Chapter 5

Chen Xi took the hot tea that Zhou Jiuzhi personally handed to him, lowered his head, and looked at the tea leaves floating in the cup. The steam rose gracefully, and the warm moisture and tea fragrance made him feel very comfortable. This tea was rock tea grown in the mountains of Xiaoman Tianzong, not the best quality, but it had a sense of freedom.

Just as he thought about this, Zhou Jiuzhi said, "The quality of tea lies in its freedom."

Chen Xi looked at Zhou Jiuzhi, waiting for him to continue.

After taking a sip of tea, Zhou Jiuzhi said, "The freedom of tea is like the freedom of people... The tea in the tea garden is not free. It grows according to human requirements. Even if people do not intervene, they still hope the tea trees grow strong. This is not freedom; human thoughts are the greatest intervention. The tea in the sect is truly free."

He smiled and said, "Like an abandoned child."

An abandoned child?

Chen Xi was slightly startled and then asked, "An abandoned child is free?"

Zhou Jiuzhi said, "If an abandoned child grows up, he is free. If an abandoned child dies, he is also free. If an abandoned child is picked up by the person who abandoned him, he is not free. Once the intention to abandon is formed, there is no longer any care or maintenance."

Chen Xi was a bit confused; the logic seemed a bit chaotic.

But Chen Xi knew that the statement "if an abandoned child grows up, he is free" was correct.

"But the freedom of an abandoned child growing up is very hard," he said.

Zhou Jiuzhi said, "The harder it is, the more one gains. Look at those tea trees on the mountain, no one takes care of them, they live on sunlight and rain. They grow crooked and ugly, but they stretch out their limbs as they wish. Look at the neatly trimmed boxwood in the garden, they are beautiful, but they are shaped by scissors."

"Student does not understand."

Chen Xi used the word "student."

Zhou Jiuzhi smiled and finished his tea, "When you froze those winter insects in the Discipline Hall, I knew you expelled the ice soul power accumulated in your body, which froze the insects. But this also revealed that you have the internal strength of a fire qi cultivation method, so you are from Qiyang Valley, not as you said before. Qiyang Valley has not issued any notices to hunt down their expelled disciples recently, so you must have left with their permission. This is a bit strange, isn't it?"

At this point, Chen Xi seemed to be cornered.

"Yes," he nodded, "I left Qiyang Valley freely, not as an expelled or rebellious disciple. I left because Qiyang Valley's cultivation methods were not suitable for me. If I had a method suitable for me, I might already be in the Void-Breaking Realm. I want to take revenge, so I need to become stronger. The Great Opening Cultivation Method of Xiaoman Tianzong seems suitable for me."

Zhou Jiuzhi sighed, "You are truly not free."

After saying this, he got up to leave.

"I'll leave this tea set to you."

Zhou Jiuzhi looked at Chen Xi and walked out of his dilapidated wooden house, "You can participate in the internal test, but I will keep an eye on you. If you have any ulterior motives against Xiaoman Tianzong, I can easily kill you. I am leaving you alive because I just received this. You are not an expelled disciple or an abandoned child, but you have abandoned yourself. You have abandoned your life and carried the burden of hatred, so you may never be free. In cultivation, pressure is good, but in the end, no one can force you to advance, not even yourself..."

He casually threw an envelope over.

Chen Xi caught it, opened it, and read it.

It was a personal letter from Master Yangzhao of Qiyang Valley.

This should be Master Yangzhao's reply to Zhou Jiuzhi, answering all of Zhou Jiuzhi's questions. The questions were naturally about Chen Xi's background. Master Yangzhao confirmed Chen Xi's identity as a disciple of Qiyang Valley and explained that Chen Xi came to Xiaoman Tianzong to cultivate for revenge. Many years ago, Chen Xi's parents were killed by a powerful enemy, so after discovering that Qiyang Valley's cultivation methods were not suitable for Chen Xi, Master Yangzhao sent him to Xiaoman Tianzong.

Master Yangzhao said that Chen Xi's parents were his old friends.

After reading the letter, Chen Xi felt a warmth in his heart.

He knew he couldn't hide his fire qi cultivation from Zhou Jiuzhi. When Zhou Jiuzhi wasn't paying attention, he might not have noticed, but with such cultivation, once he focused, he would certainly see through it. Chen Xi didn't know Zhou Jiuzhi's cultivation level, but he guessed that as one of the six deans of the outer sect, he must be at least in the Spirit Mountain Realm. A cultivator in the Spirit Mountain Realm could crush him with a single strand of hair.

Zhou Jiuzhi didn't ask why Chen Xi went to such lengths to become a disciple, as it wasn't difficult for someone of his level to enter Xiaoman Tianzong. That was because the rules of the sect could not be broken. A disciple of Qiyang Valley transferring to Xiaoman Tianzong... was taboo. It wasn't that the two sects had any enmity, but such behavior was considered betrayal.

So, in the end of Master Yangzhao's letter, he requested that Zhou Jiuzhi not expose Chen Xi's identity as a disciple of Qiyang Valley. If exposed, Chen Xi would become a despised rebel.

After reading the letter, Chen Xi looked up to see Zhou Jiuzhi already far away.

Chen Xi suddenly smiled.

"The second step, accomplished..."

He muttered to himself, his eyes filled with anticipation.

He knew from the beginning that he couldn't hide his fire qi cultivation from Qiyang Valley. Who would have thought that he cultivated fire qi just to hide another secret. This other secret was the real one that couldn't be revealed. If Zhou Jiuzhi saw through it, all his plans and preparations would be in vain.

The young man was confident.

...

...

Am I free?

Chen Xi asked himself.

Free.

He answered himself.

Anything done for revenge comes from the heart. If it comes from the heart, where is the lack of freedom?

...

...

"Didn't think you could actually make it through the Discipline Hall."

Zhao Wu appeared at the door of the wooden house, coldly saying, "What's your background? If you really had a powerful backing, you wouldn't have done a year of menial work. To survive the cold room in the Discipline Hall and come out so lively and unharmed, your cultivation is indeed surprising. Or do you have some treasure?"

Chen Xi carefully put away the tea set, after all, it was the first luxury item in his small home.

He asked, "What answer do you really want?"

Zhao Wu stood with one foot inside and one foot outside the door, "The answer I want, you know very well."

"I don't know," Chen Xi replied straightforwardly.

Zhao Wu's lips curled, then he said coldly, "Who backs us, whether it's Qingwu Academy, Phoenix Academy, or any other academy, everyone who wants to enter the Fate-Changing Tower has some unspeakable secrets. But these secrets, everyone knows on the surface. It's about backing... no matter what kind of backing, it's an unshakable mountain. But you, we don't know your background."

Chen Xi stood up, walked to the door, and stood face to face with him, inches apart.

Zhao Wu clearly became nervous, his face changing constantly.

"Am I in your way?"

Chen Xi looked Zhao Wu in the eyes and said, "I'm not in your way, but you are in mine. I didn't block you, but you came to block me at my doorstep."

Zhao Wu caught his breath, not wanting to be at a disadvantage, "If you block me, you are in my way."

Chen Xi was silent for a moment, then leaned forward and whispered in Zhao Wu's ear, "Your words are unreasonable. I'll teach you how to be reasonable... If I'm in your way, you can kill me. If you're in my way, I will kill you."

Zhao Wu instinctively took a few steps back, out of the door.

Chen Xi laughed, somewhat disdainfully, "A person who retreats so easily isn't even worthy to be my opponent. Don't worry, no one wants to kill recklessly at this time. So many people think my background is mysterious, why are you the only one to ask me? Because... you're a fool."

He turned around, went back to the bed, and lay down to rest, "If you have self-awareness, you should leave."

Zhao Wu snorted and turned to leave.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly grunted. He turned around, his face full of fear and disbelief. When Chen Xi heard the grunt, he rushed out, but only saw Zhao Wu lying dead on the ground. Death could be so swift.

The wound was on his back, directly over his heart.

Extremely narrow and fine.

It was a sword qi.

This sword came from nowhere, but was incredibly precise. The sword qi was just enough to break through Zhao Wu's protective true qi and pierce his heart, then vanished without a trace, leaving no evidence. Chen Xi looked at the dead Zhao Wu, his brows gradually furrowing.

This person died right outside his door.

The third-ranked disciple of Class A died so pitifully.

Chen Xi stood up, looked back, and seemed to see a face, grinning at him sinisterly.

...

...

Zhou Jiuzhi waved his hand, indicating that Chen Xi didn't need to explain, "You didn't kill him."

Chen Xi nodded, "I don't cultivate sword qi."

Zhou Jiuzhi shook his head, "It wasn't sword qi, it was a life-bound weapon."

Chen Xi was startled, then understood. In cultivation, one enters the Foundation Establishment Realm after enlightenment, and the Ninth Rank of Foundation Establishment leads to the Void-Breaking Realm. The Ninth Rank of Void-Breaking leads to the Spirit Mountain Realm. Only cultivators in the Void-Breaking Realm can cultivate a life-bound weapon. A life-bound weapon is something unique to the cultivator, infused with all their cultivation and will. Simply put, it is the cultivator's most trusted weapon.

"I thought it was dissipated sword qi."

Chen Xi said.

Zhou Jiuzhi said, "It wasn't dissipated sword qi, it was a life-bound weapon that killed and then returned to the killer. That's why there's no trace. If it was dissipated sword qi, there would be residue in the body."

"Can you tell what kind of life-bound weapon it was?"

"No," Zhou Jiuzhi said, "I can tell it was a physical weapon, not intangible sword qi. But there are countless cultivators, and their life-bound weapons are varied, so I can't tell. I know you didn't kill him because you haven't reached the realm to cultivate a life-bound weapon. But... I know you didn't kill him, but you are still the killer."

Chen Xi nodded, "Yes, I am still the killer."

Zhou Jiuzhi sighed, "The Zhao family of Qingzhou is not a famous clan, but they have many experts. Killing you... is not difficult. No matter what, he died at your doorstep, and the Zhao family will demand an explanation. Even if I explain on your behalf, they won't listen, because they have... the Prince of Anyang behind them."

"It seems I'm in trouble."

Chen Xi extended his hand.

Zhou Jiuzhi asked in confusion, "What for?"

"Give me some silver, I need to run."

"You can still make jokes."

Zhou Jiuzhi sighed, "Your heart is too big."

Chen Xi smiled, "What else? Should I cry? If crying would help, I would really want to cry."

Zhou Jiuzhi said, "Why did you suddenly appear? They killed Zhao Wu and framed you to force the Zhao family to expose your backing, to see who you really belong to. Zhao Wu was just their tool, and since the tool didn't get the information, they broke it to force the owner to come and ask."

He looked at Chen Xi, "Do you have a powerful backing?"

Chen Xi shook his head, "Absolutely not."

Zhou Jiuzhi hummed, "I regret it. Now I plan to take back the tea set I gave you."

"Why?"

"Because you're about to die."

After saying this, Zhou Jiuzhi looked at Zhao Wu's body, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Chen Xi picked up Zhao Wu's body and slowly walked down the mountain.

"What are you doing?"

Zhou Jiuzhi asked.

Chen Xi answered, "Put it at your doorstep."