Wu Gui might also be a cultivator in the Marrow Refining Realm, but his cultivation is slightly inferior to Wen Mingyan’s, not to mention Wen Mingyan’s primary focus is on the Sword Dao, granting him far greater offensive power.
Wu Gui saw the madness in Wen Mingyan’s eyes and grew anxious.
"Lu Junyi! Wen Mingyan is a lunatic, and so are you? Don’t tell me you’re unaware of how many people secretly hope for our two sects to go into total war! Do you really want both sides to fight to the death while others reap the rewards?"
Lu Junyi clutched his chest with a painful expression and said, "It’s you, Wu Gui, who forced my hand. I had no other choice!"
Lu Junyi didn’t mention the Thousand Poison Sect and deliberately focused the blame on Wu Gui. By doing so, he made it clear that this matter was purely a personal grudge and had nothing to do with their sects.
The underlying meaning was: "You didn’t follow the rules—it’s your own fault, not mine."
Once Wu Gui understood, his face darkened as he replied, "A Yellow-Level low-grade treasure weapon, and three Heart-Protecting Pills—I’ll give them!"
When Wen Mingyan heard this, his movements slowed slightly, giving Wu Gui a chance to catch his breath.
But before Wu Gui could fully recover, Lu Junyi reacted dramatically to those words. His expression grew even more pained, and his body softened to the point that he had to lean on Gu Sheng for support.
"Oh my! My heart feels like it has a knife swirling inside—it’s killing me! Mingyan, I may not have much time left; only a Heart Communication Pill could save me now!"
Wu Gui couldn’t help but curse, "Old Lu, don’t push your luck!"
Wu Gui was furious because Lu Junyi had raised the stakes at the last moment. Heart Communication Pills are significantly better than Heart-Protecting Pills and are true Yellow-Level low-grade elixirs, valued at roughly a million taels!
"What?!"
Even Wen Mingyan was caught off guard by the sudden change in negotiation tactics, but once he saw Lu Junyi give him a frenzied look signaling him to act, he immediately resumed his role.
"Alright, you damn fatty! You’ve hurt my uncle so deeply—I’ll kill you early and take you to accompany him in the afterlife!"
Wen Mingyan’s acting prowess was absolutely explosive; he effortlessly conveyed rage so convincingly it was as if Lu Junyi had already been murdered by Wu Gui. He had nearly ceased his attack before, but now, wielding his sword with renewed ferocity, his strikes surpassed his earlier intensity, even employing advanced sword techniques!
Wu Gui found it increasingly difficult to defend himself. Within just a few dozen moves, he was completely overpowered by Wen Mingyan’s assault, bearing injuries as a result.
Seeing Wen Mingyan fight more valiantly with each passing moment, Wu Gui felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness rising in his heart. Watching Wen Mingyan’s frenzied eyes and devilish grin, Wu Gui was truly afraid—he had no doubt Wen Mingyan genuinely intended to kill him!
Forced by the circumstances, Wu Gui surrendered, "Lu Junyi! The treasure weapon and the Heart Communication Pill—I acknowledge them. Call him off now! If you raise the price again, just let this lunatic kill me! I refuse to believe your Holy Pill Sect can gain much advantage from a full-scale war with my Thousand Poison Sect."
Lu Junyi wasn’t foolish; he knew it was time to stop.
"Mingyan, that’s enough—stand down for now."
Wen Mingyan halted his attack and took several steps back, positioning himself at the mountain pass. He coldly sneered at Wu Gui, his threatening smile unmistakable.
Wu Gui drew a short blade from his robe and pulled out ten silver notes of one hundred thousand taels each. "A Yellow-Level low-grade Ink Bamboo Saber—since I don’t own a Heart Communication Pill, here’s one million taels to reimburse you!"
Seeing the items in Wu Gui’s hands, Lu Junyi straightened up instantly; his pained expression vanished entirely, replaced with a broad grin as he strode toward Wu Gui with great energy—his movements resembling a tiger’s stride could not look less like someone seriously injured.
"Ha! Now that’s what I call doing business—why didn’t you get this sorted out earlier? No Heart Communication Pill? Fine! I won’t make things difficult for you; I’ll just buy one myself."
Lu Junyi picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it at him in irritation. "Always rambling on—get out of here!"
After Wen Mingyan left, Lu Junyi turned to Gu Sheng. "Gu Sheng, don’t listen to him. With diligent cultivation, all paths lead to mastery. At Holy Pill Sect, we are founded on alchemy. When the time comes to choose a peak, if you have any alchemy talents, don’t let them go to waste."
Wen Mingyan’s battle just now had left a deep impression on Gu Sheng. The terrifying offensive power and the fluid elegance of his sword strikes deeply etched themselves into Gu Sheng’s heart.
At this moment, Gu Sheng was filled with longing for the Sword Dao.
"Great Elder, don’t worry—I’ll weigh my options carefully. If I do have alchemy talent, I naturally won’t let it go to waste."
After all, Gu Sheng possessed a unique ability that allowed him to specialize in both swordsmanship and alchemy. To him, all it required was effort!
As someone who always excelled in putting in the work, Gu Sheng would never hesitate over a little exertion.
Lu Junyi nodded. "The Soul-snatching Arrow is another kind of Yellow-Level low-grade treasure weapon. Although firing it without a matching bow diminishes its power, its inherent quality makes it incredibly impressive. If it hits its mark, the impact is lethal! Even against someone in the Golden Bone Realm, it poses a significant threat! Wu Gui and Wu Xinyu are not known for their magnanimity—after suffering a loss of this magnitude, they’ll certainly make moves. While Peak Master Wen and I aren’t afraid of them, until they muster the courage for a full-scale conflict, they will not act recklessly against us. You, on the other hand, are different. Wu Xinyu may set traps to ambush you in the Red Cloud Mountain Range. For the time being, stay within the sect and focus on your cultivation. If you truly don’t have alchemy talent, I’ll help you find alternative ways to earn contribution points within the sect."
"I deeply appreciate your guidance, Great Elder!"
Lu Junyi waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, go now! The Ink Bamboo Saber might come with some limitations, but it’s still an exceptional weapon—particularly for your current cultivation level, making it a deadly tool. Spend some time studying and refining its use. After choosing a peak, you can visit the Scripture Pavilion to pick techniques that complement its use."
As he was about to enter the pavilion, Lu Junyi suddenly turned back and handed Gu Sheng three silver notes worth ten thousand taels each. "You can use silver to purchase sect contribution points, though the exchange rate is a bit steep. These taels should suffice to acquire one top-tier martial art technique."
After pausing briefly, Lu Junyi added, "Consider this a loan. Pay me back when you have the funds. By the way, it won’t be interest-free—add one hundred taels of interest each month!"

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