Chapter 33: Instant Kill, Reward, First Elder

“Disciple? Disciple!”

An elderly cultivator arrived beside Zhang Zifan and looked at his disciple, whose life or death was unknown. His anger soared to the heavens!

“Who are you, and why have you come to my Soul-Refining Sect!”

Zhang Gushan, the First Elder of the Soul-Refining Sect, found you completely unfamiliar and hurriedly blocked your path.

You had just been about to return with Shangguan Lan in your arms when someone suddenly appeared ahead. He frowned and glanced at Zhang Gushan, then began to take out his Elder token.

“Fellow Daoist, could you kill this man for me? I will have a generous gift prepared for you afterward!”

You glanced in Qingyunzi’s direction and found him winking at you.

A Sect Master wanted to kill the First Elder? You found it somewhat strange, and had no intention of getting involved.

Zhang Gushan, the First Elder, could not wait any longer. Seeing that you remained silent for so long, he attacked you directly, and his very first move was a killing strike!

“Spy from another sect, die!”

Sensing the killing intent, you freed one hand and threw a punch straight at him.

The First Elder was at the Golden Core Ninth Layer, yet you sent him flying back with a single punch!

“How could that possibly be? Who exactly are you!” Zhang Gushan looked at you with a face filled with shock, refusing to believe it.

Below, the numerous Qi Refining disciples scattered and fled. A battle between Golden Core cultivators was not something they could watch from the sidelines.

You could not be bothered to waste words on him, and since he harbored killing intent toward you, you naturally would not spare him. Best to kill him early and save yourself trouble later.

You set Shangguan Lan aside and freed your hands to deal with Zhang Gushan.

You did not have the advantage in cultivation. To end it quickly, you rapidly closed in on Zhang Gushan and engaged him in close combat.

Zhang Gushan had not expected you to actually be a Body Cultivator of profound cultivation. He was unprepared, and merely used the Void Great Hand Seal, blasting it toward you.

You struck out with the Heavenly Lightning Fist, directly exploding the Void Great Hand Seal. Seizing the opening, you arrived before Zhang Gushan, and the Throat-Shattering Lock clamped down on his throat, making it impossible for him to break free.

Though Zhang Gushan would not die with his throat shattered, he could no longer speak.

Your right hand clamped tightly around his throat, while your left hand clenched into a fist and repeatedly smashed into Zhang Gushan’s dantian. After three punches, Zhang Gushan’s entire Golden Core Ninth Layer cultivation was directly crippled by you.

“Hahahaha! Fellow Daoist’s Body Cultivation is truly powerful. Even a First Elder at the Golden Core Ninth Layer could not last two rounds in your hands.” Qingyunzi quietly appeared, looking at Zhang Gushan in your grasp as he laughed heartily.

You directly flung the barely-alive Zhang Gushan over, and said to Qingyunzi, “Where’s my payment?”

Qingyunzi waved his hand, and the barely-alive Zhang Gushan instantly turned to ash. Then he took out a storage bag and handed it to you.

You extended your divine sense to look. Inside there was a full fifty thousand mid-grade spirit stones! This was even more valuable than when you killed the Azure Cloud Sect Master!

Your mood greatly improved. You picked up Shangguan Lan from the ground and said to Qingyunzi, “Next time there’s a good job like this, remember to find me!”

Qingyunzi did not know whether to laugh or cry. He said to you, “Settle your disciple first, then come find me.” With that, he vanished in the blink of an eye.

Returning to your cave residence, you placed Shangguan Lan on the bed and took out a pill, putting it into her mouth.

Shangguan Lan had merely exhausted her spiritual qi. Her body was somewhat weak, and she would be fine after resting for a while.

After settling Shangguan Lan, you went to find Qingyunzi.

At the sect’s grand council hall, when you arrived, all the Elders of the Soul-Refining Sect, including Qingyunzi, were already present.

“Ahem, let me formally introduce everyone. This is the newly joined Elder, whose Daoist name is…” Qingyunzi thought for a moment, and realized he truly did not know your Daoist name.

“Just call me True Person Wuji.” You spoke up at the right moment.

“Ah, right! Let us welcome True Person Wuji to the Soul-Refining Sect family!” Qingyunzi proclaimed loudly.

The hundred Elders present all harbored their own schemes, but on the surface they still greeted you warmly.

“Just now, True Person Wuji successfully challenged the First Elder. According to the rules, he will take over Zhang Gushan’s position as First Elder!” Qingyunzi looked at the crowd with a serious expression and continued, “If no one has any objections, then let us disperse.”

“What? The First Elder lost? How could that possibly be!” a certain Elder exclaimed in shock.

“There’s no real way! The First Elder was at the Golden Core Ninth Layer. How could he be defeated by this newly joined Golden Core Third Layer cultivator?”

“There must be trickery involved!”

“Where is the First Elder? I want to see the First Elder!”

Qingyunzi forcefully suppressed his killing intent and said to the assembled Elders, “The First Elder is already dead. From now on, True Person Wuji is the new First Elder. If anyone has objections, then I will send you to see Zhang Gushan!”

The Elders did not dare say anything more. They cupped their fists toward the Sect Master and turned to leave one after another.

Only around fifty percent of the Elders remained in the hall, waiting for Qingyunzi’s next words.

You watched all of this and felt that the factional strife within the Soul-Refining Sect was far too obvious. You had no intention of getting involved, because it would delay your cultivation too much.

Before you could even open your mouth to refuse, Qingyunzi sent you a voice transmission to explain. “Fellow Daoist, to be honest, only half the Elders of the Soul-Refining Sect are currently under my control. The other half obey the Vice Sect Master, and this First Elder was her man.”

“So? I only wish to cultivate in peace. I have no intention of getting dragged into this factional struggle.” You looked at Qingyunzi, waiting for what came next.

“So long as you help me take full control of the Soul-Refining Sect, all your cultivation resources will be provided by me!” Qingyunzi promised you.

You frowned, thinking to yourself that cultivation resources truly were not so easy to obtain. First it was winning the Five Great Sects Outer Sect Disciple Grand Tournament, and now it was dealing with the Vice Sect Master.

Would there be other matters afterward? You did not know. At this moment, the thought of leaving crossed your mind.

As someone who possessed an Immortal-rank cultivation art, you only wanted to find a place rich in spiritual qi and cultivate in peace. You had no intention of getting involved in this kind of conflict.

Seeing you frown, Qingyunzi inwardly thought it was bad. To prevent you from withdrawing, he hurriedly handed you a storage bag.

You opened it and looked. Inside there were a full fifty thousand mid-grade spirit stones! The frown on your face instantly smoothed out.

“Speak. Who do you want me to kill this time?” you thought inwardly. Who in this day and age complained about having too many spirit stones? So long as the spirit stones were delivered, even a Nascent Soul could be crippled!

“Ahem, ahem.” Qingyunzi was startled by your words and hurried to explain, “For now I do not need you to kill anyone. These Elders are all the foundation of my Soul-Refining Sect. It would be best to avoid using force if possible.”

You nodded to show you understood.

Seeing that you had agreed, Qingyunzi beckoned and said to the remaining Elders, “From now on, Fellow Daoist Wuji is the sect’s First Elder. Seeing him in the future is the same as seeing me!”

“Greetings, First Elder!” the assembled Elders shouted in unison.