Chapter 299: A Rampant Plunder

A few days later, Lu Yang confirmed that True Person Xiuxin was fine.

【Puppet Master】 is indeed domineering; once Lu Yang activates this talent, no matter what attitude True Person Xiuxin had before, she will ultimately submit.

As for Yun Miaoqing, Lu Yang did not use 【Puppet Master】 to forcibly control her.

Mainly because it was unnecessary; since Yun Miaoqing discovered that Lu Yang could help her accelerate her cultivation progress, she had been secluding herself in closed-door cultivation with single-minded focus.

Especially after Yun Miaozhen proposed "temporarily staying at the Hidden Sword Manor," she did not even step out the main gate or cross the inner threshold.

However, this suited Lu Yang's wishes perfectly.

The only thing that made him somewhat uncomfortable was that since True Person Xiuxin also practiced the 【Ice Heart Ruthless Sword Art】, she had no friends in the Yushu Jiange.

After all, it is well known that this technique emphasizes supreme ruthlessness, with swords like an ice heart; except for a very few who happen to like this style, no one is interested in offering a warm face to a cold backside. The only one True Person Xiuxin could summon was a sword cultivator at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

"Currently, 【Puppet Master】 can only control those at the early stage of Foundation Establishment."

"For someone at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, I fear I must wait until my Immortal Spirit Body is also nurtured to that realm before I can attempt control; it is better not to take this risk."

Everything must prioritize stability!

As for entering the Yushu Jiange to control those at the early stage of Foundation Establishment? That would be equivalent to defecating right under the nose of a Jin Dan True Lord; Lu Yang dared not do such a thing.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to first quickly raise one's own realm.

Lu Yang's current Immortal Spirit Body is still at the early stage of Foundation Establishment; to improve, he must consume enough Geng Metal spiritual objects. Fortunately, this is not particularly difficult.

"Boom!"

Inside the Hidden Sword Manor, Yun Miaozhen's expression was cold and clear; her massive spiritual sense directly enveloped the entire manor, followed immediately by the release of a vast aura characteristic of the late stage of Qi Refining.

Regarding Yun Miaozhen, Lu Yang ultimately granted her a boon, allowing her to break through her bottleneck, advancing from the mid-stage of Qi Refining to the late stage, which also made her even more devoted to Lu Yang; however, after walking out of the room, she immediately forgot Lu Yang's existence, remembering only Lu Yang's instructions.

'Find an excuse to plunder the Hidden Sword Manor!'

As a subordinate sect under the jurisdiction of the Yushu Jiange, the Hidden Sword Manor was full of Geng Metal spiritual objects; if not for the worry of alerting the Yushu Jiange, Lu Yang would have already forcibly seized them.

But having Yun Miaozhen do it created no trouble at all.

After all, the Hidden Sword Manor was not even a Foundation Establishment sect; its strongest member was only at the great perfection of Qi Refining, and they dared not do anything to Yun Miaozhen at the late stage of Qi Refining.

Not to mention that True Person Xiuxin was also present.

Soon, Yun Miaozhen's cold voice echoed throughout the entire Hidden Sword Manor: "Effective immediately, seal the Hidden Sword Manor; no one is permitted to enter or leave without authorization!"

As her words fell, True Person Xiuxin also acted at the right moment, directly taking out a handkerchief and offering it into the air. Although this was merely an ordinary magical treasure, under the status of a Foundation Establishment True Person, it now blocked the sky and obscured the sun, still like a wall of copper and iron, covering the entire Hidden Sword Manor in its center.

"Which senior is this, casting spells to seal our manor!?"

Soon, in the center of the Hidden Sword Manor, a figure soared into the air; the voice was incredibly terrified, and he flew over almost immediately.

The newcomer was an old man in a black robe.

Although possessing cultivation at the great perfection of Qi Refining, he obviously had not cultivated great divine arts; his cultivation was merely so-so, and his appearance showed considerable signs of old age.

"You are..."

After seeing Yun Miaozhen, the old man was slightly stunned, then quickly showed a grave expression, recognizing the person before him as a disciple from the Yuchu Yushu Jiange who had come to select sword embryos.

"Yun Miaozhen of Yuchu."

Yun Miaozhen clasped her hands behind her back and smiled coldly: "I received intelligence that the Hidden Sword Manor colluded with the demonic path of Jiangbei, intending to rob disciples of our Yuchu Yushu Jiange!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing these words, the old man in the black robe nearly popped his eyes out.

Colluding with the demonic path of Jiangbei!?

This was an unforgivable crime! In the Jiangnan region, colluding with the demonic path was absolutely incorrect; once discovered, the penalty was inevitably beheading!

Seeing True Person Xiuxin beside Yun Miaozhen, the old man in the black robe did not dare to harbor even a single stray thought; he immediately bowed low and shouted loudly: "Injustice! Our Hidden Sword Manor has served the supreme sects by raising swords for generations, never harboring any improper thoughts; how could we possibly collude with the demonic path? I beg the supreme sect to investigate clearly!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Miaozhen immediately narrowed her beautiful eyes: "Are you implying that I am framing you?"

"I would never dare..."

Before the old man in the black robe could explain, Yun Miaozhen waved her large hand: "No need to say more; since I have come this time, I naturally have the confidence to find the demonic fiend."

'Calculating the time, they should be arriving now.'

Soon, a loud boom was heard inside the Hidden Sword Manor; demonic qi exploded violently, and the previously calm old man in the black robe was instantly terrified, his face turning deathly pale.

There really is a demonic fiend!?

Seeing this, Yun Miaozhen was not the least bit surprised.

After all, the demonic fiend in the Hidden Sword Manor was one she had previously asked True Person Xiuxin to secretly manipulate karma to attract, planning for them to abduct Yun Miaoqing.

"Damn it! How could this happen?"

Within the demonic qi soaring toward the sky, a disciple of the Saint Sect looked around with a grim expression; at first glance, his ferocity was overwhelming, but in reality, his eyes were filled with fear.

'Something is wrong; why am I so blinded by greed?'

'I originally only planned to rob a few low-level disciples of the Yushu Jiange on the edge of Jiangnan; how did I inexplicably end up in a place like the Hidden Sword Manor?'

'... Not good!'

Thinking of this, the Saint Sect disciple's face changed drastically: "It is a Foundation..."

"Clang! Clang!"

The next second, True Person Xiuxin flicked her finger, and a sword light flew out; in the blink of an eye, she took the lives of all the Saint Sect disciples present.

"Demonic fiends of Jiangbei, all have the right to execute them."

Yun Miaozhen's expression was calm; she then turned to look at the old man in the black robe, who was so frightened that he hurriedly explained: "May the supreme sect see clearly; we truly did not know beforehand..."

"So what?" Yun Miaozhen shook her head: "Even if you truly did not know beforehand, you still bear the crime of negligence. This time I discovered it, so there is no issue; but if these demonic cultivators had truly abducted my Yushu Jiange disciples, and an investigation was conducted afterward, you would still not be able to escape responsibility."

"This... this..."

Hearing this, the old man in the black robe's expression became even more bitter; yet he saw that after Yun Miaozhen finished speaking, she said nothing more, instead staring at him with wide, beautiful eyes.

Hmm?

After a moment of silence, the old man in the black robe lowered his voice and said: "Since the demonic fiend has been executed, is there any possibility that this matter... will not be investigated further?"

"Then it depends on you."

Yun Miaozhen said calmly, "Harboring a demonic villain is, after all, a grave crime. To prove our innocence, we must find the most critical issue."

Upon hearing this, the old man in the black robe rolled his eyes:

"To report back to the Upper Sect: recently, the Sword Manor received a new batch of spiritual sword embryos for forging swords. These demonic villains might have come for them. Perhaps they have already tampered with that batch of spiritual objects. May the Upper Sect take them away to inspect them thoroughly for us?"

As the words fell, Yun Miaozhen finally nodded slightly: "This is indeed a very critical issue."

Inside the Hidden Sword Manor, in a quiet chamber.

Yun Miaozhen, carrying a heavy storage bag, walked into the room and immediately saw Lu Yang at the desk.

"Who is there!?"

Yun Miaozhen was startled at first, but upon seeing Lu Yang's face and meeting his gaze, confusion immediately arose in her eyes, followed by sudden understanding of everything.

The next second, she bent down, approached cautiously, and held the storage bag out before Lu Yang: "Master, I have thoroughly inspected the Hidden Sword Manor. All the Geng Metal spiritual objects are here; there are no more. To find more, we would likely have to search the surrounding sects."

"Ah!"

Lu Yang then stood up and took the storage bag.

"Well done."

After counting the Geng Metal spiritual objects in the storage bag, Lu Yang nodded in satisfaction. With a thought, he sent them all into the body of the Immortal Spirit.

However, this was not enough.

A mere Hidden Sword Manor, not even at the Foundation Establishment stage, had accumulated Geng Metal spiritual objects that would only accelerate progress by one-tenth. He needed more.

"Have you done what I asked before?"

"Yes, Master, it is done."

Yun Miaozhen said in a low voice: "I have already sent a message to the Ancestor. As the most valued disciple of the Yun family, the Ancestor will certainly come upon receiving the message."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang immediately smiled.

The first fish has taken the bait.

(End of this chapter)