Chapter 123: Sect attack!
Inside the dimly lit inn, the air was thick with tension, as four figures sat around a low wooden table.
They wore dark robes, their faces concealed behind black hoods, but the overwhelming pressure of their Qi saturated the room.
It was clear they were no ordinary cultivators.
The innkeeper and any other guests had long since fled, sensing the terrifying aura of the four peak-level cultivators who now occupied the space.
That's right, there were peak level master cultivators.
Each one of them was a Nascent Soul cultivator, a realm where life force became near-limitless, and the soul could separate from the body... an attainment only those at the pinnacle of cultivation could hope to reach.
( You can separate soul from body at soul wandering realm, realm below nascent soul )
These were no simple old hermit-type cultivators.
They were the last remnants of the ancient and forgotten Huan family, a bloodline of unparalleled talent that had vanished from history thousands of years ago.
Their existence, long erased from the minds of the world, was known only to the most learned of scholars... and now they had gathered for a singular purpose which is treasure.
One of the figures leaned forward, his voice cold and dripping with greed. "It's been thousands of years... The treasures of the ancients must still be beneath the Blooming Flower Sect. Hidden there, waiting for us,"
( in case u forgot blooming flower sect is Mc's sect name )
His words sent a shiver through the room, but the other three remained silent for a moment, contemplating the enormity of what was at stake. The Blooming Flower Sect had been a powerful and wealthy sect in ancient times, and its hidden treasures were said to rival those of the greatest dynasties.
Their sect might be long degraded, but legends of their wealth had never died in hearts of old people.
The second figure, a man with a sinister smirk visible beneath his hood, spoke next.
"Indeed. It's time we go and claim what's ours. I'm at the 8th stage of Nascent Soul realm, just a step away from ascending to the upper world..." He chuckled darkly.
"Once I secure these treasures, I'll cross the threshold. And of course, I'll need fresh and young Dao partners when I reach the upper realm..." he adds with a creepy sinister smile.
His vile thoughts oozed from his words, but the others didn't react.
They were no better.
Ambition, greed, and desire clouded their hearts as much as his.
The third man, who somewhat exuded an aura of intelligence and wisdom, interrupted with a measured tone.
"Stop with your petty lusts, brother. I don't think we've gathered here just to fantasize about treasures and Dao partners. The Blooming Flower Sect's real treasure isn't something we can just walk into. It's protected by powerful runes and is under thousand of feets. We're not dealing with something that brute force can solve...
Last time we went there, we couldn't even figure out the runes that was protecting it,"
The others fell silent, knowing he was right. The treasures might be there, but the runes guarding them were another matter entirely. These weren't simple barriers... No, these runes were carved with the essence of both Heaven and Earth, far beyond the understanding of common cultivators.
Even those in the Nascent Soul realm would struggle against such power.
But the final figure, who had remained quiet until now, let out a slow, eerie laugh. "Oh, don't worry about the runes," he said with a creepy grin.
"I've taken care of that,"
The other three turned to him, their eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"What do you mean?" the second brother asked.
The fourth man leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying the suspense he'd created.
"I've gathered someone who can break the runes for us. Someone with the skill and knowledge we lack. I have secured the help of Rune Grandmaster Ning Chou..."
For a short moment, the room was silent, the three others processing the weight of those words.
"Ning Chou?" the first brother echoed in disbelief.
"Ning Chou!?" the second brother repeated, his voice rising in shock.
The third brother's expression darkened, his brows furrowing. "That bastard... You managed to convince him?"
Ning Chou! He is HIM.
Ning Chou's name was feared and respected throughout the cultivation world. A Rune Grandmaster who had once reached heights that few could even dream of.
His mastery over runes was said to rival the gods themselves, and yet, he had vanished from the world long ago, taking an oath never to assist another in such matters.
For centuries, no one had seen him, and his whereabouts had become a mystery.
"How did you get him to break his oath?" the first brother asked, his tone skeptical.
The fourth brother's smile widened. "Money talks, and humans walk," he said with a dark chuckle.
"I offered him something far more valuable than riches... Keke! I offered him a chance to study the ancient knowledge hidden within those runes. Knowledge that even he couldn't resist,"
The third brother stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Knowledge, hmm... So he agreed to help!"
"Agreed? He's already on his way to the sect. But let me be clear," the fourth man added, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper, "we can't trust him. Once he's broken the runes and the treasures are all ours, we'll kill him. No one will know, and we'll keep the treasures for ourselves."
The second brother let out a bark of laughter. "Ha! A fitting end for that old fool... I heard he likes men and women equal, he deserves hundred death!"
The first brother, who had remained silent during the exchange, finally spoke. His voice was calm, but there was a deadly edge to it.
"Brotherhood, huh? I see we're all eager to betray even the ones we've allied with... How can I be sure that I won't be betrayed!?"
They all knew the truth. Brotherhood was an illusion.
In the cultivation world, the only thing that truly mattered was power, and each of them would sacrifice even their closest blood relative if it meant securing that power for themselves.
The idea of 'brotherhood' among these four was a joke, a facade they barely bothered to maintain.
---
( Donate me castle and I will shoot my brother with Glock that is in my back pocket... Or I might do a mass school shooting!)
---
"Hmph, don't fool yourselves," the third brother said, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Once we get the treasure, I'm sure none of us will be thinking of sharing it equally. Just remember, if you try to backstab me... I'll take you down with me..."
The tension increased, but beneath it all was a shared understanding; they were all monsters wearing human skins, bound together only by their greed for the ultimate treasure beneath the Blooming Flower Sect.
And so, with their plan set, the four brothers got up from the table, their dark robes shifting with the movement, their faces still obscured by shadow.
The power they exuded shook the very foundations of the inn, the air crackling with suppressed energy.
As they left, their eyes filled with the promise of bloodshed, one thing was clear... Soon, the Blooming Flower Sect would be nothing more than a memory.
Or is it?
---
Meanwhile,
Ning Chou, The Rune Grandmaster, who is on the verge of reaching Rune Saint, was in front of the Blooming Flower sect.
And in front of him was none other than Jin.
"What a strong devil's presence... You aren't an ordinary gatekeeper, are you?" Ning Chou asked, his hands already emitting strong runes capable of blurring the space.
Crack!
Crack!
"Oh! It seems we have got a good guest with us..." Jin cracked his neck to let loose.
"It seems talk is meaning less then..." Ning Chou released powerful golden sealing rune.
The Rune was on top of Jin's head for some moment before shattering into million pieces.
"What a great power..." Jin clapped his hands to provoke Ning Chou.
At the same time, Ning Chou's eyes narrowed as the powerful rune shattered effortlessly around Jin. "So you are more than just a lowly gatekeeper," he mused, his voice betraying a hint of impressed curiosity.
Without warning, Ning Chou's hands blurred, weaving a series of complex runes in the air. The symbols shimmered and pulsed with arcane energy, forming a swirling vortex that crackled with lightning.
"Heavenly Thunder Binding Runes!" Ning Chou roared on top of his lungs, his voice resonating with power. He thrust his palms forward, unleashing the tempest of runes directly at Jin.
"oh!"
The gatekeeper's eyes enlarged as the attack bore down on him, but he reacted with lightning speed.
Swoosh!
Whirling into a flurry of movement, Jin dodged the runes effortlessly, his body blurring as he closed the distance between them.
Clang!
Their fists collided in a thunderous clash, the shockwave rippling outward and shattering the nearby walls of the sect's entrance.
Jin pushed forward, his demonic aura flaring as he tried to overpower the Rune Grandmaster.
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