Chapter 390: 217, Ruan Baimei’s betrayal, you are not him (seeking subscription)_2
In the Aristocratic Families, Ruan Baimei’s identity was irreplaceable, so the Chief and even the Sect Leader Position would definitely belong to Ruan Baimei.
As for Ruan Baimei’s Taibai Immortal Body, although this Immortal Body was strong, it was merely an enhancement and didn’t play a decisive factor.
Anyone who could compete for the Sect Leader’s Position was undoubtedly a Pride of Heaven with exceptional talent.
Even if their talent was significantly less than Ruan Baimei’s, it was not an insurmountable gap. Furthermore, these individuals had the advantage of a head start, and their age was sufficient to compensate for the disparity in talent.
Keep in mind, Song Knife was just the seventh Chief of the original Master and Disciple Lineage.
Competing with these people would be extremely difficult for Ruan Baimei, and bringing Xu Xing back to the Sect would lead to even more unimaginable consequences.
"Senior Uncle, who said your nephew intends to bring Xu Xing back to the Sect?"
Ruan Baimei lifted the Tea Cup, the thick steam obscuring half his face, making his expression unclear. He took a shallow sip of tea, his tone utterly indifferent, devoid of any emotion.
"Befriending Xu Xing..."
"Is merely a step toward gaining Ren Yuanrui’s acknowledgment."
He set down the Tea Cup. The steam dissipated, revealing his handsome and refined features.
"The Art of War emphasizes the combination of the illusory and the real. Senior Uncle, you are worrying too much."
In the Stone Pavilion, Ruan Baimei’s figure vanished, leaving only this lingering echo.
「Wangchuan Sea, Outer Sea.」
「On a Nameless Island.」
The five fist-sized drops of Fresh Blood floating before Xu Xing vanished, leaving only the damaged half of a Substitute Puppet.
The Five Ghosts Heavenly Spell can no longer sense Song Knife’s presence.
It seems he is truly dead.
Xu Xing opened his eyes and glanced at the Substitute Puppet, a flicker of pain crossing his face.
The Substitute Puppet before him was missing an arm and both legs, with only its broken upper torso remaining.
The Difficult Victory Technique could eliminate a thousand enemies but at the cost of eight hundred to oneself.
I was fortunate to escape unharmed, with only the Substitute Puppet taking the damage.
This Substitute Puppet was originally what I intended to use to contact Kuimen Daoist Lord. I didn’t expect plans to change so drastically, forcing me to expend this Treasure on the matter of killing Song Knife.
However, I don’t regret it.
Song Knife was a major threat and an old enemy. Killing him has resolved one of my significant concerns.
Then there’s Ruan Baimei...
This person appears to have lofty and pure aspirations, but he might be a profoundly treacherous individual disguised as loyal... I must be cautious around him and avoid falling into his schemes.
Xu Xing’s eyes glinted faintly.
Before deciding to kill Song Knife, he had already communicated with Ruan Baimei. He had considered that if he failed to kill Song Knife on the battlefield and allowed him to escape back to the Flying Feather Immortal Palace, the repercussions of his audacious move would be enormous.
Song Knife was a Chief of the Sect. Regardless of his motives, killing a fellow disciple—or, as a renounced disciple, killing a former enemy—was an unforgivable offense in the eyes of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace.
It was highly probable that the Flying Feather Immortal Palace would issue a warrant for his arrest afterward.
Therefore, communicating with Ruan Baimei in advance had been essential. The consequences of the same act could vary greatly depending on who was involved. With Ruan Baimei’s intervention, even if he were convicted, the severity of the issue would be greatly reduced, turning a major problem into a minor one, or even nothing at all. This would also allow him to learn the Sect’s intentions in advance.
Moreover, my actions this time were also to ensure Sect Master Ren Yuanrui notices me...
If I’m hunted by the Sect, then I won’t need to concern myself with the Sect Master’s Inheritance any longer; I’ll simply relinquish it.
With my Resources and inheritance, I have enough to reach the Nascent Soul Saint Monarch realm, even if the path is fraught with difficulties.
His killing of Song Knife was not merely due to old grudges; he had another purpose. It was to force Sect Master Ren Yuanrui to make a decision: whether or not to hand over the Sect Master’s Inheritance to him.
After all, the decision to make Song Knife his whetstone had been made by Ren Yuanrui himself.
Killing Song Knife, in this context, isn’t a crime.
A gentleman’s word is his bond; once given, it cannot be retracted. This applies all the more to a judgment made by the former Sect Master.
Ren Yuanrui had retired through proper procedures, not been deposed. Therefore, his previous decisions were still valid.
Ren Yuanrui was a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord and the former Sect Master. Although suppressed by the Two Sage Monarchs, it didn’t mean he was without any means to counter them. It was certain that Ren Yuanrui still held considerable power.
If I am hunted down, it will prove Ren Yuanrui has no intention of protecting me. In that case, I need not concern myself with the Sect Master’s Inheritance any longer.
In that scenario, I should make my decision quickly and prepare for matters concerning Nascent Soul formation.
To be hunted by the Sect meant confronting the entire might of a Higher Teaching... No one could overturn such a situation.
If Ren Yuanrui truly allows me to fall into such a predicament, it will indirectly prove that circumstances have changed, and he no longer intends to pass the Sect Master’s Inheritance to me.
It’s just a pity that I didn’t manage to get Song Dao and Funeral Halberd Old Man’s Storage Bags.
After all that hard fighting, I only obtained Nan Lu’s Storage Bag.
However, Nan Lu’s Storage Bag contains the Human Yuan Fruit, an invaluable Treasure, making it the most precious gain.
In the Cave Mansion, Xu Xing calmed his mind, pushed aside further thoughts, and took out a Storage Bag. He then began to inspect the treasures he had retrieved from Nan Lu’s Storage Bag.
Previously, the situation had been urgent. After breaking the Magic Power imprint on Nan Lu’s Storage Bag, he had immediately discarded any items that might contain Positioning Arrays. He hadn’t had time to examine the remaining items closely, so he had transferred all of them into a new, separate Storage Bag.
Shaoqing.
He emptied the contents of that Storage Bag, and the items nearly filled the entire cave.
Besides nearly two hundred Spirit Pearls, there were also various Demon Way Magical Artifacts and Jade Slips.
Apart from these, two Jade Boxes were the most noteworthy.
Xu Xing recalled that Nan Lu had stored these two Jade Boxes separately from the other items.