Chapter 661: Chapter 654 News

Leaving Black Water Immortal Mountain and arriving at the main peak of Bloodthirsty Sect’s mountain gate, the sole intent of Chen Hai was to grasp Ye Qingqing’s progress in cultivation.

He wanted to see why she, who had successfully inherited the Black Water Evil Leech Skill, hadn’t brought any benefit to him like Zhang Tianci had—what was really going on?

Originally, it was supposed to be a matter that could be settled in a few words, yet his delay in Ye Qingqing’s cave mansion stretched into more than ten days.

It wasn’t until he was nearly drained dry, barely able to walk without leaning on the walls, that Ye Qingqing finally let him leave, satisfied.

Fortunately, he had learned what he wanted to know from her.

They agreed to select some talented disciples from the Bloodthirsty Sect and have them enter the Black Water Ten Thousand Spirit Pond to attempt to gain the inheritance of the Black Water True Technique, and they were just waiting for the formal commencement of the Bloodthirsty Sect’s grand competition.

As for the inheriting true methods established by the founding ancestors of other sects within this territory, whether they could also grant power as a boon to others who cultivated these techniques just like the Black Water True Technique did, he had no idea.

Speaking truthfully, the Black Water True Technique he created was crafted solely based on his limited knowledge of cultivation, a result of his blind efforts.

If other true techniques didn’t possess such an effect and it was only his Black Water True Technique that allowed for such an energy boon during its cultivation,

Then it could only mean that his method of cultivation was particularly mysterious, or perhaps it was just blind luck, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, creating such a result.

“As the saying goes, ‘a lustful heart is a blade over one’s head.’ Nearly sucked dry of marrow after one trip to Qingqing’s place.”

“Without a woman in mind, one’s cultivation can reach the divine!”

“In the future, I’d better stay confined to my own cave mansion whenever possible, and keep my visits to her to a minimum.”

…

Returning to the summit of Black Water Immortal Mountain, within the grand hall that served as his resting place, Chen Hai still felt his legs were somewhat weak.

Muttering to himself, as he lay on his grand bed, he had intended just to rest and gather his strength for a while, but unknowingly, he had drifted into a deep sleep.

…

Halfway up the mountain, within a cave mansion newly established over the past year or two,

Ye Fangxian, who was seated cross-legged, would occasionally stand up, and then lie down on the grand bed in the corner of the cave. He was restless, appearing very anxious.

He had always considered himself above others, proud and haughty, believing that in the path of cultivation, he, Ye Fangxian, was in no way inferior to anyone.

He accepted his defeat to Zhang Tianci!

After all, Zhang Tianci’s Black Water Mysterious Yellow Sword Finger was incredibly profound, capable of taking lives effortlessly from more than a hundred miles away.

And Ye Fangxian, though invincible in close combat, indeed lacked in long-range offensive capability.

By becoming a disciple of Chen Hai, aside from realizing that his master’s strength was unfathomable and far stronger than his own, Ye Fangxian mainly wanted to address this weakness.

In his opinion, if he could just inherit the Black Water Mysterious Yellow Sword Finger and successfully learn this divine secret skill, he could beat Zhang Tianci so severely in a rematch that he would be sent scurrying for his teeth.

But now, with the new Black Water True Technique created by his master Chen Hai, be it Zhang Tianci or his martial aunt Ye Qingqing, both had already successfully obtained their inheritance from the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool.

Only he, Ye Fangxian, had stayed half a day in the Myriad Spirit Pool without gaining anything, not even a single hair.

For someone as prideful as him, such an outcome was a heavy blow indeed.

Since leaving the Inheritance Hall and returning to his cave mansion, it had been quite some time, and not only did his frustration show no signs of subsiding, but it seemed to worsen.

“Among those who entered the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool, only I gained nothing.”

“Master must be very disappointed in me.”

“Originally, I wanted to find an opportunity to ask my Master to bestow the Black Water Mysterious Yellow Sword Finger upon me, but under the current circumstances, how can I conveniently speak up?”

“I, Ye Fangxian, have never been weaker than others in my life. The chance to obtain the Black Water True Technique inheritance, I absolutely cannot lightly speak of giving up.”

…

Some matters, it’s fine if you don’t think about them, but the more you ponder, the more agitated your heart becomes.

At this moment, Ye Fangxian was obviously experiencing just that.

Already feeling extremely troubled, when he recalled the scenes from that day in the Inheritance Hall, he felt so despondent he wanted to find a block of tofu to smash his head on.

Inside his cave mansion, he paced back and forth for quite a while.

Finally, feeling utterly stifled, he turned around and walked out of the cave mansion.

Bloodthirsty Sect, within the mountain gate, somewhere.

“Have you heard? This time in the Sect competition, the disciples who make it into the top twenty will be allowed to enter the Black Water Forbidden Land to obtain the True Skill inheritance?”

“The Black Water Forbidden Land outside the mountain gate? That place is shrouded in mystery; for miles around, the Sect repeatedly warns against setting foot in it. There’s actually a True Skill inheritance inside?”

“I joined the Bloodthirsty Sect seventy or eighty years ago, and I’ve heard some of the elders in the Sect mention things about the Forbidden Land.”

“They say that a Great Power resides within the Black Water Forbidden Land. There are even rumors that Senior Zhang Tianci and Senior Ye Fangxian seem to have come out of the Forbidden Land, both being disciples of that person!”

“This is news to me! No wonder Senior Zhang and Senior Ye, apart from displaying great divine might in expelling the Demon Clan and earning a lot of face for our Bloodthirsty Sect, are hardly seen on usual days. Even among the Sect’s upper echelons, their names are never seen!”

“You might not be aware, but Senior Zhang was once the Sect Master of the Five Thunders Sect, and Senior Ye was the Valley Master of another major power within the territory of West Barbarian Mountain, Medicine King Valley. To become disciples of that senior, they merged the Five Thunders Sect and Medicine King Valley into our Bloodthirsty Sect. If not for this, how could our Bloodthirsty Sect have the reputation it boasts today!”

…

The disciples of Bloodthirsty Sect, in groups of three or clusters of five, mostly discussed matters related to the Black Water True Technique inheritance.

Though the news had not been officially announced yet, many rumors had already spread to the ears of numerous disciples within the Sect.

Perhaps, the spread of this message was the upper echelons testing the waters, which had by now received their tacit approval.

Otherwise, the spread of this message wouldn’t have been so rapid, and the upper layers of the Sect would not have remained completely unresponsive.

Not far away, dressed as an ordinary disciple and appearing quite unremarkable, Ye Fangxian listened to the discussions of the crowd; his brows had been furrowed into a straight line for some time now.

Within Bloodthirsty Sect, his name, Ye Fangxian, was indeed widely known, but the ordinary disciples only knew of him by name and had no idea what he looked like.

Having left his cave mansion on Black Water Immortal Mountain wanting to take a walk and alleviate the gloom in his heart, he wandered around and eventually strolled within the mountain gate of the Bloodthirsty Sect.

Not long after Medicine King Valley was merged into the Bloodthirsty Sect, although he had withdrawn from the Sect, he still retained the token personally given to him by Qingqing. With this token in hand, he could still move unimpeded in most parts of the Bloodthirsty Sect’s mountain gate.

On his way here, he didn’t intentionally listen to the various disciples’ idle talks, yet still, quite a few words made their way into his ears.

“Isn’t Master usually very reluctant to take on disciples? The top twenty of the competition will even have a chance to enter the Ten Thousand Spirit Pond to attempt to obtain the Black Water True Skill inheritance?”

“As long as one successfully obtains the True Skill, will they become one of Master’s few disciples? What is going on exactly?”

“Isn’t the Mistress still sitting in the position of Sect Master? With such a wide spread of this matter, and conveyed so convincingly, the Mistress must be aware. Since she hasn’t come forward to stop it, this indicates that she has tacitly approved of it.”

“By that logic, this matter should be true. Could it be that the Master is disappointed in me for failing to obtain the inheritance, which is why he is now taking on disciples so eagerly?”

“After the competition, we should see quite a few more named disciples on Black Water Immortal Mountain who have successfully received the True Technique inheritance.”

“By that time, I, as a Direct Disciple, not being able to obtain the Black Water True Technique inheritance… wouldn’t that be the ultimate disgrace…”

A strong sense of urgency welled up inside him, and Ye Fangxian clenched his teeth. He turned and strode quickly toward the direction of the Bloodthirsty Sect’s mountain gate.