Chapter 178: Baihua Valley, Su Wushuang

178. Chapter 178: Baihua Valley, Su Wushuang

On the third day after Xiao Zhangqing finished organizing a few new pieces of equipment, Gu Zongyuan came to visit again.

"Brother Bai… no, Brother Xiao, I'll be troubling you a lot from now on," Gu Zongyuan said with emotion.

His master, Character: Liyang the Immortal, informed him of the deal with Xiao Zhangqing and naturally also disclosed Xiao Zhangqing's background, so Gu Zongyuan learned that Bai Wuji is Xiao Zhangqing's alias, whose true identity is a "legendary" cultivator from the Southwest Region wanted by the Luoxia Sect and Baihua Valley.

"Gu brother, I don't know if Senior Character: Liyang explained it clearly to you, although I promised to guard Character: Liyang Zhenren City with you for thirty years. But I also made it clear that I won't take part in the mundane affairs of Character: Liyang Zhenren City, and it won't be much different from when I served as deputy commander in Character: Liyang Guard," Xiao Zhangqing said with a smiling grin. "Of course, when necessary, I will definitely act, not just stand by idly as this time."

"I understand..." Gu Zongyuan shook his head helplessly.

He had already prepared himself mentally for this.

Even though he is now very busy as city lord, with countless tangled matters, he desperately hopes for a capable assistant. If Xiao Zhangqing is willing to share some of the burden, even if Xiao Zhangqing's own interests are great, perhaps even exceeding those of this city lord, Gu Zongyuan would gladly accept.

Unfortunately.

Xiao Zhangqing has no desire to earn the Spirit Stones from managing the Immortal City.

Gu Zongyuan also knows the proper limits and sense of distance; since Xiao Zhangqing refuses to handle mundane affairs and wants to focus solely on serious cultivation, Gu Zongyuan will not scheme or press Xiao Zhangqing into helping him.

Such a move, which could easily backfire, is something a smart person like Gu Zongyuan would not do.

Just as when Wei Wufeng and others besieged the Immortal City not long ago, Xiao Zhangqing originally thought Gu Zongyuan might ask him to intervene, but in the end Gu Zongyuan said nothing.

Even though at that time he didn't know his master's true situation and the Character: Liyang lineage was severely understaffed, he still didn't act presumptuously.

Because he sees clearly.

His relationship with Xiao Zhangqing hasn't reached the point of life‑and‑death assistance.

"Right now there's a rather urgent matter that requires you, Brother Xiao, to go with me and assist from the side," Gu Zongyuan said, carefully maintaining distance and avoiding any presumptuous action.

But when it's time to call in connections, he won't hesitate.

"So soon? Senior Character: Liyang just left ten days ago, and Character: Liyang Zhenren City already faces an unsolvable problem? Could it be that experts from the Dan Dao Alliance or the Seven Star Sword Sect have arrived?" Xiao Zhangqing didn't suspect that Gu Zongyuan was teasing him.

Since Gu Zongyuan brought it up, it must indeed be a rather tricky issue.

"Before my master returns, the Seven Star Sword Sect and the Dan Dao Alliance wouldn't dare act. This trouble, as it turns out, has some connection with you, Brother Xiao…"

Gu Zongyuan, a bit helpless and not beating around the bush, explained the cause straight away: "This trouble comes from the Core Formation Sect in the Southwest Region of the Da Yu Cultivation World, Baihua Valley!"

"With the invasion of Demon Sect Evil Cultivators, the Southwest Region of the Da Yu Cultivation World has been completely fallen, and the alliance forces have retreated to the Cloud Mist Mountain Range. Brother Xiao, you should be aware of this situation,"

"Cultivators in the Southwest Region have suffered countless casualties; minor sects and Foundation Establishment families have been more than half destroyed, and the two major Core Formation sects were not spared either."

"Among them, the Luoxia Sect, which has the deepest 'connection' with you, Brother Xiao, suffered heavy losses; most elite disciples and elders perished. Sect leader Lu Daoming luckily escaped with his life, but his fate remains unknown; he even followed Wei Wufeng in the last attack on my Character: Liyang Zhenren City! I have now listed him as a wanted criminal, so he dares not appear in Character: Liyang Zhenren City again."

Xiao Zhangqing nodded.

After the war ended, he had already gathered this information at the inn and learned that among the Core Formation cultivators who besieged Character: Liyang Zhenren City was Lu Daoming, the sect leader of the Luoxia Sect.

Both Shopkeeper Hong and the Jiang family should feel relieved about this.

If Immortal Character: Liyang were defeated and the city truly fell to Wei Wufeng and his men, the Jiang family would certainly be doomed, likely wiped out completely.

"This trouble is Baihua Valley," Gu Zongyuan continued.

"Although Baihua Valley's sect gate was breached by Demon Sect Evil Cultivators, a timely retreat and the fact that its leader Su Wushuang had already advanced to the mid‑Core Formation stage made its strength formidable; during her breakthrough she caught the demon sect off guard. As a result, most of Baihua Valley's power was preserved."

"Among the surviving cultivators of Baihua Valley now are the sect leader at mid‑Core Formation level, a Supreme Elder at early Core Formation, and five elders at the False Core stage! As for Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining disciples, they number countless—if not over a thousand, at least several hundred."

"With such a massive force, after leaving the Southwest Region they will certainly look for a new foothold."

"Moreover, the spirit vein grade of the new base can't be low; the ordinary third‑tier lower‑grade veins wouldn't satisfy Sect Leader Su Wushuang. She requires at least third‑tier upper‑grade veins."

"However, if Baihua Valley doesn't mind, there are many top sects in the Da Yu Cultivation World willing to accept them. After all, you know Baihua Valley's rules: they're all a group of beautiful fairies, and when selecting disciples, appearance is almost as important as talent. Moreover, Baihua Valley has its own industry chain, excelling in making ceremonial robes and certain magical artifacts, making it one of the best in the Da Yu Cultivation World."

"Thus, whether people or items, Baihua Valley is a premium asset for all major sects."

"Even Xingyue Palace dispatched experts to court Baihua Valley, but in the end Baihua Valley rejected them all."

"I heard that Sect Leader Su Wushuang of Baihua Valley has great ambitions and refuses to let the valley's legacy be buried by her. No matter which powerful sect they join, Baihua Valley would be disrupted and merged, its many original rules altered, and perhaps a few hundred years later, it would vanish completely."

"As for Core Formation sects weaker than Baihua Valley, they're not foolish enough to accept them. And Baihua Valley, being a prestigious orthodox sect, cannot simply forcefully attack a sect and take over its nest."

"So in the end, whether Su Wushuang figured it out herself or someone behind the scenes 'guided the strategy', the bottom line is that Baihua Valley set its sights on Character: Liyang Zhenren City."

"Baihua Valley wants to settle in Character: Liyang Zhenren City!"

At this point, Xiao Zhangqing had roughly understood what was going on and why Gu Zongyuan found it so tricky, prompting him to join in solving it.

Nowadays Character: Liyang Zhenren City, without Immortal Character: Liyang—the top scattered cultivator of the Da Yu Cultivation World—seated there, is actually weaker than Baihua Valley. If Baihua Valley moves in, they certainly won't be assimilated; instead, Character: Liyang Zhenren City might be assimilated! Even if not, with such a colossal presence added, can the Lord's Mansion still maintain its unique, lofty status?

Obviously it cannot!

From the many rumors about her in the Cultivation World, one knows that Su Wushuang not only possesses extremely high talent but also a broad mind and great ambition.

When she was still weak, she was unmoved by Xingyue Palace's recruitment and instead chose Baihua Valley, which could treat her as an absolute core disciple and future successor.

Compared with the Nascent Soul sect Xingyue Palace, Baihua Valley is far inferior—by more than a hundred thousand li.

Yet even so, she would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.

Would such a strong, unwilling-to-be-subordinate woman willingly lower herself in Character: Liyang Zhenren City, submitting beneath the Lord's Mansion and Gu Zongyuan? Yet, for an ambitious figure like Su Wushuang, unwilling to be second and unwilling to see Baihua Valley's legacy broken or altered, there is no place in the Da Yu Cultivation World more suitable than the scattered‑cultivator city of Character: Liyang Zhenren City.

Moreover, if she enters openly and honorably, unlike Lu Daoming's extreme path following Wei Wufeng in the campaign, Character: Liyang Zhenren City would have no legitimate reason to refuse her.

After all, as a city of scattered cultivators, its rule for over a hundred years has been to accept any cultivator.

As long as one is not a ten‑sins‑beyond‑forgiveness criminal, not wanted by the major sects of the Da Yu Cultivation World, and not on the red list, they may settle in Character: Liyang Zhenren City for a long term.

Even Core Formation cultivators are welcome.

For a third‑tier spirit vein cave residence, Core Formation cultivators only need to register, complete the required procedures and background checks after entering the city, and they can lease it.

If… Immortal Character: Liyang hasn't fled abroad, the city still hosts top late‑Core Formation combat power.

Setting Baihua Valley's main base in Character: Liyang Zhenren City might actually be a good thing.

It could raise Character: Liyang Zhenren City's reputation and make it more prosperous! Unfortunately, the city is currently in a weak phase and cannot accommodate such a female bodhisattva…

"Baihua Valley, Su Wushuang, mid‑Core Formation…" Xiao Zhangqing muttered two phrases, without further thought, and nodded, "Fine, I'll go with you, Brother Gu, to handle this."

First, he had promised Immortal Character: Liyang to do his utmost to protect Character: Liyang Zhenren City for the next thirty years, extending a helping hand when tricky troubles arise.

This is a solemn pledge, essentially an oath; we cannot break it.

Secondly, Baihua Valley and Luoxia Sect are both his old nemeses!

Back then, he left Nanshan Fang in a sorry state, all thanks to these two great sects.

One could even say Baihua Valley is the direct culprit!

Which elder of Baihua Valley was it again? That old woman named Liang Yuehua.

Back then, without a word, they wanted to bring charges against him, to treat him as the monkey in 'killing a chicken to scare the monkeys'; if it weren't for Xiao Changqing secretly hiding his strength and possessing a divine sense secret art like the Dragon Chant Technique, he very likely would have perished early in Nanshan Fang.

Such a mortal enmity, even after many years, Xiao Changqing still remembers it vividly.

Now that he has a chance to take revenge, how could he not participate?

As for Su Wushuang's cultivation strength, it just happens to be within Xiao Changqing's acceptable range.

Not to mention this woman's mid-Golden Core cultivation, how strong her strength is, whether she can match Wei Wufeng and the Jade True Person.

Even if she truly could match them and burst forth with late-Golden Core strength in a short time, Xiao Changqing wouldn't be too wary.

Just right.

He has just acquired several pieces of equipment, his strength has greatly increased, and he is eager to find someone to test his skills on!

"With Brother Xiao's assistance, I can rest easy!"

Gu Zongyuan nodded in satisfaction.

He doesn't know how much Xiao Changqing has gained from his recent seclusion, or how much his strength has improved. But relying on the terrifying divine sense secret art Xiao Changqing displayed when he slew the Blood Crow True Person back then, it is absolutely capable of threatening the vast majority of mid-Golden Core cultivators!

The sect master of Baihua Valley, Su Wushuang, although she hid her cultivation strength before the Demonic Sect invasion, is certainly not an outstanding figure among Golden Core cultivators.

She is somewhat stronger than the Blood Crow True Person, but only limitedly so!

He, already a Golden Core cultivator, leading the Character: Liyang Guard and with Xiao Changqing assisting from the side, is more than enough to intimidate Su Wushuang! Of course.

Most importantly, this is not a life-and-death battle between the two sides.

It only takes letting Su Wushuang see the current strength of Character: Liyang Zhenren City; even if her master has departed, it is not something Baihua Valley can covet, and that will suffice.

Character: Liyang Zhenren City also has the City Guard Grand Formation and the Mountain Guard Grand Formation as its true trump cards! (End of chapter)