Chapter 136: Bai Wuji is Xiao Zhangqing? How could that be!

The Character: Liyang Guard's reserve members are many, numbering as many as two to three thousand.

But although reserve members have a certain status and can leverage part of the Character: Liyang Guard's name, they hold little weight in the eyes of the Character: Liyang Zhenren City's higher-ups.

Because reserve members are merely potential Late Stage of Lian Qi cultivators; after successfully establishing the Foundation and passing an assessment, they can formally become members of the Character: Liyang Guard!

Of course, for small families and Scattered Cultivators, becoming a reserve member of the Character: Liyang Guard is a tremendous boon.

Since Late Stage of Lian Qi cultivators are at the bottom tier in Character: Liyang Zhenren City and find it hard to stand out, becoming a reserve member of the Character: Liyang Guard at least provides a nominal backing; even generally weak Foundation cultivators will give you some face.

Moreover, as long as one achieves great merit in various actions or displays sufficient talent, one hopes to obtain a Foundation Pill and eventually be promoted to a true Character: Liyang Guard! Once officially becoming a Character: Liyang Guard, one's status is no worse than that of a guest minister of the ten great families! As for becoming one of the six battalion commanders of the Character: Liyang Guard, that is akin to becoming a disciple directly under Character: Liyang Zhenren, almost equivalent to being a personally transmitted disciple! Moreover, its significance even surpasses that of some less favored, less promising personally transmitted disciples.

For example, Yue Feng, who previously recruited Xiao Zhangqing, does not rank much higher than a Character: Liyang Guard captain.

Thus, even the heads of the ten great families, or the Fake Core True Person, dare not easily move against a Character: Liyang Guard captain! "Brother Gu, you hold the Hundred Dao Companions in such high regard? Even… even if his Soul Transformation is strong, comparable to a late-stage Foundation cultivator. Yet even a late-stage Foundation cultivator, let alone a fully mature Foundation cultivator, finds it very difficult to become a Character: Liyang Guard captain; it requires numerous assessments," Zhu Xiaochuan said with mixed feelings.

He is not jealous of Xiao Zhangqing, nor does he resent a brother doing well.

He simply cannot understand, cannot fathom the purpose behind Gu Zongyuan's actions.

Suddenly.

He recalled that the outside world always compares Gu Zongyuan with Song Changning, debating which of the two is the top Foundation Establishment talent of Character: Liyang Zhenren City, who will be the first to form a Golden Core…

Could it be that Brother Gu simply opposes Song Changning, thus extending a helping hand to the Hundred Dao Companions? Especially kind? Yet, based on his years of knowledge of Gu Zongyuan, he is not the type to break rules without principle for a petty rivalry.

Gu Zongyuan indeed commands the Character: Liyang Guard, but that stems from his master Character: Liyang Zhenren's trust in him; it does not mean the Character: Liyang Guard is his private bodyguard that he can arrange at will.

Promoting a cultivator whose qualifications are wholly mismatched and whose cultivation far below the average standard of Character: Liyang Guard captains to become a captain would not be such a childish act.

"In any case, just ask Brother Zhu to convey this for me. Right now, Bai Wuji is being watched by the Blood Crow True Person and the Song family, so it's inconvenient for me to appear personally at this moment. But if Bai Wuji were to come to the City Lord's residence himself and seek to join the Character: Liyang Guard, they would have no grounds to object," Gu Zongyuan said.

His intention to promote Xiao Zhangqing to Character: Liyang Guard captain is obviously not solely because of the rivalry with Song Changning.

Besides, he believes Xiao Zhangqing's strength may not be as simple as it appears, and there are also conflicting interests.

The Song family and the Blood Crow True Person, together, control a huge slice of the pie, making others envious; many in Character: Liyang Zhenren City want a share.

Gu Zongyuan is no exception.

Gu Zongyuan's own Condensing True Pill is nearly ready; after all, with master Character: Liyang Zhenren backing him, he indeed has an advantage in this regard.

Which cultivator would despise having many Spirit Stones? Moreover, he also has a group of subordinates 'crying for nourishment' behind him.

……

……

Jiang Jiyue, after trying to get her father to help her close friend Mu Chunfeng intervene again and being rebuffed by the Song family when seeking an explanation, has been feeling down these past few days.

She feels constantly uneasy inside.

Although she has already done her best and cannot think of any other way, she still feels somewhat guilty toward Mu Chunfeng.

This helplessness forces her to watch her best friend being bullied, having to leave the bustling immortal city she barely crossed mountains and rivers to reach, which pains her deeply.

However.

Today she finally heard some good news.

That wayward son of a noble, who leans on his uncle being a Golden Core True Person, He Yuan, was severely injured by someone and nearly lost his life!

Now the Blood Crow True Person is temporarily inactive, but He Yuan's even more overbearing and unreasonable fiancée, Song Ping'er, has begun having the Song family investigate the other party's background, looking as if she intends to avenge her fiancé.

This matter has not yet settled, and the final outcome remains unknown for now.

But He Yuan, the chief culprit who forced Mu Chunfeng to leave Character: Liyang Zhenren City, took a huge loss and nearly lost his life, which is a tremendous piece of good news.

This matter currently circulates only among the upper echelons of Character: Liyang Zhenren City, meaning only core members of the ten great families know of it.

Ordinary Foundation cultivators are all unaware of it.

Thus Mu Chunfeng certainly does not know yet.

Jiang Jiyue hurriedly brings this news over to share with Mu Chunfeng.

Indeed, although Mu Chunfeng is forced by circumstances and has already decided to leave Character: Liyang Zhenren City after witnessing the auction, she harbors no thoughts of revenge or injustice in her heart.

But upon hearing that He Yuan suffered a huge loss and nearly lost his life, her gaze turned cold.

These years, her once bright eyes, full of hope for the immortal path, have been worn down by a series of events, leaving her exhausted and stripped of her original expression.

In these years in Character: Liyang Zhenren City, Jiang Jiyue has rarely seen Mu Chunfeng laugh so sincerely from the heart.

Outsiders find it hard to understand; back then, at Nanshan Fang, she was hailed as the Heaven's Pride Girl and pursued by countless suitors, and the Mu family was the head of the four great families, yet gradually fell to near extinction, needing her to shoulder the main burden and lead the remaining clan members to struggle for survival in Character: Liyang Zhenren City.

Adding the Foundation failure, Mu Chunfeng's inner torment is indescribable.

Even to her best confidante Jiang Jiyue, she cannot confide.

"How… did you manage to survive?" Mu Chunfeng said with a smile and regret.

Jiang Jiyue also chuckled, "I heard that although He Yuan didn't die, his Soul Transformation is severely injured; even his uncle the Blood Crow True Person and the Song family cannot heal him. Now he suffers immense torment daily—he can't even sleep, let alone cultivate. He goes to the brothels not to seek those seductive cultivators but to listen to qin music for healing…"

Mu Chunfeng, upon hearing that, couldn't help but happily drink two more cups of Spirit Wine.

This matter truly deserves to be aired publicly.

After a while.

Suddenly, Mu Chunfeng asked, "Jiyue, what is the name of the Foundation cultivator who severely injured He Yuan? Did he not know He Yuan's identity before acting?"

Jiang Jiyue exclaimed, "Of course! That's the baffling part. This person is named Bai Wuji, whose Soul Transformation is exceptionally strong, at least at the late-stage Foundation level, so he easily beat He Yuan. Yet, even knowing that He Yuan is the Blood Crow True Person's nephew, he showed no mercy, which is astonishing. Moreover, after the Song family's investigation, this person has no notable background or lineage; he comes from a small place, and now the Song family should soon act to avenge He Yuan."

At this point, Jiang Jiyue felt a bit regretful. Although they were very pleased that He Yuan almost lost his life, they also felt sorrow and worry for this 'warrior.'

Having suffered such a huge loss, He Yuan will certainly not be able to withstand the Song family's and Blood Crow True Person's retaliation.

The entire Character: Liyang Zhenren City, even the core scions of the ten great families, probably cannot.

Only the City Lord's residence or the Character: Liyang Guard can bear this wrath.

"Bai Wuji?"

Mu Chunfeng was startled by the name, her eyebrows slightly furrowing.

The name seemed somewhat familiar to her, a vague impression! "I think I've heard this name somewhere."

Mu Chunfeng thought seriously for a moment, then said uncertainly.

"Chunfeng, have you heard of him?" Jiang Jiyue was also stunned and said, "Probably not. This Bai Wuji seems to have arrived at Character: Liyang Zhenren City only a few months ago, usually keeps to himself, because he also appears to be a Symbol Master; he either cultivates or draws talismans."

"Symbol Master? Drawing talismans?" In an instant, Mu Chunfeng, who had no thoughts before, felt her mind struck by a flash of lightning, causing her to recall some memories and form some conjectures.

But she wasn't sure, so she quickly asked, "Jiyue, do you know why He Yuan has a conflict with this Bai Wuji?"

Jiang Jiyue pondered, "It seems that Bai Wuji has two concubines, extremely beautiful, which made He Yuan, a lecher, itch with desire, so he threatened Bai Wuji to hand over the concubines. As a result, Bai Wuji acted without hesitation, disregarding He Yuan's uncle's face, and severely injured him."

Two beautiful concubines! The speculation that Chunfeng was uncertain about suddenly seemed even more plausible!

"Jiyue, it's possible… I really know who this Bai Wuji is…" Mu Chunfeng didn't know why, her voice trembling.

Jiang Jiyue, puzzled, asked, "You really… know? Chunfeng, where have you seen him?"

Mu Chunfeng took a deep breath, then looked at Jiang Jiyue seriously and said, "I know what I'm saying might sound far‑fetched, but it's definitely not baseless!"

"Oh dear…" Jiang Jiyue impatiently said, "Just tell me, I will definitely believe you!"

After a moment of contemplation, Mu Chunfeng gave a startling answer, "Bai Wuji, I think it could be Xiao Zhangqing! Yes, the Xiao Zhangqing from our Nanshan Fang!"

"Wow!" Jiang Jiyue, who had just said she'd definitely believe, involuntarily widened her eyes and opened her mouth in disbelief, "How could that be possible?"

"I knew you'd react like that." Mu Chunfeng shook her head, but said firmly, "But I trust my judgment. Because the name Bai Wuji, after you and Shopkeeper Hong left, I had heard that name in Nanshan Fang…"

And so.

Mu Chunfeng began to slowly recount some of the things she had concealed back then.

In those years, after Shopkeeper Hong left Nanshan Fang, the Luoxia Sect dispatched a new manager, Zhou Zhangkong, to oversee the Lingfu Pavilion.

After the new manager arrived at Nanshan Fang, he vigorously tightened the production efficiency of the Lingfu Pavilion and strictly prohibited the Symbol Masters there from earning side income; for this, he harshly punished several Symbol Masters who secretly drew talismans and sold them privately.

However.

Zhou Zhangkong investigated for a long time, yet there was always a Symbol Master who covertly sold Talisman Scripts to a Symbol Master of the Cao family, one of the four major Foundation‑building families, and was never caught.

Through Zhou Zhangkong's investigation, he only found a 'white glove' of that mysterious Symbol Master, Lin Zixi! According to Lin Zixi's earlier statement, the mysterious Symbol Master behind her was called Bai Wuji.

In the end, Bai Wuji was never found, and the matter was dropped.

As for Lin Zixi, she and her sister Lin Ziyu became concubines of Xiao Zhangqing, allowing Zhou Zhangkong to turn a blind eye and not pursue the matter.

Given the conditions at that time, Xiao Zhangqing could indeed not be Bai Wuji.

Because Xiao Zhangqing's Symbol techniques then could not match the level of the mysterious Symbol Master Bai Wuji.

Yet after the later invasion of Demon Sect Evil Cultivators, Xiao Zhangqing skyrocketed and astonished everyone, revealing many incomprehensible aspects, making his Symbol techniques seem trivial.

Later.

Mu Chunfeng mentioned more of Xiao Zhangqing's achievements, such as being renowned for a powerful Soul Transformation, having long ago overpowered Cao Hao in the mid‑Foundation stage, moving to the Jia Yi Cave Residence, forcing the Cao family to spare the Mu family.

"Two beautiful concubines, a Symbol Master named Bai Wuji, from a small place, with a strong Soul Transformation…" Mu Chunfeng's eyes glittered as she asked, "Jiyue, if only one or two points could be called coincidence, but with so many similarities, do you think it's a coincidence?"

Jiang Jiyue felt a bit shaken inside.

If Mu Chunfeng's words are true, then the mysterious foreign Foundation‑building cultivator who severely injured He Yuan could indeed be the Xiao Zhangqing who was originally promoted by his uncle Shopkeeper Hong, a barely noticeable newcomer in the Lingfu Pavilion.

"But… if it really is Xiao Zhangqing, he shouldn't be so reckless; knowing he's the nephew of the Blood Crow Real Person, yet daring to give him no respect and strike forcefully?" Jiang Jiyue murmured.

In her image, Xiao Zhangqing is a very steady, cautious, even somewhat timid person.

He would never offend a Jie Dan cultivator.

Mu Chunfeng did not refute this point.

Indeed, in her view, Xiao Zhangqing is also a very steady person.

He would absolutely never take risks or put himself in danger.

Just like back then in Nanshan Fang, Xiao Zhangqing almost never went to the battlefield; he clearly killed her father who had gone mad with cultivation, his power unfathomable, yet he always concealed his skill.

Now acting so high‑profile, directly affronting a Jie Dan cultivator's face, does not match Xiao Zhangqing's way of operating.

"Perhaps He Yuan's arrogance provoked his hidden fury?" Mu Chunfeng speculated.

Jiang Jiyue also didn't know how to judge.

The two women stared at each other, silent for a long while.

Finally, they met each other's gaze, nodded simultaneously, and made a decision.

Rather than speculate here, they should go to Jin Xiu Fang and visit the mysterious foreign cultivator Bai Wuji! Seeing him in person will reveal the truth.

(End of Chapter)