The Sect Master Is Mighty

After a day and a night of recuperation in the cave, Zhu Bo still held onto a sliver of hope regarding the demon cultivator's relics. He proposed exploring again, suggesting they simply observe the perimeter if any formations blocked their path.

This second exploration revealed several issues.

Firstly, the formations within the passage had already been broken, allowing ordinary people to come and go freely. Secondly, the ever-burning lamps were highly suspect and certainly not ancient artifacts from a thousand years ago.

Filled with doubt, Zhu Bo arrived at the altar. The dried blood and blood-based mechanisms made him suddenly understand. Analyzing the clues one by one, he quickly saw through the truth.

"If I'm not mistaken, the first owner of this cave dwelling was a monster cultivator. The demon snake came for its bloodline source, but unexpectedly encountered the second owner, a Buddha-faced Golden Body Spider left behind by a demon cultivator. That's how all these schemes to cooperate with me came about," Zhu Bo concluded.

"Well-reasoned and convincing," Lu Bei nodded heavily.

"Just some accumulated experience. I've seen and experienced too much, just picking up scraps from others," Zhu Bo said humbly, waving his hand. He then sighed, "Ultimately, I was too slow to realize. This time, being tricked by the demon snake, she must have gained a great deal of cultivation with the bloodline source. Next time I encounter her, I'll likely have to avoid her."

"It's infuriating! We're the ones who were deceived and taken advantage of," Lu Bei added, feeling indignant.

"There's nothing to be done. Cultivation is like this; it all depends on one's own methods. There are no right or wrong answers, no principles to speak of," Zhu Bo said, trying to console Lu Bei, who looked unconvinced. "Don't worry, my brother Lu. Although we are helpless against the demon snake, it would be easy for the Huangji Sect to handle her. She wanted to steal the tomb of my Zhu clan's ancestors. If I report it truthfully, she'll be reduced to a stray dog, with no peace even in death."

"Then I can rest easy."

As the three of them left the cave and passed through the guardian formation teeming with zombies, Lu Bei pondered for a moment. He asked Zhu Bo and Luo Ban to go ahead while he single-handedly dealt with the zombie horde, ensuring no loose ends.

Putting aside the fact that these things severely threatened the ecological balance and carried the hidden risk of a zombie plague, they would also pollute the environment if left unchecked. It was better to eliminate them.

Performing a good deed for the day, the red scarf on his chest seemed to shine even brighter.

[You have completed the hidden quest: Exterminate Zombie Formation, gaining 100,000 experience]

"It actually gave experience, and 100,000?" Lu Bei was deeply surprised. He silently gave a thumbs-up to the programmer. Good deeds are rewarded; the hidden quest had a profound meaning, and he had learned from it.

Leaving the cave, the light was dazzling. A system notification indicated that the quest was complete, and Lu Bei opened it to take a look.

[You have completed the quest [Ruin Exploration]]

[You have completed the main quest: Survival, gaining 200,000 experience]

[You have completed the main quest: Explore Ruin, Uncover Full Truth, gaining 120,000 experience based on contribution]

[You have completed the side quest...

[...

With a cascade of notifications, Lu Bei quickly scanned them, confirming the gains from this trip. A total of 620,000 experience, plus the 100,000 he had before coming, brought the total to 720,000 experience.

"As expected, gaining experience is fastest through quests," Lu Bei mused. Working for others in alchemy was one thing, but working for himself through quests yielded incomparable rewards.

Under a tree by the riverbank, Lu Bei found Zhu Bo, Luo Ban, and Feng Si, who was bruised and swollen and currently eating to replenish his energy.

According to Feng Si, shortly after their group entered, the gatekeeper left by She Xuan's team had bared his fangs at him. Since it was a surprise attack, he couldn't defend himself, suffering a severe beating and being hung from a tree.

Just as dawn broke this morning, She Xuan suddenly appeared. Just as Feng Si thought he was doomed, She Xuan spat a stream of poisonous needles, killing her own teammate, and fled without stopping.

Before leaving, she asked Feng Si to deliver a message to Zhu Bo, saying she was deeply sorry for the offense and hoped for future opportunities to cooperate.

"What does she mean by that? Is she afraid I'll seek revenge and is backing down, or is she rubbing salt in the wound and humiliating me?" Zhu Bo was greatly perplexed. However, Feng Si regaining his life was a good thing. Having experienced the betrayal of Liu Xiong and Liu Meng, he cherished trustworthy brothers like Feng Si even more.

The four of them rested by the river. Once Feng Si had recovered his strength, they retraced their steps towards a nearby town.

"My three elder brothers, you are injured and not suited for long journeys. Coincidentally, my hometown is in the neighboring Langyu County. Why not rest at my home for a few days? What do you say?"

"Oh, young brother Lu is from Langyu County? This is the first time I've heard you mention it."

"I'm just a country bumpkin from a poor place, nothing much to talk about."

"Brother Lu, you are too modest. Nine Bamboo Mountain is not poor; it's rich in Spirit Bamboo, which is a good business. My second brother wanted to source from Nine Bamboo Mountain but never found a connection."

"That's great! I'll ask Brother Kui when I get back. You might not believe this, but I have the final say on whether Nine Bamboo Mountain's nine peaks, especially Sanqing Peak, are chaotic or not."

"That impressive?"

"I am but a humble individual, the Sect Master of the Feather Transformation Sect on Sanqing Peak..."

Two days later, the carriage stopped at the foot of Nine Bamboo Mountain.

With their stamina, they should have arrived sooner, but there were too many injured individuals, and they had to travel and recuperate along the way.

Nine Bamboo Mountain was not large in area, but it depended on what you compared it to. Compared to famous mountains with spiritual veins, it was just a small hill. For Lu Bei, who was still walking on his own two feet, it was quite disorienting.

That's right, he couldn't find his way home.

When he had gone up and down the mountain before, Mo Buxiu had flown him up, and Bai Jin had flown him away on the way down. Therefore, he had no idea which path led to Sanqing Peak.

To the stunned disbelief of Zhu Bo and the other two, Lu Bei stopped a passing Emei Sect disciple and asked for directions home.

"Brother, are you sure this is your home and not someone else's?" Zhu Bo couldn't help but ask on the way up the mountain.

"The deed for Sanqing Peak and the Sect Master's Seal of the Feather Transformation Sect are both stamped by the Huangji Sect, with my name written on them. Black and white, how could it be fake?"

Lu Bei pointed to the newly renovated stone steps and said, "Mainly, the old mountain gate has a new look. I went to visit my eldest cousin during this time and didn't recognize it at first."

Zhu Bo chose to believe him for the time being, but half an hour later, he no longer thought so, because the main gate of Feather Transformation Sect was locked, and Lu Bei, as the Sect Master, had to climb over the wall to get home.

"Don't be polite, it's my home, feel free to climb over."

In the courtyard, Lu Bei saw no movement from outside for a long time. He poked his head out and said to the three people outside the wall, "I just explained, the whole place has been renovated, and the main gate has been replaced. I was far away at Dasheng Pass, so it's not surprising that I don't have the key."

"..." x3

Every word was true, but because of his unreliability before, Zhu Bo and the other two were skeptical. It wasn't until Lu Bei produced the deed and the documents from Huangji Sect that they reluctantly believed him and climbed over the wall into the courtyard one by one.

Lu Bei looked around. The infrastructure capabilities of Emei Sect were worthy of the price paid by the rich woman. Although it was not opulent, the courtyard was uniquely planned and pleasing to the eye, truly elegant.

"Brother, your mountain gate isn't great. Ever since I came to this peak, I haven't been able to absorb much spiritual energy."

Zhu Bo teased, "Also, Feather Transformation Sect is really quiet. Where have all the disciples gone?"

"It's Sanqing Peak, so it wouldn't be called that if there was spiritual energy. As for the disciples, I'm self-sufficient and haven't started recruiting yet."

"Uh, brother, you should come with me to Dasheng Pass. As long as the Zhu family has something to eat, they will never let you starve," Zhu Bo said with concern.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Bo, but I cannot disobey my master's orders and leave."

Lu Bei led the three to the guest room and saw that it was spacious and there wasn't even a place to sit. Without batting an eyelid, he walked out alone, "It's a new home, and I haven't had time to get things yet. Please make do with it, my three elder brothers. I'll go down the mountain to buy some things."

The three people in the room looked at each other. Fortunately, they were not picky people. Zhu Bo and Feng Si, due to their professions, had often slept in the wilderness. They each chose a room to meditate and recuperate.

On Four Scenery Peaks, far from Sanqing Peak, the Emei Sect disciple Lu Bei had asked for directions to ran back to the mountain gate. After finding Sect Master Ding Lei, he truthfully reported the situation.

"Are you sure it was that pretty boy?"

Ding Lei's face showed indignation. He recalled the night three months ago when Bai Jin broke into Emei Sect's mountain gate and forced them into a renovation business.

Doing business is fine, talk properly, why did you hit people?

And hit them twice!

It was as if their Emei Sect was dishonest in business, and would secretly deduct project funds and pass off inferior goods as superior!

Admittedly, they had passed off inferior goods as superior before, but it was their first time doing business with Bai Jin, and they hadn't cheated her or tricked her. Coming at them with a show of force twice without any evidence was unreasonable of her.

Bai Jin's fists were strong, and Emei Sect combined couldn't match her. Ding Lei had no choice but to accept it. But if he couldn't defeat the female devil, couldn't he still teach that pretty boy, the furnace, a lesson?

This grievance had to be avenged, otherwise, if morale scattered, how could he lead the team and be a Sect Master in the future?

"Don't worry, Sect Master. Even if he turned to ash, I would recognize that face of his."

"His Senior Sister..."

"She's not here. Besides his face, that pretty boy has no strength and no physique. He's probably been kicked out for being useless."

The disciple added enviously, jealously, and mockingly, "The only companions were three invalids, their steps were weak, and they looked half-dead."

"Good. Have the disciples prepare themselves. We will gather at midnight tonight and head to Sanqing Peak with this Sect Master to wash away our shame."

"Long live the Sect Master!"