If the techniques they received were valuable enough, the sect would naturally make a copy of them.
Everyone returned where they had come from, with the disciples of the Majestic Heaven Sect returning to the Majestic Heaven Sect. If one wasn’t from the Majestic Heaven Sect, they would return to wherever they cultivated or lived. This was the Death Valley, and there was nothing of worth apart from the Yellow Spring Mystery Realm there. People naturally didn’t want to stick around this place for too long.
Ling Han and the others didn’t leave right away. They still wanted to wait for the Rain Emperor.
However, 10 days passed, and there was still no sign of the Rain Emperor.
“Let’s go. If Second Brother has truly obtained the inheritance, he’ll naturally return when he masters his craft.”
Ling Han nodded after a brief moment of thought. Waiting here was pointless, and he had also received a command to return to the sect as quickly as possible. If this was a command from Venerable Trinity, even Empress Luan Xing wouldn’t be able to protect him if he arrived too late and offended him.
They set off for the Majestic Heaven Sect. They had the Cloud Piercing Shuttle, so their speed was incredibly quick. Although they had stayed at Death Valley for an extra 10 days, they only arrived at the sect one to two days later than everyone else.
Ling Han immediately went to the Seven Rain Hall, a hall that was located on the Cloud Piercing Peak. However, he didn’t see He Tao and the others when he reported his arrival and was summoned into the hall by a Sun Moon Tier elite. They had either come already, or they still hadn’t returned to the sect yet.
“What secret technique did you obtain in that treasure storage?” the Sun Moon Tier elite asked.
By the looks of it, Shen Zhu’er and the others had already reported to the Seven Rain Hall and recounted the events of the mystery realm. This wasn’t strange. However, did they truly report the secret techniques that they had received?
Or did they report some random cultivation technique to conceal the truth?
Ling Han was slightly hesitant. ‘Should I hand the Star Plucking Step over?’
He had mulled over this movement technique while waiting at the Death Valley and returning to the sect. However, even though he had completed a dozen or so days of comprehension under the Reincarnation Tree, he still wasn’t able to grasp it. In fact, he was still quite a distance away from being able to grasp it.
From this fact alone, one could imagine just how high-grade this movement technique was.
‘Should I hand it over for nothing?’
“Hehe, rest assured, the sect won’t take your secret technique for nothing. We’ll definitely compensate you fairly,” the Sun Moon Tier elite said.
‘Even if I want to hand over another secret technique to hide the Star Plucking Step, there’s nothing suitable.’
None of the Nine Dragons Tyrant Body Art, Annihilating Dragon Star Arrow, and Universal Eight Desolation Technique was necessarily less valuable than the Star Plucking Step. In fact, they were perhaps even more valuable.
Thus, he pondered for a moment before saying, “I received a movement technique called the Star Plucking Step.”
“Mm-hm, write the secret technique out,” the Sun Moon Tier elite urged. “We’ll reward you based on its quality.”
Ling Han nodded, and then started to write the movement technique onto paper.
After writing for a while, he was surprised to discover that a portion of the inheritance couldn’t be written in words. It was something that could be understood, but not described. No amount of words or writing would be able to encapsulate it. However, if this portion was left out, the might of the movement technique would decrease dramatically.
He was slightly taken about. However, he immediately decided to let it go. He wasn’t interested in the reward from the sect anyway.
He continued to write, and it wasn’t long before he finished.
“Done?” the Sun Moon Tier elite asked. He took the copy and immediately sealed it with a decree, not even flipping through it. The decree seal would make it easy to detect whether someone had read the copy before it reached its target recipient.
“You can leave now. You’ll receive your reward once the grade of this movement technique is determined.”
Ling Han nodded and bowed respectfully before leaving.
He was a very busy person.
He had to study pill recipes, and he also had to practice movement techniques. Moreover, he was nearing the peak stage of the pinnacle level, and he would have to comprehend Regulations of the Sun Moon Tier after reaching it. This would definitely be time-consuming.
He felt like there wasn’t enough time.
Ling Han cultivated earnestly in reclusion, comprehending pill recipes at times, and practicing the Star Plucking Step at others. Time slowly crept by.
However, a hidden turbulence silently swirled through the sect, becoming more and more serious by the day.
Gao Huang lodged a complaint to the sect, accusing Ling Han of wantonly killing fellow disciples and seizing Thousand Source True Fluid that originally belonged to the Gao Faction.
News of this had originally been confined to the higher-ups, with not many people aware of the complaint. However, it suddenly spread throughout the entire Majestic Heaven Sect, and every single disciple was now aware of the situation.
The sect instantly erupted in uproar.
Killing fellow disciples was a massive taboo, and it was an action that would draw scorn and disdain.
However, many disciples had witnessed the battle on the Eagle Beak Mountain and seen a portion of the truth. Ling Han had suppressed the masses and obtained four drops of Thousand Source True Fluid. As for whether the members of the Gao Faction had died by Ling Han’s hands, no one knew. This battle had occurred after the battle for the Thousand Source True Fluid, so no one had been around to witness it.
Moreover, the Majestic Heaven Sect had Sun Moon Tier disciples in addition to Mountain River Tier disciples, and only a portion of people had been at Eagle Beak Mountain to witness the battle. Rumors about Ling Han killing fellow disciples for Thousand Source True Fluid was swirling about, and after a while, these rumors gradually became the truth.
Killing fellow disciples and stealing their treasures was an abhorrent act. Ling Han’s rising reputation was instantly crushed, and many people expressed their disdain for him.
Was such a person worthy of remaining in their sect?
A growing number of voices called for Ling Han to be punished severely. Otherwise, the anger of the masses would be unsated.
Chapter 1200 - Analysis
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Ling Han generally stayed in the Black Tower and cultivated under the Reincarnation Tree, so he was naturally unaware of the huge commotion outside. It was only when he prepared to go to the Mo Clan Establishment to collect some pills and pay his debt that he was stopped by Shui Yanyu and informed of the situation.
“Them again?” Ling Han said, a cold look in his eyes.
This was the same as what had happened at the Chaotic Stars Majestic Empire. Zhao Lun had lodged a false accusation against him, and he had been put on a public trial by the army. Fortunately, the empress had issued a decree that exonerated him. In fact, she had even seized the opportunity to execute a bunch of corrupt officials.
However, due to the sensitivity of Zhao Lun’s status, even the empress hadn’t dealt with him.
This was partly because the matter hadn’t been too serious. Moreover, there hadn’t been a relationship between Ling Han and the empress at that time. If such an event were to occur now, the empress would probably deal with Zhao Lun swiftly and mercilessly.
If Great General Zhao dared to oppose her, she would execute him along with his son!
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t executed Heavenly Body Tier generals before.
However, this was the Majestic Heaven Sect, and the em
press’ influence couldn’t reach this far. Even if she came over to help Ling Han, there was still a mountain-esque Eternal River Tier elite keeping watch over the sect.
Who in this galaxy could challenge an Eternal River Tier elite?
Ling Han humphed, and said, “They’re twisting the truth and completely fabricating stories. How shameless!”
He had obtained the four drops of Thousand Source True Fluid himself, and this was a fact that many people knew. Regarding the people from the Gao Faction, it was Shi Ming who had chosen to unleash power at the Sun Moon Tier. However, his action had led to him being attacked and killed by the restriction of the mystery realm.
Meanwhile, the other members of the group had been killed by the rain of blood and bones that had formed when Shi Ming exploded and died. He hadn’t laid a single finger on them.
Yet, they had put all of these deaths on his head?
“Gao Huang… is such a shameless person!” There was a cold glint in Ling Han’s eyes. He had come across shameless people before, yet he had never come across someone as shameless and flagrant as Gao Huang. He had forcefully twisted the truth to fit his own narrative.
“Right now, the problem is that everyone in the sect is talking about how you massacred fellow disciples and stole their Thousand Source True Fluid,” Shui Yanyu said anxiously.
Ling Han shook his head, and said, “There’s no need to worry about the matter regarding the Thousand Source True Fluid. A great deal of people witnessed me obtaining it. Anyhow, who’s willing to believe that the Gao Faction can obtain four drops of Thousand Source True Fluid all by themselves?”
“Mm-hm!” Shui Yanyu nodded in realization. She had been extremely worried, so she hadn’t been able to analyze the situation as calmly and clearly as Ling Han.
“The more pressing issue is the death of Shi Ming and the others.” Ling Han rubbed his chin, and continued, “After all, no one witnessed that battle. Even if someone did witness it, it’s extremely likely that they’re not a disciple of the Majestic Heaven Sect. Thus, it’s even more unlikely that they’ll step forward to act as a witness for me.”
This was a vast galaxy with billions upon billions of people, so where would they find a witness—if there was even one? Moreover, witnesses could be bought off. In terms of wealth, Ling Han was definitely no match for the entire Gao Faction that had the support of a Heavenly Body Tier elite.
Although Shui Yanyu and Hu Feiyun had also witnessed the battle, they had extremely close relationships with Ling Han. Thus, even if they offered witness statements, they would merely be dismissed as biased toward Ling Han.
“Anyhow, being as shameless as Gao Huang is, he’ll probably find a few people to pose as witnesses. They’ll claim that they personally saw me killing those Gao Faction members.” Ling Han speculated what kinds of methods Gao Huang might use.
“What can we do?” Shui Yanyu asked anxiously. This was the Majestic Heaven Sect, so the Gao Faction was definitely very influential.
Ling Han pondered for a moment before saying, “Even the Gao Faction can’t shut out the heavens with one hand. This is the Majestic Heaven Sect, after all, not the Gao Faction! However, whether or not this matter can be resolved depends on whether the other eight factions are willing to weigh in on it. It also depends on Venerable Trinity’s attitude.”
Shui Yanyu composed herself, and also started to analyze the situation, saying, “Venerable Trinity has nine disciples in total, and each has their own faction. Out of the other eight factions, there are definitely a few that are hostile to the Gao Faction. We don’t need all of them, and we’ll be able to resist the Gao Faction if just one of them is willing to help.”
“Correct. However, why should they help us? What’s in it for them?” Ling Han smiled, and said, “They’re not my wives, so they’re not always thinking about what’s in my best interests.”
He pulled Shui Yanyu into an embrace. He had been busy with cultivation and comprehension these past few days, so he hadn’t had a chance to “show love” to this bewitching beauty. Now that her soft and shapely body was pressed against him, he couldn’t help but feel aroused.
Shui Yanyu felt a little annoyed, and she naturally blamed Ling Han for being so “heartless”—he had ignored her for an entire fortnight. However, he had actually become aroused at this moment. She truly didn’t know what to say.
“Come, it’s only right that we discuss important matters in bed!”
After some passionate love-making, Ling Han embraced Shui Yanyu in satisfaction, and said, “Everyone knows that I obtained a few drops of Thousand Source True Fluid. If I want to seek help from any of the other factions, they’ll probably ask for Thousand Source True Fluid in return.”
Shui Yanyu nodded, and said, “Gao Huang is probably trying to force you into submission as well. He wants you to willingly hand him the Thousand Source True Fluid.”
“Mm-hm. Even though I’ve got yet to meet him, his actions reveal that he’s a cold-blooded person. He doesn’t give a toss about his subordinates’ lives, as long as they can fulfill his goals.” Ling Han humphed, and said, “Right now, he’s stuck at the peak stage of the Sun Moon Tier. If he doesn’t obtain any Thousand Source True Fluid, he might need over a million years to reach the Heavenly Body Tier. In fact, there’s a possibility that he’ll be stuck at the Sun Moon Tier forever.”
“So, he’ll definitely do everything he can to snatch your Thousand Source True Fluid!” Shui Yanyu exclaimed in astonishment.
Ling Han chuckled coldly, and said, “He’s truly a wild dog. I’ll need to up my guard, or it really will be troublesome if I’m bitten by him.”
“Can’t he wait for next time?” Shui Yanyu asked in irritation.
Ling Han shook his head, and said, “How can a despicable person like him keep his calm after seeing four drops of Thousand Source True Fluid placed in front of him? Moreover, even though I’m a seed, I’ve come to the Immortal Realm from a small world. In other words, I’m the easiest to pick on.”
The other five king tiers had each obtained a drop of Thousand Source True Fluid as well, meaning Gao Huang would be able to obtain another five drops if he were able to force all of them to give their drop up. This would be more than what Ling Han had.
Nine drops of Thousand Source True Fluid was better than four, right? It would definitely increase his chance of breaking through to the Heavenly Body Tier. So, why didn’t he target Shen Zhu’er and the others? This was because their background was too powerful. Gao Huang was merely afraid of offending them.
“But doesn’t the empress… hold you in high regard?” Shui Yanyu asked. She struggled to come up with words to describe their relationship. The relationship between Ling Han and the empress was very fuzzy, after all.
“Heh, although the empress helped me before, everyone thought that she had left a spiritual mark on the Ninth King’s body. They thought that the Ninth King had asked her for help,” Ling Han said.
This made a world of difference. If the Heavenly Body Tier elite didn’t want to help Ling Han, Gao Huang would only have to face the Ninth King. If that were the case, what would he need to be afraid of? Even if they did want to help, they would both have Heavenly Body Tier elites supporting them. Moreover, it was clear that Gao Fang—who had an Eternal River Tier master—was more impressive.
“So you’re saying that we have to deal with this ourselves?” Shui Yanyu asked uneasily.
“Mm-hm!” Ling Han nodded, and then said, “Don’t worry, if they truly piss me off, I’ll chuck Notionless Saint out. Although he’s lost his saintly might, he was once a Saint, after all. Using him to frighten people should be fine.”
Shui Yanyu nodded and finally felt a little more at ease.
However, Ling Han knew that he wouldn’t be able to use Notionless Saint. He had already refined his own saintly might for his future disciple, so how could he deter Eternal River Tier elites? In fact, could he even deter Heavenly Body Tier elites?
He had only said this to reassure Shui Yanyu.
Chapter 1201 - Conflict
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Ling Han decided to roll with the punches. Although the sect was flooded with rumors that demonized him, those who were objective and intelligent would be able to see through them easily. Ling Han believed that those who were talented enough to enter the Majestic Heaven Sect were all relatively smart people. Thus, such rumors would eventually run out of steam.
He still went to the Mo Clan Establishment as planned, and he sold them a large number of alchemical pills. He also made a copy of a pill recipe. It was an ancient recipe, and it was very likely that it was already lost in the outside world. Thus, he could probably sell it for a good price.
Regarding the Thousand Source True Fluid, he decided to sell it as well.
‘Don’t you really want these, Gao Huang? Well, I’m not going to give them to you, and I’m even going to make you lose face.’
Ling Han genuinely didn’t need these four drops of Thousand Source True Fluid.
They could aid one’s comprehension, but they couldn’t increase one’s cultivation level. Cultivating under the Reincarnation Tree couldn’t improve one’s comprehension, but this could be made up for with time. Perhaps one or two days of comprehension wouldn’t be enough, but what about eight or 10 years of comprehension?
In a sense, the Reincarnation Tree had similar effects to Thousand Source True Fluid. Moreover, its beneficial effects could be used endlessly.
Thus, Ling Han naturally wanted to sell his four drops of Thousand Source True Fluid. That way, he could increase his wealth and purchase more Godly metal to raise the grade of his Divine Demon Sword.
Anyhow, Ling Han was destined to be a poor sod before he evolved the material of his Divine Demon Sword to Divine Metal. All of his money would be spent on the Divine Demon Sword. However, the might of his Divine Demon Sword was already starting to show itself—it possessed a battle prowess that was no weaker than his.
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