Cultivation: I Can Reincarnate Into Various Worlds

"Elder Yao, what do you mean by that?"

Hua Shu was startled.

Logically, Xu Xing should be grateful for her kindness.

Even if he was reluctant to be stationed at the sect headquarters, he wouldn't go so far as to voice such remarks.

"You are of the Sect Master's lineage and should be contributing to the lineage! The sect has already voiced considerable displeasure about relocating you to Five Thunder Mountain to seek refuge this time…"

"If Elder Yao doesn't contribute this time, I'm afraid my, the Sect Master's lineage, will lose popular support within the sect."

Hua Shu, not dwelling on the meaning behind Xu Xing's words, continued her earnest persuasion.

Unless absolutely necessary, she didn't want to resort to force to eliminate Xu Xing, this scourge. In the over one hundred years Xu Xing had been in the Qiming Sect, he had completed the tasks assigned by the sect with an almost one hundred percent success rate.

The tasks the sect assigned Xu Xing were all benchmarked against his cultivation realm.

With such a high mission completion rate, Xu Xing's combat strength, within the Elixir Mark Realm, was undoubtedly first-class.

If they acted rashly, the Qiming Sect's meager foundations couldn't withstand the upheaval!

"Since it's the Sect Master's lineage..."

"I, Yao, would like to ask, why has the inheritance of the Sect Master's lineage never been open to me? In a conversation with Elder Wu, I happened to glean from him that…"

"Cultivators of the Sect Master's lineage are supposed to be granted a partial sutra. Why have I, Yao, never even heard of this partial sutra?"

Xu Xing narrowed his eyes and questioned.

Elder Wu was a Pill Seal Realm Ghost Immortal who had perished in this battle; Xu Xing had interacted with him several times.

He claimed to have learned of the Scripture of Escaping Calamity's existence from Elder Wu.

Hua Shu and the others had no way to verify this.

After all, the dead tell no tales.

Although the Scripture of Escaping Calamity was precious, concealed a great secret, and was a scripture passed down by Immortals, to the Qiming Sect, this scripture was difficult to decipher and thus no more than a piece of scrap paper. Therefore, essentially all House Elders of the Sect Master's lineage knew of this Dao Sutra's existence...

"This..."

Hua Shu hesitated, uncertain of how to explain.

She had just spoken of the sect's graciousness towards Xu Xing, and he immediately used these words to shut her up.

"Does Sect Leader Hua think I am easy to fool?"

Xu Xing snorted coldly.

"I've heard that Dayue Mountain is the sect's true alternative place of inheritance, not Five Thunder Mountain."

He made his point clear.

"What?"

"Dayue Mountain is the real inheritance site?"

When Xu Xing's words landed, the four Female Cultivators, who on the way here were still thinking of repaying the sect, were instantly dumbstruck.

They felt a burning shame, as if their faces were on fire.

The words they had spoken earlier replayed in their minds again and again.

"Sect Master, is this true?"

A sweet-looking, naive young girl stepped out from among the four Female Cultivators and asked Hua Shu.

This was the very Female Cultivator who had previously declared her intention to serve the sect for one hundred years.

Hearing this, they instantly realized they were merely pawns.

Having cultivated to this stage, they weren't fools.

Their fervent loyalty turned to chilling disillusionment.

"The sect provides your food, clothing, resources, and inheritance; serving the sect is only right and proper..."

Hua Shu frowned and scolded.

Such a familiar scene.

It instantly reminded Xu Xing of Emperor Chongming.

Emperor Chongming had been just as self-assured, often telling his court officials in the great hall, "Your food, your stipends, all rely on Imperial grace."

This had earned him the deep resentment of his officials.

Ultimately, he lost the empire.

A faction is different from an individual.

For an individual to hide their private affairs or conceal their shortcomings is human nature. But if a faction does so, eventually, people will vote with their feet.

Outside the Qiming Sect, all was quiet.

After Hua Shu finished speaking, she too felt she was in the wrong.

But she couldn't bring herself to offer further excuses.

If this matter were to be discussed further and word spread to other sects, it would surely invite ridicule.

While it's true that superiors often share this trait—sacrificing subordinates without revealing their true purpose—this wouldn't stop other sects from making a big issue of the matter...

"Shaoqin..."

"Whatever it is, we'll discuss it after today is over."

Hua Shu looked sternly at the sweet-looking, naive young girl, signaling her to be silent.

This girl was Miao Shaoqin, her martial niece.

"Sect Master Hua, what grand airs of authority you put on…"

Xu Xing sneered upon seeing this.

Hua Shu's earlier words had already made him understand: this return to the Qiming Sect was a deadly trap.

If he obeyed Hua Shu's words, then all would naturally be well, and they wouldn't have to resort to arms, remaining fellow sect members.

But if he chose not to comply with Sect Master Hua Shu's directive, then it was quite clear the Qiming Sect would resort to force to eradicate him, this scourge.

"It seems Elder Yao is determined to betray the sect?"

"For traitors..."

"Our Qiming Sect will show absolutely no mercy!"

Hua Shu decided she would endure it no longer and laid her cards on the table.

Her face was like frost. While coldly interrogating him, staking her claim to the moral high ground, she simultaneously sent a voice transmission to the sect's hidden experts, ordering them to encircle Xu Xing and eliminate him immediately.

In an instant, three more Pill Seal Realm Ghost Immortals appeared outside the mountain gate.

Besides Elder Qu, the only one of that rank still openly in the sect, the other two were Pill Seal Realm Ghost Immortals who constituted the Qiming Sect's final hidden top-tier strength in Dayue Mountain—old sect veterans who had previously faked their deaths.

"Elders, no need to hold back!"

"Refine him into a soul slave."

Hua Shu retreated into the mountain gate, took out Xu Xing's Soul Token, crushed it forcefully, and declared.

The Soul Token bore several vicious curses Great Elder Cai had placed on Xu Xing. Once the token was crushed, these curses would instantly activate and descend upon Xu Xing.

The vicious curses of an Approaching Yang Realm Ghost Immortal were difficult for even Pill Seal Realm Ghost Immortals to resist.

Combined with three Pill Seal Realm Ghost Immortals attacking him...

She was certain that this time, Xu Xing had absolutely no chance of escape.

"Not at all!"

"Since I, Yao, have promised to protect your Qiming Sect for three hundred years, I will naturally not break my vow."