Chapter 138: The Treacherous Master

I was taken aback and quickly withdrew my gaze, then looked at my master and asked, "Master, are you hiding something from me?"

He shook his head and said, "What could I possibly be hiding from you? Come on, stop overthinking things all day."

His words silenced me, and I reluctantly believed him. Wei Wujiang and the others stood nearby, watching without making a move. My master let out a slight breath, as if narrowly avoiding something, and then turned to Wei Wujiang, saying, "We've wasted enough time. I'll ask you just one question: were you behind the incident at the Haoting Hotel and the Taoist Association branch?"

Wei Wujiang showed no expression but nodded without hesitation. My master frowned slightly and said, "It seems I came to the right person. The mission you mentioned must be this one, right?"

Wei Wujiang nodded again and replied, "Whether yes or no, the deed is done. What do you intend to do?"

My master smiled and said, "Kill you."

Wei Wujiang laughed in response and said, "Then let's see if you can."

After that, my master made no further remarks. The Azure Lotus sword energy suddenly slashed out, but Wei Wujiang easily evaded it. My master then unleashed three more sword energies in succession, each striking the ground and creating deep craters. Wei Wutian and the others were about to step forward to help but were stopped by Wei Wujiang, who said, "No need to help. This is my fight. Just keep an eye on them."

With that, Wei Wutian and his group turned their attention to us. Sister Yu had already exhausted the spells she could use and could only maintain a defensive position. The standoff formed into four against four. Except for my master and Wei Wujiang, none of us made a move, merely watching each other with fierce intent.

Seeing that the sword energy had no effect on Wei Wujiang, my master twisted his palm, and an Azure Lotus flower flew out. Wei Wujiang sneered coldly, "You think a mere flower can kill me?"

My master responded with a cold smile, "You'll only know if you try."

Without further words, my master spread his hands, and the Azure Lotus flower transformed into countless Azure Lotus blades hovering behind him. At his gesture, the blades shot toward Wei Wujiang with whistling sounds.

Wei Wujiang rotated his black umbrella to block them. The clash of metal rang out sharply. My master didn’t pause and used a move from before—sweeping his hand along the sword’s edge, releasing a terrifying sword energy that struck the umbrella. As expected, the umbrella cracked like it had against Wei Wuchi earlier. Several Azure Lotus blades pierced the crack, aiming for Wei Wujiang’s brow. He dodged hastily and slammed a palm into the ground. I heard a dull rumble; after a few seconds, a sharp rock jutted out beneath my master’s feet. Had he been slower, it might have pierced him on the spot. But my master, unsurprisingly, spun away with ease. With a swing of the Azure Lotus sword, the stone split in two and vanished beneath the earth.

Wei Wujiang launched a second attack—a cluster of five-colored light surged from his palm. He muttered a spell, and flames suddenly erupted all around my master, encircling him. Wei Wujiang said, "Fire Soul Technique, arise!"

From the flames emerged skeletons engulfed in fire. My master remarked, "To think you can combine the Five Elements’ techniques—interesting."

With a flick of his finger, the Azure Lotus blades reversed direction, flying back to him and striking the fiery skeletons. They were cut down swiftly, and the flames surrounding my master gradually dissipated. Wei Wujiang’s expression remained unchanged. He whispered another incantation, launching a third attack. All the withered leaves on the ground began to lift and swirl in the air. One brushed against my master’s arm, drawing blood. He frowned slightly and said, "Metal Technique of the Five Elements. Wei Wujiang, your strength has indeed grown."

Wei Wujiang cradled the five-colored light without a word, then waved his hand. All the leaves surged toward my master. My master closed his eyes briefly as a golden barrier appeared beside him, blocking the leaves. Opening his eyes, he struck the ground with a bang, sending the leaves flying back to the earth silently. Only then did Wei Wujiang’s face flicker slightly. "So easily countered my three attacks. No wonder you’re from Beiming Pass."

My master smiled coldly, "Otherwise, how else would I kill you?"

Wei Wujiang was momentarily stunned but then snapped irritably, "Tan Boqing, stop pretending to be so great! I’ve seen through your tricks long ago. Now that your protective power is gone and your cultivation sealed, what can you do against me? The final victor will be me!"

My master laughed mockingly, "Foolish dreams."

Without further hesitation, my master waved his hand, summoning the Nether Gate. Wei Wujiang frowned. "Beiming Cold Gate—you can still use that?"

"You don’t know half of it. I’m done playing with you," my master said.

My master tapped the black frame of the Nether Gate. Suddenly, a terrifying roar echoed from within, sending chills down my spine. A massive suction force emerged, yet we were unaffected. Wei Wujiang and the others frowned, trying to resist but to no avail. Leaning against the gate with his arms crossed, my master said, "I’m too lazy to throw punches with you all. This thing might be slow, but I can watch the show easily. Not bad, huh? Hey, Wei Wujiang, aren’t you supposed to be a master of illusions? So, was that all just rumors?"

Wei Wujiang was dragged by the gate’s suction, leaving a deep trail behind him. Hearing my master’s words, he snorted coldly and raised his hands. Suddenly, my head spun, and I looked at my master, thinking, "Damn, Master, you’re setting all of us up here. Wei Wujiang is almost pulled into the gate, yet you’re talking about illusions. Well, he’s really been reminded now."

Just as I thought this, I smiled bitterly as my vision blurred. It was the first time I’d seen someone hit with an illusion right before my eyes. Before I lost consciousness, I saw my master’s smiling face and heard him say, "That’s more like it."

I fainted. I don’t know how long passed before I suddenly sat up, looking around in an unfamiliar place. I tapped my face to remind myself, "Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. This is all an illusion. Just don’t think scary thoughts; think happy ones."

After calming myself, I stood and looked around, trying to find a path. I headed directly to the right. The scene was completely unfamiliar, as if I had never been here before. Everywhere was lush green grass, with many butterflies fluttering about. It didn’t look like a terrifying illusion at all; it resembled a fairyland. The gentle breeze brushed past me, and the scent of flowers filled the air—it was all so beautiful to me.

Settling my nerves, I kept walking. Time was impossible to gauge within the illusion, but judging by the light, it was nearly noon. Soon, a village appeared ahead. Wisps of smoke drifted from chimneys, signaling mealtime was near. Standing on a hillside, I gazed down to see many villagers moving about—some carrying hoes back from the fields, others drying rice, and a group of children playing.

I hurried down into the village. As I entered, strange eyes turned toward me. The children playing and the men carrying hoes all stopped to watch this stranger. I walked slowly, wearing an awkward smile, observing the people around me. After a moment, a man pushed through the crowd and confronted me.

"Who are you? What are you doing in our village?"

I was startled but replied, "Oh, I’m just traveling. I got lost and saw this village, so I thought I’d rest here for a bit and ask for some water."

The man scrutinized me with a strange look and said, "Traveling? There’s no tourist spot around here. Who are you trying to fool? Are you here to steal something? Speak up!"