Chapter 500: The Childhood Friend’s Revenge in Waiting
“Master… disciple… I dare not say.”
Tao Zhongjing shook his head, his face full of bitterness. He stammered for a long while before forcing out those words.
At first, Wei Tu only suspected someone had set up Tao Zhongjing. But seeing his expression now, he was certain of it.
Still, asking directly was clearly not going to get the name of the one behind it.
Wei Tu thought for a moment, then changed his tone. His face grew stern, his gaze cold as he said in a deep voice,
“You and I are master and disciple—sharing honor and disgrace. If you won’t tell me who trapped you, do you mean for your master to follow in your footsteps as well?”
As soon as the words fell, Tao Zhongjing’s face changed dramatically. With a loud thud, he dropped to his knees and kowtowed for mercy.
The crime of killing one’s master was, in the cultivation world, no less grave than patricide.
All the more so when Wei Tu had been the benefactor of the entire Hanshan Tao Clan.
Such an accusation—regardless of Wei Tu’s cultivation or standing—was a moral burden Tao Zhongjing could never bear.
“It was the Left Virtuous King’s Residence.”
Kneeling on the ground, Tao Zhongjing spoke in a trembling voice.
“The Left Virtuous King’s Residence?” Wei Tu was briefly taken aback. He had no enmity with them—barely even any contact.
Of course, there was some contact.
When he had first smuggled himself into the Kang Kingdom, the Fen Shan Tribe where he had taken shelter was under the Left Virtuous King’s banner.
But if we were talking about grudges, his conflict with the Right Virtuous King Yuan Jie was far greater—only held in check, never made public.
That the one behind Tao Zhongjing’s entrapment was the Left Virtuous King’s Residence… this was beyond Wei Tu’s expectations.
Still, he didn’t show any of his inner thoughts. Outwardly, he and Yuan Jie were both former members of the Cangkun Alliance—sworn brothers.
He frowned slightly, gesturing for Tao Zhongjing to explain in detail.
“At first, I didn’t know it was the Left Virtuous King’s Residence harming me.” Tao Zhongjing’s face twisted with deep regret.
“A few years ago, I overheard the Left Virtuous King’s heir, Yuan Zixiong, saying… that Master had made a huge mistake, implicating the tribe and angering Divine Master Du Long and the others…”
“Although Yuan Zixiong didn’t say it outright, his words implied… that Master was now keeping himself imprisoned in his cave to earn their forgiveness.”
“Because of that, I decided to break through on my own and not disturb you.”
Tao Zhongjing’s voice was half-choked as he spoke.
By now, Wei Tu had a clear picture of the whole story—why Tao Zhongjing had hidden this from his master and attempted his breakthrough in secret.
In short, Yuan Zixiong had used his position in the Ying Ding Tribe’s upper ranks to twist some insider knowledge and deceive Tao Zhongjing—the honest type.
Honesty was both a virtue and a flaw.
If not for that honesty, after Tao Fangde’s death, Tao Zhongjing would never have been given the Golden Core quota Wei Tu had promised to the Tao Clan—letting it go to his granddaughter-in-law, Tao Ping’er. Wei Tu, feeling the need to make it up to them, had taken Tao Zhongjing as a registered disciple.
But it was that same honesty that made him so easily fooled. Without checking, he believed Yuan Zixiong’s words and rushed to break through.
Fortunately, he wasn’t entirely foolish.
Once Wei Tu pointed it out, he immediately realized he’d been tricked.
“You didn’t want to trouble me for a Mortal Shedding Pill. That’s a sign of your filial heart. For that, I won’t blame you for this matter,” Wei Tu said, shaking his head. He flicked his sleeve, using his power to lift Tao Fangde up from his knees.
A setback teaches a lesson.
Though Tao Fangde’s own stubbornness played a role, Wei Tu knew he couldn’t put all the blame on him.
If he put himself in Tao Zhongjing’s place… it would be hard to act much better. After all, the enemy was the heir of the Left Virtuous King—a man with whom he had no enmity.
And he himself was only a registered disciple under a Divine Master—barely worth noting.
There was no reason to think he’d be targeted.
Even now, Wei Tu couldn’t figure out why the Left Virtuous King’s Residence would move against him or Tao Zhongjing.
“This time, you failed to break through and became a False Core cultivator. When you speak of it to others… don’t mention me. Just say you were lucky to survive.”
Wei Tu pushed down his doubts. Looking at Tao Zhongjing, he gave the instruction patiently.
This was not something he intended to swallow.
But now was not the time to rage. He had more important work—breaking through to mid Nascent Soul.
Once he reached that realm…
Not only could he destroy the Left Virtuous King’s Residence, even if they had other Divine Masters behind them, he could kill them all.
For now, he would wait.
“Yes, Master.” Tao Zhongjing stood respectfully, lowering his head without the slightest complaint.
Wei Tu had shown up in time to save his life—he was already endlessly grateful. How could he expect his master to risk himself to avenge this foolish mistake?
Tao Zhongjing understood how hard Wei Tu’s position was.
After all, they were not natives of the Ying Ding Tribe. No matter how powerful they were, as immigrants, they still had to bow their heads when facing native cultivators of the same rank.
As his master, Wei Tu could not possibly imagine that Tao Zhongjing held such a “when the emperor has to farm with a golden hoe” kind of humble thinking.
Wei Tu thought for a moment, then reassured Tao Zhongjing, “In the cultivation world, even a False Nascent Soul can one day reignite their spiritual core—let alone a False Core. When the time comes, I’ll get you a core transformation secret art.”
The only time Wei Tu had heard about a method to reignite a False Nascent Soul was from Ji Zhang, who said the Hidden Gate possessed such a technique.
But when it came to core transformation methods, he had heard many more of those in the cultivation world.
In fact, just earlier, while speaking with Ancestor Chìlóng, he had obtained one such technique—passed down from the Myriad Yin Sect.
However, this particular method leaned heavily toward the demonic path. Considering Tao Zhongjing’s temperament still needed tempering, Wei Tu chose not to give it to him right away.
“Many thanks, Master.” Hearing that his cultivation path still had hope, Tao Zhongjing—who had been despondent moments before—was instantly overjoyed. He quickly bowed deeply in gratitude.
But when he straightened, his master had already vanished without a trace.
“Master…”
Tao Zhongjing’s joy faded instantly. Kneeling again, he turned toward the Divine Master’s Mansion and knocked his head to the ground three times.
…
Elsewhere—
Inside a side hall of the Left Virtuous King’s Residence, a square-faced man in fine robes saw the spiritual energy vortex over the Wei Clan Pill and Talisman Hall dissipate. A trace of joy appeared on his face.
“Junior Sister Ying, I may not have the strength to kill Wei Tu for you, but killing one of his disciples counts as an offering to your spirit in heaven.”
He held a portrait of a beautiful woman, gazing at it with deep emotion, his tone slightly excited.
If Wei Tu had been there, he would have recognized her instantly—the woman in the portrait was none other than Yuan Ying, the former Grand Princess of the Right Virtuous King’s Residence, with whom he had shared more than a few encounters.
It seemed the man’s scheme against Tao Zhongjing was nothing more than revenge for Wei Tu secretly killing Yuan Ying a hundred years ago outside the Ying Ding Tribe.
“Wei Tu can plot all he wants, but he’d never guess that I learned—by chance from Earth Sword Mountain—about the Azure Flood-Dragon Banner and Yellow Cloud Pouch he used to kill Yao Chongshan and his wife back then…”
“No matter how meticulous he is, this time disaster will come!”
The square-faced man—Yuan Zixiong—tightened his grip on the portrait, his face cold.
Back then, Yuan Ying had remained a widow and never remarried—thanks in no small part to him.
He and Yuan Ying had conspired to kill her first husband.
If not for the Ying Ding Tribe’s ban on marriages between the two royal residences, he would have long since been with her.
“Now Tao Zhongjing is dead. Next will be Wei Tu’s kin.”
Yuan Zixiong pulled out a jade slip listing the details of Wei Tu’s relatives and began picking potential targets.
But before he could decide, a trusted aide rushed in with news—Tao Zhongjing was still alive.
“What? He’s a False Core?”
Yuan Zixiong froze, then his expression turned to panic.
He knew all too well the trouble that could come from Tao Zhongjing surviving the failed breakthrough.
Once Wei Tu came out of seclusion, discovered the truth, and traced it back to him, not even ten lives would be enough to save him.
Panic set in. Yuan Zixiong quickly channeled his power to destroy the portrait, the jade slip, and anything else linking him to the plot.
But—
Before he could finish, a streak of blood light fell from the sky and neatly severed his neck.
“You…”
His head rolled to the floor, eyes wide, staring at the black-robed man who had suddenly appeared before him. His voice rasped as he tried to speak.
But before the words left his lips, his life was gone.
…
The killer was not Wei Tu, nor anyone sent by him.
Wei Tu would never be foolish enough to stir such trouble in the middle of a crucial breakthrough.
Still, Wei Tu did witness the killer’s face.
He had already guessed that if Yuan Zixiong learned Tao Zhongjing still lived, he would act.
So he seized the chance to visit the Left Virtuous King’s Residence himself—to see whether this was Yuan Zixiong’s doing alone or part of a larger collusion.
What he did not expect was that shortly after his arrival, he would see a black-robed cultivator—face concealed—end Yuan Zixiong’s life.
“Yuwen Lianggu?”
Hiding above the Left Virtuous King’s Residence, Wei Tu opened his eyes, revealing eerie green spider eyes like those of the Ghost-Eyed Demon Spider, and stared at the black-robed man.
A moment later, his expression shifted to surprise.
When he first used the Sun-Gazing Golden Eyes, the man’s aura and body were unmistakably that of Qian Yue Sanren. But when he added the Ghost-Eyed Demon Spider’s vision, the truth emerged—it was actually Yuwen Lianggu, the chief disciple of the Golden-Eyed Divine Master.
The Ghost-Eyed Demon Spider could see through yin and yang, revealing a cultivator’s true soul in an instant.
And Wei Tu never doubted its judgment.
“An external hand? Divine Master Jinxia’s scheme?”
Wei Tu frowned slightly as he watched Yuwen Lianggu, disguised as Qian Yue Sanren, leave the Left Virtuous King’s Residence.
But before he could think further about Divine Master Jinxia’s motives, Yuwen Lianggu flickered away again—this time heading toward the Right Virtuous King’s Residence.
“Follow and see.” Wei Tu narrowed his eyes, flicked his sleeve, and trailed after Yuwen Lianggu.
Half a quarter-hour later, Wei Tu followed Yuwen Lianggu into the main hall of the Right Virtuous King’s Residence.
“Right Virtuous King.” Yuwen Lianggu bowed, greeting Yuan Jie, who was seated at the head, reviewing documents.
“No need for formality.”
Yuan Jie’s tone was mild. He waved his hand, inviting “Qian Yue Sanren” to sit freely.
Qian Yue Sanren had been a trusted subordinate Yuan Jie took in years ago, once serving as the Grand Alliance Leader of the Cangkun Alliance. Yuan Jie owed much of his current status to him.
But right after speaking, Yuan Jie sensed something was off.
He had known Qian Yue Sanren for years, familiar with all his habits. No matter how perfect Yuwen Lianggu’s disguise, Yuan Jie could still detect the truth.
“You’re Yuwen Lianggu?” Yuan Jie’s right hand, holding the document, froze. His expression chilled, his eyes turning sharp with killing intent as he stared at the “Qian Yue Sanren” before him.
From the shadows, Wei Tu didn’t need to hear much to realize Yuan Jie and Yuwen Lianggu must have had prior dealings.
Otherwise, even if Yuan Jie saw through the disguise, he wouldn’t have identified her so directly.
“Yuan Jie and the Divine Master Jinxia in contact?”
Wei Tu was slightly surprised. He couldn’t figure out why Yuan Jie would risk his own position to collude with Golden Glow.
After all, Yuan Jie was already the most powerful Right Virtuous King under the four Divine Masters of the Ying Ding Tribe.
If it was just to retaliate against him, such a move seemed far too reckless.
Their relationship wasn’t one of life-and-death enmity—only a friendship soured by conflicting interests.
But soon, from their conversation, Wei Tu understood.
This business with Yuan Zixiong harming his disciple Tao Zhongjing—Yuan Jie had no part in it from beginning to end.
It was just Yuwen Lianggu’s way of pulling Yuan Jie into the water.
As for Divine Master Jinxia… it wasn’t exactly collusion. Yuan Jie had only been in contact with him recently, which was normal for a tribal leader.
But just as Wei Tu was about to step out and fulfill his duty as a Divine Master by arresting Yuwen Lianggu, Yuan Jie’s sudden shift in attitude made him pause to keep watching.
…
“Right Virtuous King, you think you still have a way back?” Yuwen Lianggu flicked her jade sleeve, revealing her true face, a faint smile at her lips.
“With Yuan Zixiong dead, and with the clues I’ve left behind, the Left Virtuous King will inevitably discover that it was your subordinate, Qian Yue Sanren, who killed his heir. Once he knows that, what do you think Wei Tu will believe?”
“When that time comes, even if you want to explain, it’ll be impossible to clear yourself.”
Her words froze the hall.
Hearing the pressure in her tone, Yuan Jie’s expression shifted. His gaze locked on her face as he said coldly, “Yuwen Lianggu, I’m not so easy to manipulate. My relationship with Divine Master Wei is well-known. As a friend, he won’t suspect me.”
“Suspect?” Yuwen Lianggu chuckled, shaking her head. “If your relationship with Wei Tu is so good, why bother seeking Golden Core realm cultivation pills from outside? Why not just ask him?”
At that, Yuan Jie stared at her, realizing she had uncovered everything. He kept silent, no longer trying to argue—facts spoke louder than words.
“The Ying Ding Tribe may be vast, but for the sake of reforming corrupt practices and shaping good governance, you haven’t stolen much from your clan’s stores…”
“With your wealth, buying Golden Core realm cultivation pills is fine.”
“But to break through to the Nascent Soul realm?”
Yuwen Lianggu’s tone was coaxing.
“Break through to Nascent Soul?” Yuan Jie snorted, glancing at her with disdain. “You’re the chief disciple of Divine Master Jinxia. Even the Great Princess of the Yu Wen royal clan has no chance to advance. What could Golden Glow offer me, an outsider?”
She didn’t take offense. The smile stayed on her face as she said, “Divine Master Jinxia alone isn’t enough. But… what about Ancestor Liu Yu? He’s mid-stage Nascent Soul.”
“Hehuan Sect is one of the five great demonic sects. Their heritage far surpasses that of our Kangju Tribe—by at least tenfold.”
“Ancestor Liu Yu?”
Yuan Jie’s expression changed.
As the Right Virtuous King, he had already heard from Du Long Divine Master and others how Wei Tu had gravely offended Liu Yu before.
Now that Yuwen Lianggu mentioned him, the meaning was clear—Golden Glow had already joined hands with Ancestor Liu Yu.
Faced with Liu Yu, Yuan Jie’s confidence faltered.
He knew exactly how wary Du Long and the others were of this mid-stage Nascent Soul devil.
Even Wei Tu, though he had escaped from Liu Yu’s grasp, had only done so by taking advantage of a moment of carelessness.
Yuan Jie’s resolve began to waver.