Proofread by Liang Yaping

Known as one of the seven sacred mountains in the western region, Mount Qi also enjoyed a high reputation in this entire country.

Located in the backland of Mount Qi, the Qi Sect is one of the ten Immortal Sects in the western states.

The broad stretches of Mount Qi were covered with snow, which added to its solitude and ethereal beauty. Though bearing no comparison to the legendary fairyland, it was undoubtedly a rare sight in the real world.

"Squeak, squeak..."

A slightly discordant sound rang at this very moment, disturbing the peace of the heavenly place.

It was the sound of footsteps on the snow.

A boy dressed in a black robe slowly paced up the mountain road. He looked about and slightly nodded with satisfaction as he said to himself, "There won’t be fallen leaves due to the current severe winter weather. So my workload might be reduced after going back this time."

The black-robed boy seemed to have recalled something as he spoke. After a daze for a second, he mumbled in a self-deprecating manner with the barest hint of resentment in his voice, "Oh, if memory serves me correctly, I am no longer that spineless loser. And never again will I, Ling Changkong, degrade myself with inferior work."

Yes, the black-robed boy was Ling Changkong. Nearly half a month had pa.s.sed since he left Yu Zhencheng's cave, and he was finally back.

The Qi Sect was his only home at the moment, although it was colder than winter.

And this time he had something more important to do apart from proving his abilities to his so-called family members.

It was true that the Qi Sect was a large sect of the western state, but among the mainland of China it was not worth mentioning for there was a wider world outside.

Ling Changkong could not practice because of his meridian occlusion before. He was just a handyman, a doormat in the Sect, someone who would never dream about things outside. But now, he could not only practice, but also become faster and stronger than others. So he would not be confined to the Qi Sect or the western state any more.

He wanted to see the outside world, and to improve his cultivation step by step, so that he would never be bullied again.

Consequently, Ling Changkong had to return. He wanted to use the Qi Sect as a springboard to improve himself, and seize the opportunity to broaden his horizon.

However, this was not the only reason for Ling Changkong’s return.

"Squeak, squeak..."

With his determined paces against the biting wind, Ling Changkong walked to the Sect step by step.

Influential as it was, the Qi Sect hadn’t occupied all the branches of the mountain. It covered just the area of its main peak and a few places rich in resources.

“Oh, finally! It is indeed extremely difficult to cover the mountain road for over a hundred miles.”

After about two hours, Ling Changkong finally reached the last step, and arrived at the square outside the mountain gate as he gasped slightly.

At this time, Ling Changkong was at the peak of Friar Realm, but in severe winter, mounting Mount Qi was also quite difficult.

“The master and his party were blocking Yu Zhencheng here three months ago. Now everything I see here still feels like a dream."

Looking at the empty silver-white square, Ling Changkong's face lit up. He let out a sigh at the sight of the dreamlike scenery before his eyes at the moment.

"Wait till I get back to the Sect." With that, Ling Changkong hurried towards the gate.

A milky-white archway serves as the gate of the Qi Sect, which denied the access of secularities. And inside, it was the turf of the Sect.

However, everyone who had pa.s.sed the archway and entered the Sect should follow their rules, which included no private fighting or killing.

Of course, compet.i.tions among its disciples weren’t forbidden. A platform was set up in a specialised area, on which disciples would no longer be bound by the rules of the Sect.

"Seniors, may I enter?" As soon as he arrived at the gate, Ling handed his token over to the two guarding disciples and asked.

"Look what the cat dragged in! Why come back after acknowledging that traitor, Yu Zhencheng, as your master, loser?"

One of them took the token, took a glimpse with a contemptuous smile, and directly threw it right back at Ling’s face as he mocked.

"What? Ling Changkong? That piece of garbage? I can hardly recognize him after three months. How dare you come back after honoring that traitor as your master? You know what, why don’t you show me what you’ve learnt out there, you filthy little traitor?"

The other disciple was a little taken aback at his companion’s provoking words, but he immediately came to his senses and cracked his knuckles as he raised his voice patronizingly.

Hearing their sarcastic tone, Ling Changkong turned black as thunder. He would never forget these two, Zhang Lihe and Shen Pingzhi, who were merely the peripheral disciples of the Qi Sect. Each time he swept the fallen leaves past them on that road, he had to suffer from their ‘concern’.      

Ling Changkong bent over, pick his ident.i.ty token up and took a glimpse at it before he forced a smile of self-depreciation. As one of the registered disciples of the Qi Sect, he was inferior to the guarding disciples, and would even be bullied by servants of the Sect.

The former period of his life was the reflection of a world where power always came first.

Without strength, he would be bullied by anyone from anywhere!

"Cat caught your tongue? Or do you feel superior after taking a friar of Xuan Realm as your master?"

Seeing that Ling Changkong was as incompetent as before, when he didn’t have the courage to breath a word about being bullied, Zhang Lihe became bolder. He gave Ling a shove, and said haughtily.

“Senior Zhang, I was taken captive by Yu Zhencheng. Now I have just escaped from him, and I didn’t betray our Sect or anyone here. I think you should know that’s the last thing I would do."

Ling Changkong's turned sullen instantly, but he remained rational, put his token away, and explained to Zhang Lihe. Given his special ident.i.ty, he had to hold his horses.

"Hum! So what? You are a traitor because I just called you one!" Zhang Lihe snorted.

He certainly knew what Ling Changkong said was true. Otherwise, he would have fled at the sight of Ling Changkong, instead of bullying him just now.

"Yeah, since you’re standing outside, no one will notice even if we kill you. At the very least, even if someone finds out, who would care for a treacherous loser?" Shen Pingzhi's eyes gleamed with malevolence, which derived from his intention of killing Ling Changkong.

With a spark in his eyes, Ling Changkong stared at him coldly. His incompetence before was not even close to arouse the homicidal intent of a peripheral disciple who held no grudge against him.

"You are digging your own grave!"

Sensing Ling Changkong’s piercing stare, Shen Pingzhi’s heart skipped a beat. He took a step back before realizing that he had been scared off by a loser. He burst into anger, and took a swing with his fist towards Ling Changkong, which implied his cultivation of the fifth level of the Friars’ Realm.