Spirit Candle Fruit

The yellow-robed man surnamed Yan said, "Junior Brother Gao was exceptionally talented. Master had intended to make him his successor, so his death will surely infuriate Master. We brothers are heartbroken as well, and we must avenge him."

Though he claimed to be heartbroken, there wasn't the slightest trace of grief on his face. Instead, he felt rather pleased. Gao Kun had always been favored by their master, and that had caused some friction among the brothers. Now that Gao Kun was dead, he couldn't help taking a little pleasure in it.

He continued, "Whether it's Tiger Roar Manor or Cloud Sun Manor, we must uproot them both. But if we do that, the two of us will need to coordinate."

The older yellow-robed man said, "Exactly. It's been several days since Junior Brother Gao died. If we destroy Cloud Sun Manor here and alert Tiger Roar Manor, we might draw people from the Cloud Soaring Sect. That would be troublesome. We should strike at the same time. I'll kill everyone at Tiger Roar Manor, while you slaughter everyone here at Cloud Sun Manor."

The yellow-robed man surnamed Yan said, "Good. Let's agree to strike at the third quarter of the Horse hour in three days, and leave neither manor standing."

The older yellow-robed man said, "Let's make it five days from now instead. First, I'll go find Eldest Senior Brother and borrow his Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover. That way, no one from Tiger Roar Manor or the Cloud Soaring Sect will escape."

The yellow-robed man surnamed Yan said, "All right. Sorry for the trouble, Third Senior Brother. You'll have to make the trip."

Third Senior Brother said, "We're brothers. No need for formalities." With that, he left. He was secretly delighted. Junior Brother Yan, you have no idea what's in Tiger Roar Manor, or why Junior Brother Gao went down the mountain. Once the Spirit Candle Fruit is in my hands, I'll be able to reach the Body Forging Late Stage.

The yellow-robed man surnamed Yan then said to the burly men around him, "Arrange a room for me to rest in. And don't breathe a word of this to anyone. If it gets out, you know what I'm capable of."

"Rest assured, Immortal Master. We'll keep our mouths shut," the burly men replied. One of them then arranged a bedroom for him. The yellow-robed man surnamed Yan was quite pleased with the room's luxurious, refined furnishings.

Once the burly man had left, the yellow-robed man surnamed Yan smiled and murmured to himself, "Third Senior Brother, you really underestimate Tiger Roar Manor. It's a place that has produced cultivators, after all. I doubt it'll be so easy to deal with."

Meanwhile, Yan Chihuo and the others encountered no further trouble on the way and returned safely to Tiger Roar Manor. He had Yun Zaitian and Tong Huaibing taken away under guard, then went straight with Qu Wuxing to meet Ping Fei, the manor lord of Tiger Roar Manor.

The two passed through a long corridor and entered a quiet little hall. Two people were inside. One was an old man in fine clothes, his hair as white as snow, yet his complexion was so ruddy that he had not a single wrinkle. He was Ping Fei, the manor lord of Tiger Roar Manor. The other was a young man of only twenty-one or twenty-two, who looked exceptionally refined and mild-mannered.

It was the first time Yan Chihuo and Qu Wuxing had met the young man. Ping Fei glanced at them and asked, "You're back? How did it go?"

Before the two could answer, he pointed to the young man and said, "This is my son, Ping Yun. He's been cultivating at the Cloud Soaring Sect and just returned today."

Then he said to Ping Yun, "This is Yan Chihuo, the leader of the Thirteen Guardians. The other is Qu Wuxing, ranked seventh among them."

"Cultivating!" Yan Chihuo and Qu Wuxing immediately understood. Like Gao Kun, Ping Yun was a cultivator. They dared not show any disrespect and bowed to him as well. "Greetings, Young Master."

Ping Yun said, "You're both too polite." His gaze fell on Yan Chihuo, and surprise immediately appeared on his face. "Brother Yan—Daoist Yan, who was your master?"

Yan Chihuo was taken aback by the question. "The manor lord took pity on me and taught me all his martial arts. I have no other master."

Ping Yun assumed Yan Chihuo didn't want to reveal his background, so he smiled faintly and exchanged a few polite words. Ping Fei then asked, "Wuxing, how did you suffer such severe internal injuries?"

Qu Wuxing replied, "Manor Lord, I was lucky to make it back. I nearly never saw you again."

Ping Fei asked, "What happened?"

Yan Chihuo recounted everything they had experienced, then took a Jade Box from his chest and handed it over. "This is the treasure the manor lord wanted. I'm glad I managed to deliver it."

Ping Fei took it. "You've all worked hard this time. I never imagined Yun Zaitian and Tong Huaibing would betray me too. Hmph!"

He added, "You may leave."

After Yan Chihuo and Qu Wuxing withdrew, Ping Yun said, "Father, Yan Chihuo's identity is highly suspicious. He's a cultivator. I suspect the real Yan Chihuo may already be dead, and this man is an impostor. I can't guess why he came to our manor. If he wanted the Spirit Candle Fruit, he wouldn't have come back."

Ping Fei said, "Impossible. Yan Chihuo has been with me since he was a child. How could I fail to recognize him? Besides, he only practiced our family's Spirit Jade Vajra Art. How could he be a cultivator?"

Ping Yun's expression changed slightly. "He practiced the Spirit Jade Vajra Art? No wonder he has such impressive magical power. Father, do you know that the Spirit Jade Vajra Art is a cultivation method, not a martial art?"

Ping Fei was startled. "What do you mean?"

Ping Yun said, "Second Master told me when I came down the mountain. He entered the Cloud Soaring Sect because he practiced this very art. But it's exceedingly difficult to cultivate. Even I would struggle with it, let alone you, Father."

Ping Fei said, "No wonder Yan Chihuo became so extraordinary after he started practicing it. After only a few months, he already had inner energy. Then he assassinated Tie Wushuang of the Iron Flag Sect. He was only six years old at the time. His martial arts were still poor, but he was already both bold and careful. That says it all. Afterward, he not only mastered all my martial arts, but also became thoroughly familiar with every aspect of business. He was composed, steady, and meticulous in his planning. I was pleased to have found such a fine disciple."

Ping Yun asked, "How many years has he been practicing the Spirit Jade Vajra Art?"

Ping Fei said, "About ten years, I'd say."

Ping Yun's expression changed again. "He cultivated here and reached the Body Tempering Middle Stage in just ten years? That's incredible. The spiritual energy in the mortal world is thin, so cultivation progresses at a snail's pace. And the Spirit Jade Vajra Art is famously difficult to master. I never imagined he was a cultivation prodigy. It's fortunate he doesn't know what the Spirit Candle Fruit is for. Otherwise, how could it have ended up in my hands?"

Ping Fei said, "The Spirit Candle Fruit is only useful to cultivators, so when Gao Bing obtained it, he meant to give it to his son, Gao Kun. Gao Kun came down from the Giant Dharma Sect, yet died at Yan Chihuo's hands. You should take the Spirit Candle Fruit as soon as possible."