Chapter 7: The Plot Begins

No one emerged from the mountain gate for a long time, and Fang Ruoyan grew increasingly nervous.

To participate in the Holy Land recruitment, one had to be a Disciple of the Taixu Sect. If this jade pendant was useless, then everything would be over.

The others also knew the inside story. Seeing this, there was some commotion, and the atmosphere became visibly anxious.

“Quiet! Have you all forgotten where this is?” Fang Ruoyan whispered. “Trust the teacher; let’s wait a little longer.”

As time passed second by second, a red light suddenly appeared in the distance, slowly approaching them.

They originally thought it was some kind of monster, but as it drew closer, they realized it was a red lantern being carried by someone.

The newcomer wore the black-and-white contrasting Sect uniform, with a long sword hanging at his waist. He was handsome and looked perfectly normal.

“Honored guests, you have traveled a long way. Thank you for your hard work.”

Qin Wu came to a halt nearby, discreetly sizing up the thirty-odd people. His deskmate, Liu Sangbai, was among them, curiously observing him with a hint of inexplicable astonishment in his eyes.

“Everyone, please follow me.”

He diligently played the role of an NPC, leading the way in front.

Perhaps because Qin Wu looked so normal, Fang Ruoyan stepped forward to keep pace with him and tested the waters, “Senior Brother, I wish to use a token to exchange for a request. I wonder…”

“Rest assured,” Qin Wu said indifferently. “As long as there is no problem with the token, if it is within our power, we will naturally help you fulfill it. What request do you wish to make?”

Hearing this, Fang Ruoyan breathed a sigh of relief. She pondered for a moment and said cautiously, “My friends and I have long yearned for the Taixu Sect. I wonder if we could become Disciples of the Taixu Sect?”

“That is certainly possible,” Qin Wu agreed immediately. “However, the Disciple Golden Ledger is in the hands of the Eldest Senior Brother. Follow me to pay your respects to him first.”

The group followed Qin Wu in silence to the entrance of the Main Hall.

According to the voice transmission from his Eldest Senior Brother just now, his Incarnation was inside.

Qin Wu reached out and pushed open the heavy doors.

The ruins were shrouded in black mist year-round, never seeing the sun, yet the hall was brightly lit despite the absence of candlelight.

The Eldest Senior Brother, handsome as if cast from metal, sat high upon the main seat, his eyelids lowered, looking indifferently at the crowd entering.

Meeting his gaze, they couldn’t help but feel a chill in their hearts.

It was a perfection without the slightest flaw, so perfect that he seemed like a mannequin, making one’s skin crawl.

Qin Wu spoke to break the silence: “Eldest Senior Brother, these are the holders of the tokens. They wish to become Disciples of our Taixu Sect.”

The Eldest Senior Brother’s eyes moved slightly: “Impossible.”

“Why?” Fang Ruoyan’s eyes widened, and she subconsciously looked at Qin Wu. “Didn’t you just say…”

Unexpectedly, Qin Wu’s expression also darkened. The light in the hall gradually faded, turning dim.

“The owner of this jade pendant was the Sect Master’s savior. Are you… truly his descendants?”

Qin Wu continued to hold the lantern, its eerie red light illuminating the lower half of his face, making him look incredibly sinister.

A trace of terror appeared in Fang Ruoyan’s eyes, her heart beating like a drum. When her teacher gave her the jade pendant, he hadn’t mentioned any other requirements at all.

“Where did you get this jade pendant?” Qin Wu questioned sharply. “Could it be that you killed that person’s descendants?”

In a daze, Fang Ruoyan seemed to see something writhing within Qin Wu’s shadow. If she gave even a slightly wrong answer, she might be dragged into the endless darkness.

She trembled all over: “Of course no…”

“Forget it,” the Eldest Senior Brother suddenly spoke. “They are but blood-food. Just eat them.”

That face transformed into the Pale Giant Face above the Main Peak. Bloody mist rose from their bodies and drifted into the Eldest Senior Brother’s mouth.

Qin Wu didn’t understand how things had developed this way. When he said he wanted to act, it was just to establish a persona for himself and make them fear him. He never said anything about killing people!

If they died, what would happen to his mission?!

Everyone could sense their vitality constantly draining away, and even their cultivation showed signs of faintly slipping.

“Captain, think of something! I don’t want to die yet!” someone in the crowd cried out in terror.

“I know!”

Beads of sweat constantly rolled down her back. Fang Ruoyan gritted her teeth and took out a palm-sized jade box.

“I possess the Taixu Sect Sacred Method, which makes me your Sect’s Young Sect Master. You cannot kill us!”

Seeing the jade box in Fang Ruoyan’s hand, Qin Wu was momentarily stunned. He had originally intended to have Qian Tuo trick her out of it, but he hadn’t expected to see it so soon.

Could it be that the Eldest Senior Brother sensed this item and that’s why he intended to kill them?

All abnormalities vanished instantly, and the hall regained its brightness.

The Eldest Senior Brother took the jade box into his hand, ignoring her claim of being the Young Sect Master: “Since you have brought back the Sect’s lost Sacred Method, I grant your previous request to join my Taixu Sect.”

After speaking, he directly waved his sleeve and moved everyone outside the Main Hall.

Having obtained the Sacred Method from their hands and completed the mission, Qin Wu looked at his status panel.

【You have settled this Karma. The Sect Master is very satisfied. He has recognized your position as Young Sect Master and has cast his gaze upon you.】

Seeing these words, Qin Wu was somewhat puzzled. Could it be that the Sect Master wasn’t dead?

He also didn’t know what use the gaze would have.

The jade box disappeared from the Eldest Senior Brother’s hand. Qin Wu looked up and thanked him: “Thank you for your help, Eldest Senior Brother.”

“No need for thanks.” The Eldest Senior Brother’s gaze softened when he looked at him. “Junior Brother is still too kind. If it weren’t for your reluctance to kill, they would deserve to die just for coveting our Sect’s Sacred Method.”

“Since you are now the Young Sect Master, remember that no one else but you may practice this Cultivation Technique.”

Qin Wu nodded immediately.

The reason he wanted to obtain this technique from Fang Ruoyan was because there was a hidden setting regarding the Ten Directions Taixu Sacred Method.

If multiple people practiced this technique, there would inevitably be a fight to the death once they succeeded, until only one person remained.

Therefore, to prevent friends and family from killing each other, it was better to cut off their desires at the source.

“This jade box looks like it hasn’t been opened. No one should have Cultivated this technique yet.”

“I know.” He had already found that out from Qian Tuo this morning.

Eldest Senior Brother: “Before long, people from the Holy Land will likely come for recruitment. Go back and prepare.”

“Yes.”

Qin Wu respectfully withdrew from the hall, only to find Fang Ruoyan and her group still standing outside, looking quite displeased.

After all, one of their goals in participating in the Holy Land recruitment was to unlock that jade box. Who knew that before the recruitment even began, they would lose the jade box first.

“Senior Brother.” Fang Ruoyan stepped forward and asked, “Since we were the ones who brought that jade box here, why can’t we…”

“Of course you can’t.” Qin Wu interrupted her, his tone cold. “This Cultivation Technique is only passed to the next Sect Master. No one else may practice it. Violators will be expelled from the Sect.”

“Or are you saying you wish to violate the Sect Rules?”

Under Qin Wu’s cold gaze, Fang Ruoyan shut her mouth.

Having finally become Disciples of the Taixu Sect, they couldn’t be expelled now. The matter of the jade box would have to be considered later.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to your Immortal Caves first.”

Qin Wu led the way and, upon arriving, casually pointed out a decent one for them.

Perhaps because of the turn of events in the Main Hall, the group was silent along the way. Every movement showed their wariness and fear of him.

Qin Wu was very satisfied with this effect. It seemed his acting earlier was quite good. As long as they feared him, the possibility of these people attacking him after the recruitment plot began would be smaller.

After all, his actual cultivation level was still too low.

“You will stay here. If there’s nothing important, do not disturb me.”

After speaking, Qin Wu intended to turn and leave, but he once again felt a faint, lingering gaze on his face.

He frowned and subconsciously looked toward the source of the gaze, only to see Liu Sangbai violently turn his head away.

Qin Wu chuckled and said nothing.

He knew why Liu Sangbai was looking at him. After entering the dungeon, his appearance had reverted to his past life’s looks, yet it still bore a seventy-percent resemblance to his original body.

But because his previous appearance, covered in pustules, was so deeply ingrained in people’s minds, only Liu Sangbai had noticed.

Presumably, that was why he was so confused.

Qin Wu returned to his Immortal Cave. Qian Tuo’s injuries had completely healed. He checked the countdown once more.

【00:49:27】

“Your friends have arrived. I think you could go and catch up with them. What do you think?”

Qian Tuo understood instantly that Qin Wu wanted him to mingle among them as an insider. However, he had already betrayed them, so it didn’t matter if the betrayal was more thorough.

He smiled and said, “I indeed miss them too.”

Watching Qian Tuo leave, Qin Wu sat cross-legged on a prayer mat.

In fact, if he wanted to be completely safe, it would be easiest to have the Eldest Senior Brother kill them all and be done with it. But he wasn’t so cold-blooded as to reach that level yet.

Qin Wu reflected on his own kindness for a second and began to close his eyes in meditation. When he woke up again a short while later, he stood up and walked out of the Immortal Cave.

【00:00:00】

The plot has begun.