Chapter 38: Crimson Executioner

"It's fake!"

"The stories are nothing but fiction!"

Jiang Xiaobai furrowed her brows, and her typically gentle gaze now bore a hint of irritation. Even when she had been abruptly attacked by the giant lizard, she hadn't appeared this angry.

"Those disciples from the Celestial Pivot Pavilion cling to me like glue! They bribe their way into the Mount Shu Sect and plant spies within the Sword Exchange Pavilion to gather information about my mission itineraries. Then, they would follow me and make up stories about me.

"At the time, I was on a mission in Jiangnan. Given the fame of the Drunken Moon Delights, I felt it necessary to pay it a visit. However, on my way there, I crossed paths with Feng Chaoyang. Despite reserving the entire place, he insisted on following me into the restaurant. Out of consideration for the sect's reputation, I couldn't kick him out. Instead, I had the restaurant owner arrange a separate table for him, and I covered the expenses.

"It was incredibly uncomfortable to have someone observe me while I'm eating! Ugh!"

Jiang Xiaobai was seething with frustration.

Chu Liang smiled, realizing that her anger was partly fueled by the gossip and largely by the disruption of her dining experience.

As Chu Liang pondered it, he agreed. The fact that Fairy Jiang hadn't missed the opportunity to visit a renowned local eatery during her mission indicated that she was likely a food enthusiast. However, her eating style was far from graceful...

She couldn't enjoy her meal the way she wanted with someone watching.

After listening, he asked slowly, "But... this is news about Jiang Yuebai. You are Jiang Xiaobai, aren't you?"

"..." Jiang Yuebai remained silent for a moment before adopting a stern expression as she said, "I have no idea what you're talking about. If you don't have any more business here, please leave. I'm still busy."

Since Chu Liang still depended on her to teach him divine techniques, he didn't dare to tease her anymore. He bid her farewell and departed.

As he departed, the Baize youngling appeared reluctant to see him go, accompanying him all the way out of Treasure Pagoda Peak.

After returning to Silver Sword Peak, Chu Liang retreated to his wooden cabin to reflect on the battle scene he had witnessed today.

He couldn't help but shudder with fear.

Jiang Yuebai, at the pinnacle of the fourth realm in her cultivation, and the demonic beast, at the pinnacle of the fifth realm, had fought for only a few brief rounds. However, any single blow from either side could have ended him within seconds.

He was still too weak.

After the significant event that transpired today, he came to the realization that even if he had stayed on Mount Shu and never ventured beyond its borders, he wouldn't be completely free from danger.

The likelihood of encountering attacks by demonic beasts on Mount Shu was very low, but it was not zero.

True safety could only be achieved by becoming genuinely strong.

His teacher embodied this belief. She was more carefree than anyone else on Mount Shu, yet she never had to worry about her own safety.

Those who see her are the ones who need to worry...

However, achieving strength couldn't happen overnight. As long as he remained diligent and persistent, with the White Pagoda in his possession, he believed he wouldn't fall behind others.

Nonetheless, a significant challenge loomed on the horizon—the forthcoming Mount Shu Summit.

Chu Liang doesn't have senior brothers or sisters in the Silver Sword Peak, hence why he lacked some understanding of the strength of those cultivators at the Golden Core Realm.

Back then, when he met Fang Ting, he thought Fang Ting was very powerful.

When he encountered the black-robed individual, he felt even more inferior in strength.

And today, he saw Jiang Yuebai...

Was he going to have to compete with people like her in the future?

No way!

The most formidable competitor for the title of the head disciple at Mount Shu Sect should be Jiang Yuebai from the Azure Falls Peak and Xu Ziyang from the Jade Sword Peak.

Jiang Yuebai was more well-known in the martial world and was considered one of the top figures. Not only was she a cultivation genius, she was very beautiful, which was why she garnered more attention.

However, within the Mount Shu Sect, these two individuals had always been ranked equally.

Even if there were differences in their strength, the gap shouldn't be too big.

Teacher, if you have a conflict with the Jade Sword Peak, you should just fight him. Why would you force me to step into the combat field?

When will the cycle of revenge end?

...

After pondering for a while, Chu Liang cleared his mind.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Regardless, he needed to engage in something that brought joy.

By inadvertently claiming the kill from Jiang Yuebai and blasting the giant lizard to death, he had secured another opportunity for a reward!

His frequency of collecting rewards had been on the rise, bringing him immense joy and contentment.

In addition...

From his past experiences with reward unboxing, he had learned that the type of treasure received was associated with the type of evil entity defeated, while the treasure's value was directly linked to the strength of the evil entity.

This implied that the more powerful the evil entity vanquished, the more potent the treasure acquired!

It was Chu Liang's first time killing a demonic beast of this caliber.

And so, he eagerly anticipated the potential rewards he might unbox.

Chu Liang gazed out of the window and suddenly felt a touch of anxiety. Perhaps, in the future, he should consider raising a koi fish on Silver Sword Peak. Offering a prayer before unboxing a reward might work some miraculous effect.

After a moment of meditation, he quickly arrived inside the White Pagoda.

The golden phantom of the giant lizard in the iron cell hovered in the air, its imposing presence mirroring that of its living form.

Chu Liang took a deep breath before he moved forward to press the "refine" button.

Boom!

A red light flashed. This time, the red light endured for about two breaths, slightly longer than usual, before fading away.

As the radiance reappeared, it had already arrived in front of Chu Liang.

Chu Liang reached out and grabbed the light. In his hand, a plain yet weighty longsword materialized.

A sword?

Chu Liang was elated; this was precisely what he had hoped for!

Then, a message appeared in his mind.

[Crimson Executioner: This sword serves as a symbol of righteousness. When confronting an enemy tainted by great evil and their qi suffused with blood, the sword undergoes a surge in power. Against regular foes, it remains an ordinary iron sword. If you ever feel off, consider changing your target, and you might discover yourself in prime condition.]

Eh?

Chu Liang gazed at the ancient longsword in his hand, lost in thought.

He slowly unsheathed the sword and observed that the blade bore numerous cracks and blemishes, as if it had weathered countless battles. The blade didn't seem as sharp, and the sword itself felt exceedingly heavy.

Crimson Executioner...

Though it was considered a treasured sword, its power would only be boosted when it confronted individuals who had committed heinous deeds and whose qi had been saturated with the stain of blood.

Is this sword exclusively used to kill major wrongdoers?

Chu Liang had a vague understanding of the concept of qi saturated with blood. Every living being in the world has qi, whether it was demonic, ghostly, or human in nature. The actions they undertook in their daily lives could significantly influence their qi.

Individuals who committed mass murder were often enveloped by a cloud of resentment and qi saturated with blood.

Nevertheless, eliminating evildoers wouldn't lead to increased resentment. Instead, it would foster an accumulation of righteous qi. Despite its seeming complexity, this could be understood with a simple principle: one's qi mirrored one's character.

For cultivators that mastered the "Qi-Reading Technique," determining a person's moral character as good or evil based on their qi was a straightforward task.

Mere acts of killing a few individuals would not saturate one's qi with blood; it would necessitate the massacre of many innocent lives.

Therefore, meeting the conditions required for the sword to unleash its explosive power was no easy feat. Among the adversaries Chu Liang had encountered, the Soul Subjugator appeared to be the sole individual who might fulfill these requirements.

In other words, most of the time, this was just an ordinary iron sword...

Chu Liang emerged from the White Pagoda with a neutral disposition, his facial expression reflecting the same neutrality. Although the sword of righteousness didn't fill him with exhilaration, he was not disappointed at all. Ever since the talisman, which he had initially considered worthless, had saved his life, he had resolved never to hastily assess the value of treasures based on his own judgment.

Nonetheless... he glanced outside the window.

The windowpane is a good spot for a fish tank.