Chapter Two: Is He Really a Master?

Yang Xuan was filled with lingering fear, glancing at Ye Qiu with unease. He simply couldn’t believe that the young man before him was truly a master.

“Junior sister, are you certain? Is he really a master?”

Confused, Yang Xuan took a careful look at Ye Qiu, observing the aura that surrounded him.

Cowardly...

Yes, there was a timidity that seeped from his very bones. How could such a person be a master?

Could it be that all these years, I’ve misunderstood what a master looks like?

Behind him, the beautiful woman supported by another female disciple nodded weakly, her face pale and drawn, but she said nothing.

Seeing Fu Yao nod, Yang Xuan’s heart tightened. If someone else had made the claim, he might have doubted it, but coming from Fu Yao, there was no question. She was the Saintess of their Radiant Sanctuary, renowned for her discerning eyes and supernatural ability to read people. Her words were rarely wrong.

Indeed, her ability to read people was an actual divine skill.

Realizing Ye Qiu’s terrifying strength, Yang Xuan put aside his former arrogance and addressed him humbly, “My good sir, please show us some mercy. My junior sister is gravely wounded and must recuperate at once, or her foundation will be lost.

Look, the wilds outside are already a sea of flames—only your inn remains calm. Please, consider it an act of kindness. If my junior sister recovers, the Radiant Sanctuary will surely repay you...”

Moved by the sincerity, Ye Qiu glanced in the direction Yang Xuan indicated and indeed saw an injured girl.

“What a lovely young lady,” Ye Qiu thought. “I wonder whose harem she belongs to this time? It’s such a shame... Why is it that all the beautiful girls are always reserved for the protagonist? It’s unjust, I protest!”

Judging from her injuries, she must’ve been hurt in the firestorm earlier, and it looked quite serious.

Yet Ye Qiu had no intention of letting them in. As a timid man—no, as a master of self-preservation—he was determined to keep all danger far away.

“Please, good sir, have mercy on me! I don’t want to die! I beg you, go seek shelter elsewhere. We’re just ordinary folk—we can’t withstand the trouble you immortals bring.

Look at all the people who’ve died outside! It’s not that I don’t want to help, I just don’t want to die...”

To avoid offending them, Ye Qiu put on a pitiful display, wailing as though his heart were being torn apart. Beside him, Cao He couldn’t help but mutter, “What acting! That performance was so real—it’s no wonder he’s the innkeeper. Truly impressive...”

Ye Qiu’s sudden outburst left Yang Xuan stunned.

A master?

Are you kidding me? Where’s your dignity?

“No, this guy is definitely faking it! Hmph... If my junior sister hadn’t warned me, I nearly would’ve believed him.

Pretending? Still pretending?

He wants to lure me in and then teach me a harsh lesson? Impossible. I, Yang Xuan, am no fool. Such poor acting won’t trick me.”

Yang Xuan adopted a look of having seen through the act.

Trying to outsmart the greatest mind of the Radiant Sanctuary? Impossible.

“Senior brother, there’s a large group approaching outside. What do we do?”

Just as Yang Xuan was pondering how to persuade Ye Qiu, a disciple brought bad news.

His face darkened. “Who is it? Did you see clearly?”

The disciple stammered, “I think they’re heretics from the Nether Sect. There must be several hundred at least...”

“What? The Nether Sect’s heretics? Damn it, why is it them?”

Yang Xuan turned pale. If it had been anyone else, they might have stood a chance, but with the Nether Sect’s heretics pursuing them, things looked grim.

Especially since their strongest member, Fu Yao, was already injured and unable to fight. The other disciples were mostly low-ranking cultivators from the Cloud Platform Realm and could barely hold their own.

Yang Xuan was the only one at the Divine Repository Realm, but even he couldn’t stand alone against so many.

“Earlier, we clashed with the Nether Sect a few times in the wilds, and they suffered heavy losses. They must be here for revenge...” Fu Yao said weakly, hitting the nail on the head.

“Senior brother, what should we do? With our current strength, we can’t possibly win against those heretics. We’re separated from our sect—if they charge in, we have no means of resisting.”

The disciples grew frantic. Only Yang Xuan and Fu Yao remained calm.

Yang Xuan glared coldly at the others and berated them, “What are you panicking for? Just a bunch of heretics and you’re terrified? Don’t go around claiming to be disciples of the Radiant Sanctuary in the future...”

At his rebuke, silence fell.

“Damn, this guy’s tough. Is he the protagonist?” Ye Qiu wondered. Men with such mettle were rare—if not the protagonist, then who?

Yang Xuan turned to Ye Qiu. “I told you, the Radiant Sanctuary would never implicate you.

Since they’re after us, we’ll handle it ourselves. Rest assured, as long as I, Yang Xuan, am alive, I won’t let them set foot in this inn...”

Having said this, Yang Xuan felt a surge of pride, almost moved to tears by his own heroism.

Who would have thought that I, Yang Xuan, could utter such grand words? My dignity is at its peak!

Well? After hearing my speech, aren’t you moved by my sincerity? Won’t you let us in now?

Yang Xuan looked at Ye Qiu with anticipation.

“Good! Well said! Since you’re so resolved, I’ll leave this place to you...” Ye Qiu, stirred by these words, felt his blood boil. This man had guts—a true man.

With that, Ye Qiu slammed the door shut and locked it tight, leaving the group bewildered in the wind.

Yang Xuan: ???

Wait a minute! Is this the wrong script? As a master, aren’t you supposed to be moved by my words and help me defeat my enemies?

This man doesn’t play by the rules! Is there no justice in the world?

“Junior sister, are you sure this man is truly a master?”

Yang Xuan was thrown into confusion. Was this really the behavior of a master?

Even Fu Yao began to doubt herself, though her discerning eyes had never failed her before. She nodded, “I can’t be mistaken. Didn’t you all notice the strange aura about him?”

“What kind of aura?” the others asked.

Fu Yao explained, “A pure, righteous energy—the most upright force between heaven and earth. It’s like the law of nature itself, unfathomable...

I can sense it within him. Even my father doesn’t possess such an aura...”

“What? Not even the Grand Elder? Could he be a legendary Supreme of the Transcendent Realm?”

The group was shocked. After all, the Grand Elder was a supreme figure, unmatched in the world.

The cultivation realms generally began with Qi Gathering, then Spirit Spring, Cloud Platform, Divine Repository, Cave Heaven, Supreme Mystery, True Self, Sovereign, and finally, the pinnacle—Transcendence.

A master at the True Self Realm could dominate the mortal world and found a sect.

As for the Sovereigns above, they were ancient monsters who might not appear even once in thousands of years. The Grand Elder of the Radiant Sanctuary was one such sovereign.

If Fu Yao was right, and Ye Qiu was truly a Supreme of the Transcendent Realm, then he would be invincible in the mortal world.

The group drew sharp breaths, growing more unsettled by the thought.

“What realm does he belong to?” pressed the others.

Fu Yao herself was unsure. “I can’t tell. He seems to have no realm at all.”

“No realm? That’s impossible. All cultivators have a realm—how could he not?”

The group grew only more confused.

Fu Yao hesitated. “I can’t see through his cultivation, but I’m certain he’s a supreme master, and a terrifying one at that.”

“No realm, but terrifying power?”

They were at a loss.

“Perhaps his realm is simply different from ours! There are thousands of paths in the world—have we truly grasped even a fraction of it?” As the eldest, Yang Xuan was more knowledgeable and spoke with conviction, and the others nodded in agreement.

He simply couldn’t understand why Ye Qiu, so powerful, insisted on pretending to be weak.

Is this the style of a true master, or some peculiar hobby?

Or is it that it’s more fun to play the fool and slap faces later?

A moment ago, he’d meant to stage a heart-wrenching scene, but Ye Qiu hadn’t played along at all—leaving him at a complete loss.