Chapter 41: Qin Kaiwu
Chapter 41: Qin Kaiwu
Three Saints Sect, Main Hall.
Li Jianping, having finally dealt with matters concerning the Three Saints Secret Realm, hurried back in haste.
Currently, Qin Kaiwu was his only candidate to use against Su Ming—he couldn’t wait any longer.
However, before stepping into the hall, he composed himself, concealing all traces of urgency and reassuming his dignified image as the Sect Master.
As he entered the hall and caught sight of Qin Kaiwu, he immediately spoke: “Kaiwu, you’ve finally returned. I heard you’ve reached the Nirvana Realm—congratulations.”
“Hmm, still as outstanding as ever. With you in the Three Saints Sect, I can rest much easier even if I were to step down as Sect Master.”
At this moment, he appeared every bit the caring elder.
Hearing Li Jianping’s voice, Qin Kaiwu turned and replied with neither humility nor arrogance: “Sect Master, you flatter me.”
“Flattery? I’m only speaking the truth!”
“If you hadn’t left the Three Saints Sect back then, we wouldn’t have revoked your Saint status. At the time, I went against all opposition to preserve your position, but the elders disagreed, saying it violated the rules… Ah, I should have held my ground.”
“But seeing you now, it’s like a slap in the face to those old fools.”
Li Jianping patted Qin Kaiwu’s shoulder, appearing thoroughly impressed.
The topic naturally steered toward the Saint position, prompting Qin Kaiwu to mention what he’d heard recently: “Sect Master, I heard the current Saint is that Su Ming…”
Originally, Li Jianping had been fretting over how to lure Qin Kaiwu into bringing this up himself.
Now that the other had taken the initiative, it saved him the trouble.
Li Jianping adopted an awkward expression and said, “Indeed, it’s him. You’re aware of his… special circumstances. But he does have some ability. If not for the unexpected incident during the Sect Grand Competition, the Saint position would rightfully be his.”
He outright dismissed Su Ming’s efforts, instead guiding Qin Kaiwu to believe Su Ming had attained his position through connections.
Though Qin Kaiwu didn’t press further, Li Jianping had already planted a seed in his mind.
He despised cultivators who relied on connections and external advantages rather than their own strength—he’d witnessed plenty of such cases during his travels.
But according to the Three Saints Sect’s rules, he was no longer the Saint, so it wasn’t his place to comment further.
“Sect Master, since my return, I haven’t seen my master. Where is he?”
“You mean Elder Zeng Yuan?”
“Exactly.”
Only then did Li Jianping recall that he’d sent Zeng Yuan away in advance to avoid trouble.
After all, it was Zeng Yuan whom he’d informed beforehand to allow Su Ming into the Three Saints Pool.
But upon seeing Su Ming’s changed demeanor, he’d immediately arranged for Zeng Yuan to flee—the man had been missing without a trace for many days now.
Looking back, he likely had already fallen into Su Ming’s hands.
“I’m not sure. Perhaps he left the sect on some business. He should return soon.”
“I hope so… Sect Master, if there’s nothing else, I’ll return to my cultivation.”
“Nothing urgent. I just wanted to see how you’ve been doing. Go ahead, I won’t keep you.”
“In that case, Kaiwu takes his leave.”
After Qin Kaiwu departed, Li Jianping immediately sprang into action.
Regardless of Zeng Yuan’s whereabouts, directing Qin Kaiwu toward Chenyang Peak was the right move.
To this end, Li Jianping secretly sought out certain special disciples.
Like the one Su Ming had encountered in the secret realm, these disciples handled shady affairs—there was no fear of leaks, as they were absolutely reliable.
Thus, as Qin Kaiwu returned to his courtyard, he coincidentally ran into a few disciples.
“Senior Brother Qin, you’re back? It’s been so long! Back then, I consulted you on a cultivation problem—do you remember me?”
Qin Kaiwu had instructed far too many people in the past—how could he possibly remember them all?
But given his nature, he still engaged in conversation with them.
Throughout the exchange, these disciples continuously flattered Qin Kaiwu while subtly disparaging Su Ming.
“During the Sect Grand Competition, it was terrifying… The breach in the sect’s protective formation still hasn’t been repaired…”
Earlier, Qin Kaiwu had wondered why there was a gap in the sect’s grand formation—now, through these disciples’ words, he finally understood: it was the handiwork of Su Ming’s mother.
“Honestly, Su Ming didn’t earn the Saint position through his own strength. Clearly, the sect handed it to him out of deference to his mother’s influence.”
“I think so too. Sigh… The thought of him becoming our Sect Master one day makes the future seem bleak.”
“Senior Brother Qin, after all these years, I still believe wholeheartedly that you were the true Saint. If you hadn’t left, Su Ming would never have had a chance…”
Through these disciples’ words, Su Ming’s first impression in Qin Kaiwu’s mind was firmly established: a talentless hack who relied solely on his connections.
Such people were precisely what Qin Kaiwu despised most.
“The sect’s rules are clear. If Su Ming truly is unworthy of the Saint position, I, Qin Kaiwu, will reclaim it and restore a bright future for the Three Saints Sect!”
His words brimmed with confidence and pride, as though reclaiming the Saint position would be effortless.
“Senior Brother Qin, your righteousness is unmatched!”
“As expected of Senior Brother Qin! But… if you provoke Su Ming, won’t his parents come after you?”
“Hah! A useless coward who hides behind his parents is still a coward! Even if those two Supremes come for my life, I, Qin Kaiwu, will tear off Su Ming’s veil of shame!”
With those words, Qin Kaiwu ignored them and strode away.
When Li Jianping learned of Qin Kaiwu’s declaration, he was astonished.
The man had cooperated so perfectly it was as if they’d rehearsed a script.
Now, all that remained was to have those disciples spread Qin Kaiwu’s words. When the time was ripe, conflict between the two would erupt naturally.
Moreover, he’d already left “clues” in Zeng Yuan’s quarters.
Once Qin Kaiwu found them, he would undoubtedly take action against Su Ming.
Yet Li Jianping hadn’t anticipated that Qin Kaiwu would move faster than expected.
He’d already discovered the item Li Jianping had planted in Zeng Yuan’s room—a letter.
“Kaiwu, I know disaster is upon me, but I feared you’d worry if you returned and couldn’t find me, so I leave this letter behind…”
Just reading the opening lines filled Qin Kaiwu with a sense of foreboding.
The further he read, the tighter his grip on the letter became.
It recounted how Zeng Yuan, guarding the Three Saints Pool, had encountered Su Ming, who demanded the Three Saints Golden Lotus. When Zeng Yuan refused, Su Ming threatened him.
Left with no choice, Zeng Yuan allowed Su Ming entry—only to later be forced by Su Ming to shoulder all blame.
To avoid implicating Qin Kaiwu, Zeng Yuan chose to leave the Three Saints Sect.
The letter concluded with Zeng Yuan’s final words:
“Kaiwu, don’t provoke Su Ming—he’s beyond our reach. If you ever meet him, just endure it and move on…”