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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 94: The One Being Trapped is You
The gathering was lively, with both host and guests enjoying themselves. Throughout the banquet, Kun Ru Tao shared many stories, most of which were related to Xuming Hall, while Zuo Dao played the role of a good listener.
Perhaps due to being accepted as a disciple by Second Elder Su Ziqing, Kun Ru Tao was quite relaxed. The aura he unconsciously exuded made Zuo Dao feel that he was someone with a story to tell.
Listening to his senior brother's words, Zuo Dao realized that Doushuai Palace was not as indifferent to the world as people often thought; they would still take action if there were sufficient benefits involved. The competition within the palace was even more brutal, where failures had no chance of recovery.
Since ancient times, there has been a saying that in literature there is no first, and in martial arts there is no second. This ironclad rule weighed heavily on the heads of cultivators. Kun Ru Tao had previously lived cautiously, appearing rather bland. However, once he showed signs of being able to compete for dominance, it would quickly attract the attention of others in the hall.
The Dan Immortal Master also enjoyed resources within Doushuai Palace, but these resources were tiered. There was a progressive phenomenon between ordinary disciples, elite disciples, and Elder Disciples. Unless one was exceptionally talented, a failure would not earn respect within Doushuai Palace.
"Senior brother, I really don’t know what to do today," Kun Ru Tao said, already feeling a bit tipsy. Normally, cultivators did not have issues with intoxication, but today Kun Ru Tao was genuinely happy and did not mind the slight inebriation. More importantly, Zuo Dao gave him a sense of warmth and familiarity.
Zuo Dao also noticed this phenomenon about himself; unless it was an irreconcilable enemy, it was generally difficult for others to harbor malice towards him. He attributed this to the cultivation method he practiced.
"If you don't know what to do, then just let it all be in the wine cup," Zuo Dao laughed heartily and raised his glass.
As they were drinking, someone suddenly pushed the door open and entered. Just when they were enjoying their drinks, Kun Ru Tao's expression darkened upon seeing the newcomer.
"I didn't expect you to be here, Kun Shidi. I thought it was just a joke from the shopkeeper," the newcomer said politely, though his facial expression betrayed his true feelings.
The newcomer was indeed a handsome young man; unfortunately, his Peach Blossom Eyes undermined his overall demeanor, giving him an effeminate air that turned him from a good man into a schemer.
"Xie Furen, can't you see I'm drinking with a friend?" Kun Ru Tao replied coldly without showing any friendliness.
"Xie Furen?" Hearing Kun Ru Tao's words made Zuo Dao repeat it with a laugh.
Upon hearing Zuo Dao's remark, Xie Furen understood his implication but had come specifically to provoke Kun Ru Tao. The more excessive Kun Ru Tao's reaction was, the more excuses Xie Furen would have.
"It seems your friends aren't worth much! They lack even basic manners," Xie Furen suppressed his anger.
"Are you feeling alright?" Before Kun Ru Tao could respond, Zuo Dao casually remarked, causing him to burst into laughter.
"You..." Xie Furen was instantly furious; Zuo Dao's words were too insulting. Being referred to as 'something' was a first for Xie Furen.
"Senior Brother Xie, what happened?" Several people entered the private room just then, witnessing the scene unfold. The Tavern's Shopkeeper, who had been the last to enter, regretted his decision to speak up; if he hadn't said anything, Xie Furen wouldn't have come into this room.
"It's nothing, just someone openly provoking the Alchemist of Xuming Hall. I wonder how Junior Brother Wu plans to handle this?" Xie Furen looked at a Cultivator behind him and said, "Since when can the Alchemist of Xuming Hall be insulted at will?"
Wu Cheng, the Junior Brother Wu mentioned by Xie Furen, stepped forward to face Zuo Dao. Aside from them, only Kun Ru Tao and Zuo Dao remained in the room. Everyone knew that Kun Ru Tao was from Xuming Hall, which left only Zuo Dao.
"According to the regulations of Doushuai Palace, anyone who insults an Alchemist of Doushuai Palace—must die!"
After Wu Cheng spoke, he turned to Kun Ru Tao, making it clear that he was following the rules and that Kun Ru Tao, being from Xuming Hall, should know what to do next.
Zuo Dao had heard about Xie Furen while drinking with Kun Ru Tao earlier. It was Elder Seven from Xuming Hall who had favored Kun Ru Tao and also took a liking to Xie Furen. That was when their enmity began.
However, Zuo Dao did not expect Xie Furen to be such a person, ready to nail him down with a single sentence. Although it seemed like he was acting according to Doushuai Palace's rules, anyone with eyes could see that this was an attempt to use Zuo Dao to slap Kun Ru Tao in the face.
Upon hearing Wu Cheng's words, Kun Ru Tao's face darkened ominously. He realized that Xie Furen was not here with good intentions. If this had happened before, he wouldn't have known how to handle such a situation; but now...
Kun Ru Tao looked at Zuo Dao and said, "My apologies, young sir. Alas, it's all my fault for dragging you into this."
Zuo Dao couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this; it seemed that Kun Ru Tao wasn't as righteous as he appeared—unlike Young Master Zuo. What could be more enjoyable than pulling someone down?
"Alchemist Kun, what are you talking about? There's no dragging involved here. They are something; I am not something. To be honest, I don't even know what 'something' is."
As soon as Zuo Dao finished speaking, Kun Ru Tao laughed and replied.
"They are something; of course you are not something. If that counts as an insult, then I truly don't know what an insult is."
The two continued their banter as if Xie Furen and the others were invisible.
"Junior Brother Wu, did you see all of this?" Xie Furen pointed angrily at the two.
Wu Cheng actually didn't want to get involved in this mess. They were only here to celebrate Xie Furen becoming Elder Seven's disciple, and coincidentally, he heard that Kun Ru Tao was also present. Xie Furen came up seeking a sense of superiority, but unexpectedly, he was quickly put in his place by Zuo Dao.
"Kun Shixiong, you know the rules of Doushuai Palace; please don't make it difficult for me." Although Kun Ru Tao had not been accepted by Elder Seven, Wu Cheng still dared not offend him too much.
"Wu Shidi, this is none of your business; just stay out of it," Kun Ru Tao replied coldly, showing no kindness. He knew Wu Cheng was present and still shouted threats at his friends without any regard. Moreover, as a disciple of the Second Elder now, he had even less reason to show respect.
"Wu Shidi, did you hear that?" Xie Furen suddenly perked up, his previous anger dissipating as he said, "Kun Ru Tao, do you really think Elder Seven values you? Let me tell you the truth—my master just accepted me as a disciple today. You should be aware of that."
With that, Xie Furen looked at Kun Ru Tao with smug satisfaction, eager to see the other’s disheartened expression.
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Kun Ru Tao's expression became quite dramatic. Even Zuo Dao couldn't help but silently praise him; this was far more professional than any actor from his past life. The emotions of despair, sorrow, and helplessness were vividly portrayed on Kun Ru Tao's face.
"You..." Kun Ru Tao seemed unable to bear the blow and pointed at Xie Furen.
"What about me?" Seeing Kun Ru Tao like this made Xie Furen burst into laughter.
Even Wu Cheng couldn't help but smile. Without Elder Seven's protection, he could play with Kun Ru Tao however he wanted.
Before their laughter could fade, a voice came from across the way.
"Are you an idiot?"
Xie Furen's smile froze on his face; he couldn't fathom what gave Kun Ru Tao the audacity to say those words.
"Kun Ru Tao, are you looking for death? Do you remember the difference between an elite disciple and an Elder Disciple?"
"Whether I’m looking for death or not isn’t for you to decide. In terms of Alchemical Path, you're both Alchemists. So what if you're an Elder Disciple? Don't forget there are other rules for disciples of the same rank," Kun Ru Tao replied coldly while staring at Xie Furen.
"You..." Xie Furen was so infuriated by Kun Ru Tao that he momentarily lost his words. "Fine, let's set our matters aside for now. What should we do about this situation?"
"Do whatever needs to be done. If you can't handle it, then let it go," Kun Ru Tao shot back.
"See, this is the friend you made. You really have poor judgment!" Upon hearing Kun Ru Tao's words, Xie Furen wore a look of pity, as if embodying the Compassionate One. "It's not your fault to have such friends. Just apologize to me, and from now on, follow me."
There are many ways to slap someone in the face. After Xie Furen said this, he puffed out his chest, waiting for Zuo Dao to express gratitude and beg him to accept him, eager to watch the show that Kun Ru Tao would put on.
"Mind your own business." Zuo Dao finished his drink slowly. "Kun Alchemist, what was the other rule for disciples of the same level?"
"Dueling Elixirs." Seeing that Xie Furen had completely fallen into their trap, Kun Ru Tao instead sat down and poured more wine for Zuo Dao.
Xie Furen had lost count of how many times he had been slapped in the face today, especially in front of everyone. At this moment, he was completely consumed by rage.
"You’re dead meat; no one has ever dared to speak to me like that. Wu Cheng, handle this." Xie Furen waved his hand and glared at Zuo Dao with murderous intent.
In his heart, although he couldn't do anything to Kun Ru Tao, killing Zuo Dao would be easy. He feared pushing Kun Ru Tao too hard; more importantly, he was afraid of Kun Ru Tao's Dueling Elixirs. Although both were Alchemists, he couldn't deny that he was still a bit inferior to his opponent.
"Wu Cheng, if I were you, I would turn around and leave right now as if I had never come." Just as Wu Cheng was about to make a move, Kun Ru Tao suddenly spoke up.
Today was just Xie Furen's bad luck for running into them, but Kun Ru Tao didn't want to drag others into it. Wu Cheng was after all a disciple of Elder Five; it was better not to offend him if possible.
Hearing Kun Ru Tao's words, Wu Cheng hesitated for a moment and then looked at Xie Furen. The situation felt strange. Xie Furen had already been provoked into losing his rationality, but Wu Cheng remained calm; he didn't understand where Kun Ru Tao's confidence came from. The more one thought about it, the more hesitant they became when it came time for action.
In fact, another important reason was that Kun Ru Tao and Zuo Dao were acting too similarly; they had not revealed their relationship at all throughout the encounter.
After thinking it over, Wu Cheng decided to back off. He was a disciple of Elder Five and had no real ties with Xie Furen; there was no need to offend anyone unnecessarily.
"Thank you, Senior Brother. I just remembered something my master instructed me to do that I haven't completed yet. I'll take my leave now." Without waiting for Xie Furen's response, he turned and left, followed by several other Cultivators.
The atmosphere suddenly grew cold. While not everyone had left, those who should have departed did so; those who remained were all Xie Furen's close allies.
"Although I don't know why Junior Brother Wu left, don't think I can't deal with you." If Xie Furen were foolish, he wouldn't have reached the level of Alchemist. At this moment, he sensed something was off but couldn't pinpoint what had gone wrong.
"Shopkeeper," Kun Ru Tao suddenly exclaimed as if just noticing the Shopkeeper. "Did we forget to pay for our drinks?"
The shopkeeper was terrified by a single remark from Kun Ru Tao, realizing that both sides were not to be trifled with.
"Kun Alchemist laughed," the shopkeeper forced out a smile that was more painful than crying, cursing Xie Furen in his heart but daring not to show it.
"How could you know I was laughing? Why is our private room allowing others to come and go freely?" Kun Ru Tao slammed his hand on the table, causing the food and drinks to scatter everywhere.
This immediately frightened the shopkeeper into kneeling.
"I am Kun Alchemist; what do you have to argue with them about? Sit down, sit down," Zuo Dao said with a smile as he pulled Kun Ru Tao back into his seat.
"Hurry up and prepare another feast for Kun Alchemist." Looking at the shopkeeper who was kneeling on the ground, Zuo Dao shouted. The shopkeeper hurriedly went to make preparations, as if he were following an imperial decree.
Meanwhile, Xie Furen was completely sidelined.
To bring someone to ruin, one must first drive them mad. Zuo Dao and Kun Ru Tao were systematically pushing Xie Furen into a corner.
If Elder Seven had not taken Xie Furen as a disciple, he would not have been so impulsive. It seemed that the sudden addition of an Elder Disciple's halo had temporarily clouded his judgment.
He might still hold some fear towards Kun Ru Tao, but when it came to Zuo Dao, this unknown cultivator who dared to offend him, he felt no restraint.
"Kid, if you have the guts, come out instead of hiding in there," Xie Furen shouted at Zuo Dao.
In his fury, Xie Furen had not lost his reason; he knew that as long as Kun Ru Tao was present, he could not act against Zuo Dao. If he made a move, Kun Ru Tao would surely retaliate. He feared nothing else but Dueling Elixirs. He was well aware of the consequences for the loser; even as an Elder Disciple, he would not be treated differently.
"My lady, shouldn't you be heading home to feed the baby?" Zuo Dao rolled his eyes and said something that nearly made Xie Furen spit blood in anger.
The commotion in the private room had drawn the attention of other cultivators in the tavern. When they saw that it involved cultivators from Xuming Hall, they all kept their distance and observed from afar.
Especially upon noticing Kun Ru Tao and Xie Furen present; these two had been openly and secretly vying for the position of Elder Disciple. As long as their conflicts did not result in personal harm, Doushuai Palace would not intervene.
Although Xuming Hall was not considered a top-tier force in Void Bright, no one wanted to provoke them.
The emergence of Zuo Dao had everyone feeling that a good show was about to unfold. It was the first time they had seen someone dare to confront Xie Furen from Xuming Hall directly.
Zuo Dao's words made the cultivators outside laugh, mainly because Xie Furen's name was quite amusing.
At that moment, Xie Furen's peach blossom eyes were a deep crimson. He had never faced such humiliation, especially in front of so many cultivators. His desire to kill Zuo Dao grew stronger.
Seeing that the time was right, Zuo Dao suppressed his cultivation level to the early stage of Celestial Immortal and unconsciously released a trace of his aura.
This trace of aura was quickly detected by Xie Furen, and Kun Ru Tao looked at him with a puzzled expression.
When Xie Furen sensed that Zuo Dao was only at the early stage of Celestial Immortal, a smug smile appeared on his face. Although he was an alchemist, every alchemist's strength was built upon their cultivation realm.
Doushuai Palace did not simply create these Dan Badges out of thin air. The Celestial Immortal corresponded to the Black Iron Dan Badge from Doushuai Palace, while the Immortal corresponded to Bronze, True Immortal to Silver, Golden Immortal to Gold, and Immortal to Star Diamond.
One badge represented one realm; Xie Furen felt he had the upper hand in the confrontation with Zuo Dao.
A Celestial Immortal dared to challenge him; he truly did not know how to write the word "death." Although alchemists were generally weaker in combat power compared to ordinary cultivators, the gap in realms allowed Xie Furen to foresee Zuo Dao's tragic fate.
"I am Xie Furen from Xuming Hall." Xie Furen changed his previously arrogant demeanor and cupped his fists towards the surrounding cultivators. "Having been insulted by this cultivator, I am determined to uphold the honor of Void Bright and confront him on the Life-and-Death Platform."
Xie Furen had a knack for theatrics; with this statement, it became a matter of fighting for the honor of Xuming Hall, and no one dared to speak up for Zuo Dao.
He primarily focused on Kun Ru Tao but found that the other’s expression showed no change; instead, there was a look of pity or regret in their eyes.
Xie Furen's heart skipped a beat. Could he have misjudged?
Meanwhile, after leaving, Wu Cheng felt increasingly uneasy. Upon returning to the hall, he went to Elder Seven and informed him about Xie Furen's situation.
After listening to Wu Cheng's account, Elder Seven Xu Shining couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. If it weren't for owing someone a significant favor, he would have chosen Kun Ru Tao over Xie Furen without hesitation. The latter lacked the temperament necessary to inherit his legacy. Fortunately, he still had a great disciple.
When a disciple caused trouble, the master naturally had to step in, especially since it involved Kun Ru Tao. Xu Shining held a very favorable impression of Kun Ru Tao and did not want his disciple to offend him unnecessarily.
It was only when he arrived at the location that he discovered his disciple had already made arrangements for the Life-and-Death Platform.
The Life-and-Death Platform was a place where Void Enlightenment Practitioners resolved their conflicts. If it were the Xuming Hall Cultivators, they would go to the Dueling Platform. This meant that the conflict involving his disciple was with outsiders, not with Kun Ru Tao. It seemed that Xie Furen was using outsiders to undermine Kun Ru Tao!
Who was Xu Shining? In an instant, he pieced everything together and found his impression of Xie Furen had worsened.
He remained cautious and did not approach too closely, instead observing from a distance.
At this moment, Zuo Dao and Kun Ru Tao had exited the Tavern and were confronting Xie Furen at the entrance.
Kun Ru Tao was certainly familiar with Xie Furen, and when he saw Zuo Dao, his heart skipped a beat. Zuo Dao still retained a trace of Bixian's aura around him, faint yet palpable, but it was something that could be quickly discerned as different. This aura gave him a sense of oppression.
Xie Furen was merely a Bronze Dan Cultivator, but Xu Shining was at the True Immortal Silver Level; he could sense much more than what Xie Furen could offer.
In an instant, he judged that this might be a conspiracy. Just as he was about to step forward, he noticed the White-Clad Monk across from him casting a glance in his direction. The gaze struck deep into his soul, shimmering with a hint of silver.
Xu Shining froze in place; that silver hue was something he recognized all too well—it could only be released by someone who had obtained the Silver Alchemy Emblem from Doushuai Palace.
At that moment, he no longer hesitated and turned to leave. There was no need to weigh the importance of matters; Xie Furen's situation was beyond his intervention. Even if it concerned his disciple, what did it matter? Committing an offense against Silver while being Bronze in Doushuai Palace was a death sentence.
"I suppose I don't need to bother with the Life-and-Death Platform!" Zuo Dao slowly pulled out his Bronze Dan Badge and hung it on his chest. "I want to Dueling Elixirs with you."
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