Yu Di wandered out of the tunnel on his own. Head Servant Cui Ying was right. Under his weeks-long well trained eye for dirt, he could see there was a small film of dirt along the hallways. It seemed that Bai Feng was right about getting a unique chance in the sect. Yu Di cultivated, but not in the way she intended.

  There was a small section of the tunnel that had no dust though.

  Right above it was a large portrait of Sect Leader Gu Zi posing in a heroic pose there. He stood with his arms up, summoning green lightning to his left hand while his right pointed at the viewer. Yet below the portrait had a small area that was dust free.

  If Yu Di wasn’t looking, he wouldn’t have noticed it. He crouched low on the ground to examine the wall. He could hear a subtle blowing of air coming from the wall with his enhanced Immortal hearing.

  Could there be a hidden room behind that wall?

  Yu Di knocked on the wall and it sounded hollow. He knocked the wall all around and found the outline. It made a door shape the size of Yu Lin if she were standing up.

  Yu Di looked around to make sure no one was in the tunnel before kneeling down on the ground. He pushed at the wall until it shifted back. The door opened from the top, swinging upward to the ceiling.

  A hidden passageway? But to where? And more importantly, should Yu Di explore it in his current state?

  Yu Di knew about hidden passageways from his own adventures through other sects. Many of them led to great treasures.

  All of them had traps.

  Yu Di pulled back out and fixed the wall as best as he could. So now he had two mysteries to solve. How to break his curse and what hidden prizes did this weak sect have?

  At least this would be interesting. And here all he waited for was a mortal’s death.

  It took Yu Di the better part of the morning before he made it to the other side of the fortress and back to Bai Feng’s home. Again, he missed the ability to fly, but it gave him a lot of time to think.

  First off, he needed more protection from the people of this sect. Yu Di wasn’t sure of the average power scale in the sect, but if Bai Feng as an Inner Sect Disciple was only a few levels away from the sect leader, then all he needed to do was get her there or higher. And if she became an Elder, few people would mess with him as her personal servant.

  Second, he needed to build his daughter's cultivation base so that she could break through to the second realm. That way, even if he were to die, she would be set up for success in the future.

  Rivaling the demigod Emperor shouldn’t be that hard.

  Finally third, if he could somehow break this curse, then he wouldn’t have to worry about any of this. Yu Di would revert to being a demigod. No.

  He would become a demigod that was only half a step away from being a true god. Just a little bit more.

  Yu Di glanced at his jade tablet.

  Current Power: Realm 1, Stage 1, Level 1.1 (Qi condensation)

  Remaining Lifespan: 17 years, 11 months.

  Current Status: Cursed (0.6% lifted)

  Overall Power: Fourth Realm, End Stage, End Level

  Yu Di could already feel all those ideas and thoughts flooding into his mind about how to achieve that. And then it would only open even more opportunities to gain levels. Just thinking about it made him excited.

  Only there was a time limit now.

  “Hey Baba. Look at me!” Yu Lin was floating in the air on top of a large metal plate.

  Watching his daughter float like that, Yu Di completely forgot about his own cultivation. This was his daughter’s first time flying. He wasn’t there for when she learned to crawl, walk, or talk, but he would remember this for the rest of his life.

  “That is amazing, little Lin,” Yu Di said. “Where is Senior Bai?”

  Yu Lin landed hard on the ground and did a roll toward Yu Di. She stood up and pointed a short distance away.

  Elder Li was back, this time with a small group of other Elders also dressed in green tunics. Even from this distance, Yu Di could tell they were scolding her.

  Yu Di was torn. He wasn’t sure if he should approach them or not. On one hand, any of those Elders could easily kill him without a second thought. They might get reprimanded but he would be dead.

  Bai Feng looked like she was trying to shrink into her purple tunic. The Elders were all men, talking down to her.

  “Baba help her,” Yu Lin said. She grabbed his pants and shook them.

  Yu Di crouched down and took his daughter’s hand into his own.

  “What did your mother say when someone is bullying someone else?”

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  “You help the weak and fight for what’s right,” Yu Lin said with a wide smile.

  “That’s right.”

  Yu Di was probably going to regret this, but better to die a righteous example for his daughter than to live as a coward. At least, that’s what he told himself as he walked over.

  “Greetings Elders.” Yu Di walked ahead with his hands cupped and head bowed.

  “It’s a servant,” one Elder said.

  “It’s you again,” Elder Li said. “Come to play the hero?”

  “Oh, I dare not.” Yu Di stood beside Bai Feng, but slightly behind her. “We’re all in the same sect. What would you all be talking about that would require a hero?”

  Yu Lin walked over and stood behind her father. She hid behind his left leg, peeking out at the Elders.

  “This conversation is not for servants,” Elder Li said. “You two are dismissed.”

  “Oh, I apologize,” Yu Di said. “I came over not to interrupt your conversation but to tell Senior Bai something.”

  Elder Li frowned into a snarl.

  “Tell her and leave us.”

  Yu Di cupped his hands and bowed his head low.

  “I apologize again. What I have to tell Senior Bai is of a very personal nature.”

  “I told you they were having a relationship, Senior Li,” one of the other Elders said.

  “No, they’re not.” Elder Li’s eyes narrowed. “Not only would that be inappropriate, Bai Feng has told me differently. And if she wasn’t so stubborn and joined us, then she wouldn’t have to push so hard to become an Elder.”

  Bai Feng frowned, her eyes never leaving Elder Li.

  “I’ve told you many times in the past, Elder Li. I don’t wish to join any faction in the sect.”

  “Yet you’re trying to create your own faction now, after all these years?” Elder Li scoffed.

  “I have my reasons. Please leave me alone.”

  Yu Di didn’t like the tension going on between the two. It felt like there was something more, but he was new here. He didn’t want to assume anything.

  “Baba, help her,” Yu Lin said, pulling Yu Di’s pants.

  That little girl is going to be the death of Yu Di, literally. Not only that, she almost pulled his pants off. Fine, if they die, at least they’d die together.

  Yu Di cupped his hands toward the Elders. Immediately, the Elders tracked his hands with their eyes.

  “Esteemed Elders, I know that this lowly servant’s words mean nothing to those of your station, but would it be possible to give a pass to Senior Bai for today? The personal news I have to tell her is from the Sect Leader himself and—”

  “You lie,” Elder Li said. “Lying to not just one Elder, but three, is punishable by death.”

  Yu Di took a step back. Here we go.

  The problem for Yu Di was that his senses and reactions were still at the level of a demigod. Watching this kid throw a punch at him so slowly with such pitiful force reminded him of all the times Yu Lin threw punches at him like a baby. The challenge was taking said punch without dying. He didn’t have the Qi to reinforce his body to absorb the blow or to enhance the speed of his body without breaking it down by using his full power.

  Yu Di shifted himself as much as he could in front of his daughter, though. Even if they were going to die from this, there was no way the punch would go through and hurt his daughter.

  Bai Feng stepped in and stopped Elder Li’s punch with her fist. When they collided, Elder Li was pushed back.

  “You dare stop an Elder from performing their duty for the sect?” Elder Li said.

  Bai Feng cupped her hands.

  “I mean no disrespect, but death seems harsh for such a minor infraction. Even if he were to be punished, shouldn’t the truth be verified first?”

  “No. He lies. Everyone knows the sect leader doesn’t interfere with the sect, isn’t that right?” Elder Li turned toward his fellow Elders.

  The other Elders nodded.

  “So if this filth dares to use the sect leader’s name to bewilder us, then he’s a traitor and deserves death.”

  Yu Di shrank back another few steps, carefully pushing Yu Lin behind him as much as he could. He really missed the peaceful village. But honestly, what he really wished for were all his protective items back in that village.

  Why did he bother staying again?

  Bai Feng stood in front of Yu Di and took up a defensive stance. Her fists raised in front of her and her legs apart.

  “You’re going to stop us?” Elder Li asked.

  “If I have to,” Bai Feng said.

  “Fine. Kill the servants, but leave Bai Feng alive.”

  The other Elders didn’t move. Elder Li looked back.

  “Why aren’t you attacking?”

  “We don’t want to make this into such a big thing,” one Elder said.

  “Fine, I’ll take on Bai Feng if you’re scared,” Elder Li said. “The least you two could do is kill two people in the Qi condensation level.”

  Bai Feng’s Qi flared when she heard that. The Qi rolling off her body pushed against Yu Di in a wave.

  “Core formation?” the other Elder said.

  Yu Di checked the cultivation of the other two Elders. Now that they thought he was an enemy, there was no reason to be polite. They were at the middle stages of Foundation Establishment, while Elder Li was at the end stage of Foundation Establishment.

  How did an inner sect disciple outclass these Elders?

  It all made sense to Yu Di now. That’s how Bai Feng abstained from joining any of their factions. Most disciples would be bullied until they joined.

  “With the three of us here, she can’t protect those two and fight us,” Elder Li said. “And if you two don’t help, I’ll tell the grand elder your secret.”

  The two Elders looked at each other before assuming an offensive stance.

  “We’re not fighting Bai Feng, so you better take care of it, Senior Li,” one Elder said.

  “I’ll keep her away from you guys for at least—”

  Bai Feng burst forward with her fists, changing from a defensive stance to an aggressive one. Her fists connected with one of the Elders’ chest while the other blocked with both hands. She pulled back and did a turn as she raised her leg to do a high kick at Elder Li’s face.

  Elder Li blocked with his hand, holding her feet in place.

  Bai Feng twisted her body, using Elder Li’s hold as an anchor before bringing down her other leg on his head.

  Elder Li pushed Bai Feng away and took three steps back toward the other two Elders.

  This all happened within a second, but it all felt so slow to Yu Di. Like watching children play fight.

  “Baba, that man is a bad man.” Yu Lin pointed at Elder Li. “Help auntie Bai.”

  Elder Li narrowed his eyes at Yu Lin.

  “The child dies first.”

  The two other Elders realized that they were in an actual fight with Bai Feng now and didn’t hold back. They followed Elder Li’s orders and surged toward Yu Lin.

  “I don’t think so,” Yu Di mumbled. What he was about to do was going to take at least two years off his life, but it was worth it. He flared his Qi.

  Curse unlocked: 0.4% lifted.

  Yu Di was about to wipe these Elders from this country's history.

  STOP!