Chapter 10: The Backer Collapses? A Duel of Acting!
Chapter 10: The Backer Collapses? A Duel of Acting!
After watching Meng Shu leave, Li Jianping turned his gaze toward the small courtyard ahead.
The sect master of the Three Saints Sect, who had been terrified upon hearing Su Wu’s voice earlier, had now regained his composure.
He recalled the contents of his recent communication with the founding ancestor through the Three Saints Stone Tablet.
“Your unworthy disciple Li Jianping inquires—has any powerful expert from beyond our realm descended upon the Heaven Primordial Continent?”
When the founding ancestor of the Three Saints Sect ascended, he had left behind a formation covering the Heaven Primordial Continent.
This formation was originally intended to precisely detect whether any extraterritorial experts beyond the continent’s capacity to handle had arrived.
“No experts from beyond have descended. Li Jianping, what exactly has happened in the Heaven Primordial Continent?” the ancestor pressed further.
“That Heavenly Dao Realm expert who descended upon the Heaven Primordial Continent years ago has returned.”
“Impossible!” came the ancestor’s resolute voice from the stone tablet. “Over these past dozen years, I’ve thoroughly investigated those experts who descended upon our Heaven Primordial Continent back then.”
“Over a decade ago, when they arrived on the Heaven Primordial Continent, they entrusted their child to our care before entering a Boundless Realm secret realm.”
“It’s said this secret realm was left behind by the Chaos Dao Lord, the most powerful being in the Void Beyond. The dangers within are beyond imagination—even those at the Boundless Realm might perish inside, let alone mere Heavenly Dao Realm cultivators!”
“If they had emerged alive, the entire Void Beyond would have known about it. There couldn’t possibly be complete silence until now.”
“What you’re experiencing is likely just a pre-prepared wisp of soul or will that remained behind.”
“So that’s how it is. Apologies for disturbing you, ancestor. Your unworthy disciple takes his leave.”
Having learned the truth, Li Jianping immediately severed the connection with the stone tablet.
Those few brief exchanges had already caused several new cracks to appear on the Three Saints Stone Tablet.
Meanwhile, the founding ancestor of the Three Saints Sect in the Void Beyond was practically tearing his hair out in frustration.
The other side had cut off communication before he could finish speaking!
And now he was trapped inside a secret realm where he could only receive messages but couldn’t send any out.
“The preservation of their will means the original person isn’t dead yet. And that will can still unleash one full-powered strike at Heavenly Dao Realm level. I just hope Li Jianping knows his limits and doesn’t squander the foundation I left behind…”
“No! I still can’t rest easy. Once I leave this secret realm, I must return to the Heaven Primordial Continent to check the situation personally!”
…
Returning to the present.
Armed with his ancestor’s information and having eavesdropped on Su Ming’s conversation with Elder Meng earlier,
Li Jianping now had everything figured out.
Su Ming’s parents had never actually returned to the Heaven Primordial Continent—they might not even be able to guarantee their own survival!
Which meant the mighty backer Su Ming relied on had actually collapsed long ago!
However, the treasures Su Ming possessed still posed a significant threat—they absolutely needed to be acquired.
With those in hand, wouldn’t the entire Heaven Primordial Continent become the Three Saints Sect’s personal playground?
Of course, this plan needed to be executed meticulously to prevent Su Ming from being backed into a corner and taking everyone down with him.
The best way to handle young people was to use other young people—in peer competition, would Su Ming really have the face to use that treasure as leverage?
“First lower my stance and give him some benefits, then select a disciple from the younger generation to serve as the core of this operation…”
Li Jianping already had the perfect candidate in mind—Chu Fan.
“If everything goes smoothly…” With grand ambitions swirling in his heart, Li Jianping stepped into Su Ming’s courtyard.
Upon seeing Su Ming, Li Jianping put on a kindly smile and spoke first: “Su Ming, I must sincerely apologize for how the sect has wronged you before. These are compensations to help you advance further in your cultivation.”
Accepting the spatial ring Li Jianping offered, Su Ming immediately held up the Chaos Spirit Crystal and said, “With just these, Sect Master… you don’t seem very sincere, do you?”
Faced with Su Ming’s continued extortion, far from being angered, Li Jianping inwardly sneered.
“What a naive child. Give him an inch and he thinks he’s a ruler, still believing he has powerful backers?”
“Fine then. I’ll raise you up to the clouds first, then let you experience the taste of falling into hell!”
Maintaining his kindly expression, Li Jianping said, “What other compensation do you need? Feel free to ask.”
“I remember there’s a particularly spacious spatial ring in the sect treasury. Give me that one, then stuff some other treasures inside, and I’ll be magnanimous enough to let bygones be bygones. Otherwise, when my father returns, heh heh heh…”
Su Ming answered Li Jianping with his nose practically in the air, acting completely full of himself.
While Li Jianping was trying to lull him, wasn’t Su Ming doing the exact same thing to Li Jianping?
After recalling which item Su Ming was referring to, Li Jianping immediately agreed: “Very well, I’ll go retrieve it from the sect treasury for you right away!”
I’m not afraid of you asking—I’m afraid you won’t ask at all.
After watching Li Jianping leave, Su Ming’s expression turned icy again.
“Li Jianping, I really must thank you for helping me obtain one of Chu Fan’s greatest opportunities ahead of schedule!”
Originally, Su Ming had planned to acquire this item through the Sect Grand Competition, but now that was unnecessary—Li Jianping would deliver it right into his hands.
Su Ming wasn’t the least bit worried about Li Jianping cutting corners, because the sect master was smart enough to understand the consequences of being caught doing so.
Moreover, to outsiders, that item really was just an ordinary large-capacity storage ring—there was no reason to skimp on it.
But in truth, this ring contained both a map to a mysterious ancient ruin and the key to open it.
Without the resources and treasures obtained from that ruin, Chu Fan would never have been able to rise so quickly, even surpassing the cultivation speed of the Devouring Demon Sovereign.
Soon enough, Li Jianping returned and placed the turquoise-colored spatial ring into Su Ming’s hand.
“Here’s what you asked for. I’ve placed the other treasures inside as well.”
“Sect Master, after Elder Meng returns, I’ll have him verify the authenticity of these items. If you’ve deceived me… you know what will happen.”
“How could I possibly do that? You simply misunderstand me too deeply.”
“Oh? I think not. If there’s nothing else, you may leave. I need to continue my cultivation.”
Li Jianping tactfully withdrew from the courtyard, while inwardly mocking Su Ming’s self-important caution.
A mere storage ring—what does it matter if I give it to you? As for those resources, they were just leftovers obtained and processed from your guardian anyway.
Giving and taking, I’m only out two storage rings—that’s practically no loss at all!
Now it was time to check on Chu Fan’s progress.
As he flew away from Chenyang Peak, Li Jianping could hear Su Ming’s unrestrained laughter.
“Laugh all you want now. The more you laugh today, the more miserable you’ll be later!”
Yet only Su Ming himself—and his system—knew what that wild laughter truly represented.
[Host, you’re laughing like a complete villain right now]
“So what? To those chosen protagonists of destiny, aren’t I exactly the villain? System, replay it for me—tell me how many Destiny Points I just earned!”
[Congratulations Host for intercepting one of Chu Fan’s core opportunities. Destiny Points obtained]