Arc 215A Bargain for the Sect

Lin Bai defeated Ke Ling during the hunt, then secured rewards while learning that the Heaven and Earth Gate was preparing to strike Tianshui Sect. As Tianshui Sect weighed making him Saint Son, Lin Bai negotiated for support in reaching the Tianquan Great World and proposed using Chu Kingdom’s succession struggle against the Heaven and Earth Gate.

  • Lin Bai pursued Ke Ling through repeated teleportation escapes, then defeated him after Ke Ling revealed the Earth Demon's power and Lin Bai awakened the Azure Lotus Sword Intent.
  • Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao rescued Ke Ling, but Chen Yule and other allies backed Lin Bai before Emperor Chu ended the hunt and drove off the Heaven and Earth Gate elders.
  • At the Celestial Mystery Pavilion, Lin Bai and his companions negotiated for Grand Yi Golden Pills, equipment repairs, and other rewards, while Qian Hen warned that the Heaven and Earth Gate was preparing for war.
  • Back at Tianshui Sect, Lin Bai discovered that the Crow had stolen treasures, and he told Qiao Mo and Qin Yao that he regarded the Crow as a friend and brother.
  • Tianshui Sect elders debated appointing Lin Bai Holy Son as the Heaven and Earth Gate’s preparations raised fears of an attack, and Lin Bai admitted he lacked deep loyalty to the sect but wanted to help on agreed terms.
  • Lin Bai bargained with Chu Xi and Li Zai'en for thirteen thousand Celestial Jades, then offered to become Saint Disciple if Tianshui Sect supported his cultivation and his entry into the Tianquan Great World.
  • The Grand Elder asked Lin Bai to help weaken the Heaven and Earth Gate, and Lin Bai proposed exploiting the Chu Kingdom’s succession struggle as a rare opportunity.
Chapters 5351–5375 Vol. 54 Read

Ch. 5351Pursuit!

Lin Bai relentlessly pursued the badly wounded Ke Ling across the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds, catching up each time Ke Ling used a teleportation talisman. After Ke Ling exhausted his final talisman, he began transforming into a monstrous state as Lin Bai closed in again.

  • Lin Bai defeated Ke Ling, who escaped with a teleportation jade talisman, and immediately sensed where he had gone.
  • Lin Bai caught up with Ke Ling and struck the mountain range with Sword Qi, but Ke Ling teleported away again before the blow could hit him.
  • Lin Bai pursued Ke Ling repeatedly as he used more talismans to flee, while witnesses watched Lin Bai cut through mountains and rivers across the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.
  • After nine escapes, Ke Ling used his final teleportation talisman and collapsed in a forest, gravely injured.
  • As Lin Bai approached, Ke Ling began emitting black smoke and transforming into a beast-like creature.

Ch. 5352Earth Demon.

Lin Bai fought Ke Ling after Ke Ling released the Earth Demon's remnant soul, while Emperor Chu learned that the Heaven and Earth Gate hoped the soul could revive through Ke Ling. As their battle remained even, Lin Bai used Dragon Blood Wine to unleash the Azure Lotus Sword Intent, though he had not fully mastered it.

  • Lin Bai's sword strike was shattered when Ke Ling grabbed its Sword Qi and revealed the Earth Demon's power within him.
  • Emperor Chu recognized the Earth Demon's remnant soul and recalled the Heaven and Earth Gate's efforts to find a host who could withstand it.
  • Ke Ling attacked Lin Bai with speed and strength comparable to the Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm, though his power fluctuated.
  • Lin Bai fought Ke Ling with the Azure Lotus Swordplay, but neither could defeat the other.
  • Lin Bai drank Dragon Blood Wine and barely unleashed the Azure Lotus Sword Intent, the third stage of the Azure Lotus Swordplay.

Ch. 5353Come Save Me!

Lin Bai used Dragon Blood Wine to awaken the Azure Lotus Sword Intent and defeated Ke Ling, destroying the Earth Demon's remnant soul within him. Ke Ling called Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao for help, and they broke away from their battle to reach him.

  • Lin Bai explained how Dragon Blood Wine could temporarily awaken the Azure Lotus Sword Intent and how he had developed his Azure Lotus Swordplay.
  • Lin Bai's Azure Lotus Sword Intent repelled Ke Ling and then cut him in half, destroying the Earth Demon's remnant soul within him.
  • Ke Ling regained his reason but, gravely wounded, searched his Storage Bag for a way to escape.
  • Ke Ling sent Voice Transmission Tokens calling Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao to save him.
  • Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao left their battle with Chen Yule, Yi Song, and the others and hurried to Ke Ling.

Ch. 5354Taking Sides!

After Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao rushed to aid Ke Ling, Chen Yule, Yi Song, and Huang Qingyun chose to help Lin Bai, while Qian Hen stayed behind. Their choices exposed the growing divide between the Third Prince's faction and those aligned with Prince Chen.

  • Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao withdrew from the battle to answer Ke Ling's distress signal, and Qian Hen guessed that Lin Bai had nearly defeated him.
  • Chen Yule decided to help Lin Bai despite the risk of involving his sect, and Yi Song followed him.
  • Huang Qingyun joined them, explaining that Ke Ling and his rescuers belonged to the Third Prince's faction and that she wanted to make things difficult for him.
  • Qian Hen watched the departures and remarked that they were openly choosing sides.
  • Inside the Eastern Sky Immortal Palace, the gathered forces recognized that five major lineages backed the Third Prince while the Chen Family, Celestial Immortal Sect, and Sacred Lotus Palace had sent their Holy Sons to aid Lin Bai, clarifying the court's emerging divisions.

Ch. 5355Rescue!

Lin Bai was about to kill the gravely wounded Ke Ling when Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Sun Miao, and Zhao Xiantu arrived to save him. The two groups prepared to fight, but Emperor Chu ended the hunt and ordered everyone removed from the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.

  • Lin Bai was about to strike down Ke Ling when Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Sun Miao, and Zhao Xiantu intervened and rescued him.
  • Shangguan Tong asked Lin Bai to spare Ke Ling, but Lin Bai refused, and Li Mo and Zhao Xiantu challenged him.
  • Chen Yule joined Lin Bai and confronted Li Mo, while Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, Shui Mo Dan, and Qian Hen arrived as well.
  • Lin Bai and his allies faced Shangguan Tong and the others as both sides prepared to fight.
  • Emperor Chu ordered the hunt to end, and the Formation Daoists activated the formation to remove every martial artist from the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.

Ch. 5356The Hunt Ends!

The hunt ended, and the Heaven and Earth Gate elders tried to kill Lin Bai over the deaths of their disciples. Emperor Chu intervened, rebuked the elders, and dismissed everyone, leaving the Heaven and Earth Gate’s standing with him in doubt.

  • Emperor Chu ended the hunt, and Lin Bai and the other participants were teleported out of the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.
  • The Heaven and Earth Gate elders learned that Lin Bai had killed their disciples and attacked him, while Zheng Yuan, the Third Elder, and allies from the Chen Family, Sacred Lotus Palace, and Celestial Immortal Sect defended him.
  • Prince Chen rushed to Lin Bai’s side, and Emperor Chu’s voice severely wounded the seven Heaven and Earth Gate elders.
  • Emperor Chu dismissed the Heaven and Earth Gate’s appeal for punishment, saying the hunt carried risks that participants had to accept.
  • Emperor Chu declared the hunt over again and departed in his dragon carriage.

Ch. 5357The Storm Was Brewing!

After Lin Bai and Tianshui Sect survived the Heaven and Earth Gate’s attack, allies made clear they had intervened at the request of their young leaders, while Prince Chen’s actions protected the sect’s disciples. Lin Bai recovered in the imperial capital, and the chapter ended with Tianshui Sect agreeing to wait there while he collected the promised rewards for the hunt.

  • The elders of the Heaven and Earth Gate left the Eastern Sky Immortal Palace with the badly injured Ke Ling, and Tianshui Sect thanked the factions that had helped them.
  • Chen Yule, Huang Qingyun, and Yi Song warned Lin Bai that the Heaven and Earth Gate might seek revenge, while Lin Bai and the others recognized that Prince Chen had risked himself to protect Tianshui Sect.
  • Lin Bai left the hunting grounds with Tianshui Sect and noticed Di Wuyan carrying a bulging Beast-Taming Pouch; after the victory banquet, he rested for several days.
  • Bai Yifei and Zhou Xinjin learned that Lin Bai and Chen Yule had killed twenty or thirty giant beasts and that Lin Bai had earned recognition, leaving Bai Yifei furious.
  • Five days later, Lin Bai told the elders he could not yet leave the imperial capital, and Zheng Yuan and the Third Elder agreed to wait while the Celestial Mystery Pavilion prepared his promised reward.

Ch. 5358Yi Gu Appeared Before the Emperor!

Emperor Chu summoned Yi Gu to the palace, where their familiarity revealed that Yi Gu had known him since childhood and came from a family burdened by its future. Emperor Chu then rejected Lin Bai as a possible husband for Yi Gu’s sisters, insisting that Lin Bai had to remain in the Chu Kingdom.

  • Bai Yifei led Zhou Xinjin and the others away from the imperial capital after clashing with Third Elder and Zheng Yuan over their plans.
  • A palace eunuch arrived at the Tianshui Sect residence with Emperor Chu’s summons for Yi Gu, surprising everyone.
  • Yi Gu declined Lin Bai’s offer of protection and went to the palace alone.
  • Emperor Chu greeted Yi Gu as an old acquaintance, recalling that he had held him as a child and asking about his parents.
  • Yi Gu proposed finding powerful live-in sons-in-law for his older sisters, and Emperor Chu said Lin Bai was not an option because he had to remain in the Chu Kingdom.

Ch. 5359The Imperial Path! Blood and Bone!

Yi Gu asked Emperor Chu why he had backed the Third Prince and later brought Prince Chen back to challenge him, and Emperor Chu explained that neither the First Prince nor the Second Prince had been fit to rule. Emperor Chu wanted to choose between the Third Prince and Prince Chen soon so he could retreat into seclusion, while Yi Gu returned to Tianshui Sect without revealing the full conversation.

  • Yi Gu urged Emperor Chu to let Lin Bai leave Chu with him, warning that Lin Bai would suffer if Prince Chen lost.
  • Yi Gu questioned Emperor Chu about the deaths of the First Prince and Second Prince and his support for Prince Chen.
  • Emperor Chu explained that the First Prince cared only for cultivation and the Second Prince was too weak to rule, and said the imperial path required blood and bones.
  • Emperor Chu said his approaching ten-thousandth birthday made him eager to choose between the Third Prince and Prince Chen as Crown Prince so he could focus on breaking through.
  • Emperor Chu offered Yi Gu a palace to stay in and the Zhao Xing Office's help, but Yi Gu chose to return to Tianshui Sect.
  • The Third Elder and Zheng Yuan pressed Yi Gu for details, but he dodged their questions and blamed Lin Bai for drawing Emperor Chu's interest.

Ch. 5360Celestial Mystery Pavilion! More Than Fifty Old Men!

Lin Bai visited the Celestial Mystery Pavilion with Chen Yule and learned it was a Great Luo Divine Weapon filled with dangerous formations. There, more than fifty eccentric experts offered Lin Bai and the other five Sacred Sons three requests each in exchange for the benefits they had received.

  • Three days after Yi Gu returned, Qian family servants brought Lin Bai to the Celestial Mystery Pavilion.
  • Lin Bai crossed the pavilion’s threshold and was transported through a misty world before meeting Chen Yule in a corridor.
  • Chen Yule explained that the pavilion had been refined into a Great Luo Divine Weapon and was full of traps and formations.
  • Lin Bai joined Qian Hen, Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, Shui Mo Dan, Chen Yule, and more than fifty experts to discuss rewards for the giant beasts they had hunted.
  • An old expert offered each of the six Sacred Sons three requests, but Yi Song questioned whether the experts might refuse unfairly and drew their angry scolding.

Ch. 5361Three Requests!

Chen Yule asked the gathered seniors for help with his Slaughter Sword Intent, his aunt Chen Yun’s damaged cultivation, and a Grand Yi Golden Pill. The seniors provided remedies for his first two requests but could not produce the pill, leaving his breakthrough hopes unresolved.

  • Chen Yule requested a way to resist the Slaughter Sword Intent’s effect on his mind, help restoring Chen Yun’s cultivation, and a Grand Yi Golden Pill.
  • Senior Yuan gave Chen Yule a Yin-Yang Fortune Pill to restore Chen Yun’s meridians and cultivation.
  • Senior Zhang gave Chen Yule an Ice Heart Jade to stabilize his mind when he used the Slaughter Sword Intent.
  • The gathered seniors found solutions to Chen Yule’s first two problems but could not meet his request for a Grand Yi Golden Pill.
  • The chapter explained that Dao God martial artists could seek a breakthrough through immortal jade, medicines such as Grand Yi Golden Pills, or fortuitous opportunities and destiny.

Ch. 5362Grand Yi Golden Pill!

Chen Yule persuaded the Celestial Mystery Pavilion alchemists to provide the medicines and refine a Grand Yi Golden Pill for him. Lin Bai then requested one for himself, and Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, and Qian Hen followed suit, while Shui Mo Dan refused.

  • Chen Yule argued that the alchemists owed them a valuable reward and secured their agreement to refine one Grand Yi Golden Pill before the Chu Emperor's Birthday Celebration.
  • The alchemists agreed to fulfill Chen Yule's request, though they said the pill would take up to three years to prepare.
  • After his companions urged him not to hold back, Lin Bai asked the alchemists for one hundred Grand Yi Golden Pills, shocking and enraging them.
  • Lin Bai corrected his request to one pill, and the alchemists agreed to deliver it before the Chu Emperor's Birthday Celebration in three years.
  • Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, and Qian Hen each requested a Grand Yi Golden Pill, but Shui Mo Dan said she did not want one.

Ch. 5363Chu's Number One Treasure Refiner! Ren Xin!

Lin Bai asked the Chu treasure refiners for five Grand Yi Golden Pills and help reforging his Heaven Measuring Ruler, while refusing Ren Xin’s offer to reforge the Demon Sword. He then made his final request: repairing the Sea God Pearl.

  • Lin Bai and four companions requested five Grand Yi Golden Pills, and the treasure refiners agreed to deliver them before Chu Emperor's Birthday Celebration.
  • Lin Bai asked the treasure refiners to reforge his Heaven Measuring Ruler, and Ren Xin volunteered to handle it.
  • Ren Xin urged Lin Bai to let him reforge the Demon Sword too, but Lin Bai refused because of the sword’s precious Chaos Divine Iron.
  • Ren Xin promised to finish reforging the Heaven Measuring Ruler before Chu Emperor's Birthday Celebration, and Lin Bai accepted.
  • Lin Bai presented the Sea God Pearl and asked the treasure refiners to repair it.

Ch. 5364All Going Their Separate Ways!

Lin Bai asked the Celestial Mystery Pavilion’s artifact refiners to repair the Sea God Pearl, and Ren Xin accepted the task alongside his earlier promise to restore the Heaven Measuring Ruler. As the group parted after the victory banquet, Qian Hen warned Lin Bai that the Heaven and Earth Gate appeared to be preparing for war against Tianshui Sect.

  • Lin Bai revealed the damaged Sea God Pearl and asked the artifact refiners to repair it, and Ren Xin agreed to restore it before Chu Emperor's Birthday Celebration.
  • Yi Song, Qian Hen, Huang Qingyun, and Shui Mo Dan made demands for pills, treasures, and spirit medicines, prolonging the negotiations for seven hours.
  • Chen Yule, Qian Hen, Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, Shui Mo Dan, and Lin Bai discussed their plans after leaving the imperial capital: they would travel, enter seclusion, refine pills, or train for war.
  • Qian Hen told Lin Bai that the Heaven and Earth Gate had ordered large quantities of weapons and medicines, suggesting it was preparing to attack Tianshui Sect within one to three months.

Ch. 5365Bai Yifei and the Old Daoist!

Bai Yifei, embittered by Lin Bai’s rise as a Holy Son candidate, encountered Ma Qiuming of the Heaven and Earth Gate on his journey home. Ma Qiuming urged him to help kill Lin Bai, and Bai Yifei began to waver.

  • Lin Bai left the Imperial Capital with Tianshui Sect after declining Prince Chen’s offer to stay.
  • Bai Yifei traveled home with Zhou Xinjin and others, brooding over Lin Bai’s fame and his own chances of becoming Tianshui Sect’s Holy Son.
  • When several prominent family heirs provoked him in a town, Bai Yifei killed them and nearly destroyed their families.
  • Bai Yifei chased a martial artist into the mountains, where Ma Qiuming appeared with the man’s corpse.
  • Ma Qiuming mocked Bai Yifei’s chances against Lin Bai and suggested that the Heaven and Earth Gate could help kill Lin Bai, prompting Bai Yifei to waver.

Ch. 5366One Wave Has Yet to Settle! Another Is About to Rise!

Bai Yifei rejected the Old Daoist’s attempt to recruit him, while the Old Daoist revealed that the Heaven and Earth Gate’s plan to annihilate the Tianshui Sect was ready to begin. Back at the Tianshui Sect, Lin Bai warned the elders that the Heaven and Earth Gate was preparing for a major conflict, as a mysterious White-Robed Woman entered the archipelago.

  • Bai Yifei refused the Old Daoist’s offer but took his Voice Transmission Token, insisting that the Tianshui Sect’s internal struggle was no business of outsiders.
  • The Old Daoist reported his failure, then learned that the Heaven and Earth Gate would invite the Tianshui Sect to compete in martial arts and discuss the Dao.
  • Bai Yifei reunited with Zhou Xinjin and the Five Immortals of East Isle, and they returned to the Tianshui Sect with the others.
  • Lin Bai told the Third Elder and Zheng Yuan that Qian Hen had reported the Heaven and Earth Gate ordered enormous quantities of Divine Weapons and spirit pills, suggesting a battle could come within one to three months.
  • The Third Elder and Zheng Yuan acknowledged Lin Bai’s warning and went to report it, while Lin Bai returned to Bright Moon Island with Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, and the others.
  • A White-Robed Woman rode the waves into the Tianshui Sect’s archipelago and vanished.

Ch. 5367River Pirate!

Lin Bai returned to Bright Moon Island and discovered that the crow had been stealing from Tianshui Sect, including its Ice Soul Jade Tree. The crow also exposed Lin Bai to Qiao Mo and Qin Yao by throwing a stolen undergarment at him, leaving the women wary of him.

  • Lin Bai, Qiao Mo, and Qin Yao noticed heightened patrols throughout Tianshui Sect, and Qin Yao learned that a mysterious thief had been stealing treasures for months.
  • Lin Bai realized the elusive thief was the crow he had left behind when he went to Ke Province.
  • The group found the crow singing in a newly planted Ice Soul Jade Tree on Bright Moon Island, which had been stolen from Tianshui Sect's forbidden grounds.
  • Lin Bai confronted the crow over its thefts, and the crow admitted taking Elder Qin's undergarment and flung it into Lin Bai's face.
  • Qiao Mo and Qin Yao grew suspicious of Lin Bai and covered their chests, while Lin Bai lamented the damage to his reputation.

Ch. 5368We Are Brothers!

After the Crow stole treasures from Tianshui Sect, Lin Bai tried to contain the damage and reassure Qiao Mo and Qin Yao. Lin Bai called the Crow his brother, and the Crow secretly heard him and was pleased.

  • Lin Bai urged the Crow to hide the stolen treasures and stop causing trouble, but the Crow refused to return them and flew off to gather what remained on Bright Moon Island.
  • The Crow suggested killing Qiao Mo and Qin Yao to silence them, but Lin Bai refused, and the Crow teased him before dodging Lin Bai's flying sword.
  • Qin Yao connected the Crow to the great thief who had looted the Imperial Capital, and Lin Bai neither confirmed nor denied the suspicion.
  • Lin Bai told Qiao Mo and Qin Yao that the Crow had extraordinary abilities and that he claimed him as a spirit pet only to conceal his identity.
  • Lin Bai said he regarded the Crow as a friend and brother, remembering how the Crow had repeatedly saved him and helped his loved ones escape the Barren Ancient Continent.
  • The Crow secretly listened from a tree, mocked Lin Bai's heartfelt words, and smiled because Lin Bai still had a conscience.

Ch. 5369Passerby!

Lin Bai learned that the Tianshui Sect’s main concern about making him Saint Son was his lack of loyalty and belonging, and Qin Yao asked what he would do if the sect offered him the position. Lin Bai said he would support the sect in exchange for what he wanted: passage to the Tianquan Great World.

  • Qin Yao and Qiao Mo promised not to reveal Lin Bai’s genuine feelings, and Lin Bai said he would repay the sect for its losses.
  • Qin Yao explained that Lin Bai had the Elders’ and disciples’ support for becoming Saint Son, but the sect could not yet trust his loyalty or sense of belonging.
  • Lin Bai recognized that he still felt like a passerby in the Tianshui Sect and had been focused on entering the Tianquan Great World.
  • Qin Yao asked whether Lin Bai would accept the Saint Son position, and Lin Bai said he could help the sect rise if it gave him something he wanted.
  • Lin Bai told Qin Yao and Qiao Mo that he wanted to go to the Tianquan Great World, whose existence was obscure even to them.

Ch. 5370The Struggle for the Holy Son!

The Tianshui Sect elders gathered to discuss appointing Lin Bai as Holy Son after his triumph in the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds. Although many elders supported him, the decision awaited the Grand Elder’s approval.

  • After returning to the sect, Bai Yifei entered seclusion, while Zhou Xinjin warned the Grand Elder that Lin Bai was gaining support to become Holy Son.
  • Li Yuanzong urged the Grand Elder to oppose Lin Bai’s appointment, citing his short time in the sect and blaming him for Mu Huaqing’s death, but the Grand Elder remained conflicted.
  • The Sect Master showed the gathered elders a water mirror recording of Lin Bai’s battle, and the elders praised his strength and achievements.
  • The Third Elder, Zheng Yuan, and more than a dozen elders publicly supported appointing Lin Bai as Holy Son.
  • Li Zai'en said the Grand Elder’s position mattered most, drawing everyone’s attention to him as he sat silently with his eyes closed.

Ch. 5371The Grand Elder's Support!

The Grand Elder supported Lin Bai becoming the Holy Son, though he and the Sect Master wanted to test Lin Bai’s loyalty first. After learning the Heaven and Earth Gate might be preparing for war, the Sect Master ordered the Tianshui Sect to mobilize and prepare for the possibility of its destruction.

  • The Grand Elder backed Lin Bai as Holy Son but questioned whether Lin Bai was loyal enough to the sect, so the Sect Master arranged to summon him to Flower Valley the next morning.
  • The Third Elder reported that the Heaven and Earth Gate had ordered large quantities of Divine Weapons and spirit pills, suggesting it was preparing for war against the Tianshui Sect.
  • The elders argued over whether the sect should fight, and the Sect Master said the Water Mirror Sea would protect the Tianshui Sect while ordering preparations for war and a possible evacuation.
  • The Sect Master asked the Grand Elder why he supported Lin Bai, and he explained that Bai Yifei had gone into secluded cultivation while Li Yuanzong had come to ask him to block Lin Bai.
  • The Grand Elder said he hoped to step aside once Lin Bai and the younger generation could shoulder the sect’s responsibilities, allowing him to pursue a higher Martial Dao Realm.

Ch. 5372Flower Valley Confidential Talks!

Lin Bai met with the Grand Elder and Li Zai'en in Flower Valley to discuss whether he should become the Tianshui Sect's Saint Son. After admitting he lacked loyalty to the sect, he proposed a deal and exposed the hidden Sect Master as a woman, provoking her to burst out.

  • Lin Bai met the Grand Elder and Li Zai'en in Flower Valley, where they asked whether he wanted to become the Saint Son.
  • Li Zai'en explained that the Grand Elder supported Lin Bai but worried he lacked loyalty and a sense of belonging to the sect.
  • Lin Bai admitted he had no deep loyalty to the Tianshui Sect but said he still wanted to serve it by negotiating a deal.
  • Lin Bai called for the Sect Master, said she was hiding inside the cottage, and identified her as a woman by observing the flowers.
  • The Sect Master kicked open the cottage door and angrily shouted at Lin Bai for calling her a little girl.

Ch. 5373The Debt Collector!

Lin Bai confronted Tianshui Sect Master Chu Xi over the sect’s unpaid promises and negotiated to convert two of them into Celestial Jades. Chu Xi agreed to an eight-thousand-jade settlement, leaving the sect owing Lin Bai thirteen thousand Celestial Jades in total.

  • Lin Bai recognized Chu Xi as the woman who had saved him in Zhennan City and learned she was the Tianshui Sect’s Sect Master.
  • Chu Xi demanded to know why Lin Bai refused the Holy Son position, and Lin Bai pointed out that the sect had not fulfilled its promises to him.
  • Lin Bai asked to exchange the promised five million Contribution Points and Void Ancient Road clue for ten thousand Celestial Jades, while Chu Xi protested and bargained.
  • Li Zai'en proposed settling for eight thousand Celestial Jades, and Lin Bai accepted in consideration of his kindness.
  • Lin Bai added the unpaid five thousand Celestial Jades for his trip to Ke Province and asked Chu Xi to pay the total of thirteen thousand.

Ch. 5374A New Deal!

Lin Bai negotiated with Chu Xi and the Tianshui Sect, demanding support to reach the Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm and enter the Tianquan Great World in exchange for becoming its Saint Disciple and helping it rise again. The Grand Elder explained how the sect might meet those demands, then asked whether Lin Bai could help defeat the Heaven and Earth Gate.

  • Chu Xi paid Lin Bai thirteen thousand immortal jades for their first deal, then ordered the Grand Elder to repair the table and brew tea.
  • Lin Bai proposed becoming the Tianshui Sect's Saint Disciple and helping the sect, provided it supported his cultivation and entry into the Tianquan Great World.
  • Chu Xi objected to Lin Bai's demands, but the Grand Elder said the sect could potentially fulfill them by using its reserves and securing a quota through a Crown Prince.
  • The Grand Elder asked what Lin Bai would offer in return, and Lin Bai asked what the sect needed most.
  • The Grand Elder said the Tianshui Sect needed to deal with the Heaven and Earth Gate, then asked whether Lin Bai had a way to do so.

Ch. 5375Two Requirements!

Lin Bai negotiated with the Tianshui Sect over helping it rise again and weakening the Heaven and Earth Gate, learning that the sect could defend itself on the Water Mirror Sea but could not defeat its enemy alone. He proposed exploiting the Chu Kingdom’s succession struggle as a rare opportunity, leaving the Grand Elder, Chu Xi, and Li Zai'en startled.

  • The Grand Elder told Lin Bai that the Tianshui Sect required him to deal with the Heaven and Earth Gate and help the sect rise again, while Lin Bai agreed to consider the terms.
  • Lin Bai asked about the Tianshui Sect’s strength and warned that Qian Hen expected the Heaven and Earth Gate to attack within one to three months after ordering weapons and spirit pills.
  • The Grand Elder said the Tianshui Sect did not fear fighting the Heaven and Earth Gate on the Water Mirror Sea, and dismissed the local families, demon clans, and pirates as threats it could handle.
  • The Grand Elder clarified that Lin Bai only needed to make the Heaven and Earth Gate decline, but Li Zai'en explained that its many Dao Fruit experts and secluded ancestors made that impossible for the Tianshui Sect alone.
  • Lin Bai said the Chu Kingdom could weaken the Heaven and Earth Gate and revealed that the succession struggle presented a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity.
Arc 215 of 304