Chapter 82: Inheriting the Will of Heaven

“Brother Qin, may I ask which sect you practice in?”
At that moment, Shi Xin appeared nonchalant, his tone and expression betraying nothing, yet his gaze drifted subtly toward Qin Chuan.
Qin Chuan thought to himself, Here it comes. These two are sure to probe into my sect and origins; unless they uncover my background, they won’t let me leave in peace.
If I claim to be a disciple of the Green Mountain Sect, there’s little chance I’ll depart unharmed, he sighed inwardly.
“My master is the Supreme Daoist, and my sect—Heaven’s Heart Sect.”
The Heaven’s Heart Sect truly does exist, a mid-sized sect in the Green Mountain Realm, some eight to ten thousand miles from here.
The men before him might have heard of it, but would hardly know it well.
“Oh?”
“Heaven’s Heart Sect? Then what brings you all this way, Brother Qin?”
What Qin Chuan didn’t know was that, as soon as he uttered the name “Heaven’s Heart Sect,” Man of Many Faces and Shi Xin nearly slammed the table and turned hostile.
“My master, the Supreme Daoist, recently sensed a sign and divined that this land is blessed with extraordinary fortune. One day, an immortal who attains the Dao will appear here!”
Man of Many Faces felt a strange stir in his heart upon hearing Qin Chuan’s words. “Alas, we both have our own sects and cannot follow you to seek your master.”
...
Bang.
Qin Chuan closed the wooden door behind him, a trace of worry in his expression. Was it truly so easy to fool those two?
He was in an ordinary guest room within the mountain stronghold, though its furnishings were complete.
He took out a meditation cushion from his storage pouch and sat cross-legged. Whatever their concerns, as long as he returned safely, the rest could be dealt with later.
He’d noticed, when he spoke the words “Heaven’s Heart Sect,” a flash of astonishment in the eyes of Man of Many Faces and Shi Xin.
There was something peculiar here; he must remain cautious and prepared, meeting force with force and water with earth.
In a secluded chamber of the stronghold—
“Senior Brother, that brat is definitely up to no good. Why don’t we just kill him today?” Shi Xin raised a hand, drawing it across his throat, his words brimming with murderous intent.
Man of Many Faces wore a similarly grim expression, his hand tapping lightly on the table. “We’ve been scheming here for so long, and the Blood Pill will soon be complete. We can’t afford any complications.”

“We stole the secret teachings of Heaven’s Heart Sect and betrayed our order; the entire Green Mountain Realm shuns us. The Blood Pill still needs time to condense.”
“If he’s from a minor sect, that’s fine. But if he’s a core disciple of Green Mountain Sect, with a Life Lamp bound, his death here would bring disaster.”
Shi Xin snorted coldly. “Hmph, does he look the part?”
“Well, it’s just as well. Senior Brother, promise me you won’t touch him for these two days. When the Blood Pill is formed, I’ll kill him myself.”
“As you wish, Brother. Go now, I’d like to be alone.”
Shi Xin said nothing, pressing his hands to the stone door and channeling his spiritual energy. The door shifted, opening wide enough for a person, and he slipped away, vanishing from sight.
Only Man of Many Faces remained, his right hand tapping the wooden table with a steady thud. “Brother, don’t blame me. When the time comes, I’ll use Qin Chuan’s head as an offering for you.”
Shi Xin walked a dozen steps, rounded a corner, and stopped where the stone chamber was hidden from view.
He sneered. “Does Senior Brother really think I’m as foolish as those Heaven’s Heart Daoists, to be played for a fool?”
“In this secret teaching, you gained inheritance, I gained pills, and so I broke through to the post-natal stage before you.”
“I truly don’t know how the Blood Pill is made.”
“But I do know that the pill I swallowed years ago, seemingly complete, was only a catalyst.”
“What it led to must surely be your Blood Pill!”
All these years, I found it strange you spent so much effort running this stronghold. Now I see it clearly—you’d do anything for that Blood Pill.
...
The bright moon rose above the high tower; midnight had come. Moonlight shone on the blue tiles, making the courtyard appear as bright as day.
Just then, a shadow darted across the rooftop. Dressed in tight-fitting black, the figure carried a large burlap sack over his shoulder.
Whatever was inside made the sack bulge, sometimes bouncing, making the black-clad man seem even thinner by comparison. Yet he moved effortlessly, his toes touching the tiles as lightly as a dragonfly, as silent as a mosquito.
Qin Chuan, deep in meditation, suddenly felt a jolt and his eyes snapped open. “Someone’s here!”
He slapped his storage pouch and drew his sword, Bright Moon, gripping it tightly. If anything stirred outside, he would strike at once.
But the surroundings fell utterly silent, even the cold crows ceased their calls.
After a long time, still tense, he was about to use Bright Moon to lift the door and check outside, when a sound came from beyond.

“Brother Qin Chuan, please come to the courtyard for a talk.”
He did not go out immediately. The voice sounded familiar; upon careful listening, he recognized it as Shi Xin’s. Perhaps the closed door muffled it.
“Brother!”
“No need to be nervous! I mean you no harm!”
Seeing Qin Chuan gripping the sword hilt tightly, his face composed and cautious as he stepped out, Shi Xin felt a hidden contempt. Is this really a core disciple of Green Mountain Sect?
Thinking this, he pulled off his black mask, revealing a broad grin, as though greeting an old friend—at least, he appeared quite sincere.
“Brother, you’ve traveled so far, and Man of Many Faces and I are truly to blame for not welcoming you properly!” He raised his hand and began to slap his own face.
Seeing that Qin Chuan was unmoved and regarded him as if he were a fool, Shi Xin’s expression turned awkward.
He rubbed his hands and calmed himself. “Not only that, today I heard that two men in the stronghold dared to offend you!”
“Indeed, I caught them and brought them here for you to deal with as you see fit, Brother Qin Chuan.”
This truly surprised Qin Chuan; he hadn’t expected this man to be so shrewd.
The pair of brothers, one fat and one thin, had only appeared briefly, yet Shi Xin remembered them.
Perhaps he was investigating Qin Chuan’s origins, since these two were the first to interact with him in the stronghold.
Fortunately, what he’d told the fat and thin brothers was much the same as what he’d told Shi Xin and Man of Many Faces.
Whether it would withstand scrutiny, he could not know.
Qin Chuan never imagined that these two were traitors from Heaven’s Heart Sect, and after several rounds of questioning, he realized the flaws in his story.
Shi Xin untied the ribbon on the burlap sack, revealing two men.
The brothers, whatever had been done to them, remained unconscious as Shi Xin shook them about.
“These two offended you, Brother. Even if they lose their lives, it’s only fitting retribution!”