulfill!"
[
Dear Readers,
I am currently posting two chapters every day across two active fictions, along with bonus and extra chapters. The workload is steady, and I am putting in the effort to keep the schedule consistent for everyone.
Right now, the financial situation is not great. Patreon support is what keeps this translation work sustainable. If you have been following the stories and want to help, joining a tier makes a direct difference.
Here is what membership offers:
$3 per month
10 chapters in advance for all works
$7 per month
20 chapters in advance for all works
$10 per month
30 chapters in advance for all works. This tier also includes access to character images.
Important note: Subscribing through the Apple App adds an extra 30 percent fee because of Apple and Patreon policy. Subscribe through your browser to avoid the extra charge. Apple also processes payments very late, around 2 to 3 months, which makes it much harder to receive money quickly after you subscribe.
If you can support, it would genuinely help continue the daily releases and early access content. If you cannot, reading and sharing the work is also appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Patreon: patreon.com/Alex_Cruise
]