Chapter 17: The Sect Rules Cannot Be Broken

Su Xinghe saw this and was overjoyed, unable to help but laugh uproariously. "Broken, broken, the珍珑 chess game is finally broken."

He was truly incomparably happy today.

Not only had the traitor of the Tianshan Sect, Ding Chunqiu, been beaten like a dead dog and dragged up, but the珍珑 chess game had also been broken. His master had a successor—how could he not be happy?

This was the happiest day he had had in years.

Wang Bo saw Diana wake up and asked, "Who did you meet inside?"

Diana said, "Ares."

After she had entered the chess game, she found herself back in London, encountering Ares, but this time she did not have Wang Bo by her side; she fought alone.

But even so, Diana did not retreat.

In the illusion, she was first beaten black and blue by the war god Ares, then erupted in a desperate situation, broke through her inner demons, and counter-killed the war god Ares.

Now, even if Ares came back to life and stood before her, she was fearless, confident that she could blow his dog head off.

Wang Bo was not surprised to hear that Diana had encountered Ares in the illusion. In all her time as a hero, the most dangerous enemy she had faced was probably only Ares.

So encountering Ares in the illusion was perfectly normal.

But Wang Bo had not expected Diana to defeat Ares so quickly, break through her inner demons, and solve the珍珑 chess game.

It seemed her mental fortitude was even stronger than his.

Just then, Su Xinghe grabbed Diana's wrist and said, "Miss, please come with me. I will take you to see my master now."

Diana raised an eyebrow, and a bolt of lightning burst from her bracers, numbing Su Xinghe's entire body and making his hair stand on end.

Su Xinghe yelped, quickly let go of Diana, and used his inner energy to calm the tingling. He looked at Diana with lingering fear and quickly said, "Miss, I was rash just now. Please forgive me."

Diana said, "I did not come to become a disciple or to receive a hundred years of martial arts."

Su Xinghe looked at Diana in surprise.

Wang Bo stepped forward and said, "To be honest, we came here for the Northern Dark Divine Art."

Su Xinghe was even more surprised and said, "The Northern Dark Divine Art is the ultimate art of the Tianshan Sect. If you become my master's disciple and receive his hundred years of martial arts, the Northern Dark Divine Art will be easily obtained."

Wang Bo shook his head and said, "You misunderstand. What I mean is, I will trade Ding Chunqiu for the Northern Dark Divine Art. As for joining the Tianshan Sect, forget it."

Su Xinghe immediately shook his head. "No, absolutely not. The Northern Dark Divine Art is the ultimate art of the Tianshan Sect. Only the sect leader may learn it. If you do not join the Tianshan Sect, you cannot learn the Northern Dark Divine Art."

Wang Bo said, "You can go back and ask your master about this."

Su Xinghe flatly refused. "There is no need to ask my master. I know it won't work."

If it were possible, he would have learned the Northern Dark Divine Art long ago. He had also attempted the珍珑 chess game but could not solve it. His mental fortitude was insufficient to inherit his master's hundred years of martial arts; otherwise, it would do more harm than good.

Later, he had wanted to settle for the next best thing and learn the Northern Dark Divine Art.

But his master had still refused.

He was not the heir his master favored for the Tianshan Sect, so his master would not teach him the Northern Dark Divine Art no matter what, saying that his strength was insufficient and that forcibly cultivating the Northern Dark Divine Art would only backfire.

Su Xinghe revered Xiaoyaozi like a father and naturally did not doubt his master's words. For decades, he had faithfully stayed on the Celestial Mountain's Misty Peak, searching for the next sect leader for his master and the Tianshan Sect.

Today, hearing that someone wanted to learn the Northern Dark Divine Art without joining the Tianshan Sect—how could that be allowed? Su Xinghe naturally would not agree, and based on his understanding of his master, his master would not agree either.

So he flatly rejected Wang Bo and his companions.

Wang Bo thought for a moment and said, "Then go tell your master that I have a treasure that can remove the poison of the Seven Insects and Seven Deaths from his body. Ask him if he is willing to exchange."

Su Xinghe was startled and asked excitedly, "Is that true?"

The Dark Heavenly Emperor nodded and said, "Brother Su, Brother Wang is an immortal descended to the mortal world; he will not deceive you. You should go consult your master."

Su Xinghe cupped his hands and said, "Please wait a moment."

With that, he turned and left, rushing all the way to the cave of the living dead, Xiaoyaozi.

Wang Bo's gaze followed Su Xinghe as he entered the cave, knelt before Xiaoyaozi, and begged Xiaoyaozi to accept treatment.

But Xiaoyaozi remained unmoved. "Foolish child, foolish child. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the constants of life. What is there to fear? Decline them for me. The rules of the Tianshan Sect cannot be broken, cannot be broken."

Su Xinghe wept bitterly, and finally staggered out of the cave and returned to Misty Peak.

When Su Xinghe returned, he had already wiped away his tears. He said solemnly to Wang Bo, "The rules of the Tianshan Sect are strict. If you are unwilling to join the Tianshan Sect, the Northern Dark Divine Art absolutely cannot be passed on. Please forgive me."

The Dark Heavenly Emperor sighed.

He was a martial artist and understood the mindset of martial artists. Some people cling to sect rules and would rather die than break them.

Clearly, Xiaoyaozi was such a person.

Wang Bo smiled calmly and said, "Sorry to have troubled you."

Su Xinghe said softly, "Forgive me."

Wang Bo turned and went down the mountain. The Dark Heavenly Emperor and Diana followed. As for Ding Chunqiu, they left him there. But before leaving, Wang Bo saw that Su Xinghe did not cut off Ding Chunqiu's head with a sword; instead, he slapped Ding Chunqiu's dantian, crippling his martial arts.

In the days to come, one could imagine what Ding Chunqiu's fate would be.

A tyrant with enemies everywhere, but stripped of his martial arts that had allowed him to dominate the world.

Such a life... tsk tsk.

In Wang Bo's view, this was even crueler than killing Ding Chunqiu. It seemed Su Xinghe truly hated Ding Chunqiu to the bone.

After descending the mountain, the Dark Heavenly Emperor suddenly stopped and said, "Wang Bo, I have repaid my debt of gratitude. As for the Northern Dark Divine Art, I hope you can accept it. As the saying goes, 'If you get it, it's fate; if you lose it, it's luck.' The Northern Dark Divine Art is good, but with your immortal bearing, I believe that one day you will create a supreme art no less than the Northern Dark Divine Art."

Wang Bo smiled slightly and said, "Are you saying this because you are about to leave?"

The Dark Heavenly Emperor nodded and said, "Yes. I have been away for some time. Please tell me the way home, and I will be eternally grateful."

"That's simple. I will send you home right away. But before that, return this to you." Wang Bo took the Star Calamity from the Time Villa and handed it to the Dark Heavenly Emperor.