Great knowledge is broad and unhurried; small knowledge is cramped and fussy

Zhu Ying's face changed drastically. He hurriedly shouted with all his strength, "Second Brother, don't attack! We know Senior Sun."

Sun Yougui gave a cold laugh. His body flickered, and a yaksha flew out of his shadow, clashing with the white-clad youth who had charged in so recklessly.

He was one of the Heavenly Corpse Sect's foremost experts and had refined three flying yakshas. Even while dividing his attention between opponents, he still held the absolute upper hand.

Zhu Ying hurriedly cried, "Senior, this is my second brother. Please show mercy."

Little Bug had no idea where Zhu Ying had suddenly found himself a second brother, but the two were one body, and there was no way he could stand idly by. His thoughts turned swiftly, and he said, "It is a pity Master Xiao has not yet returned from seeking the relics of a senior True Immortal. If he were here, he would surely be able to mediate this dispute."

Wang Chong had laid two hooks in that remark. One was to point out Xiao Nan's identity, hoping this righteous sword immortal might have enough reputation to intimidate the other party. The other was to mention the relics of a senior True Immortal, hoping to stir Sun Yougui's greed.

His father had once told him, "Every man has his flaws; even immortals are no exception." Wang Chong only hoped this short Daoist had flaws as well, that his mortal heart had not yet been extinguished.

Hearing this, Sun Yougui's expression indeed changed slightly. He shouted, "No wonder Xiao Nan did not go to Little Cold Mountain. Which senior True Immortal's legacy is he seeking?"

Little Bug answered, "Master Xiao never told us. He only mentioned that the senior immortal often traveled upon golden auspicious clouds."

Sun Yougui slapped his thigh and cried, "So it is Red Staff Immortal's relic! No wonder he abandoned even that strange heavenly stele. Red Staff Immortal's treasures naturally surpass the Skyfall Spirit Stele, whose origins are unknown."

Seeing that the short Daoist still had no intention of stopping, Little Bug watched the two flying yakshas screech wildly, their savage might growing ever fiercer. They had driven Lu Xuansheng and Zhu Ying's second brother into a cold sweat, leaving them in dire peril. His heart sank slightly. Damn it! I didn't scratch this short Daoist where he itched.

Though he was usually rather simple-minded, his response now was incredibly swift. He shouted, "Master Xiao once promised this junior that after opening the senior True Immortal's treasure vault, he would choose an item to bestow upon me. If Senior is willing to spare my two friends, this junior is willing to offer up a True Immortal's treasure."

Sun Yougui was slightly surprised. After pondering for a moment, he actually gave the command and recalled the two flying yakshas.

The two flying yakshas landed beside the Heavenly Corpse Sect's Fourth Elder, still screeching wildly as black qi poured from their bodies.

Zhu Xiong and Lu Xuansheng each descended on clouds of black wind and mist, their expressions somewhat strange.

They both knew that Wang Chong was merely an ordinary scholarly youth. Not long ago, he had even come into contact with them because of Zhu Ying.

At the time, both had thought Wang Chong was a mere mortal, on an entirely different level from themselves. They had never expected Wang Chong to save them, leaving them owing him an enormous favor.

Lu Xuansheng said in a low voice, "Fortunately, he did not recognize me."

Zhu Xiong had no time to speak with his friend. He hurriedly called, "Senior Sun, this was only a misunderstanding. We never saw that stone stele."

Little Bug's heart gave a thump. That white-bearded old grandpa, along with the stone stele on Little Cold Mountain, had long become a thorn in his heart.

If these people learn that I once went up Little Cold Mountain and still remember the inscription on that stele, they will surely seize me and take me away. Even a good friend like Brother Zhu must never be told such a secret.

Sun Yougui ignored Zhu Xiong and gave another cold laugh. This Fourth Elder of the Heavenly Corpse Sect was fond of sneering; who knew what sort of affliction that was? He turned to Wang Chong and said, "Boy, are your words true?"

Little Bug hurriedly replied, "Truer than true."

"Master Xiao is, after all, from a renowned righteous sect. How could he teach his disciples to lie?"

Xiao Nan truly was from a renowned righteous sect, and he certainly would not allow his disciples to lie. But Wang Chong was not Xiao Nan's disciple.

Wang Chong's father had once told him, "The ancient sages said: A great man need not keep every word, nor see every deed through; he need only follow where righteousness lies."

To save people, Wang Chong could no longer fuss over such small details.

Sun Yougui neither confirmed nor denied it, merely asking Zhu Xiong and Lu Xuansheng, "You truly did not see that stone stele?"

Lu Xuansheng gave a bitter smile. "That stone stele is rather mysterious. It possesses an innate power to overturn the void. Ordinary people cannot see it, and even cultivators cannot find it."

"Zhu Xiong and I lacked the karmic affinity. We only saw White Spider Elder. We had intended to trap him, but after exchanging a single move, that man slipped away like an eel, fleeing with great speed. We failed to keep him."

Sun Yougui believed seven or eight parts of it. He had also been to Little Cold Mountain and knew that the stele there was indeed strange.

With his magical power, and since Little Cold Mountain was not particularly large, he had clearly known that White Spider Elder was still on the mountain and had not gone far. Yet he had searched everywhere without finding him.

Sun Yougui had also encountered several fellow cultivators. From their reactions alone, he knew they were the same as him—they had not found that heavenly stele either.

He had only happened to overhear Zhu Xiong and Lu Xuansheng chatting about having seen White Spider Elder. That was why he had attacked, intending to capture the two and force the details from them.

Under ordinary circumstances, Sun Yougui would never have let them off so lightly. But now, hearing Wang Chong's "nonsense," his greed for Red Staff Immortal's relics suppressed his interest in the nameless heavenly stele.

He chuckled. "Since that is the case, I shall spare you!"

Just as Lu Xuansheng and Zhu Xiong breathed a sigh of relief, Sun Yougui shouted, "Boy, come with me."

Before Wang Chong's mind could even form a thought, a monstrous hand covered in black fur scooped him up. He was carried into the air against his will, watching the three people on the ground grow smaller and smaller as terror filled his heart.

Zhu Ying had not expected Sun Yougui to spare his second brother and his second brother's friend, only to seize Wang Chong instead. He cried out in alarm and formed a sword incantation with his fingers to intercept him, but his cultivation was worlds apart from Sun Yougui's. He could not even catch a shadow.

Zhu Xiong's heart trembled. He hurriedly grabbed him and shouted, "Go!"

Lu Xuansheng did not dare delay either. Riding the black wind, he soared into the air.

The only sound in the sky was Zhu Ying's tearful, frantic cry: "Put me down! I want to save him..."

The thought that rose in Wang Chong's mind was actually: Oh no, I'll definitely miss my academy lessons.

It went without saying that Sun Yougui had captured him because he too coveted Red Staff Immortal's relics. Besides telling stories, Wang Chong's father had also taught him countless "things to watch out for"—how to respond to all manner of unexpected situations. Little Bug was therefore not overly flustered.

Sun Yougui rode a yaksha through the night, moving at incredible speed. The flying yaksha beneath his feet was wreathed in black smoke, its presence savage and menacing, nothing like a good man.

He patted Wang Chong's back and forced himself to assume a gentle manner. "Your master and I may be considered old acquaintances. A senior True Immortal's legacy will surely have spell restrictions. I fear he may not be able to handle them alone, so I wish to go help..."

Little Bug asked, "Does Senior need this junior to lead the way?"

Sun Yougui said, "Precisely."

Little Bug said awkwardly, "This junior does not know the way!"

Before Sun Yougui's expression could change, he continued, "I only know the place. I do not know exactly how to get there."

Black qi coiled around Sun Yougui's hand, and he nearly cleaved the little thing in two with a single palm strike.