Conflict

Wei Kuang said, "Living Dead Cliff is where the Elders at the peak of Foundation Establishment enter closed-door cultivation. Some Elders never emerge from their caves until the day they die."

"Their cultivation is formidable and their minds are unyielding. Even after death, their obsessions remain within the caves. After accumulating for thousands of years, they have become a force that can awe the human heart."

"Moreover, some of the Elders still alive have already lost their minds, letting out terrifying wails from their caves day and night."

"When many disciples enter the caves to complete missions, their minds are affected. Even after returning, they remain dazed and delirious, seeing dreadful ghosts wandering around them day and night. Only after several days do they gradually recover."

Hearing him describe it so horrifically, the others could not help but shudder.

Yuan Hongying said, "Even if I had no spirit stones to use, I still wouldn't go to Living Dead Cliff."

Zhou Qing said with a smile, "I understand these two taboos now. But since these are missions issued by the sect, someone has to complete them. Can we refuse to carry them out?"

Wei Kuang smiled awkwardly. "They do have to be completed, but not necessarily by us. Senior Apprentice, have you forgotten that there are other Outer Disciples on Violet Cloud Mountain?"

Zhou Qing immediately understood.

Azure Cloud Sect recruited disciples once every three years, sixty in each batch.

Yet Outer Disciples were promoted to Inner Disciples only once every ten years.

In other words, there were currently four batches, a total of two hundred and forty Outer Disciples, on Violet Cloud Mountain.

Wei Kuang meant to shove these two troublesome missions onto disciples from earlier batches.

That was somewhat like flooding one's neighbor's fields to save one's own, which was why Wei Kuang looked embarrassed.

Zhou Qing shook his head with a smile. "How could the Outer Disciples from the previous batches not know that logic? It will probably be difficult to push it off on them."

Wei Kuang was about to speak when he suddenly caught sight of several figures slowly approaching along the winding path through the bamboo grove, and hurriedly fell silent.

Zhou Qing and the others also noticed the newcomers.

There were more than ten of them, clustered around a tall young man of seventeen or eighteen, whose face was as fair as jade beneath a crown and whose expression was arrogant. They came to a stop before Zhou Qing and the others.

Wei Kuang's expression changed slightly. Leaning close to Zhou Qing's ear, he whispered, "That is Fang Yuhe, the Senior Apprentice from two batches ago. The one standing slightly behind him at his side is Liu Bingxuan, the Senior Apprentice from the previous batch. They probably mean no good by coming here today. Don't make any moves yet. Let me negotiate with them."

Wei Kuang stepped forward several paces and cupped his hands toward Fang Yuhe. "Senior Apprentice Fang, I heard a few days ago that you had broken through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement. I was just thinking of finding a time to congratulate you. May I ask what brings Senior Apprentice Fang here today?"

Fang Yuhe let out a cold laugh. "Wei Kuang, you have utterly disgraced us, and you still dare show your face before me?"

"For dozens of generations, Azure Cloud Sect's Senior Apprentice has always been one of our people. Yet it was interrupted with you, and you even lost to an outsider with only a single spirit root. How do you still have the face to speak to me? Step aside!"

Wei Kuang and Fang Yuhe had once been on good terms. Both came from Azure Cloud Sect and had grown up together since childhood.

Fang Yuhe was older and had often looked after Wei Kuang as a younger brother. Wei Kuang, in turn, naturally held great respect for this man of exceptional talent and elder-brotherly bearing.

Now, hearing the elder brother he had always respected suddenly hurl cruel words at him—and words that expressed beliefs Wei Kuang himself had once shared—his face flushed crimson, and he could not say a word.

He stood awkwardly between Fang Yuhe and Zhou Qing's group, unable to advance or retreat.

Zhou Qing saw his predicament.

Wei Kuang was being harassed for defending him, and Zhou Qing naturally could not turn a blind eye. He stepped in front of Wei Kuang, faced Fang Yuhe directly, and said with a smile, "Could you be Brother Fang Yuhe?"

Fang Yuhe glanced at him. "Those from the mortal world are always so ignorant of etiquette. Don't you even know to address me as Senior Apprentice?"

Zhou Qing raised a brow and smiled. "I am the Senior Apprentice of this batch. Since I am the Senior Apprentice, how could there be any Senior Apprentice above me?"

"Brother Fang said that Wei Kuang lost to an outsider. Then in Brother Fang's eyes, was the ancestral True Person who came to Azure Cloud Mountain and founded Azure Cloud Sect an outsider or an insider?"

Fang Yuhe flew into a rage at once. "Who do you think you are, daring to compare yourself to the Patriarch?"

"I will not waste words with you. I came today to advise you to resign from the position of Senior Apprentice at the Hall of Skill Transmission, lest you bring shame upon Azure Cloud Sect."

Zhou Qing said, "Brother Fang thinks too little of Azure Cloud Sect. I am merely a lowly Outer Disciple. What virtue or ability do I possess to bring shame upon the sect?"

Fang Yuhe said, "Azure Cloud Sect is the foremost immortal sect within ten thousand li. The Senior Apprentice of every batch draws the attention of countless sects and great clans."

"This batch's Senior Apprentice has only one spirit root. That news has likely already spread. Once outsiders learn of it, will they not think Azure Cloud Sect has no successors?"

"This is not a seat for you. If you have any self-awareness and resign of your own accord, I may even think more highly of you."

Zhou Qing shook his head. "I have no interest in being thought highly of by Brother Fang. But Brother Fang's words just now truly make others think less of you."

"The path of cultivation values freedom and broad-mindedness, yet Brother Fang is burdened by empty fame. What a pity."

"If Brother Fang truly wishes to bolster Azure Cloud Sect's prestige, then cultivate diligently yourself and accomplish something earthshaking. Once others learn of Brother Fang's deeds, they will naturally not dare look down on Azure Cloud Sect."

"Yet Brother Fang has accomplished nothing himself, while spending every day fretting over how petty sects and minor households view Azure Cloud Sect. How small-minded."

Fang Yuhe said in disbelief, "Are you lecturing me?"

Zhou Qing scoffed. "What, can I not lecture you?"

"I am the Senior Apprentice of this batch. You lectured my junior apprentice right in front of me, so why can I not lecture you?"

"My position as Senior Apprentice was bestowed upon me by Elder Jin Mang. If you are dissatisfied, go complain to the Elder and have him remove me. Why are you babbling at me?"

"You do not dare argue your case before the Elders, nor can you strengthen yourself and forge a career to raise the sect's prestige. You only know how to throw your weight around before disciples who entered the sect after you. I have never seen anyone so brazen and shameless. Get lost!"

"How dare you!"

"Insolent!"

"Let me teach him a lesson!"

Zhou Qing's words instantly enraged the disciples who had come with Fang Yuhe. All of them shouted in fury, wanting to step forward and teach Zhou Qing a lesson.

Wei Xu and the others hurriedly moved to stand beside Zhou Qing as well.

Though they knew the gap in strength between the two sides was too great, there was no room for them to shrink back now.

"All of you, stop!"

With an angry roar from Fang Yuhe, he halted all his junior apprentices.

He looked at Zhou Qing with unfriendly eyes. Seeing that Zhou Qing still showed no fear and merely looked at him calmly, he said, "You have some courage. You are not entirely worthless. But to Cultivators, the advantage of a sharp tongue is useless."

"I would like to see how long you can keep talking tough."

"Let's go!"

With that, Fang Yuhe turned and left.

The people beside him still wanted to argue, but seeing Fang Yuhe refuse to respond, they could only follow behind him and depart.

Only after Fang Yuhe and the others had gone far away did Wei Xu and the others finally let out the breath they had been holding.

Wang Xiaohu said excitedly, "That was so satisfying! Brother Zhou Qing, I've never seen you scold someone so fiercely before."

Wei Xu said, "But it was far too dangerous. If they had made a move, we would have suffered."

Zhou Qing smiled. "They would not have made a move."

He pointed to the courtyard gate directly behind them and said with a smile, "This place is within three zhang of my gate, beneath the coverage of my home's restriction formation. If they attacked, they would be clashing head-on with the formation. Fang Yuhe may be arrogant, but he seems like a smart man. Why would he do something so foolish?"