Let's Talk This Over

Qingxu hid behind a tree, feeling very flustered.

He gave the name of One-Guard Monastery and then willingly lowered his head, refusing to let the other party reveal its location.

Faced with this unknown enemy, armed with deadly weapons and seemingly very patient, how could he not panic?

Suddenly, he heard footsteps. Overjoyed, he immediately circulated his spiritual power, ready to deliver a powerful blow as soon as the other party appeared.

He was plotting in his heart. "I'll send you to your Hell by hiding and ambushing Xiaodao. Don't blame Dao Heart!"

As the footsteps grew closer and closer, until they were right behind him, he suddenly jumped out and saw a tiger, taller than a man and over ten feet long, staring at him.

Qingxu was stunned. It was actually a tiger?

At this moment, the Tiger Demon sensed Qingxu's killing intent. With a low growl, its body tripled in size, baring its teeth and staring at Qingxu, constantly growling, ready to slap him at any moment.

Qingxu felt the overwhelming pressure from the tiger, and the Spiritual Qi he had gathered dissipated. He forced a smile and said, "Don't be angry, take me to see your master! I know you are from the Azure Cloud Sect, let's talk things out, why fight like this!"

Who doesn't know that Zhang Yang rode a tiger to the Prodigy Battlefield?

Therefore, when Qingxu saw the tiger, he knew it was Zhang Yang.

He just couldn't understand why the Azure Cloud Sect possessed such a powerful weapon that could be brought into the Prodigy Battlefield.

The Tiger Demon glanced coldly at Qingxu, shrunk in size, and led Qingxu toward the place where Zhang Yang was hiding.

Seeing Qingxu arrive, Zhang Yang stepped out carrying Barrett and said calmly to Qingxu, "Seale your Purple Mansion Nascent Soul, and we can talk things over. Otherwise, I'll kill you right now!"

Just as Qingxu was about to say something, Situ Mingyue returned.

Seeing that things were not going well, Situ Mingyue immediately joined the battle, and the three of them formed a triangular formation, surrounding Qingxu in the middle.

"I admit defeat!" Qingxu hurriedly said, "We, the people of One-Guard Monastery, cultivate the Heavenly Dao and dislike fighting and killing the most! You must believe in my sincerity and please do not make a move."

He smiled bitterly and sealed off his Purple Mansion.

Then, he sat on the ground, looking at Zhang Yang with a wronged expression. "I've done as you said, can we talk now?"

Zhang Yang found a vine and tied Qingxu before he finally lowered his guard.

"Little Daoist, now you can speak. What value do you have that I'd keep you alive?" Zhang Yang stared at Qingxu. "Speak well, and I'll spare your life; speak poorly, and you might be going to see your ancestor."

"Don't do it!" Qingxu shouted hurriedly, then he said, feeling aggrieved, "I didn't hurt you, why are you trying to kill me?"

Zhang Yang retorted, "My Azure Cloud Sect is doing just fine, so why would Cangsong Cang Song your One-Guard Monastery scheme against our Azure Cloud Sect?"

"I know nothing about my master's affairs!"

"Are you Cang Song's apprentice?"

"A true disciple!"

Zhang Yang glanced at Qingxu and said calmly, "You've already saved half your life. The other half—keep trying. Come, demonstrate your worth, and show me your loyalty and trustworthiness."

He had a bet with Cang Song, and out of respect for Cang Song, he would spare Qingxu's life for the time being.

Qingxu looked at Zhang Yang, calculating in his mind. His master Cang Song's name was so useful; should he continue using it?

"Don't overthink it. Your master is imprisoned in my Azure Cloud Sect!" Zhang Yang said calmly. "Whether he lives or dies remains to be seen after I return. However, we've had a decent relationship during the two years he's been imprisoned in the Azure Cloud Sect, so I'll give him some face. But if you don't demonstrate your worth and gain my trust, I'll still kill you."

Qingxu stared in disbelief. "Master was captured by your Azure Cloud Sect?"

He said he hadn't returned to the sect for several years and thought his master had gone traveling the world.

Unexpectedly, I was locked up.

Zhang Yang stared at Qingxu without saying a word.

There's no need to hide the fact that Cang Song was imprisoned in the Azure Cloud Sect now that we're back.

Therefore, it wouldn't matter if Qingxu found out.

Qingxu was somewhat skeptical of Zhang Yang's words. How could his powerful master have been captured?

However, in any case, he is now facing a life-or-death crisis.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "I know how to craft weapons; this armor I'm wearing was made by myself."

"I can do that too!" Zhang Yang said casually.

"My weapon-forging skills are very high!" Qingxu hurriedly said, "Look at my armor, so light and thin, yet it was able to defend against your bullet. You can tell how skilled I am."

Zhang Yang examined Qingxu's armor, nodded, and said, "That counts! Continue!"

Qingxu gave a wry smile and said, "I'm at the Nascent Soul Peak, I can at least lend a hand, right?"

"Continue!"

"I... I'm so useful, why would you kill me? You could just keep me around to do things, right?" Qingxu was speechless.

Zhang Yang countered, "Why don't we talk about why you acted alone? Why weren't you with the others from One-Guard Monastery? Don't you Daoists value tranquility and inaction? Were you also being ostracized?"

Qingxu looked at Zhang Yang helplessly, thinking to himself, "Who told you that Daoists are all about quietude and inaction?"

If everyone is content with quietude and inaction, what's the point of my cultivation?

Qingxu shrugged and said, "I'm just a silly Daoist priest with some talent who likes crafting weapons but dislikes dealing with people. My senior and junior brothers and sisters don't want to associate with me, so I have to act alone. Sigh, I thought that with this armor and my status as the head of One-Guard Monastery, everyone would give me some face. I never expected to run into you guys, what bad luck!"

His two trump cards were useless against Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang stood up and said to Qingxu, "Your master and I have a bet. If I return alive from the Prodigy Battlefield, your master must join my Azure Cloud Sect!"

As for the claim that he left the Azure Cloud Sect alive, that's impossible.

You, One-Guard Monastery, are enemies of our Azure Cloud Sect. We finally captured a Dao Integration Realm cultivator, and there's no way we'd let him go.

As your master's True Disciple, you will also be joining my Azure Cloud Sect in the future, so you must cooperate with me well.

"Let's join forces and take out the rest."

He untied the ropes binding Qingxu and kindly helped Qingxu up.

Qingxu was completely dumbfounded. What was all this about? How did he become a member of the Azure Cloud Sect?

We also need to cooperate to take down the others? Are you kidding me?

"Can I not join the Azure Cloud Sect?" Qingxu asked.

"Do you want to die?"

"Sigh! Let's try cooperating first!" Qingxu lowered his head helplessly.

Zhang Yang pointed to the fruits the Tiger Demon had brought back, as well as the things Situ Mingyue had collected, and said kindly to Qingxu, "Didn't you claim to be a professional? Come and see how to use these things."

That's what he said, but he didn't undo the Purple Mansion restriction on Qingxu.