NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6:
Chapter 6:
Jiang Qitian never imagined that Xiao Yang would dare to threaten him.
The Sixty-Year Grand Competition was critical to the rise and fall of the sect. It determined the redistribution of territories and cultivation resources among the northern sects on the Yuanwu Continent.
Over 90% of the cultivation resources in the northern region were controlled by the top ten most powerful sects. To avoid constant conflicts, the sects established a rule thousands of years ago: every sixty years, they would hold a grand competition in which all sects could participate.
For a thousand years, the Fuyao Sword Sect had consistently taken first place in the competition, solidifying its dominance in the northern region.
With the largest share of cultivation resources, the Fuyao Sword Sect had produced countless prodigies. Today, it stood as a towering presence in the northern region, with its ambitions extending toward the central lands.
Particularly noteworthy was their current saintess, Li Xingyao, who possessed the legendary Undying Phoenix Sacred Physique. She also cultivated the Fuyao Sword Sect’s supreme technique, the True Phoenix Undying Sword Technique.
The synergy between her physique and technique made her a prodigy with the potential to ascend to the Divine Martial Realm at a young age.
Although Xiao Yang had the True Sun Sacred Physique, it was far inferior to Li Xingyao’s Undying Phoenix Sacred Physique. Only someone like Qin Fei, with his Innate Dao Physique, could rival her.
To Jiang Qitian, Xiao Yang had no chance of competing with Li Xingyao for the top position.
“Master, words alone aren’t enough. Please write a formal agreement,” Xiao Yang said calmly.
“What? You want me to write an agreement? Do you not trust your master?” Jiang Qitian was furious.
Someone of his stature would never go back on his word.
However, Xiao Yang insisted, “Please write the agreement, Master, and sign and seal it.”
His tone was resolute.
In his previous life, Jiang Qitian had repeatedly promised to pass on the sect master position and the Azure Sun Sword, the sect’s treasure, to him. But in the end, those promises were broken.
Jiang Qitian had handed both the leadership position and the Azure Sun Sword to Qin Fei.
Xiao Yang had been too trusting, which led to him being stabbed through the heart by Qin Fei wielding the Azure Sun Sword.
In this life, he wouldn’t repeat those mistakes.
“Master, you know better than anyone how important the Sixty-Year Grand Competition is to the sect,” Xiao Yang reminded, seeing Jiang Qitian’s hesitation.
“Rebellious disciple, how dare you threaten me?” Jiang Qitian’s cold gaze locked onto Xiao Yang.
“Master, how could I dare to threaten you? Whether or not we formalize the agreement is entirely up to you,” Xiao Yang replied with a calm demeanor. “But my performance in the competition—that’s not something you can control.”
“You…” Jiang Qitian was so angry he almost spat blood.
“Fine!”
Fuming, Jiang Qitian angrily took out paper, ink, and a brush and wrote down the agreement with Xiao Yang.
This rebellious disciple dared to challenge him—unbelievable!
But for the sake of the competition, Jiang Qitian had to endure it.
He affixed the sect leader’s seal and signed his name. The agreement was made in duplicate.
“Is this satisfactory?” Jiang Qitian asked, glaring at Xiao Yang. The disciple standing before him felt like a stranger. Was this really his once-polite and humble first disciple?
Xiao Yang carefully stored the agreement.
“Now get back to the Reflection Cave and continue your punishment!” Jiang Qitian barked.
“Master, I hope you won’t tell anyone about this agreement,” Xiao Yang said after a moment’s thought.
He didn’t want Qin Fei to know about it.
Qin Fei had already shown his claws and had gone so far as to provoke Xiao Yang into beating him. If Qin Fei found out about the agreement, who knew what schemes he might concoct?
Before the competition, Xiao Yang wanted to avoid unnecessary complications.
“Fine!” Jiang Qitian gritted his teeth and nodded. Keeping it a secret suited him as well. After all, he was certain Xiao Yang couldn’t possibly win first place.
To him, this agreement would never need to be acknowledged.
“Master, disciple takes his leave,” Xiao Yang said, bowing respectfully before turning to leave.
Jiang Qitian turned his back on him, no longer willing to look at him.
Xiao Yang glanced at Jiang Qitian one last time before opening the grand hall doors and walking out.
Outside the hall, Qin Fei was dumbfounded.
“What…”
How was it possible that Xiao Yang hadn’t been punished?
Had he endured such a severe beating for nothing? Two of his ribs had been broken by Xiao Yang, and yet Xiao Yang walked away unscathed.
Qin Fei was furious, but he dared not show it.
“Senior Brother, it’s great that Master didn’t punish you,” Qin Fei said with a fake smile, suppressing his anger.
Xiao Yang ignored him entirely. To the reborn Xiao Yang, Qin Fei was nothing more than a clown.
“Senior Brother, what did Father say?” Jiang Ting asked as she approached.
Xiao Yang didn’t even glance at her. He walked past her without a word, leaving behind only his calm, aloof silhouette.
“Outrageous!”
Elder Lei Lie of the Law Enforcement Hall and Elder Cang Xiao of the Transmission Hall stormed into the grand hall, fuming.
They demanded an explanation from Jiang Qitian.
Especially Elder Lei Lie—how could a Holy Son who blatantly violated sect rules by attacking a fellow disciple go unpunished? What authority would he have left as the Law Enforcement Elder if this went unaddressed?
Xiao Yang, meanwhile, returned to the Reflection Cave.
He knew that no one would bother him again until the competition.
…
A few days later, his Third Junior Brother, Song Qiang, brought him food.
From Song Qiang, Xiao Yang learned about the aftermath of the recent events.
Elder Lei Lie and Jiang Qitian had a fierce argument in the grand hall, which ended in a stalemate.
In the end, the sect decided not to punish Xiao Yang at all.
Qin Fei was recovering from his injuries and wouldn’t be causing any trouble for now.
However, Xiao Yang underestimated Qin Fei’s shamelessness.
When Xiao Yang’s parents learned about Qin Fei’s injuries, they brought his sister, Xiao Yue, to the sect to visit him.
The Xiao family had once been an insignificant, third-rate cultivation family in the northern region.
It was only because of Xiao Yang’s status in the Azure Sun Sword Sect that the Xiao family had risen to prominence. Now, with the sect’s backing, they barely qualified as a second-rate family.
Without Xiao Yang, the Xiao family would still be struggling for survival, likely relying on marriage alliances to maintain their position.
Without Xiao Yang, his sister Xiao Yue would have been used as a pawn in such alliances. She wouldn’t have the carefree life she now enjoyed.
…
A few days later, Song Qiang brought more food.
“Senior Brother, I saw your parents and sister on the mountain today. Are they here to visit you?” Song Qiang asked while placing the food on the table and opening the lid.
A large bowl of spiritual rice, a small clay pot of braised beast meat, and a flask of spirit wine were neatly laid out.
Cultivators still needed food, but their meals were far from ordinary.
The rice was spiritual rice.
The meat came from beasts hunted by outer disciples.
The wine was brewed from rare spiritual herbs.
Eating spiritual rice, beast meat, and drinking spirit wine were part of a cultivator’s daily life. Even mortals would find their bodies strengthened and diseases banished by consuming such food.
For cultivators, it aided their cultivation.
“They’re probably visiting Qin Fei,” Xiao Yang said indifferently.
“They’re your family. Why wouldn’t they visit you first?” Song Qiang asked, puzzled.
Xiao Yang smiled but said nothing.
In his previous life, his parents had always treated their adopted son Qin Fei better than their biological one.
Even now, after just five years of taking Qin Fei in, their favoritism was already apparent.
Whenever they came to the sect, their first stop was always Qin Fei—not Xiao Yang.
When Xiao Yang had voiced his grievances in his past life, they had scolded him instead.
“Qin Fei had a hard life. He lost his parents when he was young. What’s wrong with us caring for him a bit more?”
“You’re the Holy Son and the sect master’s first disciple. What are you lacking?”
“He’s our adopted son. Why can’t we bring him gifts?”
“Are you jealous of him? How petty you’ve become!”
In his previous life, his dissatisfaction had only earned him more criticism.
Remembering those moments, Xiao Yang sighed and shook his head.
This time, they could visit whoever they liked. He didn’t care anymore.
When they learned Qin Fei’s true nature, would they regret their choices?
Still, Xiao Yang suspected they would come to reprimand him soon enough.
After all, he had injured their “precious adopted son.”
For the sake of someone unrelated to them by blood, they would come to scold their own son.
Sigh…
A faint sense of sorrow welled up in Xiao Yang’s heart.