Just This?

Qi Yuan studied the books carefully.

The worry between his brows gradually eased.

"Black Mountain Sect is just this?"

Originally, Black Mountain Sect had been quite cocky in the Great Shang Kingdom.

Qi Yuan had thought Black Mountain Sect's strength was absolutely formidable.

But now, it seemed that Black Mountain Sect's actual strength could only be considered third-rate within the Great Shang Kingdom.

The first tier was the Three Great Cultivation Sects.

The second tier consisted of those with at least one Divine Infant-level combatant, or means capable of withstanding the attacks of Divine Infant powerhouses.

Black Mountain Sect had neither. Within Black Mountain Sect, there were only seven Core Formation True Persons.

Among those seven Core Formation True Persons, the strongest was their sect master, who was merely at the middle stage of Origin Core.

The rest were only at the early stage of Origin Core.

Such strength belonged only to the third tier in the Great Shang Kingdom.

"So, without Black Chicken Old Demon, Black Mountain Sect is just this?"

The more Qi Yuan thought about it, the more at ease he became.

The knife had already awakened its spiritual intelligence. If there had been a late-stage Origin Core cultivator with Protective Core Light brought to great completion, he might have been somewhat wary.

But there was only one middle-stage Origin Core cultivator and several early-stage Origin Core cultivators, and the golden cores they had formed were all low-grade ones.

His eyes gleamed as he sneered, "With strength like this, they still dared come looking for trouble with me? They already had a death wish!"

"Strike first for the upper hand; strike later and suffer disaster!"

"They surely never imagined that I would cross time and space, kill them in advance, and strangle this karmic entanglement in the cradle."

Qi Yuan considered his plan.

Black Chicken Old Demon was not within Black Mountain Sect. As long as he was fast enough, he could absolutely flee after taking his revenge.

"Sadly, I'm still too weak. Otherwise, would I need to avoid Black Chicken Old Demon?

I'd just chop off his dog head with one slash!"

"Black Chicken Old Demon, I'll remember you!"

"If only I could truly travel through time and space. I'd definitely slaughter Black Chicken Old Demon while it was still young and drink chicken soup, or dance on his grave after his lifespan ran out."

Qi Yuan could not help recalling a heroic woman from Blue Star's Go world.

That heroic woman had been a powerhouse who had seen through the laws of time.

In the present, she defeated the greatest female player of the past; in the past, she defeated the greatest female player of the present.

She was reverently called "punching the South Mountain nursing home" and "kicking the North Sea kindergarten."

"Senior Brother Qi Yuan, why are you here?" At that moment, a familiar voice rang out.

Zheng Jianghe was staring at Qi Yuan with a strange expression.

When Zheng Jianghe arrived on the third floor of the Library Pavilion, he had noticed Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan's attire was bizarre, and his behavior was furtive. He did not look like a good person.

Hiding in a corner and still expecting not to attract attention—how could that be possible?

Zheng Jianghe had watched for quite a while before confirming that this was Senior Brother Qi Yuan, the chief disciple of Seven Colors Peak.

Qi Yuan was also startled when he saw Zheng Jianghe.

It was like a couple doing something shameful in a library and being discovered.

However, he quickly calmed down.

"Mhm. I came to look up some information."

"Senior Brother, are you also reading up on Black Mountain Sect?

Once you are finished, could you give those materials to me?

I need to take them out of the Library Pavilion and deliver them to several elders," Zheng Jianghe said seriously.

"No problem." Qi Yuan set down all the books. Thinking of something, he suddenly asked, "What's written here should be true, right? Black Chicken Old Demon has always been away from Black Mountain Sect?"

Zheng Jianghe found Qi Yuan's question strange, but he still answered truthfully, "Black Chicken Old Demon's dojo is at Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, a thousand li away from Black Mountain Sect.

Rumor has it that Black Chicken Old Demon has recently been seeking a breakthrough to Divine Infant Late Stage and should be in seclusion for a short while."

"That's good." Qi Yuan's heart finally settled.

Zheng Jianghe looked even stranger. "May I ask why Senior Brother is investigating Black Mountain Sect?"

Qi Yuan looked at Zheng Jianghe and took out a Kitchen Knife. "Do you know what this is?"

"Senior Brother's... pet."

Zheng Jianghe had heard plenty about that knife.

He often saw Qi Yuan taking the Kitchen Knife for walks.

"I heard that Chu Tianxiong and Chicken Worshipping Ancestor of Black Mountain Sect died beneath the blade of a mysterious powerhouse.

And I also use a blade. I'm afraid Black Mountain Sect might misunderstand and think I'm that mysterious powerhouse.

So I have to prepare early and see what powerful figures Black Mountain Sect has," Qi Yuan said with a solemn expression.

Zheng Jianghe: "..."

He coughed, then finally said, "Senior Brother truly is... prepared for danger even in times of peace."

How could the people of Black Mountain Sect possibly suspect you?

Zheng Jianghe simply found it absurd.

But when he thought of Senior Brother Qi Yuan's usual train of thought, he could understand it.

After all, throughout Shinguang Sect—no, throughout all of Great Shang—Qi Yuan was the only one who dared call the Seven Colors Peak Lord his wife to her face.

Zheng Jianghe left with the books.

Qi Yuan, meanwhile, tilted his head in thought. "Looks like I need to find an excuse to leave the sect."

Black Mountain Sect was quite far from Shinguang Sect. It was not like Rong City, where he could make a round trip in just a few hours.

He needed to report his departure.

After all, he was the chief disciple of a peak, not an ordinary disciple.

Dong Xian carried a pile of bamboo slips as he strode swiftly through Shinguang Sect.

Before coming to Shinguang Sect, his cultivation had been completely gone, and he had even taken the initiative to break off his engagement with his fiancée.

It was precisely because of that series of actions that he had avoided the vortex of political struggle and come to Shinguang Sect.

Just a few days ago, the Remnant Soul within his body had begun to awaken as well.

The Remnant Soul within him belonged to a powerful artifact refiner who had been harmed by traitors. Only a wisp of his Remnant Soul remained, entering Dong Xian's body.

During this time, the Remnant Soul had constantly guided his cultivation and taught him secret techniques of artifact refinement.

Yesterday, under the Remnant Soul's guidance, he had even picked up several precious artifact-refining materials at the Market.

"Old Artifact, if Black Chicken Old Demon enters Divine Infant Late Stage, will all of Great Shang fall into turmoil?" Dong Xian held the bamboo slips as he communicated telepathically with Old Artifact, the Remnant Soul inside him.

Old Artifact smiled. "You brat, you've only just entered the Qi Refining realm. Why are you thinking about so much?

Could it be... you're still thinking about all that power and influence of yours?"

Dong Xian fell silent. After a long while, he replied, "If I can... it would also be better for helping you recover your strength, Old Artifact."

"If you can seize power, then naturally everything will be well. But your foundation is too shallow, and your mother's clan is not strong either. You should cultivate in peace and proceed step by step.

With my artifact-refining arts, barring any mishaps, you will enter the Divine Infant realm within a few hundred years. Strength is the foundation of everything."

Old Artifact advised him earnestly.

Dong Xian's identity was unusual. He was actually an unfavored prince of the Great Shang Kingdom.

Now, the emperor of the Great Shang Kingdom was old and muddle-headed, with little lifespan remaining.

Meanwhile, the princes were all ambitious, fighting for power and profit as they eyed the throne of the supreme ruler.

Among all the princes, Dong Xian had the poorest background and weakest foundation.

That was why he had taken the initiative to break off his engagement some time ago, withdrawing bravely from the rapids and coming to Shinguang Sect to avoid that place of right and wrong.

"Hm?" Suddenly, Old Artifact gave a cry of surprise. "Who is that person?"

Dong Xian hurriedly looked over and saw a strangely dressed man walking along the main road.

Still, he recognized the man.

"The chief disciple of Seven Colors Peak, Qi Yuan." Dong Xian did not know why Old Artifact had taken notice of that person.

"Do you see the Kitchen Knife at his waist? That is definitely a good thing.

Unfortunately, my divine sense cannot extend outside. Otherwise, I would definitely be able to discover what is so special about that Kitchen Knife.

Quick, buy that Kitchen Knife!" Old Artifact's voice was urgent.

Dong Xian froze.

If it had merely been an ordinary Kitchen Knife, and Qi Yuan had been an ordinary Shinguang Sect disciple, he might have been able to buy it.

But... it was not.

Old Artifact had instructed him, so he still forced himself to approach.