Sin Becomes a God

Chapter 15: The First Glimpse of the Nine Yang

“Little Taoist, how did you know there was such a big kite here? By the way, I still don’t know your name. I’m Xiao Zhao—what’s yours?” “My name is Zhang Wuji… Every year on the anniversary of my parents’ deaths, I fly a kite here. This kite is one I prepared for them… We can use this kite to fly somewhere else and hide for a while. We’ll be fine once my Grandmaster emerges from seclusion…” “What… You’re the son of Zhang Wuxia of Wudang and Miss Yin? Xiao Zhao was unaware of your identity; I deserve to die a thousand deaths for my impertinence…” As Xiao Zhao spoke, she was about to bow in respect, but this sudden movement caused the paraglider Lu Renjia had painstakingly prepared to lose its balance. Amid a heart-wrenching scream, both Lu Renjia and Xiao Zhao plummeted off the cliff. Just then, Song Qing-shu—who had been deliberately stalling—finally caught up to the cliff’s edge with the Wudang disciples. Zhou Zhi-ruo, wielding the Yitian Sword, stood at the cliff’s edge, radiating a fierce aura. Song Qingshu—who had materialized from the “dummy” illusion—pointed at the jumbled footprints on the ground and shouted, “Those two wretches must have lost their footing and fallen from here… Damn it, this is terrible. What if the Grandmaster holds me accountable…” Watching Song Qingshu beat his chest and stamp his feet in despair, Zhou Zhiruo’s heart was filled with contempt. She tugged at Song Qingshu’s sleeve and whispered, “Senior Brother Song… when your Grandmaster emerges from seclusion and asks about this, just say that a heretical woman from the Ming Cult launched a night raid on Wudang, kidnapped Zhang Wuji as a hostage, and we came chasing after them…When that witch saw she had no way out, she jumped off the cliff with Zhang Wuji to die together. After all, the heretics of the Ming Cult have committed countless evil deeds; if we put it that way, I’m sure your Grandmaster won’t hold it against you…” “Damn… that woman is even more ruthless than I am…” Song Qingshu, who had materialized from the “decoy doll,” cursed under his breath. He feigned hesitation, then gritted his teeth and shouted to the Wudang disciples beside him, “Tonight, a heretical woman from the Ming Cult launched a night raid on Wudang and abducted our fellow disciple, Zhang Wuji. We gave chase without pause…Alas, those deranged heretics of the Ming Cult were so mad with rage that they actually leaped off the cliff with Junior Brother Zhang Wuji, leaving not a trace of their bodies… Fellow disciples, follow me to the Zhenwu Hall to chant sutras for Junior Brother Zhang Wuji, in the hope that he may be reborn soon…” The Wudang disciples exchanged glances and immediately cried out in unison, “We shall obey Senior Brother’s orders!” At that moment, Lu Renjia—who was still plummeting—dared not hold back any longer. Facing a cliff hundreds of meters high, he didn’t believe he’d possess the “protagonist’s aura” like Zhang Wuji and survive the fall. Gathering his qi from his dantian, he unleashed the Wudang “Ladder-Cloud Leap,” frantically grabbing at any vines he could see before him,Unfortunately, as if fate were against him, that little rascal Xiao Zhao was clinging tightly to his waist. With the combined weight of the two of them, how could those withered vines possibly hold? “Thud…” A dull thud echoed, sending a cloud of dust flying. A soft, cushiony sensation washed over his chest. For Lu Renjia—a single guy in real life—this felt just like a fantasy come true, especially since Xiao Zhao in the movie *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Demon Cult Leader* was played by Qiu Shuzhen, that goddess of sex appeal. If it weren’t for the pain of his internal organs shifting out of place and his fractured ribs, Lu Renjia would have been in heaven. Lu Renjia, who had nearly passed out, gasped for breath as he surveyed his eerie surroundings. “Damn… I can’t even die like this. I’m set for life now…” Lu Renjia thought to himself. Xiao Zhao opened her eyes dazedly, and when she saw Zhang Wuji mere inches away, her pretty face flushed. “Oh… this servant is worthless—I’m lying on top of you, Young Master… Please forgive me…” As she spoke, Xiao Zhao scrambled to her feet, rolling and crawling off Lu Renjia’s body; her frantic struggle only made the atmosphere even more suggestive. Despite the pain in his internal organs, after all that commotion, little Lu Renjia’s manhood stubbornly rose to attention. Sensing the change in Lu Renjia, Xiao Zhao blushed even more. Although Lu Renjia was now a qualified user of the “Evil God System,” he couldn’t help but feel like a jilted lover who’d been left on the sidelines for over twenty years in the real world. Scratching his head awkwardly, Lu Renjia smiled and said, “Don’t keep calling me ‘Young Master’—I’m no ‘Young Master’… I’m just a third-generation disciple of the Wudang School who’s always been bullied…” “You’re too kind, Young Master. You’re the Eagle King’s grandson, while I’m just a maid of the Ming Sect… In my eyes, you are definitely a ‘Young Master’…” “Ah, call me whatever you like. Right now, we need to figure out how to get out of here… Damn it, I didn’t realize this cliff was so deep. I wonder if there’s a way out…” Lu Renjia waved his hand as if it didn’t matter, but in reality, his eyes were fixed intently on every movement around him—at the bottom of this cliff lived the Fire Monk, whose martial arts skills were only a hair’s breadth behind Zhang Sanfeng’s. Hadn’t Lu Renjia gone through all this trouble just to obtain the *Nine Yang Divine Art*? Although he hadn’t been struck by the *Xuanming Divine Palm* like Zhang Wuji had, Lu Renjia had already devised a plan before coming here. Looking at the pitch-black surroundings and unable to find a way out for the moment, Lu Renjia deliberately began to complain to Xiao Zhao, “Song Qingshu and Zhou Zhiruo deliberately plotted to frame me. Hmph… Isn’t it just because they’re afraid my Grandmaster will emerge from seclusion and pass the position of Wudang Sect Leader on to me? All these years, whether in martial arts or strategy, Song Qingshu has never been my match. This time, it must have been Zhou Zhiruo of the Emei Sect who came up with the idea! I really let my guard down… If I hadn’t been drugged by that intoxicating incense, I wouldn’t be in such a sorry state…” Hearing this, Xiao Zhao nodded thoughtfully. At first, when she saw Zhang Wuji being pinned to the ground by four Wudang disciples without any resistance, she had assumed he didn’t know martial arts—but it turned out he had simply been affected by the intoxicating incense. She couldn’t help but inwardly marvel at the power dynamics within such prestigious, orthodox sects as Wudang and Emei. Just then, a deep, hoarse voice rang out, “Hahahahaha… Zhang Sanfeng, you despicable, shameless scoundrel! Open your dog’s eyes and take a good look… Your own disciples and descendants are tearing each other apart over the position of Sect Leader! Hahahahaha… Karma, indeed…” “Who! Who dares to slander my Grandmaster! Come out…” Lu Renjia roared. “Rumble, rumble, rumble…” A sound like a train passing through a tunnel echoed, and a massive stone ball began rolling toward Lu Renjia and Xiao Zhao, bearing down on them. Lu Renjia, who had been waiting for this moment, grabbed Xiao Zhao’s arm, activated the Wudang “Tiyun Zong” technique, gathered his qi to leap upward, and soared past the slippery rock face to evade the oncoming threat. “Smack…” “Crack…” Two firecrackers exploded. Lu Renjia, who was already seriously injured, felt a sharp pain in his back as he was struck by a vine lashed with inner energy by the Fire Monk trapped inside the stone ball. “Boom…” Lu Renjia, who had once again crashed heavily to the ground, struggled to his feet. He glanced at the Firemaster Monk embedded in the stone sphere and muttered, “I was just saying… you didn’t have to actually roll out of there…” Xiao Zhao, terrified by the Firemaster’s terrifying appearance, cowered behind Lu Renjia. Feeling that soft, supple sensation against his back once more, Lu Renjia—a confirmed bachelor—felt an immense secret delight. “Hmph… Ignorant upstart. Even though Zhang Sanfeng is despicable and shameless, do you really think you can become the Grand Master of Wudang with your half-baked skills? You’re delusional!” the Firemaster Monk sneered as he appeared. After all, back in the day, the Firemaster Monk had lost to Zhang Sanfeng by just a single move—how could such a master fail to see that Lu Renjia was merely a second-rate martial artist? Lu Renjia put on a righteous air, ignoring the pain in his internal organs, and gritted his teeth as he shouted, “You old monster! I won’t let you slander my Grandmaster! My father, Zhang Cuishan, was the disciple my Grandmaster held in highest regard. If my father hadn’t died so young, how could Song Qingshu have ever held a candle to me? Hmph! Among the disciples of the three generations, his martial arts are no match for mine… his strategic acumen is no match for mine… If it weren’t for Zhou Zhiruo of the Emei Sect, how could he have defeated me?” Lu Renjia had carefully weighed these words for a long time. Since he hadn’t been struck by the Xuanming Divine Palm, the only way to persuade the Fire Monk to teach him the *Nine Yang Divine Art* was to earn the Fire Monk’s approval—and that approval stemmed from his refusal to admit defeat. After speaking, although Lu Renjia still wore a look of indignation on his face, deep down he was hoping that the Fire Monk, trapped inside the stone sphere, would speak up and engage him—otherwise, his leap off the cliff would have been for nothing. “How naive! In this world, heroes are judged solely by victory or defeat! Hahahaha… Zhang Wuji, you thought yourself exceptionally gifted, yet you never expected to be defeated by someone whose martial arts and strategic acumen are inferior to yours. Isn’t that infuriating? Do you want revenge? Just swear allegiance to me as your master… and I’ll teach you the Shaolin’s secret art, the *Nine Yang Divine Art*! Then you can storm Wudang… and kill your enemy with your own hands—wouldn’t that be even more satisfying?” Xiao Zhao watched Lu Renjia anxiously and hurriedly tugged at his sleeve, whispering a warning: “Young Master, please don’t fall for this old monster’s tricks… He definitely has ulterior motives…” “Don’t worry, I know. My Grandmaster has shown me boundless kindness… He raised me from childhood… Even if Song Qingshu and Zhou Zhiruo conspire to frame me, I could never betray Wudang…” Lu Renjia said solemnly. “Hmph! How old-fashioned! A true man living in this world must naturally settle scores with gusto! Do you really intend to just stand by and watch Song Qingshu—the very man who framed you—ascend to the throne of Wudang’s Grand Master? Hahahaha… I imagine that woman named Zhou Zhiruo must be quite beautiful, isn’t she? Since ancient times, even heroes have fallen for beautiful women! Though you can hardly be called a hero, the fact that you allowed Song Qingshu—a man whose martial arts and strategic skills are inferior to yours—to set you up… it seems you must truly love Zhou Zhiruo… Do you really intend to just stand here and watch Zhou Zhiruo become the wife of the Wudang Sect Leader?” Secretly delighted, Lu Renjia feigned a look of deep contemplation and hesitation, casually taking a step back. Seeing the young man before him lose his composure, the Fire Monk trapped inside the stone sphere grew even more emboldened and began to tempt him: “In this world, only the strong are worthy of beautiful women! You’re trapped here with no way out… So even if Song Qingshu’s martial arts aren’t as good as yours, now that he’s eliminated you—his rival—he’ll naturally become the one Zhang Sanfeng focuses on cultivating. By then, even if you manage to get out of here, Song Qingshu will likely have already become the Head of Wudang… By then, Zhou Zhiruo might even have had several children with him…Young man, what are you still hesitating about? Take me as your master… Once you’ve mastered the *Nine Yang Divine Art*, you’ll be able to storm Wudang… and kill Song Qingshu with your own hands… After you’ve killed Song Qingshu, won’t Zhou Zhiruo be your plaything?” “Senior, there’s no need to say more. Wuji will absolutely never betray Wudang… Even if I wanted revenge, I’d go out and find Song Qingshu fair and square!” Lu Renjia replied, clasping his hands in a bow. A savage grin spread across the grim face of the Fire Monk inside the stone sphere, and he thought to himself, “Calling me ‘Senior’? Hmph… Looks like the little guy’s already taken the bait…Ambitious, with a mind of his own… Although I lost to Zhang Sanfeng by a single move back then, it wasn’t because my *Nine Yang Divine Art* was inferior to his. If I’d cultivated the *Nine Yang Divine Art* while still a virgin, you certainly wouldn’t have been my match! Hmph, though I cannot defeat you, I’d be more than happy to see your self-satisfied Wudang Sect torn apart by internal strife…” “Don’t want to practice? You have no choice!!! The first level of the *Nine Yang Divine Art*—*Nine Yang Emerges*!!!” The Fire Monk roared, and the vines binding the stone ball transformed into a swarm of serpentine tendrils, wrapping themselves around Lu Renjia’s limbs. A surge of supremely vigorous and yang-oriented inner energy coursed through the vines into Lu Renjia’s body. Under the crushing force of this fierce and domineering energy, Lu Renjia—whose soul now occupied Song Qingshu’s body—could feel the originally upright and peaceful inner energy of the Wudang School being rapidly eroded and exhausted by this sudden onslaught. Although he secretly gloated at having achieved his goal, with this violent Nine Yang True Qi pouring into his body, Lu Renjia felt as if he were being roasted over a fire. “Aaaahhh… You old fart!!! I’d rather die than learn your bullshit *Nine Yang Divine Art*!!!” Lu Renjia deliberately shouted and cursed at the top of his lungs. “Hmph! If you won’t learn it, I’ll make you learn it anyway!!! Nine Yang Emerges! Meridians reverse… Power surges through the body…” The Fire Monk roared furiously, forcing the power of the first level of the *Nine Yang Divine Art* into his opponent’s body all at once. “The qualified candidate has obtained the E+ rank martial art *Nine Yang Divine Art*, First Level: The First Manifestation of the Nine Yang.” Hearing the “Evil God System’s” icy voice once more, Lu Renjia felt a pain so intense it was as if his very blood were burning—a sensation that brought him both agony and ecstasy.