Hunting the Marked

“Fake!”
“All nonsense!”
Jiang Xiaobai furrowed her brows, a trace of anger flickering in her usually gentle eyes. Even when she was narrowly escaping the sudden attack of the giant lizard earlier, she hadn’t been this furious.
“These disciples from the Celestial Pivot Pavilion are like persistent plasters. They bribe spies from Mount Shu to lurk in the Sword Exchange Pavilion, gathering information about where I’m sent for missions, then trailing me and inventing stories.”
“It happened when I was sent to Jiangnan for a task. The Drunken Moon Restaurant is so famous—I simply had to experience it. Who would’ve thought I’d run into Feng Chaoyang on the road? I had already booked the entire place, but he insisted on joining. For the sake of the sect’s reputation, I couldn’t force him out, so I asked the staff to set a separate table for him nearby, treating it as my invitation.”
“Having someone watch you eat is unbearable! Ugh!”
Jiang Xiaobai was so agitated that she snorted repeatedly.
Chu Liang smiled; he could tell that three parts of her fury were due to the rumors, but seven parts stemmed from her ruined dining experience.
It made sense—she never missed a chance to visit renowned local restaurants on her missions. This Immortal Jiang seemed to have a foodie streak, though her manners left something to be desired…
Being watched while eating must have made her uncomfortable.
After listening, Chu Liang gently asked, “But… this is news about Jiang Yuebai. Aren’t you Jiang Xiaobai, Senior Sister?”
Jiang Xiaobai was silent for a moment, then immediately put on a stern face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you have nothing else, you’d better leave. I have work to do.”
Chu Liang didn’t dare tease her further. After all, he was still waiting for her to teach him divine techniques, so he excused himself.
As he left, the young Bai Ze was reluctant to part, accompanying him all the way out of Treasure Pagoda Peak.
Returning to Silver Sword Peak, Chu Liang went back to his little cottage and replayed today’s battle in his mind.
He felt a chill of fear.
Jiang Yuebai at the peak of the Fourth Realm, and a beast at the peak of the Fifth Realm—their clash lasted only a few rounds, but any strike could have easily killed him.
He was still far too weak.
Today’s encounter made him realize that even if he stayed hidden on Mount Shu, danger was never completely absent.
The chances of being attacked by a beast here were slim, but never zero.
Only by becoming truly powerful could he be safe.
Just look at his master—her carefree attitude was unmatched on Mount Shu, but she never had to worry about her own safety.
It was always others who had to be concerned when they saw her…
But growing strong wasn’t something achieved overnight. With the White Pagoda, as long as he remained steady and diligent, he believed he could surpass others.
Yet… another immediate pressure loomed: the upcoming Mount Shu Summit.

Silver Sword Peak had no senior brothers or sisters, so Chu Liang lacked some understanding of Golden Core-level cultivators. Seeing Fang Ting before, he’d already been impressed, and meeting the black-robed man made him feel even more outmatched.
Now, after witnessing Jiang Yuebai…
Would he really have to compete with people like her? Surely not.
The strongest contenders for chief disciple of this generation at Mount Shu were likely Jiang Yuebai of Azure Sky Peak and Xu Ziyang of Jade Sword Peak.
Outside the sect, Jiang Yuebai was more renowned, a true celebrity of the martial world—not just a cultivation prodigy, but also stunningly beautiful, attracting even more attention.
But within Mount Shu, the two had always been equals. Even if there was a difference in strength, it couldn’t be much.
Master, you and the Jade Sword Peak Lord have a feud—if you two want to fight, go ahead, but why drag your disciples into it…
When will this cycle of vengeance ever end?
…
After pondering for a while, Chu Liang put aside his worries. No matter what, there was still a happy matter to attend to.
He had unexpectedly snatched the kill from Jiang Yuebai earlier, blasting the giant lizard to death, so he could reward himself again!
Rewards had been coming more frequently lately, filling him with happiness.
Moreover…
Based on his previous experience, the attributes of the treasures he received were weakly related to the type of evil spirit slain, but the value of the treasure was strongly tied to the strength of the creature.
In other words, the stronger the evil spirit he killed, the more powerful the treasure he would receive!
And this was undoubtedly the first time he’d slain a beast of this level.
What kind of reward would he get? It was truly exciting.
Chu Liang glanced outside, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. Maybe he should raise a koi fish on Silver Sword Peak? Bow to it before drawing a reward—it might bring luck.
After a brief consideration, he quickly entered the White Pagoda.
Within the iron cell, the golden phantom of the giant lizard floated in the air, its aura as imposing as it was in life.
Chu Liang took a deep breath and pressed the “Refine” character.
Boom—
A flash of crimson light; this time it lasted a bit longer, about two breaths before fading.

When the glow returned, it appeared before Chu Liang.
He reached out and caught it, discovering a heavy, ancient longsword in his hand.
A sword?
Chu Liang was delighted—this was exactly what he wanted most.
Immediately, a sensation arose in his mind.
[Scarlet Justice Sword]:
This is a sword of righteousness. When facing enemies notorious for their crimes, shrouded in murderous aura, it grants tremendous power. Against ordinary foes, it’s no different from a common iron sword. If you feel you’re not in good condition, try switching to someone else—it might work better.
Huh?
Chu Liang gazed at the ancient longsword, lost in thought.
He slowly drew the blade. The sword’s surface was mottled with cracks, bearing the marks of countless battles. The edge wasn’t particularly sharp, but it carried a weighty, solid feel.
Scarlet Justice…
Though it was a treasure, its power only activated against truly wicked, blood-soaked enemies. So, it only cut down great villains?
Chu Liang knew something of murderous aura—every living thing had its own energy. Not just demonic, yin, or human aura—even daily actions could alter one’s energy.
Those who killed indiscriminately accumulated much resentment and murderous aura. Killing evil people didn’t increase resentment; instead, it built righteousness.
It sounded complicated, but it boiled down to a simple rule: one’s energy matched their character.
Those skilled in “Aura Sight” could judge people’s virtue by their energy.
To be shrouded in murderous aura wasn’t achieved by merely killing a few; it required slaughtering countless innocent lives.
The conditions for the sword’s power were not easily met. Of all the foes Chu Liang had faced, only the Soul Binder might have qualified.
So, most of the time, it was just an ordinary iron sword…
Chu Liang returned from the White Pagoda, his expression calm.
Although the Justice Sword hadn’t thrilled him, he wasn’t too disappointed either. After the last time his trash jade talisman unexpectedly saved his life, he wouldn’t be quick to judge any treasure by appearances.
Still…
He glanced at the window.
A fish tank would actually fit quite well here.