Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 588 Expelling Disciple Jiang, Suspected Immortal, Rogue Cultivator's Greed Sparks War

Yu Wenrui, who was expelled from his master's school by Mo Ku because he was resentful after failing to marry into the family, did not usually work as a fisherman by the river.

After all, when he left home, You Wenrui had to rely on a large sum of money from his clan to buy tuition fees in order to become Mo Ku's disciple. This would not only allow him to learn farming skills but also give him an extra source of support.

You should know that the Mo family of Maduo Ridge is now a family that can afford to build a foundation and make offerings, which is not comparable to ordinary families.

No matter how good the Mo family was, it was useless to You Wenrui. This time, he had offended Mo Ku terribly because of his words, and even the Chongming Sect issued an order, which was in need of manpower. This old cultivator did not want the former to join the army in the name of the Mo family, so he sent him away himself.

Mo Ku's ruthlessness was infuriating to You Wenrui. However, he thought it would be too embarrassing to go back empty-handed. Having been stripped of everything and left penniless, he was worried about how to explain things to his father, You Xiaobao, so he turned to Wang Qiaobei, a fellow townsman from Maolinjia, for help.

However, he was surprised that he was able to pull a black-clad cultivator out of the river after only using Wang Qiaobei's spiritual net once. It was hard to say whether his luck was good or bad.

Wang Qiaobei was not bad-looking, appearing to be around forty years old, but his cultivation level was still lower than that of You Wenrui, who was half the age younger.

In his early years, he took advantage of the favorable conditions to lease a piece of spiritual land from Chongming Sect on the outskirts of Hanya Mountain Range. However, after several years of mismanagement, not only was the spiritual land taken back, but he also incurred a lot of debt.

In addition, because of his relationship with Yuan Jin's wife's family, the former head of the village, Dong Hu, strictly controlled all the rules and regulations of the village, making it difficult to conduct any shady business.

This forced Wang Qiaobei to sell his possessions and pay off his debts before fleeing to Weishanbao to make a living.

The head of this village was appointed from the son of a relative by marriage to the Mo family of Maduo Ridge.

Mo Ku, this disciple who retired from the sect, was indeed loyal, and it was true that he was willing to sacrifice his family for the sake of the Chongming Sect. However, he came from a poor background and had finally gained some bloodline at this age, so he naturally valued family ties very much.

As people get older, they tend to become more soft-hearted, and thus they often turn a blind eye to many things.

If Weishan Bao pays its dues in full and does not lag behind in providing manpower and resources for Chongming Sect, Mo Ku will not bother to care and will only focus on cultivating crops and training disciples.

As a result, Weishan Baoyi was somewhat chaotic and disorderly compared to the surrounding areas, which caused many of the dozens of households in Baoyi to complain.

However, this situation is actually a good thing for rootless rogue cultivators like Wang Qiaobei who have some skills.

He usually made a living by collecting aquatic products, and when he was lucky, he would meet a few innocent and lovely passengers.

Those who can do this job are certainly good at judging the situation and assessing the circumstances.

Wang Qiaobei, who was of noble birth and highly skilled, dared not provoke, but those who were completely unconnected to him would be robbed of their resources and turned into dumplings by him without warning.

In addition, this villain was good at currying favors. Every month, he would send a few fresh spirit fish and a basket of flattering words to the prominent figures in the local militia, which was enough to make him live a comfortable life in this prosperous place.

The remaining profits were even enough for him to occasionally buy some elixirs at the market. Compared to when he was honestly running his business in Maolinjia, he was living a much more carefree life.

Wang Qiaobei knew that You Wenrui's father, You Xiaobao, was a veteran who managed affairs in Maolin Jia, a Jia-level territory, and also had some connections with many important figures in the Chongming Sect. That's why he was willing to lend You Wenrui the Spirit Net that had reached a certain rank.

Unexpectedly, the latter pulled a dead body out of the water as soon as he started, which made him feel extremely unlucky.

Wang Qiaobei approached the spirit net, his brows furrowed, and a hissing sound came from his nose.

The black-clad cultivator in the net was soaked to the bone. His dark robes were swollen from being soaked in the river water and clung tightly to his body. The skin on his exposed wrists and neck was an abnormal bluish-white. Even the rise and fall of his chest was so faint that it was almost invisible. If it weren't for the occasional unconscious twitch of his fingertips, anyone would have thought that he had pulled up a freshly soaked corpse.

"What bad luck! Absolutely terrible bad luck!" Wang Qiaobei took two steps back, the river water at his feet splashing up tiny droplets. "Young Master You, this spirit net is for catching spirit fish and shrimp, but you, on the first try, caught a 'living dead'! This net will probably be tainted with death energy from now on, and it will be difficult to catch anything good again!"

As he spoke, he kicked the edge of the spirit net with his toe, as if there was something dirty on it.

You Wenrui knew that the title "Young Master You" used by Wang Qiaobei was not to be taken seriously. He lacked experience and was indebted to others, so he felt somewhat ashamed.

However, he was also bad at talking, otherwise he wouldn't have failed to become the son-in-law of the Mo family in Maduo Ridge and would have been kicked out by his master, Mo Gu.

Therefore, even after hearing Wang Qiaobei's resentful words, You Wenrui could only bury his head and avoid it, instead going closer to see the life and death of the people in the net.

You Wenrui squatted beside the spirit net and reached out to touch the black-clad cultivator's wrist, only to find it icy cold to the touch, unable to detect even a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation.

At this moment, he also had his doubts, but he still forced himself to say, "Brother Wang, don't be anxious. This person looks like a cultivator. Maybe he has some treasures hidden on him. Let's take a look first."

Yu Wenrui recalled the embarrassing situation of returning home empty-handed and being questioned by his father. If he could find something on this cultivator, he could at least save face.

Wang Qiaobei glanced at him sideways, reached out and pushed You Wenrui's hand away. After scanning the man with his divine sense, he was certain that the black-clad cultivator was completely naked. He then sneered again:

"Treasure? I think it's trouble! Look at him! The robe is made of nice material, but the edges are all worn out, and there's not even a trace of a storage bag on him. He's probably already been robbed by other cultivators!"

As he spoke, he leaned closer to the black-clad cultivator's face, scrutinizing him closely, and muttered irritably, "He's quite handsome, what a pity. If he hadn't been soaked to death, he could have been sold to the Elephant Maiden Hall for a few spirit stones."

He suddenly noticed that there seemed to be a trace of dark red blood on the corner of the black-robed monk's mouth, which dripped down his chin onto the spirit net, spreading into a small dark mark.

“Take another look at his wound,” Wang Qiaobei said, using a harpoon to pry open the black-clad cultivator’s robes, revealing a gruesome wound on his chest. The edges of the wound were a dark purple, and even though he couldn’t understand it, he made it sound as if he were absolutely certain.

"The wound looks fresh, so it was probably just injured before he fell into the water. It's hard to say whether he'll survive. We're still hoping to get something out of him."
"What if we end up not only failing to save him but also getting ourselves into trouble? If his enemies come looking for us, our meager skills won't even be enough to fill their teeth!"

You Wenrui felt a little uneasy after hearing what he said, and the stories he had just gone through in his mind disappeared again.

At this moment, You Wenrui, who had been intimidated by Wang Qiaobei, softened his tone and hurriedly said, "Brother Wang, don't be angry. If that's the case, I'll just throw him back into the river."

"Yes, yes, hurry up! This spiritual network is essential to my livelihood, and I can't borrow it from you for long. Don't delay, hurry up!"

Wang Qiaobei stood by the riverbank with his hands on his hips, kicking pebbles into the water and creating ripples. His tone was full of impatience: "What are you dawdling for? Don't tell me you're reluctant to part with this 'living dead'? If you delay any longer, my spirit net will be covered in even more death energy. If I can't catch any spirit fish in the future, are you going to compensate me for the loss?"

You Wenrui squatted by the spirit net, but pulled his hand back as soon as it touched the black-clad cultivator's cold arm.

Looking at the pale yet handsome face of the black-clad cultivator, he recalled his own plight after being expelled from his sect and felt a pang of pity. They were both in dire straits; throwing them back into the river would be too cruel.

But she was afraid of getting into trouble and not being able to explain it to her family. "I...I'll throw it away right now."

You Wenrui gritted his teeth and tried to untie the knots in the spirit net, but the knots were swollen from being soaked in water and he couldn't untie them no matter what he did. He was so anxious that he was sweating and his fingers were rubbed red.

Wang Qiaobei grew impatient and kicked the spirit net, yelling, "Useless! You can't even untie a knot!" He bent down and roughly pulled at the spirit net, the edges digging into the black-clad cultivator's arm until it turned red. The black-clad cultivator's fingertips suddenly twitched, the twitch more pronounced than before, as if in resistance.

Wang Qiaobei paused, squinting at the black-clad cultivator's fingers: "This 'dead man' still has some breath?" He poked the black-clad cultivator's cheek with the tip of his harpoon, and the latter's eyelids actually twitched.

"Brother Wang, how about... we wait a little longer? He still seems to be breathing; he might wake up." You Wenrui offered his help.

Wang Qiaobei casually waved his hand and said repeatedly, "Without spiritual energy inside and no strength in your meridians, do you really think we can find you to be a Foundation Establishment cultivator? It's nothing more than a last gasp before death. Don't waste your time!"

Urged again, You Wenrui stepped forward to the black-clad cultivator, ready to make a move. He noticed the cultivator's handsome features and felt a pang of regret.

The more I looked at it, the more familiar it seemed.

"I feel like I've seen this somewhere before."

You Wenrui paused, for he was, after all, more knowledgeable than Wang Qiaobei. He took another closer look and realized the man's appearance was gradually overlapping with one of the portraits that usually hung in the Mo family ancestral hall. A few breaths later, a huge wave of emotion surged within him:
"This person seems to be Elder Jiang, the sword immortal from the Chongming Sect."

The young cultivator felt reassured, and a number of thoughts raced through his mind. He turned to Wang Qiaobei, whose expression had become even more unpleasant, and explained:
“Heaven cherishes life. Since you, my brother, do not wish to delay important matters, I should take this man home and see if I can help him save his life.”

The latter's eyes showed some doubt, and he sneered, "Even if this person can be saved, he will be a useless piece of trash. Not to mention how much money it would cost. Even if your father is shrewd, how could he bear to spend it?"

You Wenrui muttered again, "After all, he is a cultivator. Even if he can't recoup his investment, he can still keep it at home as a farmhand. Over several decades, he should be able to pay back eight or nine tenths of it."

Upon hearing this, Wang Qiaobei's doubts gradually subsided, and the playfulness in his tone lessened considerably. When he spoke again, it was a half-praise: "If that's the case, it's not bad. Young Master You's business acumen is not much different from your father's."

Yu Wenrui was preoccupied with legal troubles and naturally didn't want to continue dealing with Wang Qiaobei. Fortunately, the latter didn't press the matter further, and the two were about to part ways.

If it were up to You Wenrui, he would naturally carry this black-clad cultivator, who was unsure if he was Jiang Qing, to the Mo family. After all, no matter how much Mo Ku disliked him, the latter's obsequiousness towards Chongming Sect was undeniable.

However, with Wang Qiaobei by his side, he couldn't afford to go the wrong way, lest the guy become suspicious.

You should know that if he were really carrying Elder Jiang Qing of the Chongming Sect on his back right now, it would be a tremendous achievement for the You family of Fenglin Mountain! How could he possibly share even a fraction of it with this scoundrel Wang Qiaobei?

After taking only a few steps, the black-clad cultivator suddenly trembled for some unknown reason, leaned on You Wenrui's back, and vomited something that shimmered with precious light.

"A second-tier demon core?!"

"Oh no, it must have been swallowed by Elder Jiang to ward off water!"

Wang Qiaobei's gaze, which had been filled with lingering doubts, suddenly became intensely burning, so much so that You Wenrui could hardly look directly at him.

"Good lad, I knew it!!"

Wang Qiaobei was certain that You Wenrui was going to hog all the spoils, so he unleashed both his spiritual net artifact and harpoon artifact. He lived up to his reputation as someone who lived on the edge, and his first move was ruthless.

"Brother Wang, wait! The noble person I'm carrying is Elder Jiang from the Upper Sect! Brother Wang, please be careful. If you don't know your own strength, you may face annihilation!"

Wang Qiaobei hadn't held back at all, but when he heard You Wenrui's warning halfway through, he was still startled and suddenly reversed his magical artifact. The sudden stop and turn caused him intense burning pain in his meridians, leaving him with almost no minor injuries.

"Elder Jiang?!"

Wang Qiaobei's expression turned even uglier. He muttered something under his breath, still wondering if You Wenrui was telling the truth. But when he looked up, he saw the few drops of blood on the tip of the harpoon he was holding, the ones left from when he pierced the handsome face of the black-clad cultivator.

Suddenly, Wang Qiaobei felt the magical artifact that had been with him for many years burning his hand, and he almost threw it away!
“Brother Wang, since we can’t hide it from you, it would be a great fortune for us to send Elder Jiang to the Upper Sect’s mountain gate to claim credit!” You Wenrui’s serious expression made Wang Qiaobei’s mind wander.

However, the latter's heart sank quickly, for he knew that the high-ranking cultivators of the sect were always unpredictable.

I wonder if Jiang Qing remembers his transgressions just now. If he does remember even a little bit, then he might not only lose his wealth and glory, but also be killed by a sword.

After making money through illicit means, Wang Qiaobei frequented brothels but rarely gambled, indicating that he was not a heavy gambler.

He wasn't greedy; he knew that if he could take their lives now, he could at least get a second-tier demon core, enough to make up for a hundred years of hard work!
Rather than risk being remembered by a powerful elder comparable to a fake Core Formation cultivator, it would be better to end his life cleanly and decisively. Someone like him, capable of being a rogue cultivator, would never entrust his life or death to the mercy of any great figure!
However, You Wenrui's cultivation was not weak, and Wang Qiaobei had no confidence in silencing him. He still needed to feign compliance for a while.

"Oh dear, it's all thanks to you, brother! Otherwise, I would have made a terrible mistake!" Wang Qiaobei forced a look of lingering fear, put away the magic weapon, and then hurriedly advised, "If that's the case, then let's send Elder Jiang to the Mo family in Maduo Ridge as soon as possible. A generous reward will be within our grasp!"

Yu Wenrui on the other side seemed to relax suddenly, but then a look of pain appeared on his face. After a while, he said, "Brother Wang knows that I have a grudge against the Mo family. How can I give him credit for nothing!"

Wang Qiaobei feigned sudden realization, then asked, "Where does my brother prefer to go?"

You Wenrui pondered for a moment before saying, "Back at Fenglin Mountain, my father knows many high-ranking cultivators from the upper sects, so the credit won't be taken away by others!"

"Indeed, indeed, my brother is truly intelligent." Wang Qiaobei forced a smile, showering him with compliments, while his fingers were already forming hand seals in his sleeve. He slowly walked towards You Wenrui, ready to make his move.

Unexpectedly, a blazing flying sword struck first, landing on him.

"Good boy!"

Wang Qiaobei was not entirely unprepared. Despite being injured, he managed to escape with his life. He quickly unleashed his spirit net and harpoon, engaging the fiery sword in battle.

Yu Wenrui, who had discerned Wang Qiaobei's thoughts, was unimpressed, nor did he think that Wang's ability to feign compliance was superior. He simply shouted sternly, "You, surnamed Wang, do you know what you're doing?!"

Wang Qiaobei had long felt he was trapped. Ignoring the horrific wound on his chest, from which blood was gushing out, he still desperately used his magical artifact, shouting in response:
"You're a fool! This Jiang fellow has always been incredibly arrogant; even the disciples of Chongming rarely see him smile. Now that we've seen him in this sorry state, do you think you'll have any future?! Only if he dies today can we live! I won't take a single penny of that second-tier demon core from you!"

Yu Wenrui's expression changed slightly, but he still said, "That's alarmist!"

The flying sword in his hand was purchased by his father, You Xiaobao, at the cost of all his living money. With the advantage of striking first, Wang Qiaobei, though much more cunning, still lost his life in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

You Wenrui didn't even bother to pick up Wang Qiaobei's storage bag at this moment, and was about to carry the black-clad cultivator straight to the Mo family.

But halfway through, he remembered Wang Qiaobei's seductive words, and his movements suddenly stopped. He stared at the black-clad cultivator and the glowing second-tier demon core, his gaze shifting uncertainly.

(End of this chapter)