Chapter 769

The next morning, He Lingchuan went up the mountain to meet Elder Dao again. This time, Dong Rui and Zhu Xiuer did not follow but went to stroll in the town at the foot of the mountain, giving He Lingchuan some space for a private conversation.

Unexpectedly, there was another person there, looking under fifty, with slightly graying temples and beard, and a transcendent demeanor.

When Elder Dao stood beside him, he looked too old.

"This is our Sect Master Xue."

The Sect Master of the Mount Rong Sect came to see him in person? He Lingchuan was startled and stepped forward to perform the junior's salute.

Sect Master Xue supported him with a gesture and said with a smile: "You are too polite, no need for formalities."

He had, of course, already heard Elder Dao's account, and at this moment, he looked He Lingchuan up and down, not sparing his praise: "A hero emerges from youth; good, good, excellent."

He and Elder Dao had already deliberated, and Elder Dao asked He Lingchuan:

"Sect Master Xue and I, as well as Songyuan, are all people of the Lingshan. Does Young Master He know what 'Lingshan' means?"

The contact code Fang Canran gave mentioned "Lingshan," and He Lingchuan guessed this was the name of an organization. And when he was escaping the pursuit of Baizhantian in Mount Xu, he had passed under the Tree of Asking and heard ten thousand leaves and a thousand voices.

It was as if countless people were paying attention to him and exhorting him, but the two words He Lingchuan heard most clearly were:

"Lingshan!"

Was it the Tree of Asking, the Wood Spirit Venerable, or other predecessors of the Great Return Sect who had passed away under the tree who had spoken this name to him?

He had asked Zhu Xiuer later, but this spider demon of several thousand years also didn't know where "Lingshan" was.

In ancient times, there were Spirit Mountains everywhere in the world; no single mountain was specifically named this way.

Later? He hadn't heard of it later either.

Therefore, He Lingchuan hesitated before saying: "I seem to have heard of it, but I don't know its depth."

"Lingshan is deeply hidden, and the world does not know it. For Young Master He to have heard of it, you are no ordinary person." Sect Master Xue smiled, "Since you came with Songyuan's token, we shall be open and honest with you."

Since they wanted to win him over, the first step was to show sincerity.

Besides, the major events He Lingchuan and the others had accomplished were worthy of the Mount Rong Sect's attention.

He Lingchuan was solemn: "Please, Sect Master Xue, enlighten me."

This solemnity was to show respect to the forces behind Sect Master Xue, Elder Dao, and Fang Canran.

The encounters in Beijia and the actions in Lingxu City had deeply warned him: one cannot accomplish things alone.

If not for the strong cooperation of Li Qingge and Fang Canran, his Mount Xu plan would never have succeeded.

While offending Beijia, he had also become more deeply linked with the organization behind Fang Canran; this was not something that could be shifted by his will.

They very likely had common goals and common demands.

After leaving Lingxu City, He Lingchuan had been pondering repeatedly. Reason told him that facing a behemoth like Beijia, he could not fight alone.

Likewise, Lingxu City would also view the two of them as one—

both were enemies that Beijia should slap to death.

"Lingshan is not a specific mountain range, but a code name. Those of us who are like-minded, like us and Songyuan, all call ourselves people of the Lingshan."

He Lingchuan understood; the organization behind them was called "Lingshan."

"Not a single sect or faction?"

"Not a single sect or faction." Sect Master Xue said softly, "Some are Daoist hermits, some are officials in the imperial court, and even—"

He paused: "There are even ancient immortals!"

These last four words were the heavy hitter. However, he did not see much surprise on He Lingchuan's face; the young man just nodded vigorously: "As expected!"

"As expected?"

"Before we evacuated, we saw a huge green bird summon a wind tornado, ravaging Lingxu City. That was at least the level of a semi-immortal or higher."

From that moment on, He Lingchuan knew that the organization behind Fang Canran was very likely related to immortals.

Specifically mobilizing the green bird at this time was also to announce to Lingxu City, to the Tiangong, and to the world:

The immortals have returned.

Elder Dao said "Oh": "That is Lord Du Feng, who fought against the Heavenly Demons in ancient times. The great demon Chifeng is its descendant."

He Lingchuan remembered that Chifeng had died in Lingxu City; it seemed the green bird was avenging its offspring.

"In short, our manpower is spread all over the world. If Young Master He has the same goals as us, we can cooperate sincerely in the future."

He Lingchuan was straightforward: "May I ask, what is the goal of 'Lingshan'?"

"Resist the Heavenly Demons, revive the spiritual energy!" Elder Dao said in a deep voice, "As long as the Heavenly Demons wreak havoc in the world, neither you nor I will have a way out."

He Lingchuan understood that "you and I" referred to practitioners.

If they didn't stop the Heavenly Demons from seizing the Yin energy, the practitioners in the human world would only be able to move closer to mortals step by step, and there would be no more path to the heavens.

"Then where have the immortals been for these three thousand years?"

This was not just He Lingchuan's question, but also that of all living beings in the world.

Elder Dao let out a breath: "I can only say that they are where they should be."

He Lingchuan hid his true emotions: "Now they intend to enter the world again?"

"The thoughts of the immortals are unfathomable." Sect Master Xue narrowed his eyes slightly, "However, Lingxu City suffering such a change is great news for the people of the world, and also great news for the war in the east."

That was right; Beijia was still at war with the Mu Nation in the east. The news of the Lingxu City turmoil spreading to the front line would certainly have a reciprocal effect on the morale of both armies, and might even change the commanders' decisions.

It also let the people of the world know that Beijia was not as invincible as it boasted, and that no one dared to offend it.

"What happened to Lingxu City?" Several months had passed since He Lingchuan caused a scene in the Tiangong, and he was very curious: how did Lingxu City clean up the mess? "And Zu Ju, that big fire man."

"On the night of the riot, Lingxu City was littered with casualties. The official death toll given was nine thousand, but judging by Lingxu City's style, we expect the real number to be more than four times that; in addition, there were over four thousand missing." Elder Dao said, "Looking at Lingxu City alone, the official and civilian losses were probably eighty million taels (about 80 billion coins)."

Missing meant they couldn't be found; perfectly healthy living people just vanished into thin air.

He Lingchuan raised his eyebrows: "Only eighty million taels?"

Lingxu City had a permanent population of eight million; for forty or fifty thousand people to die was already very terrifying, and this wasn't wartime.

He Lingchuan still had vivid memories of the chaotic scene on the night of the Lingxu riot.

Amidst the fire and under the iron hooves, how many civilians were crying out in agony, how many families were torn apart?

But the total amount of loss in the city was not that shocking.

"Most of the dead were just civilians and merchants, and most of what was destroyed were ordinary residential houses. The families of the powerful and wealthy were basically unharmed; the only exception was Tiantongdao. Lei Qing's beast herd rushed into Tiantongdao through the Jinghong Ferry, destroying half of this island, and the Ke family suffered the greatest losses." Elder Dao stroked his long beard, "Of these eighty million in losses, the Ke family accounted for at least one-tenth, and more than forty Ke family members died, including the most valued fifth son of the Ke family—Ke Yanjing."

(End of chapter)