I put my compass away and sent a single massive slash of sword Qi towards his feet. Attempting to get my revenge.

He must have been using his divine sense to watch the area around him because he dodged to the side. Then he threw out another of those damn size-changing coins.

That was fine. I tossed out several more slashes to distract him. Then I used Impossible Leap to reach our shared target first.

The massive bush filled my vision with clusters of ethereal red flowers—each bunch glimmering with spiritual energy.

These were all called Blood-Soaked Rhododendrons but what I needed was the only one of these bunches that could be used in the Sect Leader’s antidote. The Blood-Soaked Resonant Rhododendron.

And I immediately noticed it. It was in the middle of the clearing which was also in the exact center of the donut-shaped slaughter formation.

What made it “Resonant” was that, unlike the other silent flowers that might rustle in the wind, this one hummed very quietly—like a tuning fork.

If I were any other person I wouldn’t have been able to find it as quickly. And Glittering Iron, whose eyes had gone wide with shock at seeing a little Qi Condensation cultivator reach the bush before him, would have cut me down before I had the chance to do this...

I quickly used a bit of sword Qi to perfectly and properly cut the resonating bunch from the bush. It dropped.

I pulled out a jade box and caught the flower with it before it touched any other part of the bush. Then, just as my friend’s nephew threw another coin at my head, I used my technique again to sidestep it and get farther from that asshole. Of course, it drained my spiritual energy significantly. I wouldn’t be able to cast this technique for a while. And I still had several yards before I could enter the formation again.

“You! Give those to me!” He threw out a net spiritual tool that pulsed with lightning energy.

“Who would?!”

I threw out a simple Ten Cuts and changed its trajectory enough so it missed me. It struck the dirt as it landed, sending bits of debris flying everywhere. Some splattered against my face and robes, ruining the pretty white silk. At least the fucking net’s electric charge had dissipated, so he wouldn’t be able to use that again so soon.

Even though my foot still hurt like a bitch I ran towards a spot exactly a half step away from the correct entrance. If I could make it in there and use my compass to reach the actual safe entrance then I could fool this asshole into killing himself. Fucking poetic justice.

And it would make it easier for myself in the future.

This would still plunge my friend into depression so I would rather not. Unfortunately, with my near-empty reservoir of internal Qi, this was my only option. And, if it didn’t fool him, it could still buy me some time.

Glittering Iron closed on my location. He threw another coin at my head. And at that moment Unyielding and Justice exited the formation.

”Rope!” Justice said even as he threw a volley of ten cuts out to obliterate the coin.

Unyielding reached for his ring. A familiar golden rope appeared in his hand and he tossed it toward Glittering Iron. It wrapped around him like a snake then constricted.

The asshole fell to the ground and skidded to a stop.

I blinked. So easy?

Why the hell hadn’t they used that earlier?! Could I complain to management?

I gave them the benefit of the doubt. They’d used that tool on the snake yesterday so it must have only just recharged.

I needed to remember to grab one of those when I had the chance. It did a fantastic job of holding Glittering Asshole down and preventing him from using his spiritual energy.

I briefly considered crippling his cultivation, but he’d only find another path. And probably make it his mission in life to kill me.

The prick’s face had turned red from anger and he shouted, “You have no proof that I was trying to kill anyone! My Uncle will never believe you! You can lock me up or cripple my cultivation, but as soon as he finds out, he’ll release me! Then he’ll make all of you pay.”

I popped a pill to start the healing process on my foot then narrowed my eyes at him.

He glared back.

“And you!” He wiggled toward me like the worm he was. “I’ll make sure you never even reach the sect let alone enter it. You’re dead. You and your little brother.”

I nodded fake-happily while a flame of fury burned within my chest and made it difficult to think clearly.

He was right. We needed proof. Then I remembered the jade slip I made earlier to record Little Spring’s fight.

I took it out and stuck it into my hair. With narrowed eyes, I concentrated on recording everything I saw, which was superbly difficult to do while this upset. That was another reason I preferred recording tools.

I limped up to him. “Not only did you plan to kill poor Fairy Third Peach Sapling, and our dear Junior Sect Leader, but now you’re plotting the murder of two little kids. How superbly impressive of you, Senior.”

That shut him up.

“True. We have no proof to bring along. It will merely be our words against yours.” I crouched down low and glared into his dark eyes. Then my injured foot flared up and I fell to one knee instead. Sweat beaded on my forehead. I ignored it.

“But if you think the Sect Leader trusts you over his beloved disciple,” I managed to get out through clenched teeth, “then I think you’re going to have a very rude awakening. Because everyone loves and trusts Senior Unyielding Firestorm. Especially his girlfriend and the Sect Leader. And you hate that fact. Don’t you?”

“Shut up!” He hissed.

“You hate that fact so much you tried to kill him. So was it love? Were you really so stupid to think that Fairy Blissful Jujube would like you once he was gone? Are you that much of an ignorant little shit? Because I think you are. So unintelligent it makes me depressed for the future of the sect, especially if... say... you were ever put in charge instead of the Junior Sect Leader.”

He started struggling. Strands of his hair that had come loose in the fight fell over his face. If his eyes could kill, I’d be dead right about now.

Fuck. Trying to manipulate people was harder than it looked. I really didn’t like doing this. Main characters were always so good at this shit. He’d have confessed right about now if it had been that kid saying these things instead. Fucking cheat-like-existence.

I sighed and cycled my cultivation a bit. The pain in my foot eased. “You must have hated that your uncle didn’t take you in as his inheriting disciple. It must have driven you mad believing that you should have been put in charge, after all. You’re the smart one. Unyielding Fire Storm was just some charismatic orphan the sect picked up. He wasn’t even that talented.”

“Hey!” Unyielding said.

I rolled my eyes.

“Fairy Lin! You can’t say that about the Junior Sect Leader!” Justice pointed out.

Guys! Get with the picture, I was trying to get a dude to confess! Please, for the love of all things cultivation-related, help my ass. Don’t fucking hinder me!

“Those are Senior Glittering Iron Omniscience’s thoughts.” I patted the jerk’s face.... then cast the cleaning technique on myself and him. He looked at me as if I’d insulted him. What? The cleaning technique of all things offended him? Fuck. What a weird little shit.

“Isn’t that right? These are the reasons you wanted to get rid of our dear Junior Sect Leader. Poor Fairy Third Peach Sapling was just an innocent bystander.”

“Her? Innocent?! If anyone here needs to die, it is that perverse bitch.”

“Perverse?”

“Let’s just say that she deserves death! And she would have died too if you hadn't come along with your extra antidote.”

Internally, I sighed deeply. So very deeply. This wasn’t the first time I came across this sort of nonsense. Hell, I even met people like this in my original life.

At least there was one good thing that came of this horrible bullshit.

I grinned evilly. “You realize that you just admitted to attempting to kill her.”

His face paled.

“I’m sure you already know, but it is very forbidden to murder a sect member whether you’re within or without the sect. Any sect member.”

“But, you are a good actor. I mean, you made a bet with someone you despised so much that you planned to kill then frame your following murder on.” I shook my head and tsked.

He swallowed. “How did you—” he cut himself off. I guess he realized he was about to admit to everything. Damn. So close.

I glanced at Justice and Unyielding who both looked like their minds had exploded.

“But what I don’t understand is why?”

I just needed one last confession then I could end this damn recording. Fuck, my head hurt worse than my foot.

“But I guess you were just going with the flow, huh? I mean. It must not have taken that much planning since we caught you so easily.

“You must have just been doing this all on a whim.”

“Are you joking? A whim?!” He raged. “I started planning all of this as soon as I heard about the teams going to collect flowers. It took several divinations and two days of work and study to get this plan to be perfect and yet stay simple enough to succeed.

“And you fucking ruined it!” He glared at me. “As soon as my uncle releases me, you and your brother are dead. This is just a minor setback.”

Although I'd gotten the confession to the deed there was more I needed from him to really put a nail in this asshole’s coffin. So, I continued.

“Okay. I get that you have a motive to kill Fairy Third. A dumb reason, but still a motive that I have unfortunately seen before. But why kill the Junior Sect Leader? You know how much your uncle loves him. He’s the equivalent of your adopted cousin!”

“Don’t you see?” He practically sat up but fell back down like the worm he was. “Everyone thinks he’s so perfect! That he couldn’t possibly make a mistake! But he’s constantly failing. He’s an idiot and should never be in charge of the sect my Uncle has raised to ultimate greatness!”

I sighed. “Leadership is something anyone can be trained to do. And the Junior Sect Leader is still learning—of course, he’ll make mistakes. So, what’s the real reason? While I can see your will to take over is part of it, what makes you loathe him enough to plan this? Is it Fairy Jujube?”

He paled. “No, she has nothing to do with this. Fairy Jujube is perfect.”

“So you did it to get her away from him?”

“Don’t you dare bring her into this.”

“Then tell me the truth!”

“Fine. You want to know why? It’s because he never gives people the credit they deserve! Not once did he say that I divined the location of the plants, just that we had a new location. Nor has he praised others for their contribution! Not a single time! And this wasn’t the only time he’s done it!”

“That’s not true!” Unyielding Firestorm said. “I constantly praise everyone. And when I return from a mission I make sure to hand the Sect Leader a list with every little thing each person does to contribute!”

“You say that, but every time I’ve worked with you, you’ve shown no appreciation for me! And because you haven’t spoken to my uncle about my deeds he hasn’t noticed how brilliant I am! If he had then he obviously would have offered me the Junior Sect Leader position over you!”

There we go. This asshole finally revealed his real motive.

I ended the recording and fell on my ass breathing a sigh of relief. “He admitted to it.” After casting a protection technique on the jade slip’s contents to prevent tampering or decaying, I tossed it to the Junior Sect Leader. “There’s your proof.”

I grinned at Glittering Iron Omniscience who had no idea what I meant and just looked confused.

I grinned wider.

Unyielding put it to his temple. His eyes bulged as he saw the contents. Then they narrowed. He tossed the slip into his ring.

“Alright. Let’s take him back to the sect,” Unyielding glared down at Glittering Iron.

Justice grabbed him and threw him over his shoulder in a fireman carry.

As I watched the sword cultivator and the diviner enter the formation, I had a sudden crazy thought.

What if Fairy Blissful Jujube, after she had finished mourning, realized that Glittering Iron had set up everything? That he killed her friend and boyfriend. And then — while in the secret realm where people died all the time — she worked with Bloodsword to murder him for revenge. Then, in repayment, she became his wife.

Did she, perhaps, never actually love him? Had she, like so many women in harem stories, just been with the main character because of his strength, good looks, and good prospects?

It was possible that Bloodsword also saw her kill Glittering Iron and blackmailed her, but I doubted that because there had been some affection between them. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had a look of sadness and hurt on her face when he brought home his second wife.

My guess was that she’d promised to be with him to get him to help her, but had told him that she would never love again and that he was free to find someone he did love. That she wouldn’t get in the way. And when she had finally realized how much she liked him and wanted to try and be a real couple, he’d already found a second wife.

I may have misunderstood her feelings of hurt and regret for betrayal. Since I was so young — still in my 20s — I likely projected how I would have felt in her position onto her (had I been stupid enough to fall for a bleeding shit monkey like Bloodsword).

But that past didn’t exist anymore, and never would again. All I had to confirm was highly educated guesses.

The Junior Sect Leader took a step to leave but I tugged on his sleeve. I had just a bit more I needed to say to him. And this was the perfect place to do so.

He turned to glance down at me with eyes that had a bit less happiness in them than when I’d first met him.

“You would probably save yourself some time and trouble if you just... tossed him into the formation and broke that jade slip I gave you.”

He grimaced. “I know. But while it would break my Master’s heart to know that his nephew tried to kill me, it would break his heart even more if he died.”

“It’s good that you know this.” I patted his shoulder and smiled. “You’re doing the right thing. And that’s why you’re the Junior Sect Leader.”

Of course, it might be the right thing to do, but might not be the correct thing. Not in this messed up world created by one messed up author.

At least, my friend wouldn’t have to mourn either his nephew or his disciple this go around. And that was my ultimate goal.

I sighed. Unfortunately, succeeding at my goal would cause trouble later. For both Little Spring and myself.

And speaking of Little Spring… It was time I went to pick the kid up.

Find out what happened to Little Spring in Story 5 - A Sharp Inheritance

Story 5 Will be in Little Spring’s point of view. It is around 8k words fully edited. I will break it up into 3 parts so that I have time to write and content edit Story 6 in time to start publishing it immediately after Story 5 and its bonus story (which is in Fairy Lin’s POV) are finished.