Hong’an Island, Chi Jin Palace.
Within the grand hall, a man dressed in white with his hair styled in a Daoist bun was seated upright, his gaze fixed on the letter in his hand while he raised an eyebrow.
His face bore a delicate yet pallid complexion, only interrupted by a hooked nose and piercing eyes that radiated divine light. Though he was of slight stature, he held himself with an unusually straight posture.
This man was none other than Shen Minggu, a True Disciple of Chongyue True Temple. He snorted derisively, tossing the letter onto the desk before him, and sneered coldly, "Xu Cuo is incompetent, allowing himself to be captured, and now I’m asked to clean up his mess? Utterly absurd."
Seated below him was his fellow sect brother, Shen Cong, a short-browed cultivator with a round waist and stout figure. Noticing Shen Minggu’s evident frustration, Shen Cong hastily said, "Several elders of the Xu Family have already inquired about this matter. Senior Brother, I urge you to consider carefully."
Shen Minggu scoffed dismissively and said, "Zhang Yan has issued a battle invitation to me. If I don’t go, won’t they claim I let a fellow disciple die on purpose and betrayed my sect out of negligence?"
Shen Cong asked cautiously, "So, Senior Brother, are you going or not?"
Shen Minggu looked down at the letter, a sly smile curling his lips. He said, "Over these past few days, I’ve met with the True Disciples of the Nanhua Sect and Taihao Sect—they’re hardly worth mentioning. I’ll draft a letter shortly. Take it and deliver it to Zhang Yan. Let’s see what’s so exceptional about this Mingcang Sect disciple."
Shen Cong sought confirmation, "And... should we bring the three thousand drops of Ren Kui Water Essence that Zhang Yan requested?"
Shen Minggu waved his hand grandly and said, "Bring them! If Xu Cuo agreed to their delivery, then I’ll bring them along. Otherwise, the Xu Family might accuse me of ulterior motives. Or do you think they won’t repay this debt?"
Shen Cong thought for a moment before adding, "I’ve heard that Zhang Yan and True Master Tao’s disciples are currently gathered in one place. Not long ago, we captured Shen Yan. Senior Brother, if you approach this recklessly, it might be a trap."
Shen Minggu replied nonchalantly, "Junior Brother, you overthink this. The letter clearly states we’re to meet before Bull Horn Island. That island is territory under Chongyue True Temple. Do you think I’d be afraid of them playing tricks on our ground?"
Shen Cong mulled this over carefully. As long as they were cautious, it seemed unlikely that anything unexpected would happen.
Just then, a talisman painted in glaring crimson shot into the palace, darting directly toward the hall.
The calm expression on Shen Minggu’s face shifted dramatically as he caught sight of it. Reaching out to grab the talisman, he tore it open and unfolded the letter within. His brow furrowed briefly, then relaxed as he finished reading. His eyes lit up, and he suddenly stood, exclaiming, "It’s the will of heaven, the will of heaven! It seems I must return to the Mountain Gate immediately!"
Startled, Shen Cong also rose to his feet, his face filled with anxious concern as he asked, "Senior Brother, what has happened?" He knew that a talisman painted with such crimson was never trivial—it indicated an emergency of grave importance within Chongyue True Temple.
Shen Minggu shook the letter in his hand sharply, causing it to shatter into fragments that scattered across the floor. His laughter rang out as he declared, "Elder Xu forcefully attempted a breakthrough and failed. A thousand years of cultivation, destroyed overnight! He has now perished. However, one of our sect’s Three Sacred Treasures, the Yin Slaughter Saber, must now find a new host among the Third Generation Disciples. Truly, heaven aids me! With Xu Cuo out of the picture, who else in the sect could rival me?"
Shen Cong’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, his excitement building. After a moment’s pause, he regained his composure and whispered, "Senior Brother, does this mean... you’ll let Xu Cuo be? No need to intervene?"
Shen Minggu waved his hand dismissively and said, "No, such abandonment would surely invite criticism. Not only must I go, but I must go swiftly." Suddenly recalling something, he asked, "I’ve heard Zhang Yan and Tao Zhenhong’s disciples are gathered in one place?"
Shen Cong nodded and replied, "Yes, that’s correct."
Shen Minggu pointed at him and said, "Good. You’ll handle this personally. Bring along all three thousand drops of Ren Kui Water Essence, and also release the captured Shen Yan back to them. In essence, we must extricate ourselves from this matter completely. We must leave the Xu Family no room for accusations. Additionally..."
He fixed Shen Cong with an intense gaze and said, "When you meet Zhang Yan, subtly suggest that he keep Xu Cuo detained for a few extra days. Let him not rush in releasing him. However, make sure not to leave any evidence behind."
Shen Cong nodded thoughtfully while noticing the brilliant glow of ambition in Shen Minggu’s expression. In a subdued tone, he said, "But Senior Brother, if you don’t attend the battle, it might tarnish your reputation and make others believe you’re afraid of Zhang Yan."
Shen Minggu scoffed and said, "Compared to the Yin Slaughter Saber, what is mere reputation worth? Opportunities to regain it will come later. Besides, Tao Zhenhong’s sect inauguration falls in the first month of the year. By then, when the Immortal Mansion emerges, with the aid of the Yin Slaughter Saber, why should I fear that great endeavors will not succeed? As for all other trivial matters—they can be set aside for now."