Chapter 145: I’ll Go Try
Chapter 145: I’ll Go Try
The former top expert of Shoushan Sect had gone crazy over a blank piece of painting?
No matter how Fang Cun thought about it, it felt strange.
For a brief moment, even Fang Cun wanted to see that painting. Though he dismissed the thought quickly after just amusing himself with the idea. The mysteries surrounding this madman were far too many; it was hard to guess anything concrete right now…
“The painting isn’t important…”
On reflection, he looked at Young Sect Master Xu and the others as said, “So, it’s confirmed we cannot get the ‘Treasure Body Scripture’ out of him?”
His question made Young Sect Master Xu, Green Pine, and Cold Stone wince like a scab had been picked…
“We tried countless times…”
After a long pause, Elder Cold Stone sighed heavily and said, “Over these many years, we truly have tried every conceivable method we could think of. Tricking, deceiving, coaxing him – hell, we even considered finding a beautiful young fairy to seduce him once… ahem, that’s not important. What is important is that Elder Shenshan would simply fight anyone he saw! The crucial point was his immensely high cultivation. Back then, even a Divine General sent by the Turtle God King came to seize the painting in his possession, and the result… he left covering one of his eyes…”
“Exactly…”
Elder Green Pine sighed too. “Just a few years back, even Young Sect Master Xu entered the valley to beg him tearfully to pass on the method…”
Young Sect Master Xu flushed bright red. “Why bring that up?”
Fang Cun grew curious. “What happened?”
Elder Green Pine glanced at Young Sect Master Xu and sighed. “Bed-ridden for three months…”
Elder Cold Stone nodded emphatically. “Right! If I hadn’t been quick on the uptake and activated the Mountain Protection Array, this Sect Master would be gone!”
Young Sect Master Xu remained silent, utterly worn out.
“A battle-crazed lunatic then…” Fang Cun muttered, somewhat speechless himself. After a moment, he also sighed. “And a terrifyingly powerful battle-crazed lunatic…”
The two elders and the sect master looked helplessly at Fang Cun.
This matter had been repeated and attempted endlessly, yet they remained utterly helpless against Elder Shenshan in the Rear Mountain. Everyone knew the Divine Nether Body Refinement Scripture that could save Shoushan Sect was right on him! But they couldn’t pry it out. Instead, they had to care for him carefully with food and shelter just to prevent him from wandering into the kitchen to ambush the cook demanding, “What is in this painting?!”
“Anyway,” Fang Cun thought aloud after a moment, “since Shoushan Sect lacks the Body Tempering Treasure Scripture, and this Treasure Scripture is the only hope resting solely on him…”
He suddenly declared, “I’ll find time to pay him a visit!”
“Oh…” The two elders and Young Sect Master Xu nodded, then suddenly snapped to attention with a jerk. “What?!”
Fang Cun looked at them strangely. “Why are you all looking at me like I over-assess your capabilities?”
“Impossible! Impossible…” The two elders shook their heads frantically, deeply alarmed.
This wasn’t thinking you over-assess your capabilities – this was over-assessing them! While Second Young Master Fang had a great reputation, he was not his brother! Everyone presently was relying on him, so naturally felt a bit fearful. But in terms of cultivation? Forget Young Sect Master Xu; even either of us elders could easily subdue you! That lunatic overwhelmed even a Divine King’s general! Where did you get the nerve to provoke him?!
Even Young Sect Master Xu looked worried. “Second Young Master Fang, your status is special. Please do not take such risks. Elder Shenshan’s madness is worsening, and he has no restraint in his violence. He cares not for your status. If truly enraged, he might actually…” He trailed off, but Fang Cun understood.
Many feared his identity and wouldn’t dare kill him. But a madman wouldn’t care. And if something happened to him at Shoushan Sect, it could ignite a chain of reactions the sect simply couldn’t withstand.
“My mind is made up!” Watching their worry and panic, Fang Cun only smiled, his demeanor utterly relaxed. “Knowing the Treasure Body Scripture is right there in the Rear Mountain, yet everyone sits idly by watching the sect decline without exhausting every possible effort to retrieve it – how could that ever sit right?”
“This… This isn’t about exhausting effort…” Young Sect Master Xu shook his head, wanting to say more but hesitant to state things too bluntly and discourage Fang Cun.
At this moment, Fang Cun suddenly looked directly at him and said, “Remember what I told you when I bought that Spiritual Vein?”
Puzzled, the two elders asked, “What’s that?”
Young Sect Master Xu, however, paled slightly as if recalling something. After a moment of silence, hesitantly asked, “Second Young Master Fang… do you truly… have a plan?”
Fang Cun merely smiled, offering no answer.
Seeing his composure, Young Sect Master Xu found it difficult to dissuade him further. While the two elders weren’t particularly powerful, they were shrewd. Immediately sensing something, especially seeing Fang Cun’s calm expression, they inevitably thought of how this Second Young Master Fang might not be strong himself, but he had a brother once famed across the world and revered as the “Immortal Master.” Although that brother had passed away, who knew what valuable things Second Young Master Fang might still possess? After all, that shocking massacre in Willow Lake City… If he really had powerful means… Then he might truly have a chance…
Exchanging complex looks, their minds buzzing with possibilities, they too found it hard to voice further objections.
“But after all, Elder Shenshan is at the Nascent Soul Realm… sigh!” Young Sect Master Xu hesitated, then finally gave a bitter smile. “Second Young Master Fang, having such resolve, Xu Wenxin is profoundly grateful. However, it’s best to prepare thoroughly and proceed cautiously. Without the Treasure Body Scripture, at worst, Shoushan Sect merely faces hardship. But if something happens to you within our sect, I fear Shoushan Sect wouldn’t last beyond tomorrow…”
Hearing this, Fang Cun actually laughed. “Rest easy. My life is far more precious than that Treasure Body Scripture!”
With his decision final, he dismissed the sect master and the two elders, paying no mind to their obvious lingering questions. He simply gestured for tea to end the audience. Only when he was completely alone in the main hall did he slowly massage his temples, a faint smile finally appearing on his face.
…
…
That night was destined to be sleepless for many.
Especially Young Sect Master Xu and the two elders. One moment, they pictured the rosy future of Shoushan Sect reclaiming the Divine Nether Body Tempering Art if Fang Cun, full of confidence, succeeded in extracting the method from Elder Shenshan – soaring joy filled their hearts. The next moment, dread took over: what if this Second Young Master Fang slipped up and Elder Shenshan killed him? Could Shoushan Sect bear the crushing weight of that disaster?
However, the worries that kept them awake that night paled compared to the chaos they faced the next day.
Thanks to Second Young Master Fang’s fierce outburst in the mess hall the previous day, scolding the disciples until they were utterly covered in metaphorical blood, and ordering them to accumulate Merit and attend his lectures, quite a few disciples were genuinely frightened. Though the Merit task wasn’t tackled immediately, attending lectures seemed manageable. Thus, by noon, disciples from both peaks had gathered sparsely below the Lecture Boulder.
This sudden crowd threw Young Sect Master Xu and Elders Cold Stone and Green Pine into a panic…
Second Young Master Fang had set the rule. The disciples had come. But he wasn’t here! How were they supposed to hold the lecture now?
The disciples were here! Someone had to go out and say something, right?
So the two elders shoved back and forth with the sect master until finally pushing Elder Cold Stone – the one with the lowest cultivation level – out front.
Facing the waiting eyes of the disciples, Elder Cold Stone felt his heart pound. Ultimately, he had no choice but to steel himself, clear his throat, and speak coldly: “Today, I summon you all here for two important announcements. Pay close attention!”
Seeing it wasn’t Elder Fang, the disciples were also surprised, but pricked up their ears nonetheless.
Elder Cold Stone cleared his throat again, feeling utterly unsure under so many stares but had to plow ahead: “First: According to Elder Fang’s directive, starting today… myself, the Sect Master, and Elder Green Pine will begin instructing you on the Divine Nether Scriptures!”
Whoosh!
Instantly, a wave of unrest rippled through the gathered disciples below.
Shoushan Sect had lost its advanced Body Tempering Art! Any secret techniques or divine abilities related to it were useless! What was the point of learning them?
Seeing the rising commotion, Cold Stone’s own heart grew more uneasy.
But with matters already set, he could only tighten his expression, adopting an air of stern authority as he snorted coldly, “Silence! Now the second matter: From this day on, Shoushan Sect will reinstate the Ledger of Merits! All disciples are required to distinguish themselves through good deeds and cultivate virtue accordingly!”
Rustle—
Hearing this, the wave of sound became louder. As disciples, cultivating their person and character, achieving merit and virtue, were par for the course—especially among Qingjiang’s Six Great Sects, where it was standard practice. Disciples would complete meritorious tasks, and based on their Merits recorded in the Ledger, the sect would bestow techniques or Spirit Pills as rewards.
But this was Shoushan Sect! The Shoushan Sect with no techniques! The sect where elders were poorer than the disciples! You want us to accumulate Merit?
What? Write me an IOU after I do my good deeds?!
Cold Stone was an old fox. He wouldn’t give the disciples the chance to question him. Though he saw the waves of doubt in their faces, he forced himself to ignore it. Sniffing coldly, he declared, “Fine! We begin now! I shall impart to you the first secret technique passed down by your elder…”
Somehow, the first day ended.
The next day, and the following one, Young Sect Master Xu and Elder Green Pine took their turns and struggled through…
But as days passed day by day, the disciples were boiling with discontent, almost to the point of mutiny. Young Sect Master Xu and the two elders also gradually started to panic. Earlier, they had worried about whether Fang Cun was capable enough or if it was too dangerous for him to enter the Rear Mountain. But now, facing this mess that seemed increasingly impossible to clean up, they found themselves hoping deeper and deeper that Second Young Master Fang would succeed!
Without retrieving the Treasure Body Scripture, they would have absolutely no way to explain things to the disciples anymore!
However, just as the one sect master and two elders felt the pressure driving them toward virtual seclusion in the mountains, during a certain evening…
Fang Cun set down the scroll he was reading and instructed the little fox girl copying texts nearby, “Prepare yourself. I plan to pay that mad elder a visit.”
The little fox girl placed the brush in her hand neatly to the side, obediently asking, “When shall we depart?”
Fang Cun simply replied, “Tonight.”