Chapter 64: At the Mountain Gate

"What did you say?"

"Lin Yun… is not dead?"

Gu Xiande's expression darkened as he stared down at Xiao Pingtian, who knelt before him.

The entire campaign at Weiyang Mountain had been a catastrophe.

Liao Changping had suffered a grievous blow, his cultivation level plummeting. They had lost disciples, and for what? In the end, they had failed to kill Lin Yun. All they had to show for their efforts was a dead elder and a captured disciple from the Beast Taming Sect.

What good was any of it?

Kneeling on the cold floor, Xiao Pingtian trembled uncontrollably. He knew he had truly blundered this time.

"Master, I… I almost had him."

"But from nowhere, a monkey appeared at Lin Yun's side. It was immensely strong, and its eyes… they shot beams of golden light."

"It was a moment of carelessness, Master. I fell into his trap."

The more Gu Xiande heard, the more his fury grew. Not only was the boy still alive, he had somehow grown stronger?

"Useless!"

With a roar, Gu Xiande flicked his sleeve. The force sent the still-injured Xiao Pingtian flying across the room.

"Pfft!"

Xiao Pingtian coughed up a mouthful of blood, then scrambled painfully back to his knees before his master.

"Master, I know my mistake! Please, give me one more chance!" he pleaded. "I swear I will atone for my failure!"

Gu Xiande's icy gaze was fixed on the pathetic figure on the floor. He stepped forward and leaned down, his shadow falling over the trembling disciple.

Terrified, Xiao Pingtian began to kowtow ceaselessly, his forehead striking the stone with dull thuds. A large, raw lump had already formed, seeping blood.

"Please, Master, believe me! I can do it!" Xiao Pingtian's entire body was shaking.

But Gu Xiande simply reached down.

He seized Xiao Pingtian by the neck with one hand, lifting him from the floor as if he were a ragdoll.

"The only reason you are still alive," Gu Xiande hissed, his voice dangerously low, "is because you still have some value."

"Next time… if you prove to be so incompetent again…"

Staring into his master's murderous eyes, Xiao Pingtian's lips quivered, unable to form a single word. He was then tossed aside like a dead dog.

"Now get out and tend to your wounds."

Only after Xiao Pingtian had fled did Liao Changping enter the Cloud Pavilion.

"Sect Master."

"That undying old fool, Li Hong… he actually brought a Chongqing Bird with him this time."

Gu Xiande nodded. "You did well."

Liao Changping looked up, surprised. He hadn't expected praise. "With Li Hong dead, how will we answer to the Beast Taming Sect?"

Gu Xiande let out a chilling laugh.

Answer to them? When had the Flowing Cloud Sect ever needed to explain its actions to anyone? It was just one elder. He doubted the Beast Taming Sect would dare to openly turn against them for the likes of Li Hong.

"We may be connected to Li Hong's death," Gu Xiande said, a cunning light in his eyes, "but the one who killed him… was Lin Yun."

"Go. Spread this news. The faster, the better."

"And as for that Bai Zhuqing locked up by the Disciplinary Hall—persuade him to testify against Lin Yun. If he agrees, promise him a lifetime of safety."

Seeing the look of profound, almost saintly sorrow on Gu Xiande's face as he spoke, Liao Changping was thunderstruck.

He dropped to his knees, his voice filled with genuine reverence. "Your brilliance is unmatched, Sect Master!"

With this masterstroke, Lin Yun would be branded a traitor to the Flowing Cloud Sect. Even if someone knew what truly happened at Weiyang Mountain, what would it matter? With the testimony of both Li Wuze and Bai Zhuqing, who in the entire cultivation world would dare to shelter him? He might escape for a time, but his death was now inevitable.

Liao Changping shuddered in admiration. Gu Xiande's methods were truly vicious. It was a move that didn't just kill the body but condemned the soul.

Meanwhile, after leaving Weiyang Mountain, Lin Yun made his way to the Beast Taming Sect without a moment's rest, taking care to remain disguised along the way.

Fortunately, he no longer resembled his former self. His hair was longer, his clothes tattered and stained. Who would look at this wretched figure and see a sword cultivator?

It was this very appearance that had allowed him to evade the Flowing Cloud Sect's patrols multiple times after the wanted posters were issued. Who could have imagined he would fall into such a slovenly state?

At the city gate, a notice was posted, bearing his portrait.

WANTED Lin Yun, traitor of the Flowing Cloud Sect. A vicious and unpardonable criminal. At Weiyang Mountain, driven by greed, he ambushed and murdered Elder Li Hong of the Beast Taming Sect. A reward of ten silver taels for any information. A reward of ten thousand silver taels for his capture, alive!

Lin Yun clenched his fists, a cold sneer playing on his lips.

Ten thousand taels?

Heh, quite a fortune. They were sparing no expense to hunt him down.

Proceeding with extreme caution, Lin Yun finally reached the territory of the Beast Taming Sect after seven days. The sect was situated on a great mountain rising from the center of a vast grassland.

As he approached, he saw several disciples of the Beast Taming Sect below, tending to a herd of exotic beasts. When they noticed the utterly disheveled figure of Lin Yun, they all stopped and stared.

"Whoa, who's that guy?"

"Some wild man from the mountains?"

"Don't tell me he's heading for our sect?" a few of them muttered amongst themselves.

Lin Yun ignored them completely, following the mountain path up to the sect's main gate. Just as he was about to enter, two disciples on guard duty blocked his way.

"Who goes there?"

"This is the gate of the Beast Taming Sect. Unauthorized personnel are forbidden."

Lin Yun met their gaze and said calmly, "I am Lin Yun. I have urgent business with your Sect Master."

At first, the two guards were dismissive. But as the name registered, a jolt of recognition—and fear—shot through them. The group of disciples who had followed Lin Yun up the path were even more dumbfounded.

"No way! He's Lin Yun?"

"Impossible. Look at the state of him. How could someone like that kill Elder Li Hong?"

"Maybe it's just someone with the same name."

Being gawked at like an animal in a cage was, he had to admit, a little humiliating. Lin Yun felt like a monkey on display. Still, he forced himself to remain calm.

The most surprising discovery these past few days had been that小白 (Xiao Bai) could enter the 玉螭璃 (Yuqili).

As Lin Yun stood waiting, the sharp whistle of wind suddenly cut through the air. He leaped back on pure instinct.

BOOM!

A swirling green vortex of wind slammed into the ground where he had just been standing, blasting a deep crater into the stone.

A figure then appeared at the gate, his icy eyes locked on Lin Yun.

"You wretched brat! You kill one of my Beast Taming Sect's own, and you still have the audacity to show your face at our gate and provoke us?"

Lin Yun stared at the middle-aged man before him, utterly speechless. Are you always this reckless? he thought. Shouldn't you ask a few questions first? What if I wasn't Lin Yun?

But there was no time for words.

Lin Yun flipped backward, landing lightly a few paces away. The man, however, gave no ground and charged forward to attack again.

[Name]: Meng Ketuo

[Realm]: Spirit Cauldron - Stage 5

[Destiny Template]: Frank and Forthright (Blue)

[Attributes]: Quick-witted Speaker (White), Trusted Companion (Blue)

[Frank and Forthright]: Your personality is exceptionally candid, but you speak so bluntly that you often cause misunderstandings.

[Quick-witted Speaker]: Your words are highly effective, allowing you to win the approval of many in a short time.

[Trusted Companion]: You are a trustworthy partner who will be entrusted with many important tasks.

[Ultimate Fate]: In the North Sea Abyss, he falls into the deep and is devoured by sea creatures. [Recent Turning Point]: Displays his might at the gate of the Beast Taming Sect, but is intercepted by the Sect Master.