Martial Cultivator

Chen Chao walked all the way to the mountaintop without encountering any further obstruction.

Before him stood a towering wooden pavilion, built entirely from rare purple timber. Wisps of violet mist even drifted across it, making the structure appear like the dwelling of an immortal.

Different cultivation sects each had their own name for the place where they enshrined the spirit tablets of past ancestors, but the purpose was the same.

It was the face of a sect, somewhat like the great banner in an army, serving to unite the hearts of its people.

But just like an army’s great banner, once it fell, hearts would scatter and all face would be lost.

No one knew how many years Purple Leaf Grotto had stood as a sect. This Purple Qi Pavilion had never been destroyed by any outsider, nor had anyone ever reached this place uninvited.

Chen Chao looked at that towering purple pavilion and did not hurry forward.

There had been quite a few unexpected turns on this trip up the mountain.

In his expectations, since Purple Leaf Grotto had been determined to keep him on Mt. Tai Xuan, their obstruction should not have been as it was before. Even if Daoist Redsky had been unwilling to risk himself, the Nepenthe cultivators of the entire Purple Leaf Grotto should have swarmed him all at once. It should not have been that previous tactic of adding oil to the fire, sending them one after another.

That was the point that puzzled Chen Chao somewhat.

But since he had already arrived before this Purple Qi Pavilion, there was no longer any need to think further. At this moment, all matters would have an answer.

At last, someone walked out from within the purple pavilion.

It was precisely the Purple Leaf Grotto Lord, Daoist Redsky.

Compared to when he had gone to the Divine Capital to provoke them back then, this great daoist sage’s realm could no longer be mentioned in the same breath. Now he was truly a powerhouse at the end of Nepenthe.

Daoist Redsky looked at Chen Chao and said indifferently, “Lord Warden Commander truly carries imposing official authority, barging into my Mt. Tai Xuan and killing my disciples. Have you made up your mind to wipe out the dao lineage of my Purple Leaf Grotto?”

Chen Chao glanced at Daoist Redsky and smiled. “Sage, your words are mistaken. This official merely came up the mountain on behalf of the Mountains and Rivers Sect to seek justice. Who would have thought that the cultivators of Purple Leaf Grotto all seem to have rather bad tempers, resorting to force at the slightest provocation? This official was left with no choice.”

“Seek justice? Has the Mountains and Rivers Sect no one left? That your Great Liang must come here to interfere?”

Daoist Redsky stared at Chen Chao and sneered, “This matter likely has nothing to do with Great Liang, does it?”

Chen Chao said, “If we go by what you say, Sage, then it likely truly has nothing to do with it.”

“Then how should Lord Warden Commander explain the killing of my Purple Leaf Grotto disciples?”

Daoist Redsky’s expression turned unsightly, cold as frost.

Chen Chao laughed and said, “When this official came up the mountain, those fellow daoists guarding it immediately tried to make a move against this official. This official had no choice but to fight back. Who would have thought they were so fragile? Without paying attention, this official ended up beating a few of them to death. It was the same along the mountain path afterward. This official originally intended to explain the whole sequence of events clearly to them, but it seemed no one was willing to listen.”

Daoist Redsky sneered. “Lord Warden Commander is just as you were back then, gifted with a sharp tongue.”

Chen Chao smiled faintly. “Now this official’s fists are a bit bigger as well, I thought at least someone would be willing to listen when I speak. Who would have guessed that in the end, still no one listened.”

“However, since this official has now met Sage, I would still like to properly discuss serious matters. I wonder if Sage is willing to hear them?”

Chen Chao stared at Daoist Redsky before him, his gaze playful.

Daoist Redsky said calmly, “Lord Warden Commander may speak.”

Chen Chao smiled. “Let us first speak of what happened back then. When the Xia Family was destroyed, the court found many cultivators from Purple Leaf Grotto among them. What were that group doing in the Divine Capital? Stirring up chaos in Great Liang’s realm. For all these years, this official has not sought trouble with Purple Leaf Grotto over this matter. It was not that this official forgot, I thought Sage might repent of your own accord and offer some compensation. But it seems Sage has shown no intention of repentance at all.”

“Leaving that matter aside, as for Genglou Mountain, the Mountains and Rivers Sect has now presented it to Great Liang as a dowry. This official has come to take it. What does Sage think?”

Daoist Redsky said evenly, “After saying so much, you still only wish to destroy my Purple Leaf Grotto.”

Chen Chao shot back without yielding, “Sage does not intend to hand over Genglou Mountain, is that it?”

Daoist Redsky mocked, “Do you truly think my Purple Leaf Grotto is some soft persimmon, to be squeezed however you please? You come up the mountain, kill so many of my disciples, and still expect us to let the matter rest?”

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and suddenly said, “In truth, this official does not wish to waste so many words. Since Purple Leaf Grotto intended to kill this official from the very beginning, then this official will not hide my intentions either. This official came up the mountain to vent some anger as well.”

Over the years, Chen Chao had destroyed quite a few sects, but always with reason and evidence. Purple Leaf Grotto was one of them. Back then, they had plotted against Great Liang. No matter how much time had passed, that matter still remained. And since it remained, it had to be settled.

Great Liang, or rather, Chen Chao, would absolutely not allow any person or sect that had bullied Great Liang to pay no price at all.

Daoist Redsky sneered. “Lord Warden Commander is truly a petty man, but at least you are frank. However, to lose your life here for that, I fear it would not be worth it.”

Chen Chao smiled. ”All the way up this mountain, this official has been wondering what means Mt. Tai Xuan would use to stop me. Those insignificant Nepenthe cultivators? Or Lu Chu, who practiced some lousy secret art and thinks himself barely qualified to fight this official? Or perhaps you, a great daoist sage at the end of Nepenthe, do you truly possess some method that gives you confidence to stop this official?” “Thinking carefully, if you truly had such confidence, you would likely not have acted as you did from the very beginning. With you taking the lead and bringing along Lu Chu and the others, the chances of victory would have been higher. Yet you never did so. That can only mean that even now, the one who is truly meant to act is still not you.”

This ascent up the mountain had gone far too smoothly. Chen Chao would never fail to consider why.

Daoist Redsky was somewhat surprised. “It seems you have lived until today not merely by relying on your fists.”

Chen Chao laughed it off.

“Inside that pavilion, there is probably a true expert?”

Chen Chao asked casually, then looked at Daoist Redsky’s expression and quickly arrived at his answer. He nodded; his guess had not been wrong.

For a sect with foundations like Purple Leaf Grotto, it truly was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. There really was a true expert in the mountain.

Daoist Redsky’s face was expressionless. He turned slightly to the side and bowed faintly toward that purple pavilion. “Grand Martial Uncle, I must trouble you.”

Hearing the three words “Grand Martial Uncle” from Daoist Redsky, Chen Chao frowned slightly. Daoist Redsky was already the highest in seniority within Purple Leaf Grotto. The Grand Martial Uncle he spoke of was more than a generation above him, likely approaching the generation of the founding ancestor’s disciples or even the disciples of those disciples.

There was actually such an old monster within Purple Leaf Grotto?

Chen Chao was somewhat surprised.

Very soon, from within that purple pavilion, a young daoist walked out. The daoist wore a snow-white daoist robe. His appearance was no different from that of a youth, yet within his pair of eyes was boundless vicissitude.

The young daoist made a daoist salute toward Chen Chao and said with a smile, “This penniless daoist is Jadevoid. Greetings to Lord Warden Commander.”

Daoist Jadevoid?

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes. He had previously read the records of Purple Leaf Grotto. Even the founding ancestor he knew of, yet in his memory there had been no such figure as Daoist Jadevoid.

Chen Chao smiled and asked, “Sage is a disciple of Daoist Purple Leaf?”

Daoist Purple Leaf was the founding ancestor of Purple Leaf Grotto. Within the current purple pavilion, this daoist sage’s spirit tablet naturally occupied the highest position.

Daoist Jadevoid smiled and nodded. “This penniless daoist was a disciple accepted by Master in his later years, that is to say, his final disciple. All these years I have cultivated within the mountain, so it is only natural that the world does not know of me.”

Chen Chao nodded slightly. As for the matter of a final disciple, someone like Chen Chao did not place much importance on it. Ning Qingnian was not necessarily the most talented, but Chen Chao merely felt that having two or three disciples in this life would be enough, and thus decided to make Ning Qingnian his final disciple.

But for those cultivators, especially those holding important positions within a sect or even serving as sect master, the matter of a final disciple would certainly be handled with extreme care. They often placed great expectations upon a final disciple, not only passing down their most closely guarded methods without reservation, but also regarding them as the successor to this lineage of dao techniques.

In other words, in many sects the final disciple would become the candidate for the next sect master, rather than the senior apprentice brother.

However, this Daoist Jadevoid perhaps cared more about cultivation itself, so he did not become the second-generation Grotto Lord. Instead, he had continued bitter cultivation until now.

Chen Chao asked, “Sage has already crossed the end of Nepenthe?”

Daoist Jadevoid shook his head and said, “How could it be so easy?”

Chen Chao responded with a simple ”Mhm.”

Daoist Jadevoid said softly, “However, Lord Warden Commander is so young and has already reached this realm. If you cultivate for a few more years, you will certainly be able to behold the scenery of that realm.”

“Then I will borrow Sage’s auspicious words.”

Chen Chao gave a self-mocking smile. “It seems Sage still has half a sentence left unsaid, that this official likely will not have that opportunity?”

Daoist Jadevoid sighed. “This penniless daoist is unwilling as well, but matters have already come to this point. It seems there is no other way.”

Chen Chao smiled. “Since that is the case, why does Sage still not make a move? What are you waiting for?”

Daoist Jadevoid smiled and said, “This penniless daoist feel that I have an affinity with Lord Warden Commander, so this penniless daoist wishes to chat a little more with Lord Warden Commander.”

Chen Chao suddenly understood and laughed. “Could it be that Sage is not waiting for the formation to complete its operation?”

Daoist Jadevoid was startled and looked at Chen Chao, admiration appearing in his eyes. “Lord Warden Commander truly is a young genius. You could even see that?”

Chen Chao said calmly, “Earlier, while ascending the mountain, after making a few moves, this official noticed my qi circulation gradually slowing. It is likely that the formation within this mountain, once activated, has the ability to draw and influence this official’s qi flow. Sage not making a move at this moment means you have already decided to wait until this official’s qi becomes more tightly bound to the formation’s pull. By that time, even if I do not fall in realm, my combat strength would still decline by quite an extent, correct?”

Daoist Jadevoid laughed heartily and clapped his hands. “Correct. Since Lord Warden Commander’s fierce reputation is known far and wide, it is difficult for this penniless daoist not to be afraid.”

Chen Chao smiled. “Sage has cultivated the Dao for who knows how many hundreds of years and is still so cautious. No wonder you have lived so long.”

Daoist Jadevoid smiled faintly. “This penniless daoist is not a genius like Lord Warden Commander. Naturally, I must act with a bit more caution.”

Chen Chao laughed it off.

Yet the moment his thoughts stirred, the saber Cloud Mud had already appeared at his waist.

After that, he slightly raised his head and looked toward the sky.

Purple qi flickered in and out of sight.