The Living Map, Murong Fu

Having recovered from his shock, Murong Fu looked at Ren Ze with considerable wariness. No one had a kind face for an uninvited guest who ignored the "unspoken rules" of the martial world.

"Ren Ze of the Carefree Sect greets Young Master Murong. I was merely cleaning house for my sect just now and have made a spectacle of myself before you. However, I am worried for my senior brother's safety, so I must take my leave first. We can talk another time."

Worried about his senior brother Su Xinghe's safety, Ren Ze did not linger to chat with Murong Fu. He cupped his fists to him, then hurried up the mountain.

"Ren Ze of the Carefree Sect acts with such underhanded ruthlessness, and his cultivation is no weaker than mine. If I had been caught in that ambush, I do not know whether I could have withstood it."

Watching Ren Ze turn and leave, Murong Fu muttered to himself.

"Senior Brother! Senior Brother!"

Ignoring whatever Murong Fu might think, Ren Ze rushed to the thatched cottage on the mountain and shouted anxiously.

"Junior Brother Sect Leader, what happened?"

Seeing Ren Ze run up in such a panic, Su Xinghe hurried outside to check on him.

"I ran into Ding Chunqiu at the foot of the mountain. I took advantage of his inattention and killed that bastard on the spot. I was afraid you might have been harmed by him, Senior Brother, so I rushed up the mountain to check. Fortunately, you are unharmed."

Ren Ze's tense nerves finally settled. Though he had been closest to his master, his senior brother had always treated him well. They were senior and junior brothers in name, but Ren Ze truly respected Su Xinghe as an elder of his own family.

"What did you say?"

Su Xinghe's eyes instantly reddened as he asked again in disbelief.

Ren Ze then told his senior brother every detail of the major events he had accomplished during his time away—how he had crushed the Star-Constellation Sect, how he had searched in vain for Ding Chunqiu, and how he had unexpectedly encountered him at the foot of the mountain and ambushed him while Ding Chunqiu was fighting Murong Fu, killing him in one stroke.

"Good! Good! Wonderful! Master truly had a discerning eye. I never imagined that you, Junior Brother Sect Leader, would kill that scum Ding Chunqiu so quickly! Master can finally rest in peace in the afterlife!"

Su Xinghe laughed and cried in his excitement. His deep hatred for Ding Chunqiu made him completely disregard the minor issue of his junior brother's lack of martial etiquette. With the sect's great enmity finally avenged, the old man was as excited as a child.

Afraid that his senior brother might hurt himself in his excitement, Ren Ze spent a long while consoling him. Once Su Xinghe had calmed down, he said, "Senior Brother, call all your other disciples back. You were forced to drive them away before, but now it is time for them to return and attend to you."

"Very well. I shall have Muhua gather everyone at once. Junior Brother Sect Leader, what plans do you have for our Carefree Sect from now on?"

After calming down, Su Xinghe asked Ren Ze. After all, Ren Ze was now the leader of the Carefree Sect.

That truly stumped Ren Ze. He had never seriously considered how to develop a sect. Roaming the martial world, righting wrongs, and settling grudges were no problem—but managing a sect and expanding its influence held no appeal for him.

"Senior Brother, this kid really has no idea. How about you take the position of sect leader instead?"

Ren Ze scratched his head.

"Nonsense. How can the position of sect leader be treated so lightly? Besides, I am an old bag of bones. Who knows when I will go down and join Master? The martial world will belong to you young people from now on. Forget it, forget it. I will not ask anymore. In any case, our great enmity has now been avenged, and we have no more mortal enemies. Junior Brother Sect Leader, you may do as you please in the future. If there is anything you are unsure about, you can discuss it with this old bag of bones. I can at least help you weigh things up."

Su Xinghe scolded him with a smile.

"Thank you, Senior Brother! Please get some rest early."

Ren Ze did not disturb him further. He had already imposed on his senior brother for so long, and had just stirred him into such excitement, so he quickly coaxed him to rest.

With the sect's great enmity avenged, he found himself somewhat lost for a time.

From the fear and uncertainty he had felt upon first arriving in this world, only half a year had passed, yet he could now rely on a few ambush moves to kill Ding Chunqiu. In terms of combat power, he could probably be considered a first-rate expert now. Once he fully absorbed and mastered the power his master had bestowed upon him, he would likely reach the level of supreme martial experts such as Qiao Feng and Xiao Yuanshan. As for a realm like that of the Sweeping Monk, Ren Ze had not even considered it for the time being.

At this moment, Ren Ze suddenly had no goal left. Unifying the martial world? Commanding the world? He had absolutely no interest in such things.

He wanted to return home sooner, but after so much killing, the progress bar on the Star Map still was not full. He could hardly start murdering people for that reason alone.

Seduce every beauty in the world? Ren Ze could only leave that to fate. If he had possessed this strength when he had first arrived, Mu Wanqing would never have ended up with that fool Duan Yu. Though the two were currently apart and not together, Ren Ze had no desire to be a cuckold...

By the same logic, he had little interest in Wang Yuyan either. It seemed that Western Xia would be choosing a prince consort in another two years? He had stolen half of Xu Zhu's opportunity already. Should he go join in the excitement over Dream Lady?

Ren Ze valued the collision and blending of minds more—someone whose values aligned with his, someone he could talk to about anything. But if he truly found someone so alluring that he desired her body, what was wrong with practicing a little lower-sword technique?

The martial path he had always longed for had been handed to him directly by his master's empowerment, giving him a character that was practically max level in the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils World. In his previous life, what Ren Ze hated most in games was buying accounts. He had never bought one, because he enjoyed the process of leveling up, farming equipment, and growing stronger. Those who bought accounts would never experience that kind of thrill. Lost in this confused mood, Ren Ze began to miss home—his home from his previous life—and eventually fell into a deep sleep amid his wild thoughts...

"Since I hold the position, I must fulfill its duties. Although Ding Chunqiu has already been put to death, there is no urgent need to take over Spirit Vulture Palace. But as the leader of the Carefree Sect, and since I stole Xu Zhu's opportunity, I should at least go save my grand martial uncle. I wonder whether the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly has begun yet."

"Fine, I should make the trip."

With that in mind, Ren Ze bid farewell to his senior brother again early the next morning.

"I cannot remember when or where the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly is being held, but that is fine. I just need to follow Murong Fu."

Ren Ze hurried down to the town at the foot of the mountain and went to the inn from yesterday. Upon asking the innkeeper, he learned that the young master had indeed not checked out yet. Only then did he relax, order a bowl of chicken soup noodles, and wait while eating at his leisure.

Before long, Murong Fu came down the stairs. Ren Ze studied him carefully. "Murong Fu, who had not yet had his mentality shattered by Duan Yu and Xu Zhu one after another, truly lived up to the name of 'Northern Qiao Feng, Southern Murong.' Sword-like brows, starry eyes, a face like warm jade—what a refined young gentleman!"

"Young Master Murong, I was worried for my senior brother's safety yesterday and left in a hurry, failing to speak with you properly. I was lacking in courtesy, and I hope Young Master Murong will forgive me."

Ren Ze rose and went to greet him. Polite pleasantries rolled effortlessly off his tongue as he cupped his fists toward Murong Fu.

"Though this Ren Ze of the Carefree Sect acts underhandedly and ruthlessly, his skills are no weaker than mine. If I can win him over, he could prove to be a great help."

Murong Fu was slightly surprised, but he was no ordinary man. After a quick turn of thought, he returned the salute. "Not at all, not at all. Brother Ren is too kind. I was just regretting that I had not been able to drink and converse with such a hero as Brother Ren yesterday. You have eliminated a great scourge from the martial world, Brother Ren. Murong Fu admires you greatly."

For a time, the two men, each harboring his own ulterior motives, appeared to get along wonderfully as they chatted like old friends meeting too late.

As they spoke of their respective destinations, Ren Ze said that the sect's great enmity had been avenged, and he did not know what to do for the moment. Thus, he had come down the mountain intending to travel the martial world and broaden his horizons.

Murong Fu was delighted to hear this. He said he was going to meet several of his companions, and since they were all traveling the martial world anyway, he invited Ren Ze to join him.

Before long, they met up with Bao Butong, Feng Bo'e, and the others. Among them was a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl whose appearance bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to the jade statue in Langhuan Blessed Land. Her skin was as fair as jade, and her bearing was exceptionally graceful.

No wonder she had Duan Yu completely bewitched. Even Ren Ze's eyes lit up when he saw her. But then he remembered the tangled, inseparable relationship between Duan Yu, Murong Fu, and Wang Yuyan. Ren Ze had no habit of poaching someone else's woman, so he merely smiled and shook his head.

After the introductions, Murong Fu treated Ren Ze with great courtesy, and Ren Ze was quite well-mannered as well. Unlike that Duan Yu, he did not constantly pester Miss Wang. Even Bao Butong, the ever-contrary debater, was very friendly toward Ren Ze. Thus, host and guest alike were thoroughly pleased.

Along the way, Ren Ze and Murong Fu exchanged and compared their insights into martial arts. They occasionally sparred as well, and both gained quite a bit from it.

One day, the group traveled near Luoyang, but they accidentally missed their lodging. They pressed on until nightfall, yet were still on a mountain path. The farther they went, the taller the wild grass along the road became.

"I'm afraid we took a wrong turn. That bend up ahead was probably the wrong one."

Feng Bo'e frowned.

"Wrong, wrong. How do you know it was that bend up ahead, rather than one even farther back?"

Bao Butong shook his head as he spoke.

So long as they were not arguing with him, Ren Ze found the two men's bickering rather entertaining. By the looks of it, they should soon run into the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly plotline.

Before long, Feng Bo'e, who had gone ahead to scout the path, began fighting someone. This time, Murong Fu did not insist on retreating. After traveling together for several days, he knew Ren Ze's skills were no less than his own, and without Duan Yu, that clingy pest, getting in the way, he simply asked Ren Ze to look after his cousin Wang Yuyan. Then, sword in hand, he led the remaining three household retainers forward to help.

Ren Ze was in no hurry to make a move. He merely stayed with Wang Yuyan and covered them from behind.

The people of the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands could not defeat Murong Fu. Instead, Murong Fu killed several of them, so they turned their attention to Ren Ze and Wang Yuyan behind him.

Ren Ze remained perfectly at ease. Before Wang Yuyan could even remind him of their opponents' martial arts styles, he simply overwhelmed them with sheer force and dispatched the few enemies who had tried to ambush him.

"Don't harm Miss Wang!"

A figure came rushing over from afar, swift as flight, his footwork incomparably light. Several people standing on the outskirts shouted in unison and stepped forward to block him, but with a turn here and a dodge there, he slipped past them all and lunged forward. In the firelight, Ren Ze saw clearly that it was Duan Yu.