Chapter 360: Wang Shouyi Vows to Protect Immortal Venerable Chen

“Did someone just sell themselves and help me count the money while doing it?”

Chen Huai’an shook his head with a laugh.

Wang Shouyi really was too naive.

He’d have to find an opportunity someday to deal with the hidden dangers lurking within Wang—

and help him realize that being an ascender wasn’t the great thing it seemed to be.

But how could he show Wang Shouyi the dark side of being an ascender?

Chen stared into the night, into that darkness that devoured everything, lost in thought.

Above Province C, Wang Shouyi was flying on his sword while communicating with nearby ascenders through a sound-transmitting jade slip.

At this moment, he had none of that cheerful, sunny “big brother next door” vibe he showed in front of Chen Huai’an.

Instead, his brows were furrowed, his expression cold. His black-and-white eyes held a solemn intensity unique to those in command.

“The Honored One has given an order: all Resurged factions must begin cultivating sect techniques.

It’s already been half a day. The first wave of demon outbreaks is basically over.

Report your progress on spreading the Dao.”

Responses poured in from the jade slip—dozens of them.

【Senior Wang, this is Blood Surge Sect.

We’ve already passed down the techniques to at least five factions as ordered, and confirmed their leaders have started cultivating.】

【Immortal Wang, this is a steward from Calamity Gate. Our objective is complete as well.】

【I’m an elder of Formless Sect—reporting success, Senior Wang.】

Wang listened quietly until everyone had reported in. Then he asked, “Any resistance?”

【None at all! Those Resurged folks were practically begging us to teach them.】

【Exactly, Immortal Wang. This task was too easy. Any chance the Honored One has something tougher for us next time?】

Laughter and agreement came from all sides.

Wang Shouyi’s stern face finally softened a bit.

“Very good. There’s still half a month until the second level of the Demon Lock Tower opens.

During that time, more and more monsters will pour out.

Remind those factions to cultivate seriously and build up their strength—otherwise, they’ll die meaningless deaths when the real battles start.”

【Sigh, Immortal Wang, your heart’s just too soft. Who cares if those cannon fodder live or die?】

【Exactly. The future belongs to talented cultivators. Speaking of talent...

You know Ren Wuchang from Black Blade Sect? He died a horrible death today!】

“Ren Wuchang?”

A grim-faced middle-aged man surfaced in Wang’s memory.

He frowned. “What happened to Ren Wuchang?”

He knew the sect master of Black Blade Sect.

Among the ascenders currently active, he ranked pretty high.

Even if he lost to a demon commander, he should’ve at least been able to escape.

【He’s dead!】 the voice continued.

【We were checking out a young prodigy—a girl with insane talent. Ren Wuchang saw her too and tried to kidnap her as a personal disciple.

But the girl had backers. Someone stepped in and killed Ren Wuchang with just two sword strikes.

Didn’t even leave a trace of him behind.】

Wang Shouyi landed on the rooftop of a tall building and stepped off his flying sword.

His icy gaze swept across the streets below as he barked,

“Unbelievable. The Honored One clearly stated:

Before the Celestial Well opens, no infighting among sect cultivators is allowed!

A little back-alley scuffle is one thing—but to openly kill someone like Ren Wuchang?

Who did it? I’ll go meet them myself!”

【We don’t know who he was.】

On the other end, the cultivator clicked his tongue and hesitated.

【The guy didn’t seem like an ascender.

If he had the power to kill Ren Wuchang instantly, he should’ve been a big name among us.

All we remember is: very short hair, black robe.】

Short hair, black robe…

Why did that description sound oddly familiar?

Unconsciously, Chen Huai’an’s image popped into Wang’s head.

But he quickly shook it off.

No way it was Governor Chen.

Yes, he was strong—but taking out someone like Ren Wuchang in two moves? That was absurd.

Sure, a Foundation cultivator could technically kill a Golden Core.

But that required the strongest of Foundation ranks and the weakest of Golden Cores.

Ren Wuchang was definitely not weak.

【Oh, and that guy could control sword spirits—dual swords, too!】

That sealed it for Wang.

Definitely not Chen Huai’an.

Everyone knew Governor Chen used a single sword.

And sword spirits were a reflection of their master’s weapon.

If the sword spirits were dual swords, their master had to wield dual swords.

Didn’t match.

Still, this whole thing reminded him of the massacre at Jiaolong Lake a few days back—

several sect leaders had been wiped out by a mysterious swordsman.

He’d suspected even then that some shadow faction was working behind the scenes,

a group that refused to follow the Honored One and sought to oppose every ascender in the world.

Why?

Simple.

This was a time of chaos, of upheaval—a chance to rewrite the world order.

Someone wanted to overthrow the Honored One and Kunlun Celestial Palace and become the new ruler.

The most likely suspect was Great Thunder Monastery.

They had long refused to accept Kunlun’s status as number one.

But monks didn’t use swords.

Even if one tried to fake it, they couldn’t hide the Buddhist aura with sword light.

No matter how he tried to reason it, nothing made sense.

Wang shook his head and pushed the thoughts aside.

“Got it. I’ll investigate.

If you get any leads—like the girl’s whereabouts—let me know immediately.”

The cultivator agreed and signed off.

【Senior Wang, since you’ve joined the Demon Slayer Division in Province C,

we won’t be overseeing their Yumen Technique training anymore.】

Another voice chimed in from the jade slip—it was one of the Qingfeng Sect ascenders who had recently left.

【With you watching over things, we’re at ease.】

【So... our mission’s considered done, right?】

“Mhm.”

Wang Shouyi gave a perfunctory reply.

Like hell Chen Senior would waste time on Qingfeng’s techniques.

What a joke.

The techniques Senior Chen prepared were far better.

But that was just his own inner monologue—he wouldn’t say it out loud.

Still... where had Senior Chen gotten those techniques?

What secret sect was backing him?

The Honored One had once told him: Follow your heart and you’ll find those people.

Now that he was stationed at the Demon Slayer Division in Province C,

was it possible that the techniques in Chen Senior’s hands were from those very people?

If so…

How should he warn Senior Chen?

How should he advise him to distance himself from that faction before it was too late?

After all, people enjoying the benefits rarely think about the hidden dangers.

“Hmph—no matter who you are, I, Wang, will find you out!”

Wang slowly rose to his feet, his gaze pulling away from the street and turning east—

toward Kunlun Celestial Palace.

The Honored One had given him a second life.

Senior Chen had saved his actual life.

He would dedicate both his lifetime and his life itself

to protecting Kunlun Celestial Palace—

and protecting Senior Chen.

“The fries should be here. Time to head back.”