Before long, a group of guards from Fengxiao Villa suddenly burst in, just in time to witness Xu Taiping holding a sword in one hand and Lu Chen's head in the other.
"Lu… Young Master Lu?!"
One of the guards recognized the head in Xu Taiping's hand.
"Who are you, to dare assassinate Young Master Lu, the son of an Elder of Qingxuan Sect?!"
The guard, trembling, pointed his sword at Xu Taiping.
At this moment, Xu Taiping, with his red hair and green eyes, holding a sword in one hand and a head in the other, resembled the evil spirits of legend, which is why the guard was so terrified.
Xu Taiping simply glanced at the man, saying nothing.
He had deliberately let Baiyu allow this group in, so they could witness his "red-haired, green-eyed" appearance.
"Seize him!"
After a brief hesitation, the group finally charged at Xu Taiping.
Xu Taiping opened his mouth and with a "whoosh" exhaled a dense fog, instantly enveloping the entire courtyard.
Simultaneously, he raised one hand high.
A cry of an eagle pierced the night sky.
A giant white-headed eagle swooped down from above the courtyard with a "boom," grabbing Xu Taiping's outstretched hand and lifting him into the air.
When they were about twenty to ninety meters from the ground, Xu Taiping raised his palm, condensing five balls of Spirit Fire at his fingertips.
Then, with a flick of his hand, he hurled the five balls of Spirit Fire towards the courtyard below.
Moments later, a serpent of fire shot into the sky.
The entire Fengxiao Villa was engulfed in flames.
He had no sympathy for these accomplices to evil.
"Baiyu, Ping'an, are you both unharmed?"
Xu Taiping grabbed Baiyu's claw, then leapt up with force, flipping onto Baiyu's back.
"Chirp!"
Little monkey Ping'an jumped onto Xu Taiping's shoulder.
"No, but, Xu Taiping, I don't like fighting."
Ping'an said to Xu Taiping with a grin.
"A bunch of scum, how could they harm this great one?"
Baiyu spoke with an air of arrogance.
"That's good."
Xu Taiping hugged Ping'an to his chest and nodded with a smile.
"Xu Taiping, in a month or two, I will have completely assimilated my mother's demon pill and the essence of demon blood. Then, I will go kill the Peacock King, just like you killed Lu Chen today!"
Baiyu suddenly spoke with a cold tone.
"I'll go with you."
Xu Taiping nodded solemnly.
"I'll go too!"
At this moment, Ping'an also raised his arm and shouted.
Hearing this, another eagle's cry echoed through the night sky, as if venting long-held resentment.
Fairy Lingyue, who had emerged from her gourd, smiled upon seeing this scene and then transmitted a message to Xu Taiping: "What are your thoughts?"
Xu Taiping looked at Lu Chen's head in his hand and then nodded:
"The snow at another's door, I may not sweep, but if it falls at my own door, I will make sure it's swept clean."
Fairy Lingyue was very satisfied with this answer.
On the path of cultivation, every Cultivator must confront the question of "what to do when faced with evil." Some choose to live alongside it, some turn a blind eye, and some detest it vehemently.
Xu Taiping's choice to "sweep the evil from his own doorstep" coincided perfectly with Fairy Lingyue's choice from years past.
…
The next day, early morning.
In front of the Seventh Peak's Heart-Nurturing Pavilion.
"Oh, Taiping, you're already out."
Seeing Xu Taiping coming down from a pavilion next to the Heart-Nurturing Pavilion, Qingxiao was somewhat surprised.
"Yes, I've been out for a while."
Xu Taiping nodded with a smile.
"How do you feel?"
Qingxiao asked with a smile.
"Very good."
Xu Taiping nodded.
"By the way, Senior Brother, Senior Brother Du Qianjiang from the Fifth Peak told me yesterday that Senior Sister Zi Jin will be descending the mountain today, and I'd like to see her off."
He suddenly spoke up.
"Descending the mountain today?"
Qingxiao hadn't expected it to be so soon.
"Do you want me to accompany you?"
He asked Xu Taiping.
"No need, Second Senior Brother, you still have to prepare for tomorrow's third round of the competition. I have the pass token given by Senior Brother Du, so there won't be any problems."
Xu Taiping took out the token given to him by Du Qianjiang.
"Alright then, off you go. I'm heading into the Heart-Nurturing Pavilion."
Qingxiao nodded and didn't insist any further.
…
At the Fifth Peak's Ascending Cloud Platform.
"Liu Zijin, the time has come. You should follow me now."
A grey-feathered Spirit Crane spoke impatiently to Liu Zijin standing before it.
"Please, Elder Greywing, grant me a moment longer."
Liu Zijin glanced towards the entrance steps of the Ascending Cloud Platform, then turned back to plead with the grey crane.
"You've already waited nearly a stick of incense."
The grey crane huffed coldly.
"Elder Greywing, please wait just a moment longer."
Seeing that Elder Greywing was about to lose his patience, a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar suddenly approached with a smile and waved his sleeve, presenting a Talisman Scroll radiating strong spiritual energy to the grey crane.
"This… Since Peak Master Shen has spoken, I will wait another half a stick of incense. But if we do not leave after half a stick of incense, I must report to the Hall of Seven Laws. You know, the punishments of the Hall of Seven Laws are not something I can bear."
Elder Greywing spoke with a tone of difficulty.
"Rest assured, Elder Greywing, just half a stick of incense."
The scholarly middle-aged man nodded with a smile.
"Thank you, Master."
Liu Zijin looked gratefully at the middle-aged man.
This scholarly middle-aged man was none other than the Peak Master of the Fifth Peak, Liu Zijin's master, Shen Zhi.
"Between us as master and disciple, there's no trouble at all."
Shen Zhi shook his head at Liu Zijin, his eyes still full of regret.
Liu Zijin had been in the sect for six years, watched over by Shen Zhi himself, and now that they were parting, he naturally felt reluctant.
"Master, I've caused you trouble."
Looking at Shen Zhi's weary face, Liu Zijin suddenly felt a surge of guilt.
"It is I who failed to protect you thoroughly."
Shen Zhi shook his head.
After saying this, he turned to look at Senior Brother Du Qianjiang, who stood silently by his side.
"Qianjiang, did you really make arrangements with that Xu Taiping?"
He asked Du Qianjiang.
"I informed him of the sister's departure date and gave him a pass token for the Fifth Peak."
Du Qianjiang nodded.
The person the three of them were waiting for was Xu Taiping.
"Given the Seven Peaks competition, Xu Taiping probably won't be able to come; I won't wait any longer."
After another glance at the entrance to the Ascending Cloud Platform and seeing no one coming up, Liu Zijin's expression dimmed.
She had no special reason to wait for Xu Taiping, just wanting to properly bid farewell to the friend who had helped her and her sister several times.
To leave without saying goodbye was the greatest discourtesy.
"If he's a friend, he will surely come. Let's wait a bit longer."
Shen Zhi smiled calmly, indicating that Liu Zijin need not rush.
Hearing the word "friend," Liu Zijin gave a bitter smile, thinking that she probably didn't even count as a friend in his heart.
Just then, a crane's call came from the sky.
"He's here."
Shen Zhi immediately said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Liu Zijin's previously gloomy face suddenly brightened with a smile.
Soon, amidst the howling wind, a figure leaped down from the back of the Spirit Crane and landed steadily on the Ascending Cloud Platform.
"Senior Brother Du Qianjiang, Senior Sister Zi Jin."
Xu Taiping, holding a wooden box, quickly approached them.
"I was a bit delayed, sorry for being late."
He said apologetically.
"You're not late."
Du Qianjiang and Liu Zijin shook their heads together.
"This is… could it be Peak Master Shen?"
Xu Taiping had seen Peak Master Shen once during the Seven Peaks selection.
"Indeed."
Peak Master Shen gave Xu Taiping a light smile, without any airs of a Peak Master.
"Disciple Xu Taiping, greets Peak Master Shen."
Xu Taiping immediately bowed with his hands clasped.
"No need for formalities. In fact, I should thank you for the comfort you provided Zi Jin before."
Peak Master Shen's eyes conveyed gratitude.
His sincere demeanor was far from that of a typical Peak Master.
"Peak Master Shen is too kind; it was nothing but a small effort."
Xu Taiping shook his head.
"You and Zi Jin can talk. We'll step aside for a bit."
Peak Master Shen signaled to Du Qianjiang with his eyes.
"Peak Master Shen, Senior Brother Du, there's no need for you to step aside."
Xu Taiping called out to them, then turned to Liu Zijin with a smile:
"I don't have much to say to Senior Sister Zi Jin, just brought some things that might be useful to her when she's down the mountain."