Dahuang lay on the ground, his eyes half-closed, occasionally flicking his tail. Monkey Xiaohui perched on his bed, bright eyes fixed on Zhang Xiaofan, whose face was pale and haggard. Zhang Xiaofan glared at him, irritably saying, “What are you looking at?”
Xiaohui, naturally, could not speak human language, but he chattered twice, his monkey face showing no concern for his master’s injury, but rather a sense of mischief.
Zhang Xiaofan felt a twinge of anger, impatiently shooing, “Go, go, get out of here!”
Footsteps sounded, and before the visitor entered, Zhang Xiaofan recognized them, smiling, “Sixth Senior Brother, why are you bringing food so early today…”
His voice abruptly stopped as he saw the short, stout figure of Tian Buyi slowly walking into the room.
Zhang Xiaofan was startled. In recent days, Su Ru had only allowed him to rest, and the other senior brothers, including Tian Ling’er, had visited him only once. The rest of the time, Du Bishu had brought him meals. He never expected Tian Buyi to suddenly appear.
He froze on the bed for a moment, then scrambled up, about to kowtow, but Tian Buyi, with a heavy heart and a face that shifted between stern and troubled, waved his hand, saying, “Never mind.”
Zhang Xiaofan replied, standing to one side, watching Tian Buyi sit at the table, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Tian Buyi glanced at his apprentice. From his reaction, it was clear that this young disciple was far from being a prodigy, and seemed rather ordinary. But still…
Tian Buyi shook his head, sighed, and said, “Lao Qi, come and sit down!”
Zhang Xiaofan was surprised again. Tian Buyi had never been kind to him, and this sudden change in demeanor made him doubt his own ears.
Tian Buyi waited, but seeing Zhang Xiaofan’s bewildered look, he grew angry, snapping, “Do I need to invite you to sit down?”
This scolding, full of authority, brought back the familiar sense of his master’s sternness, and Zhang Xiaofan immediately sat down.
Tian Buyi, seeing his reaction, hesitated, then smiled bitterly, shaking his head. “How are you feeling?”
Zhang Xiaofan respectfully replied, “Master, since returning from the Tongtian Peak, thanks to your and Madam’s treatment, and the care of my fellow disciples, I am almost fully recovered.”
Tian Buyi looked at him, coolly stating, “More than a month has passed since the Seven Pulse Martial Contest. It seems you are well enough. I have a few questions for you now.”
Zhang Xiaofan’s heart sank, sensing that the moment he had feared was finally upon him. But all he could say was, “Yes, Master, please proceed.”
Tian Buyi slowly asked, “Where did that black rod come from?”
Zhang Xiaofan’s heart skipped a beat, and he involuntarily looked at Tian Buyi, who was staring back. Though his face remained calm, his piercing gaze was intimidating.
In that moment, a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, but he could not find the words. Tian Buyi’s face darkened, and he sternly commanded, “Speak!”
Spurred by his master’s urgency, Zhang Xiaofan’s forehead broke into a sweat. He knew that the bizarre fusion of the Blood-Sucking Pearl and the black rod in the hidden valley years ago was too strange, and the rod’s ability to absorb blood and its sinister power were things he knew would not be tolerated by the righteous path. If Tian Buyi found out the truth, the consequences would be dire.
Moreover, deep in his heart, there was a secret he could never reveal, especially after learning that the monk Puzhi was one of the Four Great Monks of Tiantan Temple, and thinking of the incantation he had taught him…
In that instant, he resolved never to mention Puzhi or anything related to him.
Tian Buyi stared at him.
Under the intense gaze, Zhang Xiaofan stood, then knelt again.
“Master!”
Tian Buyi’s brows furrowed, and he coldly ordered, “Speak.”
Zhang Xiaofan lowered his head, slowly recounting, “That black rod… several years ago, when I went to the hidden valley in the back mountain with my senior sister, I found it by chance.”
Tian Buyi was slightly taken aback, remembering that two years ago, Tian Ling’er had fainted in that valley. Su Ru had investigated but found nothing unusual, and he himself had also seen it. This mystery had been forgotten over time, but now it seemed the black rod was the cause.
But how could such a malevolent object, uncontrolled, make Tian Ling’er faint? How could Zhang Xiaofan have used it?
Tian Buyi’s doubts only grew, and he pressed, “How did you get it?”
Zhang Xiaofan, not daring to look up, was at a loss for words. Seeing his hesitation, Tian Buyi roared, “Speak!”
Startled, Zhang Xiaofan, drenched in sweat, finally told the story, though he left out the part about the Blood-Sucking Pearl. He claimed that in the valley, he picked up the rod out of curiosity, and it absorbed some of his blood, making him feel nauseous and then faint.
Before passing out, he vaguely saw the rod absorbing his blood into itself.
After he finished, he dared not look up, and Tian Buyi, frowning, pondered deeply. It was clear the boy was not lying, and such an extraordinary artifact could not be fabricated. But this strange treasure was unlike anything he had ever heard of, except perhaps the ancient demonic “Blood-Sucking Pearl.”
But clearly, this black rod was different.
Tian Buyi stood up, pacing the room, lost in thought. Finally, he turned to Zhang Xiaofan, “Get up.”
Zhang Xiaofan stood, still bowing his head.
“But even so, the artifact is connected to your blood, a blood-forged item…”
Zhang Xiaofan, surprised, asked, “Master, what is a blood-forged item?”
Tian Buyi, irritated, replied, “Never mind, just listen to me.”
Zhang Xiaofan lowered his head, whispering, “Yes.”
Tian Buyi looked at him, saying, “Even if that black rod is a rare treasure, you must at least reach the Fourth Layer of the Jade Clear Realm in Taiji Xuanqing Dao to use it…”
Zhang Xiaofan’s face paled.
Tian Buyi continued, “On the Tongtian Peak, I asked you, and I ask again now: Who secretly taught you the incantation?”
Zhang Xiaofan trembled, knowing he was in deep trouble. If his secret study of the incantation was discovered, the punishment would be unimaginable.
Yet, in that moment, he thought of Tian Ling’er: the gentle figure guiding him through the mountains, the soft smile under the lamp during a rainy night, and the laughter and running on Dazhufeng. Even the faint fragrance of her presence in his memory was so clear.
Every detail, rising to his mind!
He knelt again, banging his head on the ground, but said nothing.
He lay prostrate, unmoving, his recovering body showing a hint of strength, yet tinged with sorrow.
Tian Buyi watched him, then sighed, “Get up! Follow me to the Tongtian Peak. Whether you return alive depends on your fate.”
In the ethereal mists of the Azure Ethereal Vapors, the immortal aura wafted, everything serene and peaceful like a dreamland.
Jade Clear Hall, Tongtian Peak, Qingyun Mountain.
The chief masters of the seven sects of the Azure Ethereal Conclave gathered, their gazes fixed on the kneeling youth.
Daoxuan True Man, looking at Zhang Xiaofan, recalled the two children rescued five years ago. Time had flown, and they had grown into adults.
Sighing inwardly, he turned to the others, “What do you think of what Zhang Xiaofan has said?”
Silence, then Cang Song’s voice cut in, decisively, “This boy’s words cannot be trusted.”
Zhang Xiaofan, trembling, did not raise his head.
Daoxuan True Man frowned, “Why are you so certain, Cang Song Junior Brother?”
Cang Song, glancing at Zhang Xiaofan, said, “The blood-forging method is dark and evil. Without the guidance of a demon cultist, how could he possess such knowledge and power to create such an artifact? Therefore, he must be a spy of the Demon Cult, and we cannot spare his life.”
Cang Song, responsible for the Azure Ethereal Conclave’s punishments, spoke with authority, and Zhang Xiaofan, hearing this, felt the blood drain from his face, struggling to breathe.
No one spoke, but Tian Buyi, with a stern face, said, “If he truly intended to infiltrate our Azure Ethereal Conclave, why would he deliberately display the artifact in public?”
Cang Song snorted, “Demon cultists are unpredictable and treacherous. Strange actions are not unusual for them.”
Tian Buyi, furious, retorted, “Is this not a weak argument, twisting logic?”
Cang Song, coldly, “Weak argument? Is the blood-forging method known to us righteous ones?”
Tian Buyi, speechless and red-faced, showed that he was clearly on his apprentice’s side. At this awkward moment, an icy voice, unmistakably Shizun Meister Water Moon, interrupted, “Cang Song Senior Brother, if you insist the blood-forging method is dark and evil, explain exactly how it is so.”
Cang Song, pausing, reluctantly said, “Demon magic, need I say more?”
Water Moon, icily, “So, Cang Song Senior Brother, you know nothing about the blood-forging method. How can you condemn this youth for it?”
Cang Song, glaring at Water Moon, said, “Oh, Water Moon Junior Sister, what do you mean?”
Water Moon, calmly, “Elder Brothers, first, we know little about the blood-forging method. Second, this youth, sixteen years old, with a clear background, is unlikely to be a demon cultist. It would be unjust to punish him.”
Cang Song, eyes narrowing, said, “Why are you defending him so vehemently today, Water Moon Junior Sister?”
Water Moon, a flash of anger, “I am speaking facts, unlike some who fear talented disciples from other branches threatening their status, using minor infractions to eliminate them, showing no humanity!”
No one could match Water Moon’s sharp tongue, and Cang Song, fuming, rose to his feet.
Daoxuan True Man, interceding, “Enough, enough. Sit down, everyone.”
Cang Song, deferring to the Chief, sat down, while Water Moon, unperturbed, sat straight in her chair.
Daoxuan True Man, shaking his head, turned to the others, “What do you think?”
The other chiefs, silent for a moment, began to speak. Zeng Shuchang, Chief of Fenghuifeng, first, “Master, Water Moon Junior Sister speaks wisely. This youth, with a clean background, likely obtained the artifact by chance, which is fortunate for our Azure Ethereal Conclave.”
Daoxuan True Man, nodding, looked at Tianyun of Luoxiafeng, who, glancing at Cang Song, said, “I agree with Cang Song Senior Brother.”
Cang Song, gaining an ally, nodded to Tianyun.
Finally, only Shang Zhengliang of Chaoyangfeng remained. Looking at Tian Buyi and the others, and then at Cang Song and Tianyun, he said, “I agree with Water Moon Junior Sister.”
Tian Buyi, relieved, but Cang Song, disgruntled, as Daoxuan True Man nodded, “Everyone has spoken. I will not mince words.” Turning to Zhang Xiaofan, still kneeling, “Xiaofan, get up.”
Zhang Xiaofan, startled, looked at the elders, slowly standing.
Daoxuan True Man, studying him, said, “I believe Zhang Xiaofan is not of the Demon Cult. The black rod, though ominous, is not as overtly malevolent as past artifacts we’ve seen.”
Cang Song, interrupting, “Master, demon cultists are dangerous. Better to err on the side of caution and not let any escape!”
Daoxuan True Man, his face darkening, snapped, “Cang Song Junior Brother, do you know what you are saying?”
Cang Song, realizing his mistake, lowered his head.
Daoxuan True Man, sternly, “Cang Song Junior Brother, you have overseen our discipline for over two centuries, and I admire your fairness. But in recent years, I see your ruthlessness and bloodlust increasing. This worries me greatly.”
Cang Song, humbly, “Yes, Master.”
Daoxuan True Man, firmly, “To kill without error is the way of demons. We, of the Azure Ethereal Conclave, must be just and upright. If we must err, let it be in letting someone go, not in taking an innocent life. Cang Song Junior Brother, you must delve deeper into the Dao and understand its true meaning.”
Cang Song, raising a single palm, said, “Thank you, Master. I have learned.”
Daoxuan True Man, his expression softening, said, “You understand.” Turning to the others, “Let me decide.”
All agreed, “Master, you decide.”
Daoxuan True Man, nodding to Zhang Xiaofan, said, “Did you hear that?”
Zhang Xiaofan, moved, quickly, “Yes, thank you, all the Elders,” turning to Tian Buyi, his voice choked, “Thank you, Master.”
Tian Buyi, waving a hand, remained silent.
Daoxuan True Man, picking up the black rod, handed it to Zhang Xiaofan, smiling, “This is yours. Keep it.”
Zhang Xiaofan, holding it, felt the familiar, chilling energy surge through him, a joy he could not express.
He bowed deeply, “Thank you, Master.”
Daoxuan True Man, smiling, clapped three times. A Taoist attendant entered, and after a brief instruction, brought in three people.
Zhang Xiaofan recognized them. Qihao and Zeng Shushu walked in, Zeng Shushu, sneaking a silly face at Zhang Xiaofan. The last, a beautiful, cold woman, was Lu Xueqi of the Bamboo Peak.
Together with Zhang Xiaofan, these four were the top disciples of the recent Seven Pulse Martial Contest.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage