Chapter 518: Subtle, Subtle—Seek Not the Lord

Chapter 518: Subtle, Subtle—Seek Not the Lord

Half a day later, in a bamboo forest.

Xie Danran stared at the person before him, his face etched with disbelief.

“Why? Why?”

He could not understand. He had answered perfectly, his disguise was flawless, so why had the Lady still sent someone to kill him?

If this had happened in the past, with his status, he wouldn’t have feared the Lady in the slightest.

But now, after the Lady had saved Jining Prefecture, her decision to kill him was nothing more than a whimsical exercise of her newfound power.

And he had no way to resist.

“The Lady said... you didn’t deny being a murderer, a robber, or a villain...” said the black-robed elder solemnly, holding a trembling artifact in his hand.

Xie Danran’s face froze in utter confusion. “But! She! Didn’t! Even! Ask!”

How could he deny something he hadn’t been accused of? Xie Danran’s face was filled with unwillingness and frustration.

But it was no use. His body slackened, collapsing lifelessly on the ground.

The black-robed elder glanced down at him before disappearing into the bamboo forest.

About fifteen minutes later, an old man appeared, a steamed bun clamped between his teeth.

Looking at the corpse on the ground, he casually poured a liquid from a vial onto it.

Sizzle.

Xie Danran’s body dissolved into a puddle of water, leaving no bones or traces behind.

“Following the young master’s instructions, this guy won’t even have the chance to turn into a specter.”

Chen Kangbao’s face broke into a mischievous grin as he disappeared into the bamboo grove.



At the Heavenly Sect’s stronghold.

Zhou Xun’s face was dark as a stormcloud, but he quickly bowed toward Wang Qingyi, who was standing not far away.

“Days ago, Danran offended Lingxuan. On his behalf, I offer my apologies.”

Moments ago, he had received the news of his disciple’s death.

Now that Xie Danran had died at the hands of Lady Jiang Yunxi, Zhou Xun was furious—but there was nothing he could do.

First, Jiang Yunxi had slain the Water Sovereign, carrying the momentum of great public favor.

Second, the latest information revealed that the Water Sovereign had been deeply entangled with the Heavenly Sect, and that Wei Kun, the “Sorrowful Wind,” had perished as a result. The Heavenly Sect held no moral high ground in the matter.

Third, Wei Kun’s death was a severe loss for the Heavenly Sect.

Since Xie Danran was already dead, Zhou Xun decided to apologize in his disciple’s stead, hoping this would prevent the Shen family from retaliating against Xie Danran’s surviving relatives for his earlier actions.

This was the only thing he, as a master, could do for his disciple now.

“Hmph,” Wang Qingyi snorted coldly. “The guilty will always meet their end.”

Zhou Xun’s expression grew awkward, and he quickly changed the topic. “The artifact knife that Lady Yunxi wielded... do you think it’s really as she claimed—broken?”

At the mention of the mysterious artifact knife, Wang Qingyi’s expression grew serious.

“It’s probably a lie. I’ll be blunt—just based on Lady Yunxi’s strength, even ten of her wouldn’t be a match for my disciple Lingxuan.

For her to slay the Water Sovereign, as well as the Elder of Bloodthorn, is an unfathomable feat.

Thus, that artifact knife must be extraordinarily powerful. How could it have shattered?”

“If the royal family possesses such an artifact, their power will increase substantially. Life will grow harder for both the Heavenly Sect and the Gulei Sect,” Zhou Xun lamented.

In Ning Kingdom, the royal family’s power had long waned, weaker than both the Heavenly Sect and the Gulei Sect. But if they had the artifact knife in their possession, the balance of power could shift.

“How could Lady Yunxi have obtained such an artifact? And who could have crafted it?” Wang Qingyi wondered aloud, confusion clear in her eyes.

It was a mystery.

Everyone knew that Ning Kingdom currently had no Divine-tier artifact masters.

As for the surrounding nations, there had been no news of any master forging an artifact... in the shape of a kitchen knife.

The knife seemed ridiculously crude in design.

While undeniably powerful, the idea of a knife-shaped artifact struck many as absurd.

At that moment, Zhou Xun’s expression shifted as he muttered, “If this is the case, then even the emissaries from the Rosha Kingdom might be very interested in the artifact knife. I wonder if Lady Yunxi will be able to keep it safe.”

Wang Qingyi’s face darkened. “Zhou Xun, no matter what, this is an internal matter of Ning Kingdom.

Whether the artifact knife ends up with the royal family or elsewhere, it will still be beneficial for Ning Kingdom.

If you dare—”

“You misunderstand, senior sister! I would never do such a thing!” Zhou Xun hurriedly explained.

“Hmph!” Wang Qingyi snorted again.

Cold sweat broke out on Zhou Xun’s forehead. He was flustered. Why was it that every time he tried to change the topic, he just ended up angering his senior sister further?

He decided to try again.

Turning to Shen Lingxuan, he said in a calm voice, “I’ve heard rumors that the Flower Thief, the master of Hengshan, has been plotting against Lingxuan for some time now. Oddly enough, he hasn’t shown himself lately.”

“Hmph. If he dares to show himself, I won’t let him leave unscathed!” Wang Qingyi declared.

Beside her, Shen Lingxuan, her face veiled by a thin layer of gauze, remained silent. Although her features were obscured, a biting chill emanated from her presence.

Her thoughts turned to that day outside the temple—the young man wielding the water sword.

She was deeply curious about his identity.

He had yet to achieve unity with the heavens, yet he had effortlessly slain a peak Earth-tier fighter.

That kind of strength was terrifying.

“If he dares appear again, I won’t spare him either,” Zhou Xun added quickly.

“Sigh,” Wang Qingyi sighed. “Lingxuan... perhaps you should return to the sect for now.”

The Profound Yin Constitution was too extraordinary. If Shen Lingxuan were at the peak of Earth-tier, it would inevitably attract attention from even Heaven-tier elders from other nations.

In order to fully harness the power of her Profound Yin Constitution, she needed to at least reach the Earth-tier—and preferably the peak of it.

With the master of Hengshan in hiding, and the Rosha Kingdom’s Heaven-tier emissaries possibly aware of the events at Yeshan Lake, Wang Qingyi was growing concerned.

Shen Lingxuan’s expression remained calm, but she eventually nodded. “Very well.”

The sect was a haven of safety, guarded by the Sect Leader, other Earth-tier fighters, and the formation of Earth-tier artifacts. Even Heaven-tier fighters would find it challenging to breach.

Moreover, her sword from her past life remained in the sect. If a great enemy appeared, she would have some ability to protect herself.

With so many dangers lurking, staying outside was unwise.

Especially since her attempt to kill the master of Hengshan had revealed her Earth-tier strength.

If that young man spread word of her powers, it could incite a storm of greed and violence.

A Profound Yin Constitution at the late stages of Earth-tier would drive even Heaven-tier fighters mad with desire.

Shen Lingxuan left the main hall and returned to her residence.

Her tall, slender maidservant, Zhi Shuang, greeted her warmly.

“Has the young master returned yet?” Shen Lingxuan asked coldly.

“No,” Zhi Shuang replied, her face filled with anger. “The young master has been completely unreasonable. He came to Yeshan Lake but didn’t even meet with you. Now, he’s vanished without a trace!”

“Has he encountered danger?” Shen Lingxuan asked, though she quickly shook her head.

Before Qi Shi passed away, he had left his son Qi Yuan with a gift. Ordinary Weapon Masters wouldn’t be able to harm him.

“I’m heading to Tianmu Mountain now. Pack your things—you’re coming with me,” Shen Lingxuan instructed.

“Should we visit the family home first?” Zhi Shuang asked.

Shen Lingxuan shook her head. “No need. It would only cause unnecessary worry for my parents.”



At the Shen family’s base, Qi Yuan and Chen Kangbao strolled leisurely back, causing quite a stir.

But to Qi Yuan, it was nothing worth mentioning.

At that moment, he held the Divine Wood Token in one hand, sipping tea and chatting.

“I heard that something strange happened recently at Yeshan Lake in Ning Kingdom.

Lady Yunxi, wielding a special artifact knife, killed the Water Sovereign.

At the same time, the Elder of Bloodthorn also perished.

Knife Brother, does this artifact knife have anything to do with you?”

One of the Bloodthorn members asked in their group chat.

Ji Wuyun, seeing this, couldn’t help rolling his eyes.

“You don’t really think Knife Brother is the artifact knife, do you? Artifacts don’t have true consciousness. How could they chat with us?

And even if they did, it’d have to be a divine artifact. At best, a divine artifact might have the intelligence of a six- or seven-year-old child. Does Knife Brother seem like a child to you?”

The Bloodthorn member was momentarily speechless.

He had actually meant that Knife Brother might be the Divine-tier artifact master who crafted the knife.

“Speaking of this, shouldn’t Bloodthorn compensate me? That Elder was absolutely disgusting. I’m applying for emotional damages!” Qi Yuan said in the group chat.

“Come to Shenmu Abyss, and I’ll compensate you with 100,000 silver taels.”

“Promise? Don’t go back on it!”

“Knife Brother, don’t go. Bloodthorn’s probably set a trap for you outside Shenmu Abyss!”

“Of course not. The people of Bloodthorn seem pretty decent to me—and rich,” Qi Yuan replied indifferently.

“Knife Brother has such keen insight. Bloodthorn means no harm.”

“Yeah, sure. Turning people into specters isn’t harmful?”

“Specters are just another form of existence.

It’s no different from you disguising yourself as a man to avoid Bloodthorn. Isn’t that also altering your existence?”

Ji Wuyun didn’t dare respond.

The Bloodthorn member continued, “Life is short—only a few hundred years.

Unless one is marked by destiny, most are just fleeting passersby, leaving behind little trace.

But as a specter, one gains a thousand years.

Knife Brother, with your talent, join Bloodthorn. Turn over the Divine Wood Token, and let’s accomplish great things together.

Our contributions will allow us to ascend beyond this world, where we may pay homage to the Ancestral Effigy and be remade into undying, eternal beings!”

The Bloodthorn member’s words dripped with temptation.



Back then, the royal family had grown wary of the Arbiter’s power. They conspired with certain aristocratic clans to take it down.

But how could they face it directly?

Instead, they resorted to treachery, even colluding with foreign enemies.

An army from a rival nation was dispatched to besiege the Arbiter, forcing it into action.

When the Arbiter descended, it stood alone at Fengluo City, holding the line against the invading forces for half a month despite receiving no reinforcements.

Ultimately, it was destroyed due to its isolation.

Following its fall, the Rosha royal family scoured the land for its fragments, gathering the remains to be melted down by three Divine-tier artifact masters. The Arbiter was reduced to ashes, ensuring its permanent eradication.

Statues of the Arbiter were also hunted down and destroyed.

Even if fragments of the Arbiter still lingered, without its statues or supporting relics, its power would be limited to Earth-tier at best.

Even if it surpassed Earth-tier slightly, it would still fall far short of Heaven-tier—a trivial threat to someone like Fifth Wei.

“Hmph. If it weren’t for the rats of the Arbiter’s Covenant skulking in the shadows, a mere fragment wouldn’t be worth my personal attention,” Fifth Wei remarked.

Although the Arbiter’s fragments posed little threat, the Arbiter’s Covenant was troublesome. The secretive organization harbored several Heaven-tier Weapon Masters.

If they were to recover a fragment and slowly nurture it, they might one day restore a faint trace of the Arbiter’s former divinity.

That would spell disaster.

“After all these years, the Arbiter’s Covenant still refuses to recognize reality. Utterly foolish,” the burly man scoffed.

“Do we have any leads on the Arbiter’s fragments?” Fifth Wei inquired.

The eunuch quickly answered, “In Jiangzhou’s Ninghe County, there were traces of the Arbiter.”

He recounted the events of Red Cloud Village.

Fifth Wei sneered. “To think it took so long to deal with a handful of Yellow-tier specters. This Arbiter fragment is laughably weak. I wouldn’t need to go myself. Even you, Mo Sankong, could drown it with your urine.”

The old eunuch, Mo Sankong, let out an awkward chuckle, hunching his back even further. “Your Highness speaks the truth.”

“This nation is pathetically weak. Only here would they exalt a fragment of the Arbiter as divine.

Even more ridiculous, they couldn’t handle a mere Earth-tier peak specter. Instead, some Lady Yunxi had to kill it with an artifact knife,” Fifth Wei said with disdain.

Mo Sankong quickly chimed in, “If Your Highness desires that artifact knife, I can retrieve it from Yeshan Lake for you.”

“Hmph. A mere Heaven-tier artifact is beneath my notice,” Fifth Wei said dismissively. “However, I hear there’s a Profound Yin Constitution here. Now that interests me.

She’s a disciple of the Heavenly Sect. Mo Sankong, take my decree to the Heavenly Sect. Inform them that I am offering her an opportunity—to serve as my maid and follow me.”

Fifth Wei’s arrogance was unrestrained, his presence radiating menace.

In Rosha Kingdom, there were individuals he had to tread carefully around. But here in Ning Kingdom, he was utterly unrestrained.

His only concern was the Arbiter’s Covenant.

“At once!” Mo Sankong replied without hesitation.

The other Heaven-tier Weapon Masters looked on enviously.

“Congratulations, Your Highness! With this woman, your cultivation will surely soar!”

“With a Profound Yin Constitution at your side, your power will grow deeper than ever!”

Fifth Wei’s grin widened. “I just hope she’s as beautiful as they claim. Only then will she be worthy of my favor.”



The fall of the Water Sovereign marked the end of the Artifact Forging Conference, but the various families did not immediately leave.

This was a rare opportunity, with so many artifact masters and powerful individuals gathered together.

Auctions and networking events were held one after another.



In a quiet courtyard, Qi Yuan, clad in a flowing white robe, looked as ethereal as an immortal.

“As the saying goes, ‘Refine your body until you walk like a crane. Only then will the palace maid strangle you in the dead of night’... No, no, you’re learning the Turtle Transformation Technique. You should imitate a turtle instead.

When you cultivate, you must mimic a turtle’s movements and bask in the sun,” Qi Yuan said to Zhan Wenyu, who stood beside him.

Over the past few days, Zhan Wenyu had come seeking Qi Yuan’s guidance on the Turtle Transformation Technique.

Young Master Tu had bought the technique with his silver after failing to purchase any remaining Lightblades, so he was now practicing it.

“Imitate a turtle’s movements?” Zhan Wenyu, being naturally gifted, immediately dropped to the ground.

“Like this?”

“Exactly. You’ve got good instincts. A turtle’s movements are all about slowness.”

“Master Qi teaches well,” Zhan Wenyu said, flattering him.

Nearby, Young Master Tu blinked in confusion.

If not for witnessing Qi Yuan’s overwhelming strength firsthand, he might have assumed Qi Yuan was a charlatan.

Imitating a turtle’s movements—how could that be considered cultivation?

“But you need to go further,” Qi Yuan added, pushing Zhan Wenyu.

With that, Zhan Wenyu flipped onto his back like an overturned turtle.

Just as he began to struggle to right himself, Qi Yuan said, “A turtle rarely flips itself over. This is an important lesson—memorize it.”

Hearing this, Zhan Wenyu nodded seriously and lay still, his legs pointing upward.

Young Master Tu watched this absurd scene in silence.

“Tu Jingshi, do you know where there are a lot of Heaven-tier Weapon Masters? Particularly the unsavory kind?” Qi Yuan asked.

He urgently needed to absorb someone else’s unity with the heavens to progress.

“This... I’m not sure,” Young Master Tu replied.

There were no Heaven-tier Weapon Masters in Ning Kingdom, so he had no idea where to find a concentration of them.

“Sigh, life is so difficult. Laziness is rampant in Ning Kingdom. Even the Weapon Masters aren’t putting in any effort. Not even the mosquitoes are trying.”

Smack!

Qi Yuan slapped a mosquito.

“If only this mosquito were a Heaven-tier Weapon Master,” he lamented.

Young Master Tu remained silent, unsure how to respond.

Suddenly, his expression shifted as he remembered something.

“Master Qi, have you heard? In the capital, Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from Rosha Kingdom have arrived. It seems they’re here for something called ‘Divine Avatar.’”

Young Master Tu carefully observed Qi Yuan’s reaction.

“They’re quite powerful, Master Qi. You must be cautious,” he warned.

“Oh? Is that so?” Qi Yuan’s expression remained calm, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

“They appear to be divided into two factions—one that seems friendly toward the Divine Avatar, and another that seeks to destroy it,” Young Master Tu continued. “But this could just be a façade. It’s possible both sides are acting.”

“I see,” Qi Yuan replied, stretching lazily.

He turned to Young Master Tu, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“Would you dare take the Lightblade I gave you... and journey to the capital?”

Young Master Tu froze, his mind racing with thoughts.

Why was Master Qi asking this?

Was it a test of his loyalty?

What would happen if he refused?

Conflicted and anxious, Young Master Tu hesitated, unsure how to respond.

Then, from his overturned position, Zhan Wenyu scoffed. “You’re afraid?

Master Qi asking you to go is an honor. If he wanted to harm you, he wouldn’t bother with schemes—he’d have fed you to the fish already!

If you’re too scared, give me the Lightblade. I’ll go to the capital!”

Hearing this, Young Master Tu’s face turned red with shame.

He was right. If Master Qi wanted to harm him, why go to such lengths?

Moreover, Master Qi had saved his life before.

How could he hesitate now?

Even if it was dangerous, it might also be an opportunity.

“I’ll go!” Young Master Tu declared resolutely. “But... once I’m in the capital, what should I do?”

Qi Yuan stretched again, his tone nonchalant.

“Do whatever you feel is right. When you think it’s time to summon the divine, summon it.”

Young Master Tu was stunned.

He had full discretion?

“But summoning the divine... can I do that now?” he asked hesitantly.

After the last battle, the summoning function had ceased to work. The Lightblade had also become unusable.

“Yes. And since you’ll be using it on my behalf, I won’t let you suffer. I’ll compensate you with 3,334 taels of silver. And don’t call me stingy—I’m even giving you a little extra,” Qi Yuan said, reaching for his purse.

“Master Qi, there’s no need for silver!” Young Master Tu quickly protested.

It was like refusing a red envelope on New Year’s—he wouldn’t dare let Qi Yuan pay.

Qi Yuan blinked. “Since you’re so insistent, I won’t go against your will. No silver, then.”

“Of course!” Young Master Tu dared not take money from Qi Yuan.

“Still, I don’t want you to suffer. If you summon the divine on my behalf, I’ll upgrade your Lightblade so it can summon the divine one more time. But don’t misuse it,” Qi Yuan said.

He didn’t like taking advantage of others—unless they were his “White Moonlight.”

Why?

Because his love for them ran deep.

Because his White Moonlight was special to him.

Hearing this, Young Master Tu’s eyes lit up with excitement.

This was an incredible blessing!

“Rest assured, Master Qi. I won’t misuse it,” Young Master Tu vowed.

“Alright, I’m off to pack for a trip to the Heavenly Sect. Time to visit my wife,” Qi Yuan said, stretching once more.

The son-in-law roleplay had to continue. To play the part well, how could he not interact with his wife?

As for unity with the heavens and the emissaries from Rosha Kingdom, he would let Young Master Tu handle it with the Lightblade.