Chapter 2311

Elder Chu suffered the loss of three disciples, and his own body bore several new blood wounds, the result of the Spider Queen's passionate embrace, with a bloodstain also near his temple, nearly gouging out his eye.

Liu Qingdao watched him and sighed: "Elder Chu, how did it come to this?"

Elder Chu glared at him, his eyes still bloodshot: "You killed Old Xu, so of course we must avenge him!"

Elder Xu and he had shared several thousand years of sect fellowship, surpassing even brotherly bonds.

"You have been deceived; the one who plotted Elder Xu's murder is someone else. He impersonated Tang Jingye, inciting you to attack Weian City, forcing Cangyan to intervene."

Yuan Xilin stopped in shock: "You, you say what?"

Liu Qingdao then briefly explained the incident in Weian City, and added: "Elder Xu's disciples are all witnesses; you can question them personally in a moment."

He then produced a piece of soul-wood from his bosom: "Elder Xu's soul and spirit remain preserved within the soul-wood, merely exhausted into slumber. When he awakens, you may converse with him."

Yuan Xilin took the soul-wood, probed it with his divine sense, inspected it, and then nodded to Elder Chu:

"It is him!"

Liu Qingdao spoke so candidly precisely because he feared no confrontation. Yuan Xilin and Elder Chu's hostility greatly diminished; they exchanged a glance, both feeling relieved.

Qixia Sect had been in seclusion for over a century, finally awaiting the revival of spiritual energy, only to suffer this heavy blow upon emerging.

What further puzzled them was that the human state occupying this land had become so powerful that even the ancient Xian Sect could be easily subdued.

Having maintained its Dao lineage for several thousand years, what now lies ahead for Qixia Sect?

Liu Qingdao understood the bewilderment in their eyes.

In fact, in recent years, the xian sects and great demons emerging from seclusion have often been thus lost and directionless.

This world has changed too rapidly.

Yet this pain and disparity must ultimately be tasted and resolved by them themselves.

Yuan Xilin then asked Liu Qingdao: "How will the Bingyuan Sect dispose of Qixia Sect?"

"Before our war, Qixia Sect still had three viable options." Liu Qingdao said solemnly, "At that time, we did not wish Qixia Sect to follow the script designed by those behind the scenes, to disturb Weian City—alas..."

He glanced at the soul-wood in Yuan Xilin's hand: "Now the bitter fruit has ripened; fortunately, Weian City suffered no major casualties, so Qixia Sect still has one path open: to join Cangyan and serve the Nine Abysses Great Emperor!"

Having come to this, Qixia Sect no longer has the luxury of willfulness, and Yuan Xilin can utter no words of carefree detachment from worldly affairs; he can only remain silent.

Suddenly, several bolts of lightning flashed across the sky, light and shadow shifting, the surroundings either blazing like midday or darker than midnight.

Soon, fine rain threads drifted onto their faces.

Elder Chu raised his head, slightly surprised: "Have we left the small world?"

"Yes." Passing through the pitch-black forest, Liu Qingdao pointed forward: "That is the true Weian City."

Before them suddenly opened up—a scene of brilliant lights already quite familiar to the Qixia Sect people.

It turned out they had been wandering about, all along on the half-slope of the countryside, still more than ten li from Weian City.

Yuan Xian turned his head and could not help but let out a low grunt.

With the aid of the lightning's light, from here one could still see the waterfall of Butterfly Gully.

"Truly a clever method—we did not even know when we entered or left the small world." Their earlier unawareness of having entered the small world was somewhat understandable, after all, the scheme had been laid in advance; but now, having emerged, they felt nothing at all, utterly unaware where the entrance lay.

This is somewhat frightening.

"Cangyan gathers extraordinary talents and rare treasures from across the world, and in magical arts, divine abilities, magical implements, and formations, it also has many innovative connections. Their application in warfare, even I find novel." Liu Qingdao said this not to boast: "Sect Master Yuan, having dwelt long in Cangyan, will naturally come to know."

The state is vast, its able men many—where could Qixia Sect, with its mere dozens, possibly compare?

Yuan Xilin could only say: "Let us wait and see."

Great states have many stratagems; our side truly finds it hard to resist—even a single illusion lets them play it to perfection. Thus, the Qixia Sect members finally came to be convinced both in heart and in mouth.

Times have truly changed.

Liu Qingdao then said:

"I have a question I wish to ask Sect Master Yuan for an answer."

"Please speak."

"You have only just emerged from seclusion, yet you dispatched the Heavenly Centipede to raid the Xuanyue Crystal mines and warehouses at Tongyue Town and elsewhere." Liu Qingdao raised a finger: "How could Qixia Sect know these locations?"

The crystal warehouses are relatively hidden, certainly not openly signed at the gate. Not to mention Qixia Sect's over-a-century seclusion—even merchants who regularly traverse the western Flashing Gold Plains would not necessarily know their whereabouts.

As for the mines and military garrisons, needless to say—only the discerning would notice them.

After a few breaths, Yuan Xilin then said: "My old friend from before had already emerged; I sent him a flying message inquiring about current affairs. He said, the crystal veins on this land all belong to Cangyan, and this state is unfriendly toward xian sects. I asked him about the crystal mine locations, and he also gave them to me."

Whenever a xian sect returns to the mortal realm, the urgent task is always to gather crystals. Since the landlord Cangyan treats xian sects poorly, why should Qixia Sect smile and welcome it? Better to act on one's own to attain abundance.

Compared to Beka and Mu State, Cangyan's treatment of xian sects and demon immortals is indeed not worthy of a swept mat welcome, and it does not allow them to set up spirit-gathering grand formations, nor to demarcate and govern land.

For example, the Baoshu Fan Yao State recently welcomed two great xian sects, both ancient in origin and possessing several great immortals of profound magic power. To show sincerity, the Baoshu King specially demarcated four commanderies as the "Immortal Cities" for the two great xian sects, not only letting them enjoy the rich yields of those commanderies, but also granting them certain administrative authority locally. Such treatment is certainly not enjoyed by every force pledging allegiance to Beka, but this very favor serves as a benchmark, capable of attracting great and small xian sects and scattered immortals.

Cangyan will not grant such treatment, nor even permit xian sects and great demons to harass or enslave the populace. For these extraordinary powers, is Cangyan not simply of ill disposition?

Of course, Cangyan also has its own strengths—this need not be mentioned.

Liu Qingdao raised an eyebrow: "Your former Dao companion?"

He detected the evasiveness in Yuan Xilin's words, just unwilling to directly name names and betray friends.

Yuan Xilin sighed: "You and I are both remnants of antiquity; who still lacks a few old friends from before?"

"Your old friend, will he not be in the Lingshan?" Liu Qingdao gave a faint smirk, "He pushed you onto the wind and wave's crest, yet you still conceal for him?"

Yuan Xilin remained silent.

After all, he was the one who first asked, and the other answered; now how could it be proper to betray him?

Seeing him keep his mouth tightly shut, Liu Qingdao did not press further. The distribution of the Xuanyue Crystal caves in the western Flashing Gold Plains is hardly a military secret; a determined person, with some effort, can still obtain them. Moreover, there is this background: in recent years, the xian sects and great demons newly entering the world have been causing trouble in Cangyan, and the Bingyuan Sect often discovers behind them the shadow of Lingshan's instigation.

(End of Chapter)