Firmament Sword

”I...” The youth started to say something through gritted teeth, but he quickly caught himself. Trembling, he stammered, ”I... I accidentally... fell off a cliff!”

”Oh, my. How could you be so careless? A grown man like you? You’ve reached the Saint Realm, and you still managed to fall off a cliff?” Xu Luo asked, looking at the handsome youth with a face full of mock surprise.

”Yeah... I was admiring the scenery... and I got... too damn absorbed in it!”

The youth gritted his teeth, his face ashen. He knew clearly in his heart. ’No matter how I get my revenge later, today’s defeat... is total and complete.’

”And what about these lackeys of yours?” Xu Luo asked with a grin.

”They... of course, were trying to save me, so they all fell off the cliff. They’re a bunch of loyal servants!” The intense pain wracking the youth’s body, coupled with a sense of shame he had never felt before, made him wish he could just faint on the spot.

”That makes sense. A bunch of loyal servants. They really deserve a reward!” Xu Luo deliberately emphasized the last two words.

The youth trembled again and burst out cursing, ”Loyal servants, my ass! Letting me get hurt this badly? They deserve to be killed! When I get back... I’ll punish them all severely!”

”Well... you come from a powerful background, so who knows what will happen when you get back?” Xu Luo stood there, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he murmured, ”Actually, when you think about it, only the dead... can’t lie.”

”Don’t... Don’t kill me, I beg you! I can swear it, I’ll never even think about revenge! I swear!” Though he was cursing wildly in his heart, his hatred churning like a stormy sea, the youth’s face wore a pitiful, wronged expression.

”I was truly led astray! It was all these damn scoundrels! If they hadn’t egged me on, why would I have done something so stupid?” The youth shifted all the blame directly onto his men.

Over on the side, Sun Xiaohong was genuinely afraid Xu Luo might kill the youth. While Celestial Brilliance didn’t forbid infighting among disciples, it strictly prohibited the murder of fellow sect members.

That was a capital crime!

Xu Luo smiled. ”Get lost, and don’t let me see you again. When you get back, you can certainly tell the truth. I don’t mind. But if you do, the next time I see you, I’ll take your life!”

In the handsome youth’s eyes, Xu Luo now seemed more terrifying than the most fearsome demon in the world. How could he possibly have the courage to object?

”Rest assured, sir... I just accidentally fell off a cliff.” The handsome youth promised, still trembling.

”Suit yourself. But you’d best help me spread the word: the Medicine Garden has plenty of cliffs. Remind your friends that the next time they visit the Medicine Garden... they should watch their step so they don’t fall again.”

Xu Luo spoke nonchalantly, adding, ”You were lucky this time you didn’t die from the fall. If anyone else comes here, I can’t guarantee they’ll be so fortunate.”

”Yes, I’ll be sure to remember!” The handsome youth had finally regained a sliver of strength. He took out an Elixir and swallowed it, then slowly struggled to his feet, grimacing from the pain wracking his body. With a sullen expression, he went and revived his attendants.

Aside from the youth who had initiated the attack and had both his hands crushed by Xu Luo and Sun Xiaohong, the others had only fainted and were not seriously injured.

Xu Luo had, after all, shown considerable restraint.

The youth then produced a warship from his robes. It was the size of his palm. Tossing it into the air, he watched it instantly expand. He and his terrified subordinates, who looked as if their world was ending, quickly boarded.

Without daring to utter a single threatening word, they took off, the warship vanishing from Xu Luo’s sight in a flash.

Afterward, Sun Xiaohong revived the rest of the people. Then, she and Xu Luo carried the middle-aged Servant, Wei Dong, back from the front courtyard.

Wei Dong was so moved he was speechless, tears streaming down his face. He had never imagined that he would one day be helped by an Inner Sect Disciple. He swore in his heart to spend the rest of his life repaying the young master.

The others were not seriously injured either and would be back on their feet after a few days’ rest. Like Wei Dong, they were all weeping, deeply moved.

Finally, Xu Luo and Sun Xiaohong returned to the trashed reception hall.

Sun Xiaohong did some simple tidying up before turning to Xu Luo with an apologetic look. ”I’m sorry, Young Master. We’ve caused you trouble.”

”They came for me. I’m the one who dragged all of you into this,” Xu Luo said with a wry smile. ”It’s just... I have no quarrel or history with them. How did they even find me?”

”They must have asked around,” Sun Xiaohong said, her tone laced with worry. ”The other party has an extremely powerful background, so... Young Master, it would be best if you informed Grand Elder Yuwen about this.”

”Oh? What kind of background? Tell me about it.” Xu Luo didn’t seem too concerned.

’To be attacked at my own doorstep without any prior grievance, to have my people injured and be humiliated in every way possible... who gives a damn about their background?’ If Xu Luo could let this slide, then the sliver of prestige he had just established as the Senior Brother of the Medicine Garden would be utterly obliterated!

Moreover, from this day forward, the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden... would become a giant joke!

Even if the Sect Leader personally acknowledged him as the Medicine King and affirmed his status, he still wouldn’t be able to hold his head high in Celestial Brilliance!

’If I can’t even protect my own people, if I get bullied and don’t dare to fight back, what’s the point of having any status or position?’

”The youth’s name is Jin Xian. He himself isn’t the frightening part. What’s frightening... is his older brother. His brother is Jin Ming, the true senior disciple of Celestial Brilliance! The Sect Leader’s Direct Disciple!”

Sun Xiaohong looked at Xu Luo, her face etched with worry. ”Jin Ming was just at the Medicine Garden a few days ago. He took a large quantity of Elixirs, saying he’d discovered some ancient ruins and was going to explore them. We don’t know when he’ll return. When he does, if he hears that his younger brother was wronged, I’m afraid he won’t let it go.”

Xu Luo laughed. ”The great senior disciple of Celestial Brilliance... surely he’s not that petty?”

Sun Xiaohong replied, ”People say Jin Ming is very composed, and there are no rumors of him ever being harsh with his fellow sect members. But Jin Xian is his brother, after all. It would be best for you to be careful, Young Master.”

Xu Luo nodded. ”Don’t worry, I understand.”

...

...

Meanwhile, after being thrashed by Xu Luo, his cheeks swollen like a pig’s head, the handsome youth Jin Xian had been forced to bite the bullet and claim he’d fallen off a cliff. The indignity was almost too much to bear!

Once they had left the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden, Jin Xian flew into a rage aboard the warship. Using his uninjured hand, he slapped his attendants until their faces were as black and blue as his own swollen head. Only then did he feel a little better.

He was still shouting abuse. ”Useless! You’re all a bunch of useless trash! All you ever do is swagger around, but when it really matters, you’re completely worthless! Why do I even keep you idiots around?”

The attendants were already injured, and now they had been slapped around by Jin Xian. It would be a lie to say they didn’t feel wronged.

But facing their furious master and seeing his pig-like swollen face, they didn’t dare show any of their grievances. Instead, they all knelt on the floor, begging for mercy and trying to calm him.

”Young Master... it’s not that we’re incompetent. It’s that this Senior Brother of the Medicine Garden is just too vicious... A few of us may not be in the Saint Realm, but we’re Half-Saints, and we were utterly powerless to resist him.”

”Yes, Young Master! Who could have guessed that a piece of trash who got in through connections would have such terrifying combat power?”

”Young Master, we all wanted to risk our lives to protect you... but... but we truly couldn’t!”

The men wailed, desperately trying to prove their loyalty.

They were, after all, servants who had been with him for a long time. Jin Xian knew that even he, a cultivator in the Saint Realm, had been completely overpowered, so he couldn’t expect much from these underlings.

But knowing that was one thing; he still needed to vent his anger. If he remained silent, wouldn’t that just prove he had been scared witless by that Luo Tian?

”Young Master, we should tell the Eldest Young Master about this... Let him get revenge for you!”

”Yes, Young Master! As long as the Eldest Young Master makes a move, ten Luo Tians wouldn’t be a match for him!”

”That Luo Tian is an outrageous bully! We came to visit in good faith, and he just attacked us... We have to tell the Eldest Young Master!”

One after another, the attendants chimed in, trying to incite the youth to report the matter to his brother—the famously powerful senior disciple of Celestial Brilliance, Jin Ming!

For a moment, the youth looked tempted. But then he shook his head and said, ”I can’t tell my big brother!”

”Why not?”

”Young Master... when have we ever taken a loss like this lying down?”

The attendants stared at Jin Xian, completely baffled.

Jin Xian touched his swollen face, grimacing. ”Have you forgotten? He forbade me from using his name to stir up trouble. He’s already lectured me about it many times. If he finds out about this, I’m afraid his punishment will be even worse!”

”Er... but this is different, Young Master! This time, you were the one who was grievously wronged. I can’t believe the Eldest Young Master would stand idly by!”

”Of course he wouldn’t stand idly by. If he knew, he would definitely come looking for trouble with Luo Tian. But after he finished dealing with Luo Tian... I’d be next!” A dark look clouded the young Jin Xian’s eyes as he spoke coldly. ”Besides, while I may look down on the people of the Medicine Garden, they are still part of Celestial Brilliance. If we really anger Yuwen Ji, that old geezer is not to be trifled with!”

”Then what should we do? Are we just supposed to swallow this insult?” a subordinate asked resentfully.

Jin Xian said coldly, ”Swallow it? Hell no! I’ve never suffered a loss like this in my entire life! Just because I’m not telling my brother doesn’t mean I can’t find someone else. Don’t worry, that man’s life... is mine!”

”Young Master, you don’t mean...” These attendants had been Jin Xian’s confidants for many years and knew a great deal about his affairs.

Jin Xian nodded, his expression cold. He murmured, ”He made me suffer a loss this great. How could I possibly let him off? Even if he hides in the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden for his entire life, I will not spare him!”

”And speaking of which... that person... has quite a history with this Luo Tian.”

A vicious light glinted in Jin Xian’s eyes as he sneered, ”All I have to do is tell him that this Luo Tian... is the one who used that Nether Flower Seed to get his spot in the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden. What do you think... will he be interested?”

”Brilliant, Young Master!”

”How clever, Young Master!”

”Young Master, you’re incredible!”

”Once he’s targeted by the leader of the Four Great Assassins... we’ll see how that Luo Tian plans to stay alive!”