Path of the Sect Leader

Chapter 109: Believe It or Not

Bai Muhan floated the idea: a shop in the Artifact Talisman Alliance specialized in custom arrays—tailored to a sect's terrain, spirit veins, the works. Worth checking.

Qi Xiu shot it down. Huang Shao'neng's betrayal still stung; that nameless Third too. Registered cultivators, even inner disciples, turning to robbery? Trust their work on something as vital as a mountain array? One hidden backdoor, and the sect crumbled. He mulled it hard—safer to hunt auctions himself.

Plan shifted: snag the goods, head straight to Immortal Grove Hollow. Different paths from the others.

He crouched to Yue'er's level, slipping her the treats and trinkets he'd quietly gathered along the way. Some for Wei Minniang too—awkward direct now. Kid courier it was.

Ruffled her hair, murmured the usual: listen to Mama back home.

Zhan Yuan and Bai Muhan to escort the ladies to Black River Peak.

"Wait for you? Grab the stuff together?"

Bai Muhan offered polite.

Qi Xiu waved it off. "No need."

He and Zhan Yuan skipped empty courtesies. Zhan Yuan nudged his wife. "Come on. Home calls. No fluff with the sect leader."

She pinched him sneaky, looped arms with Wei Minniang—farewells warm.

"You take Yue'er ahead..." Wei Minniang's cheeks tinted sudden, voice barely there. "Bought gifts. Heading to the mountain capital. Owe favors—from last time, helping the Kan clan relocate."

Zhan Yuan's eyes darted between them, grin flashing. "Perfect!"

Bai Muhan scooped Yue'er quick, hustled her husband along.

Mama ditching? Yue'er wailed, squirming. "Want Mama! Mama come!"

"Pigfish skewers... or Mama?"

Kid froze. Thought hard. Buried face in Bai Muhan's shoulder—couldn't meet her mother's eyes.

"Food over everything..."

Wei Minniang watched them fade, soft smile laced with mock scold.

Qi Xiu blinked—unexpected company. Joy sparked, confusion too. Alone together abrupt; words tangled.

"Uh... come with? Shop first, then mountain capital together?"

"Mm."

She fell in step behind, light as her voice—toward the city's premier auction house.

"Kan clan thing... thanks. And last time—sharp tongue. Sorry. You mind?"

He led, her footfalls faint echo. Long pause to find the opener.

"Muhan explained later—your ties to Kan Lin. Calling you power-chaser? Out of line. My bad too."

Apologies traded, conversation dried. Silence returned.

Auction early—they wandered shops meantime.

Wei Minniang noted his occasional grabs: fate tomes, divination manuals. Curiosity tilted her head. "Into this stuff?"

"Heart of it? Nah." He laid out the Fortune Steering Art—skipped Chu family shadows clean. "Started with Yellow Court classics, Eternal Spring methods. Divination? Blind spot. Grinding basics now—diligence over talent."

She chuckled light. "Fortune steering... bold name. Wonder if anything truly bends luck, dodges calamity. Master that? Dao's just side dish."

"Yeah. Smooth sails everywhere—no corner of the world off-limits."

He nodded rueful. "This art? Probably tops at crude tricks. Fits my natal, sure—but brutal steep. Shallow roots don't help."

Both mid-Qi Refining—cultivation talk flowed easy. Her divination edged sharper; advice landed solid, practical.

Curious, he probed why.

Bitter smile twisted. "Sent back to Wei... shared quarters with a mortal sister-in-law. Both husbands dead tragic—blamed widow's curse. Obsessed signs, gods. I pinned my messes on fate too. Dove in with her. Never cracked my own puzzles—but devoured the books."

"Makes sense."

Hard luck bred that outlook. Qi Xiu sighed. "What's fated comes eventual—still puzzles me. Daoists: flow with heaven, people; luck follows. Outsiders: defy sky, seize fortunes. Buddhists: sow causes, reap effects—merit builds luck. Paths clash, yet great ones rise plenty. Believe fate... or spit on it?"

Wei leaned outsider vein. "Nothing fated? Don't force. But if no forcing—those extra centuries from Foundation, Golden Core? Where from? Dao purists shunning pills for breakthrough? Rare. Old homeland had Buddhist sects—pretty words, but markets, trade for sect coffers same. All wrestling heaven for scraps. Believe? Exists. Don't? Gone."

"So my fortune art..."

Her words rang partial true. Post-token toss from Qin Siyan, he'd leaned toward guided fate—puppeteered subtle. Doubt crept now.

"Practice'll tell."

She spotted his knot, steered gentle—guard his Dao heart.

"Yeah..."

Bitter chuckle. Qi Refining sixth layer—needed this path for bigger horizons. Overthinking wasted qi. Let it go.

Closeness grew quiet, unspoken.

Auction time—they entered side by side. Mid-scale affair, options slim.

Consulted quick: snapped a second-tier low-grade Hunyuan Heavy Earth Array. Defense beast, bogged enemy qi flow, self-sustained on minor veins. Solid enough.

Goods bagged, boarded beast-drawn ship to the mountain capital. Qi Xiu booked two modest cabins—separate.

Outlay heavy this trip? He tallied rough: fifty third-tier stones gone. Wang clan's century hoard—quarter vaporized one jaunt.

At her door: "Spent plenty, huh? That third-tier shuttle cabins—steep. These buys too."

"Arrays, forging arts—sect foundations. Spend where it counts. Zhan Yuan couple's wedding skimped—no skimping their fun."

"Oh? Thought buttering us up—mother and daughter."

Smile bloomed teasing. She slipped inside, door clicked shut.

Qi Xiu lingered hallway dumb, replaying the words, that heart-snaring curve of lips.