I Might Be a Big Shot — Chapter 29

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Changkong Zhuoyu tried injecting true essence into the jade thumb ring, but there was no reaction. To him, it was just an ordinary jade thumb ring. Yet Li Xinglun could use this ring to store things — though the space was small, it had saved them from having to stupidly carry a bundle on their backs along the way.

Generally speaking, this jade thumb ring should have been nothing more than an ordinary storage ring. Who could have thought it was actually the Li clan’s heirloom, and it clung to Li Xinglun’s finger as if it had grown roots, impossible to remove.

Now, neither Li Xinglun nor Changkong Zhuoyu could use what seemed to be a Time-Space Wheel, nor could they explain why something the ancient gods had exhausted their divine power to create and reverse fate would be passed down for generations in a small righteous cultivation clan like the Li family.

But this ring was certainly extraordinary, and Li Xinglun’s analysis made sense — his clan’s destruction was likely connected to this ring.

Changkong Zhuoyu lightly tapped the ring twice with his fingertip and said, “In that case, let’s head to Heaven-Shaking Peak. That is where the demonic sect’s headquarters is located. The demonic sect is different from the righteous sects and isn’t a single, unbroken lineage. Among the demonic sect there are cultivators of various methods — you’re sure to find someone who can trace kinship through bloodlines.”

Li Xinglun felt warmth spreading through his body. He clasped Changkong Zhuoyu’s hand and asked, “Master is no longer the Sect Master Xue. What will we do when we reach the demonic sect?”

Changkong Zhuoyu smiled faintly, flicked his long sleeves dismissively, and said disdainfully, “Isn’t the demonic sect all about the law of the jungle? The sect master position belongs to whoever is strongest. We’ll just storm Heaven-Shaking Peak and snatch the sect master’s seat for ourselves — how about that?”

Li Xinglun: “...Master, don’t forget you’re the leader of the righteous path.”

Naturally he said this because he didn’t want Changkong Zhuoyu to risk himself — if they could act covertly, that would be best.

“Perfect. Uniting the righteous and demonic paths to jointly resist the calamity of the mortal world. It also makes it easier to find your enemy within both paths. I’d like to see just who dares to touch my disciple.” Changkong Zhuoyu’s voice was cold.

Li Xinglun felt that the best decision he’d made in this life was leaping into the Soul-Breaking Gorge at the critical moment and meeting Changkong Zhuoyu, becoming entangled with him for life.

The next day, the two bid farewell to Sage Yipin, leaving Mount Shu to hunt down the demonic energy scattered throughout the world.

“May I ask where you are heading? Our sect will also send disciples down the mountain. Since those controlled by demonic energy are quite powerful, this time the disciples sent down are all at least Nascent Soul stage, with a Soul Transformation stage elder leading the team. It would be good if you traveled together with Mount Shu’s disciples.” Sage Yipin spoke with concern.

“No need,” Changkong Zhuoyu said coldly with a wave of his hand. “This time we’re heading to Heaven-Shaking Peak, which is not on the same route as your disciples. To avoid harming Mount Shu disciples by mistake, we’d better part ways.”

“...Why are you going to Heaven-Shaking Peak? That’s the headquarters of the demonic sect — it’s extremely dangerous.” Sage Yipin looked worried.

“To storm Heaven-Shaking Peak, seize the sect master’s position of the demonic sect, and unite the righteous and demonic paths.” As he spoke, Changkong Zhuoyu produced a fan from somewhere and waved it lazily — truly, as if destroying great ships with a laugh, his smile carried a supreme confidence that looked down on all under heaven.

Sage Yipin: “...”

Li Xinglun glanced faintly at Mount Shu’s sect master. From Sage Yipin’s expression, he could tell his feelings now were probably just like his own back then — Li Xinglun truly sympathized with him.

It was all right. After spending time with Changkong Zhuoyu, you learned to take everything lightly. All things under heaven were but passing clouds.

“Fellow Daoist Changkong, this matter is of great importance. It would be better to convene the leaders of each sect and send the righteous sects’ elite disciples together.” Sage Yipin said gravely.

“No need. Doing so would trigger a full-blown righteous–demonic war, giving the corrupted ones an opening. But someone like me, with an unknown identity, going alone won’t cause such a war. This is the best way.” Changkong Zhuoyu’s face was resolute. “My mind is made up.”

Sage Yipin’s expression changed repeatedly — at first disapproving, then thoughtful, then approving, then pained — finally all those complex emotions resolved into admiration. He cupped his hands to Changkong Zhuoyu and said, “Since the day I began cultivating, I, Yipin, have never admired anyone. Meeting you, fellow Daoist Changkong, I realize there’s always someone better. Whether in cultivation, character, or sense of responsibility toward the human world, I fall far short. If you return safely from this trip, henceforth Mount Shu will follow your lead, whether you are Yin Changkong or not — Changkong Zhuoyu is the leader of the righteous path in my heart.”

Hearing this, Changkong Zhuoyu also cupped his hands solemnly in return: “I accept your sentiments. When I have unified the demonic path, I will join you in resisting the calamity of the mortal world.”

After parting with the like-minded Sage Yipin, Changkong Zhuoyu lowered his voice to Li Xinglun and said, “Come to think of it, regardless of who I was before, I can become a towering figure in the cultivation world afterward.”

“Mm.” Li Xinglun nodded. Today, when Changkong Zhuoyu and Sage Yipin bade each other farewell, he finally let out a breath of relief. This way, even if Kunlun learned the whereabouts of the real Yin Changkong in the future, at least he and his master would have Mount Shu as a refuge and wouldn’t be hunted down by everyone.

“But I feel I have the right to know who I was before — what exactly I did, and why the death tribulation severed all of my past.” Changkong Zhuoyu’s eyes held a trace of confusion. “I keep feeling… I must have forgotten something very important, and… someone very important.”

Hearing this, Li Xinglun suddenly thought of how Changkong Zhuoyu had shed tears upon seeing Xue Qianjie’s portrait, and his heart ached faintly. When the seal of the demonic realm was broken in the future, would Xue Qianjie escape? And if his master saw Xue Qianjie in person, what expression would he show?

I’m still too weak… A feeling of powerlessness welled up in Li Xinglun’s heart.

Not long after the two descended the mountain, Master Wuyin, who had been gravely injured while presiding over the demon-banishing formation, managed to suppress his injuries and prepared to return to Tianyin temple to recuperate, taking his disciples with him. Before leaving, he spoke to Sage Yipin:

“Sage Yipin,” Master Wuyin asked, “is that fellow Daoist Changkong still at Mount Shu?”

“He has already descended the mountain.” Sage Yipin let out a long sigh. He did not know whether Changkong Zhuoyu would return safely from Heaven-Shaking Peak this time.

“This man…” Master Wuyin frowned. “When he helped me form the Buddha Seal earlier, I sensed that he carries great karma.”

“What do you mean, Master?” Sage Yipin asked.

“At the time, the demonic energy was strong and had already swallowed the Buddha Seal. Reforming it required more than just expelling the demonic energy — it demanded immense merit. I was prepared to exhaust all the merit of my lifetimes to reforge it and then reincarnate to cultivate another hundred thousand merit. But unexpectedly, fellow Daoist Changkong reformed it with a single sword strike, and in that instant the golden light of merit from him nearly suppressed all the baleful energy in the sword tomb. However, the light of merit flashed only for a moment, and I couldn’t see clearly. I suspect that fellow Daoist Changkong is not merely a cultivator who has accumulated merit over many lives — perhaps he is a reincarnation of one of our Tianyin temple’s enlightened predecessors?” Master Wuyin saluted in the direction where Changkong Zhuoyu had departed.

Sage Yipin: “...”

“Unfortunately, I only saw him briefly and couldn’t discern where that light of merit came from. A man with such deep merit must have profound understanding of Buddhist principles — what a joy it would be to discuss them with him face to face someday.” Master Wuyin said.

Sage Yipin quickly interjected: “Master Wuyin, I think… when you next meet Changkong Zhuoyu, you’d better not mention this matter lightly.”

“Why?”

Sage Yipin wore a helpless expression: “Fellow Daoist Changkong’s past identities are too numerous — I fear he won’t be able to keep track of them all.”

Master Wuyin: “...”

Thanks to leaving early, Li Xinglun avoided learning of yet another identity of his master and spared Changkong Zhuoyu from having to shave his head.

All the way, he secretly worried — what if Changkong Zhuoyu just charged straight into Heaven-Shaking Peak? Even the strongest fists could not defeat so many joined hands — no matter how powerful he was, he couldn’t possibly overcome all the demonic cultivators at once.

Changkong Zhuoyu, though somewhat naïve, understood his disciple well. Following Changkong Zhuoyu these days, Li Xinglun had met many great figures he would never have seen at the Li family, and after much turmoil, he had grown steady and shrewd. Whatever he was thinking, his expression never changed; no outsider could read his emotions. But as his master, Changkong Zhuoyu knew his disciple well — though Li Xinglun’s face betrayed nothing, he could still see the worry in his eyes.

“Don’t worry,” Changkong Zhuoyu patted his shoulder. “Of course I won’t just charge into Heaven-Shaking Peak. Didn’t Rang Weiran give us Gu insects that can change our aura to disguise us as demonic cultivators? We’ll bring them and pretend to join Heaven-Shaking Peak’s ranks first, then act when the time is right.”

Li Xinglun: “...”

“What’s the matter? Why the strange look on your face?”

“Master, I suddenly feel like… we’ve forgotten something?”

“What is it? I’ve forgotten so much — what are you referring to?”

“You just mentioned the Gu insects the Hundred Flowers sect gave us…”

As they spoke, the two of them walked out of Mount Shu’s maze formation, completely leaving the sect’s domain. Because of the grand formation of Mount Shu, most people, even if capable of flight, chose to walk when leaving as a show of respect. The two of them did the same. Just as they exited the formation, a scarlet whip shadow lashed toward them. Without even thinking, Changkong Zhuoyu snapped open his fan with a swish and blocked it.

“Changkong Zhuoyu!” Rang Cencen spat out each syllable through gritted teeth.

Changkong Zhuoyu couldn’t help feeling a little guilty upon seeing Rang Cencen. After all, they’d taken so many things from the Hundred Flowers sect, and he’d even promised to repay them with some magical treasures after obtaining Xue Qianjie’s treasure. Now that it was confirmed he wasn’t Xue Qianjie, he felt as if he’d just gone to the Hundred Flowers sect to freeload, and he looked at Rang Cencen with a trace of apology. So when she attacked, he hardly defended himself, evading only with his movement technique.

Despite his guilt, Changkong Zhuoyu’s expression remained inscrutable. Since he only dodged and didn’t fight back, it actually looked like he was playing with Rang Cencen, which infuriated the sect master of the Hundred Flowers sect. Her whip lashed out in countless afterimages, completely surrounding Changkong Zhuoyu.

Li Xinglun frowned slightly. He didn’t like seeing his master looking so suppressed. In Li Xinglun’s heart, Changkong Zhuoyu should always be confident — no matter who he faced, his master should always carry that inexplicable, innate confidence. Without that pride, he lost his luster.

Such a master would not be happy. Rang Cencen had to be dealt with.

With that thought, Li Xinglun, who was only at the Golden Core stage, darted into the storm of whip shadows and caught both of Rang Cencen’s whips with his bare hands. Enraged, she exerted fifty percent of her true strength. The force of the twin whips poured into Li Xinglun’s body, clashing violently within him. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and the remaining force left two deep whip marks across his face.

Even so, he couldn’t defeat the Nascent Soul stage Rang Cencen. The Miao saintess flicked her silver bracelets, and the twin whips tore free from Li Xinglun’s hands, leaving bloody gashes across his palms. Once she retrieved her whips, she swung them at him again. If that strike landed, half his body would be crippled, and the force would utterly destroy his dantian.

Changkong Zhuoyu, who had been dodging, rushed over the moment he saw Li Xinglun wounded. With a single grab, he easily caught the twin serpent whips. The two serpents — supposedly sacred beasts of the Hundred Flowers sect — instantly shrank down into two bracelets around his wrists, subdued and subdued.

Rang Cencen: “...”

“After using the identity of Sect Master Xue to cheat two Gu insects from my Hundred Flowers sect, do you now also plan to take our sacred beasts?” Rang Cencen sneered.

Changkong Zhuoyu was about to speak when Li Xinglun stepped in front of him, spat blood, and forced himself to say to her, “Sect Master Rang, you’re mistaken. When we first arrived at the Hundred Flowers sect, we planned to exchange for the face-changing pill after passing the Three Poison Trials of the Five Poisons sect. Both the poisons and the Gu insects were offered freely by you and Elder Rang to my master. How could that be cheating?”

“If you hadn’t claimed to be Sect Master Xue, why would we have given them to you?” Rang Cencen snapped.

“And you believed it just because we said it?” Li Xinglun gave a cold laugh. “My master severed his past and naturally wants to recover it. At first, we only suspected he might be Xue Qianjie, but weren’t certain. It was your elder who, after just one exchange of moves with my master, knelt and called him Sect Master Xue. How exactly did we cheat you?”

“You!” Rang Cencen was no match for Li Xinglun’s sharp tongue and was left speechless.

“You mean to say, if it wasn’t cheating, why did my master acknowledge it?” Li Xinglun continued. “We already said — my master doesn’t remember his identity, so of course he had to rely on others’ recognition to confirm his past. But you had no proof and yet insisted he was someone he wasn’t, which led him to risk his life at Mount Shu’s righteous assembly, nearly being mistaken for Xue Qianjie. If Mount Shu’s sect master hadn’t seen through it, wouldn’t the entire righteous path now be hunting us as demons?”

“That’s sophistry!” Rang Cencen was full of grievances yet unable to argue back.

“I’m reasoning with you now because I still respect you enough to do so. My master even let you hit and curse him without resistance. But if he truly lost patience, by the rules of the demonic path — where the strong devour the weak — why bother with words? He could have just slaughtered your sect, taken your Gu insects. Who could stop him?”

“...” This time Rang Cencen truly had nothing to say.

Indeed. Whether demonic cultivators or the Hundred Flowers sect, reasoning was for those righteous Daoist practicians. Why bother reasoning? Just set up the formation and fight — the survivor is the one in the right.

As he spoke, Li Xinglun coughed up another mouthful of blood. After shutting Rang Cencen up, his knees buckled and he nearly collapsed, but just as he was about to fall, a warm hand pressed against his back, and a steady stream of spiritual energy flowed into him, healing his wounded dantian.

“Sect Master Rang,” Changkong Zhuoyu said while treating him, “I feel apologetic to the Hundred Flowers sect for the mistaken identity. Whatever your sect requires, if it is within my power, I will procure it in exchange for the Gu insects. But as for you injuring my disciple — I will not let that go lightly.”

As he spoke, an oppressive aura bore down on Rang Cencen, making her stumble back and fall to her knees. But kneeling did nothing — Changkong Zhuoyu’s presence alone nearly suffocated her, like an invisible hand around her throat.

Just then, the two serpents on his wrists slithered down and grew large, coiling protectively in front of Rang Cencen. Their heads lowered toward Changkong Zhuoyu, as if bowing in submission.

With the sacred beasts shielding her, Rang Cencen could finally breathe again. But then she heard the two sacred beasts hissing incessantly. Being able to understand snakes since childhood, she looked at Changkong Zhuoyu in shock.

Li Xinglun immediately noticed her strange expression. Having recovered somewhat thanks to his master’s healing, he asked, “What are the sacred beasts saying?”

Rang Cencen’s face was strange, as if something was stuck in her throat. She hesitated for a long time before speaking.

The master and disciple both stared at her, making her feel that if she didn’t answer today, she wouldn’t be allowed to leave.

“They say…” Rang Cencen glanced at Changkong Zhuoyu. “Changkong Zhuoyu bears the aura of Nüwa. He is a descendent of Nüwa, leader of the yao, and should go to Mystic Fog Yao Valley to claim the Sacred Spirit of the yao race and ascend to godhood in one stroke.”

Li Xinglun: “...”

At her words, the sacred beasts bowed even lower, as if in total submission.

Li Xinglun, who had already been beaten to spitting blood by Rang Cencen’s whips, now felt his spirit crushed and wanted to spit blood again. How many identities did his master have? Demonic sect master, Kunlun sect master, reincarnated sword immortal… and now Nüwa’s descendent? Wasn’t offending the human race enough — did he have to provoke the yao race too?

Yet at this moment, Changkong Zhuoyu behind him was already sparkling with excitement.

Rang Cencen still looked reluctant, but hearing the sacred beasts’ hissing, she finally sank to her knees, lowered her head, and said unwillingly, “Rang Cencen greets the descendent of Nüwa.”

Li Xinglun: “...The yao race has nothing to do with the Hundred Flowers sect, right?”

“It does,” Rang Cencen gritted out. “The Hundred Flowers sect was able to walk the path of poison and have the Twin Serpent sacred beasts because our ancestor once swore before Nüwa’s statue, making a pact with her and receiving a drop of divine blood. Since then, our ancestors could understand the language of all creatures and gradually developed the poison path. The Hundred Flowers sect’s ability to command flowers and control myriad poisons all stems from that drop of blood. We have never belonged to the righteous or demonic paths because of the yao bloodline in us. Your human righteous and demonic factions mean nothing to us.”

After calming the raging energy in Li Xinglun’s body, Changkong Zhuoyu fed him a pill and said gently, “Take this and rest for now. I’ll heal you properly in a moment.”

He even brushed a finger lightly over Li Xinglun’s whip-marked face, his eyes full of heartache.

Knowing that his master favored his looks, Li Xinglun still felt a little sweetness in his heart. He took the pill and leaned weakly on his master, looking quite pitiful.

After everything, Li Xinglun lazily said, “So does the Hundred Flowers sect obey the commands of Sect Master Xue or the descendent of Nüwa?”

Rang Cencen had never gotten along with Li Xinglun and disliked him even more now. But with Changkong Zhuoyu having become the sect’s master again and the sacred beasts forbidding her from disrespecting the descendent of Nüwa, she could only say begrudgingly, “Sect Master Xue was our personal devotion. Helping the descendent of Nüwa claim the Sacred Yao Spirit and become a yao god is our ancestral duty.”

It seemed the identity of Nüwa’s descendent was more useful after all.

“What are the benefits of being Nüwa’s descendent?” Changkong Zhuoyu, aloof as an immortal, naturally left that question to Li Xinglun.

Changkong Zhuoyu couldn’t resist patting his disciple’s head. Such an obedient and thoughtful disciple was truly wonderful. How sharp his eyes must have been back then to take him in.

He couldn’t help but think of the moment he met Li Xinglun at the bottom of the gorge — he’d liked him at first sight, no matter how unwilling Li Xinglun was, he was determined to take him as his disciple.

“The yao you see in the cultivation world today are all simple nature creatures who achieved awareness through cultivation and aren’t pure-blooded. The true great yao of ancient times were born yao, and had no need to painstakingly cultivate. During the era of the great god-demon war, the power of the great yao was nearly equal to that of the ancient gods, and countless great yao even became gods themselves. Although now all the yao gods have left the cultivation world, the yao race’s inheritance still endures. By obtaining the Sacred Yao Spirit, acquiring the Ten Thousand Yao Token, one can command all the yao. The descendant of Nüwa can become the leader of all yao.”

Rang Cencen explained. “Our Hundred Flowers Sect possesses a map leading to the Mystic Fog Yao Valley. This is the vow that our sect’s ancestor made with the great goddess Nüwa in the distant past — to guard the gate to the Mystic Fog Yao Valley until the descendant of Nüwa appears in the world (現世 xiàn shì).”

Hearing this, and seeing Changkong Zhuoyu’s eyes grow brighter, Li Xinglun felt that the world was ever-changing, and he himself was but a tiny, ignorant speck unable to follow heaven’s whims. Just as he worried about his master’s last identity, a new one would appear.

The vast cosmos was endlessly shifting, and he, Li Xinglun, was just a small variable within it.

With that thought, he suddenly felt the surrounding spiritual energy become lively and friendly. Without even circulating his true essence, it began flowing into his body on its own. He immediately began cultivating and entered a profound state of enlightenment.

Changkong Zhuoyu: “...”

Watching the spiritual energy gather around his disciple, he realized the boy had comprehended the essence of spiritual energy’s flow. But how? They hadn’t said anything particularly profound just now…

Why did his disciple always manage to reach enlightenment while they were just chatting? Was he really so useless as a master?

~ Chapter End ~

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