95: Chapter 95 Taking advantage of the chaos, launching a counterattack

She glanced down at it, and her voice wavered.

"Master... the Sect Master sent a message asking what happened. He said... he and the Sect Master will arrive in an hour."

Chu Sheng was stuffing items into his storage ring; hearing this, his hand paused.

An hour?

The sect's protective formation was shattered, the Scripture Pavilion had collapsed, the head of the Old Man of the Pavilion Guard, Li Chunfeng, was still rolling on the ground, and the corpses littering the floor hadn't been dealt with yet.

If the Sect Master returned and saw this scene...

"How will you reply?" He looked at Zhou Wantang.

Zhou Wantang took a deep breath, her fingers moving rapidly across the jade slip.

"I'll tell him: The Old Man of the Pavilion Guard, Li Chunfeng, was a mole for the Yan Kingdom. He suddenly went mad and started slaughtering people tonight, causing heavy casualties among the disciples. I resisted with my life and have already killed him. But I am also severely injured and am currently healing."

She paused, then added another sentence.

"The sect's great formation was shattered by him right before he died."

After listening, Chu Sheng silently gave a thumbs-up.

"Make it up, keep making it up."

Zhou Wantang gave a bitter smile.

"What else can I do if I don't make it up? Should I say, 'Master, you became possessed, killed Li Chunfeng, and are now robbing the treasury'?"

Chu Sheng imagined that scene and shook his head.

"It's better that you make it up."

When the two rushed into the sect's treasury, the restriction at the entrance had already been shattered by the aftermath of Li Chunfeng's previous battle.

Chu Sheng looked at the room full of treasures, his eyes widening.

On the bookshelves were rows of cultivation manuals and secret techniques: at least dozens of Yellow-grade, several Profound-grade, and two tattered scrolls of cultivation techniques that faintly exuded the aura of Earth-grade.

In the corner were stacks of spirit stone chests, neatly arranged.

Chu Sheng opened a chest; it was filled with sparkling low-grade spirit stones, at least tens of thousands.

He opened another chest; it contained thousands of Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

He opened the small chest in the very back.

High-grade spirit stones, dozens of them, exuding dense spiritual energy; just taking a breath made one feel refreshed.

"I'm rich, I'm rich..." he muttered.

Zhou Wantang urged him: "Master, hurry! The Sect Master is almost back!"

Without a word, Chu Sheng first stuffed the chest of high-grade spirit stones into his storage ring.

Then came the two Earth-grade partial pages, followed by the Profound-grade cultivation techniques and the best of the Yellow-grade ones. He couldn't fit the rest, so he had to painfully give them up.

Finally, he swiped a few more chests of mid-grade and low-grade spirit stones, stuffing his storage ring until it was completely full.

"Alright, let's go!"

When the two rushed out of the treasury, several streaks of light could already be seen approaching in the distant sky.

The hour was almost up.

Just as Chu Sheng was about to run down the mountain, he suddenly paused.

"Something's not right."

Zhou Wantang looked at him nervously.

"What is it?"

A sharp glint flashed in Chu Sheng's eyes.

"White Snake Valley."

Zhou Wantang was stunned.

"Master, your injuries haven't healed yet, and the Second Elder's people have already gone..."

Chu Sheng shook his head.

"That is exactly why we must go now. There is only one soul nurturing grass; if we miss it, it's gone."

He looked toward the direction of the Liuyun Mountain Range, his gaze resolute.

"The Second Elder wanted to ask the Sect Master to go with him, which means he fears that white snake. Now that the Sect Master is being delayed by me at the sect, he has to take his people himself. I'll go and snatch it before they succeed."

Zhou Wantang opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she just sighed.

"Master, you really are..."

"Really what?"

"Really money-hungry and reckless with your life."

Chu Sheng laughed.

"You're wrong; it's valuing both my life and money."

The two had just arrived at the entrance of White Snake Valley when they heard a series of shrill screams from inside.

"Ahhh—!"

A figure flew out from the valley, crashed against the stone wall, and died on the spot.

It was a retainer who was on good terms with the Second Elder, a True Gathering stage cultivator.

Chu Sheng peeked inside.

In the valley, the white snake had already awakened; its massive body was coiled into a ball, its vertical pupils cold.

Lying before it were two corpses, both True Gathering stage, their deaths miserable.

The remaining scout was fleeing frantically, but was swept by the white snake's tail and smashed directly into meat paste.

"They're all wiped out." Zhou Wantang gasped.

Chu Sheng also swallowed hard.

A True Firmament mid-stage white snake is indeed fierce.

But he did not retreat.

He took out the demon refining pot, which still held the Remnant Soul of the Red Python inside.

Just then, the white snake suddenly stopped attacking.

Its massive snake head turned toward Chu Sheng, its vertical pupils staring fixedly at him—or more accurately, staring at the demon refining pot in his hand.

Then, Chu Sheng saw a scene that left him incredulous.

In those cold vertical pupils, there actually flashed a trace of... sorrow?

"It... it knows the Crimson Python?" Zhou Wantang was also stunned.

Chu Sheng looked down at the demon refining pot; the Remnant Soul of the Red Python inside suddenly began to struggle violently, emitting a silent hiss.

Upon hearing that hiss, the white snake's entire body trembled.

It slowly lowered its head and slithered toward Chu Sheng.

Zhou Wantang was so scared she took a step back, but Chu Sheng stood his ground without moving.

The white snake slithered up to him, its massive head lowered, and gently rubbed against the demon refining pot.

The action looked like... mourning?

Chu Sheng's heart was in turmoil.

What was the relationship between this white snake and the Crimson Python?

Just then, Zhou Wantang's transmission jade slip vibrated again.

She looked down at it, her expression changing slightly.

"Master, the Sect Master is almost here. I have to go back."

Chu Sheng frowned.

"By yourself?"

Zhou Wantang nodded.

"I have my own ways." She paused, looking at Chu Sheng, "Master, don't worry, I won't betray you."

Chu Sheng was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Be careful."

Just as Zhou Wantang was about to leave, she suddenly leaned into his ear and whispered a few words.

After listening, Chu Sheng's eyes lit up.

"Will this... work?"

Zhou Wantang smiled.

"The Sect Master is suspicious and trusts those closest to him the least. The Old Man of the Pavilion Guard, Li Chunfeng, was a mole for the Yan Kingdom, went mad before dying, and killed most of the disciples; I resisted with my life and was severely injured—this reason is sufficient."

She paused.

"As for you..."

Chu Sheng interjected.

"I'm dead."

He fished out a corpse from his storage ring—the scout's body he had conveniently collected earlier, now unrecognizable.

He took off his own storage ring and put it on the corpse's finger.

He also took off his outer robe and draped it over the corpse.

Finally, he threw the corpse in a conspicuous spot at the valley entrance and sprinkled some of his own blood on it.

"Chu Sheng, died at the mouth of the white snake, body mangled." He nodded in satisfaction.

Watching this, Zhou Wantang's mouth twitched.

"Master, you are truly ruthless to yourself."

Chu Sheng laughed.

"If you aren't ruthless, you don't live long."

He looked at the white snake.

The white snake still kept its head lowered, staring at the demon refining pot, motionless.

"You go back first," he said to Zhou Wantang, "I'll come find you after I finish handling things here."

Zhou Wantang nodded, turned around, and sped off in the direction of the Qinglan Sect.

Under the moonlight, her figure soon disappeared into the night.

Chu Sheng turned around, looking at the massive white snake, then looked at the demon refining pot in his hand.

"Old buddy," he muttered, "What exactly is the relationship between you two?"

Inside the demon refining pot, the Remnant Soul of the Red Python vibrated gently, as if responding.

The white snake raised its head, its vertical pupils still carrying that indescribable sorrow.

Chu Sheng took a deep breath.

"Alright, let's get down to business first."

He walked toward the depths of the valley.

There, the soul nurturing grass stood silently, emitting a faint glow.