In the Cultivation Realm, if you ask which sect has the worst reputation, the Wentian Sect would undoubtedly be at the top of the list. Wentian Sect was considered the second-largest sect in the Cultivation Realm and has always coveted the position of the number one sect. However, no matter how hard they struggled or fought, they have always remained the perpetual runner-up.
In the eyes of Wentian Sect’s members, Guiyuan Sect’s top position was solely due to the presence of Dao Venerable Hengwu. Without him, Wentian Sect would surpass Guiyuan Sect and claim the number one spot. The Devil Realm wasn’t the only place thrown into chaos during the sixteen years of the two venerables’ disappearance—the Wentian Sect had also taken advantage of Dao Venerable’s absence to stir up trouble again and again.
The Wentian Sect, which boasted two powerful cultivators in the Tribulation Transcendence1 stages, had no fear of Guiyuan without Dao Venerable Hengwu. As the rumors grew more intense, they firmly believed that the Venerable had met his demise!
Just as they were ready to make a move to finally position themselves as the number one sect, Dao Venerable Hengwu… actually returned!
Thus, the Wentian Sect had no choice but to retract its ambitions, but that didn’t stop their delusional belief of their superiority to the Guiyuan Sect.
A sect that even refused to acknowledge the Guiyuan Sect, how could it possibly get along with other sects? Arrogant, narrow-minded, and disrespectful—these are just some of the labels that could be attached to the Wentian Sect’s disciples, not to mention their despicable young master and future sect leader, Li Shengyuan.
Wen Zixing had a very good reason to be wary of them—in the novel’s original plot, the Wentian Sect would eventually ally themselves with the main antagonist to save their own lives and further their ambitions, even going so far as to betray their former allies repeatedly. As for the current situation, the group that had just arrived clearly came with ill intentions.
The leader of the group, a man appearing in his middle age, was in the mid-Nascent Soul stage, even higher than Bu Biekuang’s cultivation. He scanned around and found no one who seemed to pose a threat, except for the few troublesome kids from Guiyuan Sect. Their cultivations were nothing, but he had to be careful not to provoke the old fogies behind them.
“Excuse me, Fellow Daoist of the Wentian Sect, but may I inquire about your identity?” Bu Biekuang asked politely.
The middle-aged cultivator did not respond, but a younger disciple behind him arrogantly declared, “This is our master, the Hall Master of Wentian Sect’s Weapon Hall!”
“So it’s Hall Master Cao. A pleasure to meet you,” Yan Zihui greeted him with the courtesy of a younger generation. “I am Yan Zihui, a personal disciple of Elder Yan from the East Fourth Peak of Guiyuan Sect.”
Yan Zihui? Hall Master Cao’s eyelids twitched, and his tone became more polite, “So it’s Martial Nephew Yan.”
“May I ask what brings Hall Master Cao here?” Yan Zihui inquired humbly.
“Passing through this area, I sensed something unusual nearby and came to investigate. I didn’t expect you all to arrive before me,” said Hall Master Cao. One of his disciples, not hiding his arrogance, added, “Treasure belongs to whoever can obtain it, regardless of who arrives first.”
“Yan’er, silence,” Hall Master Cao reprimanded, though he offered no real apology. “My disciple was out of line, please excuse him.”
The disciple felt even more wronged after being scolded by his master and muttered angrily, “But Master, I wasn’t wrong!”
“Does Hall Master Cao mean that a treasure has appeared here?” Yan Zihui looked surprised.
“Didn’t you know?” Hall Master Cao looked at him skeptically. “Two months ago, there was an unusual disturbance in this area, similar to the phenomena that usually accompany the birth of a spiritual treasure. Weren’t you here for that?”
The news of this incident had been closely guarded, but it wasn’t without traces. One of Hall Master Cao’s disciples happened to overhear some passing cultivators discussing it nearby. After confirming the authenticity of the news, he sent word to his master, who traveled a great distance to get here, only to find that he was still a step too late.
Yan Zihui turned to Bu Biekuang with a look of suspicion.
Bu Biekuang explained helplessly, “I’ve ventured into the core several times but have yet to locate the cause of the disturbance. Whether it’s an opportunity or a disaster remains uncertain. I didn’t mention it when requesting aid from Guiyuan Sect because I didn’t want to mislead anyone.”
If it were indeed a spiritual treasure, it would be a pleasant surprise for those who came to help. But if it were a disaster disguised as a treasure, and those who came were enraged, the Tianyan Sect wouldn’t be able to withstand the consequences.
Bu Biekuang spoke with honesty, and Yan Zihui didn’t press the issue. It was true that they had never mentioned this, and whether Bu Biekuang genuinely didn’t know or was feigning ignorance, Yan Zihui had no intention of digging deeper. He smiled and said, “Sect Leader Bu has a point. If it’s a dangerous disaster, we can work together to eliminate it for the people. If a treasure actually emerges, then it will be an unexpected blessing.”
As he spoke, Yan Zihui glanced at Hall Master Cao and his group. It was clear they had no intention of leaving, so he added, “The anomaly we detected is within this crater, but the magma is too dangerous, and we’re at a loss as to how to proceed.”
The Wentian people walked over to the edge of the crater and peered down at the rolling magma. Hall Master Chao had heard of Yanhuo’s core before, but this backward area in the middle of nowhere had never really captured his attention. Whether the core was dangerous or not, only trying it firsthand would provide the truth.
His gaze shifted as he turned his head toward the Tianyan Sect members, his eyes landing on the only disciple among them, Bu Yang.
Bu Yang felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively took a step back.
Bu Biekuang and the two elders stepped forward, their expressions darkening. “What is Hall Master Cao implying?”
Du Qianshan, straightforward as always, said, “Is Hall Master Cao planning to throw Fellow Daoist Bu Yang down to test the crater?”
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