Chapter 197: Worthless as Grass, Lofty as Mountains

"

Hehehe

, Daoist Tian Ji, you really know how to tell a joke. I'd only ever heard the rumor, but I never thought I'd actually see it for myself," Ancestor Suitian said, a strange smile curling his lips as he gazed at the colossal phantom above the Heavenly Spirit-Gathering Disk. "Daoist Tian Ji, the thing you should worry about right now is your dwindling lifespan.

"Your Dao-Aligned Spirit Body has long since surpassed the Human Core Realm, yet the limits of your Golden Body have kept you from breaking into the Heaven Core Realm.

"If you had another hundred thousand years to cultivate, once your Golden Body is complete, perhaps you could still reach it."

Projecting an ancient image toward Daoist Tian Ji, he continued, "I've heard that cultivators of the ancient era lived far longer than those of today. Why not join forces with us? Once we've dealt with this secret realm, all the treasures related to longevity down below will be yours."

"

Heh...

so you've planned this all along. No wonder you weren't the least bit anxious when the mist surged.

"I knew something was off. With your cultivation at the peak of the Human Core Realm, how could you fail to control even the tiniest threads of black mist? Turns out, you were letting them seep out on purpose."

Venerable Shuang Dao, standing nearby, sneered as he listened to the conversation. "If I'm not mistaken, the reason so many low-level cultivators appeared during this mist eruption was because you carefully prepared them as blood sacrifices for that giant, wasn't it?"

At the valley entrance, cultivators who heard his words frantically circulated their spirit qi, probing their own condition. Some sensed the black mist inside them and instantly turned pale with fear, yet none dared to speak. They could only help each other force the mist out.

"To use your own disciples as sacrifices... Ancestor Suitian, this is quite a trick of yours." Venerable Shuang Dao unleashed another wave of Core Flame, incinerating the black mist clinging to those around him. "The cultivators who died quietly down here over the years... that was your doing too, wasn't it? You used the Men of Heaven's flesh and blood to forge corpse qi and fed it to the giant."

Jun Laoye was immediately enraged, roaring toward Venerable Shuang Dao. "You old dog... how dare you slander my Ancestor!"

He summoned the Heavenly Dao Spear and hurled it at Venerable Shuang Dao. The spear tore through layer after layer of barriers but still couldn't come within three zhang of the venerable.

"

Heh...

What a reckless fool. Brat, it's quite bold of you to attack me with just your Qi Regulation Realm cultivation." Venerable Shuang Dao snorted coldly, sending Jun Laoye and the Heavenly Dao Spear flying backward. "Jun Clan's young master, do you have any idea what kind of character the Jun Clan of the Heavenly Rite Manor is known for? And yet here you are, weeping like a rat at a funeral?"

Ancestor Suitian glanced at the flung-back Jun Laoye and condensed a small lightning giant behind him. "

Hehehe

, commoners are worth less than grass, while noble clans rise higher than mountains. Hasn't it always been that way since ancient times?"

The giant spread its massive arms, catching Jun Laoye firmly.

Closest to the giant, Lu Chen trembled inwardly at its presence. The lightning giant gave off no aura of cultivation, yet simply standing within its reach filled his mind with one terrifying vision after another, one of them being himself crushed to dust by a single cold breath from the giant.

The lightning giant dissolved into pure electricity and reformed in Ancestor Suitian's hands as a long spear. Turning back to Venerable Shuang Dao, Ancestor Suitian's expression hardened. "You've gone too far."

"Outrageo—"

Before the venerable could finish, Ancestor Suitian hurled the spear. Unlike Jun Laoye's earlier strike, this attack effortlessly pierced through Venerable Shuang Dao's layered defenses, stopping just before his brow.

"The cultivation world has always been like this," Ancestor Suitian said coldly. "You can only blame your strength for falling half a realm short of mine."

With a snort, he retrieved the spear and stepped forward. "I'll give you one more chance. Either join me or leave."

"You... Suitian, if I unleash my full power and fight you to the death, do you really think you can suppress me?"

"

Heh...

I'll give you three breaths to decide," Ancestor Suitian's smile dripped with mockery. "The giant has already begun to stir. It no longer matters whether or not you guard this place. But your granddaughter... she won't be able to wait much longer, will she?"

Venerable Shuang Dao froze as soon as his deepest secret was revealed. He raised his blades, ready to fight to the death. "How do you know that? You investigated me?"

He had been about to charge forward, but as once Ancestor Suitian spoke he groaned, a hint of doubt creeping in. "No... wait... My poor granddaughter still slumbers in another dimension. No one could possibly know about that incident back then... Don't tell me... you were the one who caused the injuries?"

"

Ahhh!

I should have realized it sooner!" He roared, unleashing wave after wave of wind blades. Yet none could pierce Ancestor Suitian's defenses. "I should have realized that under the heavens, only wounds caused by the Jun Clan's Heavenly Lightning can't be resolved by ordinary means. I should have realized it long ago..."

Ancestor Suitian stood firm against the sweeping wind blades. His aged face, once kind and benevolent, was now twisted with ruthless malice, a stark contrast to the elder Lu Chen had known. "So what if I did it, and what if I didn't? On my family's territory, how could I allow anyone else to act at will?"

With a single palm strike, he sent Venerable Shuang Dao flying. "I know recklessness is in your nature, so I won't hold your attack against you. But think carefully about your granddaughter's injuries. Then ask yourself, who are you really living for?"

He casually tossed a withered stalk of grass. "The Spirit-Supporting Herb beneath this cliff, grown in deathly qi, is the only thing that can truly heal your granddaughter's wounds. That's all I have to say. Decide for yourself whether you want to join me or not."

Watching the clash between the two venerables, Lu Chen recalled Blindman Lu's words beneath the ancient parasol tree as he played the guqin, "

Cultivation is cruel because it is a struggle, not only against heaven and earth, but against others, and against one's own heart."

He had not understood it then, but now, watching the exchange, he felt he glimpsed its meaning.

"You..." Venerable Shuang Dao stared at the Spirit-Supporting Herb in Ancestor Suitian's hand. With a sorrowful sigh, he withdrew his blades. "Forget it... I'll join you. But let me make this clear. We are only cooperating. I want no techniques or treasures, but every Spirit-Supporting Herb below will belong to me."

"You can have them all," Ancestor Suitian said with a kind smile. "Your granddaughter was indeed injured by the Lightning Shock Sutra, but I swear it wasn't my doing.

"Think about it. Your granddaughter is only in the Qi Regulation Realm. How could she possibly endure my Lightning Shock Sutra at the peak of the Human Core Realm? I only learned of her injury a thousand years ago, when I sent someone to investigate."

Venerable Shuang Dao froze, then muttered, "That's true... but it was still the Jun Clan's doing. The root of this lies with you. Once this matter is settled, I want you to find that person and personally bring him before me."

Ancestor Suitian laughed. "Of course. That man was nothing but a traitor from the Jun Clan's outer branch. I discovered him long ago, had him secretly captured, and locked away in our clan's prison. I've been waiting precisely for this day, when I could hand him over to you."

Venerable Shuang Dao let out a low grunt. "Good..."

He sheathed his blades and fell into step behind Ancestor Suitian, his expression dark. "This settles it. This is for the best."

On the surface, he seemed satisfied, yet every one of his words carried the weight of helplessness.

"

Heh

, what a fine 'peaceful resolution' this is. But is it truly resolved, or just another act in the endless play of worldly schemes?" Venerable Hua Xin sneered. "Shuang Dao, you can't seriously believe him, can you? This is clearly a ploy. Even if he didn't act personally, there's a high chance he had someone else do it. Trading an insignificant subordinate for a venerable's allegiance. Have you still not seen through the lowly tricks of the noble clans?"

Before Ancestor Suitian could respond, Venerable Shuang Dao had drawn his blades, slashing two violent sword qi toward Hua Xin. "Hua Xin, this is between me and him. Even if it truly was his doing, it's not your place to interfere!"

Hua Xin blocked the strikes with his spirit qi, then laughed coldly. "

Heh...

you're furious because my words struck a nerve. Seems you agree with me deep down, don't you?"

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Venerable Shuang Dao snorted, sheathing his blades without another word.

Ancestor Suitian sneered but ignored their quarrel. Instead, he turned to the other venerables. "And what about you? You didn't come here solely for treasure and fortune, did you? Will you step forward willingly, or shall I reveal your secrets for you?"

He stepped closer, his gaze cutting toward the disciples of the Rebirth Sect. His voice lowered to an eerie tone. "On the eastern shore of Jianghai, the Rebirth Sect was annihilated. Hua Qingrou's consciousness shattered..."

Both Hua Sheng and Hua Xin staggered back, trembling as they stared at him. "You—"

"Shall I continue?"

He advanced two more steps, eyes locking onto the eastern part of Jianghai Region. "Master and disciple turned against one another, the sect's treasured artifact vanished... Don't you want to know who took it?"

He pulled out a mask, his smile mocking. "Don't you want to know the truth behind your sect's destruction?"

Hua Xin stared at the mask in Ancestor Suitian's hand, trembling all over. "That mask... you were the mysterious figure?"

His hands clenched tight, his eyes instantly bloodshot. He roared, "You once told me we were kindred spirits, that you wanted to visit my sect. I welcomed you warmly, even shared with you the secrets of our arts. Why... Why did you deceive me?"