Chapter 43: The Ancestor Returns to Settle Accounts
Chapter 43: The Ancestor Returns to Settle Accounts
After bringing Qin Kaiwu back to his courtyard, Su Ming unceremoniously dumped the man outside the gate.
At the very least, as a Nirvana Realm cultivator, Qin Kaiwu wouldn’t die from a single punch.
Luo Ningshuang and Meng Shu, however, were thoroughly astonished by Su Ming’s combat prowess. They’d believed he wouldn’t lose, but never imagined he’d win so effortlessly.
[Congratulations Host for completing the challenge mission. Rewards have been deposited in system storage.]
Su Ming nodded in satisfaction at the new items in his system space.
[Name]: Su Ming
[Realm]: Longevity Realm 5th Layer (Can battle ordinary Nirvana Realm cultivators)
[Innate Abilities]: Supreme Chaos Body (Tier 1), Innate Dao Bone
[Techniques]: Creation Origin Canon (Tier 1), Chaos Scripture (Tier 1), Three Saints Canon (Tier 3)
[Inventory]: Heavenly Dao Realm Will*2, Chaos Transformation Bottle, Battle Puppet (Half-Step Void Realm), Heaven and Earth Freedom (Movement Technique), Time Acceleration Array (7 days)
[Companion]: Shen Ming (Reincarnation Dragon Centipede)
[Destiny Points]:
“Young Master, how should we handle that man?” Meng Shu inquired.
“Leave him be for now. Uncle Meng, could you investigate who his master is? I suspect this matter is connected to Li Jianping… It seems today is the perfect day to air some dirty laundry.”
At Su Ming’s hint, Meng Shu immediately nodded and departed Chenyang Peak to begin investigations.
Watching Meng Shu leave, Li Jianping felt a sinking sensation in his gut.
The moment he’d witnessed Qin Kaiwu’s defeat, the sect master realized the gravity of the situation. If Su Ming compared notes with Qin Kaiwu, he’d be cornered instantly. He’d never considered Qin Kaiwu might lose, let alone prepared contingency plans.
‘Qin Kaiwu, you useless trash!’ Li Jianping seethed internally. ‘Couldn’t even defeat Su Ming? What was all that talk about martial honor? You should’ve just crushed him with your Nirvana Realm cultivation!’
Now, his only possible salvation lay with the Three Saints Sect’s founding ancestor.
Rushing to the sect’s forbidden grounds, Li Jianping activated the Three Saints Stone Tablet using his sect leader token. After days of failed attempts, the communication artifact finally resonated.
“Ancestor! I’ve finally reached you—”
“Such panic is unbecoming of a sect leader. Report.”
“Ancestor, that Su Ming is destroying our sect’s foundations! I beg for your guidance to help Three Saints Sect survive this calamity…”
“Understood. I shall return to Heaven Primordial Continent within an hour to handle this matter personally.”
“Truly?!” Li Jianping’s eyes shone with manic glee. “This disciple eagerly awaits your glorious return!”
The stone tablet fell silent, but Li Jianping swelled with newfound confidence. If their ancestor could make such a promise, his power must now rival Su Ming’s parents. Three Saints Sect finally had a Heavenly Dao Realm backer!
Yet beyond the mortal world, the Three Saints Ancestor was prostrating himself in the void, trembling with fear.
“Elder, I return only to cleanse our sect’s corruption. I beg you to grant Three Saints Sect this chance—”
“The one granting chances isn’t me, but Young Master Su. Should he remain unsatisfied, I will personally erase your sect from existence.” The calm voice sent fresh waves of terror through the ancestor.
“Understood! This lowly one understands! I shall give Young Master Su a most satisfactory resolution!”
The mighty ancestor Li Jianping imagined was currently kowtowing frantically to empty space, all dignity forgotten.
The Three Saints Ancestor inwardly lamented his misfortune. Upon receiving Li Jianping’s message, he’d intended to return and warn the sect leader—after all, though Su Ming’s parents were trapped in a Secret Realm, their residual will could annihilate Three Saints Sect as easily as crushing ants.
But upon nearing Heaven Primordial Continent, he’d detected an overwhelmingly terrifying presence. Initially mistaking the entity for a passing cultivator, he’d approached to curry favor—only for the being to declare itself Su Ming’s guardian, then coldly recount every injustice Su Ming had suffered over the past decade.
Now, with exactly one hour remaining, Li Jianping’s actions would determine Three Saints Sect’s fate.
…
Back on Chenyang Peak, Meng Shu returned with his findings.
From the report, Su Ming learned Qin Kaiwu’s master was none other than Zeng Yuan—the elder he’d captured earlier.
“How amusing. Uncle Meng, when you apprehended Zeng Yuan, you weren’t spotted, correct?”
“Rest assured, Young Master, no third party witnessed the event.”
Su Ming never doubted Meng Shu’s loyalty. Moreover, Li Jianping’s complete inaction regarding Zeng Yuan’s disappearance proved his ignorance of the capture. This meant Li Jianping had falsely accused Su Ming by sheer coincidence.
Everything was falling neatly into place.
Approaching the unconscious Qin Kaiwu, Su Ming roused the man. As awareness returned, dawning realization struck the defeated saint.
He’d lost.
“I actually…”
“Yes, you lost. More importantly, you were played for a fool.”
“What nonsense is this?” Qin Kaiwu stared incredulously as Su Ming detailed Zeng Yuan’s collusion with Li Jianping and their conspiracy against him.
“Impossible! My master was driven away by you!”
“Proof?”
“His handwritten letter proves everything! You can’t deceive me!” Qin Kaiwu produced the “evidence.”
Su Ming burst into laughter upon examining it. “So this is how they lured you back? After years of worldly experience, you can’t even authenticate calligraphy? Here—compare it to Zeng Yuan’s actual handwriting.”
Producing Zeng Yuan’s signed confession detailing the conspiracy, Su Ming placed both documents side by side. The discrepancies in the forged letter became glaringly obvious under scrutiny.
As Qin Kaiwu’s worldview shattered, Su Ming smiled. The timing was perfect.
“Uncle Meng, bring Elder Zeng here. It’s time we settled accounts with Li Jianping.”