LABMY CH110.1

“If I didn’t show up, how would Mu Jingzhuo cultivate?”

This sudden, over-the-top “Long Aotian” line left Jian Yuanbai utterly bewildered, prompting him to ask this question in confusion.

The system thought for a moment and said, “The moment your identity appears, it signifies that Long Aotian has no more room for growth. With the resources of the number one sect in the world at his disposal, what genius treasures would he lack? So, on that day, if you hadn’t appeared, he probably would have encountered a different opportunity.”

“Perhaps because of your appearance, the course of events shifted, causing the opportunity that Long Aotian was supposed to encounter to be missed.”

Jian Yuanbai knew that if Mu Jingzhuo were to say such words in public, everyone present would think of Little Spoon as an ungrateful person.

This situation was completely different from the one in the WenxianSect.

Everyone knew that Mu Jingzhuo’s master was Jian Yuanbai, and he personally brought Mu Jingzhuo to the sect, which fully demonstrated his favor and care.

But if Mu Jingzhuo were to publicly say those words now, it would be an act of betrayal, showing disrespect for the sect and his master.

The system was also aware of how complicated the situation was, but it had to emphasize, “The line must be said, or there will be big trouble.”

Jian Yuanbai pondered for a moment before releasing a terrifying aura that spread throughout the Qingyun Fudi.

The Qingyun Fudi was within an enchantment. When the paradise was not activated, it appeared to be just an ordinary grassy field. At this moment, the swaying blades of grass were frozen in place by the wind.

The breeze stopped, the world froze, and everyone around maintained their expressions like statues, motionless.

Only Shen Zhilan’s face was filled with fear as she witnessed this scene. The conversation between Jian Yuanbai and the system happened in his mind, but for Shen Zhilan, it all occurred within the span of a few breaths after she announced Mu Jingzhuo had reached Foundation Establishment.

She could feel the invisible pressure and, in panic, turned to her master, only to find that her Master Shiyun, who was in the Nascent Soul stage, was still frozen in shock.

At this moment, in this world, only she and the two people before her could move and speak.

This filled Shen Zhilan with terror. She had merely revealed Mu Jingzhuo’s cultivation breakthrough. How could it lead to such a terrifying response from the Sect Master of Wangyun Sect?

Would she die here?

Would these two kill her?

In contrast to Shen Zhilan’s fear, Mu Jingzhuo, though also shocked, felt a sense of security with his master by his side. Before he could ask, Jian Yuanbai leaned closer to his ear.

When his master leaned in, Mu Jingzhuo felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. For a moment, he even wanted to run away.

A moment later, his expression cracked.

The fact that his master could freeze time and space no longer surprised him. Instead, his eyes were filled with complexity and disbelief as he looked at Jian Yuanbai and trembled slightly, “Do I really have to say it?”

Jian Yuanbai nodded with a heavy heart, “You really have to say it.”

Mu Jingzhuo tried to resist, hoping to change his master’s mind. “No, Master. I really can’t.”

Jian Yuanbai comforted him, “It’s nothing. After all, you reached Foundation Establishment with your own talent.”

Their bizarre conversation only made Shen Zhilan more terrified. She couldn’t understand how simply revealing Mu Jingzhuo’s breakthrough led to such an extreme reaction.

Were they discussing how to kill her?

Shen Zhilan’s body trembled uncontrollably. She looked at her frozen master and stammered in fear, “W-What did you do to my master? And what… what are you going to say to me?”

Jian Yuanbai replied indifferently, “Don’t worry. It’s just a small trick.”

Such a terrifying ability was dismissed as a “small trick” by Jian Yuanbai. Shen Zhilan couldn’t imagine the true extent of this man’s power.

She finally understood what Jian Yuanbai meant when he told her master in the WenxianSect: “You reached the Nascent Soul stage because that’s your limit. I, on the other hand, only reached the Nascent Soul stage because there’s no realm beneath ascension.”

“Little Spoon, say it,” Jian Yuanbai patted Mu Jingzhuo’s shoulder.

Mu Jingzhuo turned his head stiffly, giving him a tearful, pleading look.

This would be so humiliating! Once he said those words, he’d have to change his name and identity for the rest of his life!

Seeing his expression, Jian Yuanbai “kindly” added, “Don’t worry, I’ve sealed off the surroundings. No one can hear us. Only the three of us will know about this.”

Such “kindness” was not reassuring at all.

Mu Jingzhuo wanted to escape.

Shen Zhilan suppressed her fear, not knowing what was worth using such terrifying means just to make Mu Jingzhuo say something.

Under the stalemate, Jian Yuanbai urged, “Hurry up. I can’t maintain this state for long.”

This sentence successfully frightened both of them.

Shen Zhilan’s heart tightened as her fear reached its peak. Was this it? Was she about to die?

Mu Jingzhuo, on the other hand, quickly weighed the difference between losing face in front of one person versus the whole world. He could still tell the difference.

So, he dared not delay any longer.

Facing his former fiancée who had come to break off the engagement, he felt no anger or disappointment at this moment, only overwhelming embarrassment and panic. He couldn’t even look Shen Zhilan in the eyes as he stammered out the words he couldn’t bear to hear himself:

“…And you… I… am without sect or clan… Your talent is just… so-so.”

As soon as he finished, Jian Yuanbai shot a threatening glance at Shen Zhilan, “I don’t want to hear a fourth person mention what happened today, including your master Shiyun.”

Mu Jingzhuo felt like Shen Zhilan’s stunned gaze was burning a hole through him. His pale face flushed red, as if steam was about to rise from his head.

Could he just disappear from the world right now?

Mu Jingzhuo hid behind Jian Yuanbai in shame, like a foolish child.

As Jian Yuanbai’s words ended, the frozen world resumed. The breeze brushed past their ears, and Shen Zhilan’s master turned to her in confusion, “What’s wrong? Why are you sweating so much?”

Shen Zhilan had yet to recover from the previous situation. Everything happened suddenly and ended just as abruptly. Under Jian Yuanbai’s cold gaze, she stiffly shook her head at her master and spoke with a hoarse voice, “I’m fine, Master.”

That earlier scene had already made her understand that, in front of this man, even her master, who had reached the Great Ascension stage, was no more than an ant, easily crushed.

Though she was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator whose body no longer sweated easily, Shen Zhilan broke into a cold sweat. No matter how terrified she was inside, she couldn’t help but recall what had just happened.

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to curse.

Crazy. Absolutely crazy.

Using such terrifying methods just to tell her those words.

Humiliating him in front of his clan members? Who was humiliating whom?

No sect, no affiliation? How could he even say that?

With such a terrifying person as your master, how dare you speak of having no sect or affiliation in front of me?

Forced by Jian Yuanbai’s strength, Shen Zhilan’s face showed no resentment or dissatisfaction, but in her heart, she cursed, “Damn pretty boy.”

If Mu Jingzhuo could hear her thoughts, he would probably want to crawl into a hole. Even if he couldn’t hear her, he could guess what she was thinking.

Mu Jingzhuo, feeling numb and weary, took a step back, trying to hide behind Jian Yuanbai to avoid Shen Zhilan’s gaze. He even tugged at Jian Yuanbai’s sleeve, trying to shield himself as much as possible.

He never wanted to see Shen Zhilan again. If possible, he’d avoid her for the rest of his life.

Mu Jingzhuo secretly made up his mind: wherever Shen Zhilan was, he would never go there.

Aside from the three of them, no one knew what had just happened. Mu Jingzhuo marveled at his master’s strength, but his confusion only grew, snowballing in his heart.

That day, when Shen Zhilan broke off the engagement, his master suddenly appeared, revealed his extraordinary talent, and took him as a disciple. Yet, after returning from the Wenxian Sect, he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t sense spiritual energy.

His master even asked strange questions, like whether there was an old man in his ring or if he had a jade pendant. In the end, he didn’t directly reveal the reason for his inability to cultivate but only discovered the issue while Mu Jingzhuo was meditating.

It was his master who said he had unparalleled talent, and it was also his master who couldn’t figure out his physique.

Moreover, his master twice insisted that he repeat certain words verbatim. If the first time was to defend him against the Wenxian Sect, today’s words came out of nowhere, without reason.

Shen Zhilan’s tone wasn’t mocking, but filled with astonishment, making the situation even more unnecessary.

Mu Jingzhuo was filled with curiosity and speculation about his master, yet he kept a calm exterior.

The conversation between the three had already concluded, but to outsiders, it appeared that after Shen Zhilan exposed Mu Jingzhuo’s Foundation Establishment strength, Mu Jingzhuo disdainfully ignored her and stepped back in disgust.

This scene made Shi Yun feel dissatisfied. Just as she was about to speak, her disciple suddenly made a puzzled sound.

“Eh?”

Shen Zhilan, unwilling to look at Jian Yuanbai and Mu Jingzhuo, averted her gaze and suddenly spotted a familiar figure in the distance. Instinctively, she murmured, “Cousin?”

Strange. Why would her cousin appear in the Qingyun Fudi?

Jian Yuanbai, standing nearby, instantly panicked. If that mercenary who escorted him all the way was really Shen Zhilan’s cousin, his intentions would be exposed, and not even jumping into the Yellow River would clear his name.

Seeing that Shen Zhilan was about to ask her master, “Master, I think I see someone I know. May I go greet him?”

Shi Yun glanced at her, thinking Shen Zhilan was just finding an excuse to leave, so she didn’t stop her and gently patted her hand as comfort. With a sigh, she said, “Go ahead.”

Shi Yun then turned to Jian Yuanbai and said, “Sect Master Jian, you’ve taken in a fine disciple.”

“Mu Jingzhuo reached Foundation Establishment within months. I have nothing to say. What happened that day was our Wenxian Sect’s fault. Now that you’ve gotten your revenge, let’s put the matter to rest. What do you think, Sect Master Jian?”

Her words were met with silence.

Shi Yun’s face darkened as she called out again, “Sect Master Jian, do you have any objections?”

The younger disciple ignored the younger disciple, and now the senior ignored the senior.

The surrounding cultivators from various sects exchanged glances, seeing the amusement in each other’s eyes.

It seemed the grudge between the Wangyun Sect and the Wenxian Sect was now set in stone. The master and disciple pair of the Wangyun Sect had no intention of giving face to the Wenxian Sect.

They all watched the situation with subtle anticipation while keeping a straight face.

At that moment, a voice echoed in Mu Jingzhuo’s mind. It was disguised by Jian Yuanbai, transmitted directly into his ears:

“Little Spoon, I just realized your master is someone I hold a grudge against. I can’t show myself. If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

Mu Jingzhuo recognized the male voice and looked up, only to see a figure walking away without looking back. Shocked, he wanted to call out, but Shi Yun’s displeased question rang out again: “Sect Master Jian, what do you mean by staying silent?”

The situation grew chaotic.

Jian Yuanbai, as the sect leader, stared blankly into the distance while controlling another body that had already bolted. Shen Zhilan stood frozen, watching the swiftly disappearing figure, sensing an air of retreat and defeat. Mu Jingzhuo was overwhelmed, unsure where to focus his gaze. He wanted to chase after the figure but remembered the grudge with his master. The sudden and hasty parting left him with an inexplicable sense of loss.

He didn’t even have an address to find the man. How could they meet again?

Jian Yuanbai retracted his clone after fleeing thousands of miles and finally replied to Shi Yun, “As you wish, Sect Master Shi.”

Shi Yun’s face stiffened. She wanted to snort in disdain, but since she was the one who proposed reconciliation, she could only begrudgingly accept it.

The atmosphere turned awkward. Seeing Shi Yun’s dark expression, the surrounding cultivators tactfully remained silent, creating an eerie stillness.

The confrontation between the Wangyun Sect and the Wenxian Sect was truly spectacular.

“Master,” Mu Jingzhuo hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, “Do you have any enemies?”

He wasn’t sure whether to call them enemies. With the man’s strength, going against his master would be certain death. Calling him an enemy seemed inappropriate.

“I mean, do you have any unresolved grudges?” Mu Jingzhuo struggled to phrase it properly.

He expected his master to ponder for a moment, but Jian Yuanbai immediately replied without hesitation:

“Of course! There’s one because… because…”

Jian Yuanbai stuttered, unsure how to explain. Facing Mu Jingzhuo’s confused gaze, he flicked his sleeve and said, “In short, it’s a life-or-death grudge.”

So serious? Could it really be that person?

Mu Jingzhuo was stunned and wanted to ask for details, but seeing Jian Yuanbai’s expression, he hesitated and chose to stay silent.

Behind them, the Wangyun Sect disciples eagerly wanted to speak with Mu Jingzhuo but dared not, fearing their sect leader’s presence.