Chapter Fifty-Three: The Interception

On the winding, rugged mountain path, Luo Changfeng and his two junior brothers hurriedly returned to the Marquis of Might’s estate after delivering their master’s letter to the outer court of the Danxia Sect. Along the way, disciples from the Xuanzhen Temple, accompanied by disciples from Qingyang Peak, frequently stopped them for questioning. But with the marquis’s token in hand, the three managed to descend the mountain smoothly, soon arriving at the foot of Qingyang Peak.

Luo Changfeng turned back to gaze at the towering Qingyang Peak soaring into the clouds, sighing, “After today, I fear we may never return to Danxia Sect.”

A young disciple beside him, puzzled, asked, “Senior brother, our master now enjoys the young marquis’s favor. Why doesn’t he seize the position of sect leader at Danxia?”

Luo Changfeng shook his head. “Though our master is favored by the young marquis, the Daoist Cangsong, head of Xuanzhen Temple, holds great sway with the marquis. If our master were to oppose him rashly, it would surely provoke the marquis’s wrath. Besides, Mo Zhanpeng has always been at odds with our master. Now, with no other option, he wants our master to contend for leadership at Qingyang Peak, but how could our master agree so easily?”

“So that’s how it is... Yet, if our master doesn’t step forward, how could Mo Zhanpeng and the others possibly contend with Xuanzhen Temple?”

Luo Changfeng replied with a cold sneer. “Danxia Sect is already a shadow of its former self. Our master has his plans—rather than risk opposing Xuanzhen Temple, it’s better to follow the young marquis and enjoy wealth and honor. The lives and deaths of Mo Zhanpeng and those outer court disciples are of no concern to us.”

He glanced at the sky and urged, “Let’s go quickly, head back to the estate before our master is kept waiting.”

No sooner had Luo Changfeng finished speaking than a raspy, mocking laugh echoed from above: “You won’t be leaving so easily.”

A fierce wind swept through the foothills, and suddenly a Daoist in black robes appeared, blocking their path.

Luo Changfeng’s expression changed. He quickly raised the marquis’s token and called out loudly, “Surely, you are a master from Xuanzhen Temple. We serve the Marquis of Might, on the young marquis’s orders. Now we seek to return to the estate—please let us pass.”

In this world, regardless of sect or alignment, practitioners with supreme martial arts and mystical Daoist arts still held reverence for imperial power, compelled to associate with nobles from every corner.

Luo Changfeng, confident in the marquis’s token, was not intimidated by this Xuanzhen Temple Daoist who appeared so suddenly.

Yet the Daoist ignored the token entirely, turning his back to the trio and sneering, “You are merely disciples of that old dog Huo Zhongmou. The marquis’s son you rely on is nothing but a useless fool, and you dare use the estate’s name to threaten me?”

At these words, Luo Changfeng and his companions paled—the Daoist had not only insulted their master but dared call the young marquis a fool.

Fury surged within Luo Changfeng, but he dared not offend the arrogant, enigmatic Daoist before him. Steeling himself, he spoke in a low voice, “Are you not afraid your words today might bring disaster upon Xuanzhen Temple?”

The Daoist in black, so wild and brash, was none other than Qi Fei, disguised—he was the one who had revealed murderous intent in the outer court’s council hall earlier.

After Luo Changfeng left the sect’s outer court, Qi Fei had captured a Xuanzhen Temple disciple outside the valley, donned the black robes, and used his Blood Shadow Evasion technique to pursue them down the mountain, finally intercepting Luo Changfeng and his companions at the foot.

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Qi Fei, still turned away from Luo Changfeng and his fellows, spoke coldly, “If I were afraid, would I not dare show my true face?”

Luo Changfeng quietly circulated his true essence, employing the Daoist art ‘Spirit Sight’ to probe the Daoist’s back, but to his dismay, he found himself unable to discern the stranger’s cultivation level.

Panic swept Luo Changfeng’s heart; he stammered, “We have no enmity with Xuanzhen Temple. Please, for the young marquis’s sake, spare us.”

Qi Fei gave a sinister smile. “The day your master borrowed the marquis’s name to shield Danxia’s outer court, he was fearless enough. Now, you know fear—too late. Tell me, why did Huo Zhongmou send you to the outer court?”

Afraid to anger this powerful Daoist, Luo Changfeng quickly replied, “Reporting to you, Mo Zhanpeng sought to have my master contend with Elder Yang Zheng for the sect leader’s seat. Yet my master has already pledged himself to the young marquis and will not oppose Xuanzhen Temple. So he wrote a letter, instructing us to deliver it.”

“Are you not disciples of Danxia Sect?” Qi Fei pressed.

Luo Changfeng hurried to clarify, “Since we followed our master down the mountain to serve the young marquis, we have no ties to Danxia Sect any longer.”

A cold killing intent surged in Qi Fei’s heart. “How can I trust your words? Where is the letter?”

Luo Changfeng hesitated, then forced a bitter smile. “The letter has already been handed to Elder Mo Zhanpeng. If you doubt me, you may confront him in the outer court valley.”

Seeing the black-robed Daoist unmoved, Luo Changfeng anxiously added, “I, Luo Changfeng, swear to the heavens: every word I’ve spoken is true. Should I lie, may I meet a miserable fate.”

Letting Luo Changfeng finish his oath, Qi Fei smiled coldly. “Even if you speak the truth, I insulted the young marquis just now. How could I let you live?”

As soon as the words were spoken, Qi Fei raised a talisman, infusing it with his inner energy until it transformed into a dazzling stream of light. Sensing danger, Luo Changfeng and his companions quickly summoned their own true essence and used the talisman’s power to scatter and flee.

Each of the three fled in a different direction. Qi Fei turned, chose Luo Changfeng’s path, and gave chase.

Luo Changfeng, panicked, used his talisman for a lightness technique, darting into a thicket at the mountain’s edge. There, he found a concealed spot, held his breath, and conjured a Daoist invisibility spell to hide himself.

Soon, he detected quiet, deliberate footsteps nearby—and then heard a familiar voice.

“Brother Luo, didn’t you want to test my skills before? Now, why are you hiding like a turtle? Where’s your arrogance?”

Luo Changfeng’s heart gave a jolt—it was Qi Fei, Mo Zhanpeng’s disciple who had escaped from the Cliff of Reflection. Could the black-robed Daoist from before have been Qi Fei in disguise?

Recalling his earlier attempt to probe the Daoist with Spirit Sight, Luo Changfeng realized why he couldn’t discern the cultivation level: Qi Fei, trained in martial arts under Mo Zhanpeng, had impersonated the Daoist.

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“Qi Fei, so it’s you.” Luo Changfeng’s heart settled, and he dismissed his invisibility spell, rising in anger.

Qi Fei shook his wide sleeves, calm and composed. “Indeed, it’s me. The ‘kindness’ shown by Elder Huo and you senior brothers is something I’ll never forget. Since Elder Huo refuses to intervene in Qingyang Peak’s affairs, I’ll be sure to visit him at the Marquis’s estate one day. But today, I need your life, Brother Luo.”

Luo Changfeng understood the implication, sneering, “Even if your master Mo Zhanpeng were here himself, he’d struggle to harm me. Do you think you can?”

Qi Fei nodded slowly. “I do. What, you don’t believe it?”

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Luo Changfeng’s eyes. Qi Fei’s confidence made him wonder if he truly possessed the power to kill him. But after a moment’s reflection, Luo Changfeng berated himself—Qi Fei had only joined Danxia Sect half a year ago, and after violating the rules, had been sealed under the Cliff of Reflection by his master. How strong could he really be now?

Luo Changfeng’s confidence returned. He sneered, “My head is right here. If you have the ability, take it.”

Qi Fei relaxed, a smile breaking across his face. “Since you’re so generous, I won’t refuse.”

Suddenly, Luo Changfeng’s vision blurred—Qi Fei’s form vanished before his eyes. Before Luo Changfeng could summon his Daoist arts to defend himself, a fierce, domineering force struck from behind.

He barely managed to turn his talisman into a flame before Qi Fei’s powerful fist smashed into his back.

Instantly, blood sprayed from Luo Changfeng’s back in a crimson mist. Qi Fei’s killing strike shattered Luo Changfeng’s heart in a single blow.

Luo Changfeng’s eyes bulged wide open, just as the traitor Zhang Xuzhong’s had on that fateful day—he could not believe, even in death, that he failed to withstand a single move from Qi Fei.

Though Luo Changfeng was skilled in Daoist arts, his physical body could not compare with those who trained in martial arts. Qi Fei, using the Blood Shadow Evasion technique, killed him with one decisive strike.

Qi Fei stared at the mangled corpse, a brief pang of regret flickering in his heart, but he shook his head fiercely, casting aside all distractions. Hoisting Luo Changfeng’s body, Qi Fei sped away toward Qingyang Peak, now occupied by Xuanzhen Temple.

(P.S.: Humbly asking for a few recommendation votes! My new book’s performance is dismal, but I’ll keep striving onward.)