Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband

To ease Gu Yao’s worries, Chi Changye left behind the Blood Liuli Fruit.

Dean Yu’s concerns were not without basis. On their way back to their sects, the entourage from Qianxue Sect and Cuiyan Pavilion was ambushed. In the end, only a handful of cultivators managed to escape alive and seek help from nearby cultivation forces. News of the attack spread, throwing the entire Tianlin Continent into an uproar.

Who had ambushed Qianxue Sect’s group? Were they after the Tianyuan Pills? Did the pills in Qianxue Sect’s possession remain intact?

If other factions who obtained the Tianyuan Pills faced the same fate, wouldn’t the pills become a hot potato? Anyone holding them would be in danger.

Soon, an elder managing Qianxue Sect in the sect master’s absence issued a statement. The sect’s protective formation would be activated, and the sect would close itself off for ten years. No disciple would be allowed to enter or leave the formation. However, Qianxue Sect master and Cuiyan Pavilion steward, who had left Tianfu Academy, seemed to have disappeared entirely. They were not among the ambushed group, suggesting they had secretly departed through other channels, evading everyone’s watchful eyes.

Although the main sect of Qianxue Sect had shut itself off, making it difficult for outsiders to infiltrate, the sect’s external territories frequently faced attacks from unknown forces. Some chose to surrender and pledge allegiance, others resisted with all their might, while some abandoned their original territories and relocated elsewhere, waiting for the day the sect master would return. If the sect master succeeded in forming a Golden Core, all the hardships endured today would eventually be repaid.

Meanwhile, the sect master of Tianhai Sect remained at Tianfu Academy and asked an elder beside him, “What’s the situation with the Beixing Sect? It seems Qianxue Sect has the greatest advantage. Being closest to Tianfu Academy, even if something happens, Tianfu Academy can intervene immediately.”

“Master, according to the news we’ve received, things are not peaceful within the Beixing Sect either. While the Tianyuan Pills were safely brought back to their sect, there is internal conflict over who should use them. The sect is in turmoil. To say there’s no external interference in this matter would be hard to believe,” the elder replied.

“Sect Master, This is Bad!”

A disciple of the Tianhai Sect rushed in, flustered. “Sect Master, we’ve received news from the sect! The receding tide of sea beasts is showing signs of resurgence. Sect Master, what should we do now?”

The Sect Master crushed the teacup in his hand, shattering it into pieces. “Damn it! I knew it! They wouldn’t just sit by and watch our sect produce a Golden Core cultivator. This beast tide is clearly being manipulated by someone. How many of our disciples have died in the beast tide for no reason?”

“Sect Master!” Seeing the chaotic energy emanating from the Sect Master, an elder panicked. “This is no time to lose control!”

“Then how do we respond to this crisis?” the Sect Master asked the elder.

The elder suggested, “Why not seek help from Dean Yu and Master Hu? Perhaps they have a solution.”

“Very well!” The Sect Master sighed heavily. “Better to rely on Tianfu Academy and Cuiyan Valley than to see the Tianhai Sect destroyed without reason. At least the character of those two is trustworthy.”

Master Hu had originally planned to return to Cuiyan Valley. The chaos outside made him uneasy about the safety of his sect, and he felt the need to return and oversee its protection. When he learned that the Tianhai Sect’s Sect Master sought an audience, he immediately invited him in. After hearing the Sect Master’s plea, Master Hu sighed. “Sect Master, hesitation will get you nowhere. The real question is whether you’re willing to make a sacrifice.”

“What do you mean?” The Sect Master perked up with hope.

“Why not temporarily entrust the Tianyuan Pill to Dean Yu for safekeeping? Retrieve it when you truly need it. The Tianyuan Pill is superfluous to Dean Yu,” Master Hu suggested.

“But why you, Master Hu…” The Sect Master clearly trusted Master Hu more than the less conspicuous Dean Yu.

Master Hu sighed. “The current times are chaotic, and I don’t know how long I can survive. This whole mess stems from the Tianyuan Pills. Sect Master, what outcome do you think awaits someone like me, who can refine them?”

The Sect Master felt a chill run through him. Could this sinister plot doom the entire Tianlin Continent’s future? The masterminds were utterly ruthless.

“And yet, Master Hu, you insist on returning to Cuiyan Valley?” the Sect Master asked with concern.

“Just as you have no choice but to return to Tianhai Sect, I must return to my sect as well,” Master Hu replied.

The Sect Master immediately understood. It wasn’t just about whether Master Hu wanted to return; the hidden forces would ensure he had no other choice. Their tactics were despicable and vile.

In the end, the Sect Master heeded Master Hu’s advice. He entrusted the hard-won Tianyuan Pill to Dean Yu for safekeeping, intending to retrieve it later. Once this decision was publicized, the Tianhai Sect entourage set out on their journey home. Tian Feirong, deeply worried, saw off his brother. The alarming news circulating outside gave him no peace of mind.

As soon as Tian Feiyang departed, Tian Feirong hurried to the market and instructed Old Qi to secretly follow the Tianhai Sect group. “If they’re ambushed, ensure my brother’s safety at all costs.” Old Qi, an expert in stealth, accepted the mission and departed.

On his way back, Tian Feirong ran into the young chubby boy. Both were in similar spirits—Tian Feirong worried for his brother, while the chubby boy was anxious about his grandfather’s departure. The uncertain futures of their loved ones left them deeply uneasy. However, knowing their own limited abilities, they understood they’d only be a burden if they followed.

“I thought breaking through to Foundation Establishment would let me accomplish great things,” Tian Feirong said. “But now, what use is an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator?”

“I’m heading into seclusion,” the chubby boy declared resolutely. “I won’t come out until I’ve reached Foundation Establishment. No matter what, it’s better than being a Qi Refining cultivator.”

“What about Gu Yao and Brother Chi?”

The chubby boy replied, “Brother Chi is in seclusion. Gu Yao stayed at Sword Peak. He sent me a message saying if I want to go into seclusion, I should head to Sword Peak. What about you?”

“Naturally, I’ll go with you all,” Tian Feirong replied matter-of-factly. With that, the two headed straight to Sword Peak. At this moment, even within Tianfu Academy, they could sense an undercurrent of turmoil. It wasn’t as peaceful as outsiders imagined. The only consolation was the presence of Dean Yu, a Golden Core cultivator, whose authority kept the various factions in check, preventing open chaos.

Their instincts weren’t wrong. After all, Dean Yu held two Tianyuan Pills in his possession, along with the one left behind by the Tianhai Sect. This was enough to make several peak masters and elders restless. Their interactions had become far more frequent than before.

—

“Has that boy Chi entered the Sword Pavilion?” Dean Yu asked Elder Yi behind him.

Elder Yi, who had been eagerly anticipating Chi Changye’s venture into the Sword Pavilion, couldn’t help but worry now that he had gone in. He nodded and said, “Yes, he’s entered. This time it can’t be kept under wraps, though everyone believes this is his first time entering. What are your plans, Dean?”

Dean Yu, staring at the unmoving fishing line in the water, placed his fishing rod aside and gazed at the turbulent clouds on the horizon.

“Plans? My only plan is to safeguard this academy. If anyone has schemes, they’ll have to get past me first. The ones who should be worried now are them, not us.”

Elder Yi couldn’t discern what was going on in the dean’s mind. But before long, several peak masters sent transmissions. Without checking, Elder Yi already knew what they were about: the ownership of the two Tianyuan Pills.

In recent days, factionalism among the high-ranking members of Tianfu Academy had become more intense. Everyone was trying to strengthen their positions, knowing that eventually even Dean Yu, as powerful as he was, would have to compromise. Otherwise, the academy’s operations might grind to a halt.

Currently, the two most prominent contenders were Peak Master Cai from Martial Peak and Peak Master Lin from Pill Peak. Yet, Dean Yu had made no commitments to either of them.

Opening the transmission one by one and hearing the same repetitive demands, Dean Yu chuckled lightly. “It seems everyone is growing impatient. Just two Tianyuan Pills are enough to make them this restless. In such a state, how could they hope to condense a Golden Core? Even a young cultivator like Chi Changye handles himself better.”

Elder Yi’s expression shifted as he asked, “You don’t trust either of them, do you? Is it Cai, or that sly Peak Master Lin?”

Dean Yu turned his gaze back to the lake without answering. His mind wandered to what Gu Yao had told him after the alchemy session. He had long suspected that Tianfu Academy was not immune to infiltration, but discovering who was responsible still left him disappointed. No matter how solid a fortress appears, it often falls from within first.

Elder Yi sighed inwardly. It seemed that either one or both of those men had been compromised. This realization left him both furious and helpless.

—

Gu Yao was quietly reading a book, the pages held firmly in his hands. Despite the growing number of disciples at Sword Peak, it remained peaceful compared to the other peaks. Under the twinkling stars, the silence was profound.

As he turned another page, a voice from within his storage space broke the quiet. Xu Chen couldn’t hold back any longer. “You’re surprisingly calm, reading like this. Aren’t you worried someone will cause trouble?”

“Trouble? Senior, do you mean causing trouble in the Sword Pavilion? If entering the Sword Pavilion were so easy, it wouldn’t have been Brother Chi’s turn to go in. Right now, the Sword Pavilion is probably the safest place,” Gu Yao replied calmly. “Besides, our suspicions from the other day were just that—suspicions. A single bug is hardly enough evidence to prove Peak Master Lin was behind it.”

That day, not only did Xu Chen notice, but Chi Changye also observed subtle changes in Peak Master Lin. After the alchemy session concluded, he discussed it with Gu Yao, and together, they began to suspect Peak Master Lin.

Gu Yao didn’t want to believe it either. If this matter were confirmed, it would deal an enormous blow to Tianfu Academy, one beyond what he and Chi Changye could resolve. Therefore, they decided to report the matter directly to Dean Yu.

For an entire peak like Pill Peak to be infiltrated—or even fully controlled—by the enemy was a chilling thought. Gu Yao couldn’t begin to fathom how many of the enemy’s forces were secretly embedded across the continent. The steady flow of disturbing news from the outside only hinted at the scale of the problem. The emergence of the Tianyuan Pills had clearly provoked the enemy, and the entire Tianlin Continent was now in upheaval.

—

“Meow—”

The kitten roaming outside suddenly let out a sharp, piercing cry. Xu Chen blinked, and before he could react, Gu Yao had already darted out at lightning speed. Simultaneously, Xu Chen’s surroundings blurred and transformed.

Under the night sky, a man in black clashed with a black cat. Somehow, the man had managed to infiltrate the vast Sword Peak without a sound, only to be discovered by the alert kitten.

At the same time, Elder Yi and other high-ranking members stationed at Sword Peak were also alerted by the commotion. One by one, figures darted out, racing toward the source of the cat’s cries.

Though small in size, the kitten seemed undeterred as it battled the black-clad intruder. The man swatted at the persistent feline, attempting to shake it off, then lunged toward the direction where Gu Yao had revealed himself.