"One infant for another—that was something Alliance Leader Qi agreed to back then. What? Is he trying to go back on it now?"
"If word gets out that Alliance Leader Qi joined hands with our Soul-Capturing Sect to destroy the Huang Clan of Heshan, then he'll have no place left in the righteous path."
The fox-faced female cultivator gave a soft, graceful smile.
As she finished speaking, the space beneath her feet folded. With one step, she was suddenly standing right in front of Qi Chengchu.
She lifted his chin with her delicate fingers, and just as he frowned, she withdrew them, brushing her hand down across his broad chest in one smooth motion.
The entire sequence was seductive and mesmerizing.
But in Qi Chengchu's eyes—
This was a warning sign.
The fox-faced cultivator was telling him that even without the Soul-Capturing Sect's old ancestor, she alone could subdue and destroy him—this so-called "Nascent Soul cultivator."
"You suspect Wei Tu killed Liu Moqun?"
Qi Chengchu's pressure dropped instantly. His grim expression softened into one of calm engagement.
"This Wind-Cleaving Eagle's demonic aura isn't stable. It must have only just broken through to the third rank. Even working together, Wei Tu and the eagle couldn't have ambushed Liu Moqun."
His voice was steady and firm.
Strength was the best proof.
To ambush Liu Moqun—Qi Chengchu believed that even if Wei Tu had the intention, he lacked the power.
Although he had heard from Che Gongwei that Wei Tu cultivated both magic and body, possessing third-rank body cultivation strength, Qi Chengchu didn't think that was enough to kill a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator like Liu Moqun.
Defeating someone in the same realm was possible, but killing them required power at least one whole tier higher.
Qi Chengchu estimated that only someone of his own level and cultivation would have a real chance at taking Liu Moqun down for good.
"With Wei Tu's strength, the odds of him killing my junior brother are indeed slim. But, he does have a connection to Su Bing'er. He might know something," the fox-faced female cultivator said slowly.
"You went to the battlefield where Liu Moqun died?" Qi Chengchu's brow lifted slightly, already forming a few guesses.
She had probably searched the site but found no trace of the killer. With no other choice, she came to the Rogue Cultivator Alliance to search based on clues.
The fox-faced woman didn't deny it, silently confirming his words.
"I can ask Fellow Daoist Che to test Su Bing'er's reaction and see if she slips anything."
Qi Chengchu thought for a bit before replying.
"If that doesn't work, I could help Fox Mountain Fairy soul-search Su Bing'er for clues," he added with a slight smile.
"No. That won't do!" The fox-faced woman—whom Qi Chengchu had called "Fox Mountain Fairy"—immediately rejected the idea.
"Su Bing'er is close to breaking through to Golden Core. She cannot suffer any damage to her soul at this stage."
Liu Moqun was already dead.
Compared to his killer, Su Bing'er and her Profound Wood Spiritual Body were far more valuable.
For a cultivator to reach Golden Core, their essence, energy, and spirit had to be at their peak. Only then could they transform their spiritual liquid into a core.
If even one of these was injured, condensing the core would become nearly impossible.
And among the three, soul injuries were the hardest to heal.
"If she fails to form her core, the Five Element Infant I sent will be ruined," Fox Mountain Fairy gave Qi Chengchu a sharp glare.
Suggesting to soul-search Su Bing'er—Qi Chengchu clearly had ulterior motives against the Soul-Capturing Sect.
Originally, they had planned to seize Su Bing'er, who was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, and force her to form her core through secret techniques.
But Liu Moqun's death cost them the perfect opportunity to make a move.
Now that Su Bing'er had returned to the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, with her master Che Gongwei and other Golden Core cultivators protecting her, the Soul-Capturing Sect had very few openings left.
They could only wait for her to form her core and then find another chance later.
Fox Mountain Fairy was confident that when the time came, she could capture Su Bing'er—now a newly advanced Golden Core cultivator—in a single strike.
…
Thanks to Wei Tu's earlier warning,
Su Bing'er was now more cautious.
When Che Gongwei asked her, she only said that during the ambush, it was Senior Brother Wei who arrived in time to save her and used the High Priest token to scare off the Golden Core attacker.
She claimed to know nothing about what happened after that.
At the same time, Su Bing'er was also wondering who had leaked her departure from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance and allowed Liu Moqun to ambush her with such precision.
So even Che Gongwei, her own master, wasn't fully trusted anymore.
As of now, the only person she could fully trust was Wei Tu—the one who had helped her kill Liu Moqun.
During their conversation, Su Bing'er subtly revealed that after rescuing her, Wei Tu had gone to Wind-Raging Island in Hu Jie Immortal City to go into seclusion and help the Wind-Cleaving Eagle break through.
This didn't completely clear Wei Tu of suspicion, but it did make Fox Mountain Fairy and Qi Chengchu shift their focus elsewhere.
"Could it have been a High Priest or Great Mage of Ying Ding who just happened to run into Liu Moqun and killed him?"
"Or maybe Wei Tu got someone powerful from Ying Ding to kill Liu Moqun for him after the fact?"
Based on the information, Fox Mountain Fairy came up with two possible scenarios.
But either way—
She was hesitant to investigate further in Ying Ding.
Unlike the Rogue Cultivator Alliance,
Ying Ding was home to real Nascent Soul forces.
Even the old ancestor of the Soul-Capturing Sect wouldn't dare to act alone there.
As for Wei Tu, he wasn't someone she could manipulate or kill easily.
"We'll just have to wait until Wei Tu leaves Ying Ding," Fox Mountain Fairy thought to herself, her brows furrowed slightly.
…
Wei Tu had no plans to leave Ying Ding anytime soon.
At least not before he had the power to deal with Qi Chengchu.
After sending Su Bing'er off,
Wei Tu continued his daily cultivation without pause. He didn't neglect his skills in alchemy and talisman crafting either.
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed.
As a native of Cangnan, Wei Tu was gradually accepted by the Fen Shan Tribe under the personal guidance of High Priest Mu Feng. Bit by bit, he took over the reins and became the de facto High Priest of the tribe.
At the same time, with Wei Tu—now a third-rank talisman master and second-rank alchemist—stationed in the tribe, the Fen Shan Tribe's commerce became increasingly prosperous. Its younger generation had, on average, reached a higher cultivation level than any prior generation.
The priests of Fen Shan Tribe gradually became accustomed to Wei Tu's leadership and, from the heart, came to support this foreign-born High Priest.
During this period, the Cangkun Alliance based in Hu Jie Immortal City began interacting more frequently with Wei Tu.
Many came seeking pills and talismans.
Those too difficult or uncertain to craft, Wei Tu passed on to alchemists and talisman masters from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, acting as a guarantor in the transaction.
The deliveries were handled by the Wind-Cleaving Eagle.
So in just twenty years, Wei Tu's spirit stone pouch had grown significantly heavier.
"High Priest Wei, my master is about to pass."
That day, Yan Yu, his alchemy assistant, burst into the alchemy chamber the moment the door opened. Her face was full of grief.
Wei Tu's expression remained calm. There was little sorrow in his eyes.
Yan Yu's master was none other than the previous High Priest of the Fen Shan Tribe—High Priest Mu Feng.
Even before joining the Fen Shan Tribe, Wei Tu had heard from High Priest Ti Ya of the Zha Ma Tribe that Mu Feng had less than thirty years left in his lifespan.
Now, with Mu Feng's passing—or rather, his sitting in meditation to pass on—it was something the tribe had long anticipated.
Moreover, it was a peaceful end. Mu Feng sat down in meditation and passed naturally, living to the age of eight hundred. Among mortals, this would be considered a joyous passing.
There was no need for excessive grief.
"Miss Yan, I'll come with you to pay respects to the old High Priest." Wei Tu sealed the spiritual flame of the pill furnace with a hand seal and spoke gently.
In the nearly thirty years since he arrived at the Fen Shan Tribe, Mu Feng had helped him a great deal. Though there was no formal master-disciple title between them, their relationship resembled that of teacher and student.
Mu Feng's cave residence wasn't far.
In no time, the two arrived outside the cave.
Standing outside were two middle-aged men in Hu attire, pacing anxiously with evident worry on their faces.
These two were Mu Feng's second disciple Ji Qiang and third disciple Song Meng.
"Quite familiar."
Seeing this, Wei Tu recalled the scene from over two hundred years ago when his own master, Scholar Dan, passed away.
No doubt, Ji Qiang and Song Meng were lingering here, hoping to fight over a share of Mu Feng's legacy.
"High Priest." The moment they saw Wei Tu approach, Ji Qiang and Song Meng exchanged glances, expressions shifting. They stepped forward and respectfully greeted him.
With Wei Tu officiating the funeral, they knew in their hearts they wouldn't get much of an inheritance.
"Since you're all here, let's go in."
Wei Tu shook his head, flicked his sleeve, and deactivated the cave's formation before stepping inside.
Whatever Mu Feng chose to leave behind had nothing to do with him. Whether he gave anything to these two disciples was Mu Feng's choice. Wei Tu had no intention of interfering.
A master is like a father.
For a cultivator like Mu Feng who left no offspring, his disciples were essentially his children.
Walking into the courtyard and through the corridor, they arrived at a closed-door cultivation room.
The door was slightly ajar.
Through the crack, one could see Mu Feng seated on a prayer mat inside.
Unlike twenty years ago, Mu Feng now looked frail. His hair was white and thin, his skin sagging with wrinkles, his entire body exuding an aura of decay.
Sensing their arrival, he forced a bit of energy onto his aged face and tried his best to smile.
"Master."
"Master."
Ji Qiang and Song Meng called out softly.
But Mu Feng ignored them. He turned to Wei Tu and said, "I am near the end. Thank you, High Priest, for coming to visit me."
"It is only right."
Wei Tu nodded slightly and replied softly.
Even though Mu Feng hadn't formally asked him to handle his affairs after death, there was no need for words. The tacit understanding between old and new High Priests made everything clear.
After exchanging a few words with Wei Tu,
Mu Feng began distributing his belongings, right in front of him.
As expected—
Yan Yu, his most favored disciple, received the bulk of the inheritance.
Ji Qiang and Song Meng were given only modest portions.
After the division, Mu Feng waved his sleeve, signaling the three disciples to leave.
Once Yan Yu and the others exited the cultivation room,
Mu Feng brought out a tea set and invited Wei Tu to sit with him.
Once the tea was ready,
Mu Feng poured himself a cup, took a small sip, and said with a soft laugh, "After all these years in Ying Ding, I nearly forgot I was from Cangnan. Before I go, I wanted to taste this tea again. I wonder, before my soul departs from my body, will I catch one last glimpse of home."
"I'm happy to help," Wei Tu replied after a moment of thought.
It was no trouble at all for him.
But hearing this, Mu Feng shook his head slightly. "High Priest Wei misunderstood. When I said home, I didn't mean the land I once lived in. I meant my true home."
"Your true home?" Wei Tu was taken aback.
After eight hundred years, what home could Mu Feng possibly return to after death?
"People envy immortals. I did too. But nearing death, I've come to think that a long lifespan may not be such a blessing after all. It only adds to one's burdens…"
Mu Feng sighed softly.
He lifted the teapot and poured himself another cup of hot tea, finishing it in one gulp.
"High Priest Wei, I hope your path to immortality remains long and prosperous, and that you'll never have to endure what I face today."
Mu Feng stood and bowed deeply to Wei Tu.
After that bow,
He never rose again.
In that instant, his fragile breath faded into stillness. His soul seemed to either dissipate or drift away—returning to the world.
"Old High Priest, may your immortal path endure."
It wasn't until the tea had gone cold that Wei Tu finally came back to his senses. Looking at the still form of Mu Feng, he let out a soft sigh.