CH 47

C47 – Come and Call Me Senior

The elderly man emitted a chilly snort and stated, “I am Zhou Wenrui.”

Oh… So he was Zhou Zishi’s adoptive father, the esteemed Great Elder. No wonder he was standing next to Ning Tingshan, displaying such arrogance.

You two truly come from influential backgrounds.

Liu Yuan nodded and smiled, asking, “Ah, so you’re Elder Zhou. May I inquire about your cultivation level?”

Zhou Wenrui furrowed his brows upon hearing that. “Youngster, what do you mean?”

Liu Yuan replied, “Well, I suspect you have reached the Nascent Soul stage. Allow me to pose another question. How about you?”

Zhou Wenrui was puzzled. His frown deepened. “Don’t assume that you can act with impunity in the Wide Ocean Sect just because the young lady favors you. Let me make it clear…”

Liu Yuan sighed and shook his head. “Your response is not what I desired. Are you visually impaired, have you lost your mobility, and perhaps your ability to hear? If you didn’t catch my question clearly, I can repeat it for you…”

The crutch held by Zhou Wenrui struck the ground with a loud thud. He spoke in a cold tone, “How audacious! I have cultivated for three hundred and fifteen years, and my Nascent Soul has reached the third level of refinement. I am capable of establishing my own sect in the world of cultivation. Yet, I still value the old friendship between my Master and me. How can I tolerate the insults of a junior like you while I am protecting the Wide Ocean Sect?!”

As his crutch descended, the ground cracked open with a resounding noise, and an immensely powerful surge of spiritual energy rushed towards Liu Yuan like a tidal wave.

“His cultivation may not be very high, but his temper is certainly fierce,” Liu Yuan commented while promptly shielding Ning Xiangrong behind him.

Observing the scene, Liu Yuan provided a subtle assessment.

Behind the chaotic flow of spiritual energy, Zhou Wenrui’s face contorted. He tightened his grip on the crutch, trembling with anger. “What did you say?”

Liu Yuan retorted, “I said that if you plan to use sudden death as a means to extort compensation, I don’t possess that much money.”

He sneered and raised his hand, maintaining a refined and nonchalant demeanor.

“However, I do have enough money to buy a coffin for you.”

Boom!

The Spiritual Energy grew deeper and stronger, forming a cage with Liu Yuan at its center. Not only did it shield Zhou Wenrui’s attack, but it also safeguarded all the items in the room. Liu Yuan clenched his fist and swiftly closed it.

“Smoke Lock Heavy Tower!”

“You!”

Zhou Wenrui was gripped by terror and attempted to retreat, but it was already too late. Spiritual Energies enveloped him from all directions, akin to a mist spreading in every corner. He stood as a solitary tower, despite possessing a cultivation base at the Nascent Infant Stage. There was no escaping from this predicament.

Without a doubt, he was going to be crushed!

Zhou Wenrui struggled and perspired profusely. He was on the verge of being completely sealed within the barrier formed by the encroaching Spiritual Energy.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh!”

Clenching his teeth, he grabbed his crutch and struck down with great force. “Lightning Ray Shattering the Moon!”

The walking stick, made of Thousand Year Thunderclap Wood, crackled with electric light. It swiftly pierced through the fog, revealing the moonlight’s silhouette. The thunderous glow and the moon’s shadow complemented each other, resulting in a resounding explosion. However, it had no effect.

The fog had penetrated Zhou Wenrui’s Dantian, imprisoning his Nascent Soul.

This was what they called the “smoke-locking heavy tower.”

His face turned pale, and despair filled his eyes. “How… How is this possible…”

Suddenly, the fog dissipated.

A few people were still standing in the room. Ning Tingshan was stunned. Ning Xiangrong stood behind Liu Yuan, equally stunned, but the young man wore a mocking smile. He lowered his hand and gazed at Zhou Wenrui. “There’s an unwritten rule in the cultivation world, isn’t there?”

“The strong lead and the weak follow. You’re currently at the third level of the Nascent Soul Stage, around three hundred years old. I’m probably a few hundred years younger than you, at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul Stage. It would have been acceptable if you could learn from the heaven’s mandate sons with the five elements and compete on a different level. The problem is, you can’t defeat me either. So, who do you think is stronger? Who is superior?”

Liu Yuan looked at Zhou Wenrui and beckoned with a crooked finger. “Come, address me as senior.”

Zhou Wenrui breathed heavily, his eyes turning red. “You’ve gone too far. You’ve gone too far… Master!”

Logically speaking, the moment Liu Yuan mentioned the word “dock,” Liu Yuan thought he might burst into tears. His heart quivered, and he almost lost control of his cultivation.

Fortunately, the people in this era were straightforward and sincere. They didn’t grasp how repulsive and terrifying a certain tactic could be.

Ning Tingshan was still bewildered. His intention of killing the pig had been abruptly shaken out of him. He chuckled and stroked his beard, saying, “Elder Zhou, this… I…”

Zhou Wenrui anxiously interjected, “Master!”

Ning Tingshan turned to Liu Yuan with a friendly expression and said, “Son-in-law, release the elder. He has made significant contributions to the Wide Ocean Sect. He shouldn’t be subjected to such humiliation.”

Liu Yuan now felt that Ning Tingshan might have played a role in the downfall of the Wide Ocean Sect. He appeared too feeble.

It was true that he doted on his daughter, but he was overly lenient in other matters.

Consequently, the elders seized power and cast covetous glances at him.

It seemed necessary to implement the father-in-law cultivation plan.

“Since father-in-law has spoken, the son-in-law will naturally comply,” Liu Yuan retracted his magic, and the fog enveloping Zhou Wenrui dissipated.

Zhou Wenrui heaved a sigh of relief, but after examining himself for a moment, he paled and said, “My Dantian…”

Liu Yuan chuckled. “I made sure to assure Elder Zhou that I bear no grudge against him and won’t seek revenge. It would cause unrest in the cultivation world. Don’t worry, Elder Zhou, you can still cultivate. However, from now on… I will temporarily manage the Spiritual Energy in your dantian.”

Zhou Wenrui held his breath, his face turning red with anger. He managed to speak through gritted teeth. “How can you be a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator? You should be at the Foundation Establishment Stage!”

It seemed like the information spread quickly. He wondered if there were spies from the Wide Ocean Sect within Frost River Manor.

Liu Yuan glanced at the bewildered Ning Xiangrong, then turned to his father-in-law. Letting out a sigh, he said, “To be honest, my cultivation level is not limited to this. I only lost my Spiritual Energy due to an accident. I encountered an elderly man who was on the brink of death earlier, and I learned that he was the missing Master of the Soaring Wisdom Sect, gone for seven hundred years. Before he passed away, he managed to transfer his Spiritual Energy to me before departing.”

This… Why does it sound so mysterious?

Every year, countless people claim to be former sect masters of the Jade Void, all in order to build their reputation. But you, you are even more audacious, wanting to absorb all of his Spiritual Energy. It just sounds like nonsense.

Ning Tingshan cursed inwardly for a moment, then attempted to ease the tension and said, “That’s truly unfortunate. Son-in-law, please have a seat first. Elder, please be patient. Um, I wonder if you can show me the painting from earlier. I also have some knowledge in painting. I’ve heard that some cultivators use it to attain enlightenment. I’m curious if it’s true.”

Zhou Wenrui’s dantian was currently under someone else’s control. He suppressed his anger for the time being and, with a wave of his sleeve, sat back down on the stool.

Liu Yuan handed over the scroll and unfolded it. Surprisingly, it revealed a magnificent painting depicting mountains and rivers.

As soon as Ning Tingshan laid eyes on this painting of mountains and rivers, he was captivated.

His gaze was completely drawn in. After staring at it for a while, he suddenly displayed a shocked expression. Taking a few steps back, he widened his eyes and exclaimed, “This… this is an authentic work by the Sage?”