I Can Reincarnate Infinitely

Before catching up with Sha Jiang, Du Youqian had already sealed Cai Min’s Divine Sense.

Then, holding Sha Jiang, he gently petted her while asking Ge Sheng, "Fellow Daoist Ge, what brings you here?"

Ge Sheng gave a wry smile. "I’ve come to mediate."

"Mediate? What is there to mediate now?" Du Youqian continued petting Sha Jiang, not even looking up.

Ge Sheng pleaded earnestly, "I’m doing this for your own good. The Binyin Sect has three Nascent Soul Masters. If you truly anger them and they decide to throw their reputation to the wind, do you think you could survive two or three of them attacking you at once? That’s why I want to mediate now, before you’ve gone on a killing spree and forged an irreconcilable feud."

"There’s no need," Du Youqian said, his tone casual. "Killing them all won’t take much time."

’Just listen to that. Is that something a human being would say?’

Ge Sheng really didn’t want to deal with this guy anymore. He sorrowfully stroked his thick beard. Seeing Du Youqian quietly petting the fox, he felt completely out of place.

But then he thought about his friendship with Du Youqian, which spanned more than a century. He also remembered that this whole mess started because he had commissioned Du Youqian to kill Wen Wuxin.

Although the Qingxu Commerce Association had paid the price, it was clear that Du Youqian was now the one suffering a new loss.

So he shifted uncomfortably but ultimately didn’t get up. "My friend," he said, exasperated, "please, just listen to a word of advice, will you? I know you’re incredible at Magical Combat and your Swordsmanship is outstanding. But Immortal Cultivating isn’t just about fighting and killing; it’s about connections and social grace. The Binyin Sect has friends, you know! If you really slaughter every last one of them and annihilate their entire sect—let’s not even talk about whether you have the ability. Even if you could handle those three Nascent Soul Masters—do you think the Binyin Sect doesn’t have friends who would seek revenge? Do you think they don’t have backers who would stand up for them?"

Du Youqian thought for a long time before finally nodding. "You’re right. I really can’t annihilate the Binyin Sect. Alright, Fellow Daoist Ge, I’ll trouble you to mediate. But a little later. Wait until I’ve killed all their Core Formation Cultivators and one more Nascent Soul Master. That will be the time for you to step in and mediate."

Ge Sheng felt as if he’d choked on an egg, unable to speak. "You!"

"Forget it." Ge Sheng decided to shut his mouth.

He still had a long life ahead of him and had no desire to die young, much less be angered to death.

~~~~~~~~~~

「Binyin Sect」

In a garden, a hundred flowers vied for beauty amidst ever-green plants. Spiritual Qi hung thick in the air as spirit birds wandered about as if no one else was there.

Elder Chi Feng, dressed in a plain white Crane Robe, sat in a pavilion, looking so delicate he seemed too weak to withstand a breeze—a man more beautiful than the flowers themselves.

On the stone table before him lay a Jade Slip, the very one sent by Du Youqian’s messenger, which recorded the terms for the prisoner exchange.

Further down, kneeling wretchedly below the Jade Tier, was Shi Shitao, who had been lucky to escape with his life.

He had already recounted his escape, sticking mostly to the truth. For instance, his description of Du Youqian’s Sword Intent contained no exaggeration, as the reality was already exaggerated enough.

At most, he had only slightly exaggerated the risks he faced at the time, such as how Cai Min and Wang Ke were too far away, or how the stimulus from the Sword Intent had caused his old injuries to flare up.

These were minor transgressions, not grievous errors.

’They can’t possibly execute a Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator like me over such a trivial matter, can they?’

But Shi Shitao’s heart still pounded with anxiety.

It wasn’t that he feared punishment, but that he feared the Supreme Elders would order him to atone for his failure through meritorious deeds.

A commotion arose. Without looking up, Shi Shitao could picture Elder Qie Heng storming into the garden, his strides as fast as a meteor.

Elder Qie Heng burst into the pavilion like a gust of wind. His Divine Sense had already swept over the contents of the Jade Slip, and he shot a glance at Shi Shitao.

He was so angry he had stopped cultivating his Pupil Technique and opened his eyes.

"What about Wang Ke? Is he dead?"

Shi Shitao buried his head even lower.

"Hmph."

Elder Qie Heng ignored him, looking only at Elder Chi Feng. "Junior Brother, what do you think we should do? This exchange... should we do it or not?"

Elder Chi Feng’s delicate brows rose slightly. "We’ll do the exchange."

"And after the exchange?"

"Kill him."

"Who will go?"

Elder Chi Feng had already considered this. "Get Zhou Haozhe out of seclusion. His junior brothers have been bullied to this extent, and he still has the gall to remain in seclusion? Tell him to take every available Core Formation Cultivator in the sect. If he can’t bring back that Sui Xiao’s head, he can use his own to replace it."

Qie Heng might have looked brawny and coarse, but he was actually meticulous.

He hesitated. "Zhou Haozhe may be at the Golden Core Peak, but his strength is only about on par with Cai Min’s. Is he... enough to lead the team?"

Even with a grim expression, Elder Chi Feng was incomparably handsome. "Then what do you suggest? We can’t have two Nascent Soul Masters go after a single Golden Core Cultivator! Even if we were shameless enough to do it, the Binyin Sect’s reputation cannot be tarnished!"

Qie Heng shook his head. "I’m afraid we’d just be feeding the fire. If Zhou Haozhe can’t handle him, we’ll only be adding to our casualties. Besides, a dozen Core Formation Cultivators ganging up on one person... that won’t sound good if word gets out. Is ganging up on someone really any better than a senior bullying a junior?"

Elder Chi Feng said, "If we act, our sect’s reputation will be beyond saving. But if it’s just the Core Formation Cultivators fighting, it can still be passed off as a squabble among juniors."

Qie Heng shook his head. He didn’t agree but didn’t want to argue with Chi Feng either.

"Junior Brother, be cautious. This matter concerns the very survival of our sect. We cannot be careless!"

Chi Feng found this amusing. "Senior Brother, don’t be so alarmist. How could a mere Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator threaten our sect’s survival?"

He said nonchalantly, "Alright, Senior Brother, leave this to me. Shi Shitao!"

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Disciple is here!" Shi Shitao immediately answered in a loud voice.

"Go with your Brother Zhou. Fight with all your might and personally reclaim the dignity you lost. Understand?"

"Yes, Disciple will obey the decree."

~~~~~~

Several Flying Boats departed from the Binyin Sect in a grand procession, an event that naturally couldn’t be hidden.

A major power like the Qingxu Commerce Association had spies everywhere. The news was quickly gathered, relayed, and passed on to Ge Sheng.

And once Ge Sheng knew, Du Youqian naturally knew as well.

"Fellow Daoist, it’s not too late. Stop now! Let me mediate. You can trust me," Ge Sheng made one last effort.

Du Youqian smiled. "Of course I trust you. I’ll leave the mediation to you. I promise, I won’t kill everyone in the Binyin Sect. Once I’ve killed this entire batch, and one of their Nascent Soul Masters makes a move and I kill him too, that will be the time to mediate. They won’t be able to bear any more losses and will have no choice but to compromise. It won’t work now. They aren’t hurting enough yet. If you try to mediate now, they’ll just make outrageous demands. We’re friends; I can’t bear to see you put in that frustrating position."

Ge Sheng was left speechless with anger.

’Could you please have some self-awareness!’

’Do you have any idea who’s making me angry right now?!’

But Du Youqian was already ignoring him, holding Sha Jiang and starting a conversation.

"What’s been happening with your clan all these years? Why haven’t you been in contact with the Four Principles Sect?"

"We went to venerate our ancestors. We didn’t used to live in the Endless Desert Sea, you know?"

Du Youqian had heard that tens of thousands of years ago, most of the Demon Race didn’t live in the Human World.

Instead, they propagated in smaller realms with harsh environments, which were attached to the Human World.

Sha You had mentioned once that they came from a desert world, one even more barren than the Endless Desert Sea.

Many years after the fall of the Ancient Celestial Court, they finally came to the Human World. By then, the territories in the Human World had already been carved up. Moreover, their only Tier Five Demon Emperor had been grievously injured during the migration, so they were unable to lead their race to fight for better territory and more resources.

As time passed, their race gradually degenerated. Even the clan leader with the noblest bloodline could only reach the level of a Tier Three Demon King. This made it even more impossible for them to compete with other races for living space. They could only hole up in the Endless Desert Sea, slowly stagnating and continuing to decline.

But the bloodline-evolving Inheritance that Du Youqian brought them changed everything.

"So, your mother is already at Tier Four?"

"Yeah! She was on the verge of Tier Four for many, many years, so her breakthrough was very smooth. Mom said that after venerating our ancestors, she might even be able to evolve to Tier Five!" A proud expression appeared on the little fox’s face.

"That Su Miao Master is only a Tier Four Nascent Soul Master herself. By what right does she possess an Inheritance that could allow the Split-Ear Sand Fox clan to evolve to Tier Five?" Du Youqian was skeptical.

Sha Jiang was no longer the naive little fox she once was. She immediately sensed Du Youqian’s doubt.

"Su Miao Master’s Inheritance is for Beast Taming and raising Dao Soldiers. It was compiled tens of thousands of years ago by the sect of one of her elders. Among the Demon Races that sect once raised and controlled, there were several branches of the Fox Race."

Du Youqian considered Sha Jiang’s explanation and found it acceptable, so he put the matter aside for the time being.

"So what’s this about venerating your ancestors?"

"It was my mom. She contacted several other races that came from the same lesser realm. Everyone worked together to send their most promising members back to that realm to perform a ritual and gain the potential for further evolution. I went too, and I just got back. But Mom won’t let me tell anyone about the lesser realm, so I can’t tell you."

Since the little fox had said as much, Du Youqian naturally didn’t press for details. He simply made a mental note to remain vigilant and verify it later.

Du Youqian would never forget the saying: ’Those not of my kind are sure to have a different heart.’

He could accept the Fox Race and many other Demon Races, but he would never be naive enough to believe they would be of one mind with him.

He absolutely would not wait until he was betrayed to start lamenting that he’d given them too much rope.

However, the mystery of the temporary "disappearance" of these few Demon Races was finally solved.

It was an answer that satisfied Du Youqian greatly: the Four Principles Sect’s allies weren’t abandoning them; they had just gone to improve their strength.

He hoped that as the Four Principles Sect grew rapidly under his leadership, those allied Demon Races could also keep pace and not be left far behind.

"They’re here." Du Youqian suddenly put Sha Jiang down and walked to the window.

Several Flying Boats were hovering above Four Directions Town.