"Master, have you been hunting this evil being all along?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously as he approached Elder Ku.
"Hunting? I've killed it more than once, but it can't be destroyed—only imprisoned. Unfortunately, it's quite cunning and always evades me," Elder Ku sighed.
"Then it must fear you, Master; you're quite formidable," Xiao Nanfeng replied with a smile.
Elder Ku shook his head, "No, at its peak, it could annihilate nations. In those times, I would have fled at its mere sight. Something changed, weakening it."
"Weak?" Xiao Nanfeng looked astonished at the skeletal figure.
How could something so deadly be weak? What terror must it have been in its prime?
"It disappeared for years, then reappeared a month ago, startling me. Fortunately, I managed to capture it before it regained strength, averting disaster," Elder Ku exhaled deeply, then asked, "What brings you here? I specifically instructed no disturbances before my retreat."
"Disciple had no choice but to disturb you; someone is hunting me outside, and I seek your aid."
"What? Who dares to hunt you?" Elder Ku was taken aback.
"This person is one of them. He tricked me into going to the beach, made me drink poison, aiming to control me and steal from you," Xiao Nanfeng pointed at Tang Xiaoyi.
Tang Xiaoyi immediately knelt, terrified. "Senior Brother, I was wrong! I was just following orders."
Elder Ku's expression turned cold.
Xiao Nanfeng continued, "Also, on my way back, many within the sect were after me. I only dared to call for you at the entrance, but a fierce pursuer followed closely, forcing me to seek refuge."
"Hmph!" Elder Ku's cold snort radiated a murderous aura toward Tang Xiaoyi. "You all have some nerve! To act so brazenly in Taiqing Immortal Sect!"
He had just taken on a promising disciple, only for someone to target him? No, this was an affront to him!
Tang Xiaoyi was baffled. Was anyone else after Nanfeng?
He certainly wouldn't take the fall for it!
Tang Xiaoyi hurriedly explained, "Only two of us were responsible for dealing with Senior Brother Nanfeng. The others are unrelated."
"Tang Xiaoyi, didn't you just say you would confess the names of everyone in your organization? Speak now!" Xiao Nanfeng suddenly glared at Tang Xiaoyi.
Tang Xiaoyi's expression shifted, and he tentatively asked, "If I confess, will you let me go?"
"Ding!"
Elder Ku plucked a string on his zither, and instantly, a horde of malevolent spirits lunged at Tang Xiaoyi, draining the color from his face.
"I'll tell! I'll tell! Elder Ku, spare me; I'll confess everything!" Tang Xiaoyi panicked.
"Name them!" Elder Ku commanded sternly.
Tang Xiaoyi gulped, hesitating before naming eight individuals.
"That's all I know. I'm not high-ranking enough to know more. There was one Chen Hai, but he's dead now. He was at the eighth level of the acquired realm. Senior Brother Nanfeng's Overbearing Fist is incredibly powerful, defeating even him!" Tang Xiaoyi added, eager to flatter.
"Hmm? Nanfeng, you've just learned the Overbearing Fist for a month and defeated someone at the eighth level of the acquired realm?" Elder Ku was taken aback.
He had taught Xiao Nanfeng the Overbearing Fist, and it had only been a month!
"Disciple is foolish and barely grasped the basics after a month," Xiao Nanfeng replied respectfully.
"Basics? You mastered it in a month?!"
The Overbearing Fist couldn't be understood in less than a year or two!
"Master allowed me to observe various Daoist texts in the scripture palace. I spent the month studying, discovering eight texts related to the Overbearing Fist, including *Insights on the Overbearing Fist*, *The Lasting Will of the Overbearing Fist*, and *Beginner's Guide to the Overbearing Fist*... I found a shortcut through these texts."
Elder Ku: "…"
In a month, while other disciples struggled to memorize a few texts, you managed to comprehend eight? And you even had time to study other scriptures?
What kind of prodigy had he taken on as a disciple?
"Though your trespassing was due to necessity, rules of Taiqing Immortal Sect must be upheld. You'll be punished by reciting ten texts on Pure Yang True Qi. I'll have the scripture palace select them for you," Elder Ku casually stated.
"Thank you for your favor, Master!" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes lit up. Having dedicated disciples select essential texts for him would save him much time.
Tang Xiaoyi looked on in shock. Did he just hear correctly? You're thanking him? Isn't this punishment?
"It's not safe here. I must fully seal this evil being. You two, leave," Elder Ku instructed solemnly.
"Master, there are many outside hunting me," Xiao Nanfeng urged.
"In the second compartment on the east side of the bookshelf, there's a Xuan Faction token that can summon all Xuan Faction disciples. Just activate it in the order of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and you'll retrieve it. With this token, no one will dare to touch you," Elder Ku stated seriously.
"Understood!" Xiao Nanfeng replied respectfully.
"Good, I'll send you out of this illusion! This evil being is currently very weak and can only influence the spiritual world; it cannot manifest in reality. Once outside, don't touch my physical body—just exit the hall!" Elder Ku cautioned.
After speaking, Elder Ku plucked another string, and a wave of energy surged toward Xiao Nanfeng and Tang Xiaoyi.
"Buzz!"
Xiao Nanfeng and Tang Xiaoyi instantly vanished from the illusion, returning to their real bodies.
In reality, Xiao Nanfeng carried a large package containing the unconscious Tang Xiaoyi and the dead Chen Hai.
In the hall, Elder Ku's physical body sat silently at a low table, hands resting on the guqin, completely still. Everything seemed eerily calm.
Following Elder Ku's instructions, Xiao Nanfeng located the Xuan Faction token on the bookshelf.
Just as he was about to leave, his pupils contracted, as if plunged into an ice cavern. In the dim corner of the hall stood a pale skeleton, quietly staring at him.
"Did that evil being manifest in reality?" Xiao Nanfeng's scalp tingled.
This was clearly not an illusion; how had the skeleton appeared? Hadn't Master said it couldn't manifest?
"Whoosh!"
The skeleton suddenly flashed, appearing at Elder Ku's physical body.
"Stop!" Xiao Nanfeng yelled.
The skeleton swung its claws, aiming for Elder Ku's neck.
"Stop!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted, rushing forward without hesitation.
Just as the skeleton's claws were about to pierce Elder Ku's neck, they halted, as if frozen, waiting for Xiao Nanfeng to intervene.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment; however, Xiao Nanfeng, halfway through his charge, suddenly stopped, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. He recalled his Master's warning—don't touch his physical body.
Master's words were not to be taken lightly. If the skeleton could influence reality, it could have attacked earlier—why wait? It didn't make sense!
The only explanation was that this skeleton was deceiving him—trying to lure him into moving against Master's body.
Though fear surged in his heart, he ultimately held back.
Indeed, the skeleton's claws merely hovered near Elder Ku's neck, not truly grasping it.
The skeleton's head slowly turned, making a chilling sound as its bones creaked, its hollow eyes locking onto Xiao Nanfeng.
Xiao Nanfeng felt a chill as the skeleton fixed its gaze on him.
Seeing the skeleton make no further move, Xiao Nanfeng grew more resolute in his deduction. He bowed respectfully to Elder Ku's physical body, then ignored the skeleton and strode toward the hall's exit with the package.
The skeleton stared blankly at Xiao Nanfeng leaving, remaining motionless for a long time.
Why are you leaving? Aren't you supposed to stop me? Don't you care about him?
"Bang!"
The great hall doors slammed shut, and the skeleton slowly retracted its claws, trembling slightly, dark smoke wafting from its skull, clearly displeased with Xiao Nanfeng.
After a moment of silence, the skeleton drifted to the window, peering out into the dark, its mouth spewing black smoke as if cursing Xiao Nanfeng from beyond the glass.