Chapter 99: Eliminating Hidden Dangers

"Martial Uncle, I've just entered the Heart Stirring Stage—both my divine sense and physical body have advanced!" Wei Yuning said.

"Ancestors above!" Hongle's face was naturally a ruddy-dark complexion, so ordinary emotional reactions barely showed any change in color, but now it had turned bright red like a boiled lobster.

"To enter the Heart Stirring Stage at twenty, and as a dual cultivator of divine sense and physical body no less—this aptitude would be top-tier even among inner sect disciples. Though you come from the outer world, I, Hongle, am willing to act as your guarantor and let you become an inner sect disciple!"

The sect's guarantor system was no simple matter of lip service—it carried real responsibility. If the guaranteed party ever committed an act detrimental to the sect or betrayed it, the guarantor would bear the same punishment as the offender.

First Hongzhi, and now Hongle—both cared deeply for Wei Yuning, and his heart felt warm, but hidden within him was a great secret that would harm the sect, filling him with guilt.

"No need, Martial Uncle. Martial Uncle Hongzhi already knows about this, and he's willing to be my guarantor too!" Wei Yuning didn't want to owe two favors.

"You don't understand—your situation is special, so it's better to be safe. I'll be a guarantor too! I believe in you!" Hongle said with a smile.

"This... thank you, Martial Uncle!"

Hongle looked around in all directions, and only when he saw no one nearby did he say: "Your senior brother Qingyun's aptitude is also excellent, but even with a Fusion Stage elder as guarantor, he still couldn't become an inner sect disciple. So I suggest you find more people—your master, Senior Taiyu, for instance, and Elder Xuye of the Transmission Hall has a good relationship with you, right? You could ask him for help too. All of you going before the sect master together would be more secure!"

Seeing Hongle attach such importance to the matter—and Hongzhi in the same situation—Wei Yuning was truly curious about what was so great about becoming an inner sect disciple! That fellow Qingwu was an inner sect disciple too, wasn't he? When he beat him up back then, the result was nothing more than expelling him from the sect!

Well, that punishment did seem severe enough, but the real reason for his expulsion was the Thorn Demon—Qingwu's case was merely a pretext.

Regardless, one thing was certain: both Hongle and Hongzhi were doing this for his own good. Though reluctant, he found it hard to refuse their kindness and had to yield to their arrangements.

"Martial Uncle, why haven't I seen Senior Brother Qingyun?" Wei Yuning couldn't help asking when Hongle mentioned Qingyun.

Ever since Wei Yuning was ambushed that day, Qingyun had vanished without a trace. Wei Yuning guessed that Qingyun must already know he had discovered his existence. Besides, using subordinate chore disciples to monitor Wei Yuning was also a clue that would eventually be exposed.

Colluding with outsiders and harming fellow disciples—this was essentially a capital offense under the Cloud Concealment Sect's rules.

However, Qingyun also held leverage over him: Qingwu's death. Though Wei Yuning had acted in self-defense when he was attacked, Qingwu's friends and family wouldn't see it that way, and there was no conclusive evidence to prove it. All three enemies were dead—dead men tell no tales, so anything could be said.

As an inner sect disciple who had grown up within the sect, Qingwu would naturally receive more favoritism from the sect.

As cultivators, sparring and fighting between sect disciples resulting in minor injuries was normal, and the sect rarely punished those involved for that. But killing an opponent was different—that had already crossed the line of sparring.

Qingwu's death had not attracted any unusual attention. This was actually quite normal. Cultivators often went into seclusion or traveled, and not contacting anyone for months was common. Disappearing for a month or two wouldn't draw anyone's attention at all.

Beneath the dense fog of Nine Clouds Peak, there was no shortage of snakes, insects, and fierce beasts. Forget months—even after a single night, Qingwu's corpse would be reduced to white bones. By the time someone noticed Qingwu was missing, probably not even the bones would remain.

Aside from Qingyun as a witness, the Shadow Pavilion was the most likely to guess the truth of the matter, and they had also lost personnel. However, Wei Yuning wasn't worried about the Shadow Pavilion—an underground organization focused on assassination and intelligence. Such organizations worked for money; they weren't mindless killers!

In this assassination-by-hired-killer incident, the employer, the killer, and the Shadow Pavilion's witness had all died simultaneously, turning the matter into an abandoned task with no profit motive. Unless they were friends or family of the masked one, the Shadow Pavilion as an organization had no motivation or reason to kill Wei Yuning.

Besides, to avoid the Thorn Demon, Wei Yuning had no intention of leaving the sect. Without cooperation from disciples within the sect, the other side's available methods would be even more limited.

So, going around in a circle, Qingyun became the key to the whole matter.

He actually quite wanted to meet Qingyun face to face now. At worst, they could talk things through privately. The two of them had no real grudge anyway—as long as they left each other in peace hereafter, that would be fine. He was already at the Heart Stirring Stage and wasn't afraid of Qingyun lashing out impulsively; he could fully keep the situation under control.

Seeing Wei Yuning ask about Qingyun, Hongle showed a strange expression. He hesitated before saying: "Qingyun is a disciple who seems mild and approachable, but is actually quite extreme. The sect is encouraging disciples to go to the Outer Realm Battlefield this time, and he actually signed up. He's in seclusion cultivating right now, hoping to advance further before going to the Outer Realm Battlefield! By the way, do you already know about this?"

Wei Yuning nodded and said: "I already heard about it from Martial Uncle Hongzhi!"

"Sigh, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing!" Hongle sighed. As a high-talent disciple of the herb garden, Qingyun was someone Hongle cared about very much.

Wei Yuning guessed that Qingyun's reason for leaving might be to simply walk away or to avoid him, but he still deliberately asked: "I wonder what rewards there are for disciples going to the Outer Realm Battlefield this time? Even Senior Brother Qingyun wants to go!"

"Hongzhi didn't tell you?" Hongle asked in surprise.

"I didn't ask, and I don't want to go. Martial Uncle Hongzhi also said I don't need to go, so I don't know the specifics!" Wei Yuning said.

"With your current cultivation level, there's no need to go. Perhaps you can consider it after reaching late Golden Core Stage. That child Qingyun is too proud and arrogant! His purposes for going are nothing more than two: one is to advance to the Heart Stirring Stage as quickly as possible—he's been stuck at Foundation Establishment peak for over two years and still can't find a breakthrough; the second is surely to become an inner sect disciple. That's also one of the sect's promises to disciples participating in this mission—the top ten merit earners within three years all receive this reward. Other rewards like pills and spirit stones are hardly worth mentioning to Qingyun." Hongle said.

"If that's really the case, then going to the Outer Realm Battlefield might be a good thing for Senior Brother Qingyun! When is Senior Brother leaving for the Outer Realm Battlefield?" Wei Yuning asked.

"The specific time hasn't been set yet. The sect is contacting Beast King City to confirm the arrangements for going. Fighting on the Outer Realm Battlefield is for the sake of the entire spirit beast world, and all expenses are borne by Beast King City. Each region has routes to Beast King City, with multiple options including flying spirit boats, teleportation arrays, and sea ships—all coordinated by Beast King City. We belong to the South Pole Sea region, and the nearest route point to us is on Ice Snow Island, which has teleportation arrays, spirit boats, and sea ships all available. Once it's decided, the disciples must set off immediately, so it could be three or two days, or it could be a month—both are possible." Seeing that Wei Yuning knew nothing, Hongle explained in detail.

"In that case, I'd like to bid farewell to Senior Brother Qingyun and thank him for his care during this time. Martial Uncle, could you tell me where he is?" Wei Yuning asked.