Chapter 28: Great Demon Remains

"Senior Brother Changqing, I'll accompany you."

A disciple spoke up, and as soon as those words were spoken, they immediately garnered everyone's support.

"Not bad, Senior Brother Changqing, we'll go with you; a mere half-demon can be easily slain with a flick of the hand."

"Yes, Senior Brother Changqing can just rest aside; these rough chores, we senior brothers will handle for you."

The disciples chattered excitedly, feeling more eager than when they themselves took on missions.

"How could we let Senior Brother Changqing be distracted by a mission? We've taken care of it—just a half-demon, easily dealt with."

The sect doesn't forbid helping, and there are also team missions.

Normally such situations are rare, because asking others to help means allocating sect points to them.

Sect points are extremely precious in the Dao Yi Sect; no one would willingly do that.

But here with Ye Zhangqing, many disciples don't care about sect points at all; they simply want to help, nothing more.

Facing the crowd's suggestion, Ye Zhangqing smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Thank you, all senior brothers, but it's merely an investigation mission; I, as a junior brother, can still......"

Ye Zhangqing originally didn't want to trouble everyone, after all he has Xiao Bai, making back-and-forth convenient; one person is more than enough, but he wasn't given a chance to speak—before he could finish, everyone directly interrupted him.

"Senior Brother Changqing, how can you say that? Mutual assistance among fellow sect brothers is only natural."

"Besides, I happen to have business in Le Shan Town; I can take care of it along the way."

"Junior Brother, don't refuse; I, senior brother, am idle anyway, just wanting to go out for a stroll."

Unable to refuse, Ye Zhangqing felt helpless; in the end, Hong Zun spoke up, assigning an inner door disciple to accompany Ye Zhangqing.

"Changqing kid, let Jin Min go with you; she's skilled at investigation missions, even better than Youyou, saving us much trouble."

Jin Min's strength among inner door disciples is not strong—at best mid-to-low tier, her cultivation only at the perfected Golden Core Stage.

Having Jin Min follow isn't out of concern for Ye Zhangqing's safety—after all he has Xiao Bai—but because her cultivation method grants her keen perception, aiding investigation tasks and saving much time.

Seeing even Hong Zun speak, Ye Zhangqing finally did not refuse.

"Strive to return early."

After finishing breakfast, Hong Zun said as he left.

He also worried Ye Zhangqing would go hungry outside, so he arranged for Jin Min to go together.

After arranging Ye Zhangqing's mission, the disciples departed one by one; merely thinking of having no lunch at noon made their mood somewhat downcast.

The earliest they could return would be evening.

"Senior Brother Changqing, you must hurry back."

Each spoke with reluctance; hearing this, Ye Zhangqing gave a wry smile and nod—just going out to do a solo mission, what's the fuss?

Moreover, there's Xiao Bai and this inner door disciple Jin Min accompanying him; is such fuss really necessary?

Seeing everyone off, Ye Zhangqing then turned to Jin Min.

A tall, lovely-looking girl, slightly older than Ye Zhangqing.

"Senior Sister Jin, wait a moment; I'll tidy up and then we can set off."

"All right, junior brother."

Hearing that, Jin Min smiled, her face showing two small dimples, utterly sweet to the heart.

Jin Min felt no aversion to accompanying Ye Zhangqing on the mission; finishing quickly means eating sooner—that's her thought, and also that of all the disciples, including Peak Master Hong Zun.

After a simple packing, the two mounted Xiao Bai and departed from Divine Sword Peak, heading straight for Le Shan Town.

With Jin Min present, Ye Zhangqing finally felt what it was like to ride on Xiao Bai's back; spiritual power shielded them, blocking the raging winds outside.

Meanwhile, Xiao Bai's speed increased considerably, much faster than before.

As Ye Zhangqing and Jin Min rushed toward Le Shan Town, outside the town a mountain range held an unremarkable peak, yet inside the peak had been completely hollowed out, forming a vast space.

Resembling a great hall, at its center sat five figures cross-legged.

Their shapes were human-like, yet their bodies bore varying degrees of beastly traits; without doubt, these five silhouettes were transformed demon beasts.

Demon beasts likewise have cultivation grades, starting from the lowest demon transformation, then mortal demon, mystic demon, violet demon, and primordial demon.

These correspond respectively to human cultivators' qi condensation, meridian opening, golden core, purple mansion, and nascent infant.

To achieve human form, a demon beast must at least be a violet demon–level great demon.

These five demon beasts capable of transformation are undoubtedly violet demon–level great demons.

They have gathered outside Le Shan Town, clearly indicating that the affairs of Le Shan Town are not simple.

Indeed, through the conversation of these five violet demons, the situation in Le Shan Town is exactly so.

"Le Shan Town after all falls under the Dao Yi Sect's jurisdiction; our actions will surely have alerted the sect."

"What can be done? Are we just to leave those remains unattended?"

"Rest assured, we have always sent that half-demon out to scout; even if the Dao Yi Sect knows, they'll merely think it's a half-demon causing trouble, at most sending a few outer door disciples—utterly insignificant."

"We must definitely bring back the remains of the Black Feather Elder."

The purpose of these five violet demons gathering here is because a great demon's remains lie hidden beneath Le Shan Town, and these remains are extremely important to them.

However, since Le Shan Town is close to the Dao Yi Sect, they dare not expose their tracks, otherwise they would surely be besieged and slaughtered by the sect.

Thus these five violet demons used secret arts to control a half-demon, sending it into Le Shan Town to make it appear as if the half-demon is causing mischief, while actually they covertly search for that great demon's remains.

To the Dao Yi Sect, a half-demon is obviously not worth notice; even if disciples are sent, at most they'd be outer door disciples, and likely eighty percent would be menial disciples.

To them, whether outer door or menial disciples makes no difference; they can easily crush either.

Without drawing the Dao Yi Sect's attention, obtaining that great demon's remains and then swiftly fleeing is the plan of these five violet demons.

So far the plan has proceeded perfectly; by controlling that half-demon, they have roughly confirmed the location of the great demon's remains.

Now they merely await the right moment to strike.

It's likely the Dao Yi Sect never imagined that behind this matter five violet demons are operating covertly; otherwise this mission would at least require inner door disciples, never be entrusted to menial disciples.

Only regrettably, these five purple demons hid too deeply; from beginning to end they never showed their faces, and no one knew of their existence at all.

And the unaware Ye Zhangqing was currently on the road to Leshan Town with Jin Min.