“I’m truly sorry, this time, I’ve…” Chu Feng felt ashamed, but he knew he had to face the situation.
So, he recounted the entire ordeal to the Secret Cave Saints, including his encounter with the fox spirit and how he obtained the God-Sealing Bamboo Slip, sharing every detail.
“Brother Xiuluo, this is a good thing. Why are you apologising?”
“Exactly, obtaining such a precious treasure makes this trip worthwhile.”
Far from blaming Chu Feng, the Secret Cave Saints beamed with joy upon hearing his account.
“It was you who told me about the Demon-Slaying Emperor’s Tomb and the ancient stone box. If you hadn’t brought me here and worked with me, I wouldn’t have achieved such gains,” Chu Feng said. “In the Demon-Slaying Emperor’s Tomb, I received the Emperor’s inheritance. And in the stone box world, I obtained the precious God-Sealing Bamboo Slip. I’ve taken all the most valuable rewards alone, and I feel…”
Still feeling guilty, Chu Feng took out all the treasures he’d obtained from the fox spirit and handed them to the Secret Cave Saints.
“Brother Xiuluo, these are rare treasures. Are you really giving them all to us?” The Secret Cave Saints were ecstatic, their excitement genuine.
“These aren’t enough. Compared to what I gained, what you’re getting is nowhere near proportional,” Chu Feng said.
“Brother Xiuluo, you can’t look at it that way,” the eldest of the Secret Cave Saints said. “Yes, we told you about the Demon-Slaying Emperor’s Tomb and the stone box, but obtaining the Emperor’s inheritance and entering the stone box world to get the God-Sealing Bamboo Slip—that was all your own ability.
“We brothers couldn’t have obtained the Emperor’s inheritance. Likewise, if we had entered the stone box world, we wouldn’t have even crossed the sea of lightning, let alone obtained these treasures or the Bamboo Slip. In truth, we’re the ones benefiting from you.”
“My big brother’s right,” Little Eleven of the Secret Cave Saints added with a grin. “If anyone owes a favour, it’s us owing you. If anyone should feel guilty, it’s us.”
Seeing the Secret Cave Saints act this way, Chu Feng felt even more ashamed.
If they had been petty, he might not have felt so guilty. But these treasure-obsessed Saints showed no resentment, only magnanimity, and it wasn’t an act.
Their attitude made Chu Feng feel he owed them even more. Such friends were rare, and he wanted to cherish them.
But Chu Feng wasn’t one to dwell. Since the situation couldn’t be changed, he let it go.
“Alright then, I won’t be polite,” he said. “But if there’s anything you need help with, just tell me. Next time, I, Xiuluo, will help you for free, no share needed.”
“No way,” the Saints replied. “We split things fairly. And let’s be clear: if the most dangerous tasks fall to you alone, you take the lion’s share. You risk your life for the meat, and we’re happy to sip the broth thanks to you.”
“Exactly, it’s gotta be fair. If you contribute more, you deserve more,” they added. “We Secret Cave Saints might be ruthless with outsiders, but with brothers, we’re always fair.”
Faced with such sincerity, what could Chu Feng say?
He smiled and agreed.
Suddenly, the third brother of the Secret Cave Saints pointed at the formation gate. “Look, something’s happening at the All-Heaven Sect’s side.”
The gate was like a massive mirror, revealing everything in that world.
Hearing this, Chu Feng and the others turned their attention to it.
They initially thought the All-Heaven Sect and the other five forces were arguing over compensation.
But upon closer inspection, their expressions shifted, especially Chu Feng’s, whose eyes widened in shock.
An uninvited guest had entered that world.
It was a red war chariot, not large but exquisitely crafted, pulled by thirty-seven spirit beasts, soaring through the air with majestic presence.
At the front of the chariot stood a figure Chu Feng recognised: Han Xiu, the leader of the Red-Clothed Holy Land.
Her gaze was icy, brimming with hostility. She didn’t seem here for a celebration but for vengeance.
Her menacing aura drew everyone’s attention, but that alone wouldn’t have shocked Chu Feng so much.
What stunned him was the flag hanging on the chariot.
As it fluttered in the wind, making a rustling sound, the flag didn’t bear the words “Red-Clothed Holy Land.”
Instead, it read… Reincarnation Sect!
“Reincarnation Sect?” Chu Feng’s heart surged with waves of shock, memories flooding back.
“Reincarnation Sect? Why is Han Xiu, the leader of the Red-Clothed Holy Land, flying the Reincarnation Sect’s flag?” The crowd buzzed with discussion.
The people from the Wind-Thunder Sword Sect and the other five forces might not know Han Xiu, but most of the onlookers were from the All-Heaven Star Region. They knew both Han Xiu and the Reincarnation Sect.
What was the Reincarnation Sect?
The story went back many years.
Originating from the Reincarnation Upper Realm, the Reincarnation Sect was once a dominant force in the All-Heaven Star Region, even threatening the All-Heaven Sect’s supremacy.
At its peak, the Reincarnation Sect was the undisputed overlord of the Reincarnation Upper Realm, leaving no room for the Red-Clothed Holy Land.
As the Reincarnation Sect rose, the All-Heaven Sect sensed its ambition. Not wanting internal conflict within the Star Region, they sent their greatest genius, Liu Shuo, to marry the Reincarnation Sect leader’s daughter.
But the Reincarnation Sect’s ambition swelled, and on the wedding day, they attempted to kill Liu Shuo.
The All-Heaven Sect, prepared for betrayal, was forced to wage war.
In the end, the All-Heaven Sect won, and from that day, the Reincarnation Sect vanished from the All-Heaven Star Region.
Notably, the current leader of the All-Heaven Sect was Liu Shuo, the genius who had been betrothed to the Reincarnation Sect leader’s daughter.
Back then, Liu Shuo was a prodigy, hailed as someone who could reshape the Holy Light Galaxy.
But in that war with the Reincarnation Sect, he was gravely injured, his vitality damaged, and nearly died.
Though he survived, his talent never recovered.
While the All-Heaven Sect won, it came at the cost of Liu Shuo’s future.
Thus, Liu Shuo harboured deep hatred for the Reincarnation Sect. Even years after its destruction, no one dared mention its name in his presence.
The Reincarnation Sect was a known history, but its name had become a taboo in the All-Heaven Star Region. Mentioning it was akin to a death sentence.
Yet now, Han Xiu, leader of the Red-Clothed Holy Land, arrived with such aggression, her chariot bearing the Reincarnation Sect’s flag.
And that flag, radiating an ancient aura, didn’t seem newly made.
It looked like an original relic from the Reincarnation Sect.
Why would Han Xiu keep such a flag?
Though the reason was unclear, her menacing demeanour and bold action made it clear to all: she was here with ill intent.
