Chapter 132: Who Exactly Is Setting the Trap? (6k)

Zhou Qing frowned, after a moment’s thought, said: “The Sect Master will surely choose to reinforce.”

“Do you charge straight into the tiger’s den when you know there’s a tiger in the mountains?” Yan Xiaohu worried. “That’s roughly what I guessed—but right now, no one knows the true situation inside the Qingyu Immortal Sect. What if it’s a self-inflicted wound tactic? What if, once we enter, those three factions suddenly turn their weapons on us and trap us like fish in a barrel? Wouldn’t we be finished?”

Zhou Qing nodded, not ruling out that possibility.

It was clear how deeply the Qian Dafu incident had scarred both of them.

But Zhou Qing had bound the Xuanyou Immortal, and her view of him had always been utterly ordinary—so a fifty percent chance she was allied with the Cangyan Dao Palace was unlikely.

Yan Xiaohu analyzed: “This is hard to say for sure. Didn’t you say the Xuanyou Immortal has only a few years left to live? Maybe she’s using this to ally with the Cangyan Dao Palace, plunging our Taiqingmen into crisis, just to force Senior Brother back.”

Zhou Qing was stunned.

Yan Xiaohu slapped his thigh, eyes gleaming: “True! Right now, your Four Flowers Gathering at the Crown has given her a sense of urgency—but since no one can find you, she’s forced to turn her attention to Senior Brother, whom she believes has already achieved Three Flowers Gathering.”

“Once they capture Senior Brother, with her late Soul Transformation realm, slipping him some poison would be child’s play. Didn’t Sister say it yourself? The prettier the woman, the better she lies.”

“Otherwise, why do things always happen to them? After the Five Sects’ Artifact Exchange, dozens of disciples vanished—and the Cangyan Dao Palace’s master has pursued her for years. Now, their mountain gate has been breached—look at that—”

Zhou Qing smiled bitterly but offered no rebuttal.

At this critical moment, every idea, no matter implausible, must be considered.

Only the next morning did Mo Xingjian return, exhausted.

The two hurried to greet him again.

“Inside!” Mo Xingjian said.

Once inside the grand hall, Mo Xingjian activated a soundproofing seal, drank some water to moisten his throat, then told them: “The sect has decided to merge with Tianji Men and proceed to Qingyu Immortal Sect for rescue.”

“Can they be trusted?” Yan Xiaohu asked.

Mo Xingjian said: “If they can’t be trusted, what choice do we have? Go to the Cangyan Dao Palace? After the storage bag of the Mission Hall’s chief, Gu Tao, was recovered, both sides have essentially laid their cards on the table—though we haven’t flipped it yet.”

“All we can do now is rely on Tianji Men’s divination to help us avoid traps along the way and see if we can reach Qingyu Immortal Sect safely—at least rescue some people first.”

In that case, it was indeed a viable plan.

Mo Xingjian continued: “Last night, the Tianji Men’s master secretly arrived and spent the entire night negotiating with us. For safety, we’ve devised two routes—one open, one covert. Normally, this is top secret, but telling you won’t hurt—perhaps you can help refine it further.”

But Zhou Qing seemed to realize something and hurriedly asked: “Master, has the Tianji Men’s master left?”

Mo Xingjian frowned: “Not yet, but he’ll likely depart soon.”

Zhou Qing immediately said: “Master, I must meet him.”

Since his talent skill [Heart-Viewing Gaze] advanced to Level Four, he gained four new binding slots. After much deliberation, he assigned one to Jiang Pu, the Elder guarding the Soul Tower.

Unfortunately, Jiang Pu’s impression of him was [Overcautious to the point of ultimate misfortune], with a long note but no useful insight.

He still had three slots left. Since Taiqingmen has decided to cooperate with them, why not use this chance to check? It would bring peace of mind.

But Mo Xingjian shook his head: “Master Xuanji came in secret. Few know of his presence. If you meet him, he’ll think we lack sincerity in this cooperation.”

Putting himself in Xuanji’s place, Zhou Qing understood. If any random disciple could just walk up to him, they clearly didn’t take the cooperation seriously.

But this concerned Taiqingmen’s survival—no room for carelessness.

Zhou Qing insisted: “Master, I must meet him—even briefly. I want to try sensing something.”

Mo Xingjian sighed helplessly: “What could you possibly sense? Don’t be ridiculous. Hurry up—I need to tell you about these two routes. You might still need to help…”

“Master, this is truly important to me!” Zhou Qing grabbed Mo Xingjian’s arm, pleading.

Seeing Zhou Qing’s expression, Mo Xingjian’s face grew grave. “Are you certain?”

“Certain? Call it peace of mind. Frankly, even if Master Xuanji thinks this is disrespectful, will he break off cooperation? They need us now. If he’s angry, I’ll apologize afterward.”

Zhou Qing’s tone was firm.

After a brief hesitation, Mo Xingjian relented.

“Fine, come with me. Xiao Hu, gather every Jin Dan disciple you trust!”

Mo Xingjian rose immediately, giving orders.

Yan Xiaohu nodded vigorously. Then Mo Xingjian led Zhou Qing straight toward Shen Yue Peak…

………

Zhou Qing looked tense, eyes fixed on the grand hall ahead, where his master and the Sect Master were negotiating.

“Wait, I saved your life yesterday—how fast you turn on me? Can’t he just help me figure out why my fourth brother can’t repair his Golden Core? It won’t take long.”

Mo Xingjian played the stubborn fool, leaving Cao Zhengyang speechless.

Soon, Mo Xingjian waved happily toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing hurried over and bowed: “Greetings, Sect Master.”

Cao Zhengyang sighed: “You have half an incense stick. We must arrange for Xuanji to leave.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t take long!” Zhou Qing said, then hurried inside with Mo Xingjian.

Soon, he saw the Tianji Men’s master, Xuanji—a venerable old man with an ethereal aura, clad in a white robe embroidered with the Eight Trigrams, his face slender and kind, radiating an otherworldly grace.

He seemed to be rushing to write something. When he saw Cao Zhengyang and Mo Xingjian enter, he opened his mouth—then noticed the boy behind them, and his expression changed slightly.

“Brother Cao, Brother Mo, who is this?” Xuanji frowned slightly, voice tinged with clear displeasure, pointing at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Xuanji’s reaction seemed to suggest he didn’t know him—but in Zhou Qing’s vision, a [???] label hung clearly above his head.

Normally, someone who had never seen him carried no label at all.

Clearly, Master Xuanji was lying. He had at least studied Zhou Qing’s portrait—or even his background.

Cao Zhengyang looked embarrassed. Mo Xingjian stepped forward: “Brother Xuanji, this is my disciple, Zhou Qing. A year ago, his Golden Core was crushed, forcing him onto the body-cultivation path. He hopes you might, while you’re here, check if there’s any way to salvage it.”

Zhou Qing bowed immediately: “Disciple Zhou Qing, greetings, Elder. After the Five Sects’ Artifact Exchange, several Qingyu Immortal Sect disciples vanished mysteriously. We were sent by our sect to investigate. It was I who sensed the danger in time and rescued Sister Shi Zhen, saving our fellow disciples from the trap at Qingniu Ridge.”

Xuanji’s face lit up with recognition. He smiled, stroking his beard: “Ah, you’re the one! I’ve heard of you, but never met you. A pity your Golden Core is shattered—restarting cultivation is exceedingly difficult.”

Xuanji shook his head, sighing. Clearly, he had no solution.

Mo Xingjian worried he might attempt a physical examination—his [Void Form] might not hold up.

At that moment, Zhou Qing fixed his gaze on Xuanji and initiated the binding.

Instantly, the [???] above Xuanji’s head flickered—then transformed into six glaring, shocking characters: [Kill-Every-Last-One-of-You Kid].

Zhou Qing’s face paled. He forced himself to calm, but his heart pounded wildly.

He’d never met this elder before—why such intense hostility?

No—this wasn’t ordinary animosity. It radiated clear murderous intent!

Could it be—

In an instant, Zhou Qing felt his throat dry as dust.

What hidden, interlocking scheme lay behind the Qingyu Immortal Sect incident?

Exactly how many factions were setting this trap?

“Is there truly no other way?” Cao Zhengyang asked again, unable to hold back.

Xuanji shook his head again.

Cao Zhengyang helplessly turned his gaze to Mo Xingjian and Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing bowed to Xuanji: “Then, thank you, Elder. I’ll take my leave.”

He turned and left immediately. Mo Xingjian apologized briefly and followed.

Cao Zhengyang watched their retreating backs, sighed deeply, then turned to Xuanji: “Brother Xuanji, the preparations are nearly ready. I’ll escort you out.”

………

On the Eight Trigrams Disc, Mo Xingjian glanced at Zhou Qing’s silence and teased: “So? Did you sense anything?”

Zhou Qing had mentally reviewed every event. Now, his face was grave as he looked at Mo Xingjian: “Master, Master Xuanji harbors murderous intent toward me.”

Mo Xingjian froze, eyes narrowing. “That… can’t be possible.”

Zhou Qing nodded, lying: “Master, since I broke through to Nascent Soul, I’ve gained the ability to sense whether someone’s feelings toward me are benevolent or hostile. Just now, when I mentioned Qingniu Ridge, Xuanji’s murderous intent peaked.”

Hearing this, Mo Xingjian’s face turned grim. He grabbed Zhou Qing’s arm tightly. “Nascent Soul enhancement? Are you certain?”

Zhou Qing nodded without hesitation: “Absolutely, Master. I still don’t know what’s happening with Jin Leizong—but I have a bold theory: the other mysterious faction we’ve been trying to identify… is Tianji Men.”

Mo Xingjian felt a chill crawl up his spine.

“Can we keep him?” Zhou Qing asked urgently.

After all, this was Taiqingmen’s territory. With their many experts, even a few could easily detain him.

Mo Xingjian swallowed hard, face strained: “How? Will the Sect Master believe us? Do we really want to break ties with Tianji Men now? What if we’re wrong?”

Zhou Qing fell silent.

Mo Xingjian clapped his shoulder, serious: “I believe you—always. Just like I remain wary of Gao Xuan. But this matter is too grave. I can’t tell others you sensed it.”

“Or tell them you’re the Four Flowers Gathering one, and this is your Nascent Soul enhancement?”

Zhou Qing quickly said: “Master, this isn’t my Nascent Soul enhancement.”

Then he dropped all pretense and told the truth.

Mo Xingjian was utterly stunned. His expression twisted into something incomprehensible.

He swallowed hard, stammering: “F…four? You mean you have four…?”

Zhou Qing nodded solemnly.

Mo Xingjian burst into laughter, affectionately ruffling Zhou Qing’s hair: “Excellent! Absolutely excellent!”

Zhou Qing smiled modestly, then his face turned serious: “Master, Jin Leizong’s situation feels off. Compared to Qingyu Immortal Sect, our Taiqingmen is far stronger.”

“If Cangyan Dao Palace, Tianji Men, and Jin Leizong have reached some agreement, their combined strength could crush us outright.”

“Our sect’s formations are unbreakable—but can they withstand repeated assaults from so many Soul Transformation experts? Then why don’t they just attack? Why go through such a complicated, convoluted scheme?”

Hearing Zhou Qing’s questions, Mo Xingjian fell into deep thought.

Previously, their assumption was: Jin Leizong allied with a mysterious faction to attack Qingyu Immortal Sect, then lured them into rescue—while Cangyan Dao Palace set traps along the way, forcing them to ally with Tianji Men.

But now, with Zhou Qing’s reminder, viewing the entire incident from another angle, it was undeniably suspicious in every detail.

Unless—

Mo Xingjian’s mind suddenly flashed with insight; he met Zhou Qing’s gaze, and the two spoke almost simultaneously: “Unless the ones attacking Qingyu Immortal Sect aren’t Jin Leizong at all!”

“Then what is Jin Leizong’s current situation?” Zhou Qing frowned urgently.

Mo Xingjian said gravely: “According to the latest reports, Jin Leizong’s mountain gate has been sealed off.”

“Sealed off? That’s intriguing. If, as previously believed, Jin Leizong is the one attacking Qingyu Immortal Sect, then sealing their gate makes sense—they’re in wartime mode, afraid of being cut off at the root, wary of us, and possibly also suspicious of their ally, Cangyan Dao Palace.”

Zhou Qing mused.

Mo Xingjian nodded slightly in agreement: “But now, from this new perspective, something feels off. Perhaps something has happened within Jin Leizong, forcing them to seal their gate—fearing others will take advantage of their chaos or kick them while they’re down.”

Zhou Qing paused to think, then analyzed: “According to Ji Ying and the others who escaped, Qingyu Immortal Sect was ambushed in the late night when a traitor opened the barrier from within—that means it happened just before dawn yesterday. Yet Xuanjizi arrived that very night seeking our counsel?”

Mo Xingjian gave a slight nod: “Exactly.”

Zhou Qing said: “So can I understand this: whether Jin Leizong encountered an unexpected crisis or is attacking Qingyu Immortal Sect, both require swift action—prolonging it risks exposure or unforeseen complications.”

“That’s why Xuanjizi rushed here to urge us to reinforce them—knowing we’d agree under such urgency.”

Mo Xingjian’s eyes suddenly brightened; after a moment of thought, he said: “When you put it that way, it does seem plausible.”

Soon, Zhou Qing seemed to realize something and asked quickly: “By the way, Master, what exactly were the two routes Xuanjizi proposed for us?”

Mo Xingjian no longer held back: “As originally stated, someone would surely block our rescue route. The first route: Tianji Men would assemble a group to impersonate our Taiqingmen disciples, using Tianji techniques to conceal their true identity, making everyone believe they’re the reinforcements.”

“Meanwhile, the real reinforcements take the second route—taking a longer path, aided by their assistance, avoiding traps, and thus succeeding, since the main force has been drawn away.”

Zhou Qing said: “But do you still think this plan is safe? What if Cangyan Dao Palace is lying in wait on the second route? Previously, we could avoid it—but now we’re being led straight into their ambush, with a knife plunged from behind? We might not even get a chance to resist.”

Hearing this, Mo Xingjian’s forehead glistened with cold sweat.

“What do we do now?” Mo Xingjian’s expression grew anxious.

Zhou Qing fell silent, then his eyes lit up: “Perhaps we can turn their plan against them.”

Mo Xingjian blinked: “You mean—”

【Mind Mirror +9】

Instantly, the note above Mo Xingjian’s head—【This Lifetime and the Next’s Most Prideful Disciple】—shifted to 【Extraordinarily Astute Disciple】.

At this moment, Mo Xingjian looked at Zhou Qing, his gaze brimming with deep admiration and heartfelt satisfaction.

All along, the signs were there: since Zhou Qing first achieved the Four Flowers at the Crown, through his breakthrough to Nascent Soul, to now calmly dissecting the situation—this boy was gradually revealing the extraordinary talent befitting a true powerhouse.

But Zhou Qing’s expression turned troubled: “The problem is, how do we convince the Sect Master?”

Mo Xingjian frowned deeply—it was indeed difficult.

Just then, he sensed something, reached into his robe, and withdrew his identity token, saying gravely: “The Sect Master wishes to consult. We won’t return to Xiao Ling Peak—come with me.”

“Understood!” Zhou Qing replied without hesitation.

The Eight Trigrams Disc rotated, turning back along the same path.

…………

Inside the grand hall, the twelve peak masters, numerous hall directors, and even several Grand Elders wore solemn expressions, all gazing upward at the Sect Master.

Now, the very survival of Taiqingmen hung in the balance.

Cao Zhengyang glanced briefly at Zhou Qing standing behind Mo Xingjian, sighed helplessly, and said nothing.

After all, Zhou Qing was now a mere waste—Xuanjizi’s words had just shattered his cultivation path beyond repair.

To drive him out now would be too cruel.

Cao Zhengyang spoke slowly: “We’ve just seen off Xuanjizi. As previously planned, we depart tonight and rendezvous at Yinan Ridge, then split into two columns to reinforce Qingyu Immortal Sect. Tong Shi, you speak.”

Cao Zhengyang turned his gaze to Tong Min.

Tong Min looked weary, as if she had just returned from a long journey.

“Senior Masters, Senior Brothers, for safety’s sake, I followed the Sect Master’s orders and traveled alone at top speed to Qingyu Immortal Sect last night. Fortunately, my route was remote and went unnoticed—I recorded what I saw with an Image Stone.”

Tong Min finished speaking and immediately activated the Image Stone.

As the image projected, all saw Qingyu Immortal Sect’s mountain gate nearly collapsed, thick black smoke billowing.

Corpses littered the ground; rivers of blood flowed.

Numerous Jin Leizong disciples came and went, while other figures in black robes assisted in the cleanup—presumably the other faction Ji Ying and Huang Xiu had mentioned.

“That’s Lei Wují, Jin Leizong’s Sect Master—it really is him!” Moments later, they saw Lei Wují emerge, speaking to a man in black.

“And the two Vice Sect Masters—I recognize those Elders too!” another peak master spoke up.

Zhou Qing watched this scene, his brow furrowed.

But soon, this very scene confirmed his suspicion.

Everything felt too deliberate—why, at this critical moment, would they stop pressing the assault on Qingyu Immortal Sect? And why, just as Tong Min secretly recorded with the Image Stone, did they all appear so conveniently?

It wasn’t enough that Lei Wují showed up—his two Vice Sect Masters and other high-ranking figures also emerged, as if deliberately proving to the world that Jin Leizong was the one attacking Qingyu Immortal Sect.

Appearance can be altered—like Second Uncle.

“I didn’t dare get too close for fear of being spotted, but the truth is clear now,” Tong Min said, retracting the Image Stone.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Reinforcement was now urgent—even if they knew Cangyan Dao Palace waited on the path, they had no choice but to press forward.

“I disagree!”

The moment Cao Zhengyang rose solemnly to issue orders, a voice suddenly rang out from the side.

Zhou Qing turned quickly—and froze.

The hand raised belonged to Gao Xuan, Peak Master of Jin Yang Peak.

He bowed to Cao Zhengyang: “Sect Master, from receiving the news yesterday to departing tonight—isn’t this too hasty?”

Cao Zhengyang frowned: “Brother Gao, what are you suggesting?”

Gao Xuan said: “I merely wonder—are we trusting Tianji Men too much? What if—just hypothetically—they’re part of this scheme too?”

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(End of Chapter)