The Oldest Disciple: Farming Intimacy to Become Immortal

Chapter 206: Senior Brother Su Meng, A Sword Inquiry Match

“Could Junior Brother Li also be a Talisman Master?”

“What’s there to doubt? Look at that art! Junior Brother Li must be a Talisman Master!”

“Exactly! That masterful control over high-grade talismans is definitely the mark of a true Talisman Master!”

The observing Outer and Inner Disciples erupted into animated discussion, their voices buzzing like a disturbed hornet’s nest.

The path of alchemy alone consumed a terrifying amount of an Alchemist’s time and Spiritual Power. Yet, besides being an unparalleled Alchemist, Junior Brother Li was apparently also a Talisman Master.

This revelation left the entire crowd utterly bewildered.

Junior Brother Li was, after all, the legendary “Five Spirit Roots waste physique.” He had only managed to achieve Foundation Establishment through sheer luck as his Lifespan Limit approached. This was common knowledge within the Sect.

Where in the heavens did Junior Brother Li find the energy to cultivate both the Dao of Alchemy and the Dao of Talismans simultaneously?

“Is this what they call a monstrous genius?”

On one of the distant mountain peaks, Liu Ruyu stared blankly at the yellow-robed figure standing in the Martial Arena.

Although she had never met Junior Brother Li face-to-face, she was intimately familiar with his reputation. For years, her Master had repeatedly urged her to visit Moon Gaze Peak to get acquainted with him, claiming that receiving his guidance in the Dao of Alchemy would bring her immense benefits.

As an Alchemist herself, she possessed her own pride. She had been unwilling to lower her head and seek advice from a Junior Brother who had only just achieved Foundation Establishment.

But today, after hearing her Master describe the unimaginably generous rewards for this Grand Competition, Liu Ruyu felt a sharp pang of regret.

That was why she had come. Her sole purpose in visiting the Martial Arts Peak was to finally see this Junior Brother Li with her own eyes.

“Li Meng! How dare you!”

At that exact moment, Su Meng, who had been observing the match with growing fury, roared in anger.

Down in the Martial Arena, Li Meng suddenly vanished into thin air.

Before anyone could blink, he casually reappeared directly in front of the paralyzed Su Can.

With an indifferent expression, Li Meng extended a hand and gently struck Su Can’s chest with a single palm.

A dazzling five-colored spiritual light erupted in an instant.

With a deafening “Boom!”, a shockwave of compressed air exploded outward, sweeping across the stone tiles.

Su Can was sent flying backwards like a kite with its string cut. He flew a full 100 zhang through the air before slamming violently into the rock face of a neighboring mountain peak.

The impact smashed a massive crater directly into the solid rock. Spiderweb-like fissures spread outward for more than five zhang, showering the area in debris.

Su Can was embedded deep within the crater, unconscious and bleeding. It was a terrifying testament to the absolute power behind Li Meng’s seemingly light palm strike.

The golden talisman pasted to Su Can’s forehead finally exhausted its energy, turning to ash and dissipating into the wind.

On the nearby peak, the two Inner Disciples flanking Su Meng immediately rode the wind, flying in a panic to retrieve Su Can’s broken body.

Su Meng glared up at Mu Jiu’er on the Name List Stele, his eyes burning with hatred.

“Senior Sister Mu! The Inner Sect Grand Competition strictly forbids taking lives and severing a fellow disciple’s immortal fate! Is there no justice here?”

Mu Jiu’er glanced indifferently at Su Can, who was currently being pried from the rock by the two disciples.

“The person is not dead, and his immortal fate is not severed. Why does Junior Brother seek justice where none has been breached?”

Su Meng frowned. He released his Divine Sense, probing Su Can’s condition from afar.

After a thorough scan, Su Meng breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Although his Junior Brother was critically injured, his life force remained intact. Su Can’s Dao Foundation was severely damaged, but it hadn’t been destroyed at the root.

If Su Can had died or been crippled permanently, Su Meng would never have been able to explain it to Senior Brother Su Zhe.

His face turning ice-cold, Su Meng glared at the unconscious Su Can as the two disciples lowered him to the ground.

“Useless trash. Take him back to Embracing Sword Peak!”

“Yes, Senior Brother!”

The two Inner Disciples hoisted the unconscious Su Can between them. Riding the wind, they flew away from the peak in disgrace.

“Moon Gaze Peak’s ‘Li Meng’ wins one match!” Mu Jiu’er’s gentle, echoing voice announced from the Name List Stele.

The arena erupted.

“The Broken Cliff Peak lineage is really losing face today!”

“Tell me about it! That tyrant Su Can actually lost to Junior Brother Li, who is only at the early Foundation Establishment stage!”

“Oh? Could you beat Junior Brother Li?”

“Even if I can’t, it doesn’t stop me from calling Su Can absolute trash!”

“Shh! Keep your voice down, Su Meng is still right over there!”

“So what if he is? Thousands of people are talking about it. Even if he hears, he won’t know who said it! Trash is trash. Are we not allowed to call trash by its name?”

“Just say less. It won’t do you any harm to stay quiet.”

Listening to the tidal wave of mockery and criticism washing in from all directions, Su Meng stood with a livid, iron-grey face, staring daggers at the yellow-robed figure in the arena.

Coincidentally, Li Meng looked up and met his gaze.

“Senior Brother Su Meng,” Li Meng called out, his voice carrying effortlessly across the expanse. He offered an opulent, teasing smile. “Come down and have a Sword Inquiry Match with this Junior Brother.”

Since Li Meng needed to win three matches anyway to advance to the next round, he might as well go all out. He would slap the face of the Broken Cliff Peak lineage one more time.

Since he had already offended them, he would offend them thoroughly. He wanted everyone in the Sect to know that he was utterly at odds with the people of Broken Cliff Peak.

Li Meng looked up at the seething Su Meng with a calm, indifferent smile.

The expression on Su Meng’s face shifted rapidly between shock and sheer rage. Because his name was registered on the Name List Stele, Sect rules dictated that he could not refuse a direct challenge.

“What is Junior Brother Li doing? He actually wants to challenge Su Meng? Su Meng is at Foundation Establishment Grand Perfection!”

“Junior Brother Li must have consumed a significant amount of Spiritual Power in his fight with Su Can. To challenge Su Meng right now… that’s not wise. Not wise at all!”

“What’s gotten into Junior Brother Li? Why is he being so reckless?”

“Could it be related to that incident from before?”

“What incident?”

“The one involving Senior Uncle Su Zhe!”

“Ah, so that’s it. It seems Junior Brother Li wants to vent the grievances he suffered at the hands of Senior Uncle Su onto the Foundation Establishment disciples of the Broken Cliff Peak lineage.”

“What exactly happened between them anyway?”

“I don’t know. There are too many rumors floating around.”

“Everyone knows what kind of person Su Can is. I bet Senior Uncle Su isn’t much better.”

“Shh, say less. Senior Uncle Su is, after all, a Golden Core Elder. We cannot casually gossip about him.”

The observing Outer and Inner Disciples continued their animated debates, offering various theories about Li Meng’s audacious challenge.

Amidst the chaos, only the disciples of the Masked Moon Peak lineage watched the commotion with quiet amusement.

Qi Wei yawned, looking bored. “Senior Brother is really something. Couldn’t he just pick a few soft targets, win his three matches, and advance?”

All these complex grudges and grievances were so annoying. If you disliked someone, you should just kill them. And if you couldn’t kill them inside the Sect, you just waited until they left. They couldn’t stay in the Sect forever, could they?

Pretending to fight while holding back just because you were inside the Sect was simply a waste of time.

Zhang Tianhua looked up toward the horizon where Su Can had been taken. “Senior Brother struck a vicious blow just now. That man probably won’t live much longer.”

Zhang Tianhua’s casual assessment caused the expressions of the other women to shift.

Qi Wei looked at Zhang Tianhua with wide, curious eyes. “Junior Sister, how long does he have left?”

Zhang Tianhua thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t know the exact timeframe, but he won’t survive beyond half a year.”

Qi Wei pursed her lips into a delighted smile. Her Senior Brother was truly amazing. He could commit murder without anyone knowing.

A trace of worry flashed in Hua Biying’s eyes. “But if Senior Brother Su dies suddenly within half a year, wouldn’t the Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators investigate and find out?”

Xue Ruyu gave a cold, cynical laugh. “So what if they know? At least that guy was still breathing when he left the Martial Arena. Everything in the Sect requires hard evidence. Without proof, if they want to move against our Senior Brother, they’ll have to see if our Master agrees first. The Enforcement Hall won’t engage in such pointless, messy matters.”

Xue Ruyu understood the petty politics between cultivators all too well. In many matters, the lofty “Immortals” on the mountain were no different from scheming mortals. Their world was built on compromises and the exchange of interests.

Broken Cliff Peak would never wage a costly war against Masked Moon Peak over a mere Foundation Establishment disciple.

Even if Su Can died a sudden, mysterious death, Broken Cliff Peak would simply turn a blind eye. As long as Li Meng didn’t publicly execute Su Can in broad daylight within the Sect, Broken Cliff Peak would not retaliate.

This was a tacit understanding among high-level cultivators. It was the unwritten rule of the cultivation world.