Spirit Realm

Two days later.

Ye Yangqiu and Gao Yu had returned to Nebula Pavilion. There were also Xiong Ba from Crimson Flame Association and Na Nuo from Water Moon Sect who had returned from the Arctic Mountain Range.

Tu Mo and Liu Yuntao’s handover ceremony could only proceed after Ye Yangqiu had returned, and then be completed all of the Elders present.

Once the ceremony had completed, Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian would leave the next morning with Tu Mo and begin cultivating at Dark Asura Hall.

Morning.

Tu Ze came to Qin Lie’s home and told him, “Qin Lie, today my brother will handover the position to Liu Yuntao and we’ll be departing tomorrow. Tonight, we’ll gather once more as brothers and go to the hottest place in Icestone City, Drunken Fragrance Garden. We may not be able to see each other often in the future, so let’s drink until we’re all drunk.”

“You should be careful. It will be best if you can depart to Commerce Street tomorrow, and you should try avoid returning to Nebula Pavilion as much as possible in the future,” Zhuo Qian said.

Qin Lie nodded and said, “I’ll see you at night.”

……

Inside the Ling Family courtyard.

A cool figure walked inside and frowned slightly at the lifeless Ling Family clansmen inside the courtyard. “Who is the one managing the affairs of the Ling Family.”

“I am.” Ling Chengzhi walked in with a dispirited look. The moment he saw the newcomer, his expression abruptly changed into shock as he exclaimed, “Miss Lu Li?”

The one who came was exactly Liu Jiuyu’s top student in Dark Fiend Valley, Lu Li. She once visited Ling Town which was why Ling Chengzhi remembered her clearly.

“Miss Lu!” The Ling Family clansmen closed in from all sides as they cried out in terrible sadness, “May Miss Lu take charge of the Ling Family!”

“Miss Lu, my big brother and many Ling Family clansmen have been killed by the scheme of Nebula Pavilion’s Liu Yuntao and Du Haitian. Please seek justice for the Ling Family, Miss Lu!” Ling Chengzhi knelt one knee on the ground straight away while full of tears as he yelled, “May Miss Lu take charge of the Ling Family!”

Ling Feng had also knelt down on one knee and looked earnestly at Lu Li. He hoped that she could help take revenge for Ling Ying, Ling Xin, and Ling Xiao.

“I can’t help you.” Lu Li’s expression was indifferent and she was completely untouched by their pleas. “Dark Fiend Valley has no bearing over the matters of Nebula Pavilion. Also, I am not my master and thus cannot put pressure onto Liu Yuntao or Du Haitian. Moreover, even if my master was here, I am afraid she cannot take revenge for you.”

“Why?!” Ling Chengzhi’s eyes was completely red.

“Dark Asura Hall’s First Hall Master, Yuan Tianya, is in Nebula Pavilion right now. Even my master can’t do anything with him protecting Liu Yuntao and the others.” Lu Li stared at the crowd of kneeling Ling Family clansmen and pondered for a moment before coolly saying, “For the sake of my junior sisters, I am here to inform you to leave Icestone City with me tomorrow morning. In addition, it is best if we leave quietly without causing too much of a commotion.”

“Ling Family is Nebula Pavilion’s vassal force. If we leave silently, wouldn’t there be trouble?” someone asked.

“If the Ling Family continues to stay in Icestone City, they will be exterminated very quickly.” Lu Li frowned. “As for negotiating with Nebula Pavilion. We of Dark Fiend Valley will come forward and reconcile with them. You do not need to worry.”

She could not be bothered any longer and said, “I will wait for you at the gates tomorrow. If you come, then we’ll go. If you don’t, then whatever. I will not wait for long.”

Once finished, she turned around, ignored Ling Chengzhi’s questions, and coolly left.

After that, she headed to Nebula Pavilion.

Two hours later, she had arrived at Qin Lie’s small house. This was the second time she had seen Qin Lie.

“Before I came, Junior Sister Ling had told me to look for you and see how you’re doing.” Within Qin Lie’s simple little house, Lu Li saw him holding a spirit tablet as if inscribing something. Her face was cold and there was not a trace of emotion in her eyes. “It has only been a bit over a year, and you’ve actually ascended straight into the Natal Opening Realm from the eighth level of the Refinement Realm.”

After a pause, she said with look of disdain, “Looks like you’ve benefited quite a bit from Junior Sister Ling.”

—Naturally, she had thought that Qin Lie’s current accomplishment was thanks to the pills and prescriptions Ling Yushi had snuck him.

Qin Lie scowled and withdrew the spirit tablet in his hands. He then said impatiently, “If you have no business, then please leave. I am busy and have no time to spare you.”

“Back at Ling Town you had even rejected my Natal Ordering Pill. At the time I had thought you were quite the tough man.” Lu Li laughed coldly while shaking her head. “As it turns out it was all fake after all. In the end, haven’t you ascended by relying on Junior Sister Ling’s stashed pills, and the prescriptions and spirit materials of Dark Fiend Valley?”

Qin Lie was too lazy to explain. He coldly asked, “You came here to spout nonsense?”

“Liu Yuntao and Du Haitian are about to kill the Ling Family’s Patriarch and clansmen. But it looks like you feel nothing at all?” Lu Li looked at him deeply. “Should I praise you for your rationale, or should I say that you’re a coward? I heard that you’ve fought together with Ling Xin and the others before. Are you telling me that their deaths did not affect you at all?”

“Enough!” Qin Lie abrupt stood up with a terribly dark expression. He looked like he was about to murder someone.

With the same cold face Lu Li scoffed. “I was invited by Nebula Pavilion to witness Liu Yuntao’s take over the position of Pavilion Master of Nebula Pavilion. It’s just that I happened along the way to take a look at you for Junior Sister Ling.”

Once she finished, she shook her head and left behind some final words, “You disappoint me greatly.” With that, she left.

Qin Lie sucked in a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He would not be affected by Lu Li’s words, and he did not want to think about Liu Yuntao and Du Haitian’s complacence today.

He took out the Spirit Storage Board, focused his mind, and injected spirit energy inside it.

For the past two days, he had stopped cultivating temporarily after testing the might of the Terminator Profound Bomb. Instead, the moment his spirit energy was fully recharged, he would pour it into his Spirit Storage Board.

Today, he had stored quite a large amount of spirit energy inside the amplified Spirit Storage Board.

—One that he could absorb and use anytime he wanted to.

“Qin Lie.” The black robed, dark and cold Gao Yu suddenly appeared outside the door.

“When did you come back?” Qin Lie had no choice but to stop once again. He lifted his head to look at Gao Yu and said, “You look pretty well. You must have accumulated quite a lot of contribution points at the Arctic Mountain Range, right?”

“I now have four thousand contribution points.” Gao Yu nodded and said, “In fact, I’ve broken through to the Natal Opening Realm.”

“Congratulations.” Qin Lie congratulated sincerely.

“Compared to you I’m still a step behind.” Gao Yu sat down on his accord after he came in. After some pondering, he said darkly, “During that year at Celestial Wolf Mountain, both you and the Ling Family clansmen had stared at me with disgust. Was it because you’ve heard some bad rumors about me?”

Qin Lie was surprised. He didn’t understand why Gao Yu had suddenly brought up this matter. “Yeah, I heard people said that your behavior is twisted and perverted, and that you’ve tortured and killed several girls?”

“Just one.” Incredibly, Gao Yu actually nodded and admitted his crime. Just as Qin Lie grew more and more confused, Gao Yu said with a dark expression, “That bitch deserved it!”

Qin Lie frowned and waited for Gao Yu’s explanation.

“That bitch was originally my elder sister’s servant. After my elder sister had entered Nebula Pavilion, she was left inside Gao Family. She was the love of my life. I’ve given all my elder sister’s and second elder sister’s spirit pills to her, and I dedicated myself wholeheartedly to her, hoping that one day we can enter Nebula Pavilion together.”

“But the truth was she had actually hooked up with my father to ask for cultivation spirit materials when I went out to hone myself. What an amazing method! For two whole years she had me and my father dancing in the palm of her hand, making us willingly contribute our spirit stones and spirit pills to her.”

“Just before she was about to break through to the Natal Opening Realm, I accidentally found out about the thing between her and my father.”

“She is the woman I loved the most, and she is the only woman I’ll ever have. But still, I murdered her with my own hands. Again and again, I stabbed her until I watched her slowly gasp her last breath.”

Gao Yu narrated calmly. A trace of tenderness actually appeared in his eyes as if he was reliving the past.

“Why did you suddenly talk to me about this?” Qin Lie frowned. “I’ve interacted with you for a long time; naturally I would know what kind of person you are. You do not have to go out of your way to explain anything.”

“You are the only… friend I have. I do not wish for you to die while still bearing a misunderstanding about me.” Gao Yu stood up and said with a heavy voice, “You better not do anything stupid. Otherwise, as the newly appointed Discipline Hall’s hall master, I will not sit by idly.”

“Congratulations on becoming the new hall master under Elder Ye’s command.” Qin Lie nodded his head and asked, “What kind of stupid thing would I possibly do?”

“You know it inside your heart.” Gao Yu said coldly, “You and I have fought no less than thirty times in the combat room. In battle, no matter how miniscule, I observe your every move, and I know what every one of your abnormal moves mean. I know you better than those Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian people, and I know what kind of person you truly are…”

When Qin Lie’s expression changed slightly, Gao Yu exclaimed in a soft tone, “I don’t know what your plan is, but I do know that you want to kill someone. And I probably know who that someone is too. But you had better give up on the idea, or you will die and no one will be able to help you. As your… friend, I am here simply to remind you of this.”

Once finished, Gao Yu turned around and left.

Qin Lie frowned and did not say anything. A few seconds later, he resumed his efforts to inject spirit energy into the Spirit Storage Board.

……

On that day, witnessed by Dark Asura Hall’s First Hall Master, Yuan Tianya, Crimson Flame Association, Water Moon Sect, and many other organizations, Tu Mo officially handed over his position as Nebula Pavilion’s Pavilion Master in front of every elder and hall master.

Liu Yuntao, Du Haitian, and Wei Xing were filled with complete satisfaction. They smiled from ear to ear and all appeared to be incredibly spirited.

The hall masters and members under their command were also in high spirits, and everywhere in the pavilion, people were cheerfully chatting with much laughter.

On the other hand, Kang Hui and Han Qingrui’s subordinates all appeared desolate and gloomy.

Those under Chu Yan had even his themselves inside their houses, cried for Elder Chu Yan, and licked their own wounds.

On the same night, Liu Yuntao accompanied Yuan Tianya at Nebula Pavilion to wait for Shattered Ice Manor’s Yan Wenyan. They were going to meet and speak a few private words.

For many years, Shattered Ice Manor’s Manor Lord, Yan Wenya, had not come to Nebula Pavilion. Now, thanks to Liu Yuntao replacing the Tu Family as Pavilion Master and Yuan Tianya’s arrival, he had personally rushed down from North City to accompany Yuan Tianya with Liu Yuntao.

Liu Yuntao could not walk away, so he let Du Haitian and Wei Xing book the entire Drunken Fragrance Garden to set up a feast to welcome the people from Crimson Flame Association and Water Moon Sect.

Today was the day Liu Yuntao’s forces had officially risen. It was the great day they had taken over Nebula Pavilion. Everyone was celebrating.

Drunken Fragrance Garden was already overcrowded around evening. Crimson Flame Association’s Elder, Ge Hong, and Xiong Ba; Water Moon Sect’s Elder, Luo Wei, and Na Nuo; and Seven Fiends Valley’s Lu Li and Li Zhongzheng had all arrived at this lively affair in Icestone City. They toasted each other and enjoyed a great time inside.

Tonight, Du Haitian was without a doubt the true lead of the show.

“Come come come! Let’s have another cup!” In front of the drinking table, his face was red as he laughed while lifting a cup.

“Congratulations Vice Pavilion Master Du.”

“Congratulations Vice Pavilion Master Du!”