Stealing Immortal

In the past, he had always stopped at this point on the Golden Summit.

Today, after passing a cluster of palaces and buildings, he continued up the mountain.

At the foot of a slope, he saw, just as expected, a flight of stairs carved from White Jade that stretched all the way up into the clouds. Gazing upward, the sight was ethereal, as if he were ascending into a celestial realm.

Chen Qingyang ascended the steps. The path was deserted, making for a quiet journey. He took his time, walking and observing, taking in all the surrounding scenery.

Jagged rocks formed treacherous cliffs where strange beasts galloped. Ancient pines clung tenaciously to life in the crevices, tender blades of grass showed their green, and small streams trickled by. The higher he climbed, the more spectacular the scenery became!

He remembered Xu Baoling’s words, taking the right-hand path at every fork. This led him toward the left peak of the Four Golden Peaks. Perhaps because he was walking slowly, about half an hour passed. He saw the golden light in the sky grow brighter, piercing through layers of mist, only to be suffused by a purple haze that made his vision blur.

He took a deep breath. The Spiritual Qi here was indeed much richer than on the mountainside. By the road stood a half-height pagoda carved from bluestone. Though it only reached Chen Qingyang’s waist, it was perfectly detailed with delicate, upturned eaves, five pillars, and six windows—exquisite craftsmanship. A cyan pearl hung from its peak, faintly emanating a Qi Mechanism.

As he continued along the path, the Qi Mechanism followed, connecting to another half-height pagoda. This repeated for five or six such pagodas.

Chen Qingyang understood. ’This must be a powerful Array. It gathers most of the nature’s spiritual energy from the entire peak to this one place, not only nurturing the beautiful scenery but also giving the beasts here their spiritual vitality. Although it can’t compare to the other peaks of the Tai Xu Sect, it already possesses the air of an Immortal Family’s domain when compared to the mountainside.’

After walking for about another quarter of an hour, he saw a mountain gate. Before it stood a memorial archway inscribed with the two large, ink-black words: "Zhengxin Institute."

Xu Baoling had also mentioned that the master of this institute was Master Yun Ci. Everything beyond this point was the territory of the Zhengxin Institute, and any disciples he encountered would be his fellow brothers and sisters from the same lineage.

After a moment’s hesitation, Chen Qingyang stepped through. He passed by cliffside Cave Mansions, courtyards nestled in hollows, and even solitary houses perched in crevices. Though some Outer Disciples saw him, they all ignored him.

Of course, he also saw many Miscellaneous Task disciples at work. They merely glanced at him before moving on.

Aware of his status, Chen Qingyang provoked no one. Whenever he encountered Outer Disciples, he would stand aside and wait for them to pass.

Before he realized it, the sun had climbed much higher in the sky. The thick, disorienting fog had completely dissipated, and the world was clear once more.

But he still hadn’t found Qi Xiuyuan’s courtyard and was starting to feel anxious. Just then, he saw a young Miscellaneous Task disciple drawing water from a well. He approached, offered a bow, and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother."

The young man turned, put down his bucket, and returned the bow. "I should be the one calling you Senior Brother. I just arrived not long ago... Say, I don’t think I’ve seen you before?"

Chen Qingyang simply replied, "You’re right, you haven’t. I’ve come today on my senior sister’s orders to find Senior Brother Qi Xiuyuan. Do you happen to know where his Cave Mansion is?"

Hearing this, the other disciple simply sat down, pulled a flatbread from his robes, and asked if Chen Qingyang wanted a bite.

"No, thank you. I’ve already had breakfast. You go ahead, Junior Brother."

The man didn’t press the offer, simply stuffing the bread into his mouth. He even took a gulp of water from the bucket to help swallow it down faster.

"What’s your name, Senior Brother?" he asked Chen Qingyang after clearing his mouth.

"Chen Qingyang. And you, Junior Brother?"

"Sigh," he let out a heavy breath, followed by a self-deprecating smile. "Su San."

’That must be a nickname,’ Chen Qingyang thought. He asked again, "Junior Brother Su, I was wondering if you could point me toward Senior Brother Qi’s residence?"

Su San said, "Sure, that’s easy. But first, you have to talk with me for a bit. I haven’t said a single word in over a month. All I do is haul water here, no different from a Wooden Ox. If I’d known it would be like this, I never would have come to this Immortal Sect..."

His words were full of complaints about how terrible the Immortal Sect was. Chen Qingyang was confused. "I’ve seen plenty of Miscellaneous Task disciples on this mountain. How is it that no one talks to you? Aren’t there also Outer Sect senior brothers around?"

"Su San," he repeated his name. "It’s because I’m called Su San! That’s not even my real name. They call me that because I was the last to arrive, number three out of the three of us. All I do on this mountain is carry water, day in and day out. How can I even talk about Immortal Cultivation!"

Chen Qingyang peered at the water. He could faintly see jade-green ripples moving on its surface, despite there being no wind. It seemed to be a Spiritual Spring.

At that moment, Su San started chattering again. "You have no idea. The Inner Sect Disciple I serve is an odd one. He has three of us Miscellaneous Task disciples, and he treats the first two great, but he torments me from morning till night. When the other two saw how it was, they became too scared to talk to me. So I’m just like a wooden dummy, hauling water all day. This water is incredibly heavy, too... ugh, my back aches so much..."

He really seemed to have a lot pent up. When he finally finished, Chen Qingyang could only offer a word of comfort, "Perhaps this is to temper your disposition. It might be for your own good!"

"Sigh, if that were true, I could accept it. But it’s absolutely not like that. He makes me haul all this water, and then has me pour it out on barren land... Forget it. I’m just glad I got to talk to you about it. Just keep going straight, and you’ll see a sea of bamboo. His place is on the other side. I’ve got to get back to hauling water."

With that, he got busy again, shouldering the carrying pole and hurrying away.

Chen Qingyang pondered the strange behavior but couldn’t figure it out. He decided to put it out of his mind and focus on his own objective.

He walked for a short while and, sure enough, came upon a bamboo forest, lush and vibrantly green.

Seeing a small, trodden path through the middle, Chen Qingyang followed it. After a short walk, a vast clearing suddenly opened up before him, a perfect circle seemingly carved out of the bamboo. In its very center stood a small courtyard.

This had to be Qi Xiuyuan’s residence.

The courtyard gate was closed. Chen Qingyang walked up and knocked lightly twice.

He had already prepared what to say. A moment later, the gate was opened by a young woman in a green dress with a delicate, pretty face.

"Who are you looking for, Senior Brother?"

"I was sent by Inner Sect’s Senior Sister Liu Tao to pay a visit to Senior Brother Qi Xiuyuan. Might he be in?"

"Alright, please wait a moment."

The young woman went inside, closing the gate behind her.

Chen Qingyang stood at the gate when a sudden sense of foreboding washed over him. He looked up to see Qi Xiuyuan hovering directly above. With a wave of his hand, Qi Xiuyuan shot a blast of cyan Power down at him.

His senses were extremely sharp, and he could tell his opponent was holding back. He simply clenched the Warm Jade Scroll tightly, afraid of accidentally activating it.

Taking the blow with only his body, the impact was severe. Chen Qingyang was sent tumbling to the ground in a pathetic heap.

He clutched his chest, taking a long moment before he could climb back to his feet.

Qi Xiuyuan seemed satisfied by the sight and stared down at him coldly. "Did you really think I wouldn’t dare kill you? How dare you come looking for me?"

Chen Qingyang gasped for breath several times before he seemed able to speak. "Senior Brother Qi, you misunderstand. I was sent by Senior Sister Liu Tao. I have something to tell you."

His attitude was humble and sincere, but it did nothing to dispel Qi Xiuyuan’s rage. "Hmph. We’re long past the point of pleasantries. What could that old bitch possibly have to say?"

The man had always had a foul mouth. Chen Qingyang recalled how he had called Xu Baoling a bitch the first time they met.

Chen Qingyang’s expression remained neutral, showing neither joy nor sorrow. "Senior Sister has reconsidered and does not wish to be enemies with you, Senior Brother. She sent me here specifically to persuade you. It is better to resolve enmity than to create it. I think it’s best we all just let this matter drop!"

"Heh, and who the hell are you to say that!" The words made Qi Xiuyuan laugh with rage. He was so incensed that he forgot to put Chen Qingyang in his place again.

"Is that old bitch an idiot, or are you? Do you have any idea what I suffered in there? It was a living hell! And you think I’ll just forget it because of a single message from her? A message delivered by you, the disgusting old task-hand I hate most of all!"

As Qi Xiuyuan spoke, Chen Qingyang kept a tight grip on the Warm Jade Scroll.

’If Qi Xiuyuan attacks me now,’ he thought, ’I’ll let the Warm Jade Scroll activate and severely injure him. After suffering such a humiliating defeat right on his own doorstep, he probably won’t have the gall to publicize it.’

Chen Qingyang said with sincerity, "Please don’t misunderstand, Senior Brother Qi. Senior Sister Liu is truly sincere. As long as you’re willing to bury the hatchet, everything is negotiable in the future!"

"Negotiable my ass! We still haven’t gotten to the bottom of Xu Baoling’s death!" Qi Xiuyuan roared, blasting another wave of Power at Chen Qingyang.

He gripped the Warm Jade Scroll but chose not to activate it. Though he possessed the cultivation of the Qi Refining Sixth Realm, he dared not reveal it, so he had no choice but to take the hit with his physical body.

This blow was even more vicious than the last, slamming him heavily to the ground.

It wasn’t that Chen Qingyang enjoyed self-mutilation. It was simply that for every day Qi Xiuyuan lived, he could not rest easy. There was no telling when the man might spring an attack from some dark corner. Only by provoking Qi Xiuyuan into making a covert move could Chen Qingyang finally be at ease.

"Hmph. Go back and tell Liu Tao to stop her wishful thinking. And you, you old task-hand, this whole feud started because of you. The moment I’m free, you’re the first one I’ll kill!"

His killing intent was palpable, and he spoke through clenched teeth. However, an arrogant man like him was conscious of his status and wouldn’t kill him outright in his own courtyard.

Seeing his objective achieved, Chen Qingyang said nothing more and sullenly disappeared back into the bamboo forest.

He dragged his leg, his body hunched, listening to the conversation between the young miscellaneous task disciple and Qi Xiuyuan fade behind him as he walked on and on.

Slowly, he straightened his back and brushed the dust from his clothes. He quietly circulated his qi, healing his injuries within his Dantian.

’It would be best if Qi Xiuyuan makes his move within the next two days,’ he thought. ’I have the Jade Lotus Token on me. When the time comes, the Demon Sect will inevitably be implicated, and no one will pay any attention to an insignificant old task-hand like me.’

On his way down the mountain, he didn’t see Su San again. There was only a large wet patch next to the well, suggesting the boy had just drawn his water and left.

Chen Qingyang glanced into the well. The Spiritual Qi inside was abnormally dense. ’There’s more to this well than meets the eye.’

After all, it belonged to an Inner Sect Disciple. He didn’t dare to linger and continued down the mountain.