CHAPTER 44: THE EVERLASTING UNDYING TURTLE

Wen Zhongyong, standing at Sima Ting’s side, was a little shorter. "According to our insiders, this may be connected to one person. Years ago, Empress Jin Li took a treasure from the Imperial Treasury, called the Linglong Xi Jade."

Chancellor Sima Ting was surprised. "That treasure?"

The treasure was a set of two, allowing its wielders to communicate with each other. However, it wasn’t as versatile as today’s transmission artifacts, as it was only limited to the two.

Wen Zhongyong gave his assessment of the situation. "Our source reports that Empress Jin Li has been communicating with a mysterious person through the Linglong Xi Jade. This person may be responsible for Lady Qin’s breakthrough into the Emperor realm as well!"

Sima Ting furrowed his brow deeply, clearly frustrated. The palace maids serving Jin Li were mostly his people, so acquiring such information was easy. Moreover, during the incident at the Xuanyuan Forbidden Zone, Jin Li had mentioned Qi Yuan’s name. Sometimes, she’d also mutter the same name in her bedchamber to herself. It was only natural that these details got leaked.

"How dare they sabotage my plans! Have you uncovered their identity?!"

Wen Zhongyong shook his head. "The other half of the Linglong Xi Jade disappeared over a thousand years ago."

"Then, can you guess who they are? To be able to help Lady Qin’s breakthrough, they must be anything but ordinary!"

Sima Ting had many enemies, even within the Heaven-Fate Holy Sect. Now, someone was aiding Empress Jin Li, adding obstacles in his way. This could either be aimed at him or at the Heaven-Fate Holy Sect.

The Heaven-Fate Holy Sect was the human race’s top sect. Over ten human kingdoms all revered it as their sacred land. In the far north, the sect suppressed human fortune while blocking the great demons of the ancestral court.

The Heaven-Fate Holy Sect was lofty, similar to immortals. However, in recent years, the sect had been meddling in mortal imperial power. Sima Ting was one of its pawns. Bit by bit, the sect was encroaching on other nations as well.

Besides the Heaven-Fate Holy Sect, there were many other human sects, and quite a few had banded together to resist the sect.

In Sima Ting’s view, the Linglong Xi Jade’s other half could very well belong to one of those strong figures who resisted the Heaven-Fate Holy Sect.

However, a thought occurred to him, and he asked, "Could it be the demon race?"

He was worried. In his early years, he’d cooperated with a great demon to rise in power. Still, after clinging to the Heaven-Fate Holy Sect’s thigh, he’d decisively severed that link. He feared this had to do with that demon.

Wen Zhongyong responded confidently, "It doesn’t matter who he is. What matters is that he’s our enemy. Anyone who dares sabotage your plans or the Holy Sect’s schemes must die, even if he’s at the Peak Emperor realm."

Sima Ting’s eyes lit up. "You mean...?"

"Yes. I already know his name, Qi Yuan. With that and the Linglong Xi Jade, I can curse him to death. Even if the name is false, it doesn’t matter. My curse will kill him."

Sima Ting seemed concerned. "What if the other party really is a Peak Emperor?"

Wen Zhongyong produced a bamboo ruler. "This is the Nation Determining Ruler, bestowed by the Holy Master of Heaven-Fate Holy Sect himself. With it, my curse can slay him. Not even a Peak Emperor can escape death."

All who traveled under the Holy Master’s orders carried such items to gather a nation’s fortune.

Sima Ting pressed on. "But what if the other side is only pretending to be nobody while contacting the empress? Wouldn’t that be wasted effort?"

Wen Zhongyong said with extreme confidence, "Using this doesn’t cause harm to me. At worst, it wastes some time, but it can also serve as a warning strike. Grand Chancellor, please wait a moment. I’ll fetch the jade piece and perform the curse! Even a Peak Emperor must die!"

Sima Ting eagerly replied, "Then, I shall entrust you with this!"

He was hoping Qi Yuan was indeed the great demon he’d made dealings with. As long as the demon was cursed to die, he’d be able to become the ruler of the Southern Qian in peace. If not, the demon had to die all the same!

Helping Empress Jin Li and offending him was a capital crime!

***

At the Heaven-Fate Holy Mountain...

The human race’s sacred land. The mountain peaks reached ten thousand zhang high, overlooking the entire Moonwatch Continent.

An ordinary-looking youth emerged from a brothel. His expression was carefree and casual. "A journey through life and all it has to offer, yet nothing compares to the taste of beauty."

Placed on any city street, this youth’d be the most unremarkable passerby. However, if his true identity were revealed, everyone would be utterly shocked. For he was the Heaven-Fate Holy Master!

"Finally, after three thousand years, I can move three hundred li beyond Heaven-Fate Holy Mountain. Not bad, not bad at all."

The Holy Master’d originally been a mountain turtle. Three thousand years ago, a drop of immortal blood fell upon him. He awakened intelligence and took on human form, gaining a lifespan of myriad years.

That single drop of blood granted him numerous secret knowledge and unseen methods. However, it came at a price: he couldn’t leave the Heaven-Fate Holy Mountain.

Thus, he cultivated in hiding, year after year. However, due to his abysmal aptitude, it took him five hundred years just to step into the Emperor realm, another fifteen hundred years to reach the Peak Emperor realm. In fact, he’d only stepped into the legendary Heaven realm.

Since his talent was so poor, he specialized in survival. He often won the battle of attrition against his enemies. Then, he’d open a brothel upon their graves and indulge for a night.

Of course, he could only do so near the Heaven-Fate Holy Mountain. He even forced the descendants of those who offended him into prostitution, keeping them in his chambers. He disliked decent women, he preferred courtesans.

As his power grew, so too did his arrogance. He eventually established the Heaven-Fate Holy Sect, becoming its Holy Master. The sect elders never knew that each generation of Holy Master was nothing but one of his clones.

Strolling along, the Holy Master hummed a little tune. "Alas, I was too timid before. The blood from provoking a thousand-year war between humans and demons barely let me step into the Peak Emperor realm. The progress is too slow. To control the human fortune and demon bloodlines, then sacrifice them—that’s the true path!"

Feeling his strength climb higher, the Holy Master sighed. Due to his lack of talent, his cultivation path was painfully slow.

According to the secret arts of that immortal blood, provoking wars between humans and demons generated blood qi that he could feed upon, slowly raising his strength. He only had to fan the flames a little, as humans and demons were enemies by nature.

However, as his power soared, he grew dissatisfied with the pace. Thus, he set his sights on the most powerful and most vicious method recorded in the secret arts: the Blood Sacrifice of National Fortune!

He dispatched the Nation Determining Ruler to every kingdom, siphoning their fortunes. The ritual would be completed in another sixty-year cycle. Then, he’d perform the blood sacrifice, offering up both human and demon races alike. He’d then leap like a carp over the dragon gate, becoming the true master of the Moonwatch Continent.

Looking back over his life, the Holy Master felt great pride. His life had been splendid. Surviving to the utmost and achieving success later in life.

"I have bowed and scraped before the mighty, stirring storms with but a few words. No matter how peerless your talent across the ages, won’t you still turn to ash and laughter? The everlasting undying turtle, at last fulfilled today!"

The Holy Master often frequented brothels, humming little songs. Alas, his education was poor, and he ignored rhyme and rhythm.

He prepared to return to the Heaven-Fate Holy Sect and enter seclusion again. To be safe, he would cultivate within a coffin for the last cycle while his clones managed the sect. Unless something major happened, he wouldn’t emerge. Well, perhaps he’d slip out a few times to the brothel.

Just then, a crow flew overhead. The Holy Master cursed at the ill omen. With a flick of his finger, the crow died instantly.

Yet, for some reason, his heart suddenly throbbed in panic. "No... I can’t go fooling around anymore! Not even to the brothel!"

The Holy Master made a decision that betrayed his very nature.