Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 472: Internal Battle Among Immortal Sects
The Xia Emperor sifted through his memories. Aside from consistently guessing that Lu Yang would lose, I don’t remember doing anything that might have provoked him.
Given that those inside the treasure box aren’t aware of what happens outside, the conclusion is obvious—Lu Yang simply wants to beat me up.
The Xia Emperor firmly refused to duel Lu Yang one-on-one.
You must be joking! Even Master Jiesha lost. It’s not like I excel at martial arts either. Stepping in there will definitely leave me in a more tragic plight than Luo Hongxia. Judging by Lu Yang’s ruthless tactics—forcing Luo Hongxia to gnaw on leaves, driving Yang Ding to become a monk, and making Master Jiesha return to secular life—he probably has no regard for reverence toward the old, nor would he show any respect to a pitiful old man like me, a flickering candle in the wind.
He applauded softly with a smile as pleasant as a spring breeze, pretending he didn’t hear the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s challenge invitation.
“Wonderful, wonderful! As expected of a youth prodigy to wield such combat prowess at such a young age. Your future knows no bounds!”
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy nodded, calmly accepting the Xia Emperor’s praise. But of course. My Unbeatable Momentum has been built through winning countless battles until I ascended to an immortal.
“So, you want to fight me?”
The Xia Emperor developed temporary hearing loss and showered Lu Yang with accolades. “Sect Leader Lu, you have made a name for yourself and demonstrated brilliant talents of a promising youth with such vigor and spirit. There’ll surely be a place for you in the upcoming Great Era!”
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy kept nodding. As the head of the Five Ancient Immortals, I was unbeatable throughout the land. After her accidental death and subsequent rebirth, she discovered the world had forgotten both her name and her legends. Now, with the imminent arrival of the Great Era, she had the opportunity to restore her former glory in ancient times. I must reclaim everything that rightfully belongs to me!
“I like what you’ve said. So, shall we exchange a few moves?”
The Xia Emperor pressed on. “Although your shifu is the Taciturn Daoist Priest and you can’t serve the court as an official, you’re still a son of Great Xia. When you retire from your position as sect leader, I shall grant you the privilege of attending court without hastening your pace,[1] being announced with only your title,[2] and wearing your sword[3] and shoes[4] into the palace hall.”
This was no trivial reward. Such honors require monumental achievements to obtain, the kind that could be recorded in the annals of history.
Setting aside Lu Yang’s extraordinary combat prowess demonstrated by defeating four immortal sect leaders, his pivotal role in annihilating the Everlasting Creed and establishing the Heavenly Court Creed to countervail the Nine-Netherworlds Creed alone would merit such imperial favor.
Of course, the real reason was that the Xia Emperor was trying to stall for time.
He frantically signaled to Qiu Jin’an and the others with his eyes, urging them to help change the subject of their conversation. I can’t count on Yun Zhi. I shot her a meaningful glance, but she returned me an expressionless stare.
Qiu Jin’an cleared his throat and praised Lu Yang as if he wasn’t the one who had just been beaten up. “Sect Leader Lu’s combat awareness is truly outstanding. Although I held back, forcing me to this extent is no small feat. When I was at the Golden Core Stage a long time back, I was undefeated throughout the land.”
Yang Ding nodded, rubbing his shiny bald head as he commented on the earlier battle. “That’s right. In all my years, I’ve never seen combat instincts like Sect Leader Lu’s. He’s a born fighter who has mastered the essence of Fist and Spell As One at a young age—truly the little junior brother Yun Zhi has groomed. It’s a pity that when we fought earlier, I was bullying the young with my seniority, so I was embarrassed to use my full strength, and that led to my accidental defeat. Were I truly at the Golden Core Stage, I would gladly have a good spar with Sect Leader Lu. When it comes to combat between Golden Core cultivators, I’ve never feared anyone.”
Luo Hongxia looked at the shameless pair with undisguised contempt, feeling it was a grace to share the title of immortal sect leader with them. “The spells Sect Leader Lu employed are equally remarkable and unlike anything I’ve ever heard of, as if he’s created a style of his own. With just these skills, defeating those wild cultivators who dispersed their cultivation to cultivate anew would be no problem at all. If I were still at the Golden Core Stage, I would only have a ninety percent win rate against such opponents—hardly worth mentioning.”
What did it mean to be an immortal sect leader? Not only did it demand one’s cultivation to be sublime, but it also required one to represent the sect in the outside world. These three are truly worthy of their title. Their shameless thick skins can rival even Shifu’s.
As expected, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s attention was successfully diverted. She no longer dwelled on sparring with the Xia Emperor and instead asked curiously, “Since all three of you were so formidable at the Golden Core Stage, who was actually the strongest?”
“Haha, what a good question. I was the strongest at the Golden Core Stage,” all three immortal sect leaders declared simultaneously.
As soon as the words left their mouth, the air seemed to freeze, and the atmosphere grew palpably tense. Even Lu Yang could feel the oppressive murderous tension while observing from his mental space.
The three sect leaders exchanged glances, subtly shifting their feet and spreading out with vigilance.
Qiu Jin’an narrowed his eyes. “Oh?” he remarked casually. “Wasn’t I the strongest? At the Golden Core Stage, I challenged opponents beyond my level and destroyed an entire branch of the Everlasting Creed, capturing the branch leader and vice branch leader alive, both of whom were at the Nascent Soul Stage.”
Yang Ding sneered. “Ridiculous! I was simply confined because that old Taciturn scoundrel sabotaged me. Otherwise, I would have made a name for myself across the world. As if you’re the only one who could defeat Nascent Soul cultivators!”
Luo Hongxia was also brimming with confidence and not willing to be outdone. “At the Golden Core Stage, we were united against the Dao-Seeking Nine and never had the chance to face off against each other properly. Looks like the timing can’t be any better.”
“Bring it on then!”
“Who’s afraid of whom?”
“Fight!”
Luo Hongxia activated the treasure box, which shot out three beams of light that sucked all three inside, suppressing their cultivation to the Golden Core Stage.
Right after they disappeared into the box, the murderous atmosphere dissipated, leaving the air quiet once more.
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy blinked in confusion, unable to understand why the three had suddenly started fighting. “Aren’t the Five Great Immortal Sects supposed to stand united against common adversaries? This doesn’t feel united at all,” she mumbled. Even we Five Ancient Immortals were more united than this.
Lu Yang, “...”
Immortal Fairy, do you want to take a guess at why they’re fighting?
After waiting a while and sensing no movement from the treasure box, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy figured the outcome of the battle wouldn’t be decided quickly. “There’s nothing else, right? If there’s nothing else, should we head back?”
With fewer people at the meeting, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s enthusiasm waned. At any rate, we’ve finished discussing the matters, and I’ve finished beating up people. It’s time to return.
As acting sect leader, I have to manage the vast Dao-Seeking Sect and handle countless affairs every day.
“There’s nothing else. You may return.” The Xia Emperor’s gaze toward Lu Yang noticeably changed. I can’t wait for this troublesome living Buddha to leave. Not even the Taciturn Daoist Priest had been this much trouble in his Golden Core days.
“Let’s go.” Yun Zhi was satisfied with the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s performance. No major complications arose.
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy swung her arms as she swaggered out of the palace, with Yun Zhi following half a step behind in perfect decorum. The two departed on their cloud, leaving only the Xia Emperor and Master Jiesha behind.
“Master, you...”
Master Jiesha made no further comments, tearing through space as he left. In truth, he had also wanted to enter the treasure box and show the juniors like Qiu Jin’an what true unbeatability at the Golden Core Stage looked like. But as their elder, he couldn’t bring himself to stoop to such behavior.
Of course, there was another reason. He suspected that if he had entered the box, he might have faced combined attacks from all three opponents, which he reckoned he couldn’t have withstood.
The Mouth-Shut Chan Meditation is truly hard to practice. I could only nod or shake my head during the meeting. It’s unbearably suffocating not being able to speak.
1. If you have watched some dramas, most people are supposed to walk quickly in the presence of the emperor. ☜
2. Having an audience with the emperor could involve a complicated procedure. After all the administrative steps, one’s title followed by their name would be announced. It is an honor to be addressed by only the title and without the name. ☜
3. Starting from the Qin Dynasty (the first dynasty after unification of China), officials were not allowed to carry their swords with them during court assembly due to safety considerations. ☜ 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
4. Before the Yuan Dynasty (the short dynasty under the reign of the Mongols), officials were not allowed to wear their shoes during court assembly as a sign of respect for the emperor. ☜
