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墨書 Inktalez
Human Sacrifice
In the clearing behind the trees, I was surrounded by a group of people, each with a hostile expression.
As soon as Xiong Wanjun finished speaking, I swung my hand and slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed sharply in the air.
"You look no different from the others," I taunted, staring at Xiong Wanjun.
Whether it was because he never expected me to strike back despite being outnumbered, or because he was caught off guard, he took my slap just like Qi Shaoyu and the others had.
"You brought this on yourself; don't blame me!" Xiong Wanjun roared as he charged at me. He threw a punch, and I intended to meet it with one of my own. The impact was loud as I stumbled back seven or eight steps.
My wrist throbbed in pain; I hadn't anticipated Xiong Wanjun's strength. Suddenly, I heard a whoosh beside me. I ducked just in time as a steel rod swung over my head, splintering the bark of the tree. I quickly dodged to the side to avoid the crowd's attacks.
"Heh heh, you think you can match my strength? You're still too green!" Xiong Wanjun boasted.
Seeing me hiding behind a tree, he shouted for everyone to clear a path before smashing his fist into the trunk. The tree cracked loudly, nearly breaking apart, but by then, I had vanished from sight.
The crowd searched frantically for me, unaware of where I'd gone. I emerged from behind Fat Boy Zhang Zhao. As he caught sight of my shadow under the moonlight, he barely had time to turn around before I landed a punch on his nose. His nasal bone shattered, and blood gushed forth. As they saw me attacking Zhang Zhao, everyone rushed towards me with their sticks raised. I hid behind the tree's shadow and suddenly leaped up into the branches, circling around behind them.
When they noticed me hiding again, some grew anxious and moved closer to the tree. I tapped one last person on the shoulder; when he turned around, I knocked him out with a swift slap to the head. Seizing his stick, I charged into the crowd, swinging it left and right as it struck their noses one after another. They fell over each other in chaos, clutching their noses and wailing.
Xiong Wanjun shouted, "What kind of skill is hiding like that?"
"Fine, I won't hide," I replied as I waved my hand at him. He charged at me like a raging bear, his powerful arms aimed at my chest. I stood my ground, wanting to test how effective Martial Dao Classic would be with my current cultivation level.
With a loud thud, Xiong Wanjun screamed as he was sent flying backward to the ground in shock. He sat there dazed; he could hardly believe that standing still could injure him so badly. Swinging my stick down twice on his head, I said, "You're not much stronger than the others."
Zhang Zhao, whose nose I'd broken with a punch, tried to get up and flee. I stepped in front of him and grabbed his neck. "If there's a next time, I'll find a way to make sure you die. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Zhang Zhao nodded in terror. I slammed his head against the tree until he passed out before turning back without looking back toward my quarters.
Within the sect, it is strictly forbidden to kill fellow disciples; otherwise, I would have to take a life to assert my authority. If others in the Outer Sect learned that I had been harassed and remained unharmed, it would surely lead to endless troubles. Sometimes, the kind of person one becomes is not something one can choose.
Not everyone in this world desires peace. The principles are clear to all, yet some become Great Men, while others turn into criminals. Some live in wealth and glory, while others suffer in poverty.
I thought that after this warning, Zhang Zhao would behave himself, knowing that my strength overshadowed his. But I was wrong.
After completely refining ten Qi Gathering Pills, the instability caused by my rapid increase in power had been resolved. I opened my door and breathed in the fresh air outside, feeling as if I had just crawled out of the Medicine King's Cave; the world before me felt entirely new.
As I walked toward the cafeteria, a Dao Child approached me. It was the same Dao Child who had taken me to register for the Outer Sect challenge. He looked at me and said, "Are you Brother Yang Hao?"
"I am Yang Hao," I replied.
The Dao Child said, "Elder Hong wants you to go to the Outer Hall. It seems your mother has been brought here."
"My mother?" I was surprised by the Dao Child's words but felt an ominous premonition rising within me.
I turned and hurried toward the Outer Hall. The Dao Child called out to me, "Brother Yang Hao, my master told me to inform you that it’s best not to acknowledge each other. The sect has strict rules against hiding treasures without reporting them; elders have the authority to deal with disciples."
I nodded. This Dao Child's master was none other than the Aged Steward who had stood on Martial Arts Square, and his warning carried significant weight.
Upon reaching the entrance of the Outer Hall, I saw it was already crowded with people. An elderly woman stood alone on the steps below, while Elder Hong stood tall and proud before the Outer Hall, looking down at those gathered below. Two Dao Children stood beside him, while other Outer Sect Stewards remained silent on either side. As I arrived, many disciples parted to make way for me.
I looked at the elderly woman in the center and realized it was Grandma Wu from Shanquan Village at the foot of Azure Cloud Mountain.
Grandma Wu had asked me to inquire about her son Wang Hai within Azure Cloud Sect, but Wang Hai had died many years ago. I had been contemplating how to break this news to her; she had treated me well. I thought that if I ever entered the Inner Sect and gained unrestricted access to the sect, I would visit Grandma Wu every month and honor her as if she were my own mother.
But now, I did not understand why Grandma Wu was here.
"Elderly lady, do you recognize this young man?" Elder Hong spoke up. "Is he not the young man who provided you with medicine?"
Elder Hong took out a white medicine bottle, and a wave of panic washed over me. After all, it was a slip-up; the medicine I had kindly left for Grandma Wu to improve her health had turned into a source of trouble!
But Grandma Wu glanced at me and shook her head, saying, "I don't know this young man."
Elder Hong chuckled softly and said, "Old lady, take a closer look. This young man looks ten years younger than he did three months ago. Three months ago, he had white hair and walked with a limp, unlike how youthful he appears now."
Grandma Wu scrutinized me carefully and replied, "I've never seen this young man before. I don't understand what you mean by bringing an old woman from the foot of the mountain here."
"You ungrateful old hag! You were fine at the foot of the mountain, but now that you're up here, you pretend not to recognize who gave you this medicine!" A Fat Boy stepped forward from the crowd, pointing at Grandma Wu and scolding her; it was Zhang Zhao.
Grandma Wu insisted, "But I truly do not know this person."
Elder Hong continued, "Old lady, you used this medicine to save a child who was nearly killed by a wolf in the village. My disciple happened to see it and learned that it was given to you by a disciple of Azure Cloud Sect. The reason we brought you here is to identify who gave you the medicine because that person also saved my disciple Ma's life. We have always wanted to thank him but didn't know who provided the medicine. As a citizen under the protection of Azure Cloud Sect, you wouldn't deceive your revered immortal, would you?"
Grandma Wu replied, "I've certainly experienced the might of your immortal. As an old woman surrounded by so many Daoist Sect members just to identify a young man who did a good deed feels like being surrounded by onlookers when the village butcher is slaughtering pigs. Though I may be simple-minded, I'm not foolish."
"You stubborn old woman! Elder Hong, this old hag won't confess unless she's forced! Allow me to give her a taste of reality," Zhang Zhao declared loudly.
I raised my voice as well: "Daoist Sect members bullying an elderly woman who can't even defend herself while claiming they won't force her? Do you believe I can't make you admit that this medicine belongs to you?"
A group of people echoed my sentiments, feeling uneasy about questioning an elderly woman in front of so many.
"You! Yang Hao! Don't think that pretending not to know will absolve you! This medicine is yours; everyone has seen it. When he first joined us, he was in his thirties; now he looks no older than twenty! With such a precious item in hand and not handing it over to the sect, how many aging Elders are waiting for such medicine to save their lives? As a disciple of Azure Cloud Sect, he stands by while others die!" Zhang Zhao pointed at me with arrogance, and many agreed with his viewpoint.
Every sect has aging Elders nearing their end; although they are cultivators, everyone wishes to live longer. Thus, they constantly urge their disciples to find longevity elixirs to turn in as a form of repayment to the sect in exchange for rewards.
"You're only after the sect's rewards! Precious resources are available for everyone; who said that obtaining valuable treasures must be handed over to the higher-ups? I'm well aware of Azure Cloud Sect's rules—there's no such stipulation. It seems some people have gone mad with desire for rewards while dragging innocent citizens up here for identification and punishment. What a joke!" I snorted coldly.
Brother Ma beside Elder Hong narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Yang Hao, do you realize whom you're hinting at?"
I said, "How could I dare to imply anything? I'm just an ordinary disciple. Brother Ma was born noble; why should he stoop to converse with someone like me?"
"Here, you have no right to speak," another Dao Child beside Elder Hong said.
"Reporting to Elder Hong, the Manager of the Miscellaneous Room can confirm that Yang Hao wrote a letter to his family when he first entered, and it was addressed to Shanquan Village," Zhang Zhao suddenly interjected. He glanced at the two Managers of the Miscellaneous Room, one fat and one thin. The Fat Steward said, "Yang Hao wrote a letter when he first came in, but he tore it up without sending it. Later, it seems he received Brother Ma's permission to leave the mountain."
Elder Hong turned to Brother Ma, who seemed to recall something and nodded, saying, "It seems that way. I thought he wanted to leave the sect, so I gave him a chance."
Elder Hong looked at me and asked, "Yang Hao, do you have anything else to say?"
I replied, "I want to ask for evidence. If he claims it was torn up, using a piece of evidence that has no witnesses is quite ridiculous. Many people in the Water Storage Room know that I have some issues with the two Managers of the Miscellaneous Room. Fabricating evidence out of thin air to deal with me—if you want to accuse me, there are plenty of excuses available. Just because you are my elders means I'm guilty?"
Elder Hong said, "The Azure Cloud Sect has always been upright and aboveboard; we are leaders of righteousness in the Daoist World. You need not worry about that. If you truly have such medicine, hand it over, and the sect will reward you handsomely."
I responded, "If I don't have it, then I don't have it. You've searched my body and my residence. If you suspect I've buried the Treasure somewhere, then let all the disciples of Azure Cloud Sect dig up the entire mountain. Furthermore, if it were some precious material or treasure, it would have already been consumed. Do you really think you can cut me open to retrieve the medicine?"
"Is that so? You consumed such spiritual medicine all by yourself? Is that why your power has increased so rapidly?" Elder Hong asked.
I replied, "If Elder insists on believing that I possess spiritual medicine, then I, Yang Hao, have nothing more to say; any further explanation would be a waste of breath."
"Yang Hao, don't refuse a toast only to drink a penalty drink. Who do you think you are? It is an honor for you that my master speaks with you. If you dare to be disrespectful again, I'll slay you on the spot!" Brother Ma declared.
"Heh heh, such childish words are truly domineering. I didn't expect the renowned Elder Hong would raise a guard dog," an aged voice faintly echoed from above.
"Old fellow, mind your own Scripture Repository and don't meddle in affairs that don't concern you," Elder Hong said with an unfriendly expression.
I recognized that aged voice belonged to the Scruffy Old Daoist who guarded the Scripture Repository; he held little power within the Outer Sect. After Elder Hong finished speaking, Scruffy Old Daoist fell silent again. Brother Ma muttered, "What an annoying old thing."
With a loud slap, a clear imprint of five fingers appeared on Brother Ma's face as Scruffy Old Daoist's voice rang out again: "It's not good to rely on others for power; if you dare insult me behind my back, no one will protect you. This is your only warning."
Elder Hong's face was difficult to read, while Brother Ma was filled with anger but dared not speak out, clearly intimidated by the power of the Scruffy Old Daoist.
At that moment, a disciple rushed up from below the stage and whispered something in Elder Hong's ear. Elder Hong nodded and turned to Grandma Wu at the foot of the stairs, saying, "Elder, I hear you have a son in our sect named Wang Hai, correct?"
Upon hearing her son's name, Grandma Wu's face turned pale. She glanced at me and then replied, "My son is indeed named Wang Hai, but he hasn't returned home for twelve years since joining the Azure Cloud Sect. What have you done to him?"
Elder Hong replied, "Wang Hai is doing well. He is not in our Outer Sect but in the Inner Sect now. He is valued by the sect and entrusted with important responsibilities. If you cause dissatisfaction among the higher-ups over this matter, it may affect his future. However, if you can tell us who gave you this bottle of spirit medicine, not only will Wang Hai benefit, but you will also be brought into the Inner Sect to reunite with him after twelve years of separation."
I closed my eyes and sighed. Although I knew Elder Hong was deceiving Grandma Wu, I didn't want to reveal the truth. If Wang Hai were already dead, it would not only expose my connection to Grandma Wu but also cause her great pain.
My mother-in-law said, "Alright, for my son, I will certainly do so."
Grandma Wu turned to look at me and then pointed at Zhang Zhao behind me, saying, "It was this young man who gave me the medicine. I saw him give it to me back then."
Seeing Grandma Wu pointing at him, Zhang Zhao erupted in anger and shouted, "You old hag dare to slander me! I'll kill you!"
I slapped Zhang Zhao away, but everyone gasped and turned to look at the stairs behind me. I heard a loud thud and turned around just in time to see Grandma Wu crash against the stone steps, blood splattering everywhere.
The Aged Steward stepped forward and grabbed my arm, saying, "Don't get involved in matters that don't concern you; I'll handle this."
I shook off the Aged Steward's hand and walked up the steps to help Grandma Wu. She was still alive and looked at me weakly, whispering, "Is Hai alright?"
I nodded.
Grandma Wu continued, "Please don't tell him anything has happened to me. He must be too busy with his cultivation to remember me; if he realizes I'm missing and can't find me, it would break his heart."
I nodded again.
Grandma Wu's gaze became unfocused as she clutched my hand and murmured, "I've made you a pair of shoes with a thousand layers of soles. The mountains are hard to traverse; your feet will get hurt. If you ever have a chance to visit my home, try them on; I've left them by the head of the bed."
Grandma Wu was gone, leaving this world. My eyes were red as I whispered in her ear, "Rest easy, Grandma. I will avenge you; they won't escape."
Elder Hong snorted at the entrance of the great hall and turned away with a group of people. My actions had already implied my relationship with Grandma Wu.
For my sake, Grandma Wu chose to end her own life, sacrificing herself for my peace.
The Aged Steward handed me a silver token from his Dao Child, which allowed free entry and exit from the Azure Cloud Sect. I accepted the token with a thank you and carried Grandma Wu's frail body toward the mountain gate.
The Dao Child followed closely behind me. "Brother Yang Hao," he said, "my master wants me to tell you that you can take this opportunity to leave the sect. The farther you go, the better; Elder Hong and his group won’t let you off easily."
I paused and asked, "I forgot to ask for my master's name."
The Dao Child replied, "My master’s surname is Jin, given name Yun. He is a guest elder of the Azure Cloud Sect but only holds a nominal position here."
I nodded. "Please thank Elder Jin for me; I will repay this favor. However, I do not intend to leave. Do you have the list of the Outer Sect Top Ten?"
"I do," he said. "My master is the Outer Sect Steward, and he has access to everyone's names. Although Elder Hong wields great power, he rarely manages Outer Sect affairs."
"Give me a copy of that list; I need it by tomorrow morning. If I’m correct, all Outer Sect disciples will be heading deep into the Qinling Mountains to gather medicinal herbs soon, right?"
"There are still two hours left. My master wanted you to leave the sect for this reason; he fears that others might take advantage of the situation to harm you. The elder guarding the Scripture Repository is a friend of my master’s and knows Elder Hong’s character well; he would certainly not be favorable toward you."
"Thank you for your help," I said as I stepped out of the mountain gate. "Don't forget about the list I asked for."
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