I Don’T Want To Be This Master For A Day Anymore. Chapter 21

Witch Cultivator

“Who are you trying to fool? I don’t care if you’re genuinely loyal or just trying to trick me, you and Chen Liang must fight. Only when you two clash can we Witch Cultivators find a way out.”

Chang Chuan laughed hideously. He waved the black square banner, and a gap two palms wide cracked open in the talisman wall. Qiu Yin’an saw a glimmer of hope and immediately swung his blades to strike, but the talisman wall remained as solid as rock. Qiu Yin’an was repelled a few steps, his arms numb from the shock.

“You dare play me?” Qiu Yin’an’s eyes were bloodshot with rage, his chest heaving violently.

Chang Chuan burst into laughter. “That’s right, I am playing you. Once this talisman wall formation is complete, it’s indestructible. With those two blades of yours, you could swing your arms off and still not break it.”

Chang Chuan leaned on his companion behind him, clutching his stomach, laughing until he was breathless.

Qiu Yin’an had never been so humiliated. The look in his eyes as he stared at Chang Chuan held the same imposing power as the two long blades in his hands, ready to strike, intending to slice Chang Chuan into pieces and then mash him into paste.

But time was pressing. Every moment he spent entangled with Chang Chuan brought Yao Ye one step closer to death. He had to calm down and swallow his anger.

Right now, nothing was more important than rescuing Yao Ye.

Through the gap, Qiu Yin’an saw Yao Ye punching the wall. His artifact, the Feather Flower Fan, lay shattered at his feet.

Yao Ye’s hands were bright red, constantly dripping blood, yet Yao Ye seemed oblivious to the pain, continuing to punch the wall, blow after blow.

The talisman wall in front of him was already stained crimson. This large expanse of red stung Qiu Yin’an’s heart with a sharp pang. He couldn’t imagine the depth of despair the Young Lord of Jiuling Mountain, who was usually so pampered and precious, must be feeling to continue pounding his hands until they were bloody and mangled, refusing to stop, striking the talisman wall fiercely with every punch. Qiu Yin’an had never seen Yao Ye look so pitiful.

“Yao Ye—” Qiu Yin’an shouted inside. He hoped Yao Ye would turn his head and look at him. He wanted to tell him not to be afraid, that he would never abandon him, but Yao Ye couldn’t hear him, nor did he seem to see the outside, still swinging his fists at the wall in near madness.

“Venerable Lord Muyang, are you anxious?” Chang Chuan asked Qiu Yin’an, the corners of his mouth upturned, his eyes full of provocation and mockery.

“Back then, your Qiu clan ancestors treated us the same way. We watched helplessly as the Great Witch Lord was trapped by your Qiu clan and the Heavenly Gods, powerless to save him, leaving his soul’s whereabouts unknown even now. Today, a descendant of the Qiu clan finally gets a taste of that feeling. How does it feel to be helpless, is it fun?”

Qiu Yin’an turned and glared at Chang Chuan, the fury in his eyes capable of burying a person alive. “You Witch Demons colluded with each other; he deserved that fate.”

Chang Chuan retorted, “We colluded? Are your Qiu clan and the Heavenly Gods any better? Back then, the Heavenly Gods feared the power of our Witch Cultivator lineage, and your Qiu clan ancestor, in order to seize the position of overlord in the Cultivation World, incited the Heavenly Gods to punish the Witch Race. You stole the supremacy of Qingxuan Peak from us. You are the most shameless and despicable. It was your Qiu clan that framed our race and caused the death of the Great Witch Lord.”

“It was clearly you Witch Cultivators who conspired with the Demon Race and brought ruin upon yourselves.” Qiu Yin’an gave Chang Chuan a cold, disdainful look. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by arguing with Chang Chuan anymore; he needed to quickly figure out a way to save Yao Ye.

Chang Chuan’s babbling voice gradually faded in Qiu Yin’an’s ears. Qiu Yin’an stared at the gap, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him. Although the talisman wall couldn’t be broken, he could use the gap to enter. He wasn’t unfamiliar with the Technique of Shifting Form and Shadow.

Hope ignited in Qiu Yin’an’s heart, and his mind instantly became active. He thought he could give Bai Chengying’s Linked Star Sword to Yao Ye. The Linked Star Sword and Yu Jingyan’s Paired Moon Sword were originally a pair of ancient divine swords, possessing infinite power. With that sword, Yao Ye could surely cut a path out for himself, and then he could escape on his own. Everything would be resolved easily.

Having found a solution, Qiu Yin’an’s brow finally relaxed. He immediately said to Bai Chengying, “Brother Chengying, lend me Linked Star.”

Bai Chengying: “Yin’an, if your twin blades couldn’t break this gap, my Linked Star might not either.”

Qiu Yin’an held out his hand: “Lend it to me.”

Bai Chengying handed the sword to Qiu Yin’an.

Chang Chuan was full of scorn and disdain. “You’re truly stubborn if you think you can break this talisman wall.”

Qiu Yin’an ignored him. He turned, transforming into a streak of brilliant light, and flew toward the gap.

As long as he got in, Yao Ye could be saved. But the moment his dispersed form touched the gap, Chang Chuan suddenly cast a Technique, blocking his path.

His Technique interrupted, Qiu Yin’an’s head hit the talisman wall with a bang, nearly knocking him unconscious.

Bai Chengying stepped forward, supported Qiu Yin’an, and caught the Linked Star Sword. “Are you hurt?”

Qiu Yin’an leaned on Bai Chengying’s arm, closing his eyes to steady himself. “I’m fine, just a little nauseous.”

Chang Chuan flicked his sleeve and cursed, “To dare use our clan’s unique Technique of Shifting Form and Shadow right in front of us Witch Cultivators, the Qiu clan lineage is truly shameless.”

Qiu Yin’an countered, “As the supreme power of the Cultivation World, what’s wrong with Qingxuan Peak adopting the Techniques of a fallen sect like the Witch Race? What is so shameless about it?”

Chang Chuan: “Qingxuan Peak loves to plagiarize the Techniques of other sects. I heard you even demand that other sects hand over their cultivation manuals and records. You people named Qiu are the most brazen.”

A Witch Cultivator behind reminded Chang Chuan, “Don’t waste time here. Quickly deal with Yao Ye and leave. We still haven’t taken Yao Yu’s life.”

“I know.” Chang Chuan glanced sideways at the person behind him, then waved the banner in his hand. The light on the talisman wall grew brighter and brighter, so bright that people couldn’t keep their eyes open.

Qiu Yin’an quickly cast Techniques to obstruct him, but seven or eight Witch Cultivators took turns blocking his path, making it difficult for him to get close to Chang Chuan. Just as he managed to get near, Chang Chuan used Shifting Form and Shadow, moving away from him, and continued to wave the black banner, controlling the talisman formation.

“Stop it,” Qiu Yin’an roared.

Seeing Qiu Yin’an in such a state of collapse and helplessness, Chang Chuan’s face showed barely suppressed excitement. He raised an eyebrow and joked with his companions, “Look, the Qiu clan descendant is truly being driven mad.”

Chang Chuan’s words drew loud laughter from the Witch Cultivators.

Qiu Yin’an’s handsome face gradually darkened. He said to Chang Chuan in a stern voice, “Your grievances with my Qiu family should be directed at me. Don’t torment Yao Ye.”

Chang Chuan: “Do you think I don’t want to kill you? I wish your entire Qiu clan would die out and never reincarnate, but there’s no rush for that. Today, you can first enjoy watching how your friend dies right before your eyes. Anyway, the time is almost up, so I won’t add more Spiritual Energy to the talisman wall. Tormenting you this way is much more interesting.”

Chang Chuan’s words sent a chill down Qiu Yin’an’s spine. When he saw Yao Ye earlier, Yao Ye’s condition was poor, his form already unstable. Now, it truly was the final moment.

Qiu Yin’an tried every sect’s signature ultimate Technique he could think of against the talisman wall, but his attacks were like jokes, watched by Chang Chuan and met with continuous ridicule from the group of Witch Cultivators.

Bai Chengying advised, “Yin’an, stop. They have the Witch Banner; we can’t break this formation.”

Qiu Yin’an’s attacks were too frequent and fierce. The formation couldn’t absorb so many attacks and began to rebound. Qiu Yin’an’s palms bled from the Spiritual Energy reflected by the talisman wall. If he continued to attack forcefully, he would surely suffer severe injuries. How could he ensure his own safety, let alone save Yao Ye?

Chang Chuan: “Venerable Lord Muyang, the taste of despair isn’t pleasant, is it? No one can help you. Once those old fogeys at Qingxuan Peak fully agree with Venerable Lord Chen Liang’s ideas, you will be completely alone. Then I’ll capture you and torment you properly. Don’t worry about others yet; your future will be a thousand times worse than the one inside.”

Qiu Yin’an: “Chen Liang has gone mad, but the Elders are still reasonable. They will never conspire with you Witch Demons. They are people of Qingxuan Peak and will always uphold Qingxuan Peak’s rules.”

Chang Chuan scoffed. “Is that so? Your father is dead. Do you think those people will still be loyal to the ridiculous rules he set? Most of them are already Chen Liang’s people; they are all loyal to Chen Liang now.”

Chang Chuan continued, “Also, I heard that you’ve ignored worldly affairs for years, yet you still delusionally want Chen Liang to step down so you can become the Venerable Lord yourself. You don’t know how to maintain loyalty, always acting recklessly and self-indulgently. Just because your surname is Qiu, does everyone at Qingxuan Peak have to obey you forever? You are too naive. Who do you think you are? No one will follow you forever.”

Qiu Yin’an: “I don’t need your judgment on this matter.”

“What, did my words sink in?”

Chang Chuan held the banner and swaggered toward Qiu Yin’an. “Your parents died young, and you weren’t taught when you were young. I’ll teach you.”

Qiu Yin’an: “Go to hell! I don’t need you to teach me.”

Wan Qiongju: “Go to hell! How dare you disrespect my Master!”

The two voices sounded almost simultaneously. Qiu Yin’an turned his head and saw his disciple, Wan Qiongju.

Wan Qiongju had been drunk last night and slept soundly this morning, so Qiu Yin’an hadn’t woken him. The young man must have heard the commotion of the fight and rushed over, only to hear someone insulting his Master.

Wan Qiongju pinched a talisman with two fingers and threw it at Chang Chuan. Chang Chuan blocked it with his banner, and the talisman became as harmless as floating willow catkins.

“Wan Qiongju, come here. You are no match for him.” Qiu Yin’an raised his hand, signaling him to quickly come to his side.

“Too late.” Chang Chuan’s face turned black, as if he could flay someone alive, after being cursed by this young brat.

He waved the banner, controlling the formation, and Wan Qiongju was sucked in with a whoosh.

“Wan Qiongju—” Qiu Yin’an cried out hoarsely. He ran toward the formation, so panicked that he forgot to use his blades, gripping the hilts and pounding the talisman wall with both hands.

Chang Chuan: “Who gave him the guts to point his finger at me and curse?”

“Let him out,” Qiu Yin’an leaned one hand against the wall, his body trembling slightly.

Chang Chuan: “Venerable Lord Muyang is incompetent at teaching disciples. I’ll help you discipline him.”

Bai Chengying: “Yin’an, I told you before, Wan Qiongju is reckless and doesn’t know his limits. Look, the Witch Cultivators won’t tolerate him.”

Qiu Yin’an ignored Bai Chengying. He roared at Chang Chuan, “You better release my disciple first, or I will never forgive you. If anything happens to my disciple, I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and tear you to shreds.”

“Venerable Lord Muyang cares so much about this little disciple?” Chang Chuan leaned his head forward slightly and said unhurriedly, “I suddenly thought of an interesting game. Does Venerable Lord Muyang want to hear it?”

He continued on his own: “There are two people inside. You choose one, and I’ll let him out. The remaining one will die inside. How about that? Does Venerable Lord Muyang find it amusing?”

“Beast!”

Qiu Yin’an felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his chest constricted as if crushed by a large stone, making it hard to breathe. One was a brother dear as kin, the other his beloved disciple. Chang Chuan’s question was like asking Qiu Yin’an, “I’m going to poke out one of your eyes. Choose whether to save the left or the right.” Qiu Yin’an couldn’t choose.

Bai Chengying stepped forward and said, “Yin’an, you grew up with Yao Ye. Can you bear to watch his spiritual core be stripped away? Now you have a chance to save Yao Ye, what are you hesitating for?”

Qiu Yin’an: “Wan Qiongju is innocent. He cannot die. As his Master, I absolutely cannot sacrifice him.”

Bai Chengying: “To save Yao Ye for you, Wan Qiongju will have died a worthy death. Don’t be too sad.”

After a long silence, Qiu Yin’an lowered his hands. He said to Chang Chuan, “Take me instead. If I die today, the Qiu clan will be wiped out, as you wished.”

Bai Chengying hurriedly stood in front of Qiu Yin’an. “Yin’an, you cannot die.”

Qiu Yin’an’s eyes were blank, and in that instant, everything around him felt strange.

He had once thought that if he ever died, it would be a heroic and spectacular death, just like his father, who died protecting the common people and sealing the Demon Race. He never imagined his death would look like this today.

Who could have predicted that the renowned and immensely powerful Venerable Lord Muyang would one day stand still, allowing others to take his life?

For a man who had lived his life so fiercely, this kind of death felt somewhat shameful and tragic.

But Qiu Yin’an couldn’t abandon Yao Ye, nor could he abandon Wan Qiongju. He could only abandon himself.

Tears streamed down Qiu Yin’an’s face to the corner of his mouth, salty. This was the last taste he would experience in this life.

At this moment, the glory of Qingxuan Peak, his position as Venerable Lord, seemed unimportant. Even the hatred in his heart had faded. He would soon no longer belong here.

The Witch Cultivators’ curse had come true. Even after consuming two immortal pills, Qiu Yin’an could not change the Qiu clan’s fate of a short lifespan.

Qiu Yin’an merged his twin blades into his bones and blood, then closed his eyes, surrendering his life to Chang Chuan.

“Do it,” Qiu Yin’an’s voice was unrestrained and fearless.

Bai Chengying continued to argue in Qiu Yin’an’s ear, “How can you so easily give up your life?”

Qiu Yin’an: “There’s no time. One life for two is worth it.”