A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Starting as a Sword-Forging Servant and Ascending to Immorta

Liu Quan's eyes remained closed.

"That's all?"

That's all.

Zhang Qian lowered his head even further.

"I dare not say that I am completely free of personal prejudice when I come here today."

"But dozens of people witnessed everything that happened in the affairs office. Elder Chen's violation of the sect rules does not become justifiable just because his disciple had a conflict with Zhou Lingxuan."

"If the Third Elder believes that I am harboring personal grudges, I am willing to accept the punishment."

This time, Liu Quan finally raised his eyelids.

The pressure on Zhang Qian intensified.

Zhang Qian's knees felt heavy, but he didn't use his inner energy to resist; he simply let his body slowly bend down.

The pressure didn't subside until his forehead was almost touching the ground.

Liu Quan stared at him for a moment.

"You certainly know how to talk."

"I am simply reporting what I have seen today."

"Truly?"

Liu Quan picked up a thin stick from beside the incense burner and used it to push aside the sandalwood incense that was about to go out.

The fire was reignited.

"If you were truly just reporting the facts, you should go find the sect leader, the Enforcement Hall, and Elder Li of the Affairs Department."

"Why did you specifically come to see this old man?"

Zhang Qian remained silent for a moment.

"Because the Third Elder is an elder of Earth Sword Peak."

"Chen Baichuan used the Weapon Hall's influence to interfere with the outer sect today; next time, he may also interfere with Earth Sword Peak."

"As the eldest disciple of Earth Sword Peak, I should naturally report any potential dangers to the elders of the peak first."

Liu Quan put the thin stick back in its original place.

"You are very smart."

"This disciple dares not."

Being smart is not a mistake.

Liu Quan's voice was flat.

"Using your intelligence in the wrong way will only get you killed."

Zhang Qian stood with his head down, offering no defense.

He has said everything he could.

It is true that Chen Baichuan forced the administrative office to make an exception.

It is true that Zhou Lingxuan has no cultivation.

It is true that the abandoned hall was part of the sect's official establishment.

These matters would not be considered minor issues if they were presented to any elder.

Whether Liu Quan will accept the knife is beyond Zhang Qian's control.

The quiet room fell silent again.

Liu Quan fiddled with his prayer beads, closed his eyes, and sat in meditation, ignoring Zhang Qian.

a circle.

Two laps.

He only stopped what he was doing when the sandalwood incense had burned out.

"understood."

Zhang Qian looked up.

Liu Quan didn't look at him again, but simply raised his hand and waved it towards the stone gate.

"You may leave."

Zhang Qian bowed and turned to walk towards the stone gate.

Just as his palm touched the array patterns on the door, Liu Quan's voice came from behind him again.

"Don't mention this matter to anyone else."

The stone gate closed behind Zhang Qian.

The array patterns lit up, completely isolating the footsteps in the passage.

Liu Quan remained seated on the stone platform, his prayer beads slowly turning in his hand. The sandalwood incense that had just burned out was now just a pinch of ash. He picked up a thin stick, poked it a couple of times, and then stopped.

After a long while, he let out a low chuckle.

"But something interesting was delivered."

Zhou Lingxuan.

A centenarian servant.

Despite having no cultivation and nearing the end of his lifespan, he was still personally taken to the affairs office by Chen Baichuan in a flying boat, and Elder Li was even forced to make an exception and accept the identity of a steward of the abandoned hall.

Liu Quan didn't believe there wasn't a problem.

Zhang Qian's words were 70% true and 30% driven by personal motives.

This trick won't fool him.

Despite his selfish motives, the events that happened in the affairs office could not be faked. Chen Baichuan smashed the table and threatened Elder Li with the supplies from the weapon hall, which was witnessed by dozens of disciples.

This evidence is sufficient to be presented to the sect leader.

Liu Quan, however, did not intend to go now.

The old score between him and Chen Baichuan had dragged on for many years.

His natal flying sword malfunctioned at a crucial moment, causing him to lose the bet and damaging his foundation.

Chen Baichuan returned the payment, but still refused to admit that he had made a mistake in inspecting the materials.

That person even publicly declared that he would no longer accept private weapon-forging commissions from Dijian Peak.

The two ceased all contact after that.

If it were just about saving face, Liu Quan could have brought up what happened back then long ago.

But once the sword is broken, it's broken. And once you lose a duel, you can't start over. Holding onto old grievances and making a scene will only make the rest of the sect laugh at you.

He was never waiting for an apology.

The prayer beads rested between Liu Quan's fingers.

If we report Zhou Lingxuan's matter now, the sect leader will at most reprimand Chen Baichuan a few times.

Elder Li from the Affairs Department has already obtained his identity and will also exonerate himself. All he needs to do is say that the Abandoned Hall is short of manpower, and Zhou Lingxuan has experience in handling waste materials. Chen Baichuan guarantees that this person can handle the job, and this storm can be suppressed.

At a more serious level, it would simply be "acting rashly" or "misusing personnel."

How many months' salary will be deducted?

How many days will it be before we close the door?

Chen Baichuan wouldn't care at all.

After a while, he returned to the Weapon Hall to forge iron as usual. The deacons and disciples of the Weapon Hall would only think that their elder had a straightforward temper and broke the rules in order to cherish talent.

Some people even praise him for being protective of his own.

Liu Quan did not want this outcome.

Since we're going to take action, we can't just touch Chen Baichuan once.

We must destroy everything he relies on for his livelihood.

Chen Baichuan's ability to act with impunity within the sect was never solely due to his cultivation level.

Over 90% of the standard magical artifacts in the Weapon Hall were made by him, a large number of weapon refiners have received his guidance, and even several elders of the Weapon Hall acknowledge his abilities.

As long as these things remain, no one can really do anything to Chen Baichuan if he makes a small mistake.

But today's incident has revealed a crack in this.

Chen Baichuan interfered in personnel appointments within the administrative office.

He could threaten Zhou Lingxuan with the supply of weapons.

What about before that?

What's next?

Are there other churches that have suffered the same oppression?

Are there any unscrupulous individuals who entered the Weapon Hall through Chen Baichuan and took away the sect's resources?

Has anyone used the ritual implements of the Ritual Implements Hall to handle private matters for Chen Baichuan?

Even if you take one out on its own, it's not enough.

By piling them together, you can say something else entirely.

To form a faction.

Overstepping authority.

They control the lifeline of the sect's weapon-refining techniques and use public resources to promote their own people.

Liu Quan started turning the prayer beads again, and the low chuckle from before had stopped.

Zhang Qian wanted to use him as a weapon to kill Zhou Lingxuan.

That's too simplistic.

How many spirit stones is a steward of a ruined hall worth?

Even if Zhou Lingxuan's gray robe were stripped off in public and the jade pendant were destroyed, it wouldn't harm Chen Baichuan at all. Instead, it would remind him to stop in time and clean up all traces.

This line cannot be moved now.

Zhou Lingxuan cannot act now.

The more Chen Baichuan valued that old handyman, the more oversteps he would take for him in the future.

Liu Quan even hoped that Zhou Lingxuan could sit more comfortably in the abandoned hall.

The longer you sit, the better.

Since Chen Baichuan personally carried him up, he couldn't just leave after giving him a jade pendant.

Cultivation resources, weapon-refining materials, and personal connections—as long as they are sent to the abandoned hall, a handover record will always be left behind.

Everything in the sect has a source.

Personal favors can be hidden, but account books cannot.

Liu Quan raised his hand and pressed on the array pattern on the side of the stone platform.

Soon, the voices of the gatekeeper disciples could be heard from outside the stone gate.

"Third Elder."

"Come in."

The stone gate opened a crack, and the gatekeeper disciple bowed and walked in, stopping three zhang away.

"What are your orders, Elder?"

Liu Quan did not speak immediately.

This matter cannot be entrusted to Zhang Qian.

Zhang Qian has a personal grudge against Zhou Lingxuan, so he is inevitably impatient in his actions. Once Chen Baichuan catches him in the act, all subsequent arrangements will be affected.

Furthermore, it is absolutely forbidden to send disciples from the Earth Sword Peak to the abandoned hall to keep an eye on people.

Chen Baichuan just vouched for Zhou Lingxuan today, so he will definitely keep an eye on that area for a while. Anyone from Earth Sword Peak who gets close will arouse suspicion.

"From today onwards, pay attention to the standard ritual implements that the ritual implement hall sends to various places."

The gatekeeper was taken aback.

"Is the elder going to inspect the items refined by the Weaponry Hall?"

"Do not inspect, and do not obstruct."

Liu Quan flicked a Buddhist rosary.

"Only record the quantity, destination, and the person who handed it over."

"clear."

"Also, if disciples of the Weaponry Hall interact with people from the Affairs Office or the Enforcement Hall, there's no need to follow them; just remember their names."

The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment.

"Should we inform the Peak Master about this?"

"Not for now."

"What about Senior Brother Zhang...?"

He didn't come today.

The gatekeeper immediately lowered his head.

"Disciple understands."

"Make sure it's done cleanly. If anyone finds out, don't come back to see me."

The gatekeeper accepted the order and withdrew.

The stone gate closed again...

When the flying boat landed in the abandoned hall, the courtyard was already full of people.

Chen Baichuan maneuvered quickly, leaving little room for cushioning as the boat landed. The moment the hull touched the ground, a blast of air kicked up a cloud of dust, and several nearby laborers stumbled back several steps, some nearly falling into the scrap bins.

"You have no posture!"

Chen Baichuan withdrew his spiritual power and cursed at the group of people.

The servants quickly stood up straight, none of them daring to utter a word.

Zhou Lingxuan helped himself down from the flying boat.

When they arrived, Chen Baichuan pulled them up, and when they returned, this elder personally saw them off.

The servants in the courtyard had never seen anything like this before.

When a steward comes to the instrument hall, they have to sweep the courtyard twice in advance.

The fact that the Golden Core Elder personally descended upon the abandoned hall and even went to the administration office to process an identity for an old servant was beyond their comprehension.

Lei Yang jumped off the flying boat right after him.

He was holding the Wind and Thunder Sword in his arms, and he hadn't changed out of his blood-stained clothes. When he landed, his leg injury flared up, and he swayed.

Zhou Lingxuan raised his hand to support him.

"Slower."

"fine."

After Lei Yang steadied himself, he first looked into the courtyard.

The servants who had previously caused trouble with the triangular-eyed man were all bound hand and foot with the Spirit Lock and made to kneel on the open ground outside the workshop.

The one with the triangular eye was the most seriously injured.

After the effects of the Blood Burning Pill wore off, he was completely exhausted, and the wound inflicted by Chen Baichuan was still on his chest.

Hearing the noise, he barely raised his head and saw the jade pendant at Zhou Lingxuan's waist. His expression immediately changed.

The servants who had been following the riot also saw it.

"The abandoned hall... manager?"

Someone whispered the words on the jade tablet.

The person next to him quickly nudged him with his shoulder to shut him up.

After the sickly steward Qin Zhaoyun left, the position of steward of the abandoned hall remained vacant.

They had assumed the administration would send another inner disciple, but no one expected that Zhou Lingxuan would end up taking the position.

That old handyman who had only been in the abandoned hall for a short time spent burning poison and tending the underground fire all day.

Even more surprisingly, Chen Baichuan personally obtained this plaque for him.

The old servants in the courtyard looked at each other, and soon one of them knelt down first.

"Greetings, Steward Zhou!"

The others realized what was happening and bent down one after another.

"Greetings, Steward Zhou!"

"Greetings, Steward!"

The voices were uneven and filled with panic.

Within moments, a whole group of people in the courtyard knelt down.

Lei Yang's breathing became heavier as he watched.