Chapter Ninety-Seven: A Challenge at the Door

The gate disciples of Heaven-Tempering Valley saw a flying magical vessel approaching from far away. Although the valley had long since declined, it had once been a major power on the Continent of Swift Winds, so they recognized at a glance that it was an artifact only a great faction could afford to use.

A sound-transmission talisman shot into the mountain gate, courteously announcing the arrival of honored guests. They did not know that those aboard were no guests at all, but the harbinger of disaster for Heaven-Tempering Valley.

Before the vessel had even landed, a group of black-robed figures leaped down from it, each wearing a black mask. After touching the ground, they stood in silence. Only then did two people disembark from the flying artifact.

One was a young man in white silk robes, followed by an elderly attendant. They were none other than Zi Chenyu and Steward Liu.

The gate disciple recognized the young man in white at once. Was he not the young master of the Zi family, Zi Chenyu, the notorious wastrel known throughout the Continent of Swift Winds? His portrait had long since spread through every street and alley.

“Young Master Zi, your honored presence graces us. We failed to come out and welcome you.”

A young disciple holding a magical implement, half-bent at the waist and with shifty eyes, hurried forward to salute Zi Chenyu and the others.

“You know me? Not bad. Then I won’t kill you. Black-robed men, obey my orders. Kill that foolish-looking one beside you. He makes me uncomfortable just looking at him. That is all.”

Zi Chenyu spat out the blade of grass he had been chewing and flicked it down beside the upright disciple at the valley gate.

The disciple turned his head, as if about to say something, and then collapsed dead on the spot. Beside him, a black-robed figure seemed to appear out of nowhere. As though nothing had happened, the black-robed man stood quietly by the corpse of the Heaven-Tempering Valley disciple, utterly unhurried, gazing calmly ahead.

The disciple who had just been so respectful toward Zi Chenyu was now so frightened that his legs went weak. He sank to the ground, his face full of terror, and even the magical implement in his hand fell to the floor.

Zi Chenyu stepped forward, lifted the disciple’s chin with his hand, and flashed what he himself believed to be a charming smile.

“Send a sound-transmission talisman to the sect master and tell him that I, Zi Chenyu, have arrived. Gather every disciple of Heaven-Tempering Valley at once. I will inspect each and every one of them. Not a single person is to be allowed to leave. Otherwise, I will burn the mountain and exterminate the sect. Do you understand?”

Zi Chenyu slapped the disciple twice across the face, then released him.

The two crisp slaps rang out clearly for all to hear, yet none of the black-robed figures even looked over.

“I understand. I understand.”

The disciple, tears streaming down his face, sent the sound-transmission talisman to the sect master. Once he had finished, he fainted on the spot, and the talisman drifted away from his hand toward the valley interior.

On Broken Peak within Heaven-Tempering Valley, the sect master was resting when an elder came rushing in in a panic and handed over the talisman. Before the sect master could even finish speaking, another inner sect disciple ran in from behind, also holding a sound-transmission talisman. Without waiting for the disciple to say a word, the sect master drew both talismans into his hand with a sweep of his arm.

“What earth-shaking matter could possibly have frightened the two of you like this? I’ll open them right here in front of you, and we can listen together.”

After listening to the first sound-transmission talisman, the sect master of Heaven-Tempering Valley only smiled.

“Elder Hu has a flying magical vessel that is about to land at the mountain gate.”

Then he opened the second talisman.

“Senior Brother, Zi Chenyu has come. He says the sect master must gather everyone in the square. He says not a single person may be allowed to leave, or he will burn the mountain and wipe out the sect. Senior Brother, remember, this must be delivered to the sect master.”

After hearing the first talisman, the sect master of Heaven-Tempering Valley merely laughed. But after hearing the second, he sprang straight up from his chair and flew toward the great hall at the foot of the mountain.

One sound-transmission talisman after another crossed and recrossed through Heaven-Tempering Valley, carrying news in every direction. The disciples were now gathering in twos and threes, whispering among themselves. The legendary wastrel Zi Chenyu was coming to cause trouble for Heaven-Tempering Valley.

The great hall was packed wall to wall. Everyone was crowded together, arguing in heated voices. The sect master of Heaven-Tempering Valley walked in from outside and took his seat at the highest position. He swept his gaze across the elders above, then cleared his throat.

At once, the entire hall fell silent. The elders all sat back down in their places, saying nothing, merely sipping tea as if nothing were amiss.

Then the sect master of Heaven-Tempering Valley reached out, seized the scalding teacup beside him, and slammed it violently to the floor. Tea splashed everywhere, and shards of porcelain rolled across the ground.

“Were you not all speaking so eloquently just now? Why is it that none of you can say a word when you see me? Am I the one who doesn’t belong here? Or do you all think this sect has nothing to do with you, that when it is finished, you will each simply go your separate ways?”

As he finished speaking, the sect master’s hand trembled uncontrollably.

The elders present remained silent. At that moment, Guo Tianmeng stepped out from the side.

“I think we should not do as Zi Chenyu says. We ought to activate the grand formation of Heaven-Tempering Valley. With the unique advantage of our terrain and the formation’s power, even if they brought a Nascent Soul cultivator, they still would not be able to force their way in. Zi Chenyu is nothing more than a pampered wastrel. We cannot allow him to run wild.”

Just after Guo Tianmeng finished speaking, Elder Yang stepped forward.

“Sect master, we should meet Zi Chenyu in the square. We can invite the Grand Elder to come out and put that spoiled behavior in its place, and let him understand that Heaven-Tempering Valley is not to be trifled with. There is no need to activate the sect’s grand formation yet.”

“We all think what Elder Yang said makes perfect sense.”

More than half of the elders in the hall stepped forward as well, agreeing with the proposal and voicing their support in loud chorus.

The sect master of Heaven-Tempering Valley nodded, then looked toward Tu Tianxiong in the corner. A smile appeared on his face. He had been very satisfied with this disciple ever since the day he joined the sect. In all matters he was careful, earnest, and meticulous, and he had always been someone the sect master could trust completely.

“Tianxiong, tell us what you think.”

Tu Tianxiong had deliberately stood in the corner this time. Now that he had finally drawn his master’s attention, he felt immensely pleased with himself. He had known all along that his master liked this sort of person.

Tu Tianxiong thought back to what Zi Chenyu had said in the private room at the merchant guild auction hall that day. He had gone out of kindness to deliver a lavish gift, only to be mocked in return.

“Tu Tianxiong, I never told you to send these things here. Why are you claiming I asked you to deliver them? You should take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror. What am I, and what are you? I, Zi Chenyu, and you, Tu Tianxiong—what are you but the successor of a third-rate sect? And even that title does not really belong to you.”

He would never forget those few short words for the rest of his life.

Now, hearing this news, he finally had a chance for revenge. If the Grand Elder were to emerge from seclusion, that little brat Zi Chenyu would surely suffer.

“I agree with Elder Yang’s proposal. I have met Zi Chenyu. His arrogance is beyond the ordinary. It is time the Zi family taught him some manners.”

Tu Tianxiong clenched both fists, his eyes flashing with cold light, and spoke word by word.