48: Come to deliver the clock

Celestial music drifted through the air.

A group of scantily clad, handsome men were dancing gracefully in the center of the venue.

Bai Muyu returned to the front of the stage after cupping her fists to acknowledge the crowd.

According to the birthday celebration's schedule, it was now time to announce the gifts presented by the guests.

"Zhenwu Gate of the Ancient Saint Fist Sect from the Western Heavens presents a Ten-thousand-year Ever-green Spirit Lingzhi as a birthday gift for Manor Revered Master Bai!" The man's melodious announcement resounded throughout the manor.

A significant stir broke out among the guests.

It wasn't because the gift was particularly precious, but because Zhenwu Gate was overseen by a top-tier figure at the Perfection of the Mahayana Realm, making it one of the top three Sects among the countless Sects in the Five Elements Realm.

For a power of this level to send a birthday gift, regardless of its value, was a matter that granted immense Face.

"Lietian Sword Sect of the Central Region presents a set of Ancient Underworld Sword Embryos as a birthday gift for Manor Revered Master Bai!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the uproar became even louder.

Even though a world-shaking battle with the Burial Heaven Demon Lord had broken out just three years ago, with the Lietian Sword Sect's terrifying foundation, it remained the undisputed number one Sect in the Five Elements Realm; their commands were obeyed throughout the world, and none dared to defy them.

Many Cultivators who had only come to join in the fun showed expressions of shock and suspicion.

What was so extraordinary about the Sword Forging Manor that it deserved such courteous treatment from two top-tier powers?

"Hahaha, the Sword Sect is truly thoughtful. Please trouble the Saint to inform Sect Master Jian that this Old Woman will certainly pay a visit with a heavy gift in the future!" Bai Muyu enjoyed the reverent gazes of the crowd, her Face beaming with pride.

"There's no need for thanks. I hope the Manor Revered Master knows what we have come for!"

Zhang Bufan sat to the left of Bai Muyu, his expression indifferent, his words carrying a double meaning.

"Hehe, certainly, certainly!"

Bai Muyu's smile grew even more brilliant, a fox-like cunning visible in her old eyes.

"Hunyuan Immortal Sect of the East presents a set of Fire-element Top-grade Hunyuan Cultivation Techniques as a birthday gift for Manor Revered Master Bai!"

Yet another prestigious great cultivation Sect.

The guests were already starting to feel numb upon hearing this.

"Wuliang Linghu Family of the South Pole presents a Dragon Scale Chainmail as a birthday gift for Manor Revered Master Bai!"

"Jade Maiden Palace presents a birthday gift..."

"Wicked Person Valley presents a birthday gift..."

"..."

Nearly eighty percent of the top hundred powers in the Five Elements Realm had gathered for this birthday celebration. Any one of them was a behemoth that could make the cultivation world tremble with a single stomp of their foot.

"I'm afraid this might be a bit troublesome!" Di Yan gripped her sword hilt, anxiety showing between her brows.

Reason told her that acting today in front of the world's heroes was definitely not a good choice, but with the enemy who destroyed her family right before her eyes, she didn't want to wait a single day longer.

"If only... Revered Master were by my side!"

In her heart, her Revered Master was an omnipotent god of war. As long as she was by his side, she wouldn't feel the slightest bit of nervousness even if she were the enemy of the whole world.

"Zixia Sect, for Manor Revered Master Bai..."

"Wuyou Sanren, for Manor Revered Master Bai..."

"Jade Moon Heroic Couple, for Manor Revered Master Bai..."

"..."

The later the announcements came, the more obscure the identity and status of the gift-givers became.

The announcements continued to pour in, while the guests in the venue had already begun clinking glasses and chatting in low voices.

Lietian Sword Sect's Saint Zhang Bufan, Zhenwu Gate's Saintess Gu Qianqian, Hunyuan Immortal Sect's Saintess Ji Ruxue, and dozens of other Heavenly Prodigies of noble birth and prominent status in the Five Elements Realm surrounded Bai Muyu.

Each person had a different expression and their own hidden agenda; the atmosphere became somewhat subtle.

Finally, it was Zhang Bufan who spoke first. He said with an impatient expression, "Manor Revered Master Bai, over these years, our various great Sects and powers have given you plenty of Face and benefits. It's time to hand over that item!"

"Correct!"

Gu Qianqian had a head of fiery red hair and a flamboyant, domineering personality. "Manor Revered Master Bai, listen to This Young Miss's advice: know when to quit while you're ahead. If your Sword Forging Manor tries to swallow that item whole, I'm afraid you'll choke to death!"

"Hehehe, everyone here is an outstanding figure among the younger generation of our Five Elements Realm. This old one has wasted a hundred years, yet my strength and Realm are far inferior to yours. It's truly shameful!"

Bai Muyu was as shrewd as they came. Facing their aggressive stance, she revealed a profound smile. "This Old Woman certainly knows that an ordinary woman is innocent, but her possession of a treasure makes her guilty. Given the value of that treasure, it's not a good thing for my Sword Forging Manor to possess it; instead, I fear it might bring about the disaster of our Sect's destruction!"

"Since that's the case, then hurry up and hand it over. Stop rambling, you won't lose out on benefits!" Ji Ruxue urged impatiently.

"It's just..."

Bai Muyu timely showed an expression of difficulty and said, "It's just that there is only one treasure, and you all want it. This Old Woman really doesn't know who to give it to!"

"Giving it to one party will inevitably provoke dissatisfaction from the other powers. This Old Woman is also in a very difficult position!"

Bai Muyu performed her expression of conflict and hesitation to Perfection.

It was precisely by relying on this rhetoric that she had managed to maneuver among many great Sects and reap benefits!

However, she had clearly miscalculated this time.

The Heavenly Prodigies looked at each other and all revealed malicious smiles.

"You don't need to worry about that, Manor Revered Master Bai. This treasure will be jointly held by our Righteous Path forces, and we will together comprehend the supreme Great Dao of that Cultivation Technique."

This was the result of negotiations between multiple powers. Since no one could take it for themselves, they might as well share it.

"Uh!"

Bai Muyu's aged smile froze on her Face.

"What, does Manor Revered Master Bai still have some concerns?" A cold expression appeared on Zhang Bufan's handsome Face. His eyes narrowed slightly as he said indifferently, "If you are unwilling to hand it over, then you will be offending the Righteous Path of the world. The consequences... you should be well aware of!"

"Saint, please don't be hasty. This Old Woman didn't mean that!"

Bai Muyu forced out a difficult smile, cold sweat seeping from her forehead.

Facing so many powers joined together, even if the Burial Heaven Demon Lord came, he would likely have to bow in submission.

It wasn't that she didn't want to hand it over, but she simply couldn't.

For no other reason than that from the very beginning, that treasure was entirely fabricated. She had been scamming everyone with nothing but lies, playing the world's Cultivators for fools.

"Also, Manor Revered Master Bai, don't try to just pull out any random object to fool everyone. Everyone felt that terrifying phenomenon that swept the world eighteen years ago very clearly!" Gu Qianqian raised her fist, her words full of threat.

"Of course not, it's just..."

Bai Muyu's eyes darted around as she racked her brains for a counter-strategy.

She certainly knew which event from eighteen years ago they were referring to.

At that time, she was just an outcast disciple of a small Sect, with mediocre talent and a miserable background. She could only gather some sisters to become bandits on a mountain, intercepting and killing passing merchants; her life was fairly carefree.

But on that day, during a night out on a raid, she clearly saw a world-startling rainbow light shoot out from a city not far from her, going straight into the highest heavens.

Bursts of Great Dao music echoed throughout the universe.

Immortal totems bowed in worship, ten thousand demons were decapitated, dragons and phoenixes cried out together, and rosy clouds filled the sky.

Countless sword shadows rose up, splitting the heavens and earth, as if out of the depth of misfortune came bliss.

All sorts of magnificent phenomena indicated that a supreme treasure had been born in this Realm.

Without a second thought, she immediately led her bandits to break into the city. Following the phenomena, she found the Di Family, a famous wealthy household in the city, and slashed their gates open to burst inside.

In the search for the supreme treasure, over a hundred members of the Di Clan were brutally slaughtered.

But after turning the place upside down, she failed to find the imagined treasure.

Exasperated, she captured the Di Family's charming, handsome, and upright male Revered Master to interrogate him about its whereabouts, but he would rather die than speak, even biting off his own tongue.

Afterward, to vent the fury in her heart, Bai Muyu raped the man to death amidst the mountain of corpses and sea of blood, then left in disappointment.

Who would have thought that shortly after she left, Saintesses from the great Immortal Sects would rush over.

Seeing the tragic scene, they were certain that she had taken the newly-born treasure.

Bai Muyu did not tell the truth about this, because she knew that even if she spoke the truth, her end would not be any better. It was better to use the fictional treasure as a life-saving bargaining chip to eke out an existence among the various great Sects.

"Where exactly is the treasure? Don't force us to act. If we openly clash, it won't look good for anyone!" Ji Ruxue took a step forward, her terrifying pressure faintly appearing.

"The treasure, the treasure..."

Bai Muyu's mouth hung wide open, unable to say a single word.

Just then, a piercing announcement rang out.

"Green Lotus Swordsman, for Manor Revered Master Bai... a clock!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the noisy atmosphere instantly fell into a dead silence.

Delivering a clock? Sending her to her end!

This gift was a major taboo at a birthday celebration!

What kind of background did this Green Lotus Swordsman have to dare come to the Sword Forging Manor to look for trouble?

Even the attention of Zhang Bufan and the others was drawn away. Bai Muyu felt as if she had been granted a reprieve. She adjusted her mindset, slammed the table, and roared in fury, "How dare you! Who dares to..."

Before she could finish her sentence.

A startling sword light lit up in the dark night, as swift as a thunderclap, aiming straight for Bai Muyu's throat.

Di Yan... has struck!