Lord Shenxiu
Chapter 120: Impersonation (1600 more, please subscribe!)

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Impersonation (1600 more, please subscribe!)

Several days later, at the border of Qing State.

The void suddenly stirred as if opening an invisible door.

A figure stepped out from within, and it was indeed Zhong Shenxiu!

’Even the Black Lotus Sect wouldn’t expect that my loyalty is nonexistent, not bothering to investigate, just escaping from Luo State outright, huh?’

’Even if their power in Luo State is immense, I refuse to believe they can cover the sky with one hand in Qing State, and even in Luo State, it’s not a given they can corrupt and recruit most of the Mystic Sky Bureau...’

’Maybe they will seal the borders, but while that might stop an average Gang Sha Realm cultivator, it cannot stop me, a master of spatial spells!’

Since he had discovered the dangers in Luo State, Zhong Shenxiu had given up on the idea of collecting Gang Sha Qi there and moved on to the next destination.

Now entering Qing State, looking at the surrounding scenery, he couldn’t help feeling refreshed in body and mind.

’I’m not fleeing in fear, I’m making a strategic move... Over here, I can just take on the identity of a Loose Cultivator and send a message to the Mystic Sky Bureau, informing them of the affair between Wang Qiao Ren and the Yixin Temple. That will definitely give the Black Lotus Sect a taste of their own medicine.’

Such sects, though they may seem omnipotent with their complicated and deep-rooted connections when they are hidden.

But in reality, compared to the colossal Second Yan Han Empire, they are nothing at all!

’Besides, there are two more things.’

Zhong Shenxiu wiped the corner of his eye, a vague emotion from this body’s memories coming to the surface.

This was a natural reaction after arriving in his homeland!

Qing State was once the home of the Su Family!

It would only be proper to visit the ancestral home for a time of remembrance and worship.

’Besides, there’s another thing, which is to prepare for joining the Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect... I feel it will be somewhat difficult to get a recommendation from the court... I’ve already come across major pitfalls even in choosing Daoist Skills, and it’s clear there’s a ceiling on how far I can go, but no matter, I can go directly to the mountain gate of the Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect and request to become a disciple, as they recruit disciples every year...’

’My background and story are all clear, just the fact that I possess the true Daoist Skills of the Dragon Tiger Sect requires an explanation... In the memories of Zhang Taiyi, he had a junior brother who died in this state, buried in secret... This junior brother was also of the Divine Power Realm, with the right to take on disciples. If I claim his mantle and impersonate his disciple, I have an explanation for the origin of my cultivation technique.’

’In fact, this junior brother was killed by Zhang Taiyi... It happened after Zhang Taiyi broke away from the sect, and it seems to be related to internal struggles within the Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect, so he was very clear about the location of his downfall since he helped dispose of the body...’

...

Three days later, in Roufeng County, Qing State.

A minor official from the Mystic Sky Bureau was standing guard at the door, yawning out of boredom while looking at the passersby who kept their distance.

At that moment, five red lights streaked through the void, smashing heavily onto the signboard of the Mystic Sky Bureau.

They were five Red Emperor Coins, firmly pinning a note in place.

The minor official was dumbfounded, then immediately began to shout at the top of his lungs, "Someone come quick!"

Such a slap in the face of a county’s Mystic Sky Bureau could not be hidden, and the news would certainly spread quickly.

Amid the noisy crowd, Zhong Shenxiu watched as the denunciation letter he had dictated, having found a random scribe to write it in disguise, was taken down by a Daoist Official, smiled faintly, and turned away.

Staying in Luo State to match wits with the Black Lotus Sect, even to the point of risking everything, was not his style.

He disliked the feeling of being treated as a pawn or as counting for nothing, shattering to pieces for loyalty and righteousness.

Thus, faced with this situation, what he did was step outside of the chess game, while also stirring things up considerably.

Whether the Black Lotus Sect still had influence in Qing State or not, after such turmoil, it couldn’t stay hidden, and the court would undoubtedly strike back.

He wouldn’t join that fray.

After completing all this, Zhong Shenxiu left Roufeng County with satisfaction, riding a beam of fleeing light towards a certain desolate mountain.

This mountain is unnamed, bare, with neither much vegetation nor any nodes of the earth’s spirit energy.

Because of this, cultivator lords don’t even glance this way, and even mortals rarely tread here.

Beneath a cliff, a lonely, unnamed tombstone stands erect.

Had Zhong Shenxiu not known the location, he would have flown overhead a million times without ever stopping to take a look.

Now, as he landed before the unmarked stele, he couldn’t help but sigh, "This must be Long Hezi’s resting place, right? It seems that within the Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect, he was extremely dissatisfied with Zhang Taiyi, harboring much filth... When Zhang Taiyi left the sect, the sect didn’t bother, and he volunteered to kick a man when he was down, ah... In life, he was also a dignified person."

Unfortunately, Long Hezi was overly confident, unaware that within the sect, Zhang Taiyi remained low-key...

The result was that he delivered his own head over thousands of miles, and even his treasures weren’t valued by Zhang Taiyi, who casually buried them.

The only thing valued by Zhang Taiyi was the "Dragon Tiger Pill Book" this man possessed!

Indeed! Zhang Taiyi’s inheritance of the Dragon Tiger Pill Book came from this fellow because Long Hezi belonged to the Dharma Transmission Elder’s lineage. Zhang Taiyi knew that this man was being groomed as a future Dharma Transmission Elder, free to teach cultivation techniques without any prohibitions hindering him.

In fact, Long Hezi being lured out of the sect was also a part of Zhang Taiyi’s covert scheming.

To some extent, Long Hezi truly was the source of the current cultivation techniques Zhong Shenxiu practiced, even a sworn testament would leave his conscience clear, the kind that couldn’t be detected by a spell test.

"Daoist Long Hezi, I shall borrow your identity for a bit."

Zhong Shenxiu offered a silent prayer, then lifted his hand to release the Xuanyin Soul-cutting Sword Qi, starting to dig up the grave.

Bang!

Dirt and stones flew, revealing a skeleton clad in a tattered Daoist robe.

Zhong Shenxiu glanced at it, then with a grab, he took the Identity Token representing an Inner Sect Disciple of the Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect.

"Thank you."

He paid his respects, fixed up the tomb anew, transplanted flowers, plants, and trees, and created two stone beasts to guard the tomb. Only then did he erect a new stele, inscribed with: "The Tomb of Predecessor Long Hezi!"

Beside it was a line in small characters—erected by disciple Su Daoshi.

This was called doing the whole act; after all, aside from Zhang Taiyi, no one else could come forward and accuse him of anything.

’Hmm... There’s a slight issue with timing, given that Long Hezi died early... But it doesn’t matter, I’ll just say I collected his remains and followed his dying wish to become his disciple... The Identity Tokens of Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect disciples have secret marks, leaving a bit of information... If Zhang Taiyi can do it, I can make the adjustments, this is called having the right to speak...’

’A disciple with an external dying wish is not very likely to inherit the true legacy, but teaching one or two Daoist Skills is not out of the question... That should be enough to conceal my current cultivation level and skills.’

While there may still be potential flaws, Su Daoshi believed he had done his best.

This was also a risk he took in preparation for achieving immortality and attaining the Dao in the future.

After arranging all this, Zhong Shenxiu prepared to retreat here for a while, which was also meant to leave some traces of his presence, creating the false impression that someone lived here for a time.

Once everything was ready, he carved out a cave dwelling, then concealed his physical body into an otherworldly space, ordering the Headless Earl to guard it.

Before entering seclusion, he planned to traverse once, to harvest a bunch of Heavenly Show Points first.

"Entering the Gang Sha Realm, I can abstain from grains for a month without the slightest problem."

Zhong Shenxiu’s thoughts moved, "The Gate of Ten Thousand Paths, open!"

Thud!

He seemed to hear an inexplicable sound, and before his eyes, he saw that indescribable, formless gate made of multicolored orbs.

Zhong Shenxiu’s body entered into silence, but a spark of spirit suddenly leapt forth and plunged through the gate.

Darkness surged, engulfing everything...

PS: No update today, thanks for the support, my dear readers. Good night!