Sect Master Huangfu Ying

The journey passed in silence.

With Huangfu Wuqin present, her domineering aura spread out. No demon beasts, no ghosts or fiends dared cast their eyes their way.

Naturally, the road remained completely unimpeded.

Thus, a journey that should have taken two days was completed in less than one.

When the morning sun of the second day wrapped the boundless snow blanketing the earth.

Kong Jiao could already see the distant gates of the Cangwu Sect.

"After returning to the sect, Kong Jiao, don't rush off just yet. You need to visit the Enforcement Hall and report the events at Frostmoon Altar to the sect." As they neared the sect's mountain gate, Huangfu Wuqin specifically reminded Kong Jiao, calling him by name rather than addressing him as Senior Brother.

Kong Jiao did not mind.

He already considered himself fortunate enough that Huangfu Wuqin had not made him call her Senior Sister.

"I understand." Kong Jiao nodded. Having roughly guessed the reason, he did not ask.

During this trip to Frostmoon Altar, hundreds of herb-gathering disciples from several sects had become blood offerings for Han Dong to refine Human-Spirit Essence.

Such a major incident would certainly draw the attention of the Cangwu Sect's higher-ups.

As the sole witness to the entire affair, and its only survivor.

The Enforcement Hall would certainly have questions for him.

"Come back early. We'll go drink later!" Shangguan Yuzhou merely called out a greeting, then vanished without a trace with his sword on his back.

Seeing how excited he was, Kong Jiao could more or less guess that he was off to seek "guidance" in swordsmanship from that unlucky Senior Brother again.

As for Huangfu Wuqin, the moment they entered the sect and she tossed out that one sentence, she had already disappeared without a trace.

This is what a true favored child of heaven looks like. Gazing at the spot where Huangfu Wuqin had vanished, Kong Jiao recalled their brief day together.

He sighed, feeling rather melancholy.

They were the same age—she was even a year younger than him—yet she had already reached such heights.

From Shangguan Yuzhou's descriptions, Huangfu Wuqin had likely long since reached the pinnacle of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm. She was only one step away from entering the great Wheel-Ascension Realm, something ninety-nine percent of outer sect disciples yearned for day and night yet could never attain.

Not to mention Kong Jiao himself.

Even Shangguan Yuzhou, the genius praised by everyone in the outer sect, seemed somewhat dim beside her.

Even more terrifying was the cloud of fortune above her head, golden and resplendent like the rising morning sun.

It foretold an extraordinary life.

"Ah, what use is there in thinking so much? Once this matter is settled, I'll properly refine the Frostsnow Essence within me, then strive for the fifth stage of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm. Better to stay far away from these favored children of heaven, lest their terrifying heavenly fate and fortune disturb me."

Kong Jiao's sole virtue was that he could always think things through.

His cultivation speed was not actually slow.

After leaving the Miscellaneous Books Pavilion, he had surged forward all the way from the third stage of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm. In less than a year, he was nearly at the fifth stage.

Perhaps one day, I can become a favored child of heaven too! Thinking of the Cloud-Pattern Stele deep within his consciousness, Kong Jiao regained his confidence.

He headed toward the Enforcement Hall.

The outer sect Enforcement Hall was one of the places outer sect disciples least wished to visit.

It punished disciples who violated sect rules within the sect, punished vicious criminals who caused bloody massacres within Cangwu Sect territory without, and was also responsible for patrolling the sect and carrying out executions. Its authority was immense.

It could be called the sect's sharp sword.

Every enforcement disciple within was decisive and ruthless, carrying the stench of blood. Each time they went out, they frightened outer sect disciples until their hearts trembled. Not one of them was normal.

If he had not been unable to avoid it this time, Kong Jiao would not have wanted to come to this place reeking of blood either.

A tall tower built from an unknown black material came into view. Before him stood the outer sect Enforcement Hall.

Kong Jiao did not enter at once. Instead, he silently went over the account he had prepared along the way, checking again and again for any loopholes.

In truth, he could tell them everything he knew about the disaster at Frostmoon Altar.

The only thing he had to conceal was the opportunity he had obtained beneath Frostmoon Altar.

He absolutely could not reveal that.

Therefore, he had to do everything he could to downplay his opportunity.

"But I can't hide the Frostsnow Essence. Huangfu Wuqin already noticed it. Should I say I slept in a snow pit and somehow discovered Frostsnow Essence? I hope I can bluff my way through it." Kong Jiao thought to himself.

After repeatedly reviewing it and confirming there were no omissions, Kong Jiao raised his head and chest and stepped into the Enforcement Hall's tower.

He was the victim. What did he have to fear?

Spiritual energy swirled through the inner sect's main peak, winding around the mountains.

A middle-aged man clad in luxurious black robes stood at the center of a waterside pavilion. He held an ancient book in one hand, reading with rapt attention, while his other hand scattered fish food into the rippling pond before him.

The fish in the pond fought over it, stirring up waves.

Beside him, Huangfu Wuqin sat at the edge of the pavilion with her pale, lotus-white calves stretched directly into the pool, allowing the fish to swim over and lightly kiss and nibble at her delicate toes.

Facing the pond, she recounted something to the man in her lovely voice.

After a brief pause.

"I knew Frostmoon Altar had Frostsnow Essence." After hearing Huangfu Wuqin's account, the man's lips curved in an unsurprised smile, though his tone remained calm.

As the Cangwu Sect's sect master, an earthly-grade essence was precious, but not enough to move him.

"Once that boy comes out of the Enforcement Hall, ask whether he is willing to offer the sect the method by which he obtained the Frostsnow Essence. The sect will certainly reward him accordingly." At this point, Huangfu Ying paused. He lightly slapped the ancient book in his hand against his palm, then added, "If he is unwilling, then forget it. The Frostsnow Essence has already been absorbed by him anyway, and it will likely be difficult for more to gather within the next two or three hundred years."

"Mm." Huangfu Wuqin nodded absentmindedly, seeming rather uninterested.

"What is it? Who provoked you again?" Huangfu Ying put down the ancient book and smiled at his daughter.

"Wasn't it because you told me not to kill Han Dong and let him go?" Huangfu Wuqin glared at her father irritably and muttered, "I clearly could have killed him."

"And after killing him? Would those who harvest Human-Spirit Essence disappear? Since the spiritual energy of heaven and earth underwent its drastic change, the essences of heaven and earth have become fewer and fewer. Those who harvest Human-Spirit Essence have sprung up like bamboo shoots after the rain, appearing one after another without end. Without Han Dong, there would be Han Chun, Han Xia, Han Qiu. You can't kill them all." Huangfu Ying calmly scattered another handful of fish food.

He said lightly, "Recently, more and more people have been harvesting blood offerings in Wudong. Every bloody massacre they cause is carried out with measured advance and retreat; they do not seem like Rogue Cultivators. Didn't the Enforcement Hall send some peripheral disciples to Frostmoon Altar to rescue people this time? They were ambushed too."

"Let him go. Cast a long line to catch a big fish."

"I want to see who is standing behind this!"

As he spoke, a hint of amusement curved Huangfu Ying's lips.

To occupy the position of sect master, his strength might not have been the greatest in the Cangwu Sect, but when it came to schemes and the arts of power, he was absolutely the most formidable.

Huangfu Wuqin could only nod gloomily. After pursing her little lips, she asked again, "How should Kong Jiao be handled?"

Huangfu Ying casually teased the fish into competing for food, not even turning his head as he said, "Out of so many people, he alone survived. He does have some fortune upon him."

Huangfu Wuqin immediately nodded, quite agreeing with her father. "He has great opportunities. He survived Frostmoon Altar and obtained the opportunity of the Frostsnow Spirit. His cultivation speed is not slow either. In the future, he can become a pillar of the Cangwu Sect."

Huangfu Ying smiled without speaking. Only after a long silence did he say, "Do you know how many talents capable of becoming pillars of a sect there are in Wudong? Over the past hundred-odd years, I have seen countless geniuses. Yet of those who can truly grow up, not even one in ten remains."

"The path of cultivation is fraught with peril. Every step holds killing intent."

"That is also why I do not allow you to leave Wudong."

By this point, Huangfu Ying's tone had softened somewhat.

"Let us see how he performs in the future. If he truly possesses fortune, then an inner sect disciple's position will not elude him. But as for becoming a pillar of the sect, it is still too early to say."

As he spoke, Huangfu Ying seemed to think of something and chuckled.

"Of course, I will help suppress the matter of the Frostsnow Spirit for him. His cultivation is too weak. Once he has sufficient strength, then we can let this information spread."

"As sect master, I will protect the disciples under my care within the bounds of my duty."