Who Brought Him into the Cultivation World?

The two cultivators spoke of their suffering in intermittent fragments, never once looking up to see the listener’s expression.

According to them, their senior brother had assigned their junior brother to a position in Dongyi City, fearing that Huangfu Liang might struggle in his initial role as Guardian, and thus sent the two of them to assist for a period.

Originally, everything was going smoothly waiting for Huangfu Liang to adjust before returning to the Sect, until they encountered an unscrupulous cultivator who uttered wild words and behaved disgracefully.

Unable to tolerate it, they retorted with a few words, leading to a verbal altercation between the parties.

”This is my fault, as a disciple of Langya Mountain, I did not act with enough prudence.”

The older of the two disciples knelt on the ground, suddenly bursting into grief.

”But it shouldn’t have been dealt with so harshly, crippling my junior brother’s entire cultivation.”

After speaking, he wept bitterly, holding the half-dead junior brother wailing incessantly.

”I just couldn’t bear his boastful words, saying all in the Divine Gaze Realm are mere ants, so as a disciple, I argued against it.”

The crippled cultivator choked out the words.

Xu Langgong’s face was already incredibly grim, while beside him, Elder Luo was so enraged that his chest heaved.

Assigning disciples by the sect’s senior brother wasn’t anything significant, and this was something Elder Luo had agreed to back at the Inspectorate, so there was no fault.

Sending two junior brothers to assist was also correct, showing the Sect’s care.

The verbal conflict had faults on both sides, but the other party’s vicious methods were indeed wrong.

Therefore... if it weren’t for the Inspectorate’s letter, Langya Mountain would surely have sent out disciples to seek justice.

If the conflict escalated and resulted in more significant casualties, even if the truth emerged in the end, it would be meaningless; at such a stage, for Langya Mountain to save face, it would be irrelevant who was right or wrong.

This is why Xu Langgong thought deeply, realizing that just a disciple’s misconduct could have such an impact on a Sect. What if there were more such individuals?

Then! How far could Langya Mountain really go?

”Perhaps, in the future, following Piaomiao City’s lead should be considered, with character first and aptitude second.”

Xu Langgong sighed deeply with feeling.

Elder Luo’s entire face turned an extreme shade of red, not without reason! The forceful and avaricious senior brother was his direct disciple, and those two scoundrels besmirching their peers were also disciples from his lineage.

”Haha! All the face I, Luo Changqing, have struggled to earn in half a lifetime has been entirely thrown away by you three brothers.”

Elder Luo laughed, yet it was more of a grimace.

The two kneeling on the ground looked up just as a piece of paper fluttered lightly to land before them.

Upon closer inspection, their faces immediately turned pale, ashen as they collapsed to the ground like mud.

How... how could it be possible, not only were their deeds listed one by one in detail, but also the senior brother’s clever theft of the Dragon Blood Stone was revealed.

This...

They no longer dared to defend themselves, nor did they dare to lie.

Elder Luo slowly stood up, coldly watching the two disciples, suddenly striking the elder cultivator’s shoulder with swift as lightning force.

A surge of powerful spiritual power flushed through the meridians, causing him to cry out in anguish, then the spiritual power reached the location of the Divine Spring, stirring it furiously, causing it to turn violently unstable.

He incredulously looked up at his master, he was crippled... as well.

”Such vile persecution of peers deserves severe punishment, but...”

Human hearts are made of flesh, to truly be ruthless enough to kill his own apprentice, he genuinely couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Elder Luo sat back down in dejection, waving his hand.

”From this moment on, leave Langya Mountain!”

The two now-useless cultivators left supporting each other, as if mourning the death of a close relative.

Elder Luo summoned another disciple, speaking in a grave tone.

”Bring your senior brother here.”

The cultivator looked somewhat hesitant, ”Elder, senior brother is in seclusion, do you really want to call him?”

Elder Luo’s expression was unpleasant, thinking that Qin Ziming must be impatiently undergoing seclusion to break through after obtaining the stone, further fueling his anger.

”I told you to go, so go, tell him, don’t talk about seclusion, even if he’s experiencing a Qi Deviation, he needs to come here.”

Upon hearing these words, the cultivator trembled like a cicada in winter before quickly retreating...

Langya Mountain has two peaks, the main and the secondary; the main peak, besides being the location of the Sect, is also the residence of the Sect Leader and Elders.

The secondary peak is where the disciples reside and also where they cultivate, the peak has a Nine-Layered Tower built atop it, which disciples call the Seclusion Tower, protected on the outside with arrays to prohibit all noise, and equipped inside with talismans to ensure the safety of the disciples.

Whenever a cultivator of great enlightenment from the Sect needs to undergo long-term seclusion, it is here that they must come.

The disciple sent to deliver the message ascended straight to the ninth floor from the base of the tower and then stood stationed outside a particular door.

After knocking lightly a few times to no response, he resorted to knocking a few more times with some force.

Only then did he finally receive a response.

”Who dares disturb my seclusion, do you not know who I am?”

Qin Ziming’s scolding voice called out from inside.

”Senior brother, Elder Luo and the Sect Leader ask you to come at once.”

After a long silence, the voice that came seemed somewhat hesitant.

”I am in seclusion. Please, junior brother, pass the message for me.”

The cultivator sighed helplessly and replied, ”Elder Luo asked me to tell you, even if you are in seclusion or experiencing Qi deviation, you have to go immediately.”

A moment later, a rustling sound came from inside, and soon the door opened, revealing a dignified face. Qin Ziming saw the cultivator and was surprised, couldn’t help but speak, ”Is it you?”

This guy is none other than Huangfu Liang’s fellow disciple, named Li Qingquan. Like Huangfu Liang, he was always just a low-ranking disciple, with little presence in the sect, so he tried to curry favor with me.

It was this guy who suggested the idea of seizing the Dragon Blood Stone for me.

”Has something happened?”

Qin Ziming was no fool; otherwise, he wouldn’t be the senior brother. The fact that both his master and the Sect Leader summoned him could only mean one thing: something happened.

Yet he had been meticulous in covering his tracks, leaving no errors or flaws.

Huangfu Liang had even been trapped in Dongyi City by people Qin Ziming sent; there shouldn’t be any mistakes.

”Wait a moment.”

Qin Ziming turned back into the room in the tower, and shortly after, came out holding a blood-red stone.

Now that things had reached this point, given his status as senior brother, even if something happened, at worst he could forgo the magical treasure and compensate the other party, at the most receiving a minor punishment, thanks to his master’s presence.

”Does senior brother plan to tell the truth?”

Seeing Qin Ziming turning to leave the tower, Li Qingquan called out with a hint of a smile in his eyes.

”Do you have any better ideas?”

Qin Ziming paused and turned to look at him.

”This is a dead end...”

Li Qingquan shook his head, sighed, and recounted the recent events, especially how two disciples had been crippled, attributing Han Yu’s actions to Luo Changqing.

Finishing, he shook his head and said, ”The elder and the Sect Leader are furious. If you go, returning the stone might not save you from having your cultivation crippled.”

Qin Ziming’s face turned pale instantly. To have his cultivation crippled was unbearable for him.

He had climbed up from the bottom to become the senior brother of one of the Nine Sects; only he knew the hardships involved.

And now, to take back the stone and then have his cultivation crippled was out of the question!

To lose both cultivation and the stone if he went, and if he didn’t...

Thinking this, a thought struck him: if he escaped to a remote place and took the time to break into the Realm of Transcendence with the stone, wouldn’t that be better?

By then, if the sect sought him, he would have become a Transcendent Realm cultivator, and although he couldn’t contend with the entire sect, he would at least have the power of self-preservation!

”Senior brother, you should escape!”

At this moment, Li Qingquan suddenly urged.

This directly resolved Qin Ziming’s indecision. A resolute expression overtook his face as he cupped his fists toward Li Qingquan.

”Thank you for informing me, junior brother.”

Saying this, he turned and hurried down the stairs without looking back.

”To escape without taking me, truly a heartless person.”

Li Qingquan watched the retreating figure with a cold smile, then followed after him.

The matter hadn’t escalated; as Qin Ziming exited the Seclusion Tower, passing cultivators still nodded greetings, and he left without hindrance.

”Senior brother!”

A sudden shout startled Qin Ziming. He turned to find it was the pursuing Li Qingquan and quickly pulled him aside to speak quietly.

”Why did you follow, junior brother?”

Li Qingquan feigned a bitter smile, ”Senior brother, have you forgotten? I was involved, and I also provided intelligence. If I don’t run, I’ll also die!”

The logic was sound, but Qin Ziming didn’t want a burden with him. Fortunately, Li Qingquan was sensible, softly pleading, ”Senior brother, just escort me past the sect’s boundary.”

This was within Qin Ziming’s tolerance, so he nodded and led him straight out of the sect.

Their path was unhindered, and they fled by air a hundred miles away.

At this point, Qin Ziming no longer wanted to be burdened. Having left the sect, he was already a fugitive, and self-preservation was difficult, let alone with a burden.

He only wanted to find a secluded place with plenty of time to attempt a breakthrough.

What mattered that he was the senior brother of Langya Mountain? What compared to real strength?

”Thank you, junior brother. Let us part ways here. When I have achieved my cultivation, I will surely repay you greatly.”

Qin Ziming said this, offering polite words with cupped hands.

Li Qingquan suddenly straightened up, throwing off his timid demeanor, and with a carefree smile, returned the gesture.

”Thank you, senior brother. Today, I’ll borrow your head. Once I become White Impermanence, during Qingming, the wine will flow unending at your grave.”

His words made Qin Ziming’s expression change instantly. To his fear, a striking figure suddenly appeared from the sky, adorned with dazzling silver ornaments, then unfurled a banner...