Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 748: Composure and Politeness

Seeing his esteemed teacher’s embarrassed expression, Lin Bei, the good disciple of Jade Sword Peak, strode forward in quick steps and let out a hearty laugh, "Heheheh!"

He said with a mischievous grin, "Sea Master, please forgive him. Our sect leader has been trapped and sealed away in solitude for a long time. Now that he’s finally free, it’s only natural that he’d seek the company of a few female attendants..."

Hearing this, the Sea Master chuckled, "Hahaha."

He didn't suspect a thing. Instead, he looked over at Grand Ancestor Fuyou and asked, "Since we are on this topic, Grand Ancestor, do you need any...?"

Grand Ancestor Fuyou, who was standing at the back, quickly waved his hand dismissively and laughed as he said, "I appreciate the concern, but after two thousand years, I no longer have such worldly desires."

Well, isn't that great...

Everyone present gave him a thumbs-up.

It made sense. Abstaining for a dozen years might drive a person crazy, but abstaining for two thousand years? Even if one didn’t become a saint, they’d be close enough to one.

"Everyone, take your seats! Once we’re all gathered, we shall swear the alliance oath!" the Sea Master declared enthusiastically, gesturing for the guests to sit.

However, Grand Ancestor Fuyou said, "I won't be participating in this. Just summon me when it's time to fight."

The old man had no interest in this so-called Alliance of the Evil Factions. He was only here to put an end to Wuchao’s pursuit and resolve the issue once and for all. With that, he turned and headed to the third floor to rest.

Wang Xuanling, Baize, Daoist Yan, and Di Nufeng took their seats.

The three women pulled their hoods back over their heads, likely to keep their faces hidden as they engaged in rather nefarious dealings.

The Sea Master had no objections, having already inspected them.

Chu Liang, Lin Bei, and Xu Ziyang followed suit, taking seats below them.

Looking at the scene before him, Lin Bei whispered to Chu Liang, "Damn, if I didn't know better, I'd think we were in Mount Shu."

Chu Liang nodded. "Agreed."

The Sea Master’s other subordinates were not qualified to sit, so they moved about the hall as attendants and served the guests. With Grand Ancestor Fuyou gone, the Sea Master was now the only outsider among the group of people present.

Even though this was the Ruins of Return Cult, it almost seemed like if anyone should be leaving, it should be the Sea Master.

Shortly after everyone settled in, Chu Liang rose to his feet. "I have some matters to discuss with the Grand Ancestor Fuyou. Please excuse me."

This had been prearranged. He was simply too recognizable. At this point, it was no longer safe for him to remain exposed. If any of the demons or the members of the Celestial Charm Sect spotted him, they would likely attack him on the spot.

If these two factions arrived one after the other, one of them might become suspicious.

By leaving early, it could buy a bit more time.

However, the first one to arrive was not the leader of the Celestial Charm Sect or demons of the Far West.

Before long, an announcement came from outside the door.

"Sect Leader Yuan of the West Sea Diabolical Forces has arrived!"

The Sea Master rose again to greet him, "Oh my, Sect Leader Yuan! I haven't seen you for a long time, and I’ve missed you dearly!"

Immortal Yuan Lu still looked cold, ruthless, and expressionless as usual.

"Sea Master," he said as he cupped his hand in greeting before taking a seat. His gaze swept over Wang Xuanling, and he nodded. "Esteemed Senior Xuan Yinzi."

The West Sea Diabolical Forces and the Dark King Sect had a longstanding enmity. However, they shared a common enemy with Xuan Yinzi, the legitimate leader of the Dark King Sect who had been kicked out of the sect. As a result, they formed an amicable relationship.

"I heard that Lin Poyun of the Dark King Sect, along with several hall masters, suffered a crushing defeat at Mount Shu. It was Chu Liang who wielded the Violet and Azure Twin Swords and forced them to retreat. Was this the doing of the Violet Gold Marquess?" Immortal Yuan Lu asked.

Others might have doubted Chu Liang’s identity as the Violet Gold Marquess, but since Immortal Yuan Lu was one of the earliest to "discover" the truth and he had not seen Chu Liang since the discovery, he had no reason to feel skeptical.

Wang Xuanling chuckled. He had been informed of how to respond beforehand. "If not for my informant within Lin Poyun’s ranks, how else would Mount Shu have been prepared for this?"

"As expected," Immortal Yuan Lu said with a nod. "I’ve been in closed-door cultivation for days, but I came out this time because of the summons. Just tell me what you need me to do."

"Sect Leader Yuan, I have invited you to form this alliance with us to fight against Grand Ancestor Wuchao of the South Sea," the Sea Master said. "I have informed you of all the details in the letter I sent you."

"Mhm." Immortal Yuan Lu replied. "I don’t care who you want me to deal with. I have only one condition—help me kill my sworn enemy. Unless this person is dead, the West Sea Diabolical Forces will never know peace."

"Who?" asked the Sea Master.

Gritting his teeth, Immortal Yuan Lu uttered, "Daoist Yan of Mount Shu!"

Sensing that the situation wouldn’t be as simple as it seemed, one of the black-robed figures sitting opposite raised her head softly.

Meanwhile, another black-robed figure suddenly slammed the table with a loud bang, as if overwhelmed with fury.

"What are you doing?" Wang Xuanling scolded.

The one who had slammed the table was none other than Di Nufeng. Upon hearing that the target was Daoist Yan, her reaction was even more intense than Yan Zi’s.

Hearing Wang Xuanling’s scolding, Di Nufeng quickly realized this wasn’t the time to act rashly. After a brief pause, she raised her voice and declared, "I just remembered something that made me angry... The Violet Gold Marquess still owes me money! I’m going to settle the debt with him!"

With that, she strode upstairs, leaving the room.

Wang Xuanling quickly turned back with an apologetic smile. "My apologies. I failed to discipline her."

...

Gurgle.

Within the Ruins of Return, deep in the ink-black seas, the ancient-looking Grand Ancestor Wuchao stood still, hands clasped behind his back.

Behind him, a thick, jet-black tentacle coiled around a diamond-shaped piece of crystallized crimson coral. Inside the crystallized coral, the faint silhouette of a woman could be seen. The tentacle pulsed with dark light, continuously infusing spiritual qi into the coral.

Gurgle, gurgle.

No one knew how long the infusion of this light went on, but eventually, the figure within the coral opened her eyes.

With a surge of power, the tentacle tightened its grip. A sharp crack echoed through the depths as the crimson coral shattered into countless fragments. The woman’s figure tumbled to the ground, her body trembling weakly. She lifted her gaze and murmured, "Lord Wuchao, was it you who saved me?"

This woman was none other than Madam Hongyu.

"Of course." Grand Ancestor Wuchao looked at her with murky yet kind eyes. "Who struck you down with such force? You nearly died. If I hadn’t kept your lifebound jade, even this last trace of your soul might not have survived."

Madam Hongyu pondered and struggled as she thought back to what had happened. After awhile, she said, "I... don’t know... The attacker was a powerful existence at the eighth realm and I could not even fight back."

"A master of the Heavenly Origin?" Grand Ancestor Wuchao muttered as he closed his eyes.

Madam Hongyu added, "Before that even happened, two seventh-realm existences attacked the Misty Island. Their goal was...to save Grand Ancestor Fuyou!"

"I can take a guess at who’s behind this..." Grand Ancestor Wuchao said slowly. "In the Ruins of Return, there’s only one faction capable of pulling this off. I may be old... but I’m not dead yet. And yet... he already wants to take charge? A little too impatient, don’t you think?"

As Madam Hongyu stared at Grand Ancestor Wuchao, she gradually felt a sense of calmness.

Over the years, more than a few eighth-realm cultivators had sought to wreak havoc in the Ruins of Return. Yet, the moment the seemingly decrepit Grand Ancestor Wuchao intervened, every last one of them was crushed without exception.

He represented the highest authority in the Ruins of Return.

As Grand Ancestor Wuchao’s gaze shifted toward the distant horizon, a dazzling swordlight tore through the air, streaking toward them like a meteor.

Whoosh!

The swordlight tore through the sky at incredible speed, leaving behind a blurred afterimage as it came to an abrupt halt right before them. The moment it touched the ground, the light dissipated, revealing a figure bathed in a faint golden glow.

It was an elderly man, much like Grand Ancestor Wuchao, but unlike him, he carried an air of refined elegance, his features clear and dignified, with eyes that shone with piercing clarity.

"The Dao Master of Tai’a?" Grand Ancestor Wuchao immediately recognized the figure before him. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit to this humble corner of the Ruins of Return? Please, enlighten me."

The man cupped his hands in greeting and replied, "I am Qi Yingxuan. I have long heard of your great name, Grand Ancestor Wuchao. Today, I have come to pay my respects and discuss an important matter."

The figure who had emerged from the swordlight was none other than the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner of the Yu Dynasty, a high-ranking official overseeing the nine provinces.

...

"Old geezer, I heard you were a notorious villain back in the day. Where did you used to roam?" Di Nufeng said as she tilted her head and gave Grand Ancestor Fuyou a scrutinizing glance.

When she went upstairs to look for Chu Liang, she saw him chatting with Grand Ancestor Fuyou and decided to join the conversation.

"Oh no, not at all," Grand Ancestor Fuyou waved his hands hastily. "There is no such thing as ruling. I had my reckless years when I was young, but I swore a long time ago to put all that behind me."

"I was asking you where you used to roam. What bullshit are you saying?" Di Nufeng said as she furrowed her brows. "They say the older one gets in the martial world, the more their courage fades. Looks like you’ve just about lost yours completely."

"Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right, young lady." Grand Ancestor Fuyou nodded again and again. "I truly lack the boldness of my youth. But if you’re asking where I once roamed, I’ll tell you the truth. I was born in the Ruins of Return and have never set foot outside of it."

"Seriously? All that rambling just to say that?" Di Nufeng snapped. "Could’ve just gotten straight to the point."

"Yes, yes, I was wrong." Grand Ancestor Fuyou admitted quickly. "If I’ve wasted your time, I really don’t know how to make up for it... How about I kneel and give you a proper bow?"

Chu Liang muttered inwardly, Good lord.

He stepped in at once, stopping Grand Ancestor Fuyou before he could kneel and shouting, "Hey, hey—whoa!"

He then leaned over to Di Nufeng and muttered, "The old guy’s finally abandoning the evil ways and being righteous. Let’s not bully him."

The interaction between Di Nufeng and Grand Ancestor Fuyou felt like the ultimate showdown of composure and politeness. If this conversation dragged on any longer, he was genuinely worried that Grand Ancestor Fuyou would be pushed to the brink and transform back into a devil out of sheer frustration. Even the kindest soul had their limits!

As he was thinking this, a voice from downstairs suddenly announced, "The Celestial Master of the Celestial Charm Sect has arrived!"