Volume 2, Chapter 112 – It’s Time to Repay Your Debt, Wu (Part 1)

The man who had come to pay the remaining commission was none other than Wei Yi—the senior disciple of Qi Huang’s nominal father and the same man who had mocked Cheng Hongling relentlessly during her aptitude test years ago.

Though Qi Huang’s male identity had no prior interaction with Wei Yi, she hadn’t forgotten one crucial fact: Wei Yi was Elder Wu’s personal disciple. The two were as close as thieves. If Wei Yi had no motive to harm her, Elder Wu certainly did.

“Manager Jiang, are you absolutely certain the target is dead?”

In a back room of the inn, Wei Yi pressed for confirmation, his tone uneasy.

“Employer, please rest assured. The ‘Viper Assassins’ are the largest assassination guild in the Western Radiance Dynasty. If we lacked basic credibility, how could we have grown to this scale?”

The manager countered with a question of his own.

“It’s not that I distrust you, Manager Jiang. I’m just surprised—why did you suddenly find him after two or three years?”

Wei Yi hurriedly explained.

“The man had been deliberately hiding his tracks all this time. But for some reason, he recently settled in Changming County. That’s how we located him.”

Manager Jiang clarified.

“I see.”

Wei Yi nodded in understanding before finally leaving the inn, reassured.

Qi Huang limped after him, maintaining a safe distance. Fortunately, her Divine Sense’s range was vast enough to avoid detection.

Before long, Wei Yi mounted his horse and rode out of the county, heading straight for Huangtian Prefecture.

Once they reached a desolate stretch of wilderness, Qi Huang saw her chance. With no witnesses around, she unleashed her Divine Sense—a single strand of hair shot forward like a needle, piercing clean through Wei Yi’s right thigh.

“Aaaah!”

Wei Yi grunted in agony, his grip on the reins failing as he tumbled off his horse. He rolled several feet before collapsing like a slaughtered pig, howling in pain.

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Qi Huang descended gracefully, her limp barely noticeable as she approached. She needed him to confirm her suspicions personally.

“Cheng… Cheng Hongling?! Wh-what are you doing here?”

Wei Yi’s screams died the moment he saw her. His dirt-streaked face twisted with confusion—and a flicker of guilt.

“I won’t waste words. Confess—why did you hire assassins?”

Qi Huang loomed over him, her voice icy.

“Wh-what assassins? I… I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Wei Yi feigned ignorance.

“Playing dumb won’t save you. It’ll only make me wonder if I’m not being cruel enough.”

With a thought, her Divine Sense yanked Wei Yi upright, suspending him midair.

He struggled instinctively, but his mere Body Refining Realm cultivation was no match for an Incarnation Realm expert’s spiritual grip.

“Y-you… you’ve truly reached the Incarnation Realm?!”

Terror flashed in his eyes.

“Did you think it was an illusion?”

Qi Huang casually drew the sword from Wei Yi’s waist. In one fluid motion, she severed one of his fingers.

“AAAAHHH!”

Wei Yi shrieked, his body convulsing as blood sprayed from the stump.

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“Let me ask again—why did you hire the Viper Assassins to kill Elder Hu?”

Her expression remained serene, her gaze as detached as if she were examining livestock for slaughter.

“I… I don’t know! You—”

Sweat poured down Wei Yi’s forehead, but he still clenched his teeth, refusing to break.

Qi Huang didn’t hesitate. Another flick of her blade, and a second finger tumbled to the ground.

“Still won’t talk? Fine. For every question you ignore, I’ll take another finger. Let’s see which runs out first—your digits or my patience.”

“NO! STOP! I’LL TALK!”

Wei Yi’s resolve shattered. “I… I was just following my master’s orders!”

“And why would he do this?”

She wiped the bloodied sword against his robes, the threat implicit.

“H-he wanted to eliminate loose ends! Over a decade ago, he had someone poison Elder Hu’s disciple with Qi-Leaking Powder, causing them to fail a breakthrough. Steward Hu never let it go—he kept digging for the truth!”

Wei Yi trembled as he spoke.

“Was that disciple named Huang Qi?”

Qi Huang asked, clinging to a sliver of hope.

“Y-yes!”

The moment Wei Yi confirmed it, fury ignited in Qi Huang’s veins. Her entire body shook—more violently than Wei Yi’s had.

“Disciple Hongling, I’ve told you everything! Spare me! Your father and I were martial brothers! Elder Wu is your father’s master too! If not for my sake, then for their faces—and this matter doesn’t even concern you directly!”

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Wei Yi grasped at straws, invoking sentiment.

“‘Doesn’t concern me’?!”

Qi Huang’s teeth ground audibly. She would never forget the humiliation of being expelled from the Honghua Sect—nor the devastation on her parents’ faces. If not for the Human Skin Mask, her life would have been ruined by that bastard Wu.

“Qi-Leaking Powder is banned by the Immortal Alliance! Wu secretly procured it, violating Alliance law—that’s the first crime! Second, as an elder, he harmed his own disciple, breaking sect rules! Third, as a subject of the Western Radiance Dynasty, he hired assassins, defying mortal law! A man so devoid of morality, so steeped in corruption—he’s a tumor on the Honghua Sect! Why wouldn’t it concern me?!”

Each word struck like a hammer.

Wei Yi hadn’t expected this genius disciple to discard all pretense of decorum. He gaped, speechless.

“You know as well as I do—Wu’s crimes are unforgivable, whether by the Immortal Alliance, the Honghua Sect, or mortal law. If you confess everything, you might live. If you keep shielding him, death is certain.”

She reined in her rage just enough to deliver the ultimatum. “Now—why did Wu poison Huang Qi?”

“Profit! The Honghua Sect may be Huangtian’s top immortal faction, but its strength ranks last. Poor disciples are one reason, but the main issue is limited space—housing shortages drive up prices. Outsiders pay astronomical sums for residency slots, and connections are mandatory. As the elder overseeing property, my master easily skimmed profits… but only if vacancies existed.”

Wei Yi panted, his voice raw.

“So he targeted Huang Qi’s home? If Huang Qi left, Wu could resell it for illicit gains?”

Qi Huang’s deduction was razor-sharp.

“Yes! The sect’s housing is always full. The only way to ‘create’ vacancies was to reduce disciple numbers. Free housing for disciples brought no benefits—but selling them did!”

Wei Yi confirmed without hesitation.

“Did Wu ever consider that murdering disciples would weaken the sect? As an elder, shouldn’t his fate be tied to the sect’s prosperity?”

Qi Huang couldn’t fathom such shortsighted greed.

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“Hah! You overestimate trash like Huang Qi. Mediocre talent—what use were they even as formal disciples? Just resource drains! Better to sacrifice them for my master’s advancement! Concentrating resources on the strong benefits the entire sect!”

Wei Yi’s disdain was palpable.

“Sacrifice them? How much could he possibly earn from one house?”

Qi Huang pressed.

“One house? Hardly anything. But many drops make an ocean! A few more ‘useless’ disciples like Huang Qi, and his cultivation would soar! Isn’t that good for the sect? With limited resources, shouldn’t they go to the worthy?”

Wei Yi spoke as if it were the most natural logic in the world.

“You mean… Huang Qi wasn’t the only victim?”

Horror dawned on Qi Huang’s face.

“Of course not! My master’s just careful—Steward Hu was the only one who noticed.”

Wei Yi actually smirked, as if proud of his master’s ‘prudence’.

‘So in the eyes of these so-called elites, mediocrities like me are just expendable pawns! But they’ll never understand—in this chaotic world, becoming even the lowest cultivator is a mortal’s only chance to change their fate!’

Qi Huang shut her eyes, the final piece of the puzzle snapping into place.

She had never suspected foul play in her own failed breakthrough—until her dreams revealed Cheng Hongling’s past. Then, when her master openly turned against her, Wu’s ruthlessness confirmed her fears.

But suspicion wasn’t proof. The cultivation world demanded evidence—and now, heaven had delivered it.

Taking a deep breath, Qi Huang enveloped Wei Yi in her Divine Sense and soared toward the Honghua Sect.

“Wu… it’s time to repay your debts.”