Leaving the pagoda with hurried footsteps left echoing around, Luzhen Jie reached the bottom and pushed open the double doors standing in his path.

These doors smashed open, a new scenery greeted his eyes. A middle aged man of blue hair and beard, radiating white eyes of a pink shade stood there, motionless.

"Who are you?!" Another of the sale asked away, Wu Tian scoffed for all to hear. "Why do you all care so much?" His posing was visibly unsteady, be it voice, tone or attitude, but the message was sent. Luzhen Jie turned from surprise to a vicious glare as he descended the few steps.

He patted his back, taking out two daggers a hand in length each. Their pristine edges and worn grips were only noticed by more experienced people. Guizou included.

Wu Tian did not feel like such a thing would matter in a fight. Did he even know anything about his opponents?

A moment later, his feet landing on the saddened dirt and tainted stalks, Luzhen Jie snarled. "I'll let you die to my blades! A lowly Warrior like you doesn't deserve my fists!" A distance of few meters about to be breached, Luzhen Jie suddenly stopped in place. "Is that..?" Taking another look, the middle aged man facing him without fear nor worry had most likely not only been head front to him. "Are you from the Sky Sovereign Sect? I knew it! They should've known."

Wu Tian raised his hand in objection. "What sect? Are you talking about the one that lost a peak? I already ransacked it days ago!" Showing the man his dagger, the reaction was unexpected. "That's..! Moon Devouring Serpentine Dagger! Where did you get... the treasury?!" Having been long term enemies with the Sky Sovereign Sect, they naturally knew of their resources. Without so much information, Luzhen Jie would have never dared to offend them so recklessly. "That's supposed to be a gift to a prince! And a favored one as well!"

So many machinations and plots bounced into his mind. He began to sweat. This isn't good! If the Imperial Family hears about this... that the gift was last seen here..! No! Even that kingdom alone would trample our sect!

This stupid guy is starting an all out conflict with the strongest forces of this world! What if those Gods arrive to claim retribution for the lack of respect?! My plot is backfiring!

"Done thinking? It's just a dagger, don't mind it so much. Or is it that you desire it?" Wu Tian played with the weapon, pitifully trying to imitate his master, before almost having it slip out of grasp and onto the dirt. His unchanging expression fooling anyone or anything was already too many.

"Shut up! You ignorant bastard! This is not something you should touch so casually! Hand it over and I might not cripple your legs too much!" His demanding tone and tyrannical gesture did not please Wu Tian, who frowned. "What? Do you dare repeat that?"

Wu Tian's smirk was however soon extinguished by silent words. "I won't help you this time, deal with this One Star yourself. You talked smack after all!" Gulping with worry, Wu Tian saw the maddened sect master rest his blades to his sides, blurring while Qi surged all around him.

His widened eyes were easily seen through. "So you only amounted to this much? A dog will always bark!" Luzhen Jie was too fast for him to react, as if teleporting, already above his receding figure. His instinctual back step and retreating torso not fast enough.

Two daggers almost piercing him, Wu Tian felt a pull out of nowhere. "Just kidding, this time."

Pale red Qi agitated all around, like tidal waves felt by all nearby, Luzhen Jie widened his eyes in disbelief. "What?!" His two daggers only stabbed air.

"Where did this little doggy g-" Turning around at lightning speed, he saw nothing but an afterimage. Dazed by the ghost, a sharp pain awoke him from the stupor. My back- Gritting his teeth, a sharp pain sprung into action the moment he focused onto himself. He saw the tip of a dagger escape from his abdominal muscles. "Fuck!!!" Roaring as loud he could, Luzhen Jie was watched by dozens of disciples having fled, already afar.

Twisting his left arm, he went for the blade, only to find nothing. The tip had also vanished. Huh?? Another star added to his fuzzy mind, a rough voice whispered to his ear. "[Blinding Moon]." Fear etched onto his face, terror grasping his heart, the poor sect master barely could understand when darkness appeared only to be vanquished.

Blackness covering his peripheral vision all around, a soothing, chilling light of yin illuminating his deepest secrets.

Lucidity had already faded, a surge of Daos he had yet to fathom stealthily embracing him. Arms of this light he never knew existed, wrapped around his slumbering flesh.

"Good dreams." He hurriedly nodded at the words, repeating them with ecstasy. "Good dreams! Good dreams!" For how long had he been stressed out? Was it not the time to let go and relax? Sleep for as long as he wished.

"Good dreams indeed!" The voice of roughness came back around, startling him awake. The darkness was no more, the light faded away. "Wh...at..?" Bright red gushed from his chest everywhere. Stab wounds wherever he gazed. "What the fu-" Slumping like a cadaver, Luzhen Jie collapsed bloodless on the ground. He was still left stranded in eternal confusion.

Wu Tian was still beneath the bright sky, nothing else in the vicinity of a dozen meters. Disciples were already piling into mounds. The sight was simply made to behold, not interfere.

Wu Tian snapped his head toward a balding old man. "Next in line?" The middle aged man appeared right in front of him like a mirage. He was bewildered. "W-What is it?" His hunched back faced the wrong direction, bent backward the more this man approached his face. "Treasury?"

Pointing at a distant place underground, he saw the blue bearded man nod with a smile. "You better hope this is the truth, or else you might not enjoy your stay to the netherworld in peace!" A slice of a newly made Qi blade later, the old man's head rolled on the floor as a fountain erupted.

"You deal with the rest, and stop boasting so much next time. Only I can do that." A master returned to the pendant, Wu Tian looked around, scorned by countless eyes of anger, fear, sorrow and anxiety, all the while having glaring internal injuries barely mended together. "Oh man..."

Hours thankfully well spent thanks to a certain ring, Wu Tian had hit the jackpot once again. Be it random valuables, including shelves, or artifacts and ingredients, he was full. He even managed to find a Lime Foundation Herb! Unfortunately, he still needed the Green Foundation Herb. But no matter, as the treasury contained records of transactions done inside and outside the sect.

A Green Foundation Herb and middle grade Peace Flower would be delivered to a prince of the Sun Kingdom before the end of the year by the use of an envoy. According to the records, the end of the year was still far, and the destination in the same situation. Could I get those before something happens to them?

Messing around a bit more with this book he would certainly keep, Wu Tian noticed the actual destination to not be this Sun Kingdom, but a place called the Imperial Palace instead. Guizou told him off before he could ask, so he searched and found maps around the sect. With how many had fled since the two most prominent figures died tragically, Wu Tian was left waiting for bandits at this point.

At least, he had also obtained a high grade Nature Lotus. Its white petals covered with a transparent film of grass green appeared luxurious. It was kept in a wooden box he would identically use as well.

A few ingredients would propel him to newfound heights, hope emerged from its close grave.

He still had to thrive, feeding on this spark high above. His lifespan had been extended by who knew how many years, he simply did not know if it would be enough. Too many events and injuries would clearly not help, making him more anxious. But he had nothing to lose if death breathed on his neck anyway.

Strolling back from where he came from, Wu Tian did not explore the Earthen Prism Sect's territory far back, heading north, where the strongest experts gathered.

Cultivating and training must become his closest companions, to maybe attain any mortal's dream.