Chapter 4 Kill the Master!

"They weren't in the hotel room for long, only half an hour, and then Xu Jiao was dead," the young officer answered, adding, "He couldn't have left through the window, either. This is the ninth floor—jumping would be certain death." The surveillance footage showed Xu Jiao supporting Chu Tian into the hotel at 7:30 PM. Xu Jiao died around 8:00. For the next hour, until the police arrived, there was no trace of Chu Tian leaving the room.

"But, there's something really strange..." The young officer hesitated, then turned to his colleague retrieving the surveillance feed. "Pull up that footage for Sister Lan." "Yes, sir!"

Soon, a new video appeared before Lu Xuelan. It was clear as day—in a shadowy spot outside the hotel, Chu Tian’s figure appeared... inexplicably, eerily, as if a ghost had flashed through the darkness. Even though the officers had watched this earlier, seeing it again sent chills down their spines and made their hair stand on end.

"Dammit, this guy just appeared out of nowhere. Sister Lan, this isn’t special effects or editing," the young officer cursed, then continued, "Even a martial artist couldn’t drop from the ninth floor and suddenly show up outside. What do you think about this, Sister Lan?"

"Send all his files to my email. I’m taking over this case completely," Lu Xuelan replied coolly, relishing the challenge.

At that same moment, Chu Tian had arrived at Mount Taiji—a remote wilderness outside Tianmen City. To outsiders, it was barren and desolate. Yet no one knew that atop this mountain lived a supreme master—a single word from him could make all of Zhongzhou tremble. This man would become Chu Tian’s master three years later.

"My disciple, descend the mountain now. Seek vengeance where it’s due, resolve your resentments, fulfill your desires. Kill anyone you dislike, do as you wish. Remember to find your senior sisters; they each have a gift I’ve prepared for you. You possess the Exquisite Seven-Aperture Heart; when it is used in alchemy, there must be no regrets, or else it will be imperfect. That’s why I’m sending you down the mountain. From the day I took you in, you were destined to be nothing more than an ingredient for your master’s breakthrough. If you don’t die, how can I shatter my shackles and ascend higher? There’s no love without reason in this world. This is your fate. Don’t blame your master for being ruthless—if you don’t make others bleed, others will make you bleed. On the road to the underworld, your beautiful senior sisters will keep you company. You won’t be alone..."

As these past scenes replayed through his mind, Chu Tian’s expression grew increasingly cold. His previous life had been fraught with hardship.

Women sought his life. His master wanted his heart. All these trials had made him both man and demon in one lifetime. He believed in neither heaven nor fate, neither the Dao nor humanity. He did as he pleased, disregarded all rules and laws, and acknowledged only his own supremacy.

Half an hour later, Chu Tian stepped onto a thorn-laden mountain path and halted abruptly. He knew that by now, his venomous master must have sensed his arrival.

"Young man!" An aged voice called from above. Chu Tian looked up. Atop a treetop over twenty meters high stood a man—an elder of about sixty, dressed in a gray robe, with a long beard, exuding an immortal’s aura, a sword strapped to his back. At a glance, he seemed a celestial being.

Upon seeing him, Chu Tian smiled. This was his master, Wu Xingyan.

This scene, at first, seemed like the descent of a deity. When Chu Tian first met Wu Xingyan, he believed he’d encountered an immortal—a benevolent sage—and knelt at once. In truth, Wu Xingyan’s abilities did somewhat resemble those of a god.

Chu Tian remained motionless, gazing up at Wu Xingyan, who stood on the treetop with eyes flashing with avarice before he smiled genially. "Young man, why have you come to these remote mountains? There are wolves and tigers here—one misstep and—"

"Crack!" Wu Xingyan’s words were cut short. Suddenly, a chill at his neck. He turned in shock to see the youth, who a moment ago had been below, now behind him—his hand crushing Wu Xingyan’s throat, blood dripping between his fingers.

"If you don’t make others bleed, others will make you bleed. Isn’t that what you taught me, teacher?" Chu Tian’s lips curled into a cold, wicked, and utterly emotionless smile.

Wu Xingyan’s eyes brimmed with shock, confusion, and terror. How did this boy know he intended to accept him as a disciple? Could it be... he even knew that he would be cultivated, then have his heart used for alchemy?

His mind swirled with countless questions—wasn’t the boy just an ordinary person? How could his spiritual sense be so powerful, able to approach undetected? Wu Xingyan had a thousand whys, but he would never have the chance to ask.

"Huff..." Chu Tian exhaled. "Still too weak. Even a sneak attack took effort..." His face paled slightly. That instant had seemed simple, but in truth, he’d succeeded only by forcefully suppressing Wu Xingyan with his spiritual sense. Otherwise, he could never have gotten close.

Looking at the headless corpse of his former master, Chu Tian rested momentarily, then hoisted the body as easily as a chicken. Two hours later, he arrived at a secluded cave deep in the mountain.

Inside, the cave was sparsely furnished, with some simple arrays, an alchemy cauldron, furnace, and gourds for storing pills, as well as books and antiques. Despite the austerity, every item here was a treasure—either ancient relics or priceless elixirs, along with various powerful items that could verify his identity.

Now, all of it belonged to Chu Tian.

"If I could regain my peak strength, these things would be worthless—mere trifles," he mused, glancing around with indifference. The only thing he cared for now was the Primordial Pearl.

He searched Wu Xingyan’s body and soon found it—a black, half-sphere bead that seemed utterly ordinary. Yet Wu Xingyan had never let it leave his side, hinting at its true importance.

Chu Tian’s eyes shone with excitement as he placed the Primordial Pearl on his palm. A black vortex gathered in his hand, enveloping the bead. Suddenly, the unremarkable pearl burst forth with dazzling light, then vanished from his palm. At the same instant, above Chu Tian’s heart, the two halves of the Primordial Pearl fused into one.

A buzzing tremor ran through Chu Tian’s body as a surge of immense energy flooded his limbs and bones. He could hardly wait—sitting cross-legged, he began to circulate his cultivation method. The Primordial Pearl radiated a mysterious glow, and black mist seeped forth from all directions.

Wherever the dark mist passed, grass and trees withered, rocks shattered, and countless plants lost their vitality. Animals wandering the forest at night perished in an instant.

Yet what Chu Tian didn’t know was that, since his strength had not yet returned to its former peak, a wisp of his malevolent master’s spirit managed to escape...