I Might Be a Big Shot — Chapter 39
Did the demonic cultivators all truly believe that Changkong Zhuoyu was Xue Qianjie? Certainly not. But for these demonic cultivators who had already bowed before Changkong Zhuoyu’s power, whatever he said he was — that was what he was. After all, Xue Qianjie had been gone for a thousand years. Aside from sects like the Hundred Flowers sect that practiced personal worship, who else still truly remained loyal to Xue Qianjie?
Since this suddenly appearing man wanted to borrow the former sect master’s name to act with more legitimacy, so be it. In truth, the demonic cultivators didn’t really understand why Changkong Zhuoyu was so fixated on Xue Qianjie’s name. In Heaven-Shaking Sect, every sect master throughout history had taken their position by their own strength — nearly every one of them had ascended by killing the former sect master. Unlike righteous sect cultivators, they didn’t care about character, temperament, or connections. In Heaven-Shaking Sect, strength alone was enough.
In fact, even Xuan Minglie had already tacitly acknowledged Changkong Zhuoyu as the sect master. And the fact that the former sect master hadn’t even died when replaced — that was simply an enormous blessing, hardly a cause for complaint. He respectfully invited Changkong Zhuoyu into the palace, ordered his subordinates to bring out the finest spiritual tea from the demonic palace, and served it to him. Those normally cruel and ruthless demonic cultivators now behaved like meek little lambs, nearly kneeling and shouting “Long live the sect master, may he unify the cultivation world for ten thousand years!” — all of them utterly submissive.
Changkong Zhuoyu sat calmly in the master’s seat, while Li Xinglun stood behind him. No one questioned Li Xinglun’s status. Though he was merely at the Golden Core stage, with just a single wooden sword he had defeated thirteen opponents who were each a full minor realm above him — what kind of strength was that? Today he was only at the Golden Core stage. Given time, he would reach Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, even Great Ascension. And if, at Great Ascension, he could still defeat so many higher-realm opponents alone, then his power would truly be formidable. What’s more, Li Xinglun was Changkong Zhuoyu’s disciple. With such a master, how could he remain stuck at Golden Core?
“Xuan Minglie and the Four Protectors, step forward.” Changkong Zhuoyu took a sip of spiritual tea, his brow and eyes relaxing slightly. Li Xinglun could tell his master was in a good mood.
Xuan Minglie was fine — after a great battle, he hadn’t even expended a hint of spiritual energy, standing completely intact at Changkong Zhuoyu’s lower left. The Four Protectors, however, were in a pitiful state. Though all still alive, they were carried in. The more seriously injured Black Tortoise Protector and White Tiger Protector were still spitting blood on their stretchers. Yet no one sympathized with them — everyone knew that since the first people Changkong Zhuoyu summoned were the former sect master and his most loyal Four Protectors, he clearly intended to kill them as an example to establish his authority.
Those qualified to enter the palace were all highly skilled. They all had a chance to become confidants of the new sect master. The former sect master and former Protectors — such awkward figures — were better off dead. So everyone watched them with the eyes of vultures, and some even “accidentally” stepped on the Azure Dragon Protector a few times. Struggling to speak, the Azure Dragon Protector rasped, “You despicable scum — when we’ve recovered, I’ll tear you all to pieces!”
No one cared about his words. Now that the new sect master was seated, how could they possibly have the chance to recover?
The Four Protectors themselves knew it too. Those words were nothing but bravado.
Only Xuan Minglie remained calm, as if completely unconcerned for his own life. He lifted his head and looked directly at Changkong Zhuoyu.
The man in red on the master’s seat, his brows and eyes full of cold indifference, didn’t even glance at the crowd below. Yet Xuan Minglie showed not the slightest fear — he believed the words Changkong Zhuoyu had spoken earlier. This was a man who kept his word.
Such a powerful man — who could kill him with a casual gesture — would not lie.
Xuan Minglie raised his head and quietly waited for Changkong Zhuoyu to deal with him.
The figure in red with black hair sitting on the master’s seat was, by himself, a stunning sight. The demonic palace was dominated by cool tones, and his presence brought a splash of brilliant color to this shadowy place — though that color signified life, it was still incomparably beautiful. Xuan Minglie watched for a while, and before he knew it, he became entranced.
It was said the former sect master Xue Qianjie had also worn blood-red robes and black hair, radiating unmatched splendor and peerless beauty. If Changkong Zhuoyu truly was Xue Qianjie himself, then Xuan Minglie suddenly understood why during Xue Qianjie’s thousand years as sect master, not a single person in Heaven-Shaking Sect rebelled. Such a beautiful and powerful person simply made people willingly follow him.
So before Changkong Zhuoyu could even speak, Xuan Minglie presented the token symbolizing the sect master of Heaven-Shaking Sect with both hands, knelt on one knee at Changkong Zhuoyu’s feet, and said crisply, “Xuan Minglie knows he lacks the ability to command Heaven-Shaking Sect. I now present the token and acknowledge the Venerable Lord as master.”
The demonic cultivators did not think this was shameful at all. In fact, it was the wisest course of action — it might even save his life.
Changkong Zhuoyu picked up the token and found that it was also a divine artifact. It appeared to have been carved from some kind of beast’s tooth, with the residual power of a spirit beast lingering on it, a fierce aura assaulting the senses.
“Candle Dragon’s Fang?” Changkong Zhuoyu murmured.
He hadn’t expected such an ancient treasure to still exist in Heaven-Shaking Sect. As expected, this sect had indeed been left behind by the ancient gods as a trump card against the mortal calamity — it had to be put to good use.
It was said that when the Candle Dragon opened its eyes, it became day; when it closed them, night fell. When it blew, winter came; when it exhaled, summer arrived. It could summon wind and rain, and was known as the Red-Tailed Mountain God — one of the ancient gods, the legendary god of Zhong Mountain.
“Could this be the old site of Zhong Mountain?” Changkong Zhuoyu said.
If so, then Heaven-Shaking Peak might play an extremely important role in the mortal calamity. No wonder the demonized ones had been lying in wait here for so many years.
Changkong Zhuoyu casually tossed the token back to Xuan Minglie and said blandly, “Keep it.”
Everyone was stunned, not knowing what he intended. Was he not accepting Xuan Minglie’s submission and instead insisting on killing him?
Yet the man everyone saw as a dead man — Xuan Minglie — remained calm. He accepted the token but did not rise, instead asking, “May I ask what instructions the Venerable Lord has for the five of us?”
Changkong Zhuoyu sighed and said, “Only because your strength is too weak. You carry precious treasures yet don’t know how to use them. Just now, if I hadn’t happened to be here, Heaven-Shaking Sect would already have become a demonic domain. I may no longer be the sect master of Heaven-Shaking Sect, but I can’t stand by and watch it be destroyed in the mortal calamity. So I summoned you here to teach you some methods for using the ancient divine artifacts — to strengthen Heaven-Shaking Sect.”
Everyone: “…”
Wait — was there something wrong with their ears? The current sect master wasn’t killing the former sect master and the Four Protectors — he was helping them master the divine artifacts? They must have misheard!
After speaking, Changkong Zhuoyu waved his hand, and five jade slips floated to the five of them. “Contained within are the methods for using the Sacred Beast divine artifact, the Dark Yin Bloodthirst Formation, and the Candle Dragon’s Fang. Heal as quickly as you can, and once recovered, cultivate diligently — strive to master these artifacts as soon as possible.”
Everyone’s expressions were strange — especially Xuan Minglie. He glanced at the jade slip and found it contained not only the proper arrangement for the Dark Yin Bloodthirst Formation and the usage of the Candle Dragon Fang token but also conjectures that Heaven-Shaking Peak was in fact Zhong Mountain. Changkong Zhuoyu boldly speculated that Zhong Mountain was the original body of the Candle Dragon — in other words, the Heaven-Shaking Peaks themselves were the body of the ancient divine beast, and this token, the Candle Dragon’s Fang, was the key to awakening it.
The Dark Yin Bloodthirst Formation ought to be deployed in conjunction with the Candle Dragon’s body. According to Changkong Zhuoyu’s conjecture, the true Dark Yin Bloodthirst Formation should have the power to overturn heaven and earth — it was not just a few Bloodthirst Banners trapping people, combined with the Dark Yin Bell to bewilder their minds.
Changkong Zhuoyu had written several methods in the jade slip, instructing Xuan Minglie to try to master the Dark Yin Bloodthirst Formation, the Candle Dragon’s Fang, and Heaven-Shaking Peak. If his words were true, then once Xuan Minglie could control all three, the strength he could achieve was unimaginable.
{Thus the three artifacts of the sect: the combined form of the Four Sacred Beast artifacts, the Dark Yin Bell, and the Candle Dragon's body - the mountain itself.}
“Venerable Lord…” Still kneeling, Xuan Minglie looked up at Changkong Zhuoyu in disbelief. To hand such a terrifying divine artifact into his hands — was he really unafraid that once he learned to use them, he would turn against him?
The man in red at the top raised the corners of his lips in a smile that left everyone dazed. “Sect Master Xuan — even if you could fully awaken the Candle Dragon, what could you possibly do to me?”
That smile radiated unshakable confidence. Xuan Minglie immediately lowered his head, silently berating himself for even having such a thought.
Had he not already been sufficiently awed by Changkong Zhuoyu? Even if he truly awakened the Candle Dragon, so what? He would bet that if he dared to attack Changkong Zhuoyu, the Candle Dragon would undoubtedly be under Changkong Zhuoyu’s control and turn on him instead — with even greater power than when in his own hands. Don’t ask how he knew — he’d already experienced it personally more than once!
Throughout the entire process, Li Xinglun had quietly stood behind Changkong Zhuoyu, as though he had no presence at all. But Changkong Zhuoyu seemed to sense what his disciple was thinking and asked, “Is there anyone among you who knows the Blood-Guiding Art?”
Even among demonic cultivators, the Blood-Guiding Art was an extremely dangerous and sinister art. It allowed one to completely control a person through kinship blood — even if that person reached the Great Ascension stage, they could not escape its control. To cultivate it, the practitioner had to first use themselves as the guide and control one of their own kin to learn it. The process required the practitioner to bleed extensively and to practice the Blood-Severing Art before they could fully master it. Who would willingly practice such an evil art?
When Changkong Zhuoyu asked, no one answered — only Xuan Minglie raised his eyes to glance at him.
Li Xinglun immediately caught this detail and lightly prodded Changkong Zhuoyu from behind.
Changkong Zhuoyu instantly understood and said, “I have no intention of taking over Heaven-Shaking Sect. From now on, your sect master remains Xuan Minglie. The Four Protectors — go heal and cultivate. Strive to merge the four immortal artifacts into a divine artifact before the mortal calamity arrives. Xuan Minglie, stay — I have something to ask you. As for the rest — you may all leave.”
No one had expected that Changkong Zhuoyu would not only spare the five of them but also help them strengthen their power. The Four Protectors glared viciously at the ones who had just humiliated them. Those people trembled, knowing their lives were now forfeit.
Once everyone else had left, only three people remained in the hall. This time, Xuan Minglie raised his head to meet Changkong Zhuoyu’s gaze directly and said, “Venerable Lord, I know the Blood-Guiding Art.”
~ Chapter End ~
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