CHAPTER 377: FALSE PRETENCES

One month passed in the blink of an eye.

After coming out of seclusion, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan went to the shop but immediately realised that something was wrong.

[Ayuan, is it just me or...] Shen Xu started with an uncertain expression.

[It’s not just you.] Zhen Yuan said.

At a glance, all the wines were gone, but the shop was strangely crowded.

Most importantly, the crowd were standing in groups, whispering among themselves.

"They are here." Someone said, and his companions immediately turned to look at Zhen Yuan and Shen Xu.

"Should we tell them what’s going on?" Another asked.

"Why do you want to get involved? Are you friends? Do you think your life is too long and are desperate to shorten it?"

"This isn’t something we can get involved with."

"It’s really a pity. I like the spiritual wine from this shop."

"It can’t be helped." Someone sighed and quickly continued.

"They are too arrogant and went against people that shouldn’t be offended."

"It’s not their fault, actually. Who wouldn’t be angry when a random person tries to break their Taoist relationship?"

"That random person is the sect master’s son."

"What’s the big deal about a Taoist relationship? Isn’t it okay to take the spirit stones and marry another person? Why can’t Zhen Yuan let Shen Xu go?"

"It’s not just Zhen Yuan who won’t let Shen Xu go. Shen Xu also doesn’t want to be let go. The young sect master is trying to force love."

"Shhhh...., are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Whatever the case, the two are in a lot of trouble."

While the spectators were watching the show, Luo Jiangfeng approached Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan.

After reaching them, he sealed the space and looked at the two with a solemn expression.

"You are in a lot of trouble." He said.

"We gathered." Shen Xu said, but didn’t seem afraid.

"What’s going on?" Zhen Yuan asked.

"You entered the sect under false pretences." Luo Jianfeng stated, and the double raised an eyebrow.

"We did?" He asked.

"You are not in your nine hundreds’, and you are not spirit transformation realm cultivators." Luo Jianfeng said, secretly observing the couple to see their reaction.

[As expected, we have been suspected.] Shen Xu transmitted and sighed.

[What do you want to do?] Zhen Yuan asked.

[Admit it.] The double said in a confident voice.

After that, he tilted his head and his lips curled in a playful smile.

"Ayuan and I are in our nine hundreds." Shen Xu said, and Luo Jianfeng narrowed his eyes.

"Fusion realm cultivators in their nine hundreds?" He asked.

"Is it so wrong that we suppressed our cultivation to enter the sect?" Shen Xu asked.

"Regardless of your reasons, you entered the sect under false pretences." Luo Jianfeng answered.

However, his heart was racing and his hands subconsciously trembled.

After all, what was the concept of nine-hundred-year-old fusion realm cultivators?

Without a doubt, the two must have encountered a heaven-defying opportunity and not even he could resist thinking about it.

’These two kids are really in trouble.’ He thought, but only sighed before continuing.

"You successfully crossed the heart-revealing lake, so we can be sure that you don’t intend to harm the sect. However, the sect will not let this matter go." He said.

"What’s our punishment?" Shen Xu asked.

"First, we must confirm that you are not evil cultivators." Luo Jianfeng said, and the two nodded.

This was indeed necessary.

After all, evil cultivators had extraordinary methods to quickly advance their cultivation.

"How do we confirm?" Shen Xu asked.

"Other than the heart revealing lake, the sect has a qi test crystal and a truth elixir. If you pass both tests, the sect will give you a chance to redeem yourselves."

Shen Xu frowned when he heard this.

He didn’t care about the qi test crystal. However, the truth elixir was a big problem since he and Zhen Yuan had a lot of secrets.

’Ayuan is immune to most pills, hence the truth elixir will likely not work on him, but I am different.’ He thought and narrowed his eyes.

"The qi test crystal is not a problem, but how can we be sure that the sect will not take advantage of us after we take the truth elixir?" The double asked.

"Do you have something to hide?" Luo Jianfeng asked, and Shen Xu immediately nodded.

"Which cultivator doesn’t have something to hide?" The double answered, and Luo Jianfeng couldn’t argue.

After all, every cultivator had secrets that they didn’t reveal to the world.

"Tests aside, what did you mean by redeeming ourselves?" Zhen Yuan suddenly asked.

Hearing the question, Luo Jianfeng sighed with a pitying expression.

A moment later, he removed ten jade squares from his space ring and handed them to Zhen Yuan.

"Check them." He said, and Zhen Yuan quickly did so.

Soon after, he frowned and gave the jades to Shen Xu, who also checked the contents.

"Challenges?" The double asked, and Luo Jianfeng nodded before speaking.

"Your reason for joining the ninety-seventh peak is that you dabble in various disciplines." He said and quickly continued.

"The sect has chosen ten masters; one for each discipline. If you win six out of ten challenges, the sect will reward you and won’t pursue the matter of joining under false pretences."

"What if we don’t win?" Shen Xu asked, his eyes narrowed into slits.

"You will be sent to the mines for fifty thousand years."

Shen Xu sneered when he heard this.

"The lifespan of a fusion realm cultivator is one hundred thousand years. Is our crime so terrible that we deserve to spend half our lives paying for it?" He asked, and a trace of anger flashed in his eyes.

"Don’t you know what you have done?" Luo Jianfeng asked.

"This is about the Xuanyuan siblings?" The double asked, and Luo Jianfeng nodded.

"You beat up the young sect master, and your formation caused the death of a Lin family descendant. It’s not unexpected that they have pulled strings to push you into this situation." He said.

Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan had expected retaliation.

However, they didn’t expect the Xuanyuan siblings to be so ruthless.

Although they were immortal and fifty thousand years was nothing to them, neither Shen Xu nor Zhen Yuan was willing to waste so much time.

[Ayuan, what should we do?] Shen Xu asked but didn’t wait for Zhen Yuan’s answer before continuing.

[We prepared a teleportation formation in Tianxuan city, but the sect has a quasi-immortal defensive formation. There is no way we can teleport out without being detected.]

[Also, we need the Tianxuan sect to access the Thunder secret realm, the cursed valley, and the Temple of Chants, amongst other places. I don’t want to leave if we can help it.]

[There is also Mo Ling.] Zhen Yuan added, and Shen Xu narrowed his eyes.

Since they had decided to help the triplets, they naturally wouldn’t stop halfway. Considering that, they had long decided to contact Mo Ling as soon as the person arrived in the sect.

[Feng Xue will also want revenge when she comes out of seclusion.]

After saying that, Shen Xu fell into thought and soon nodded before turning to Luo Jianfeng.

"Senior, what rewards will the sect give us if we win the challenges?" He asked, and Luo Jianfeng couldn’t help but be surprised.

He didn’t expect this reaction.

After all, no cultivator could possibly master six disciplines before they were one thousand years old.

However, Luo Jianfeng still answered honestly.

"The sect will allow you to enter the treasure house and choose one treasure for each win. Additionally, you will become honorary elders, receive a one-time pass for each of the sect’s blessed places, a lifetime library pass, and be given a small mountain to settle down on. Finally, if you win all ten challenges, you will be allowed to choose ten more treasures." The man said, and Shen Xu raised an eyebrow.

’Stick and carrot.’ He thought.

Although the sect felt it was unlikely that he and Zhen Yuan would win the challenge, it still prepared for the possibility. By offering so many rewards, it ensured that he and Zhen Yuan would not leave the sect.

That way, the sect could control them and possibly get their inheritances.

Thinking of inheritances, Shen Xu smiled.

Their inheritances were probably one of the main reasons that the Xuanyuan siblings set them up to be detained in the mines.

After all, their cultivation would be suppressed when they went to the mines.

At that time, the siblings could search their souls or use other methods to steal the inheritances.

’Their plan is too obvious.’ Shen Xu thought and almost rolled his eyes.

He and Zhen Yuan were guilty of entering the sect under false pretences. However, the sect was also guilty of suppressing them under false pretences.

’I bet they will offer us a compromise when the time comes. We will be forced to give up our inheritances, and I will be asked to follow Xuanyuan Ze in exchange for not going to the mines.’ He thought.

[Ayuan, it seems we are completely at odds with the sect.] Shen Xu said.

[Are you thinking what I am thinking?] Zhen Yuan asked, and Shen Xu nodded.

[Take them for all they have?] He asked.

Since the sect would not let them go, they would also not let the sect go.

At the moment, the two were confident they would win the alchemy, weapons refining, talisman, formations, inscriptions, and culinary arts challenges.

As for the martial arts and swordsmanship challenges, the odds were high but not one hundred per cent. After all, the two were fundamentally not swordsmen or martial artists.

[Neither of us is a beast tamer or spiritual planter.] Shen Xu transmitted.

[We have Xiaoren. Even though we can’t bring her out to take the spiritual planting challenge, she can send instructions through your contract.] Zhen Yuan said, and Shen Xu couldn’t help but be excited.

However, he soon calmed down and frowned.

[We know nothing about beast taming.] He said, but Zhen Yuan suddenly smiled.

[Technically true, but I have a way.] He said with a mischievous expression.