Ch 68: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

Mu Xing wanted to stop Yue Fubai, but he quickly realized—the protective barrier his master had set not only shielded him, it also locked him inside.

The meaning was clear: stay put, don’t interfere.

Mu Xing tested it and confirmed Yue Fubai knew him well enough—there was no way he could break this formation. So he gave up.

He crouched on a chair, bored, and took out a handful of golden melon seeds from his storage ring, starting to count them.

Every time he reached a thousand, he piled them together and began again.

He didn’t know how many thousands he had counted before the sky darkened and Yue Fubai finally returned.

His face looked a little pale.

Mu Xing rushed up at once. “Master!”

His pounce wasn’t heavy, but Yue Fubai still covered his arm and staggered back a step.

Mu Xing frowned. “Master, you’re hurt?”

Yue Fubai coughed once, a flush appearing on his pale face. “It’s not a big problem.”

He sat down, coughed twice more, then met his disciple’s worried gaze.

“Alright,” under such pure concern, Yue Fubai admitted, “I am injured rather seriously. But it won’t affect my foundation. With some rest, I’ll recover.”

Then his tone shifted, his energy lifting. “But—Ying Tianhai, that dog, he’s worse off than me.”

He had gone straight to find Ying Tianhai, no words exchanged, attacking with his artifact on sight.

Ying Tianhai had been stunned, baffled at first.

It wasn’t until he realized Yue Fubai wasn’t saying a thing, striking ruthlessly like he was facing an enemy, that his own temper flared and he fought back at full strength.

The result: both were badly injured.

At their level, unless one fought to the death, killing the other in a duel was nearly impossible.

Ying Tianhai had frowned at him. “What madness is this? Did you learn something?”

Yue Fubai sneered. “You don’t need to know what I know. All you need to remember is—you were so foolish, you personally cast away your most precious treasure. For that alone, you will always be a failure.”

Ying Tianhai demanded, “What do you mean?”

But Yue Fubai didn’t bother answering—he just laughed and walked off.

He wiped the blood from his lips, deliberately changed into fresh clothes, and only then came back to Mu Xing.

Otherwise, if his little disciple saw him looking that miserable, he’d surely get all soft-hearted again.

He then pulled something out mysteriously, holding it out. “Look.”

It was a high-grade recording pearl—capable of capturing sound and image at a chosen place.

When Mu Xing lifted the seal, misty light projected into the air, revealing a very recent scene.

He only took one glance before his eyes widened.

Who was this handsome man in a tattered purple robe, hair disheveled, beaten so badly his face was swollen and bruised—yet looking so familiar?

He turned his head toward Yue Fubai.

Yue Fubai grinned smugly. “I caught this while Ying Tianhai wasn’t paying attention. That man always holds himself above everyone, obsessed with saving face. Now tell me—if I make a hundred thousand copies of this recording pearl and sell them for a single spirit stone each… the entire cultivation world will see the grand sect master of the Yudao Sect like this.”

In Mu Xing’s mind instantly flashed Ying Tianhai’s murderous glare.

He couldn’t help but say, “Wouldn’t he want to kill someone?”

Yue Fubai asked, “You pity him?”

“No,” Mu Xing said seriously. “Master, can we even afford to provoke the Yudao Immortal Sect?”

Yue Fubai smacked his head with the fan. “What nonsense. With me here, what’s there to fear?”

He huffed proudly. “No righteous cultivator strong enough to take my life has been born yet. And besides…”

He said, perfectly justified, “Even if I can’t fight an entire sect alone—don’t you still have your Uncle Wuchang? Isn’t it his duty as a friend to fight at our side?”

Deep in seclusion, Lord Wuchang suddenly opened his eyes.

He rubbed his nose, expression blank. For some reason, he felt like something bad was about to happen.

Because of this, Mu Xing never got to continue enjoying the Mirage Market.

He left the South Sea that very night with Lianhua Jun.

And sure enough, just as Yue Fubai had promised, he gleefully copied the recording pearl a hundred thousand times, selling them off to shops at nearly giveaway prices.

It’s said that when merchants first saw the content, many were too stunned to speak.

But business was business—profit outweighed everything.

The great merchant houses secretly conferred, and overnight—

“Exclusive Recording Pearl—Once Missed, Never Again! Behold the Yudao Sect Master as You’ve Never Seen Him!”

With such advertisements, the pearls spread across the entire cultivation world in a single night.

Especially in the demonic sects—each pearl went for a hundred spirit stones, non-replicable, and people bought them by the hundreds.

How could they pass up such a perfect chance to mock the righteous path?

By the time the Yudao Immortal Sect got word, it was already too late.

It’s said that day, on Yudao Peak where the sect master resided, a sword light filled with murderous intent split the mountain in half—accompanied by his teeth-grinding roar:

“Yue Fubai!”

Of course, the Yudao Immortal Sect wouldn’t let this matter rest. They dispatched disciples to investigate, to harass the merchants selling the pearls.

But any shop bold enough to sell them left no trail.

Not a single major establishment sold them—only roving street vendors, who took the profit and vanished into the crowd.

No one could find the culprits, nor any evidence.

And besides, any merchant house able to operate in the cultivation world had a major sect backing them.

The Yudao Immortal Sect might be strong, but not so strong as to cover the sky with one hand. Without solid proof, moving against several great merchant houses at once would be difficult.

So the matter could only be left unresolved.

All the hatred fell squarely on the true culprit—the demonic sect’s Lianhua Jun.

That’s right, everyone now knew: the sect master of Yudao had ended up with this battered face and injuries thanks to Lianhua Jun.

It gave Lianhua Jun’s name a fierce boost in notoriety.

As for seeking revenge? Everyone knew Lianhua Jun was the most elusive figure among the Nine Demonic Sects. To cause trouble, one would first have to find him.

Thus, Yue Fubai hid away with Mu Xing, mainly to quietly recover from his wounds.

As he expected, the Yudao Sect’s retaliation was not as ferocious as outsiders imagined.

Naturally, that was because of what he had said to Ying Tianhai before leaving.

As long as Ying Tianhai wasn’t a fool, he’d know Yue Fubai’s actions weren’t just for spite.

And indeed—

Ying Tianhai finally began to suspect the Heaven’s Secrets Pavilion.

When Yue Fubai heard the news, he tugged at the corner of his lips. “At least he’s not so stupid as to be beyond saving.”

Mu Xing didn’t quite understand. “Master, why did you tell him about my parentage? I don’t want anything to do with them.”

Yue Fubai ruffled his hair. “Sixteen years ago, when they dug out your spiritual root and abandoned you, your karma with them was severed. It’s only a name, not worth caring about.”

“Besides, once Ying Tianhai has doubts, he’ll find the truth eventually. Better to tell him outright.”

He lazily yawned. “Little Xingxing, don’t blame your master for being lazy. However you count it, your so-called parents and that Heaven’s Secrets bastard—all of them deserve a beating. But taking on three at once, even I might find it a bit exhausting.”

His teacup was empty, so Mu Xing refilled it for him.

Yue Fubai accepted the tea his beloved disciple offered, took a sip, and sighed contentedly:

“So, let’s just sit back and let them bite each other for a while.”

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