Chapter 2 - Plans

At the top of Mount Tian, the highest peak of the Sky Reaching Mountains, was the Sect Master Mansion.

Walking inside its corridors were Yu Weiyuan and the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder was a decrepit old man. His disheveled hair, so long it touched the ground, had a dusty gray colour. He was all skin and bones, without nearly any muscle. His face was full of wrinkles, each of them being a trace of time and vicissitudes. Yet, despite his messy appearance, the Grand Elder, exuded dignity, forcing respect onto all who looked at him.

The Grand Elder spoke first: "Little Wei... No, I can't call you that anymore." he sighed. "Sect Master, this is will be your living quarters going forward."

"This is where your Master lived before you, and his master before him." The Grand Elder's eyes travelled across the walls, full of nostalgia. "I hope you'll honor their memories by making our sect stand on the highest peaks."

"I know you can."

Yu Weiyuan only nodded. He knew words alone wouldn't prove anything: ne needed actions. Hence, he didn't say anything.

He took a deep breath, inhaling the air of the mansion, feeling its spirituality permeating his body from all its pores, travelling through the thousands of Qi Vessels surrounding his Dantian in a cycle.

'The concentration of Spiritual Qi in the Sect Master's Mansion is at least ten times higher than that of the Prime Disciple Residence...'

'My cultivation will be even smoother in the future. Not that I had difficulties before.'

He shook away these thoughts and said:

"How did Master die?"

The Grand Elder stopped walking, his visage becoming increasingly somber.

"The late Sect Master died in an ambush of the Myriad Demon Temple."

Yu Weiyuan's brows furrowed. "Master was at the Middle Stage of the Void Amalgamation Realm. How can the Myriad Demon Temple kill him? They don't even have a cultivator at the Early Stage of the Void Amalgamation Realm, how can they suddenly kill one at the Middle Stage?"

"We had heard news of a Secret Realm with a Spiritual Garden inside at the border of our territory with that of the Myriad Demon Temple. The late Sect Master wanted to take control of it in order to prepare more resources for the soon to be coming recruitment of disciples."

"It was a trap wasn't it?" Yu Weiyuan asked, a hint of killing intent flashing between his eyes.

"It was." The Grand Elder answered with gritted teeth. "The Secret Realm was already controlled by the Myriad Demon Temple since long before. They trapped the Sect Master inside with a Blood Killing Array and seven of their Divine Transformation Elders."

"Why did Master come to check the Secret Realm?" Yu Weiyuan pondered. "He could have given this task to one of the Elders."

The Grand Elder sighed. "Originally, the Secret Realm was guarded by a Spiritual Beast at the Peak of the Divine Transformation Realm."

Yu Weiyuan's eyes narrowed. "That means the Myriad Demon Temple had a method to control the Spiritual Beast. They forced Master's appearance with it. They knew he would have wanted to cut losses."

He massaged his right temple with his thumb. "Who released the news of the Secret Realm? Did anyone other than us knew of it?"

The Grand Elder's eyes widened. "You are thinking-"

"Yes." Yu Weiyuan interrupted. "I think we have a traitor in our midst."

"It was Elder Yang Shirong of the Law Enforcement Hall. In a Sect Meeting, he said one of his disciples came across the Secret Realm while training outside." said the Grand Elder with heavy sigh.

"And to my knowledge, the other sects didn't know of the Secret Realm."

Silence filled the corridor after the Grand Elder's words.

The Grand Elder looked at Yu Weiyuan only to see a baleful aura emanating from his body. It was oversaturated with a desire to kill so deep one could see strands of red-black energy forming in the air.

'This is... Killing Intent forming Murderous Qi... Little Wei has reached this level now?'

Then, as if this aura was nothing but lie, it disappeared like dew before the morning sun.

'Such control!' The Grand Elder exclaimed in his mind.

"Don't alert Yang Shirong, Grand Elder." Yu Weiyuan ordered while forming a ball of Spiritual Qi above his hand.

"I will use him like the pawn he is and avenge Master." He clenched his fist ruthlessly, crushing the ball of Qi, imagining it was a skull instead.

The Grand Elder began "You mean to-"

"I want to catch all eggs in one basket." Yu Weiyuan interrupted once more, ruthlessness filling his eyes. "Tell me the number of our trustable effectives in the Divine Transformation Realm."

The Grand Elder listed "Yang Shirong is the only suspect. I'm certain of the integrity of the other Elders of the Divine Transformation Realm. Twelve in total. Among them, five, me included, were close confidents of the Late Sect Master."

"Good." Yu Weiyuan said. "Release news of my Immortal Spiritual Root to Yang Shirong."

The Grand Elder exclaimed "What?! Only the Late Sect Master and myself were in the know about your talent. If you reveal it, you will put yourself at risk-"

The Grand Elder stopped, as if to realize something. "You want to use yourself as a bait?!"

"Precisely." Yu Weiyuan declared, the ruthlessness in his eyes intensifying. "But the strength of the Peak Stage of the Golden Core Realm is not enough. Tell the Elders I will enter seclusion, and let the news of my talent simmer and reach the Myriad Demon Temple."

Wisp of red-black Murderous Qi started to flow out of Yu Weiyuan's body as he declared: "When I exit my seclusion, It will be time for slaughter."