The Black Lotus Villain is Saving Himself! - Chapter 4

On the deck of the spirit boat, the disciples sought out their respective teams and gathered together.

With Xie Yun leading the way, the team conducted a brief self-introduction. They had three sword cultivators providing a balance of offense and defense. There was one body cultivator for close-quarters combat, and Xu Yuan, who possessed a fire spiritual root, was responsible for long-range attacks.

Xie Yun nodded toward Fu Yun. “Senior Brother, you are skilled in talismans and formations. Please stay in the rear to reinforce the defensive barriers and clear any hidden threats. Leave the frontline charging to us.”

Fu Yun gave a gentle smile. “I shall do my best not to hold everyone back.”

Aside from Xu Yuan, Fu Yun, and another young boy, everyone else in the squad was a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Having seen Fu Yun and Xu Yuan spar earlier, the teammates noted his proficiency with talismans and naturally assumed he intended to specialize in the Dao of Talismans. However, they knew that talismans and formations were ultimately external tools; without high cultivation to back them up, they were nothing more than empty flourishes. Of course, no one said this out loud to avoid making Fu Yun feel awkward.

With the tasks assigned, the group began to chat while waiting for the sect elders to open the secret realm. Several teammates hailed from prominent clans and were old acquaintances. They joked and teased one another, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Among them, the sword cultivator and lady of the Murong Clan, Murong Yan, was keen on befriending Xie Yun. She asked, “Captain, I heard the demonic beasts this time are quite unique and can induce hallucinations. I have not encountered such techniques before. Do you have any clever tricks for dealing with them?”

Xie Yun smiled. “I have prepared some Clarity Talismans to distribute when the time comes. However, the elders said that as long as one keeps their spiritual platform pure and their willpower firm, hallucinations will eventually dissolve into nothingness.”

“Relax,” he said with a wink. “Perhaps you might even see something interesting?”

“Then I hope to see my future Dao companion!” a baby-faced youth chimed in. He was one of the only three Golden Core disciples in the team, a mere sixteen years old. Murong Yan teased him, “How unpromising! You should at least hallucinate about your future destiny sword.”

The junior brothers and sisters talked animatedly with constant laughter. Fu Yun felt a slight flicker of emotion, but it vanished instantly.

That natural confidence, that fearlessness, and that yearning for the future were things he had not felt in a long time. For him, this secret realm was not a trial; it was a desperate gamble for a sliver of survival.

Noticing that Fu Yun was being left out, Murong Yan smilingly tossed him a conversation starter. “Senior Brother Fu, do you have any special plans for this secret realm? Perhaps making a name for yourself, obtaining a demon pet, or comprehending your Dao heart?”

Fu Yun gave a slow, mild smile. “If I can emerge from the secret realm alive with a slight increase in cultivation, I will be very happy.”

The group continued their lighthearted banter until they saw someone approaching, at which point they all straightened up. The newcomer was the Taiyi Sect Elder responsible for the reception.

Now that the passage was open, the Elder gave a final reminder. “Each of you is equipped with a Taiyi disciple jade pendant bound to your soul. It will track your status at all times, so you need not fear even in life-or-death situations.”

The disciples showed looks of reverence. Fu Yun followed the crowd in saluting, though in his heart, he wished he could smash the jade pendant to pieces.

The jade pendant was a major obstacle to his escape from the sect. Without the assistance of a cultivator at the Great Perfection stage or higher, it was impossible to unbind it or evade tracking. Attempting to remove it privately would either damage his soul or alert the sect.

One day later.

Sword light and demonic blood intertwined, transforming into a flurry of rouge-colored snow. Only after the blood rain settled could one see Xie Yun’s radiant face and the stoic Xie Lingjun beside him.

The two had partnered many times and shared a deep unspoken understanding. Their sword shadows almost merged into one. The Nascent Soul stage vine demon leader lasted fewer than ten moves against their combined assault. The sword energy shimmered, one cold and one blazing, clearing the path ahead.

Murong Yan, a lover of swords, could not help but marvel. “It truly is like the sun and moon shining together!”

She was not the only one observing; Fu Yun was as well. The sword light reflected in Fu Yun’s eyes. His pupils dilated slightly, and his hands instinctively clenched. He grasped only a few thin talismans, his palms feeling empty. Fu Yun did not yet have a destiny sword. When he occasionally practiced swordsmanship, he used an ordinary iron sword borrowed from the sect.

Taiyi Sect held the sword in the highest regard. Thirty years ago, when Fu Yun first entered the Outer Sect, he too was full of longing, hoping to become a disciple under a Master of the Sword Dao. By a twist of fate, during the apprenticeship ceremony that determined his path, he encountered the Sword Venerable Chu Wuchun.

Chu Wuchun had seen right through Fu Yun with a single sentence. “Entangled in mundane affairs, it is difficult to achieve a Sword Heart.”

Fu Yun was indeed mundane. From the moment he entered the Outer Sect, he had scouted out the elders, spending three years deliberately currying favor just to trade for a few resources or a few words of guidance.

Chu Wuchun might have been right, but that did not stop Fu Yun from hating him. Such a cold and unfeeling Venerable had publicly suggested that Xie Yun should take him as a master. Furthermore, Xie Lingjun was a direct disciple under the Sword Venerable’s peak. Without any surprises, a hundred years from now, Taiyi Sect would have two more Sword Dao Venerables.

Fu Yun deconstructed the sword moves of the two men, staring until his eyes throbbed with pain and something felt like it was about to overflow. It was not tears; it was desire.

“Chunjun, catch,” Xie Lingjun said, addressing Xie Yun by his sword’s name.

With a flick and a twist of his sword tip, Xie Lingjun casually tossed a valuable Nascent Soul demon core toward Xie Yun. Large immortal sects often monopolized secret realms. Disciples were required to surrender fifty percent of the immortal materials they found to the sect, while the remaining fifty percent could be kept and distributed within the team. Generally, the bulk of the rewards went to whoever killed the beast.

The Xie family had its own supply of resources, so Xie Lingjun did not care for a mere Nascent Soul demon core. It was better given to Xie Yun.

As Murong Yan watched, she gave a strange smile. “You two really do have a wonderful relationship.”

Each member of the team had their own goals. Murong Yan wanted to befriend the two from the Xie family while observing their swordsmanship. The body cultivator was employed by the Murong family to protect her. The baby-faced youth was there to gain experience, and Xu Yuan was simply making up the numbers.

Fu Yun only cared about reaching the core of the secret realm; he avoided combat whenever possible. Thus, in these first two days, the pattern of Xie Yun and Xie Lingjun clearing the path while the other five watched had become the norm.

What Fu Yun did not know was that the three who were already social—Murong Yan, her junior brother, and the baby-faced youth—were frequently exchanging private transmissions.

“Why does Senior Brother Fu keep staring at Senior Brother Yun? Could it be?” The baby-faced youth flashed a gossipy smile.

“Can he not just be studying sword moves?”

“It is mostly because there are too many people who like Senior Brother Yun!” The baby-faced youth exclaimed. “Just last month, I was in the same sword class as him. Do you know how many love letters I helped people pass along? Fifty-two! Unfortunately, Xie Lingjun shredded them all with a single sword strike.”

“Speaking of which, Lingjun does not seem to like Senior Brother Fu very much. He has not said a word to him these past two days.”

“It is common knowledge that Xie Lingjun admires Senior Brother Yun.”

Meaningful chuckles echoed within their private barrier.

“But admiration is not necessarily romantic love, right? I heard everyone at Sword Venerable Peak is like a monk. The first thing they do after reaching the Nascent Soul stage is break into the Hehuan Sect.”

“I can confirm that is not a rumor! The Cold Yama broke into Hehuan eighteen times. When he came out, his sleeves were not even ruffled. He just said that the world’s Dao techniques are as numerous as crucian carp in a river, but only the sword is the great sea. That line has kept many storytellers fed.”

“Cold Yama? What kind of name is that?”

“I heard it is a pet name given by the Hehuan Sect.”

The mist in the secret realm was thick and clung to the skin, but luckily they had sword energy and fire spirits to clear the way. According to the captain’s arrangement, Fu Yun and the baby-faced youth brought up the rear.

As they ventured deeper, the woods grew more profound, and the beasts’ attacks became more treacherous. The moss beneath their feet would suddenly turn into quicksand. The roots hanging overhead were actually poisonous snakes, and the rustling sounds around them were not the wind in the leaves, but venomous insects.

The baby-faced youth squeezed a grasshopper to death, roasted it, and stuffed it into his mouth. He said indistinctly, “Where are those demonic beasts that can use illusions?”

He had borrowed his fire talismans from Fu Yun. After a few days together, he felt that Senior Brother Fu was a decent person with a good temper, so he caught another grasshopper from the air. “Senior Brother, you eat!”

While Fu Yun was busy thinking about how to find the illusion beasts and how to drain Xie Yun’s combat strength, he helped the baby-faced youth roast the grasshopper. The youth was very satisfied with being fed and thought that after the secret realm, he might ask Fu Yun if he wanted to be a guest official for his family.

After the team list was announced, he had investigated Fu Yun’s background. The Fu family had risen to prominence based on a low-grade inheritance and later tied themselves to a subsidiary sect of Taiyi through marriage. Even though the majority of the family members and servants were mortals, they dared to call themselves an immortal family to the outside world. Dealing with mortals meant endless, messy karma. Cultivation would never reach great heights. Only evil cultivators or small, insignificant families would do such a thing.

“Senior fights and I eat. Senior wins and I get a feast. Senior slacks and I grill fish.” The baby-faced youth hummed a little tune. The next second, the crunching in his mouth stopped and turned into a shout. “Crap!”

It was indeed crap. A great beast lunged out from the grass, its power approaching the Great Perfection stage. It took several hours before it finally collapsed with a howl.

The body cultivator was the most severely injured. The wound on his chest was deep enough to see bone. Murong Yan and the baby-faced youth nervously guarded him while he healed.

After a moment, Xie Yun’s breathing returned to normal. His face was slightly flushed, making him look even more clear-headed and dazzling. He sheathed his sword and, for some reason, glanced back at Fu Yun.

Fu Yun had watched the entire time. He habitually returned a friendly, admiring, and appreciative smile, even walking a few steps forward to offer healing medicine. As for how much of that was genuine, only he knew.

Because he acted so well, in the eyes of others, it looked like total, eyesore-inducing sincerity.

Xie Lingjun stroked his long whip until his fingertips were gorged with blood. Previously, he had found the juice of the vine demons disgusting and refused to use his sword against weak enemies, opting for a spare whip instead.

He was highly dissatisfied with Fu Yun. Not only was the man lazy and prone to avoiding combat, but he also repeatedly peered at Xie Yun. That look made Xie Lingjun very uncomfortable.

With a cold snort, he lashed the whip forward with sixty percent of his strength. It was both a warning and a probe of Fu Yun’s true strength. The whip was like a scorpion’s tail, swerving around Xie Yun and striking directly at Fu Yun’s face. The tip of the whip was only inches from his eyes, the fierce wind lifting his hair.

Fu Yun caught the long whip with his bare hand. Several streaks of bright red quickly seeped from his palm. He seemed not to notice, casually wrapping the whip around his hand a few times while simultaneously activating his spiritual power to yank back!