10: Chapter 10 The Years of Water and Wood, Twin Blades of Ice and Lightning

Outside Jiuling City, on a remote and desolate path.

A short man tugged at the hem of his tall companion's robe, trying to lean in to whisper in his ear, but he couldn't reach.

An expression of annoyance immediately appeared on his Face, and he slapped his tall companion's thigh hard.

"Bend down!"

Gao Dasha hurriedly bent down.

"Did you find out anything?"

Gao Dasha looked around vigilantly. After confirming no one was nearby, he leaned over to Wang Duoyin's ear and whispered:

"Senior Brother Wang, I found out! That Zhang Fan... seems to have discovered a Spiritual Vein at Tianyuan Mountain!"

"He intended to report it to the Young Sect Master immediately to claim credit, but it just so happened that the Young Sect Master was not at his Immortal Cave at that time!"

"Is the information true?" Wang Duoyin's heart tightened, and a sharp glint flashed in his triangular eyes.

"Absolutely true!" Gao Dasha nodded vigorously.

Wang Duoyin's Face darkened instantly. This Zhang Fan was his sworn rival, and just a few days ago, he had been scolded severely by the Young Sect Master for failing to handle his tasks properly, losing all his Face.

If Zhang Fan were to climb the ladder using the credit from this Spiritual Vein and gain the Young Sect Master's appreciation...

Just thinking about it, Wang Duoyin felt his life was over.

However, when mentioning Tianyuan Mountain, he remembered something else.

"Tianyuan Mountain? Junior Brother Gao, are you sure it's Tianyuan Mountain?"

"That's right, it's definitely Tianyuan Mountain!" Gao Dasha stated firmly.

Wang Duoyin took a deep breath, his back teeth grinding together.

"Junior Brother, do you remember that 'Huoyan Sect' Disciple who ruined our plans in Liuling Town?"

Gao Dasha scratched his large head and recalled foolishly:

"I remember, I remember! It's that guy who impersonated the Huoyan Sect and snatched away the young lady you had your eyes on, Senior Brother!"

What 'had my eyes on'! What do you mean 'snatched away'! Does this idiot know how to talk!

Wang Duoyin was so angry at his blunt words that he almost fainted, but he suppressed his anger and said:

"He was faking it! He was completely faking it! That Huoyan Sect Disciple with the ID number 114514 died at Tianyuan Mountain two months ago! That brat is a fraud!"

"What?!" Gao Dasha's copper-bell-like eyes widened abruptly, and a surge of anger from being deceived rushed straight to his head.

"Damn it! How dare he play games with us from the Green Leaf Sect? Is he tired of living!"

"Senior Brother, how did you know?"

Gao Dasha asked again, confused.

Wang Duoyin subconsciously touched his cheek; the burning pain seemed to still be there.

This was the slap mark awarded by the Young Sect Master in a fit of rage. Although it had faded, the humiliation remained. That day, he hadn't found the other woman with the scent of Chinese violet, coming back empty-handed.

After returning to the Sect, the Young Sect Master's rage almost burned him to ashes; his Face suffered during that time.

"Hmph, how else would I find out? I reported this matter about the Huoyan Sect Disciple to the Young Sect Master."

"The Young Sect Master happens to know an Executive of the Huoyan Sect. Upon checking, it was revealed that the Disciple with the ID number 114514 had already fallen at Tianyuan Mountain two months ago. We were all being played like monkeys by him!"

"Damn it!"

Wang Duoyin spat fiercely, a fierce light appearing in his eyes.

"Don't let me run into that grandson again! Otherwise, I'll beat the sh*t out of him and stuff it back into his mouth!"

"Right! Beat it out! Stuff it back in!" Gao Dasha immediately waved his fists to chime in, as if he had already seen the scene.

Wang Duoyin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, his small eyes flashing with calculating light:

"The Young Sect Master has gone to Huoyan City for business and will be back in a few days. Junior Brother Gao, if the news you gathered about the Spiritual Vein is true..."

Wang Duoyin paused, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

"As long as we report the news of the Spiritual Vein at Tianyuan Mountain to the Young Sect Master before that dog Zhang Fan! This heaven-reaching credit will be ours!"

As the most outstanding Disciple of the Sect and the Sect Master's son, the Young Sect Master's rewards would surely be generous. Perhaps he wouldn't have to stay at the first level of the Qi Refinement Stage anymore.

Thinking about being able to step on Zhang Fan and turn his situation around to receive a reward, Wang Duoyin rubbed his hands in excitement.

"Hurry up! Don't dawdle!"

Wang Duoyin waved his hand and turned to leave, but realized Gao Dasha's massive body was still standing there like a post, and he was immediately infuriated.

Wang Duoyin raised his foot to kick him, but found he couldn't budge him at all.

"You idiot! Why are you still standing there like a wooden post? Come with me to Tianyuan Mountain to confirm the news!"

Gao Dasha suddenly raised his hand, his thick arm nearly knocking Wang Duoyin over. He pointed at a figure walking toward them in the distance on the path and shouted excitedly in a muffled voice:

"Senior, Senior Brother Wang! Look! Look over there quickly!"

"Isn't... isn't that the person from Liuling Town who impersonated the Huoyan Sect and snatched the young lady you wanted to snatch?!!"

Wang Duoyin staggered from Gao Dasha's movement. After steadying himself, he wanted to teach his disobedient Junior Brother a lesson, but after hearing the latter part, he couldn't be bothered to pursue it.

He looked sharply in the direction of Gao Dasha's thick finger, and the figure that made him gnash his teeth in hatred was becoming clear!

"F*ck!! It really is him!"

The humiliation suffered in Liuling Town and the scene of being slapped by the Young Sect Master flashed through his mind.

Wang Duoyin's anger surged to his head, his Face twisting.

"There is a path to Heaven that you do not take, and you barge into the gate of Hell that has no entrance! Gao Dasha, grab your weapon! Today, I will make him wish he were dead!"

Wang Duoyin stepped forward, pointing at the figure, and roared with all his might:

"You fraud in front! Stop right there for me!!!"

...

After teaching Chi Wanhe for half a month, Ling Hao left the Sect again, preparing to find the next Disciple.

However, this time there was no prompt from the System, so he had to rely on himself to find a Disciple.

Fortunately, after the Sect upgraded, the Points System and the Sect Master Points Mall were opened. He could consume points to lock onto a person with a Spiritual Root of Earth Grade or higher within a certain range.

The ways to obtain points include Sect upgrades, Disciples breaking through realms, Disciple tasks, etc.

As for the Sect Master Points Mall, Ling Hao glanced at the System panel next to him.

Sect Master Points Mall:

[Sect]

Blessed Land: Designated area, Spiritual Qi concentration increased by 100%, duration of three months. Price: 100 points.

Enlightenment Bodhi: Designated area, Disciple's Comprehension Ability increased by 100%, duration of three months. Price: 100 points.

Masterpiece of Nature: Arrange Sect buildings according to one's wishes. Price: 1000 points.

...

[Disciple]

At My Disposal: Search for people within a certain range, lock onto an owner of Earth Grade or higher Spiritual Root. Price: 100 points.

Yellow Grade Teleportation Talisman: Teleport oneself to any Disciple within ten thousand miles. Price: 1000 points.

Dust-Cleansing Marrow-Washing Jade Dew: Only repairs damaged Spiritual Roots, does not forge rootless ones, does not raise grade. Price: 100 points.

...

This time, his Sect upgrade only gave him 1000 points, so he could only buy a few limited items.

Withdrawing his gaze, Ling Hao saw a huge city in the distance—Jiuling City.

"Jiuling City is much more prosperous than Liuling Town. I hope I can find a few good seedlings."

Ling Hao sighed and was about to move forward when a loud shout came from the side.

Turning his head, two people, one tall and one short, came into view.

What a coincidence, he didn't expect to meet these two here.

Ling Hao raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Yo, aren't these two brilliant Disciples from the Green Leaf Sect?"

Wang Duoyin's eyes locked onto Ling Hao, the rage in his eyes almost bursting out:

"You bold, dog-daring thing, how dare you impersonate a Huoyan Sect Disciple! You have already paved your own path to death."

Ling Hao smiled indifferently.

"I never said I was a Huoyan Sect Disciple. Think back carefully, did I ever say it myself?"

Gao Dasha looked at Wang Duoyin, scratched his head, and said foolishly.

"Senior Brother, it seems he really never said it."

Wang Duoyin's Face turned livid. He recalled the scene in Liuling Town. The other party indeed never admitted it personally; he and the others had made preconceived notions.

But... what do you mean by saying that, you idiot? Just because he didn't say it, you don't want to fight anymore?

"He did say it, you just forgot, Junior Brother Gao!"

Gao Dasha believed him upon hearing this. He immediately yelled:

"Ahhh!!! You guy, you did this thing and still have an expression like it has nothing to do with you!"

"Senior Brother Wang, let me handle it!"

Gao Dasha grinned and formed a seal. The flames dancing at his fingertips suddenly expanded into a crimson fireball the size of a human head, the scorching heat wave scorching the grass and leaves along the way.

Wang Duoyin crossed his arms and sneered, "Good. What kind of Legacy can a Loose Cultivator have? Junior Brother, end this quickly."

"Die!"

Gao Dasha pushed his arms forward violently, and the fireball roared toward Ling Hao's Face.

Ling Hao didn't even lift his eyelids; he pointed his right hand like a sword and slashed downwards.

"Swoosh!"

A dark blue water arrow as thick as a bowl emerged from the Void Realm, piercing through the core of the fireball.

The exploding sparks hadn't even scattered before they were completely swallowed by the surging Spiritual Qi of water, leaving only a puddle of white steam on the scorched ground.

Wang Duoyin's pupils shrank, and he stomped his heel hard on the ground.

"Break!"

The ground split into three deep cracks in response, and sharp rock spikes erupted from beneath Ling Hao's feet in a triangular formation! This was Rock Spike, which required drawing upon the turbid Qi of the Earth Vein; its power far exceeded the Fireball Spell!

Ling Hao shook his head and stomped his foot; vines as thick as a bowl twisted around the roots of the rock spikes.

With a crisp "crack," the rock pillars shattered into chunks of earth.

"This..."

Wang Duoyin's Adam's apple bobbed, and cold sweat soaked his back.

A Cultivator at the Qi Refinement Stage being able to instantly cast dual-attribute conflicting Spells had already overturned the common sense of the cultivation world!

"Wind aids the fire! Burn all these rotten vines!"

Gao Dasha roared and spat out his life-bound Origin Qi, and a fire tornado roared toward the vines.

Wang Duoyin bit the tip of his tongue simultaneously, formed hand seals, and drew the surrounding rubble together to form a giant hammer: "Smash him!"

Facing the attack from above and below, Ling Hao formed a water spirit seal with his left hand to prop up an arc-shaped ice shield, and his right hand struck like lightning toward Gao Dasha's Dantian.

"Bang!"

An ice spike condensed out of thin air three inches in front of his Qi Sea acupoint, and the fire tornado driven by Gao Dasha dissipated on impact.

Almost simultaneously, the rubble giant hammer crashed into the ice shield, and lightning flashed within the splashing ice debris, traveling along the Earth Spiritual Qi and surging back into Wang Duoyin's Meridians!

"Ugh, ah!"

Both of them screamed and retreated.

Wang Duoyin's right arm was charred and twitching, while Gao Dasha curled up on the ground, his Dantian's spiritual power completely frozen by the ice spike's cold air.

"Spiritual power... I can't circulate my spiritual power?!"

Gao Dasha screamed in despair.

Wang Duoyin also fell to the ground, staring at the lingering lightning on Ling Hao's fingertips, his teeth chattering: "Water-Wood Prime, Ice-Thunder Twin..."

"You... you monster! You can't be a Loose Cultivator! Who exactly are you?"

Amidst the chaos on the ground, Ling Hao's robes remained completely unstained by dust.