Chapter 42: Settle accounts after autumn (make up for yesterday’s second update)

“Just call it the Overbearing Sect!”

Luo Qingchen’s shout echoed through the silent canyon.

Over a hundred sword cultivators from Hidden Sword Mountain stood frozen in shock.

A Foundation Establishment girl, pointing at an Nascent Soul old monster and cursing him to his face?

Was she tired of living?

Ling Xiyue glanced sideways at the short figure blocking her path.

Kuangdao Laozu’s face turned from dark to liver-colored.

He had lived for centuries—no one had ever dared speak to him like this.

“Fine! Fine! Fine!”

Kuangdao Laozu laughed in anger instead.

He repeated the word three times.

His Nascent Soul spiritual power exploded outward.

A hundred-zhang blood-colored true qi hand instantly condensed in midair.

It carried a pungent smell of blood.

It shot straight toward Luo Qingchen’s face.

“Sharp-tongued little beast, today I’ll break every one of your teeth one by one!”

Luo Qingchen was pinned by that oppressive aura; even her breathing stopped.

She instinctively shrank back.

Wangyou Zhenren snorted coldly.

His tattered robe suddenly billowed.

He didn’t even draw his sword.

Instead, he formed a sword with two fingers and casually slashed upward.

An invisible sword intent shot into the sky.

Swoosh!

The sky-covering blood hand was split in two from the middle.

It instantly collapsed into countless red spiritual light specks.

Dispersing in the wind.

Wangyou Zhenren took a step forward and shielded Luo Qingchen behind him.

He pointed at Kuangdao Laozu’s nose and started cursing directly.

“Old bastard, I’m still breathing here!”

“Daring to touch the person I’m protecting right in front of me—do you think the sword in my hand is a fire poker?”

Kuangdao Laozu trembled with rage.

“Wangyou, you old ghost! You’re shielding the murderer of my sect disciples!”

Wangyou Zhenren picked his ear, his face full of disdain.

“In the cultivation world, when exploring secret realms for treasures, everyone relies on their own ability, life and death up to fate.”

“Your disciples were outmatched and got killed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

“And you, old bones, still have the face to come howl?”

The old man took another step forward.

“Can’t you take the loss?”

“If you can’t, then go back to your Tyrant Blade Sect and play house as soon as possible!”

At these words, the Hidden Sword Mountain disciples immediately felt their spirits lifted.

Over a hundred sword cultivators simultaneously stepped forward.

Clang!

Their long swords were half-drawn.

Sword qi pierced the sky.

It looked like a full-scale war would break out at the slightest provocation.

Kuangdao Laozu ground his teeth.

His Nascent Soul aura went berserk; he wanted nothing more than to split this mad old man in half.

But he didn’t lose his reason.

His spiritual sense swept the surroundings.

Outside the canyon, several hidden auras were rapidly approaching.

People from Sound Gate Sect and Divine Spear Gate had arrived.

If he really fought Wangyou to the death here,

Tyrant Blade Sect would gain nothing and instead let others pick up the scraps.

Kuangdao Laozu forced himself to swallow his anger.

He fixed a vicious stare at Wangyou and Ling Xiyue.

“Fine, Hidden Sword Mountain!”

“I’m noting this debt!”

“We’ll settle it later!”

With that, he flicked his sleeve.

He swept up the bald big man on the ground and the remaining broken troops.

They transformed into a bloody rainbow, using a lightness technique to quickly flee.

It was infuriating for him.

Luo Qingchen poked her head out from behind Wangyou Zhenren.

She let out a long breath.

‘This old geezer talked a big game, but in the end he tucked his tail and ran. The cultivation world is just a shoddy stage.’

Wangyou Zhenren sheathed his long sword.

He turned around and excitedly patted Ling Xiyue on the shoulder.

“Good disciple!”

“I always thought you were a quiet blockhead, but I didn’t expect you to be so ruthless!”

“You actually scraped the entire secret realm clean—didn’t even leave a patch of ground!”

The old man’s face wrinkled into a grin.

“Your teacher is very pleased!”

Ling Xiyue’s expression remained blank.

She opened her mouth.

She wanted to explain that this wasn’t her doing.

Just as she was about to speak,

She saw Luo Qingchen beside her with hands clasped together,

Tears in her eyes, pleading desperately.

Ling Xiyue paused for a moment.

Finally, she swallowed her words.

Silently taking the blame for this shocking incident.

Wangyou Zhenren was in a great mood.

He waved his hand.

“Let’s go! Back to camp!”

“The ownership of this secret realm is definitely ours, Hidden Sword Mountain!”

Over a hundred sword cultivators marched back in force.

Luo Qingchen followed at the rear.

Her eyes darted around.

She plotted how to slip away in the chaos.

Back at Hidden Sword Mountain’s canyon camp,

The atmosphere was completely different.

The disciples’ gazes toward Ling Xiyue had changed entirely.

They were filled with awe and adoration.

They looked at her like she was a legendary bandit queen—who would have thought that the usually refined, aloof senior sister had such a side in the secret realm?

So strong!

Even Luo Qingchen, following behind, and Xiao Bai, who was playing dead, received VIP treatment.

A few low-level disciples served tea and water with extreme eagerness.

Luo Qingchen sat in the main tent.

She held a plump spirit fruit and munched it with a crunch.

She looked at Wangyou Zhenren, who was sitting in the main seat drinking tea.

She couldn’t help asking.

“Senior, there’s something I don’t understand.”

“If the ownership of the secret realm is decided by who brings out the most resources,”

“Then why doesn’t everyone just use the treasures from their own storage pouches to pad the count?”

“Pretend they were dug up in the secret realm—wouldn’t that guarantee victory?”

Wangyou Zhenren set down the purple clay teapot.

He glanced at her.

“Do you think those Nascent Soul old monsters are all fools?”

“Resources brought out from the secret realm must be handed over half.”

“That half becomes the prize pool for the next Six Sect Tournament of Xuanzhou Continent.”

The old man stroked his beard.

“Using one’s own treasures to pad the count means paying out of your own pocket to subsidize other sects.”

“Who would be willing to be that fool?”

“Unless the secret realm has an immovable special site, or a comprehension stele left by an ancient expert,”

“Only then would it be worth the major sects bleeding themselves dry to compete.”

Wangyou Zhenren snorted coldly.

“But this broken secret realm doesn’t even have a decent spirit herb yet. Who would do something that stupid? Our sect only takes ownership so we can use professional methods to investigate if there are any hidden treasures yet undiscovered.”

Luo Qingchen suddenly understood.

She nodded repeatedly.

The cultivation world had deep tricks.

She looked at the smiling old man who was patiently explaining.

She felt smug inside.

This old man was not only powerful but also reasonable.

She had firmly latched onto this big tree.

She would find an excuse to slip away later—perfect exit.

Luo Qingchen finished the last bite of spirit fruit.

She patted the fruit residue off her hands.

She stood up.

“Senior, your explanation is very thorough. I am enlightened.”

“Well then, I’ll go out for some fresh air…”

Before she could take a step,

Wangyou Zhenren set down the teapot.

His originally kind smile instantly vanished.

The temperature inside the main tent plummeted to freezing.

The air itself froze.

Wangyou Zhenren’s cloudy eyes locked onto Luo Qingchen.

His voice was cold as ice.

“We’re done talking about outsiders’ matters.”

“Now it’s time to settle our private account.”

Luo Qingchen’s smile froze completely.

The fruit she had just swallowed got stuck in her throat,

Neither going down nor coming up.

Xiao Bai, curled in the corner, let out a “Woah!”

Then crawled under the carpet.

Trembling uncontrollably.

Wangyou Zhenren spoke word by word.

“You’re quite bold, little girl.”

“You even dared to swindle my good disciple’s Cold Pith?”

“Do you really think this old man is blind and can’t check your background?”

The old debt was brought up.

It hit her weak spot.

Luo Qingchen’s forehead instantly beaded with cold sweat.

Damn it.

This old man flipped faster than a book.

Ling Xiyue stood nearby.

She frowned slightly.

She took a step forward, wanting to plead for Luo Qingchen.

But Wangyou Zhenren shot her a glance.

Ling Xiyue was immediately frozen in place, unable to speak.