Chapter 49: Internal Strife

“Sorry…”
Looking at the mess in the room, Qin Yue felt a bit embarrassed.
Mu Xingru waved her hand, wanting to find a chair to sit down, but discovered that everything in the room was shattered.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied the turmoil within her body, then spoke gently after a moment, “It’s alright.”
Seeing her junior brother staring at her with hopeful eyes, the Sect Master’s delicate face blushed beneath her veil and she said, “I couldn’t sense it precisely, but I believe I’ve surpassed the thirteenth layer!”
She thought to herself, back when she was at the thirteenth layer, she wouldn’t have been able to deliver a punch like Qin Yue’s.
According to Qin Yue’s own assessment, he was at most at the twelfth layer. Hearing her say this, he mused silently—if he had used his full strength instead of holding back, what would the outcome have been?
At the very least, he might have forced his senior sister back a few steps.
A Dao realm master at the seventh stage of World Severing… truly formidable!
“Ordinary Cave Micro cultivators are no longer your match!” Mu Xingru said, her voice tinged with delight, “Even those at the late Cave Micro stage may not be able to do much against you!”
Understanding her junior brother’s true strength, Mu Xingru felt more confident about Qin Yue heading to the Zhaoyang Sect.
“With more combat experience and tempering, even taking on Dao realm cultivators isn’t impossible,” Feng Qianning remarked.
Mu Xingru replied, “If it’s a Dao realm master at the first or second stage of World Severing, who hasn’t fully grasped their abilities, you could fight them. But don’t underestimate anyone in that realm. Be sure you have what you need—never gamble that they’re lacking.”
Feng Qianning nodded, then turned to Qin Yue, “Remember to keep a low profile. Don’t stand out when you enter Zhaoyang Sect.”
Qin Yue said, “I know. I’m just a gardener.”
If not for the barrier, the entire house would have been demolished. Not wanting to linger, he found an excuse to slip away.
Mu Xingru and Feng Qianning fell silent for a while, then exchanged glances, their faces breaking into radiant smiles.
Mu Xingru even clenched her delicate fist, swung it forcefully in a gesture of release, then composed herself.
“Sister, do you think… could it be him?”
“I don’t know. I dare not think about it,” Feng Qianning replied, a hint of confusion flickering in her beautiful eyes.
“No matter who he is, our junior brother’s talent is supreme!” Mu Xingru whispered, her eyes reddening slightly. “Qianning, our chance to rise has finally arrived.”
Feng Qianning murmured, “And our chance for revenge, as well.”
…
Qin Yue returned to the inn, ate a simple meal, and set up the Spirit Gathering Array again to cultivate seriously.
Today’s trial made him acutely aware of the vast gap between him and the Dao realm masters.
If he truly faced such an enemy, even with the little cauldron, he might not stand a chance.
Still weak!
In any world, weakness is a cardinal sin—you must train harder!
Though the Sect Master and Feng Qianning didn’t want him to risk himself, Qin Yue had his own plans.
With the ghostly escape technique and the ability to swap heaven and earth, he could perhaps reap some benefits right under the noses of those powerful figures.
If he couldn’t defeat Dao realm masters, he could just stay out of their way.
With the spirit stones he had, at his current pace, he could cultivate for another twenty days or so.
Hard to go from riches to rags—once you’ve tasted the joy of wealthy cultivation, no one wants to go back.
The night deepened.
The inn was not in a bustling area, so it was very quiet at this hour.

With the manifestation of the Northern Abyss Breath Technique, that giant fish required only a bit of his attention.
He devoted most of his focus to his spiritual world, practicing various skills and killing arts.
Just then, his now-strong spiritual sense detected a faint murderous intent.
It was approaching rapidly from afar, heading straight toward him.
Qin Yue reacted swiftly, quickly putting away the Spirit Gathering Array, activating the ghostly escape technique to conceal his presence, and prepared to face the enemy.
An endlessly cold and powerful aura suddenly appeared without warning, enveloping the murderous intent.
The next moment, both vanished.
That cold aura was all too familiar to Qin Yue.
Feng Qianning!
He thought for a moment, changed into black combat attire, and donned the human-skin mask Hu Jiuyan had given him yesterday.
The mask was exquisite, depicting a somewhat ugly young man—unless someone was very close, it was nearly impossible to see through.
He used the escape technique to leave the room, following the lingering cold aura in the air all the way outside the city.
The two moved so fast that Qin Yue chased them for over ten miles to a mountain outside the city, where they had already begun fighting.
Feng Qianning, her wounds just barely healed, attacked viciously, swinging her sword with every strike meant to kill.
What surprised Qin Yue was that the other figure used exactly the same moves as her—even their movement techniques were identical!
In an instant, they exchanged over a dozen blows, but not a single sound of weapons clashing could be heard.
They were too familiar with each other’s methods; as soon as one made a move, the other found a way to counter it.
“Well, sister, didn’t you just gain a legacy at the North Sea Dragon Palace ruins? What’s this? Haven’t learned it yet? If this is all you’ve got, you’ll suffer once I’m demonized!”
The other’s voice was neither male nor female, annoyingly sly, but their skills were quite impressive.
Feng Qianning replied coldly, “Don’t force me to use my killing strike on you!”
“Heh heh, you’re still so hot-tempered, little sister. I’m really surprised to see you here. Feels like you’re trying to protect the one I want to kill? Risking exposure just to stop me, and want to kill me too? Wow, that handsome successor from Bamboo Garden—don’t tell me you’ve fallen for him? Got a crush, have you? But I seem to recall you wanted to kill him before?”
As the person spoke, a sinister aura erupted from their body. With a casual flick, a yellow dust cloud swept toward Feng Qianning.
Their methods were vile and ruthless—a true veteran. That yellow mist was clearly no harmless thing, and Qin Yue felt worried for Feng Qianning.
A pale blue defensive barrier around Feng Qianning deepened in color, and a bead suspended above her head unleashed a fierce storm that blew the yellow dust away.
“Tsk tsk, a Wind Stabilizing Bead…”
A flying sword shot from Feng Qianning’s brow, slashing at the opponent at an incredible speed.
Under the moonlight, the mask on the person’s face was sliced open, nearly cutting their cheek, prompting a startled cry as they retreated in rage, shouting, “You really want to kill me?”
Feng Qianning didn’t answer, continuing to control her flying sword to attack.
“Fine, fine, so heartless, are you? Then don’t blame me for being ruthless, my dear sister!”
With that, the person tossed something into the sky, which burst with a small firework-like explosion.
Sneering, they said, “Originally, this had nothing to do with you—I just wanted to take care of that little herbalist. But you jumped in. Fine, saves me trouble later. Mu Xingru may be clueless about your talents, but I’ve long known you’re hiding your abilities. Feng Qianning, tonight you won’t escape—become my furnace!”
Hidden in the shadows, Qin Yue couldn’t understand everything, but he knew this person meant harm to Feng Qianning.
It seemed they were fellow disciples!
He had thought the Tianluo Sect was united… but that notion was now shattered.
Yet something wasn’t right. This person’s foul language and utter disrespect for Mu Xingru, the Sect Master—could they be a traitor?

This scoundrel wanted him dead as well.
In that case, this ambiguous figure was an enemy!
With that thought, Qin Yue activated his ghostly escape technique, searching for an opening to strike.
Suddenly, seven or eight figures rushed over, instantly surrounding Feng Qianning.
The ambiguous figure laughed triumphantly, “Feng Qianning, you can’t escape! Mu Xingru and the others want to turn over a new leaf? Dream on! Neither the righteous nor the demonic path will allow it. Tonight, I’ll help those righteous sects—first I’ll capture you, then kill that Bamboo Garden brat! Afterwards, I’ll deal with Mu Xingru. Tianluo Sect… will return to us sooner or later!”
Though surrounded, Feng Qianning showed no fear. Instead, she calmly activated her transmission stone—
“Someone’s after your life. Be careful.”
“You’re in danger yourself, yet you still have the mind to warn others? Feng Qianning, I never thought a woman as pure and devoted to the Dao as you could feel affection. For the very person you once tried to kill…” The ambiguous figure couldn’t believe it, their voice dripping with mockery.
“Do you believe everything I say?” Feng Qianning retorted coldly. The next moment, her body turned into mist and vanished!
“No, this is a dragon clan inheritance—she’s escaping!”
“Activate the array!”
“No matter what, she must stay tonight!”
Counting the ambiguous figure, there were six in total, all cloaked in thick black mist, instantly shrouding the area.
Qin Yue quietly approached one of them, preparing to strike from the shadows, when an exceedingly fierce aura swept over, tangible and suffocating, enveloping several miles.
The ambiguous figure cried out, “Mu Xingru?!”
Clang!
A dazzling sword light, like lightning splitting the night, cleaved the newly formed black mist.
One person failed to dodge—without even a scream, they were sliced cleanly in two.
The ambiguous figure’s eyes bulged with rage, “Mu Xingru!”
A surge of dense black energy erupted from them, forming a fearsome ghostly apparition—quite unlike the illusory one Qin Yue had seen from the elder of Zhaoyang Sect; this one was terrifyingly real!
Three heads and six arms, each hand gripping a different weapon, all slashing ferociously at Mu Xingru.
Mu Xingru’s sword radiated a magnificent aura, sword intent pouring over everyone present.
“I didn’t expect you to truly master the Tianluo Sword Scripture…” Mo Shang’s ambiguous voice now held surprise. “But what does it matter? Tianluo Sect is a demonic sect! Instead of cultivating proper demonic arts, you want to walk the so-called righteous path. Tonight, I’ll show you—demon is demon, and can never be cleansed!”
His voice grew ever colder, finally seeming to emanate from the three-headed, six-armed ghostly apparition.
Having just been caught off guard by Mu Xingru’s killing strike, the other four were shocked and furious; each unleashed their demonic arts, their cultivation soaring, nearly all stepping into the Dao realm.
That’s the advantage of demonic arts—not only rapid advancement, but the ability to demonize at any moment, challenging those beyond their level.
Feng Qianning, who had just vanished, suddenly appeared behind one of them, sword thrusting forward.
Clang!
Her sword struck as if against an iron wall.
The man turned with a roar, his face and body grotesquely transformed, covered in thick black scales.
He swung a vicious palm at Feng Qianning.