Chapter 24 The Scheming Disciple and the Charming Master 24

Chapter 24: The Scheming Disciple and His Charming Master 24

For days on end, there was no sign of Mu Yunting. Even the jade communication tablet couldn't reach him, and Lin Huaiqing gradually began to take the matter seriously.

At a loss, he could only ask the system about the male lead's whereabouts.

But the system told him the male lead was currently going through a tribulation. He shouldn't disturb him.

"What kind of tribulation is it, exactly? Should I go help him?"

"A love tribulation. What could you do about that?"

"A love tribulation? How old is he to be dealing with that? Can you at least tell me who the female lead is?"

Basically, aside from cultivators who practice the emotionless dao, most people run into a love tribulation at some point, and whether you make it through depends on the person.

In essence, there was no real danger, but the male lead's love tribulation was definitely not that simple.

"It's a secret for now. While the male lead is out of contact, you don't need to worry. If the male lead's in danger, the system will let you know right away."

"Fine..."

"Master! This disciple has learned a new sword technique and would like you to review it!"

In the courtyard outside the window, Qin Du, in a light gray disciple robe, was practicing sword forms under the peach blossom tree, his sword energy sending a shower of petals flying.

Peach blossoms landed on Qin Du's shoulders and the tips of his hair, but he didn't notice at all.

As the sword flourishes turned gracefully, a confident smile curled at the corner of the young man's lips. After finishing his form, he returned the spirit sword to his spiritual sea.

"Master, how is this disciple's sword technique?"

"Not bad." Lin Huaiqing felt that was a bit dismissive, so he added, "But did I even give you this sword technique? It looks kind of unfamiliar to me."

It didn't seem to be one of the Xuantian Sect's own sword techniques.

Lin Huaiqing's offhand question made Qin Du break out in a cold sweat.

He'd seen this sword technique in the *Discourse on Immortals and Demons*—it was a set of techniques well-suited to combining with the innate advantages of the demon race.

From his research over the past few days, he'd found that the *Discourse on Immortals and Demons* was truly a masterpiece of the ages. Not only did it explain how to convert one's own demonic power into spiritual power, but it also vividly described how demons cultivated the dao and how cultivators fell to the demonic path.

It was incredibly helpful to him.

The blood flowing in his veins was pure demon blood. If he could convert and regenerate the power of demon blood and spiritual power interchangeably...

Theoretically, if he could pull that off, his cultivation could break straight through to the Golden Core stage.

By then, even Mu Yunting wouldn't be a match for him.

"Indeed, nothing escapes Master's notice. This sword technique is from an ancient text. This disciple will return to meditation first."

"Hey! You've only just started on the sword dao. Reading random books carelessly might lead you astray!"

Qin Du slipped away fast, and the second half of Lin Huaiqing's words never reached his ears.

Lin Huaiqing shook his head and didn't push it further.

Mainly, he was worried that since Qin Du was a villain by nature—arrogant and unruly—being too strict might backfire.

Besides, that sword technique just now, though unfamiliar, was executed quite exquisitely.

After all, it was a technique from the Xuantian Sect's scripture pavilion—how could it be heretical?

Today, the Xuantian Sect was unusually lively.

To discuss how to deal with the demon race, all the immortal sects had gathered at the Xuantian Sect for a joint council.

Even in the town at the foot of the mountain, the massive procession was made up of disciples from all sorts of sects.

All kinds of disciple robes—more than he'd seen even in the secret realm.

Qin Du had told Lin Huaiqing he was going back to meditate, but in reality, he'd snuck down the mountain from the back of Lingxiao Peak.

Now that he had his life-bound spirit sword and had learned to fly on it—though still not very steady—it was enough to get him to the town at the foot of the mountain to buy wine.

After drinking, he'd sneak back.

The Xuantian Sect had strict rules—disciples weren't allowed to drink privately, let alone bring wine up the mountain—so he just drank his fill down below before heading back.

"Waiter, a pot of Pear Blossom White and a pot of Daughter's Red wine."

"Coming right up! Hang on a sec!"

The tavern he usually went to had never been this packed. Most of the patrons were disciples from the various immortal sects.

Qin Du finally found a seat in the corner and sat down, overhearing disciples from other sects chatting nearby.

He usually didn't pay attention to worldly affairs, staying on Lingxiao Peak all day. Coincidentally, these disciples were around his age, and he was curious about what they were talking about.

"Sigh... The demon seal is really about to break this time. Low-level disciples like us won't survive!"

"Exactly. According to the history of immortal cultivation, the last immortal-demon war cost hundreds of thousands of cultivators their lives in exchange for nearly a century of peace in the cultivation world. If the demons break through the barrier this time, it'll be another bloodbath for sure."

Though these disciples' worries had some basis, they were just wild guesses since they didn't know the actual situation.

As for the current demon race, the Old Demon Lord was powerless to turn the tide, and the demons were left leaderless—the four demon kings each held their own territory in separate factions.

You could say the demons hadn't even unified their own territory, so invading the cultivation world was just empty talk. It'd take at least a few more decades.

They were worrying for no reason.

"Here's your wine, sir."

Qin Du downed his cup in one gulp, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

After finishing, he needed to hurry back so his master wouldn't find out he was missing too.

"Didn't they say that with the spirit-suppressing stone, the demons wouldn't break the seal for a hundred years? Wasn't that what the Xuantian Sect said themselves?"

At a nearby table, a disciple in black from the Baqi Sect slammed the table and cursed:

"Bullshit! Don't listen to their crap! That so-called Immortal Venerable probably brought back a fake spirit-suppressing stone!"

His voice was loud, and quite a few people in the tavern had already heard him, turning to look his way.

Hearing someone insult his master in public, Qin Du crushed the unbroken teacup in his bare hand.

Just as he was about to stand up and put this foul-mouthed Baqi Sect disciple in his place, someone else stepped forward before him to speak up for Lin Huaiqing.

"Fellow Cultivator, you're talking nonsense. Not only is Immortal Venerable Huaiqing our senior, but the fact that he went blind retrieving the spirit-suppressing stone alone shows his heroic, self-sacrificing spirit.

It's bad enough that we juniors don't thank him for what he's done, but how can you be so ungrateful on top of that?"

Qin Du had only caught a quick glimpse of her before; from her robes, she looked like a Xianyue Sect disciple.

Whoever she was, the fact that she'd publicly stood up for Lin Huaiqing was enough for Qin Du to take note of her.

But the Baqi Sect disciple didn't back down—if anything, he got bolder.

"Do we Baqi Sect disciples need your input in our conversations? Who do you think you are? Have you even met Lin Huaiqing? And you're singing his praises? What, are you two an item?"

Qin Du truly couldn't take it anymore. He slammed the table, closed the distance in a few strides, and grabbed the disciple by the collar.

"Say that again, I dare you!"

"You... who do you think you are! Let go of me!"

"Of course I've met Immortal Venerable Huaiqing. Outside the secret realm, I was the one waiting on him. He didn't act high and mighty at all—he even chatted with me. And you! You've got no proof, so how dare you run your mouth?!"