A Chaotic World

"If it is too much trouble, then let us forget about it. It is not a must for us to visit the skills repository," Lu Tianzi sent a voice conveyance to Young Master Xuan Hao.

Lu Tianzi was irritated as well, but he knew better than to let his emotions take over.

Young Master Xuan Hao had always treated him well.

If he made things difficult for Young Master Xuan Hao just for his own personal benefit, then Lu Tianzi would feel rather guilty about it.

And in the end, there might not really be any Origin Core realm cultivation techniques of the Spiritual Essence system at the third floor.

"No, this is not about Brother Tianzi anymore," Young Master Xuan Hao replied before turning back to face Xuan Junwei.

"Senior Apprentice Brother Junwei, are you doing this because I decided to seriously vie for the position of heir?" Young Master Xuan Hao asked directly.

His straightforwardness caught Xuan Junwei by surprise, but the latter quickly regained his composure.

"Perhaps that is true, Junior Apprentice Brother Hao. Your wise decision to seriously vie for the position of heir also made me realise that I, as your senior apprentice brother, need to start doing things to help you achieve your goal, and that includes helping you to stay on the right path. After all, even if it is accidental, wouldn't it be bad if an heir candidate of the Timeless Flame Sect ended up helping outsiders steal the secrets of the sect?" Xuan Junwei said with a smile.

Hearing his reply only confirmed the thoughts in Young Master Xuan Hao's head.

Xuan Junwei had always wanted to be the heir candidate of the Blue Ember faction, that was a fact known by all. Even someone like Young Master Xuan Hao, who never cared about the politics within the sect, was aware of this.

Despite that, Xuan Junwei had always adhered to the proprieties and never overstepped his boundaries. In fact, he had been rather kind to Young Master Xuan Hao all along.

What Young Master Xuan Hao did not expect was that the moment he decided to treat his heir candidacy seriously, Xuan Junwei would immediately turn on him!

Was the previous kindness all an act then?

Was he not considered a threat because he had not been serious about his heir candidate position?

"Thank you for the kind advice, Senior Apprentice Brother Junwei. But whether my friends will steal the secrets of the sect, I am the clearest about that!" Young Master Xuan Hao replied. "If that is all you wish to say, then I can only say that I will keep that in mind. If there is nothing else, I will be bringing my friends into the skills repository!"

"Didn't I just say that you can't? Are you defying my instructions right now?" Xuan Junwei said sternly. "Your wings sure have grown after this trip out of the sect! Or could it be your so-called friends who are instigating you to against the sect? Plotting against our Timeless Flame Sect... that will warrant a death penalty!"

"This has nothing to do with them!" Young Master Xuan Hao retorted. "I am simply doing what I think is right. As the heir candidate, surely I am allowed to do this much!"

"Do you think that just because you are the heir candidate, you can do whatever you want?" Xuan Junwei harrumphed. "There are still rules that have to be obeyed, even the heir candidate is no exception. And remember that no matter what, I am still your senior apprentice brother! Turn back while I am still being nice!"

As he said that, the aura of a Ninth Cycle Origin Core realm martial artist erupted from Xuan Junwei and swept over Lu Tianzi's group of four.

Young Master Xuan Hao frowned while Lu Tianzi was fine, but Nanlan Qianxue and Ruan Ling could not help but take a step back under the immense Origin Force pressure.

Even though Xuan Junwei had not been selected as the heir candidate, he was still widely known as the leader of the younger generation within the Blue Ember faction.

That was not without reason.

His martial talent might not match up to someone as extraordinary as Linye Caixia, but it was still not something that others could afford to take lightly.

Just by standing there and exerting his Origin Force pressure, Xuan Junwei gave off the feeling that he was a ferocious guardian beast that would mercilessly eliminate anyone who dared provoke him!

"Does Senior Apprentice Brother Junwei want to fight?" Young Master Xuan Hao remained rebellious even when faced with the domineering presence of Xuan Junwei.

"I don't wish to do this either. But if Junior Apprentice Brother Hao continues to be so stubborn, I have no choice but to teach you a lesson as your senior apprentice brother!" Xuan Junwei said.

"Since Senior Apprentice Brother Junwei wants to fight, then I guess I have no choice but to oblige!" Young Master Xuan Hao refused to back down either.

He immediately released his own aura of a Seventh Cycle Origin Core realm martial artist, using it to resist that of Xuan Junwei.

Even though his aura could not compare to that of Xuan Junwei, it was still able to lighten the burden on his three companions.

"Hmph! Just because you broke through on your travels this time, do you think that you are very capable?" Xuan Junwei snorted in disdain. "Good, very good! Then allow me to see if Junior Apprentice Brother Hao truly has the strength to back up your words!"

Xuan Junwei took a step forward, Origin Force surging up from within him.

This was a good chance to put Young Master Xuan Hao in his place!

But before Xuan Junwei could act, a solemn and elderly voice sounded out across the entrance of the skills repository.

"Stand down."

A silver-haired old man suddenly appeared between Young Master Xuan Hao and Xuan Junwei.

"Elder Renhao!"

Seeing the arrival of this person, both of them hurriedly retracted their auras and clasped their fists in respect.

Apart from the two of them, Lu Tianzi, Nanlan Qianxue, and Ruan Ling immediately recognised the silver-haired old man as well.

The day before, he was the elder who had stopped Linye Caixia's Burning Desolation Fist from hitting Lu Tianzi at the end of their fight.

"Reporting to Elder Renhao, Junior Apprentice Brother Hao tried to bring outsiders into our skills repository, so I was kindly reminding him that this could jeopardise our sect secrets. Who knows that that he would actually insist on his ways and even threaten to act against me?" Xuan Junwei quickly spoke up.

"I already know what happened," Elder Renhao said. "Junwei, you can leave for now. Hao, go ahead and enter the skills repository. But remember that your companions have to stay within the first three floors. Otherwise, you will have to bear the responsibilities."

"What?!" Xuan Junwei was shocked. "But Elder Renhao-!"

"You may leave now," Elder Renhao repeated with a tone as calm as before.

"This..." Xuan Junwei was speechless.

He could never have imagined that Elder Renhao would suddenly show up, not to mention that Elder Renhao would actually stand on Young Master Xuan Hao's side without question!

How did things turn out this way?

"Thank you, Elder Renhao!" Young Master Xuan Hao was overjoyed. "Then we will be entering first, Senior Apprentice Brother Junwei!"

Xuan Junwei could only grit his teeth in frustration as Young Master Xuan Hao led the group to walk straight past him, entering the skills repository.

"Elder Renhao! Why?!" Xuan Junwei was full of indignation at the moment.

"You need to learn to see the big picture, Junwei," Elder Renhao said before turning to leave, leaving Xuan Junwei at the entrance of the skills repository.

Xuan Junwei thought while gritting his teeth in frustration.

See the big picture?

Yeah, right.

You and the rest of the elders are just plain biased!

"What are you looking at? Don't you have a job to do?!" Xuan Junwei barked at the two guards who were still standing at the entrace of the skills repository. "And you'd better not go spreading lies about what just happened here. Nothing happened at all, got it?"

"We understand, Senior Apprentice Brother Junwei!"

"Good!" Xuan Junwei said before stomping off.

What happened today was too much of an embarrassment!

If word spread that he had acted to block Young Master Xuan Hao but failed miserably, how would he be able to continue holding his head up among the younger generation?

Then again, why did Elder Renhao appear here all of a sudden?

One had to know that Elder Renhao was Faction Leader Xuan Qinshang's right hand man, the person who represented his will!

For someone like that to act for something as minor as this, the elders must have come to some decision that he was unaware of.

For someone like that to act for something as minor as this, there had to be some underlying currents among the elders that he was unaware of.

Xuan Junwei's eyes flashed with a glint of cold light.

To make sure that things go smoothly for him from now on, he would definitely have to ask his grandfather Elder Cuixiong, and get to the bottom of this matter!

***

Within the skills repository, Young Master Xuan Hao cheerfully led the way, heading straight for the third floor.

Seeing that he was in a good mood, Lu Tianzi did not bother asking about what happened earlier.

In any case, things turned out in their favour, so all's good.

"The first floor is mainly catered for Essence Building realm martial artists, while the second floor is mainly catered for Essence Condensation realm martial artists. As you have probably guessed, this third floor is mainly catered for Origin Core realm martial artists like us!" Young Master Xuan Hao explained. "You might not be able to find the secret techniques of the Timeless Flame Sect here, but there are rather impressive techniques placed here as well. I'm sure you will be able to find some that are of use."

Lu Tianzi nodded.

It was only natural for the Timeless Flame Sect to not place their secret techniques in the common area of the skills repository.

Those were usually the defining techniques of a sect, and could be considered the true foundations of their heritage.

Such manuals certainly need to be safeguarded with the utmost care.

Otherwise, what would they do if these precious secret manuals got damaged, lost, or even leaked to the outside due to a random disciple's carelessness?

But despite hearing that these secret techniques would not be here, Lu Tianzi was not at all affected.

After all, that was not what he came for.

His main aim today was to check if they actually had Origin Core realm cultivation techniques of the Spiritual Essence system!

"Well then, I shall not hinder you any further," Young Master Xuan Hao said before gesturing for them to enter the third floor.

Lu Tianzi and Nanlan Qianxue did not stand on ceremony.

Since they were already here, they obviously would go take a look and see if there was anything they wanted.

Nanlan Qianxue did not follow Lu Tianzi, choosing to go her own way to look for suitable techniques.

Once again, Young Master Xuan Hao tagged along with Ruan Ling, giving her suggestions on what could be useful to her.

As for Lu Tianzi, he walked through the shelves with extraordinary speed, taking nothing more than a mere glance at the types of techniques on display before moving on.

Since he already had a clear goal in mind, he did not waste any time looking through other things. If he still had some spare time later, he could always revisit them.

In the end, Lu Tianzi finally stopped in front of a deserted corner of the third floor.

"Spiritual Essence Cultivation Techniques!" Lu Tianzi emotionally read the label on the shelf before him.

As expected, the Timeless Flame Sect really had Spiritual Essence Cultivation Techniques of the Origin Core realm!

To think that he would be unable to find any of such manuals in the few human settlements that he had been to, only to come across them in a demon influence's skills repository.

Fate truly worked in wondrous ways.

Faced with such an opportunity, Lu Tianzi did not waste anymore time.

He immediately sank his perception into the first jade slip on the shelf, and immersed himself into the world of Spiritual Essence system cultivation techniques!