Wan Baqian continued, “Seeing as you come unwilling to take a life, how about I buy it off you. As far as money goes, I have more than enough.”


  The deserter said, “Once I kill you, all your possessions are mine.”


  Wan Baqian laughed, his smile showed he didn’t mind it at all, “Those words just made you sell me two lives. First, is your current one, and the second, your following life.”


  The deserter felt a thick and heavy killing intent, one that even took form as a red mist and covered his body. An icy voice came from behind, and knew it was the quack, “Fifth junior brother, is everything alright?”


  Wan Baqian smiled, “Yes, fourth senior sister, we’re just doing business.”


  He heard her cold tone, “If there’s anything, just ask.”


  Wan Baqian nodded, “Thank you, fourth senior sister.”


  The deserter’s back was soaked. The tubby was quack’s junior brother! Damit! No money is worth this hit.

  This was no longer troublesome, but a death threat.

  Wan Baqian said, “I’ll give you ten times as much to buy your client.”


  The deserter said, “The power behind me will hunt me down!”


  “A hundred times for the head of that power.”


  He gasped, “Not enough. He’s strong, and has many under him.”


  “A thousand then.”


  Endless dread seized his heart, Just how rich is this guy?

  His bottom line was left in the dust a long time ago. The wealth the guy had awed him, being a junior brother to the quack filled him with fear.

  “I accept this mission.”


  The night passed and the first rays of the sun shined over the lands. Wan Baqian was in his courtyard when the door opened and saw a group of black-garbed Earth Immortals filled the street. The same deserter from last night walked in with two heads, “Here’re the ones you wanted.”


  Wan Baqian put on a fake smile, “I’m sure you know this isn’t all I want.”


  He kneeled, “Lord, please accept this deserter general’s allegiance!”


  The others kneeled also. Wan Baqian turned to all of them, Master once said, wealth can reach the heavens. If it doesn’t, it proves you’re not rich enough.

  As always, Master is right.

  Chen Ling’er stretched and looked across the street to Wan Baqian, “Business is booming so early!”


  Wan Baqian smiled, “Just a casual deal.”


  He waved, “Rise and enter all of you.”


  Wan Baqian handed the reward, a thousand Heaven Spirit Veins. Such a deal was but a common occurrence on Sacred Mountain.

  Wan Baqian said, “You must know by now what needn’t be said, no?”


  The deserter cupped his hands, “I understand!”


  “The same for my connection with fourth senior sister.”


  “There’s nothing between Lord and quack!”


  “Good!”


  If head senior sister’s guess is right, the best is to not let others know of us. With fourth senior sister’s power and us standing in the heart of the conflict once the secret is out, the end won’t be pleasant.

  They will all know of us in time, when Master undergoes his tribulation.

  Yan Mountain.

  Li Suyi and Ling Xian were taking a beating per usual. They weren’t masochists by far, just that under head senior sister’s tyranny, their magical arts’ training sped up.

  On this day, Li Suyi arrived much earlier and was waiting for Ling Xian to ascend together. He never came.

  “How is second senior brother not here yet? His willpower isn’t that weak.”


  Li Suyi went to Ling Xian’s home. With how many immortal pills they got from Chen Lingyu, there should be some around, yet there was no sign of any and even the immortal items were gone.

  Li Suyi found something amiss. He recalled something Ling Xian said to him in a drunken stupor the night before, “Head senior sister is amazing and we get stronger the more we fight, yet head senior sister will never show kill intent. This isn’t a true fight.”


  “Without a true fight, I will never cross the last step.”


  Li Suyi was aware he was but half-step away from grasping the third stage of Conquering Immortals Art, the Flay Immortals stage.

  He’d been stuck in this place for days on end.

  Li Suyi joked, “That’s easier said than done. You cultivate Dao Canon as well as Conquering Immortals Art. They are all for killing immortals. If you’re found out, the world’s entire immortal civilizations will hunt you down. The Conquering Immortals Art is taboo in the Galaxy.”


  Ling Xian said, “Of course I’m aware. I’m not suicidal. I am but a Transcending realm cultivator. Master once said you mustn’t do stupid things. To know it is stupid yet still do it, makes you a fool.”


  Li Suyi looked at the situation around him and cursed, “That fool!”


  Li Suyi hasted his flight to Zhuo Qingyao and bowed, “Head senior sister, I won’t be coming for a while.”


  Zhuo Qingyao noticed Ling Xian’s absence, “Since this stage is called Flay Immortals, then he must kill one to reach it.”


  “Go, and bring him back alive.”


  Li Suyi cupped his hands, “Yes, head senior sister. I will return with second senior brother!”


  Li Suyi looked at the Sacred Mountain in the sky. Of all the places that had Earth Immortals, this mountain was packed.

  Ling Xian stood at the entrance to Sacred Mountain, talking to himself, “Sigh, I am Master’s second disciple, younger than head senior sister by only six months. Yet even fifth junior brother reached Earth Immortal while I’m stuck in the Transcending realm. I am an embarrassment to Master!”


  “Flay Immortals, in the end, means killing immortals.”


  “Yes, I know this is stupid, I know this is the dumbest choice. Only a true fool can cultivate it. If not a moron, who else was there to cultivate it?”


  “Master always said, the weakest must go to competitions…… Uh, that’s me. This oughtn’t to go against Master.”


  Perhaps moronic, but dying from it would make him a retard.

  Perhaps he did this according to Dao, dedicated to his Dao Heart. Coming out alive was a trial for his Dao!