Chapter 39 Three-Layered Tower

Chapter 39: The Three-Story Pagoda

By the time everyone entered the secret realm, Chu Ji and Jun Xueyi were long out of sight.

Sect Leader Lin looked as if he was just one step away from having a stroke.

Yin Xu sighed and gently patted her husband's hand. "It'll be fine. I can tell Jun Xueyi is sincere toward Chu Ji."

If someone like him wasn't sincere, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths.

What Sect Leader Lin was worried about was precisely this. Of course, he wasn't concerned that Jun Xueyi would harm Chu Ji; he was worried that this man had ulterior motives and might make moves on Chu Ji.

Yin Xu saw right through Sect Leader Lin's concern and said with remarkable calm, "Then there's even less to worry about."

Chu Ji was young and had been pampered since childhood. Normally, such a person should be able to recognize when someone's being good to him, but with Jun Xueyi, it was different. Whether Jun Xueyi treated Chu Ji well or not, in Chu Ji's eyes, none of it was good enough.

He hadn't even figured out Jun Xueyi's feelings for him yet.

Seeing that Yin Xu understood the situation so well, Sect Leader Lin gradually relaxed.

However, he still had some concern. "From the letters his mother sent over the years, we can see some of Chu Ji's personality—innocent, straightforward, but playful. If he discovers Jun Xueyi's feelings..."

Given his spoiled and unruly nature, he would likely toy with him playfully but cruelly.

Toying with others was one thing, but it was Jun Xueyi. If they turned against each other...

Yin Xu looked at him in surprise. "So that's what you're worried about."

She had thought he was concerned about Chu Ji being taken advantage of.

Sect Leader Lin sighed.

Yin Xu immediately said, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. It's all Lin Xu's fault."

Lin Xu, who had been following behind without saying a word, met his father's gaze and felt like this was the epitome of an unfair blame.

He immediately broke away from the group. "Dad, I'm going to explore on my own."

Sect Leader Lin heaved a heavy sigh but didn't stop Lin Xu. Lin Xu had plenty of experience over the years, his cultivation was decent, and he wasn't foolish. Nothing would happen to him.

Lin Yun chimed in, "I'm going too."

Several disciples with decent cultivation levels also broke away from the group, forming their own teams to explore.

Sect Leader Lin waved his hand. "Go ahead."

Only a few disciples with lower cultivation levels remained by his side, and he and Yin Xu personally led them.

Over there, Qingfeng Sect Leader walked over with a smile. "We've been competing all our lives. Let's go together."

Sect Leader Lin: "Hmph."

Yin Xu looked at the disciple behind him—the one who had dropped from the sky in front of them yesterday.

"Did you change your eldest disciple?" she asked, remembering that during the competition, Qingfeng Sect's eldest disciple wasn't this one but someone named Yang something.

Qingfeng Sect Leader: "No, it's always been him. Lang Yue, come here."

The disciple named Lang Yue stepped forward and bowed.

Qingfeng Sect Leader smiled. "He entered the sect at the same time as Xue Yi. He's Xue Yi's Eldest Senior Brother."

Not the Eldest Senior Brother of Qingfeng Sect.

In his life, he had only taken two closed-door disciples: Lang Yue and Jun Xueyi.

Yin Xu: "Oh."

Playing these favoritism games at such an old age—having one eldest disciple outside and another inside. What good does it do besides fostering competition and resentment among disciples?

Couldn't be bothered to comment.

Lang Yue stepped forward, one hand conspicuously bandaged.

Sect Leader Lin asked casually, "What happened to your hand?"

Is Qingfeng Sect, such a major sect, so poor that it can't even provide healing pills for its disciples?

Lang Yue gripped his arm, his tone somber. "Injured by a demon."

Sect Leader Lin and Yin Xu paused simultaneously. The people from other sects following them immediately started talking all at once.

"How bold of that demon to dare cause trouble at Qingfeng Sect!"

"Where is that demon?"

"What kind of demon? It must be a great demon to injure the eldest disciple."

The way Sect Leader Lin looked at this disciple changed. He also noticed that Qingfeng Sect Leader remained silent beside him.

He immediately got mad.

Jun Xueyi's attitude was quite respectful, but here was an elder who looked down on Chu Ji, pulling such a stunt with this disciple. What was the point?

"You lost to Chu Ji in a spar, didn't you?"

Lang Yue didn't expect Sect Leader Lin to directly name names.

Qingfeng Sect Leader remained smiling. "Old man, you're in the wrong here. You brought a demon into my Qingfeng Sect and injured my disciple."

The people behind them changed expressions.

Everyone knew Lin Shui Sect had deep ties with the demon race.

Yin Xu laughed. She said directly, "Chu Ji is the child of my younger sister Lin Xun, so he is naturally a disciple of Lin Shui Sect. If you're unhappy, old man, feel free to go find Lin Xun and see if you can return unscathed from her hands."

Whether it was Jun Xueyi who tricked Chu Ji into forming the Dao Companion Seal or Chu Ji who forced Jun Xueyi, so what? If you have the guts, go talk to Lin Xun and the Demon Lord.

Qingfeng Sect Leader's expression didn't change, but the emotion in his eyes shifted.

"So it's her child."

In the immortal world, only one person could be called Immortal Venerable, and that was Lin Xun.

Now, Jun Xueyi had reached similar cultivation levels, but when people spoke of Immortal Venerable, everyone knew it referred to Immortal Venerable Lin Xun.

Lin Xun was once the dream of countless people.

Though she had been inactive for twenty years, her legacy still commanded respect.

Back then, everyone wished for a single glance from Immortal Venerable Linxun, but no one expected she would end up choosing a Demon Lord.

Countless spirits were crushed over this, yet none could withstand even three strikes from Immortal Venerable Linxun.

And that Demon Lord was even more arrogant—he set up a challenge arena, beating everyone in sight, including Sect Leader Lin, her elder brother, and even Qingfeng Sect Leader.

Upon hearing that Chu Ji was Lin Xun’s child, countless faces in the crowd turned pale.

They had never seen Chu Ji draw his sword, but if he did, it would surely resemble Immortal Venerable Linxun’s style from back in the day.

Lang Yue clenched his fist in secret.

So he’s Immortal Venerable Linxun’s child? What luck.

Chu Ji had no idea his background had been exposed, nor did he care. At the moment, he stood to the side, holding his sword, watching Jun Xueyi battle the underground demon beast.

His expression was grave.

He had always thought Jun Xueyi’s swordsmanship was on par with his own, but only now did he realize Jun Xueyi focused on sword arrays.

Jun Xueyi’s cultivation level had reached such a level that he could draw talismans in mid-air without needing talisman paper.

This demon beast was far more formidable than the Celestial Python of the Unfalling Mountains, yet Jun Xueyi fought with ease.

Chu Ji held his sword, itching to join the fight.

But he still held back.

When Jun Xueyi finally killed the beast, he looked up at Chu Ji and said, “Lend a hand.”

Chu Ji glanced at the beast’s scales and reluctantly raised his sword, slicing off the beast’s head with a single stroke.

Jun Xueyi looked at the beast, then at Chu Ji.

Chu Ji frowned, “I already helped. What more do you want?”

Jun Xueyi smiled wryly. “Fine.”

He had actually asked for help removing the scales.

But given young master’s attitude, he probably found it too dirty.

Jun Xueyi drew his own sword and began carefully stripping the scales.

Chu Ji watched the bloodied ground and asked, “What are you going to do with these scales?”

Jun Xueyi replied, “Make armor to withstand heavenly tribulation.”

Chu Ji’s eyebrows twitched. For heavenly tribulation, huh.

As Jun Xueyi continued cutting into the flesh, about to reveal the beast’s demonic core, Chu Ji quickly said, “Give it to me.”

Jun Xueyi hadn’t planned on keeping it anyway, but just as he reached for it, a sudden breeze swept by, and the demonic core flew straight into Chu Ji’s hand.

He turned to look.

Chu Ji patted the air beside him. “Good Little Bai, so well-behaved.”

Then he shot Jun Xueyi a provocative glance.

Jun Xueyi was indeed provoked.

He had almost forgotten about that illusion.

His eyes turned cold. “You’re touching his face?”

Chu Ji glanced at the illusion beside him. Ever since he learned what Jun Xueyi looked like, the illusion’s mask could be removed. He reached out and pinched the illusion’s cheek. Its hollow eyes showed it was nothing but a magic puppet.

“Not just touching—I’m pinching it too.”

So what if Jun Xueyi was a demi-god? This magic puppet was born from his inner demon, invisible to anyone but him.

Chu Ji’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “Actually, I should thank you. If it weren’t for you, Little Bai wouldn’t have a physical form.”

Jun Xueyi: “…Hah.”

So he strikes me with his sword but pats and pinches an empty shell?

“Don’t. If you touch him again, I’ll—”

Before he could finish, Chu Ji kicked the illusion beside him.

Chu Ji widened his eyes and raised his chin boldly.

He did it—so what?

Jun Xueyi’s face darkened as he warped to Chu Ji’s side and reached out.

In the next moment, the scales he had just stripped vanished.

The puppet had taken them.

He paused, then realized Chu Ji had only feigned to kick the illusion—whether he actually made contact, only Chu Ji knew.

Jun Xueyi quirked a smile. “Quite the act.”

Chu Ji took a step back, raising an eyebrow triumphantly.

He had given the magic puppet a storage ring. There were plenty of ways to take Jun Xueyi’s belongings along the way.

Jun Xueyi wasn’t bothered—as long as Chu Ji didn’t touch that empty shell, anything was fine.

He clapped his hands, summoning a water incantation to wash away the blood from his body.

“Let’s go.”

Chu Ji deigned to follow.

Jun Xueyi took two steps, then abruptly stopped.

Chu Ji warily stepped back, but the next moment, his magic puppet grabbed his hand.

He turned. “Lit— Mmph—”

Jun Xueyi opened his eyes from within the magic puppet, covering Chu Ji’s mouth with one hand and seizing both of Chu Ji’s wrists with the other. He leaned in, exhaling softly against Chu Ji’s neck. “You…”

The next moment, Jun Xueyi involuntarily released his grip, jerking back.

Chu Ji’s eyes shone with triumph. “Did you think muzzling me would stop me from manipulating Little Bai?”

"Little Bai, turn in a circle."

Jun Xueyi immediately turned in a circle.

Chu Ji was even more satisfied. "My Little Bai listens only to me."

Jun Xueyi was shocked by this sight.

His pupils contracted to slits.

So damn beautiful.

The Young Master is indeed most beautiful when he's cocky and commanding, issuing commands from above, even his smiles feel like he's doing you a favor.

So beautiful it makes one can't help but get worked up.

Hah...

Even being dosed with lust potions was easier to handle than this.

Jun Xueyi immediately returned to his true form.

As soon as Chu Ji saw the light fade from Little Bai's eyes, he turned around, drew his sword, and placed the tip precisely against Jun Xueyi's chest.

Jun Xueyi's gaze grew darker. He reached out his hand. "Need spiritual energy or not?"

Chu Ji: "..."

"I do."

If he weren't weaker, he would lock Jun Xueyi up as his personal energy source, taking him everywhere, making him kneel to feed him energy.

Though he thought it, since he couldn't defeat him now, Chu Ji could only sheathe his sword and place his hand in Jun Xueyi's.

His spiritual energy absorption had slowed.

It seemed he was still lacking one technique.

If he could cultivate one more technique, the bottomless pit of the Water Essence would, like the other thing inside him, wouldn't need constant feeding. The usual spiritual energy would gradually refine it, and it wouldn't consume all his energy.

He glanced sideways. "Where to next?"

Jun Xueyi interlocked their fingers. "The Three-Story Pagoda."

"The Three-Story Pagoda? So soon?"

"What?"

"In the original work, Jun Xueyi explored the entire secret realm before going to the Three-Story Pagoda."

"The protagonist's progress is like it's on fast-forward. He missed a lot of things, didn't even get the Divine Essence guarded by the most important Three-Eyed Auspicious Beast. Without the Divine Essence, what's the point of going to the Three-Story Pagoda? Even if he passes the trial, he can't become a god."

"Remember what the three layers are?"

"Tower of Emotion, Tower of Desire, Tower of Divinity."

"I think I know why now."

"Heh, I think I know too. Jun Xueyi, you're not being honest. Is your goal really to become a god?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, dirty dogs."

Chu Ji: "?"

Why though? He didn't know.

He looked for a long time but couldn't find the answer. Why are these words being so mysterious!

Also, why does it feel like this "dirty dogs" insult includes him too.

Tsk.

But he remembered the Three-Eyed Auspicious Beast and the Divine Essence. Without it, Jun Xueyi couldn't become a god.

That's more important.

Though he thought so, he still cursed, "You dog."

Getting me insulted too.

Jun Xueyi: "Mhm."

Chu Ji: "..."

He even agreed. Really a dog thing.