A Deeper Conspiracy

Lu Chen stood at the entrance of the cave, staring at Gu Tianying, who seemed more amused than surprised by the events that had just unfolded.

The core disciple was dangerous, not because of overwhelming strength, but because his intentions were never clear.

He didn't ask about who chased Lu Chen or how he managed to escape from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

He cared only about the scroll.

"You still have it?" Gu Tianying repeated, his voice smooth but expectant.

Lu Chen kept his expression unreadable.

"Yes" he answered simply.

"Good," Gu Tianying, his smile widening slightly. "Then let's talk about what you found."

Lu Chen tensed up, this was a critical moment. The wrong answer could cost his life.

He didn't even think about lying about the fact that he possessed the Scroll, with Gu Tianying's cultivation level, it would be extremely difficult for him to escape, even more so in his current state.

He needed to play this carefully.

Lu Chen kept his stance neutral.

"I haven't studied the contents in depth yet," he said carefully. "But I could tell it wasn't an ordinary technique. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been sealed away."

Gu Tianying laugh. "You're not wrong. The Azure Sky Sect has many stories, some more inconvenient than others."

His gaze sharpened. "But before we go any further, I have to ask…"

The humor in his voice faded.

"The intruder you encountered, describe them."

Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief, he finally asked about the intruder. For a moment he even thought that the masked man was Gu Tianying himself.

But he had no intention of revealing everything.

"They were skilled," Lu Chen admitted. "Foundation Establishment, Fast, and Efficient. he knew the chamber well, like they'd been there before."

Gu Tianying's expression remained neutral. He noted the lack of physical description about the intruder, but didn't elaborate on the matter, as if that wasn't what he needed to confirm.

Gu Tianying knew something about this intruder.

But he wasn't sharing it.

Lu Chen decided to probe further. 

"You seem unsurprised," Lu Chen noted. "Do you know who he is?"

Gu Tianying smile. "Perhaps. But knowing and confirming are two different things."

Lu Chen filed that information away.

Gu Tianying wasn't just testing him, he was assessing the situation himself. Whatever this scroll contained, it wasn't just important to him.

It was part of some struggle within the sect.

Gu Tianying sighed, stretching his arms slightly before turning to Lu Chen.

"You're smart," he admitted. "And you've proven yourself capable. That's why I'll give you a warning, what you have in your hands is not something ordinary cultivators should touch."

Lu Chen met his eyes. "Then why did you send me to retrieve it?"

Gu Tianying gave a slow smile to Lo Chen

"Because I needed to know if you could survive."

Gu Tianying was testing more than just his skills. He wanted to find out if Lu Chen would be consumed by greed and if he was able to survive the mission.

"And what if I had died?" Lu Chen asked.

Gu Tianying shrugged. "Then I would have found someone else."

The casual indifference shocked Lu Chen, and made him remember exactly what kind of world he was currently living in.

But at the same time… It confirmed something important.

Gu Tianying didn't value him as a person, he valued his abilities.

Which means he's still useful. Even though it's frustrating to be so casually manipulated by someone else like that, at least he's safe to some extent.

Gu Tianying took a step forward, lowering his voice.

"Now tell me, Lu Chen," he said. "What do you plan to do with that scroll?"

Lu Chen kept his face calm.

What do I plan to do?

The real question was, what did Gu Tianying want? There were three possible answers.

Hand the scroll over and gain Gu Tianying's favor.

Refuse and keep it, but die.

Offer a compromise, something that keeps both parties interested.

The first option would put him in Gu Tianying's debt. The second no need to comment.

But the third… The third gave him room to maneuver.

Lu Chen chose his words carefully.

"I haven't decided yet," he admitted. "But I know one thing, if this scroll was locked away, then it means someone in the sect doesn't want it to be used."

Gu Tianying nodded. "And?"

"And that means it has value," Lu Chen continued. "To you, to the person who sealed it away, and to the intruder who tried to steal it."

Lu Chen had given the right answer, he had shown that he was willing to negotiate.

Gu Tianying smile. "Congratulations, you're not stupid, Lu Chen."

He turned, as if considering his next words. "Very well. Keep the scroll, for now," he said. "Consider it a… test."

Lu Chen was confused. He had hoped to gain some interest from the scroll transaction, perhaps some pills… he never imagined that Gu Tianying would allow him to keep it.

"A test?"

Gu Tianying nodded.

"I want to see what you do with it. How you use it."

These words only made Lu Chen more apprehensive.

Gu Tianying was playing a long game.

He wasn't demanding the scroll, he was watching.

He probably knew well what the scroll contained and expected to fish in troubled waters.

After a moment, Gu Tianying turned away.

"You'll be hearing from me soon, until then, try not to die."

And just like that, he was gone.

Lu Chen stayed still for a long moment after Gu Tianying left.

His mind raced with everything that had just been said… and everything that had been left unsaid.

Gu Tianying wasn't interested in the Path of the Withered Shadow.

One thing was certain, his involvement in this conspiracy was set in stone, and if he wanted to survive, he needed to be ten steps forward.

Lu Chen made three decisions at that moment.

He would study the Path of the Withered Shadow in secret, but not fully cultivate it until he understood its risks.

He needed more information about the sect's factions. Who sealed this technique away, and why.

He needed to deal with Zhao Feng fast. That bastard was still hunting him, and the longer he waited, the more dangerous it became.

Lu Chen stood up with determination burning in his eyes.

The sect's power struggles? The forbidden techniques? The hidden threats?

None of it mattered.

Because Lu Chen would use everything to forge his own fate.

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