Welcome to Ability Store

Chapter 309: The Jester of Lotus Cloud Sect

Living well?

Song Wei glanced around the room, wondering how it differed from a shabby hut in the wilderness.

Even a place like this was being used to entertain guests, showing just how impoverished the situation in the Wanshan Wilderness was.

It really was just like the rumors said... For the sake of a group of refugees, she abandoned her rightful position and eventually fell out with the King of Qi.

However, he couldn’t be bothered to expose the other’s stubbornness. "Perhaps you think the days now are tolerable, but soon even these days will vanish. I traveled thousands of miles to reach here, first to check on your condition, and second, to warn you—you’re in grave danger."

He observed Liu Shuyue’s expression, but unfortunately, failed to detect any change.

"Grave danger?" Liu Shuyue asked calmly.

"Qi Kingdom and Luo Kingdom have joined forces, but this is not the intention of the King of Qi or Prince Luo." Song Wei lowered his voice, leaning closer to her, "In fact, Prince Luo has already been controlled by Senior Sister Lan Qin, becoming her pawn. The trouble is, now the King of Qi seems to have fallen into her clutches as well. I gathered information, and it turns out that a highly favored woman has appeared in the king’s harem, who is actually Lan Qin. Her changing of the Immortal Master must also be under her directive."

If this was in the past, Liu Shuyue certainly would have been furious.

Every Mountain Disciple has the freedom to choose their path of support, climbing up the dragon throne and controlling the king both physically and mentally is Lan Qin’s personal choice; she wouldn’t judge. But overstepping the Luo Kingdom’s border to influence Great Qi blatantly violates the rule that Lotus Cloud Sect disciples each support one nation.

She would never allow such a ridiculous thing to happen.

However, Liu Shuyue’s heart felt nothing but an urge to laugh.

She no longer saw Mountain Disciples as saviors and protectors but more like clowns sent by the Lotus Cloud Sect to navigate the mortal world, enduring hardship only for the sect’s amusement.

Just like how the sect allowed the Ning Kingdom’s Immortal Master to murder the Qi Kingdom’s Immortal Master, and the Qi Kingdom’s Immortal Master endured humiliation and survived, only to plot revenge a hundred years later...

"How did you know this? This should be classified information within the palace, right?"

"Senior Sister... It seems you’ve hardly stayed in the palace." Song Wei sighed, "Do you think that while you were outside slaying demons and saving people, your fellow disciples were just standing by? To tell you the truth, knowing you’ve been away from the capital for so long, I selected a few loose cultivator prospects and sent them to Qi Kingdom, and they successfully infiltrated the palace. Even the Xia Kingdom could manage that, so there’s no need to talk about the other kingdoms."

Liu Shuyue was slightly taken aback.

Are these disciples truly from the same sect as her?

She, of course, knew that kings were eager for capable cultivators willing to pledge loyalty, so loose cultivators guided by Lotus Cloud Sect disciples naturally had an easier time gaining favor with those in power. But what was the point of eagerly placing informants among fellow disciples? Did it help in saving the world or benefiting the people in any way?

The thought of spies sent by various kingdoms’ Immortal Masters all over the palace made Liu Shuyue feel a chill run down her spine.

"But now Great Qi’s palace has a new master, and several of my people were caught and killed. Fortunately, before they died, they brought me crucial information." Song Wei continued, "The person replacing you is called Jiang Ning, whose background is unclear, likely an expert among loose cultivators. What’s significant is the unusually close relationship this person has with Senior Sister Lan Qin in private, so most likely, he’s another chess piece of Lan Qin’s. This means the actual control over Luo Kingdom and Qi Kingdom falls into the hands of a single Immortal Master."

"And now... Lan Qin plans to eliminate you. Because only with your death will her plan remain flawless."

"The Luo Kingdom army has already crossed the border, advancing toward Qi Kingdom’s capital, and the Qi Kingdom’s army has shown no intention of stopping them. As far as I know, this army numbers around a hundred thousand, with more than a third being loose cultivators—a truly abnormal figure! Once they arrive here, you’ll find it impossible to escape!"

So, they were finally ready?

After the battle at Jiufeng City, Liu Shuyue had long anticipated such a day.

Although the details were vastly different from her expectations, the general direction was correct—whether the one trying to kill her was the King of Qi or Lan Qin, a battle among Immortal Masters was inevitable.

Liu Shuyue roughly understood the purpose behind the warning delivered by the other party as well.

It certainly wasn’t for a shared feeling of camaraderie or friendship among fellow disciples.

Once Great Qi and Great Luo merged, their national strength would utterly crush the remaining kingdoms; then, with firm steps, Lan Qin could smoothly swallow the four remaining kingdoms and unify the entire continent. As for Immortal Masters representing Lotus Cloud Sect... naturally, the fewer, the better.

"You want to cooperate with me?" she asked straightforwardly.

"Not only with you!" Song Wei clenched his fists, "Before coming here, I also met Li Yulong, who is now the Immortal Master of Yue Kingdom and willing to support my plan! Together, the three of us represent half of the Mountain Disciples!"

"And then?"

"Of course, to find an opportunity to eliminate Lan Qin! She returns to Luo Kingdom at intervals, and we can intercept her on the road! Even if she has loose cultivators and an army for protection, she wouldn’t survive an ambush by three Lotus Cloud Sect disciples working together!"

This plan does indeed have the potential for a decisive battle... Liu Shuyue thought to herself, loose cultivators can never compete with sect disciples. If Li Yulong truly decides to fight to the death, Lan Qin would be in a difficult position.

"Sorry, ask another Immortal Master," she shook her head in refusal.

"What?" Song Wei’s expression changed, clearly not having expected her rejection, "Senior Sister, this is your only way to save yourself, wake up! Even if you don’t think for yourself, consider the refugees who follow you!"

"Once, I truly was lost, but now is the clearest I’ve ever been," Liu Shuyue dismissed, "Why have we studied so long in the sect? For conspiracies, assassination, trading Immortal Techniques for power? Thank you for your warning, but I’ll figure out something about Lan Qin on my own."

"..." Song Wei stared at Liu Shuyue, speechless, as if trying to see into her thoughts.

Finally, he spoke again after a long pause, "You’re truly... too naive. This is no longer within the Lotus Cloud Sect."

Liu Shuyue suddenly swayed.

She suddenly stood up, "Poison?"

"Since you won’t support my plan, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I’m the Immortal Master of Xia Kingdom; being a small nation, we must exert every effort to survive!" Song Wei pointed at Liu Shuyue, speaking the truth, "Freeze!"

This "Heavy Mist Inversion" emitted from his sachet, acting quickly, spreading throughout the room in five breaths once the delicate strap was undone. However, its effect on sect disciples wasn’t apparent, causing only slight dizziness and lethargy.

However, battles between experts are decided in fractions of an inch.

The moment she was immobilized, his next spell followed, summoning four crimson ribbons from thin air, pulling her limbs in four directions. This was the Binding Immortal Rope; any ordinary person pulled by it would be torn to pieces, and even sect disciples protected by Spiritual Qi wouldn’t fare much better; the mere agony would dull their awareness.

"Feel my palm!" Song Wei’s final Cloud Swallowing Palm struck Liu Shuyue’s abdomen, piercing through her Spiritual Qi defense—a killing move against cultivators of the same rank!

With a loud bang, a violent explosion erupted from Liu Shuyue’s back, shattering the walls of the straw hut! Accompanying it were her spine’s snapping sounds.

"Immortal Master!?" The Fu Jiaolu outside asked in shock.

"Stop them!" Song Wei commanded his subordinates loudly, simultaneously grabbing Liu Shuyue’s throat—now her Dantian was struck severely, internal organs damaged, breathing disrupted, making further resistance impossible. Next, he only needed to use the Soul Devouring Technique to absorb her Spiritual Qi for immense growth—

But then, Liu Shuyue vanished.

His hand grasped nothing.

"You even learned wicked techniques?" Liu Shuyue’s voice came from behind, finally carrying a tinge of surprise in her voice, which hadn’t changed for millennia, "Consuming cultivators’ Spiritual Qi is the greatest taboo, not only losing consciousness but inevitably attracting inner demons, have you gone mad?"

Song Wei spun around, finding her uninjured, standing leisurely outside the hut.

...Could it be that he fell into the Life and Death Eight Gates Array?

But how could it be? He had scanned the area several times with his Heart Method; there were no Talismans set up at all!