I Will Descend the Mountain to Travel

Wu Tian's mind raced with thoughts as he looked at Man Xiongmu and said, "Master, please tell your disciple, is it permissible to kill within the sect?"

Man Xiongmu pondered for a moment before replying, "In the Qi Nurturing, Form Condensing realm, even if a person dies, the refined beast soul will return to the sect's Hundred Beasts Yin Soul Banner. At that time, the sect will know who the killer is."

"If the yin soul cannot be eradicated, those in the Qi Nurturing, Form Condensing realm cannot be killed."

"If you cannot avoid the eyes and ears of fellow disciples, you cannot kill."

"If you must kill, you must sever their body, annihilate their soul, and kill them completely along with their beast robe and yin soul."

"If you cannot achieve this..." His gaze fixed on Wu Tian, and he said sternly, "Then you will endure it for me!"

"Disciple understands." Wu Tian lowered his gaze. This was the stable foundation of Skull Mountain. If they allowed infighting and murder within the sect, it would have collapsed long ago; the upper echelons alone could not suppress it.

"What about outside the sect?" Wu Tian pressed further.

Man Xiongmu glanced at him. "Outside the sect, life and death are by fate. Unless close friends or elders actively pursue the matter, the sect will not interfere."

"We are neither a renowned great sect nor a legitimate Buddhist or Daoist school. We are a heretical path to begin with, without so many rules, nor the capability to protect disciples traveling outside."

"If that is the case, please accompany me to the Canteen tonight, Master."

"Tonight?" Man Xiongmu was somewhat puzzled. Why would they go to see a mere Huang Ren at night?

"I plan to have him deliver a message," Wu Tian said, his voice chilling slightly. "The people at Wild Dog Cave think they can just let this go, but it's not that easy."

Man Xiongmu's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "Tell me your plan."

Wu Tian would not hide anything from him and explained it all.

"That old fox Tong Guan won't fall into such a simple trap. They've all lived for decades, even centuries. Which of them hasn't forged their way through killing and fighting?" Man Xiongmu cautioned. "You cannot underestimate those old fellows."

Wu Tian's mouth opened slightly upon hearing this, revealing his fangs. "Master, I'm actually just interested in Wild Dog Cave's Qi Circulation Diagram."

Man Xiongmu couldn't help but chuckle. "Fine, let's do as you say."

After the previous ordeal and with plans to go out tonight, neither master nor disciple mentioned the Curse Artifact again and began their daily tasks.

Wu Tian lay on the ground, practicing the four Incantations one by one. The spiritual energies of thunder, fire, water, and wind gathered, permeating his body like brilliant, ethereal, and mystical rosy clouds.

As his Incantations were honed, the Tongyou Qi within him became increasingly pure and robust. The thunderous roars, the clash of water and fire, and the howling wind caused the impurities within his body to dissipate at a visible rate.

Pfft! Pfft!

After an unknown amount of time, two sounds echoed from within him; two more acupoints had been opened.

When Wu Tian slowly opened his eyes, he found that it was already dark.

He stood up and glanced back at the cultivation chamber behind him. Not long after, Man Xiongmu emerged.

"Let's go!"

Man Xiongmu flicked his sleeve, sending out a black wind that swept Wu Tian up. In the blink of an eye, they were out of the cave entrance and heading towards the Canteen.

Canteen.

Wu Lian had already fallen asleep, but Huang Ren couldn't sleep. He felt as if a huge stone was pressing down on his heart, making it almost impossible to breathe.

The humiliation suffered at Wild Dog Cave was one thing. He had been an insignificant nobody in the sect for so many years, often looked down upon.

But for some reason, he felt uneasy.

He looked up at the window. A wind was blowing tonight, the clouds were thick, and not even moonlight shone through. The night was deep and pitch black.

Huang Ren stared blankly at the night sky outside, lost in thought.

His wife's breathing beside him was calm and gentle. The night wind howled outside. Everything was so peaceful.

"It seems I was overthinking things."

Huang Ren came back to his senses. "Regardless, with an extra thirty Minor Merits, plus the materials and Merit points I prepared earlier, Xia'er will have enough to refine a Curse Artifact."

As he thought this, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his entire body tensed, as if he had been startled.

Within his line of sight, on the intricately carved wooden window covered by light gauze, a shadow suddenly reflected.

"It's that White Dog!"

Huang Ren recognized it immediately. His heart felt as if it had been clutched by a hand, and he panicked.

"Huang Ren, come out yourself. Don't alarm anyone else," a cold male voice echoed in Huang Ren's ear. "It's Senior Brother Man Xiong."

Hearing this voice, he broke out in a cold sweat, his back chilling.

"What should I do? They must be here to settle the score."

It was late at night. If it wasn't about the Wild Dog Cave incident, they wouldn't have come at this hour.

Huang Ren panicked, his heart pounding. He desperately wanted to shout, but when he turned and saw his sleeping wife beside him, he gradually calmed down. He gritted his teeth fiercely and carefully got out of bed.

He was wearing a thin inner garment, without even an outer robe, and his worn-out shoes that he hadn't changed in many years. With a creak, he gently opened the door.

As he opened the door, he deliberately looked back, afraid of waking his wife.

Fortunately, Wu Lian seemed exhausted from the day and was sleeping soundly.

Huang Ren took another deep look at her before stepping out of the room.

After closing the door, he looked up and saw a tall, burly figure standing opposite him in the dark night sky.

Beside him, by the window, the White Dog stared intently at him, like a beast that had spotted its prey, ready to devour him.

Huang Ren didn't know how they had found him. Perhaps they had learned of his whereabouts from Wild Dog Cave, but it no longer mattered.

This was not the mortal world, but Skull Mountain. Evidence was irrelevant here.

His face turned a little pale, and his voice was dry as he said, "Senior Brother Man Xiong..."

"I will go down the mountain to travel tomorrow morning," Man Xiongmu's voice came from the night, carrying an indescribable sense of killing intent and coldness.

"You will personally deliver this message to Wild Dog Cave, but you must not let Tong Guan know."

Huang Ren froze for a moment, but quickly understood. His face turned deathly pale.

Even if he was foolish, he had lived in Skull Mountain for decades and had seen and experienced too much.

Man Xiongmu intended to retaliate, to kill!

If anything happened at Wild Dog Cave, he, the messenger, would be dead.

The night wind howled, chilling him as it whistled through his thin clothes, making them bulge and flutter.

After a long silence, Huang Ren glanced at the dog beneath the window, lowered his head to hide the fear and regret in his eyes, and slowly said, "Okay."

Upon hearing this, Man Xiongmu beckoned to Wu Tian. The man and the dog turned and left without looking back, their figures gradually disappearing into the night.

There were no threats, no intimidation.

Huang Ren stood frozen on the spot for a long time. Only when his legs felt numb did he sigh, feeling as if all his strength had drained away. He turned back to his room, dragging his heavy, weary body.

As he lay down on the bed, Wu Lian seemed to hear the movement. She turned over, her eyes still closed, and sleepily hugged him, "Why are you so cold?"

"It's nothing, I just went to relieve myself," Huang Ren hugged his wife. "Let's sleep!"

"Mmm, you sleep too. We have a busy day tomorrow!" Wu Lian murmured, snuggling closer into his embrace. For decades, they had lived like this, accustomed to relying on each other.