Chapter 42: The Past of Niu Wuji

One man single-handedly killed three assassins at the fifth-level Martial Master realm, plus a leader at the first-level Martial Spirit realm. If such a feat had been accomplished by a disciple from the main sect or an elder of the Heavenly Zenith Sect, it would not have been surprising. But for this to happen to a disciple from a mere branch division was truly astonishing.

“Are you certain you saw Wu Tian kill an assassin at the first-level Martial Spirit realm all by himself?” the woman asked her disciple, her disbelief evident.

“Master, my senior brother and I are both sure we saw it clearly. Wu Tian did kill all four assassins on his own. We were both dumbfounded—his cultivation is so formidable, not even my senior brother can compare!” the disciple replied, shaking his head with a wry smile.

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could Wu Tian possess such strength? I know exactly what that boy is capable of. You and your senior brother must have been mistaken! Or perhaps someone was secretly aiding Wu Tian from the shadows!” He Jiang stepped forward, voicing his disbelief.

“Sect Master, we need not concern ourselves now with whether Wu Tian truly has such cultivation. If he does, he will naturally pass the first trial, and his true strength will become evident during the second round of the arena tournament,” said Elder Hao Hu from the Disciplinary Hall.

“Elder Hao is right. If the Pingyang City branch truly has a disciple capable of killing a first-level Martial Spirit expert, it would be an immense asset to the main sect!” The woman’s eyes flashed with excitement, as if she had discovered an uncut gem.

“Indeed, but there is one matter we must pay special attention to. Wu Tian has drawn the attention of Shura Gate’s assassins. This is a major problem. The assassins of Shura Gate are formidable—having failed this time, they will likely send more killers, relentless and unyielding. Shura Gate is not one to make empty threats,” Sect Master Ye said, frowning slightly.

“Sect Master Ye, Shura Gate will not attempt a second assassination so soon after their failure, at least not before the sect’s Grand Competition. After the competition, I will report this to the Imperial Capital headquarters. The main sect should take care of it,” the woman replied, cupping her hands in respect.

“That is all we can do for now. I will reinforce security during this period to prevent similar incidents from occurring,” Sect Master Ye nodded in agreement.

At that moment, He Jiang clenched his fists in silent frustration. Even an assassin at the first-level Martial Spirit realm had failed to deal with Wu Tian—this was utterly absurd. He had hoped to use Shura Gate’s hand to get rid of Wu Tian, leaving no trace pointing back to him. But with Shura Gate’s failure and their reluctance to act again soon, it seemed he would have to take matters into his own hands.

...

While the sect’s elders discussed Wu Tian’s fate, Wu Tian and Niu Wujin had already ventured deep into the heart of the Severed Mountain Range. Along the way, Wu Tian led Niu Wujin in relentless monster hunts. In just one short day, Niu Wujin advanced from a sixth-level Martial Apprentice to a ninth-level Martial Apprentice, further convincing him that Wu Tian was his lucky star.

“Boss, it’s getting late. We should find a place to rest, or we won’t have any energy to continue tomorrow,” Niu Wujin suggested, noticing the fading light.

Wu Tian glanced at the sky; it was already dusk without him realizing it. He nodded. “Alright, let’s find a place to rest.”

Before long, the two found a cave. Wu Tian quickly set a simple trap at the entrance—anything, man or beast, approaching would immediately alert them. Then he lit a fire inside the cave.

“After a whole day of slaying monsters, I can finally rest! Hahaha…” Niu Wujin sprawled out beside the fire, howling in exhaustion.

“It’s only been one day and you’re already this tired? You’re really not up to par,” Wu Tian remarked, shaking his head.

Niu Wujin pulled a bitter face and replied helplessly, “Boss, do you think I’m as strong as you? Since we entered the Severed Mountain Range, I’ve been the one fighting most of the monsters. I know you’re doing this to train me, but my strength is limited. This is already my limit.”

Wu Tian took out a supreme-grade Blood-Nourishing Pill and a supreme-grade Qi-Gathering Pill from his system pack and tossed them to Niu Wujin. “Take these.”

Niu Wujin caught the pills and stared wide-eyed at Wu Tian. “What the—! Boss, these are… aren’t these Blood-Nourishing and Qi-Gathering Pills? Judging by their quality, they’re at least top grade, incredibly rare and valuable!”

“Are they really that precious?” Wu Tian replied nonchalantly.

Niu Wujin immediately sat up, speaking rapidly, “Do you know how much a supreme-grade Blood-Nourishing Pill sells for at the Jimin Apothecary? Twelve thousand silver taels apiece! I couldn’t save enough in a year to buy even one. Boss, I’m grateful you’re giving me such precious pills, but I can’t accept them—they’re too valuable!”

“I’m telling you to take them, so just take them. Don’t be such a nag, like a woman! Do you think your boss cares about a couple of pills? I’ll have you know, I have a whole pile of these!” Wu Tian said sternly, putting on a serious face.

“Alright, boss. Thank you so much! I’ll take them…” Niu Wujin hesitated, looking at the pills, reluctant to consume them. After a long internal struggle, he finally swallowed both. No sooner had he done so than he felt a warm current surge through his body, his strength and energy instantly restored.

“Incredible, truly incredible! I feel completely revitalized—my entire body is brimming with true energy!”

Wu Tian could only shake his head in amusement. They were just two pills; he had plenty more in his pack, enough to throw them like stones if he wished.

“Niu, when did you join the Heavenly Zenith Sect?” Wu Tian asked, feeding more firewood to the flames.

Niu Wujin’s expression turned serious, as if recalling distant memories. “I’m an orphan. My master found me outside and brought me back. I grew up in the Heavenly Zenith Sect. To be honest, my talent has always been poor, always at the bottom among the disciples. If I hadn’t followed you, boss, I’d still be a sixth-level Martial Apprentice. Many disciples who joined after me have already surpassed me. To sum it up in one sentence: I’m a failure.”

“I can relate to that,” Wu Tian replied with a smile. In the year his cultivation was crippled, he had endured countless scornful looks as others deemed him worthless.

“But I’ve never blamed anyone else. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s myself for not working hard enough, not being strong enough! That’s why I’ve sworn to give my all to make it into the sect headquarters—not for anything else, but to repay my master for raising me!” Niu Wujin clenched his fists as he spoke.

“You’ll make it. I believe in you,” Wu Tian said, patting Niu Wujin on the shoulder.

Creak! Just then, Wu Tian’s trap was triggered.

“Something’s approaching. Be on guard,” Wu Tian said, standing up as the Black Dragon Blade instantly appeared in his hand.

“Well, well! Isn’t this the number one genius of the Heavenly Zenith Sect, Wu Tian? Amazing, truly amazing—already this deep in the Severed Mountain Range. I must applaud you!” A familiar voice reached Wu Tian’s ears.