Will the Senior Brother Return to the Sect? - Chapter 4

Wen Qixue and Su Xuanlin rested for a while in the trading firm. Although Yuanwu City was only a small town, the Mingfeng Trading Firm was a massive organization spanning the entire Guangling Continent, and the refreshments they provided were of exceptional quality. Not only did they taste delicious, but their benefits to a cultivator’s body were truly superb.

Of course, this was only because they had just completed a three-thousand medium-grade spiritual stone transaction; otherwise, the firm would likely not have brought out such high-end items.

Wen Qixue pushed the plate of pastries toward Su Xuanlin. “These are Cloud Phoenix Heavenly Spirit Cakes. They can soothe the turbulent spiritual energy within a cultivator’s body. They will be good for you; eat more.”

Su Xuanlin picked one up, sniffed it, and took a cautious bite. “Delicious.” He looked at Wen Qixue. “Aren’t you going to eat any?”

Wen Qixue: “…Have you ever seen a puppet eat?”

Su Xuanlin pouted. “But you aren’t a real puppet.”

Wen Qixue ignored him.

However, before they could eat much, the manager of the trading firm hurried over, his expression urgent. “Honorable One, the carriage is ready. Regarding that matter…”

Wen Qixue sensed something amiss in the manager’s demeanor and asked, “What is it?”

The manager hesitated for a moment, then decided that honesty was the best policy. He sighed and shared the news: “When my people went to the stables, they discovered that the men from Yuanwu Gate are currently searching for Young Master Su.”

Wen Qixue let out a light “Tch.” “They move quickly.” He then asked, “Where is the carriage?”

“At the back door,” the manager replied.

Wen Qixue stood up. “Lead the way.”

The manager hurried ahead, guiding them to a relatively secluded rear exit. He wiped his brow and apologized, “The carriage is outside. Time is of the essence, so we didn’t have time to prepare a better one; I hope you and Young Master Su will make do. I just received word that Yuanwu Gate has split into two search parties, going house-to-house along the road below the mountain. They will likely be here very soon. If you wish to leave, you must act quickly.”

“My thanks, Shopkeeper,” Wen Qixue nodded. He leapt onto the carriage in one motion, then reached down and hoisted Su Xuanlin up. He bowed to the manager. “Farewell.”

With that, he spurred the spirit beast to dash toward the outskirts of Yuanwu City.

Su Xuanlin poked his head out from behind him. “Honorable One, will we be alright?”

Wen Qixue glanced at him and pressed his head back down with his free hand. “As long as you don’t show your face, it will be fine.” Su Xuanlin shrank back, obediently hiding inside the carriage.

But he still didn’t understand. “How could Yuanwu Gate be so fast? It hasn’t been long since we left the mountain, and we went straight to the blacksmith and then the firm. We didn’t delay at all!”

As he drove, Wen Qixue asked, “Did you forget about that ‘Grand Senior Brother’ of yours who got struck by lightning? Since he is the Grand Senior Brother, his disappearance would attract significant attention. The people of Yuanwu Gate likely came looking for you to answer for him, only to find you gone.”

Su Xuanlin breathed a long sigh of relief inside the carriage. “I’m glad we left early.” But he was still anxious. “Can we really outrun them?”

Wen Qixue drove with a relaxed posture, even stretching his legs. “What is there to panic about? If we can outrun them, we run. If we can’t, we fight.”

“Slaughtering the entire Yuanwu Gate might be troublesome, but just dealing with a few men sent to capture you…” He chuckled. “If I couldn’t even manage that, I’d be looking down on myself.”

Just then, a group of men appeared in their path. The leader, a man at the Foundation Establishment stage, frowned upon seeing the carriage and shouted arrogantly, “Search the carriage! Get down!”

Wen Qixue curled his lips and said flatly, “No.”

The man’s expression darkened. “You are courting death! Do you know who I am?”

Wen Qixue looked at him with genuine curiosity. How could this person say such things? Even if his puppet body’s aura was inferior to that of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator, the man should still be able to tell that he was facing a cultivator of a higher cultivation level. Could it be that Yuanwu Gate was really so lawless here?

Despite his thoughts, Wen Qixue showed no emotion. “I do not know. Should I?”

The man sneered, “Naturally! In this Yuanwu City, which bears our name, how could anyone not know Yuanwu Gate?”

Wen Qixue gave a soft “Oh,” and continued, “In that case, I truly do not know. I do not wish to linger here; can you move aside?”

The man clicked his tongue impatiently. “I said, get out of the carriage. We are going toa”

Before he could finish, a shing sound rang out. A silver-white longsword, glinting with freezing, icy intent, stopped inches from his throat.

Wen Qixue said coolly, “I said, make way.”

The man froze. The tip of the blade glided lightly across his throat; even without touching, the freezing chill seemed to threaten to ice over his entire body. He couldn’t help but shiver.

Wen Qixue pushed the sword slightly forward. The sharp weapon pierced the skin instantly.

The man let out a cry and scrambled backward. “You, you… I’m wounded! Yuanwu Gate will not let you get away with this!”

Wen Qixue scoffed, “Is Yuanwu Gate some kind of powerful sect? Why have I never heard of it?”

The man clutched his throat, blood seeping through his fingers. He glared at Wen Qixue with malice. “Just you wait!”

One of his companions tugged at his sleeve. “Don’t worry, Senior Brother Yu. I have already sent a message to Elder Yu. He will be here shortly!”

Hearing this, the man regained his confidence. He stopped holding his wound and shouted at Wen Qixue, “Just wait! Our Ancestor is on his way. He is a Golden Core cultivator, and you are as good as dead!”

Wen Qixue sheathed his sword. Just as the man thought his threats had worked and opened his mouth to shout again, he heard the person on the carriage say, “In that case, don’t blame me for being rude.”

“What ‘rude’? What could you possibly—”

He soon found out.

Wen Qixue sat on the driver’s seat, holding the silver sword in one hand, and spurred the spirit beast. With a thunderous roar, the beast went berserk, charging forward like a madman. The people inside the carriage were tossed about.

The Yuanwu Gate men scattered in terror. As a carriage mount, the beast was huge; though docile, a collision would surely be devastating.

At that moment, the “Elder Yu” mentioned by the disciple arrived. Seeing the scene, his face darkened. “Who dares to harm my Yuanwu Gate disciples? You are seeking death!”

Wen Qixue chuckled and said to the carriage, “Su Xuanlin, come out and drive.”

Su Xuanlin said “Oh,” and obediently took the driver’s seat. He looked at Wen Qixue with concern. “Honorable One, this Elder Yu is the sect’s guardian elder. It is said he is at the middle stage of the Golden Core level. Please be careful!”

Wen Qixue looked down at Su Xuanlin’s worried face, smirked, and patted his head heavily. “Just drive the carriage. Don’t worry, a character like this doesn’t weigh on my mind.”

Despite his words, Wen Qixue did not act immediately. He leapt onto the carriage roof and received Elder Yu’s palm strike head-on.

Wen Qixue assessed the elder’s strength. Average, even weaker than most mid-stage Golden Core cultivators. He glanced at him. “Look at you, old and withered. You don’t have much life left. Instead of trying to break through, you spend your time finding trouble for others. What’s wrong? Can’t make the breakthrough?”

Elder Yu’s face was grim. “Sharp tongue, but let’s see how much skill you have.”

Under Su Xuanlin’s driving, the carriage exited Yuanwu City. Wen Qixue looked at the plaque inscribed with the characters “Yuanwu City” and smiled. “You will know very soon.”

He held his sword before his chest. In the next instant, countless identical swords manifested behind him. Guided by his will, they flew toward Elder Yu, the biting sword qi mixed with ice-attribute cold forcing the elder back several steps.

Just as the elder stabilized his footing and prepared to strike back, a cold light flashed before his eyes. Nearby, the terrified cries of the disciples erupted: “Elder Yu! Elder Yu! Are you alright? What do we do now?” “Elder Yu is wounded!” “Ancestor!”

Crack.

Above the city gate, the plaque inscribed “Yuanwu City” tilted, hanging precariously as if about to fall. The frame supporting it had been shattered, leaving a deep sword gouge behind.

The one who left the mark leapt from the carriage roof back onto the seat.

Wen Qixue asked Su Xuanlin, “Do you have any other swords?” He held up the one he had been using; it was now snapped in half. “It couldn’t support that much sword intent. It’s essentially useless now.”

Su Xuanlin gazed at the broken blade with awe and fanaticism. “So strong!”

The person being praised for his strength burrowed back into the carriage. “You drive. I’m going to rest a bit.”

“My spiritual energy is exhausted; I need to take some time to replenish it.”