Chapter 109: Lingxiang Visits the Ancient Bamboo Forest Again

The disciples were exceptionally happy to have obtained divine treasures and Dharma artifacts. They each returned to their respective courtyards, and from then on, they had a direction for their cultivation, no longer like headless flies, knowing only how to practice by rote.

Although it is said that one must know a bit about most types of witchcraft and Dharma arrays in cultivation, one must ultimately learn some life-saving skills; that is a matter for later, so I shall set it aside for now.

The matter of the murder cases among the Outer Disciples has recently been put on the agenda. Now that the disciples have been issued proper weapons, regardless of who the murderer is, it is good to have them for self-defense.

Inner Sect Disciples and personal disciples have also been assigned night watch duties recently. Since they have become proper members of the Yuanqing Sect, they naturally must bear corresponding responsibilities. The disciples take turns patrolling, with those who joined earlier leading the newly joined ones, which can also be considered a form of cultivation.

After Lingxiang went out that day, she did not return to the Xianyun Abode for two or three days. Long Qi inquired everywhere, but he did not even see her figure within the sect. Although Xin Yi knew she had gone out, he did not know where she had actually gone. This woman's thoughts are ever-changing; one truly does not know what she is scheming now.

Rendong has been able to get out of bed and walk around these past two days, but after Fuyin Zhenren examined him, he still told him to rest more and not to rush into cultivation matters. Although it is not a very severe Demon Poison, it is still Demon Poison after all; if one does not recuperate well, it will have all sorts of effects on the future.

The days remained peaceful like this, but Shangqing Zhenren knew clearly that this was the calm before the storm. The mountain rain was about to arrive, yet he did not know from where the wind would come, which truly made him feel somewhat uneasy.

As for who else in the sect had disappeared, it was Shoucheng, who was under Qianyuan Zhenren. No one knew where he had gone; his roommates did not see his shadow when they woke up, and even after searching for a long time, they could not find him.

Qianyuan Zhenren, however, was not anxious about losing a disciple. Even when a group of disciples reported it to him, there was no look of urgency on his face. He only said that the child was grown up and would return after playing outside for a few days, telling them not to worry and so on.

The disciples were all puzzled. Although Shoucheng was not the Head Disciple under the master, he had been practicing Daoist arts under the master since he was a child. Although the master was usually a bit strict, they were truly like father and son. Now that the master was so calm, it was truly very strange.

That Qianyuan Zhenren could be so composed was naturally because he knew where he had gone. That day, he was meditating when a Daoist talisman flew into the hall. He took it and looked; it was actually a sound-transmission talisman.

The object of a sound-transmission talisman is not rare, but what was rare was the way this sound-transmission talisman was drawn.

Ordinary sound-transmission talismans are conventional, used for transmitting sounds and leaving messages, but this sound-transmission talisman could be seen at a glance to be from Lingxiang's hand. Not to mention how casual and sloppy the talisman was drawn, even the brushwork at the end was changed into a circle.

In Lingxiang's words, this would allow her words to be transmitted more accurately, saving her brothers from not hearing clearly due to their age, in case they misheard something, which would be bad.

When Qianyuan Zhenren saw this talisman, he knew Lingxiang must have something to do. He just smiled, pinched his fingers to wipe away the circle at the end, and then pinched his fingers to activate the sound-transmission talisman—it was the middle of the night, and he was on a high mountain in an empty hall; if he had activated this talisman directly, I fear the sound of Lingxiang's voice would have resounded throughout the entire mountain.

Once the sound-transmission talisman was activated, it was indeed much quieter than the one from Shangqing Zhenren last time, but it was still like a street peddler hawking wares. One really didn't know where Lingxiang got such a loud voice; she truly had not a shred of a young lady's demeanor.

As the Talisman began to burn from the top, Lingxiang's voice echoed in the great hall: "I suppose Second Senior Brother has not yet fallen asleep, so I am disturbing you. I am going to the Ancient Bamboo Forest now and must borrow Shoucheng for a while. I will return him safe and sound in a few days; do not be anxious or upset."

As soon as the words fell, the Yellow Talisman burned out and turned into talisman ash that drifted away. Qianyuan Zhenren could only smile helplessly after hearing this. Having received this sound-transmission talisman, I fear Lingxiang is already at the Ancient Bamboo Forest now. Even if he wanted to argue, could he possibly ride a cloud to chase after her? Not to mention the long distance, even if he arrived, he would be helpless against the Dharma Array of the Ancient Bamboo Forest.

Qianyuan Zhenren gathered his spirit and calmed his breath again, sitting peacefully on the meditation cushion, treating it as if nothing had happened just now.

As for Shoucheng, he was meeting the Great God Zhou Gong when he was suddenly pulled up. Before he could even react, his mouth and nose were covered. He originally thought he had encountered robbers, but he suddenly remembered that he was already a member of the Daoist Sect. What robber would be so mindless as to dare to plunder his Yuanqing Sect?

But when he looked closely, he saw Lingxiang, which gave him a great fright—robbers are certainly not scary, but what is scary is that the person in front of him is someone even robbers would avoid by three hundred paces.

How could this little aunt have not a shred of propriety between men and women? She actually ran into his room in the middle of the night. Not to mention that he was only wearing a single layer of clothing, and there were other male disciples in the partition; even as a cultivator, one cannot be so completely reckless, right?

Lingxiang just shushed him and said, "There are some things now that require you to accompany me on a trip. It will be too late if we are late. I have already informed your master. Hurry up and put on your clothes and come with me."

Going on a trip is nothing, but if you want him to put on clothes, you, this aunt, should at least look away.

Lingxiang urged him on like a thief. Shoucheng wrapped himself in his quilt and used a great deal of effort to break free from her hand.

"If Junior Aunt has something to do, just let me know, and I will certainly help. But please, Junior Aunt, look away so I can put on my clothes, right?"

Lingxiang blushed upon hearing this, then turned and walked behind the screen, muttering to herself about what she hadn't seen before.

As soon as the two left the Yuanqing mountain gate, Shoucheng grabbed a handful of soil and threw it. As his hand seals flew, he and Lingxiang were standing outside the Ancient Bamboo Forest.

But this time, Lingxiang did not blow her jade flute; instead, she instructed him to wait here for a moment, saying that an earth spirit would come to receive them in a moment. While still speaking, she walked into the bamboo forest on her own.

Shoucheng was very surprised. What on earth was so important that she had to come in the middle of the night, and what made this Junior Aunt not even have the patience to wait for the receiving earth spirit?

After about half a stick of incense, a rolling sound indeed came from the bamboo forest. Two earth spirits handed over lanterns and led Shoucheng into the array.

After walking for a quarter of an hour, once the darkness in the array dissipated, he saw the small courtyard of Zhuzhang Laoren, but there was no one in the courtyard; there was no trace of Lingxiang or the other person.

Shoucheng was puzzled and hurriedly asked the earth spirit beside him, but the earth spirit just pursed its lips and let Shoucheng follow, then rolled away on its own.

Shoucheng followed all the way, and after walking behind the house and making several turns, he saw Lingxiang and Zhuzhang Laoren squatting on the ground in an open space, not knowing what they were doing, and they were still muttering to each other, seemingly discussing something.