Mei Qing gazed coldly at Lu Zeyou, his face expressionless, saying nothing.
But Lu Zeyou burst into laughter, muttering to himself, “Mei Qing? There’s no such person in this world! You may have fooled everyone else, but not me! Indeed, this body once belonged to me, Lu Zeyou. Now, it can also be Fan Wentai—it’s merely a temporary vessel I borrowed. Once my mission succeeds, I shall become Mei Qing again, while he will remain Lu Zeyou. What do you think?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, “So you mean that when your mission succeeds, you will take over my body, assume the identity of Mei Qing, capture this rogue Lu Zeyou, and then return to the capital in triumph and in full glory?”
Fan Wentai laughed but did not reply. Mei Qing, however, curled his lips and said, “Fan Wentai! Who do you think you are? You were merely a lowly apprentice back then, someone who stole a few tricks and now fancies himself important? Don’t be ridiculous!”
A sudden stillness gripped Fan Wentai’s face, his smile twisting into a grimace. He shrieked, “Zhang Liusun! Don’t think you’re still the leader of the Xuanjiao Sect. Yes, you were the one who took me in as an apprentice, the one who ordered me to refine and create my own doppelgänger, and the one who guided me into the Dao. But you never expected this, did you? I actually cultivated the Plum Blossom Thunder Technique myself and broke free from your control! Haha, four years ago, do you still remember? When you sneaked into the palace to retrieve your lost scriptures, those youths nearly destroyed your very soul. The pitiful state you were in—haha—do you want to know how they found out about your plan to steal the Daoist texts? Hmph, let me tell you—it was me! Fifteen years ago, it was me who plotted against you. And four years ago, it was me who destroyed your physical body! What a pity, I never expected you to be so quick-witted, escaping by destroying your body and hiding inside that inkstone. How was it living inside that stone? Haha…”
As he spoke, Fan Wentai suddenly burst into wild laughter, pounding his chest and stomping his feet, laughing until tears streamed down his face.
“Me?” Mei Qing remained unmoved. “Don’t flatter yourself! If you really knew my whereabouts, why didn’t you come after me directly for revenge? Besides, with only a few useless disciples like these, do you really think you could defeat me?”
Fan Wentai continued laughing, “Believe it or not, it’s up to you. Destroying you would be a minor matter, but watching you struggle under the hands of these useless disciples has been truly delightful. Still, I must admit, I didn’t expect you to escape death and emerge alive from that inkstone. To be honest, when I first joined the Jinyiwei, after I found this new body, I suddenly sensed your presence inside that inkstone—it really startled me.”
He shook his head, “I just don’t understand—since the inkstone was something you only acquired later, and it became one with your physical body, how could your consciousness have returned before that? Don’t tell me you had the foresight to leave a fragment of your soul inside this body beforehand.”
Seeing Mei Qing remain silent, Fan Wentai continued, “It doesn’t matter if you won’t say. Thinking back, the time you claimed to have regained consciousness coincided with your entry into the palace. That must be how it was. To be honest, I have to admire your meticulousness. Despite my repeated attempts to kill you, you somehow survived. But no matter—now it’s my turn to benefit. Master Zhang, let me ask you one question—will you hand over that cauldron?”
“The cauldron?” Mei Qing pondered for a while, then suddenly raised his hand. A small bronze tripod cauldron, about the size of a porcelain bowl, appeared in his palm. Mei Qing gazed at it for a long moment before sighing, “Is this what you mean?”
Fan Wentai’s eyes lit up. He laughed heartily, “So it really is here! Master Zhang, I truly have to admire you. I’ve searched high and low for this cauldron, yet I couldn’t figure out how you managed to hide it. Back then, when I ambushed you at Yumu Cliff, I was certain you didn’t have it on you. When I returned to my sect to search, there was no trace of it. How did you manage to hide it and retrieve it later?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly, “Strictly speaking, as our enmity is a matter of life and death, I really shouldn’t tell you. But I’ve always been generous, so I’ll indulge you.”
He waved his hand, and the cauldron vanished from his palm. Seeing Fan Wentai’s anxious expression, he chuckled, “If you want to know the cauldron’s story, you’ve come to the wrong person. You should seek someone else.”
“Someone else?” Fan Wentai’s face showed confusion. “Who?”
Mei Qing smiled faintly and pointed a finger. “Him.”
Fan Wentai turned his head in the direction Mei Qing pointed, his eyes suddenly widening. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, “So it was him… Master Zhang, you’re not deceiving me, are you?”
Indeed, the person Mei Qing had pointed to was none other than Duan Chaoyong, who was still unconscious nearby.
Mei Qing shook his head. “He’s right here. Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“Fine, I will. If you’re lying to me, just wait until I deal with you later!” Fan Wentai’s expression gradually turned cold.
When Duan Chaoyong slowly regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was Fan Wentai’s half-smiling, half-serious face. Looking at that familiar yet unfamiliar visage, Duan felt his golden elixir tremble and his spiritual energy scatter. He stammered, “Master… it’s really… really you…”
At that moment, a heavy breath was heard nearby—Tao Zhongwen had also awakened. But within moments, he regained his composure, lowering his head in a posture of humility.
“Yes, it’s me,” Fan Wentai sighed. “Neither of you expected this, did you?”
He glanced around, shaking his head, “For cultivators, a dozen years is but a fleeting moment. Yet so much has happened. Returning today, I feel as if everything has changed… Ji Yong, I never expected that among you disciples, it would be you who has come the farthest. Back then, your master misjudged you all!”
Duan Chaoyong panicked, wanting to protest, but he only flushed red, unable to utter a word.
Fan Wentai waved a hand, stopping Duan’s attempt to explain, “What I say is true. If we speak of profound cultivation, you are no match for Yuanjie. If we speak of scheming, you fall short of Zhongwen. Your temperament is inferior to Shuxing, and your talent pales in comparison to the Five Blossoms. But you have three strengths—sharp insight, ruthless action, and swift decisiveness. In these aspects, you surpass them all.”
Seeing Fan Wentai smiling, Duan Chaoyong grew even more terrified, his voice trembling as he stammered, “Mas… ter, it’s not—”
“Not what?” Fan Wentai’s smile vanished, his beard bristling as he roared, “Did I say anything wrong? When I returned to the sect back then, everyone else had already left or gone elsewhere. Only you followed me back. I thought you simply wanted to learn more from me, but it turns out you had your eyes on that cauldron all along!”
Duan’s body went limp, collapsing to the ground in fear. Fan Wentai sighed, his tone suddenly turning gentle, “Ji Yong, in truth, I’ve always known about your actions, and I’m not angry. But relying solely on deceit is not a proper way to conduct oneself. Take your second senior brother, for example—he surpasses you greatly in this regard. Just look at how skillfully he navigates the imperial court, his methods flawless and untraceable. You’re far behind him. Sigh, originally, I introduced you to the emperor to give you some training, hoping you would become a capable assistant to me in the future. What a pity, what a pity!”
“Ahh… Master, you…” Both Duan Chaoyong and Tao Zhongwen stared at Fan Wentai in shock. Duan even blurted out, “So that rogue Guo Xun—was actually you, Master?”
“If it weren’t for me, how could you have been introduced to the emperor?” Fan Wentai’s cheeks twitched, his voice filled with resentment, “How ridiculous! That young emperor actually thought he could discard his bow once the birds were gone. Even me, the one who helped him secure his power, was not spared. If I hadn’t already reached the stage where my soul can freely enter and leave bodies, I might have been in a real predicament.”
Fan Wentai looked at his hands and laughed, “But as they say, misfortune brings blessings. Because I was forced to change bodies again, I suddenly grasped the secret to refining my soul, and my cultivation skyrocketed. In a way, I should thank that emperor after all!”
Both Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong shivered involuntarily, then spoke in unison, “Congratulations, Master, on your cultivation advancement!”
Yet Tao Zhongwen’s voice was like a warm spring breeze, brimming with joy, while Duan Chaoyong’s was dry and devoid of sincerity.
Fan Wentai sighed, sincerely addressing Duan, “See? Even in saying the same words, your second senior brother, though secretly terrified and resentful of my advancement, still expresses his congratulations naturally and effortlessly. But you… sigh, it’s just a matter of talent. I don’t blame you, I don’t blame you at all.”
Then, softening his tone, Fan Wentai continued, “But why dwell on this? Ji Yong, tell me, how exactly did you steal that cauldron back then, and how did it end up back in that boy’s hands? I must say, in the capital, you were always under my watchful eyes, yet I never noticed. That’s quite an impressive feat!”
Duan Chaoyong shuddered, suddenly scrambling to his feet and kowtowing repeatedly, “Master, spare my life! Spare my life!”
“You poor child, do you still think about surviving at a time like this?” Fan Wentai said sorrowfully, “Just tell me the truth, and I promise you a painless death. If you can move me enough, perhaps I’ll even grant you a chance at a peaceful soul release, rather than total annihilation.”
Duan Chaoyong’s face turned deathly pale. He gritted his teeth, suddenly shouting, “Command! Seal the Five Elements—annihilate!”
“Break!” Fan Wentai roared. With a wave of his hand, he seized Duan by the throat, lifted him high, and slammed him onto the ground, “Even now, you dare to end your own life in front of your master? Are you mad?”
Sighing again, shaking his head, Fan Wentai said gently, “Ji Yong, just tell me the truth. We’ve been master and disciple for so many years—you should trust me.”
Duan struggled to rise, feeling completely empty inside, devoid of even a trace of spiritual energy. Looking at Fan Wentai’s sincere expression, his heart turned icy cold. His face showed nothing but despair.
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