You don't want your secret to be revealed by others, right?

Chapter 125 - 51, Fate is full of twists and turns_2

The mysterious figure in the Black Robe glanced at her and said, "What? You think I’m going to steal your credit?"

The alluring woman was delighted and immediately said in a coquettish voice, "It was my mistake, I actually thought you were going to capture that genius personally and not give me the chance to earn this big merit myself."

"I plan to take action."

The mysterious figure in the Black Robe said indifferently, "Don’t seek outside help, this matter is secret, how could it be known to outsiders? I will capture that genius, and the merit will still be yours. After all, it’s the higher-ups who delegate the rewards, it doesn’t affect me."

"Then, many thanks to you, sir." The alluring woman beamed with joy.

She continued, "However, the person protecting him in the shadows does have some skill. Are you confident?"

"Confident?"

The mysterious figure in the Black Robe chuckled disdainfully, his side glance sweeping to the black-robed person behind him, and he said flatly, "Even a Martial Cultivator at the peak of the Four Symbols couldn’t stop me."

He immediately said, "Let’s set off, your behavior might have startled the snake, perhaps Red Maple Lake has already hidden that genius, I’m afraid it will take some effort."

"How does the mastermind plan to proceed?" The alluring woman couldn’t help but ask.

...

Within the gates of Red Maple Lake.

In a secluded corner near the kitchen.

"Senior, your wine is stolen from the cellar, isn’t it? And you asked me to steal two roast chickens and a platter of goose webbing. If the Housekeeper finds out, I’ll get whipped."

An old man in a tattered Daoist robe, reeking of alcohol, leaned against the wall, gulping down wine, tearing off a chicken leg and savoring it delightfully.

In front of him squatted a rather inexperienced young man, dressed as a cook, looking nervous.

The old man in the Daoist robe glanced at the boy, impatiently saying, "Enough with the nonsense, I only let you steal some appetizers because I see you are a promising material in Martial Arts. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother."

"Senior, if you’re so skilled, why not do it openly? Inner Sect disciples can enjoy this food freely." The boy couldn’t help but say.

"What’s the fun in that? It’s the hard-earned treasures that taste best."

The old man in the Daoist robe drank heartily and ate meat with gusto, "I’ve been drinking the best wine all these days, and it’s gotten a bit tedious. I just wanted a change."

"But the wine you stole is already the best in the cellar, even a forty-year old vintage. I heard it’s the Sect Leader’s favorite wine. If discovered..."

The boy, squatting on the ground, looked around nervously, not daring to eat or drink.

"What are you afraid of?"

The old man in the Daoist robe languidly said, "This old man is a master. My grandson is even more remarkable. With one word, the entire Red Maple Lake Sect would kneel. Believe it or not?"

"The entire Sect kneeling?"

The boy laughed in disbelief, "I heard that the Sect Leader and Elders are legendary Martial Cultivators. Even if you’re a distinguished figure from the Qinghe Daoist Temple, you can’t make them kneel. You must be drunk?"

The old man in the Daoist robe snorted, disinclined to explain, continuing to eat and drink.

All of a sudden, the old man in the Daoist robe stopped, silently looking in a direction as if he saw something.

"What’s wrong? What are you looking at?"

Startled, the boy followed his gaze but saw nothing.

The old man in the Daoist robe was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "You have some talent in martial arts. Just relying on a few stolen Fighting Skills, you have commendable progress; you have the potential to become a Martial Cultivator."

Although the boy didn’t believe the old drunkard Taoist’s words, he was still a bit overjoyed, scratching the back of his head, "Really?"

"But with your talent, you can only be a cook. Have you ever wondered why?"

The old man in the Daoist robe said blandly, "This old man has been observing you for days. Your fate is destined to be turbulent. Even if you become a Martial Cultivator in the future, you might not live better than you are now, possibly even shorter-lived. I advise you to leave the mountain early, be an ordinary person, and perhaps live longer."

"Ordinary people live longer?"

The boy was puzzled, "Ordinary people live no more than a few decades, but Martial Cultivators can live up to a hundred and fifty years, maybe longer, and they are powerful. How could they live shorter lives than ordinary people?"

"The premise is not being killed."

The old man in the Daoist robe sighed, "At least you still have the chance to be an ordinary person, but some people are already under others’ control, can only walk the most dangerous path, unable to turn back. Some, although becoming ordinary, are just fleeing helplessly... you’re already quite good."

The boy became more confused, "Killed? Being a Martial Cultivator is being a person of high status. Who dares to bully me? Old Taoist, are you drunk?"

"Person of high status?"

The old man in the Daoist robe smiled derisively, stood up holding the wine gourd, "Come with me."

"Where to?" The boy was even more puzzled.

They bypassed the kitchen and came to the main road, seeing in the distance several disciples from Red Maple Lake hurriedly using movement techniques to rush towards the sect’s main hall.

At this moment—

"There’s been a murder!"

"An outsider killed someone in Red Maple Hall!"

A series of terrified voices came from Red Maple Hall, and many disciples fled in panic.

The old man in the Daoist robe slightly furrowed his brows, muttering almost inaudibly, "Demon of the Heavenly Born Sect?"

"An outsider killing in Red Maple Hall?" The boy was even more stunned.

This was within the gates of Red Maple Lake, specifically the most important Red Maple Hall, and yet someone dared to commit murder?

When they arrived outside Red Maple Hall, the old man in the Daoist robe was silent, yet there was a faint trace of lightning flashing in his eyes.

But he eventually sighed, the lightning in his eyes subsiding back into obscurity, vanishing.

Then, the old man in the Daoist robe turned to the boy and said, "Didn’t you say Martial Cultivators are people of high status? Go in and take a look."