The Outer Court Cataclysm at Kongshan Sect lasted only seven breaths.

Yet those seven breaths were enough to shock the entire cultivation world of Chenping Continent.

The Black Flood Dragon Remnant Soul appeared for a mere seven breaths, yet more than ten thousand people in Kongshan Sect’s outer court were killed or injured.

Only when a Grand Elder from Qingchan Peak stepped in was the Black Flood Dragon Remnant Soul finally annihilated.

This calamity inflicted tremendous losses on Kongshan Sect and had a profound impact on the sect.

Whether it was the sect’s Four Supreme Courts or the Sect Leader’s direct line on Kongyuan Mountain, they all issued orders that the truth behind the Outer Court Cataclysm must be uncovered at all costs.

There were even rumors that the Grand Elder overseeing Kongshan Sect’s Supreme Imperial Law Court, a peak Divine Ability cultivator, would personally go to Qingchan Peak to conduct a thorough investigation.

The Black Flood Dragon Remnant Soul belonged to a ninth-realm great demon defeated nine thousand years ago by Kong Yang, True Person Caiyun, the third-generation Ascended Steward of Kongshan Sect. Its soul had then been sealed inside the Demon Suppression Stone.

Nine thousand years had passed since then, and the great demon’s soul had completely lost its spiritual sense. All that remained was a remnant soul with the strength of a seventh-realm great demon.

By all rights, that remnant soul should have been sealed inside Caijun Tower on Qingchan Peak.

But how, exactly, had it been stolen?

......

Qingchan Peak, Cangwu Residence.

The half-line of verse carved into the gate with sword energy seemed especially heavy today.

In the middle of the cold pool in the residence’s courtyard, an aged cultivator with graying temples sat cross-legged atop a platform in the water, dressed in a green daoist robe.

Compared to a few years ago, he seemed to have aged considerably.

Light yet heavy footsteps came from the entrance. The Solemn Martial Elder of Qingchan Peak slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the cool, aloof figure in white standing by the pool, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall.

The Chief Disciple of Qingchan Peak, Chu Xiyao.

The usually aloof and proud Fairy Chu now looked quite haggard as well.

The person who should have come to Cangwu Residence today should not have been this young woman.

“Where’s your father?”

Fu Qian spoke slowly, his voice somewhat hoarse.

“Father can’t come.”

Chu Xiyao’s eyes dimmed as she shook her head, then continued:

“He’s inside Qingchan Hall now. Six Offering Elders from other Peak Masters, sent by the Imperial Law Court, are keeping watch outside.”

At her words, Fu Qian said nothing, then suddenly laughed.

What else could he do?

One wrong step, and every step after was wrong.

He had initially thought that the theft of the Black Flood Dragon Remnant Soul and Song Mingde’s death were merely petty schemes by the Qingchan True Dharma lineage, meant to target him.

But after tracing the clues Song Mingde had left at the Gambling Den in Taiyun City and sending people to root out the den completely, he realized that the secret behind the list Song Mingde had discovered was far greater than he had imagined.

Fu Qian had no idea what that great figure was plotting.

But he understood that the best thing he could do now was pretend he knew nothing.

And that was exactly what Fu Qian had done.

Still, the reckoning that was bound to come had arrived all the same.

All he could do now was wait.

“Cangwu Residence, the home of Elder Fu, whose power holds sway over Qingchan Peak, is much plainer than I imagined.”

A man’s voice, sounding quite young, suddenly rang out. In fact, before he spoke, Fu Qian’s spiritual sense had not detected his presence at all.

Fu Qian’s gaze darted toward the voice. He saw a young man, seemingly just over thirty, standing in Cangwu Residence and looking around.

He wore pure white daoist robes, with no Peak Master insignia on them, and they were different from the pale robes of the outer court.

A Grand Elder.

Fu Qian quickly reached that conclusion.

He tried to rise from the platform and bow to the unfamiliar Grand Elder, but just as he was about to get up, the Grand Elder casually raised his right index finger and gently pressed it downward through the air.

Fu Qian was pressed back onto the platform.

“No need for formalities, Elder Fu. I’m just here to look around.”

The young man in pure white daoist robes continued to survey Cangwu Residence as he spoke.

“May I ask how this Grand Elder should be addressed?”

“My surname is Qi. My name is Qi Yi.”

The man answered in an easy, casual tone:

“Tsk, tsk. I never imagined Cangwu Residence would be so plain.”

“What did Grand Elder Qi expect Cangwu Residence to look like?”

Fu Qian asked.

“With your standing on Qingchan Peak, Elder Fu, it should at the very least be more magnificent than Qingchan Hall. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Qi Yi’s gaze suddenly fell on Fu Qian, then he broke into a smile.

Nearly every sentence was a taunt or a jab at Fu Qian.

But Fu Qian did not dare utter a single complaint.

Then Qi Yi’s gaze shifted to Chu Xiyao, standing before the cold pool:

“You must be Elder Chu’s daughter, the current Chief Disciple of Qingchan Peak, Chu Xiyao?”

“Greetings, Grand Elder Qi.”

Chu Xiyao immediately bowed toward Qi Yi.

“I hear you’re a fine prospect for cultivation.”

Qi Yi nodded.

“But Kongshan Sect produces a few geniuses of your caliber every ten years or so. And it has been eighty thousand years since Kongshan Sect was founded. How many people of your caliber do you think there have been in its history?”

“……”

Chu Xiyao did not know how to answer Qi Yi’s question, so she could only remain silent, still holding her bow.

“Countless in the past. As for the future...”

Qi Yi paused briefly, then smiled and shook his head:

“Also countless.”

The meaning of his words was quite clear.

Chu Xiyao was already destined to become a discarded pawn of Kongshan Sect.

Chu Xiyao understood this. Her hands, still clasped in a bow toward Qi Yi, began to tremble uncontrollably.

Qi Yi’s gaze dipped slightly, taking in Chu Xiyao’s trembling hands. He then looked away, turned, and headed for the exit of Cangwu Residence.

“Grand Elder Qi.”

Just as Qi Yi was about to leave Cangwu Residence, Fu Qian suddenly called out to the Grand Elder’s back.

“Is there something else, Elder Fu?”

Qi Yi stopped, still facing away from him.

“I heard that Supreme Imperial Law Elder Huo will personally judge the case of the Outer Court Cataclysm... May I ask, Grand Elder Qi, when might I meet Supreme Imperial Law Elder Huo?”

Fu Qian’s voice was calm.

“You won’t.”

Qi Yi’s voice remained somewhat flippant, skipping and drifting over the heavy, oppressive air in Cangwu Residence.

“Everything has already been decided. Why trouble Supreme Imperial Law Elder Huo to make the journey in person?”

With that, Qi Yi started walking again and stepped out through the gate of Cangwu Residence.

After he had left, Grand Elder Qi turned back and looked at the half-line of verse carved into the entrance with sword energy.

“Saving oneself is also saving all living beings?”

Qi Yi studied the words, then smiled and shook his head:

“Grand Elder Ruan’s inscription really is quite brazen.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the figure in pure white daoist robes standing at the entrance of Cangwu Residence vanished without a trace.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.