Qi Yuan sheathed the Abyssal Condensation Sword with exaggerated care, offering a sheepish, righteous smile.

“Forgive me. This demonic blade radiates such malevolent energy… as a man of modest courage, I dare not wield it for long. I only bring it out for a quick flash when the spirit inside isn’t paying attention.”

“The master… isn’t dead?!”

Laifu ignored the excuse entirely. His emaciated frame trembled, and a flicker of genuine panic cracked his sinister façade. “Where is he? Where is he right now?”

As the Blood Spirit servant of the Slaughtering Daoist, Laifu understood his master’s terrifying capabilities better than anyone.

If anyone else claimed to have resurrected after rotting for tens of thousands of years, Laifu would have laughed in their face. But if the subject was Han Lie… it was terrifyingly plausible.

Moreover, in the ancient era, apart from a few of his master’s closest confidants, absolutely no one knew that the steward of this cave dwelling was named “Laifu.”

The evidence was piling up.

Aside from Laifu and Han Lie, the location of this secret vault was known to no one. Yet this kid had walked into the main hall, bypassed the traps without hesitation, and opened the hidden mechanism on the first try. He had clearly come prepared.

And then there was the sword. The genuine, undeniable Abyssal Condensation Sword.

All signs pointed to one conclusion: this junior was indeed sent by his master.

Wait!

Laifu’s thoughts screeched to a halt.

With Master’s paranoid personality, he would never trust an outsider this much. This kid… he might actually be the Master himself!

Laifu’s heart seized. He took a sharp breath, forcing his trembling limbs to still. He had to be sure.

“Let me ask you,” Laifu probed cautiously, his voice tight. “Do you know what my master’s name was before he entered the Dao?”

While Laifu was having a mental breakdown, Qi Yuan was busy.

He was unceremoniously sweeping the room clean. Spirit Stones, artifacts, random debris—he didn’t bother sorting. He just shoved everything into his storage bracelet with the efficiency of a vacuum cleaner.

Hearing the question, Qi Yuan didn’t even look up from his looting.

“Is your brain rotting? I’m not Fellow Daoist Han. How would I know what his name was before he started cultivating?”

Qi Yuan sneered internally.

Nice try, you old ghoul. You want to bluff me?

I’m only claiming to be his friend. If I actually knew Han Lie’s childhood nickname was ‘Iron Egg’, I’d be exposed immediately. That sort of embarrassing black history is something Han Lie would take to his grave. If an outsider knew it, that would be the real anomaly!

On the other side, Laifu slumped in relief.

He doesn’t know! Good!

If the kid had answered correctly, it would have proven he was Han Lie in disguise. And if that were the case, Laifu would have been forced to attempt patricide right then and there.

Laifu’s expression softened, his tone turning strange and conspiratorial.

“I never imagined Master would trust you so deeply, Young Friend. To entrust his entire fortune to you… it proves you are a man of integrity. It is a pity.” Laifu sighed dramatically. “Good people rarely meet good ends.”

Qi Yuan paused. He tossed the last handful of Spirit Stones into his bag and narrowed his eyes.

“I am merely fulfilling a request. Why would Senior say such a thing?”

Laifu smiled thinly. “Young Friend, you are young. You likely have not heard of my master’s… colorful reputation.”

“If I am not mistaken, you are so enthusiastic about this errand because you were promised a reward, yes?”

Interesting.

Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow, his smile returning.

“To be honest, your master swore a Heavenly Dao Oath in front of me. As long as I return these items, he will gift me half of them.”

Qi Yuan tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Oh, and he also promised to teach me a peerless technique. Something called the Blood… Blood something Scripture…”

“The Blood Asura Scripture?” Laifu finished the sentence, looking at Qi Yuan with the pity one reserves for a terminal idiot.

“Young Friend, you have been deceived. Master was known as the Slaughtering Daoist. He was notorious for his ruthlessness. He would disown his own kin for a profit.”

Laifu stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You know his secret of resurrection. You covet his signature technique. Do you not realize you are walking a path to death?”

“Master only made those promises to trick you into laboring for him. The moment he recovers his strength, the first person he kills will be you!”

“Really?”

Qi Yuan gasped, clutching his chest in feigned terror. “How is that possible? A dignified Tribulation Crossing cultivator… would he really go back on his word?”

Laifu sneered. “Hmph. The so-called ‘good friends’ who called my master ‘brother’ never died of natural causes.”

“Oh no!” Qi Yuan exclaimed, looking suitably panicked. “Then what should I do?”

Laifu casually touched his own neck, a savage glint flashing in his crimson eyes.

“Simple. While Master is still weak, strike first. Exterminate him completely.”

“If you do that, not only will every treasure in this vault belong to you, but you can also sleep soundly for the rest of your life!”

“What?!”

Qi Yuan looked shocked. “You’re the steward… and you’re actually teaching me how to off your master?”

Internally, Qi Yuan was grinning from ear to ear.

Damn, this guy really is a wicked servant!

Good thing I played it safe. If I had pretended to be Han Lie, I’d be fighting for my life right now.

“Heh.” Laifu let out a dry, humorless chuckle. “When Master perished in the Dao Tribulation, the slave ‘Laifu’ died with him.”

“From that moment on, I swore an oath. In this life, I live only for myself. I will never be controlled again!”

Qi Yuan nodded slowly, a look of realization dawning on his face.

“So that’s it. No wonder you want to betray him. The Creation Cauldron is with you.”

Laifu stiffened.

“Through the Creation Cauldron,” Qi Yuan continued, his voice calm and analytical, “you survived the death of your main body. You even recovered your strength to the Void Refinement realm.”

“You stole your master’s most precious treasure. You know Han Lie will never forgive you when he returns. So, you decided to go all the way—borrow my hand to kill your master.”

“Kid, you know too much.”

Surprise flitted across Laifu’s face, quickly replaced by arrogance. “Correct. The Creation Cauldron is indeed with This Seat.”

“I have already obtained a physical body. In a few years, I will erase the Blood Spirit imprint completely. I will no longer be trapped in this cramped palace. I will be like a dragon entering the sea—free and unfettered!”

Laifu’s eyes burned with fanaticism as he stared at Qi Yuan.

“But before that, you must help me kill Han Lie. If you refuse… This Seat has ten thousand ways to make you beg for death.”

“Stop. I agree.”

Qi Yuan nodded without a second of hesitation. “But I have one condition.”

Laifu blinked. He hadn’t expected the capitulation to be so fast. “What condition?”

Qi Yuan smiled warmly. “I swore a Heavenly Dao Oath to bring all the cave’s treasures back to your master. That includes the Creation Cauldron.”

“We are both cultivators; you know the weight of such an oath. If I return without the most important item, the backlash will kill me.”

“So, I need you to lend me the Creation Cauldron. Once I use it to get close to Han Lie and kill him, the oath is void, and I will return it to you immediately.”

Qi Yuan’s expression hardened. “If you don’t agree, I would rather choose mutual destruction. Breaking a Heavenly Dao Oath is death anyway. I might as well drag you down with me.”

“You want to borrow the Cauldron?” Laifu frowned. “What if you don’t return it?”

“That’s easy.” Qi Yuan placed a hand over his heart, his face the picture of sincerity. “I am willing to swear another Heavenly Dao Oath right now. If I break our agreement, may I, Tu Ruoxu, die a horrible death, my body and soul annihilated!”

Laifu pondered this, eyeing Qi Yuan suspiciously.

“Kid, what did you say your name was?”

Qi Yuan didn’t even blink.

“I never change my name abroad or my surname at home. I am Tu Ruoxu!”

Laifu hesitated. “How can you prove your real name is Tu Ruoxu? You aren’t tricking me, are you?”

It was a crucial question. Cultivators often used fake names to bypass the karmic backlash of oaths.

“I, Tu, have a habit.”

Qi Yuan suddenly produced a pile of oddly shaped artifacts from his storage.

“I like to engrave my name on my commonly used magical tools. It proves ownership.”

He held up a glowing defensive dome. “Look. This Heaven and Earth Black Yellow Cover has the character ‘Tu’ inscribed right here.”

He swapped it for a conch shell. “And this Amplifying Dharma Conch. See the small print? ‘Crafted by Tu Ruoxu’.”

He pulled out a glowing rod. “And this Flash Stick…”

“Tu Ruoxu…” Laifu inspected the markings closely. “I didn’t expect you to have such a… narcissistic habit.”

After checking the authentic spiritual imprints on the items, Laifu was convinced.

It was weird to write one’s name on everything like a possessive toddler, but the cultivation world was full of eccentrics. This was hardly the strangest quirk he had seen.

After a long moment of hesitation, Laifu gritted his teeth and nodded.

“Fine. Swear the oath. And don’t try any tricks!”