Chapter 525: Senior Brother Sa Xu
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
Qin Yun was quite astonished seeing the seven Lightning Fruits and yellow-skinned calabash on the tray in front of him.
"The number of Lightning Fruits I received is the same as Senior Brother Sa? Although I cleared the second main palace, that would only make me equivalent to Senior Sister Mu and Senior Brother Ravenhorn. Even if I count achieving mastery over my two great divine powers to the phenomenal success stage… I'm still inferior to Senior Brother Sa." Qin Yun knew this very well. He never expected to be handed so many Lightning Fruits.
Daoist Xiahou, Demon King Ravenhorn, Fairy Mu, and Ancestral Master Zhang were somewhat dumbfounded. They had only guessed that Qin Yun might receive four or five fruits by being ranked after Fairy Mu. Who knew… that he would receive a prize identical to Senior Brother Sa's! They had both received seven Lightning Fruits and a yellow-skinned calabash.
The corner of Sa Xu's mouth suffused a smile as he gave Qin Yun a deep, meaningful look.
"Keep it well," said the stocky man with a smile as he looked at Qin Yun.
Qin Yun extended his hand to receive it.
Sa Xu also took the tray from the black-robed elder's hands.
After putting away the Connate Lightning Fruits, Qin Yun opened the stopper of the yellow-skinned calabash. He infused his Dharmic powers into it, but even with his level of composure, his eyes still lit up.
The stocky man and the black-robed elder watched this scene with smiles. How were the rewards handed out? What treasures were stored inside each yellow-skinned calabash? Both of them obviously knew.
"I never expected Junior Brother Qin to have hidden his strength so well. It appears like the intelligence the outside world has on you is ridiculously wrong," said Ravenhorn with a smile. "You actually managed to receive the same number of Lightning Fruits as Senior Brother Sa."
Fairy Mu also looked curiously at Qin Yun.
"That shouldn't have happened."
Xiahou could not help but stare at the black-robed elder and stocky man, bellowing, "Wasn't it said clearly that clearing the three main palaces determines how many Lightning Fruits are received!? That Qin Yun is hiding his strength, but regardless, he only has the strength of a half-step Golden Immortal. His level is not much different than mine. Why would I only get three while he gets seven Lightning Fruits and a calabash of treasures?"
Ravenhorn, Fairy Mu, and company also looked at the two Guardian Generals expectantly.
"The way we allocate is naturally very fair," said the black-robed elder with a smile.
"Fair? He's a half-step Golden Immortal. What did he do to deserve being Senior Brother Sa's equal?" questioned Xiahou.
Sa Xu took in everything from the side, but he did not say a word.
"We are Guardian Generals. How we allocate the Lightning Fruits is based on Master's instructions. We definitely do not do it without reason," said the black-robed elder with a smile. However, the stocky man grunted angrily. "Daoist, if you are so unwilling to accept it, you can return the three Lightning Fruits. If you refuse the Lightning Fruits, there will be no need for you to be tied by karma."
Xiahou's expression sank as he fell silent.
Return the Lightning Fruits?
How was that possible?
He did not care about the karmic implications. Killing Ancestral Fiend Moxiu was something he needed to do only when he had the strength of a pinnacle Golden Immortal. He would be extremely satisfied just by being able to gain a Golden Immortal Dao fruit and become an ordinary Golden Immortal. As for a pinnacle Golden Immortal? Which one of them wasn't a terrifying existence that sent tremors through the Three Realms? It was a very distant possibility for him.
Even for Sa Xu, becoming a pinnacle Golden Immortal required him to attain a Golden Immortal Dao fruit and create the Heavenly Constellation Lightning Dharma at the Golden Immortal level! The difficulty of accomplishing both was naturally very high.
"Xiahou, how do you know Qin Yun has the strength of a half-step Golden Immortal?" Ravenhorn asked out of curiosity.
"He obviously knows." Qin Yun finally spoke out.
Fairy Mu, Sa Xu and Ancestral Master Zhang looked over.
"It's because Senior Brother Zhang received a powerful Dharma treasure in Lightning Beast Manor. Xiahou turned greedy and attacked Senior Brother in a bid to rob him of his treasure," said Qin Yun with a sneer. "If I had arrived late, he might have really succeeded."
The look in Fairy Mu's eyes turned cold as she turned towards Xiahou and said icily, "Xiahou, you actually dared attack a fellow disciple?"
"I didn't attempt to snatch his treasures. I only had some conflict with Junior Brother Zhang. I was only teaching him a lesson," said Xiahou with his lips curled. "Why? Is punishing a junior brother a major problem? Don't our fellow disciples in Green Touring Palace… know my character?"
"That's because you hide well," said Qin Yun coldly. "It's only through this that I saw your true colors."
"Junior Brother Qin, don't you slander me. Did I get Junior Brother Zhang's treasure? Did I injure him?" questioned Xiahou in a retort.
Qin Yun scoffed coldly and did not continue the debate.
Debating him was pointless.
Ravenhorn tried to reconcile them when he heard the exchange. "Alright, there must have been some misunderstanding. Although Xiahou is a little greedy, he doesn't have such a bad reputation."
"He had schemed against Junior Brother Hong before," said Sa Xu suddenly.
"Junior Brother Hong?"
Xiahou glared immediately as he said, "Senior Brother Sa, you are maligning me. I had gone adventuring with Junior Brother Hong back then. We agreed that the treasures one found were theirs to keep. He later regretted it when I obtained my Little Immortal Binding Rope, and insisted on sharing the spoils!"
"Senior Brother Sa, it's common for there to be such minor conflicts," said Ravenhorn.
At the half-step Golden Immortal level, all their actions resulted in great karmic implications. To infer the past was very difficult even through divination.
Besides, people would deliberately hide certain sinister matters from the heavens! It would muddy out the karma!
Unless one was a real Golden Immortal, capable of divine inference. If not, it was difficult to figure out what they had done in the past.
The stronger one was…
The more karma implications there were with every action.
"I believe Junior Brother Hong." Sa Xu looked at Xiahou. "I believe Junior Brother Qin as well."
"Senior Brother Sa, don't stain my innocence," said Xiahou Zhen with a bitter face.
"Alright, Guests!"
The black-robed elder smiled. "The Lightning Fruits have been given. It's time to send the six of you out."
Qin Yun, Ancestral Master Zhang, Fairy Mu, Daoist Xiahou, Demon King Ravenhorn, and Senior Brother Sa Xu stopped speaking.
"Whoosh."
A force descended and enveloped the six before transporting them away, leaving only the two Guardian Generals, the black-robed elder, and stocky man on the mountaintop.
"This Green Touring Palace is the Dao residence of the Heavenly Lord of Numinous Treasure, one of the Daoist Three Pure Ones. Disciples from Green Touring Palace do have internal strifes," said the stocky man with a laugh. "However, that Xiahou even has the nerve to ask why we allocated it that way? If not for Master's instructions that the minimum number is three, I wouldn't even wish to hand him one Lightning Fruit."
"Master liked people who are loyal. He disdains such vile characters," said the black-robed elder. "However, the minimum of three fruits still needs to be given. He can forget about the other treasures though."
"I really felt a little unwilling giving away those treasures in the calabash," the stocky man could not help but say. "We gave it to Qin Yun just like that."
"He and Immortal Sa Xu have great potential. But didn't we say earlier that we felt Qin Yun was slightly better? He is a sword immortal after all. Those who cultivate in the Lightning Dharma are still slightly weaker when it comes to killing. Furthermore, Qin Yun created his own sword immortal lineage. If he becomes a Golden Immortal sword immortal, he will likely be even stronger than the two sword immortals from the Grand Supreme sword immortal lineage," said the black-robed elder. "At that level, he will definitely be able to avenge Master."
"I wonder how long it will take for that day to come," said the stocky man.
Following that, the both of them dissipated.
The next time cultivators entered would be at least 81,000 years later. It was even common that it would be hundreds of thousands of years later.
…
Above the vast lands of the Lightning world.
Whoosh~
Qin Yun and company were directly transported out as they immediately caught sight of the distant Lightning Beast Manor.
"We are out," said Ravenhorn with a laugh. "It's time to leave."
However, Sa Xu waved his hand.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thirty-six array flags hovered in midair as terrifying lightning was born out of the formation.
"Heavenly Constellation Lightning Dharma Array?" Xiahou, Ravenhorn, Fairy Mu, Qin Yun, and Ancestral Master Zhang were alarmed.
Sa Xu had created the Heavenly Constellation Lightning Dharma himself. Furthermore, he had sought the help of a mighty figure to refine such an array flag set! Each of the thirty-six array flags were in no way inferior to supreme-grade Numinous treasures. Although this set was no Connate Numinous treasure, it suited Sa Xu the most. With it in his hands, he was able to perfectly showcase his strength, a strength that belonged to a mighty figure.
"Xiahou, hand over all the treasures on you." Sa Xu said coldly towards Xiahou.
"Senior Brother Sa, why are you doing this?" Xiahou wore his Seven Sonorous Lightning God Robe and his feet rested on array patterns. Seven divine swords floated around him as he said loudly, "Do you really believe Qin Yun's one-sided account?"
"Xiahou, you dare do it, but do not dare to admit to it?" Ancestral Master Zhang shouted as well.
"It's their one-sided story!" Xiahou shouted sharply. "Senior Brother Sa, don't believe them!"
"What happened to Junior Brother Hong was the first time it happened. This is the second time," said Sa Xu lightly. "I believe Junior Brother Hong, as well as Junior Brother Qin!"
"Sa Xu!"
Xiahou's expression turned nasty as he hollered, "It's no wonder the entire Green Touring Palace describes you as arrogant, someone who acts arbitrarily… It's what's precisely happening now. You are taking action before you even figure out the situation?"
"I'll naturally do whatever I wish to do." Sa Xu looked at Xiahou. "Why, do you plan on resisting?"
"Hmph! Sa Xu!" Xiahou's face turned hideous. "I'm weaker than you, but there's no way you can stop me from leaving."
"You can give it a try."
As Sa Xu spoke, he waved his hands as the thirty-six Heavenly Constellation Lightning Dharma array flags began moving, focusing terrifying lightning together.
"You madman!" Xiahou roared as the array patterns at his feet spun. The seven lightning divine swords swirled around him as he instantly transformed into a bolt of lightning. He shot towards the clouds in a bid to escape the Lightning world.