Episode 169

When cultivators cultivate, life is actually pretty boring. The idea that cultivators go on massacres for no reason, experience strange encounters continuously, are constantly surrounded by beautiful women, and get to marry more than one woman comes from pathetic ordinary humans who project their disgusting and feeble fantasies on the cultivators. These ordinary humans want such things for themselves, and they decide that cultivators should be like this or should be like that.

Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

“We’re almost there.” Gu Suihan glanced down at the completely dead and empty capital city of Fenglin with a faint flicker in his eye.

“Damn it! Qingming, where in the world are you hiding? How could you do something so inhumane? Aren’t you afraid that karma would turn around and bite you?” Zhou Lingfeng had a nasty look in his eyes, and his facial muscles were as tense as a piece of steel as he gnashed his teeth and looked down at the rubble below.

He was a person who still relied on this world to survive, after all. So, when he saw how part of his world had been destroyed so ruthlessly by someone from a different world, he couldn’t help but feel enraged.

This world was like a house, while cultivators were tenants living in the house. Ordinary folks were the livestock they depended on for survival. The sudden and unwelcome arrival of You Hantian and You Hanyun back then had made them angry, but these two men were like officials sent by the government, so no matter how angry they were, they dared not go against the government.

More importantly, even though the two of them were extremely powerful and domineering, they did not go overboard and maintained a cordial relationship with the people of this world. Moreover, they had to depend on You Hantian to maintain the seal over the Devil Abyss. They dared not offend You Hantian.

The news about Qingming had broken the peace they had enjoyed over the past centuries. All sorts of contradictions and crises kept popping up. At the same time, those unpredictable factions hiding in dark corners began to bare their teeth and claws.

“Qingming…” Zhou Lingfeng muttered through clenched teeth. His eyebrows were like a pair of swords, and his gaze was as murderous as a sword that had been taken out from its sheath.

Sects like the Youthful Clarity Sect, Falling Star Sect, War Demon Sect, and so on were already just barely surviving and getting by in this sad and tiny world. Many rules have been ignored over time.

Falling Star Sect, for example. The sect leader was an elderly cultivator who looked more like an old farmer, but the person making all the decisions was actually a beautiful and charming woman. That was why the old man was the one who came for the meeting between the sect leaders, but the one who actually agreed to do anything was the woman.

As for Vast Sky Sect, their sect leader was indeed Li Yunjian, but the sect had also hired some wandering cultivators as retainers. These wandering cultivators were equal to him in terms of the authority they had and the level of cultivation they were at, except that Li Yunjian was a disciple who grew up and trained within the sect. This had brought the Vast Sky Sect’s powers down significantly, and there was even an idiot who insisted on changing the name to the Vastness Sect. Li Yunjian had to apologize humbly to the other sects and placate them with many valuable treasures.

So, while the seven major sects of this world seemed to be united and were fighting for their own sects, the inside of the sect was actually a complete mess and rife with infighting.

The Youthful Clarity Sect was a little better since Zhou Lingfeng could make the decision on everything. The other sects were nowhere like his.

“I will hunt you down and kill you!” The murderous look in Zhou Lingfeng’s eyes intensified even as they moved further and further away from the ruined city.

“We’re here,” Zhou Lingfeng finally announced after several days of flying. His lips curled into a frosty smile when he saw the giant stone monument ahead.

“It’s been a long time,” thought Gu Suihan as he quietly looked at the familiar monument on the mountain. The complex and terrifying sword will covering the monument was still impressive, but he was no longer that lost and hesitant young man he used to be.

“Everyone, please come with me.” A deacon waiting for them in front of the monument bowed and showed the way respectfully when he saw the flying item in the air that exuded such a thick layer of sword will around it and moved at such high speeds.

You Hantian did not make an appearance. Or rather, since he was so confident of winning, he didn’t have to.

Behaving like this only made You Hanyun, and the rest feel even less confident.

“All of you, stay here and cultivate,” Zhou Lingfeng instructed his disciples before disappearing instantly, leaving nothing but an afterimage behind.

The other sects had also arrived shortly after the Youthful Clarity Sect, so Zhou Lingfeng was going to meet with the other sect leaders to discuss some matters.

After Zhou Lingfeng left, Gu Suihan quietly followed Yan Hua into one of the rooms. “Go back to what you used to look like. From now onwards, we will exchange identities. You shall be Gu Suihan, and I shall become Hua Ling.”

“Y-yes, sir.” Yan Hua shuddered and felt even more fearful inside. He had no idea what Gu Suihan was trying to do, but he knew that anything Gu Suihan did was sure to cause a commotion of sorts.

“Don’t worry so much. After this, we will have nothing to do with each other. You shall become the top senior of the Youthful Clarity Sect, the rising star, and the unbelievably talented Gu Suihan.”

Gu Suihan’s clothing slowly began to change, while his figure became more and more curvaceous. His already feminine and flawless facial features softened even more, and he soon looked identical to Hua Ling, or perhaps, an even prettier version of her.

Meanwhile, Yan Hua had transformed to look like how Gu Suihan used to look.

Gu Suihan’s cheeks were pinkish, and his cherry-colored lips parted as he spoke in a bright, melodious and mildly seductive manner, which made Yan Hua’s heart shudder even more fearfully, “From now onwards, make sure you don’t do anything to give yourself away. Your future is now in your own hands.”

Gu Suihan then sashayed away in silence.

“The puppets…won’t be able to hold up for long.” There was an indifferent look in Gu Suihan’s eyes as he turned back to look at the room he had just walked out of. A mesmerizing smile spread across his face.

“It’s time for you two to make yourselves useful!” Gu Suihan sat in his room and stared at the tiny formation compass on the table. Two tiny lifelike figurines stood in the middle of it.

The figurines looked uncannily like Taohua and Lihua.

“Remote Soul Controlling Spell!” He made a hand seal with both hands and thrust several mysterious runes out that silently flew into the two figurines.

One second later, he looked like he was dead. His breathing became shallower and shallower and eventually stopped altogether. At the same time, the two figurines started to exhibit signs of life.

Back in Gu Suihan’s residence in the Youthful Clarity Sect.

The two maids who were laughing and teasing each other suddenly paled, and their bodies stiffened, as though they had been hit by lightning. In that instant, Taohua seemed to have changed completely. Her eyes flickered and gave off a frosty look.

“Let’s go!” She led a woodened Lihua out of the residence, moving as quickly, lightly, and silently as a butterfly.

“Who’s there?” shouted two bored-looking guards at the entrance to the Swordsmith Court when they spotted Taohua and Lihua walking toward them.

“Our young master has instructed us to collect the spiritual weapon that he asked Elder Yan to make for him.” Gu Suihan controlled Taohua’s actions remotely, making her smile prettily and speak in a shy and sweet voice. Her gentle movements looked so naturally graceful, and her stern little face immediately enchanted the two guards.

“Now, now, don’t look so upset. Who is your young master?” One of the guards flipped his hair back and stood in a pose that he thought made him look cool as he stared infatuatedly at Taohua.

“Gu Suihan.”

“Oh…” The faces of both guards suddenly stiffened. They laughed awkwardly and quickly let the two maids go in without even daring to look up.

The two maids got into the Swordsmith Court very easily. After the disciple stationed on the first floor heard that Elder Yan had gone into seclusion, he had no choice but to lead the two maids to the storeroom himself.

After Zhou Lingfeng had left, everyone let their guard down again. They moved around lazily and were completely unmotivated to do anything. Everything moved extra slowly.

And because there was a lack of funds recently, everyone felt even more unmotivated than before. It was very evident in this place. The Swordsmith Court was supposed to have three elders sitting inside every day, but none of them had turned up today. Only one disciple had appeared for duty on the first floor.

This was also partly because the major sects lived in harmony with each other here. There wasn’t much to fight for in this tiny place anyway, so there wasn’t much stealing or attempts to take over another sect to speak of.

All these inter-sect exchanges, competitions and so on were just formality to them.

“Miss, the weapon your young master asked for…” Before the young man could finish speaking, he clutched his neck as blood flowed out of his mouth and convulsed violently as he collapsed onto the floor.

“Hurry up!” Gu Suihan got Lihua to cast aside the dagger filled with blood she was holding, then take away the token in the dead disciple’s hand. They carefully closed the door behind them, then ran downstairs and used that token to open the tiny door and went in.