Chapter 77: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

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The Azure Lotus, it is said, is a celestial flower that once fell from the realm of immortals to the mortal world.

A legendary poem has been passed down through the ages:

Ten radiant immortals gather, purple mists congeal to form a palace.
The precious canopy veils the Supreme One, the True Man holds the lotus in his hand.

The lotus, also known as the Azure Lotus by another name, is further immortalized by the words of the Azure Lotus Immortal: “From afar, I see the immortal amidst rainbow clouds, holding the lotus as he approaches the Jade Capital.”

The Azure Lotus is a flower of immortals, imbued with boundless Daoist aura. Among the countless azure lotuses of the mortal world, it is said that perhaps only one in ten thousand may manifest the ancient essence, producing the primordial divine treasure: the Ancient Profound Azure Lotus.

The Ancient Profound Azure Lotus appears no different from an ordinary azure lotus, emitting neither unusual light nor fragrance. Yet its properties are incomparably profound, containing the very rhythm of the Dao. It is a rare and priceless spiritual treasure.

Each time an Ancient Profound Azure Lotus appears in the world,

It brings a storm of bloodshed and strife.

If one looked closely at the seemingly ordinary azure lotus in the hands of the disciple surnamed Shen, they would faintly perceive countless intricate, mysterious patterns covering its petals, an intoxicating, ancient aura of the Dao rippling through the designs.

Disciple Shen took a deep breath, ultimately conceding a little, and proposed, “How about this: of the petals and seeds, I take four, and each of you takes two. What say you?”

“Why should we get only two?” The slightly plump disciple and the tall, thin disciple exchanged a glance and retorted coldly, “Senior Brother Shen, if we can’t split it evenly—”

“We won’t be so polite.”

Shen sneered, his voice as biting as ice shards. “Heh, now I see your true colors. All that talk of brotherhood, and now you turn on me without a second thought!”

The tall, thin disciple smiled as if nothing was amiss, his manner leisurely, as if it were only natural. “Senior Brother Shen, since we are brothers, shouldn’t such a treasure be shared among us?”

“You can’t possibly consume it all yourself, nor could you sell it. Once word gets out that we possess the petals and seeds of the Ancient Profound Azure Lotus, we don’t have the strength to protect it.”

“Look, as long as we divide it evenly, everyone gets along and gains the treasure. But if you refuse, we may act rashly—and you wouldn’t want to see the consequences, would you, Senior Brother Shen?”

The threat was unmistakably clear.

Shen took a deep breath, realizing he could no longer claim the lion’s share. If it came to a real fight, he alone could not overcome the three before him.

Still, even with an even split, he would have enough petals and seeds to ensure a successful foundation-building—a sufficient bounty.

With this in mind,

Shen could only agree, albeit reluctantly. “Fine, then we—uh!”

Suddenly, he let out a muffled groan.

He looked down in disbelief to see the tip of a sword protruding from his throat.

“Hrk… hrk…”

His eyes widened as he tried to speak, but only a gurgling sound escaped.

Behind him stood—Qi Yan.

It was… him.

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Shen’s pupils gradually lost their luster; his body slackened and collapsed. Standing behind him, Qi Yan swiftly snatched the Ancient Profound Azure Lotus from his hands, a cold, meaningful smile playing on his lips as he glanced at the two remaining outer disciples.

From a distance,

Behind a large boulder hidden by brush,

Jiang Min, holding a jade talisman that concealed her presence, saw Qi Yan stab his fellow disciple in the back. Her pupils contracted slightly.

She hadn’t expected, when following the guidance of the little sprout, to encounter Qi Yan here, nor to witness such a dramatic act of fratricide among disciples.

She had already overheard their conversation.

Her gaze fell upon the Ancient Profound Azure Lotus in Qi Yan’s hand.

“The Ancient Profound Azure Lotus… The petals contain pure Daoist energy—consume them and your cultivation will soar. The seeds are treasures of Daoist resonance, enough to replace a Foundation Establishment Pill.”

Jiang Min’s eyes now burned with a hint of fervor; her heartbeat quickened.

She stood at the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

She desperately needed an aid for this crucial step.

According to ancient records, in ages past, cultivators formed their Dao foundation naturally, without need of external assistance. But at some point in history, the process began to require such aids, leading to the creation of Foundation Establishment Pills made from rare herbs infused with Daoist energy.

Yet, among heaven and earth, there are some spiritual treasures even more effective than those pills.

For instance, a single seed from the Ancient Profound Azure Lotus can help a Qi-refining cultivator establish a perfect Dao foundation, laying the best groundwork for the path to immortality.

Thus, whenever such a treasure appears, it triggers a storm of bloodshed. Every low-level cultivator yearns for a flawless foundation, while powerful cultivators need these for their disciples or descendants, to ensure a smoother path ahead.

Therefore,

Qi Yan’s betrayal and murder of his fellow disciples for the treasure was hardly surprising.

“The other two likely won’t survive either…”

Jiang Min thought to herself.

By the marsh where the lotuses bloomed in profusion,

The two remaining disciples stared in shock and fear at Qi Yan’s sudden attack.

The tall, thin disciple’s smile vanished; he asked uncertainly, “Junior Brother Qi, what are you doing? Why did you kill him? Even if we split it, you’d still get plenty!”

Qi Yan held the Ancient Profound Azure Lotus in one hand and a blood-dripping sword in the other, a cold, emotionless smile on his lips.

“Who said I was sharing with you?”

At these words, the tall, thin and the plump disciple’s faces changed.

“You want to kill us and take it all for yourself?!”

“Qi Yan, you’re mad! If anyone finds out, you’ll pay dearly for this!”

Qi Yan hefted his sword and walked toward them, unhurried and calm. “This place is far from the inner disciples’ patrols. As long as you’re all dead, who will know what happened here?”

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He had reached the Sword Radiance stage, far stronger than the two before him. Killing them was as easy as turning his hand.

The two exchanged a glance in terror, well aware they were no match for Qi Yan. In unison, they shouted, “Run!”

Immediately,

Each used their own skill to flee in opposite directions.

But Qi Yan’s footfall was swift as lightning; in a flash, he caught up to one, slashing with a fierce sword. The disciple hastily raised a spiritual sword to defend himself, but how could a mere artifact withstand the sword imbued with Sword Radiance? The blade snapped in two; Qi Yan’s sword plunged effortlessly into the man’s chest.

The disciple let out a choked groan, glaring resentfully at him.

“You… murder your own sect mates, violating the sect rules…”

He died before he could finish.

Soon, Qi Yan dispatched the other as well, efficiently searching their bodies for valuables before burning the corpses—along with Shen’s—to ashes.

“Sect rules? Rules are for fools. The ones who follow the rules—are all dead!”

Qi Yan laughed with disdain, then gazed at the Ancient Profound Azure Lotus in his hand, his eyes shining with excitement.

“With a treasure like this, the more the better. Even if I can’t consume all the seeds myself, I can use them to benefit my clan, strengthen the Qi family—why would I share with a pack of idiots like you?”

“With these seeds, I’ll establish a perfect Dao foundation. Perhaps even Nascent Soul lords will—”

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, a brilliant defensive light flared around Qi Yan’s body. Yet almost at the same instant, a sharp pain shot through his throat; he groaned in agony.

His pupils shrank in disbelief as he lowered his head to see a sword tip thrust through his throat, blood streaming down its gleaming edge to drip onto the grass.

A clear, gentle voice sounded behind him.

“You’re right.”

“Those who follow the rules are all dead.”