Chapter 78: Three Vows
Chapter 78: Three Vows
The old man’s expression did not change as he looked at the person who spoke and asked, “Elder Feng, do you have an opinion?”
Feng Bubian clasped his hands toward the old man, then said with a serious face, “The Sect Leader had greedy thoughts, coveting things he shouldn’t have. Now he has Perished Both Body and Dao, paying with his life. That indeed settles the grudges.”
“But, I have one doubt. This fellow Daoist controls the Formation Array that can destroy the Heaven’s Gate Sect at any time. If there’s no explanation at all, wouldn’t he be like a sharp sword hanging over the heads of everyone in our Heaven’s Gate Sect from now on?”
“When everyone lives in fear, who would have the heart to cultivate?”
“So, I think… regarding this matter, this friend should give some explanation, right?”
Ling Yi looked at him. “What explanation do you want?”
Feng Bubian said calmly, “It’s simple. You hand over the method.”
Ling Yi immediately laughed.
Feng Bubian said, “Fellow Daoist, do not laugh.”
Ling Yi said, “Then should I cry for you?”
“…”
Feng Bubian looked at Ling Yi with a sincere face. “Fellow Daoist, don’t misunderstand. I’m not forcing you, nor am I greedy for anything of yours. After all, no one likes to live in danger. You understand my meaning, right?”
“So, as an Elder of the Heaven’s Gate Sect, considering the countless Sect disciples, I hope you can hand over the method to control this Formation Array. Of course, forcing you to hand it over is unrealistic and impolite, since your Grotto Abode appeared here before the Heaven’s Gate Sect.”
“But we can’t say our Heaven’s Gate Sect is forcefully occupying it either, because when we first established our Sect here years ago, this Grotto Abode had already been abandoned for many years.”
“So, my suggestion is: the area within ten miles around the Grotto Abode will be your territory. Without permission, Heaven’s Gate Sect disciples cannot enter your territory freely.”
“Beyond ten miles will be Heaven’s Gate Sect territory. If you want to enter the Heaven’s Gate Sect, you also need to have someone announce you, since… you are not a member of our Sect.”
“From now on, we will not interfere with each other. You cultivate yours, we cultivate ours. Our Heaven’s Gate Sect disciples won’t have to live in fear all the time because of this.”
As these words were spoken, many people in the Heaven’s Gate Sect nodded.
“Yes, this Formation Array is too terrifying. It can topple our Sect at any time. It’s unsettling…”
“Elder Feng considered it thoroughly!”
“Mmm, Elder Feng is thoughtful…”
“Elder Feng’s words make sense. Our lifeline can’t be held in someone else’s hands. What if he gets unhappy one day and kills whoever he wants?”
“Exactly, it’s too unsafe.”
“Elder Feng is thinking of us…”
A group of people murmured among themselves below.
The withered old man looked at Ling Yi. “What is your opinion?”
Ling Yi almost laughed in anger. How to describe this feeling?
It was like if he went to Lu Qingming and said: You’re too powerful, and you have a deep grudge against me. You’re a threat to me at any time. This definitely can’t be!
How about you teach me all your ultimate techniques, and from now on, you go your way, I go mine…
If Lu Qingming didn’t slap him into dust, that would be strange!
The Grotto Abode was first established here by my Enchantress, aiming for the Spirit Stone mine here. Now the Spirit Stones are almost dug out by you all. The Formation Array existed many years before your Heaven’s Gate Sect.
We didn’t tell your Heaven’s Gate Sect to move out and get lost, it’s just that the current Enchantress is too weak…
So we didn’t argue about who came first, but you all take an inch when given a mile, talking about within ten miles, beyond ten miles… it’s simply a joke!
This old guy from the Heaven’s Gate Sect is also an old fox. Seeing he couldn’t reverse the situation, he started playing mediator. Seeing someone raise an opinion, he kicked the ball over without hesitation.
Do you really think I’m easy to bully?
Ling Yi chuckled and said, “Fine, no problem!”
The withered old man naturally didn’t think Ling Yi would agree to such an unreasonable demand. He was thinking about what to say if Ling Yi refused.
But he suddenly heard Ling Yi’s agreeing words. He froze on the spot, his cloudy old eyes fixed on Ling Yi, almost thinking he heard wrong.
Feng Bubian also didn’t think Ling Yi would agree. He just wanted to use this chance to show his presence, giving everyone the feeling of “I am the backbone,” “Only I truly think for the Sect and for you all.”
So he was also completely unprepared for Ling Yi actually agreeing, and was a bit stunned.
What was going on?
If this kid was so easy to bully, Lian Ziqing wouldn’t have died at all, right?
“However, wanting to learn my method of controlling the Formation Array definitely requires some payment.” Ling Yi said calmly, “Once you learn to operate this Formation Array, from then on, your Heaven’s Gate Sect won’t be exactly impenetrable, but definitely not one anyone would dare to barge into. You should understand that.”
Hearing this, many people nodded subconsciously, thinking, yes, even a great expert like the Sect Leader at Peak Dao-Entry couldn’t manage it. This Formation Array is indeed terrifying!
Ling Yi said, “So, wanting to learn is no problem, but I have two conditions.”
Two glints of sharp light shot from the withered old man’s cloudy eyes as he looked at Ling Yi. “What conditions?”
“First, open your Sect’s Treasure Vault, and let me take whatever I want.” Ling Yi said.
“No!” Feng Bubian flatly refused.
What a joke! Although the Heaven’s Gate Sect isn’t some top-tier great sect, its total membership adds up to tens of thousands. Just Golden Body Realm disciples number in the hundreds.
Meridian Opening Realm and Acupoint Opening Realm disciples together number over a thousand!
Even with enormous consumption, after over a thousand years of accumulation, the Sect’s Treasure Vault still holds a huge amount of rare treasures and various cultivation resources. How could they possibly let an outsider take whatever he wants?
Today, Lian Ziqing suffered because he was too arrogant, ultimately losing his senses and choosing to turn hostile against Ling Yi inside the Sect.
If he could have temporarily endured, waited until leaving the Sect, how could a mere Meridian Opening Realm brat cause such a big commotion?
In terms of realm, Feng Bubian was inferior to Lian Ziqing, but in terms of cunning, Lian Ziqing truly wasn’t as crafty as Feng Bubian.
Ling Yi smiled, spreading his hands. “Then there’s nothing to discuss.”
The withered old man glanced at Ling Yi. Then, a voice transmission from another elderly person who hadn’t spoken yet reached his ear: “Let him take. Let him enter empty-handed. No matter how miraculous he is, a worldly youth without a Storage Artifact on him, how much can he take? The Formation Array is more important.”
The withered old man thought about it and found it reasonable. Looking at Ling Yi, he said, “You can only enter empty-handed.”
Feng Bubian immediately grew anxious, looking at the withered old man and saying, “Great Uncle Master…”
The withered old man looked at him, and Feng Bubian immediately shut his mouth.
His goal was already achieved.
His firm defense of Sect interests was witnessed by everyone present.
No one else had his courage and daring.
Now, the ones nodding in agreement weren’t him, but the two senior figures of the Sect!
Ling Yi nodded. “Alright, I’ll enter like this. I’ll take whatever catches my eye, but you must not interfere. Even if I empty your Treasure Vault, you can’t say anything.”
Oh-ho, a kid is just a kid, actually trying to scare people this way?
The withered old man smiled faintly. “As you wish!”
As long as they obtained the method to control the Formation Array, even if Ling Yi came again later, they wouldn’t fear him anymore.
At that time, who would kill whom? That would be hard to say!
Speaking of which, no matter how much Lian Ziqing brought it upon himself, he was still the Sect Leader of Heaven’s Gate Sect, the head of a Sect. How could he just die like that?
It was just that the situation forced them to lower their heads.
After this matter passed, they could plan carefully then!
Anyway, they already knew this person’s identity. If they really wanted to deal with him, where could he run?
The Enchantress in Ling Yi’s mind was laughing so hard she nearly rolled. “Oh dear, the young man finally gets it, good, good! There’s improvement. I thought the loss was big this time. Seems we can recover our losses. But ah, after this, they’ll definitely want to kill you!”
“Want benefits without paying a price? Where in the world is there such a good thing?” Ling Yi replied, then sent a flattering remark her way, “Besides, aren’t you still here?”
“Oh dear, Master, you speak so beautifully. Won’t you say a few more words for me to hear?”
Flattery was about quality, not quantity. Ling Yi looked at the gaunt elder. “The second condition is that I will pass on this method only to Elder Qian.”
“No!” Feng Bubian jumped out again.
This time, he was truly furious.
What difference did it make if you passed this method to Elder Qian versus not passing it at all?
She’s your woman, for heaven’s sake!
What a clever scheme you’ve hatched!
Feng Bubian suddenly felt a twinge of panic. He was truly afraid that all his efforts would end up benefiting someone else…
Qian Luoying calmly looked at Feng Bubian. “Why not?”
Feng Bubian’s lips twitched slightly. Did he really need to say it out loud in front of everyone?
“Anyway, it’s just not allowed. There’s no logic to it,” Feng Bubian said coldly.
Qian Luoying chuckled, then raised a hand and formed a seal with her fingers. She glanced disdainfully at Feng Bubian before adopting a serious and solemn expression. “I, Qian Luoying, hereby swear on my Dao Heart before all my fellow sect members today: Ling Yi and I are completely innocent. There is not a hint of romantic involvement between us. If there were, may my Dao Heart shatter, and may I never advance a single step in this lifetime!”
Feng Bubian froze on the spot.
The gaunt elder and another senior figure also narrowed their eyes.
The place fell silent.
“I swear again on my Dao Heart that I will never seek a Dao Companion in this lifetime. I seek only the Great Dao!”
“I further swear on my Dao Heart that unless Heaven’s Gate Sect expels me, unless this sacred land ceases to exist, from this day forward, for the rest of my life, I will never set foot outside Heaven’s Gate Sect again!”
The three vows echoed powerfully. Feng Bubian’s face changed dramatically on the spot.
The gaunt elder, the other senior figure, the other severely injured elders, and all the disciples of Heaven’s Gate Sect stared dumbfounded at Qian Luoying.
It was as if they were seeing this beautiful woman in her thirties for the very first time.
Ruthless!
Truly ruthless!
The first vow was understandable. She and Ling Yi truly had no improper relationship. It was people like Lian Ziqing who had dirty minds and misunderstood her, forcing her to swear to prove her innocence.
But the second and third vows seemed unnecessary in the eyes of many.
Too harsh!
A sect wasn’t like a temple of monks. No one required sect disciples to live a lonely, solitary life.
Cultivation emphasized method, resources, companionship, and location. This “companionship” could refer to like-minded fellow cultivators or a like-minded life partner.
The vast majority of sect members would, at an appropriate time, seek a suitable Dao Companion for themselves.
Sometimes one, sometimes several.
Those who remained truly alone were rare.
Qian Luoying was young, beautiful, and exceptionally talented. Countless people secretly admired her.
With this vow to never seek a Dao Companion, she effectively dashed all hopes anyone had for her.
How was she any different from those true ascetics?
Did she intend to grow old alone like those cultivators in temples… with only an old lamp and ancient Buddha for company?
If that was merely a personal choice in her cultivation path, then the final vow left people even more speechless.
Although many sect disciples never left the sect their entire lives, after reaching a certain level, sect disciples enjoyed relative freedom.
If they wished to travel the Mortal World to temper their hearts, no one could stop them.
But Qian Luoying had decisively blocked that path as well.
In other words, this vow trapped her within Heaven’s Gate Sect for life. She would dedicate her entire existence to the sect.
As for the loopholes in her words, almost no one took them seriously.
Why would Heaven’s Gate Sect expel a perfectly good Dao Enlightenment Master?
The sacred land ceasing to exist?
What a joke… This sacred land had existed for who knows how long. What kind of force could possibly destroy it?
If such a force existed, then the entire Heaven’s Gate Sect would probably be gone as well.
So, after Qian Luoying uttered these three vows, Feng Bubian felt utterly terrible.
How did this seemingly foolish woman suddenly become so shrewd?
No, perhaps not shrewd, but ruthless and decisive!
Could it be that she and that young man truly had nothing between them?
Feng Bubian found it hard to believe.
But daring to swear on her Dao Heart meant it must be true.
No cultivator would dare joke about such a matter.
Qian Luoying looked at Feng Bubian and asked calmly, “Elder Feng, given this, am I qualified to learn his method?”
Feng Bubian’s cheek twitched slightly. He couldn’t speak.
Qian Luoying asked again, “Elder Feng, am I qualified to learn his method?”
Ling Yi stood quietly to the side. In his mind, the Enchantress said, “Your silly sister, sigh… is quite something. To help you, she really went all out. One day, come and shatter this sacred land, and take her away with you.”
Ling Yi: “…”
Are you joking?
What kind of power could shatter a Miniature World?
Feng Bubian knew he had to respond. He forced a smile. “Heh, since Elder Qian has sworn the vows, I naturally have no objections.”
At that moment, one of the severely injured elders among the group suddenly spoke up. “Elder Qian understands righteousness deeply and is willing to dedicate her life to the sect. Such spirit commands our respect and admiration! Since that’s the case, why not simply nominate Elder Qian as the new Sect Leader?”
“Seconded.”
“Seconded.”
“Seconded.”
“…”
Feng Bubian was completely dumbfounded. The next moment, he realized what was happening and almost cursed these bastards out loud.
So you lot set her up before, nearly got her killed, and now, seeing that she’s about to grasp the lifeline of Heaven’s Gate Sect and might retaliate against you at any moment… you immediately choose to grovel? Do you have any integrity at all?
The gaunt elder pondered for a moment and then said, “This matter is not for us old bones to interfere with. Your Council of Elders can decide amongst themselves. However, I’ll share my personal thoughts. Elder Qian possesses noble character, exceptional talent, and has already reached the level of Dao Enlightenment Master at a young age. Moreover, she is willing to devote everything to the sect. If she were to become the Sect Leader, we old folks would certainly be happy to see it.”
Feng Bubian’s mentality shattered. Two words thundered in his mind like a roar—old dog! Old dog! Old dog!