An Ant Shaking an Elephant

Gu Yuanqing ignored Feng Jiuniang and looked instead at Qiu Weifeng.

The hand holding Qiu Weifeng's fishing rod trembled slightly, showing that his heart was far from calm.

He set down the rod, rose to his feet, and looked at Gu Yuanqing. "Then what does Mountain Master need me to do?"

Gu Yuanqing said blandly, "Remain here in Qingping Dao Palace and serve Qian Yuan Sect as an instructor of swordsmanship."

"Only that?" Qiu Weifeng was somewhat surprised. Though he and Gu Yuanqing bore no mortal enmity, there were still grievances between them. He had imagined all manner of harsh terms the other might impose, never expecting this.

Gu Yuanqing smiled. "Perhaps there will indeed be one matter for you to handle in the future."

"What matter?" Qiu Weifeng asked. He always felt there was something teasing in Gu Yuanqing's smile—not malice, but rather the air of someone waiting to watch a fine show.

"No hurry. We can discuss everything after you have truly survived."

With a soft chuckle, Gu Yuanqing tossed two volumes of scripture to Qiu Weifeng. "Ten years. You have ten years to study these scriptures. Do not say I never gave you an opportunity. Whether you can survive depends on your own fortune. If you ultimately fail to live, then you cannot blame me."

Qiu Weifeng caught the Heavenly Dao Scripture and lowered his head for a look. He was slightly stunned. Setting aside the Lower Volume, he had searched ten thousand years for the Heavenly Dao Scripture Upper Volume, and today it had finally fallen into his hands. His feelings were tangled. Only after a long while did he raise his head.

"Is Mountain Master not afraid that I will take these scriptures and secretly break open the Grotto-Heaven to leave?"

Gu Yuanqing asked, "Would