Chapter 538 - 18: Zi Luan’s Reward

The Six Heart Sect.

In the courtyard Dao Field of Heart Inquiry Hall, Zi Luan stood clad in a long-sleeved Blue Daoist Robe. The cuffs and collar were embroidered with grayish-white patterns, clearly distinguishing him from the other disciples of the Six Heart Sect.

He stood formally in the center of the courtyard, holding a Duster, facing Wan Zhi Daoist, who was seated cross-legged on a cattail mat beneath the eaves.

Wan Zhi Daoist’s eyes were closed. Ocher cracks continuously flashed across her neck and cheeks, making her appear to be in poor condition. In truth, however, this was a normal phenomenon for a Fourth Realm Earth Vein Cultivator when communicating with the earth.

"You don’t seem very interested in taking over the Six Heart Sect?"

The voice belonged to Wan Zhi Daoist. She spoke with her eyes—and even her mouth—still closed, as if nothing in this world was worthy of her opening them to see.

Zi Luan cupped his fist in a salute and asked in return, "Is it your wish, Senior, for this junior to take over the Six Heart Sect?"

"If I had my way, I wouldn’t have even returned. There is nothing left for me here. I would find a deserted place on the Eastern Continent and, like other Fourth Realm Cultivators, silently watch the world’s changes unfold as I await the end of my own destiny."

Wan Zhi Daoist’s eyes remained closed. Her tone, devoid of joy or sorrow, continued, "Originally, the position of Sect Leader of the Six Heart Sect was to be passed to your junior martial brother. Unfortunately, he disappeared after the incident in Shangjing City."

"Xiu Yu?"

"You seem to look down on him?"

Zi Luan looked up at Wan Zhi Daoist’s cold face and said, "His current situation is likely quite dire."

Upon hearing this, Wan Zhi Daoist fell silent for a few breaths before opening her eyes to meet Zi Luan’s gaze. She flicked some dust from her robes and said, "Before your master left for Shangjing City, he once said that Xiu Yu would most likely not live to see his destiny..." She paused, then asked, "Was it Changqing’s doing?"

Zi Luan lowered his head, not daring to meet Wan Zhi Daoist’s eyes. After hearing her words, he asked, "Master... did he know everything?"

"You shouldn’t even have to ask that question. To do so is to underestimate a Fourth Realm Taiyan Cultivator."

"..."

Zi Luan was silent for two breaths, then said, "It was Changqing’s plan, and I helped push it along."

Wan Zhi Daoist’s expression didn’t change at his words. She closed her eyes again and said in a low voice, "But it seems your plan has run into some trouble. Otherwise, news would have come back by now, wouldn’t it?"

"It would seem so. But I don’t know the specifics. I haven’t received any news, and neither has Fellow Daoist Changqing."

Zi Luan answered truthfully.

Wan Zhi Daoist did not respond. She seemed to have entered a meditative state, but Zi Luan waited patiently.

After a long while, Wan Zhi Daoist finally spoke. "Since there is a plan, see it through to the end. Otherwise, the Six Heart Sect risks splintering."

"Senior, you have news about this?"

"I am overseeing the Southern Cultivation Realm, but I never interfere in specific matters. Whichever of you from this lineage is first to advance to the Fourth Realm, the Southern Daoist Lineage will belong to them."

Upon hearing this, Zi Luan cupped his fist in a salute but said nothing.

Wan Zhi Daoist’s closed eyelids twitched slightly, as if she were displeased with Zi Luan’s reaction. "Your master’s expectations for you were higher than for Xiu Yu. You faced Shangjing City and meditated for seven years. Have you still not figured it out?"

"Shangjing City is like Hell now!"

"..."

"For your master’s sake, I will give you a reminder. Two slots for the Taiyan Fourth Realm have opened up. For you, this is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. You are the Taiyan Cultivator with the most hope of advancing to the Fourth Realm in the next five hundred years. If you are willing, I can act as your Guardian."

"Thank you, Senior!" Zi Luan maintained his respectful attitude and asked, "What is Master’s condition right now?"

"If you advance to the Fourth Realm, I might be interested in discussing that topic with you."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Zi Luan continued, "At the final moment, Master gave me the composite Array he refined. He told me that if I could completely master this Array, I could replace someone’s Primordial Spirit with my own as they advance to the Fourth Realm. I..."

Wan Zhi Daoist interrupted, "Are you thinking of replacing Changqing?"

Zi Luan fell silent again.

"And you also want to ask what your master gave to Changqing?"

"I beg for Senior’s enlightenment!"

"You. Withdraw."

"Yes!"

Zi Luan cupped his fist in a salute, took two steps back, and then turned decisively to leave.

Just as his aura vanished completely from the area, the phantom of a Nine-tailed Fox appeared beside Wan Zhi Daoist. She immediately opened her eyes, rose, and bowed. "Greetings, Senior."

It was the phantom of the Star Demoness. She gazed in the direction Zi Luan had left, let out a light laugh, and said, "I always thought Xiao Shan was the most humane of them all. I never expected he would end up scheming against his own two Direct Disciples."

Wan Zhi Daoist replied, "He even schemes against himself. What are his two disciples to him?"

The Star Demoness tilted her head, flicked her fluffy tails, and said with narrowed eyes, "Don’t think of yourself as the chess player, or you’ll easily fall into someone else’s trap. Take this Zi Luan, for example..."

"He has cultivated for over a thousand years. Does he not understand that to replace someone’s Primordial Spirit, you must first subdue it? That Changqing’s current cultivation base may be far inferior to his, but by the time Changqing is advancing to the Fourth Realm, Zi Luan’s fantasy of replacing his Primordial Spirit will be just that—a fantasy. He’ll just be throwing his own life away to pave the way for someone else."

"I don’t think he’ll do it!"

"Then we shall wait and see!"

Wan Zhi Daoist raised her eyelids, glanced at the Star Demoness’s elegant figure, and asked, "Dare I ask, Senior, have you already decided on Changqing?"

Hearing this, the Star Demoness’s eyes narrowed into slits. She asked in return, "Why would you ask that?"

"Just out of curiosity!"

"Curiosity?"

"You know this junior has never been interested in these matters. If it weren’t for Fellow Daoist Xiao Shan, I would probably be on some famous mountain in the Eastern Continent, living my carefree days."

Hearing Wan Zhi Daoist’s explanation, the Star Demoness let out a series of laughs like silver bells. Her phantom form grew even more illusory, and just as she was about to vanish completely, she said, "We support whoever is more worthy. If Xiu Yu could turn defeat into victory right now, he too could be the one we support."

"Must the choice be limited to just those three?"

"Of course not!"

The Star Demoness spoke the last three words very softly, and as she finished, her phantom form vanished without a trace.

Wan Zhi Daoist wiped all extraneous expression from her face, her features once again devoid of joy or sorrow. She glanced up at the familiar sky, then sat down cross-legged, her gaze fixed on the courtyard gate through which Zi Luan had departed.

A few breaths later, she once again entered a meditative state.

After leaving the vicinity of the courtyard Dao Field, Zi Luan immediately transformed into a streak of light and returned to his own Dao Field.

His Dao Field was located deep within a bamboo forest upstream from a small creek. A large courtyard house with green bricks and red tiles had been built there, but the lush overgrowth of plants around it gave it a desolate appearance.

This was because the bamboo forest was teeming with mosquitoes and other insects in the summer. So as not to disturb the ecosystem, Zi Luan had chosen not to use Magical Power to drive them away, planting large quantities of mosquito-repelling grass instead.

Dozens of disciples were currently gathered in the front courtyard near the main gate. These were all Zi Luan’s own disciples and grand-disciples. Led by Hongyuan, they bowed in unison as Zi Luan landed. Then, Hongyuan stepped forward to report, "Master, Changqing Zhenren has arrived."