Chapter 2956 — The Return of the Pills

"Heaven rank? So what?" The man in black showed not the slightest fear; his face only grew more contemptuous. "Just a pack of cultivators from hidden families, and you think yourselves so formidable?"

"What is it you actually want? Spare me the nonsense." Old Master Pi's expression was hardly pleasant. He was a Heaven-rank expert, and to be looked down upon by an Earth-rank one—naturally he was not pleased. Had it been an expert like Wei Zhao, that would have been one thing, but this was a man he had never laid eyes on.

"Hmph, I don't mind telling you—I come from an ancient sect, the Palace of Dark Night!" the man in black declared proudly. "I am an elder and envoy of the Palace of Dark Night. Will you not kneel at once?"

"An ancient sect?" Old Master Pi's brows knit sharply. He had heard of the Palace of Dark Night. Though it was one of the weakest of the ancient sects, an ancient sect was still an ancient sect, and its foundations were real enough. So Old Master Pi could hardly afford to make an enemy of it; he could only steel himself and say, "As far as I know, the ancient sects have never meddled in the affairs of the secular world or the hidden stratum. Your presence here—is this not a flagrant violation of the ancient covenant?"

"Hmph. Wei Zhao took part in the Xuan Pill Sect's trial, so he is no longer a man of the secular world. Moreover, we seek Wei Zhao on the Palace of Dark Night's own business—this is no meddling in the affairs of the secular world or the hidden stratum!" The man in black was somewhat displeased at Old Master Pi's words, yet he could not openly declare that the Palace of Dark Night disregarded the ancient rules.

"Then out with it," Old Master Pi said mildly.

"Hmph—can you speak for Wei Zhao? Tell that junior to crawl out here at once!" The man in black from the Palace of Dark Night spoke with icy indifference.

"You seek me?" Pushed in his wheelchair by Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu, Wei Zhao emerged from the villa. When he heard the visitor was from the Palace of Dark Night, his head began to ache. He had not expected the Palace of Dark Night to be so vindictive as to stoop to petty retaliation—for an ancient power to come down to the secular world and make trouble for him? And now he was a cripple. How was he to deal with this?

Granted, the visitor was only an expert at the peak of the late Earth rank—Old Master Pi could handle him easily enough. But if Old Master Pi killed him, and then a Heaven-rank came, or two or three Heaven-ranks came, how was he to cope?

In truth, Wei Zhao was overthinking it. Even the Palace of Dark Night, shameless as it was, would not dare openly defy the ancient rules; it had merely found a loophole and skirted the edge. Where the ancient sects' own interests were concerned, so long as a matter might be settled peaceably, those of the ancient stratum were permitted to come into the secular world to conduct private business.

But this elder-envoy's posturing was entirely his own doing. In his view, a little intimidation of Wei Zhao would pass unnoticed—after all, the other ancient sects could not see, and no one could raise a complaint. His true purpose was to force Wei Zhao to hand over the third-grade Great Return Pill he had won in the trial.

"Hmph, so you are the junior Wei Zhao?" The man in black glanced at Wei Zhao, then started. "How have you become a cripple? Surely you've done too much evil and drawn down heaven's punishment?"

"Say what you came to say." Wei Zhao frowned. What exactly the man in black wanted, Wei Zhao could not quite grasp. By rights, he had not killed the two Palace of Dark Night disciples who had trimmed their sails to the wind; there was essentially no enmity between him and the Palace of Dark Night. Even if revenge were sought, it would be the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect coming for him—so how had the Palace of Dark Night got here first?

"In the trial, you seized two trial spirit herbs from my disciples' hands, and I hear you gave the trial spirit herbs to yourself and your lackey!" the man in black said. "Our Grand Supreme Elder commands you to return those two trial spirit herbs at once. Otherwise it is a provocation against the Palace of Dark Night—tantamount to a declaration of war!"

Wei Zhao was baffled by the man's words. "The trial spirit herbs were all handed over to the Xuan Pill Sect. If you want them, go demand them from the Xuan Pill Sect. What are you doing here?"

"Hmph—you and your lackey used the trial spirit herbs you stole from us to exchange for two third-grade Great Return Pills. Don't imagine I don't know!" the man in black said. "Since you no longer have the trial spirit herbs, then hand over the stolen goods—the third-grade Great Return Pills you got in exchange for the herbs you seized!"

"Heh..." Only now did Wei Zhao understand why the man had come. So it was the third-grade Great Return Pills he was after! All this roundabout talk, and it came down to seizing the third-grade Great Return Pills.

Had this been before Wei Zhao was injured, he would have slapped the man and sent him packing. But now, even facing an expert at the peak of the late Earth rank—weaker than himself—Wei Zhao could not afford to be careless. He must tread warily.

"What are you laughing at? Hand over the stolen goods at once, and I will spare you punishment. Otherwise, you are openly setting yourself against the Palace of Dark Night!" the man in black said with a cold sneer.

"Openly setting myself against the Palace of Dark Night?" Wei Zhao found it rather funny. "I rather think it is you who are openly setting yourselves against the Xuan Pill Sect. It was stated plainly at the trial: whatever grudges arise during the trial shall not leave the trial grounds. I say it is the Palace of Dark Night that means to run counter to the Xuan Pill Sect!"

"What would a greenhorn like you know!" The man in black frowned. Though Wei Zhao spoke the truth—that his conduct did indeed contravene the rules of the Xuan Pill Sect's trial—would the Xuan Pill Sect take issue with the Palace of Dark Night over a mere wandering cultivator? Plainly not!

They were all ancient sects together. However cool relations might be day to day, at a time like this none would fall out over so trifling a matter. Which ancient sect did not have a few dirty secrets? If everyone went about slapping one another's faces, there would truly be no point to any of it!

So it sufficed that appearances were maintained—and this was precisely why the Palace of Dark Night dared openly break the rules and come here. Not that the Xuan Pill Sect would know; and even if it did, would it truly stick its neck out for Wei Zhao?

Between Wei Zhao and the Palace of Dark Night, which was of greater use in the eyes of the Xuan Pill Sect—that was plain enough at a glance!

"We are merely reclaiming what is rightfully ours. This is our sect's internal affair—what has it to do with the Xuan Pill Sect?" So saying, the man in black spoke with full confidence.

"And if I refuse?" Wei Zhao countered.

"Refuse? Then await the Palace of Dark Night's vengeance! You may have a Heaven-rank expert at your side, but I do not believe your Heaven-rank expert would dare raise a hand against me!" the man in black said with complete assurance.

Wei Zhao was left somewhat speechless. Against a reckless fool who did not fear death, there was really nothing to be done! Had Wei Zhao not been injured, it would not have mattered—he could have locked horns with the Palace of Dark Night well enough. But injured as he was, Wei Zhao was naturally unwilling to make more enemies. RS