Chapter 86: The Lucky Star

Gu Tian straightened up and said, “What’s wrong, Sima Liuguang? Do you want to spar with me? Very well, it’s been a long time since I’ve stretched my muscles. Make your move!”

The Venerable Master Wuchen of Xiuyuan Temple pressed his palms together, chanting a Buddhist prayer, “Amitabha. Friends, let us not quarrel. Life and death, the cycle of samsara—they are all fated. My temple’s most outstanding disciple has yet to appear. It seems he is not destined to follow the path of the Buddha.”

He Lingling, one of the Twin Charms of the Wind and Moon Sect, sighed and said, “My beloved disciple Liu Mei, so beautiful and enchanting, seems unlikely to have survived. It is all in the hands of fate.”

Jiuhua smiled pleasantly and said, “Let us return to business. Based on the disciples who have emerged, let us discuss the division of interests in Five Peaks City. Judging by the numbers, my Beast Taming Sect ranks first, the Star Sect second, the Wind and Moon Sect third, Xiuyuan Temple fourth, and the Confucian Gate fifth.”

But as soon as the words left her mouth, ripples formed in the air again. Suddenly, a plain-looking disciple of the Star Sect fell from the sky. He looked drowsy, as if he had been awakened from a deep sleep and transported here without warning.

He glanced around, rubbed his eyes, instantly sobered, and slunk back to the Star Sect’s camp, treading lightly upon his sword.

Gu Tian’s face was wreathed in smiles. The more he looked at this Star Sect disciple, the more pleasing he found him. He immediately said to Jiuhua, “It seems it’s too soon to draw conclusions. The Star Sect has yet another disciple returned.”

The assembled disciples burst into laughter. Some of the Star Sect disciples, not understanding the situation, cast disdainful looks at Ge Qian.

A disciple said, “Isn’t that Ge Qian from the Medicine Garden? Coward! He must have entered a minor arena and hid until it was over, sleeping until he was transported out. Compared to us, who braved death to gather spirit herbs, he’s worthless!”

“Exactly. Someone like him has no real skills, just cunning enough to survive. He doesn’t even care about his reputation, so long as he keeps his life.”

Jiuhua nearly choked with indignation. The cooked duck was about to fly away. With a sneer, she said, “A coward like him is hardly worthy to be called a cultivator. I don’t believe he’s fit to represent the Star Sect.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” said Gu Tian. “I think surviving is a skill in itself. Even if he didn’t fight or kill, preserving his life is an ability. From now on, you are my registered disciple, Ge Qian. Let’s see who dares say you’re unqualified.”

This was Gu Tian’s first time leading a team, and he couldn’t afford any setbacks. For the benefit of the Star Sect in Five Peaks City, accepting a registered disciple was a small price to pay.

Jiuhua snorted coldly. “Since our sects have the same number of disciples, let’s see who gathered the most spirit herbs.”

“I have no objection. Let’s begin,” Gu Tian replied.

So, the two sects began their tally. Under the watchful eyes of all present, the disciples laid out their spirit herbs, which were then counted by the elders of both sides.

The piles of spirit herbs grew as the elders recorded the numbers and checked for any private stashes.

The Beast Taming Sect’s disciples turned in a total of one thousand eight hundred stalks. All the Star Sect’s disciples had submitted theirs except Ge Qian, totaling one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six stalks.

This result made Jiuhua beam with delight. That coward from earlier couldn’t possibly have any spirit herbs, so she relaxed and looked at Gu Tian, saying gleefully, “Now do you admit defeat? My Beast Taming Sect has four more stalks than your Star Sect. The facts are plain to see. What more can you say, Gu Tian?”

Though Gu Tian was reluctant, he had no choice. Their spirit herbs were fewer, and there was nothing to be done. He sighed and said dejectedly, “Whoever has more herbs ranks first. That’s the rule. I have nothing to say.”

Before Jiuhua could respond, Ge Qian stepped forward and said respectfully, “Reporting to the Grand Elder, disciple Ge Qian has not yet handed in his spirit herbs. They may well outnumber those of the Beast Taming Sect.”

Gu Tian slapped his thigh with joy. This boy was truly his lucky star. Still, he asked skeptically, “Are you sure you have spirit herbs? This is no joking matter—it concerns our Star Sect’s interests in Five Peaks City.”

Jiuhua nearly twisted her nose in rage. This boy was turning out to be her nemesis. Her lovely face clouded with anger as she said, “I advise you not to speak recklessly. If you cannot produce the spirit herbs, you will pay dearly for mocking the Grand Elder.”

Ge Qian, seemingly terrified of Jiuhua, stammered, “Though I hid in a tree hollow the whole time, one day disciples from the Beast Taming Sect and the Confucian Gate fought fiercely right outside. In the end, they both unleashed fatal blows and perished together—so I happened to benefit from their misfortune.”

Gu Tian clapped his hands approvingly. “My registered disciple’s luck is extraordinary—even hiding, treasures come to him! Well done. Quickly, bring out the spirit herbs.”

Jiuhua’s face turned green with fury. This was clearly an attempt to sow discord between the Beast Taming Sect and the Confucian Gate. A casual remark, yet it had driven a wedge between the two sects.

She stepped forward, releasing an overwhelming pressure toward Ge Qian. The force of a Core Formation stage cultivator was formidable—if it struck Ge Qian, he would surely die.

But Ge Qian was prepared. He knew that by openly inciting conflict between the Beast Taming Sect and the Confucian Gate, he could muddy the waters and carve out a space to survive. If the leader of the Confucian Gate discovered that he had killed Sima’s disciple and sought out the Star Sect, he—a mere ordinary disciple—might well become a sacrificial pawn traded for an alliance.

As expected, the moment he spoke, Jiuhua’s expression changed. Ge Qian immediately employed the Cloud-Stepping technique to dodge behind Gu Tian, poking his head out nervously, feigning extreme fear.

Gu Tian unleashed his own pressure, easily blocking Jiuhua’s attack. Whether Ge Qian acted out of intent or accident, the result pleased him greatly.

For nearly a century, the Beast Taming Sect had grown rapidly, threatening to surpass the Star Sect as the leader of the five factions. Outwardly, the Star Sect remained calm, but inwardly, they were furious, lacking a pretext to act—until now. Gu Tian would not let this chance slip away.

He put on a righteous facade and said, “Jiuhua, you clearly hold no respect for me. To strike at my disciple before my very eyes—what is your intention? Do you seek to silence him?”

“You—you! I was merely testing his strength, nothing more. I wanted to see if he was telling the truth. If he slanders my sect, claiming we murdered for treasure, the Beast Taming Sect would be unjustly maligned.”

Jiuhua was, after all, a shrewd old fox, living for centuries. With a few words, she had shifted herself back from disadvantage.

Sima Liuguang listened carefully. Whether the boy spoke truth or not, he now had an explanation for his own sect. If he returned empty-handed, he would appear incompetent and incur the leader’s wrath. No matter what, he would use this incident to claim the Beast Taming Sect had plotted against the Confucian Gate’s young master, and thus extricate himself from blame. Inwardly, he was grateful for this naïve, loose-tongued youth.

He said angrily, “This youth’s strength is ordinary and his manner forthright. He does not seem the type to lie!”

Jiuhua instantly turned hostile, snapping, “Sima Liuguang, what are you implying? Are you saying that the missing disciples of the Confucian Gate fell at the hands of my Beast Taming Sect?”

Sima Liuguang sneered, “Truth will out in the end. My Confucian Gate will investigate thoroughly and see that justice is done for our fallen disciples.”