Chu Lu sized up the man before him.
He wore an elegant moon-white robe, with a black belt inlaid with jade fastened around his waist.
His face was square and sharply defined, his eyes deep and imposing. Though a few faint wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes, they did not diminish his bearing. Instead, they lent him the weathered charm of years gone by.
Dressed like that and seated in that position, he had to be the Heavenly Profound Sect Master.
Chu Lu had no interest in wasting words with him and immediately intended to swing his sword and cut him down.
Yet at that moment, facing the murderous Chu Lu, the Heavenly Profound Sect Master actually began to smile.
Chu Lu froze.
All the way here, after drawing his sword, every expression he had seen had been one of shock and terror. This was the first time he had seen someone capable of smiling.
The next instant, he sensed a powerful surge of spiritual power erupt and blanket the entire Golden Summit Peak.
Then an immense pressure descended upon him, as though an invisible boulder were weighing him down.
Chu Lu frowned. A formation?
At that moment, the smile on the Heavenly Profound Sect Master's lips grew brighter and brighter, until he finally burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
His incomparably arrogant laughter echoed through the palace.
"Luo Qingdie, you lost!" The Heavenly Profound Sect Master abruptly rose to his feet and roared as if he had suppressed himself for far too long. "I sacrificed over a thousand disciples and dozens of elders from my sect, all so you would not grow suspicious and believe that our sect had run out of options. Then, without any guard up, you stepped into this place and fell into the Immortal-Trapping Absolute Domain Formation! Once this formation is activated, a golden light will cover the entire Golden Summit Peak. Within the formation, one may enter but not leave. Even someone at the Mahayana Stage would find it difficult to escape in a short time. You are now a turtle in a jar!"
Chu Lu was instantly dumbfounded. Then what is the point of this formation? If I truly could not escape at all, it could trap me here until I died. But if it can only hold me for a little while, what meaning does it have? And he is in here too—isn't he just courting death?
The Heavenly Profound Sect Master smiled faintly. "Are you thinking right now that if it can only trap you for a short while, what use is this formation? That I have dragged myself into it too, and am merely courting death?"
"Indeed." Chu Lu nodded.
"Heh heh." The Heavenly Profound Sect Master shook his head. "Ignorant and foolish, arrogant beyond measure. You think that after cultivating to the Mahayana Stage, you are invincible beneath the heavens, and now you look down on everyone. Yet you do not know that there are countless heroes under heaven. What do you amount to? Though I am at the Tribulation Stage Peak and slightly inferior to you, killing you would be as easy as turning over my hand!"
"Is that so?" Chu Lu was a little curious. "I killed more than a dozen Tribulation Stage cultivators on my way here. Not one of them could withstand a single strike from my sword. What makes you different from them?"
"The difference is right here!" With grave solemnity, the Heavenly Profound Sect Master took out the Demon Slaying Mirror from his Storage Ring.
It was an ancient black mirror forged from primordial darkgold, its entire body gleaming with mysterious, dusky light. Its edges were sharp as blades, faintly giving off icy glints. The mirror's surface was like a bottomless frigid pool, cold and clear, yet seeming capable of devouring all light.
"This mirror is called the Demon Slaying Mirror. It is the strongest magical treasure left behind by our Old Ancestor." The Heavenly Profound Sect Master gazed at the Demon Slaying Mirror, his eyes filled with fervor and worship. "It exists to slay heretical demons and wicked people who commit every evil under the sun. So long as you feel even the slightest guilt or unease over what you have done, then even if you are at the Mahayana Stage, your soul will scatter before it!"
"Luo Qingdie!" The Heavenly Profound Sect Master pointed at Chu Lu. "How many innocent people have you killed along the way? Do you dare claim that you feel not a trace of guilt?"
Chu Lu's expression turned subtle.
—I really don't.
Yet the Heavenly Profound Sect Master misunderstood Chu Lu's expression, thinking he was afraid. He immediately became even more arrogant.
"So you finally know fear?" The Heavenly Profound Sect Master raised a brow. "But it does not matter. As a cultivator of the Righteous Path, I am by no means someone who delights in slaughtering the innocent. Though countless Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect disciples have died by your hand, I am still willing to give you a chance to atone."
He continued, "As long as you willingly sign a Slave-Controlling Contract with me and fight in all directions for me and for this sect, I am willing to spare your life."
Chu Lu laughed. "So that was it. So this was what you had in mind. I had been wondering why you kept chattering on about your plan instead of making a move."
He then added, "Makes sense. So many of your people died today. If you do not find a way to replenish your fighting strength quickly, decline is inevitable. No wonder you want to capture me as a slave."
"Precisely." Rather than deny it, the Heavenly Profound Sect Master spoke with perfect righteousness. "I eliminated a scourge like you for the Righteous Path beneath heaven and paid such a grievous price. Naturally, I deserve some recompense. And you need not worry. We are, after all, a righteous sect. We act openly and honorably, and we certainly will not use the Slave-Controlling Contract to humiliate you in every possible way! I am even willing to become cultivation partners with you, let you bear children, and cover for you so outsiders never learn the truth!"
As he said this, the Heavenly Profound Sect Master wore the expression of someone who had made an enormous sacrifice.
Chu Lu was left speechless.
"Holy shit." Chu Lu said inwardly to Luo Qingdie, "This guy not only wants you to fight his enemies for him during the day, he wants you to fight his little brother at night too. Are the leaders of prestigious righteous sects over here all like this?"
Luo Qingdie: "..."
"What do you think? The tremendous sacrifice I have made should be enough to prove my sincerity." A trace of greed flashed through the Heavenly Profound Sect Master's eyes. "Will you agree?"
Chu Lu shook his head. "Sorry, not interested."
A flash of anger immediately crossed the Heavenly Profound Sect Master's face. "Stupid beyond belief! At a time like this, you still have not seen the situation for what it is! In that case, go die!"
The Heavenly Profound Sect Master hesitated no longer. He raised the Demon Slaying Mirror, poured spiritual power into it, and was just about to activate it.
Suddenly, a chill struck him head-on. Alarm bells blared in his heart, and he instinctively stopped his attack and dodged to the left.
The next moment, a right arm flew into the air.
The Heavenly Profound Sect Master's expression changed drastically. He slightly turned his head and looked at his empty right shoulder, his face full of shock and uncertainty.
"Oh?" Chu Lu was somewhat surprised as well. "A Tribulation Stage Peak cultivator really is a little impressive. You actually dodged it."
"You, you, you actually dare!" The Heavenly Profound Sect Master was first consumed by rage, but then a cold sneer appeared on his face. "Heh! You do not think a sneak attack can stop me from using the Demon Slaying Mirror, do you? How naive!"
Chu Lu said, "Huh? No, I just wanted to kill you normally."
But the Heavenly Profound Sect Master thought Chu Lu was merely talking tough. With a disdainful laugh, he said, "Did you think I had not considered such a possibility? Elders, lend me your strength!"
The next instant, dozens of cultivators with the bearing of immortal sages came charging out in an overwhelming tide, filling Chu Lu's entire field of vision.
These cultivators were immensely powerful. Even the weakest among them were at the Spirit Transformation Peak.
Chu Lu grew even more astonished.
—Just how many people does this sect have?
Before you continue