Chapter 557: Setting Off

Yanshan Pass. Li Qinghong had only been cultivating in the pass for a few months when the order from Qingchi arrived immediately. It was passed all the way to Zhao Tinggui at Moon Lake Peak within the pass. This man rode the wind up to the pass, bringing a group of men behind him.

Li Qinghong exited her cave dwelling to welcome him. Zhao Tinggui waved his hand to make the others stop before the hall and entered alone. His expression was still relatively calm, and he was dressed in white. Li Qinghong guessed that his mood was low at the moment and said softly, "Fellow Daoist Tinggui."

"I dare not... Senior is too polite."

Zhao Tinggui's Foundation Establishment cultivators at Yanshan Pass had been completely mobilized. He did not know how many would be lost on this trip to Chengshui Mausoleum, which greatly increased his pressure. Furthermore, he had to explain this to the families and factions of these cultivators; it was fundamentally a headless and brainless affair.

Once the men were lost, how would he answer to these people? In the end, new Foundation Establishment cultivators would have to be transferred, and it would be he, Zhao Tinggui, who offended people again. He dared not hate Qingchi, but could he not hate himself, Zhao Tinggui? He was originally a character who tried not to offend anyone, but being forced to do such things, he was naturally extremely irritable in his heart, yet on the surface, he still said politely:

"Having received the order from the sect to transfer everyone to go, I have read the order, and it is very urgent, so I hurried over."

Li Qinghong responded, and Zhao Tinggui sighed:

"The sect's orders cannot be shirked. I ask Senior to take care. After all... we are now in this together. My junior brother just died in battle, and I really do not want anything else to happen."

Li Qinghong nodded and only replied: "Going north this time, I trouble Fellow Daoist to look after Yuexiang."

She did not know who would lead them on this trip north, nor did she know how dangerous it would be. She had already prepared herself to fall in that place. Worried about Li Yuexiang, she asked one more question and saw Zhao Tinggui straighten his expression: "Senior, rest assured. Tinggui has always regarded her as one of his own people on the peak..."

Seeing that there was still worry between Li Qinghong's brows, Zhao Tinggui paused and said in a deep voice: "Tinggui's parents died early. Although I claim not to be a good person, I have always regarded the junior and senior brothers on the peak as my own brothers. Since I have promised your noble family, I will certainly do it."

Li Qinghong could only let him speak. The information on the order was very urgent and could not be delayed. She exited the cave dwelling, summoned Li Wushao and Master Kongheng, and flew toward Bianyan Mountain, breaking through the air.

Master Kongheng had spoken less and less in recent years and was still in the appearance of silent cultivation, while Li Wushao was as sullen as usual. Only then did Li Qinghong have the opportunity to talk to him in detail. While riding the wind, she said softly:

"About that matter of the White Snake Valley... Linggu Lanying of the neighboring valley has many apologies. After all, it requires mutual affection..."

"My Lord."

Li Wushao was slightly stunned, and only then did he understand. He said in a hoarse voice:

"My snake kind is different from humans. We do not care about mutual affection or not. If the aura is smelled and desire cannot be aroused, then it cannot be. Even if the affection is deep, if the body does not respond, it is empty talk. There is no such thing as mutual affection. My Lord worries too much."

These words were beyond Li Qinghong's expectations, making her freeze for a moment. Li Wushao said lightly: "When I was in the East Sea, this matter had long existed. The upper-class Lushui White Snakes have difficulty in reproduction and have over a hundred wives and concubines, while the lower-class Pinhui Gray Snakes and Fushui Black Snakes are the dogs and horses of the White Snakes, producing offspring as numerous as sand."

"It is better when the cultivation is higher... When the cultivation is low, even if two snakes have mutual affection, as long as the White Snake gives a light call, they immediately lose their minds and flee to become his wives and concubines."

Li Wushao's expression was somewhat complex, as if there were many words accumulated in his chest. He said sullenly: "Until I became Foundation Establishment, there was still the view of bloodlines... My father once said... My kind of Hook Snake belongs to the confused and ignorant, which is fine, but I happened to have the intelligence of a human, yet I cannot resist the body. This is the first great sorrow."

Li Qinghong listened and lowered her brows, not knowing how to comfort him. Li Wushao said softly:

"Even if there is mutual affection, when transformed into the original body, the auras smell each other, and immediately there is disgust, and from the heart, one cannot help but feel aversion! My demon kind is just like this."

After he finished speaking, Master Kongheng, who was on the side, finally opened his eyes and said somewhat sullenly: "It is not just the demon kind; humans may not necessarily be beyond it."

These words from Master Kongheng reminded Li Qinghong of her own family's heir. She pondered secretly and fell silent. Li Wushao also stopped speaking.

This matter was just a small interlude in the world of the Hook Snakes, but it made Linggu Lanying of the neighboring valley visit in person, which made Li Wushao somewhat embarrassed. At this moment, speaking it out made the old demon feel much more relaxed.

The few of them rode the wind all the way and soon landed in the mountains. Most of the cultivators had arrived, and at a glance, one could still see many familiar faces.

Li Qinghong raised her head. The middle-aged man at the very head had black hair and golden clothes, his brows were sharp, and his side profile was very fierce, as if he would transform into a tiger or leopard to pounce and eat in the next moment.

Golden brilliance flowed on his body, and his broad and powerful palms held a golden bow with an exaggerated shape. He stood quietly alone on the stone platform, with the direct descendants of the Immortal Sect bowing their heads beside him, and the Foundation Establishment cultivators of various clans paying respects.

"Uncle..."

The appearance in her memory almost made Li Qinghong return to several decades ago in an instant. At that time, her father Li Xuanling was still alive, and Li Xuanfeng was still the most talented cultivator in the clan, having just broken through the pass, full of spirit.

She followed her eldest brother Li Yuanxiu up the mountain, and her second brother Li Yuanjiao was still laughing and talking about Li Xuanfeng's miraculous archery. Before even seeing the person, Li Qinghong already had a sense of longing.

She lowered her eyes and pondered secretly:

"Uncle might have had another breakthrough."

Li Xuanfeng waited in the mountains for a while, and the cultivators soon arrived as ordered. He glanced slightly; Li Qinghong and the others had all arrived. The white snake and the woman on the other side should be Linggu Lanying of the neighboring valley.

On the other side, there were also a few cultivators from the Ning family and two disciples from Moon Lake Peak, as well as a few guest ministers transferred back by Qingchi from the East Sea and South Sea, and three sent by the Jin Yu Sect. Altogether, there were sixteen Foundation Establishment cultivators.

As for the Qi Refining and Embryonic Breath cultivators, they were naturally transferred from the mountains. The number of these people was not large. Firstly, they were of no great use in a fight, and secondly, Qingchi was unwilling to send out disciples from within the sect, and under its rule, after these years of continuous tossing, it really could not transfer any Qi Refining or Embryonic Breath cultivators.

"Midnight is approaching. Everyone, let's set off with me."

Li Xuanfeng ordered softly. His own family naturally responded. The ones sent by Qingchi and Jin Yu were all guest ministers, belonging to the old people of various places, and they all gave him face, approaching with respectful attitudes.

He took out the jade boat of the Ning family from his sleeve, which was Ning Wan's 【Changbi Liuyun Boat】. It paused slightly in the air and immediately transformed into a large boat, and everyone fell into it one after another.

Ning Heyuan beside him was a step slower than him, flying up with him while riding the wind. He threw a piece of gauze from his sleeve, covering everyone's figures, and then smiled: "Everyone, let's talk."

Li Xuanfeng had already watched for a while. The guest ministers sent by Qingchi were all naturalized cultivators from the East Sea, and their strength was mediocre, but East Sea cultivators at least had experience in dealing with demonic cultivators, and their life-saving techniques were even better.

Although these people had no combat power, they could still hold back a few demonic cultivators.

Only the three sent by the Jin Yu Sect were somewhat interesting. One had a talisman sword on his back and claimed to be Zhuang Cheng, a cultivator from the Guyan Desert. One was an old man over two hundred years old, who also claimed to be from Guyan and was named Lin Shouye.

Only the last one was an old Daoist priest, who looked like he was just there to make up the numbers. He seemed to have just broken through to Foundation Establishment, his aura was floating, and he claimed to be Bai Yinzi from Guyan, his face full of bitterness.

Jin Yu was somewhat different from Qingchi. The Jin Yu Sect had looser control over cultivation techniques and Suiyuan Pills, and the exploitation under it was much looser. It also had many constraints on annexation, and there were many large families that had continued for hundreds of years. The number of Qi Refining cultivators was clearly a step ahead of Qingchi.

What's more, the families of Qingchi had not yet recovered from the struggle and persecution before Chi Wei's death. The previous geniuses had been eaten clean, and the subsequent geniuses were unwilling to be sent to Qingchi at will. As one grew and the other waned, even the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators was much different.

"As for the rumors that most of the Daoist traditions of the Yue State came from the six sons of the Chongming Hall, they are more excellent, and the competition is particularly fierce, so those who stand out are often a step ahead of the Wu State... I don't know if it's true or false, but looking at the two people in front of me... their strength is also considered passable."

Li Xuanfeng pondered, and Li Qinghong and the others all spoke to introduce themselves. However, he saw that Bai Yinzi's eyes lit up, and he approached Li Qinghong and the others, saying in a low voice:

"Several Lords, this small cultivator is a cultivator from that small temple in Guyan... Senior Donghe came there back then! And guarded it for a long time..."

Li Qinghong immediately understood that it was the place where her family collected 【Jinyang Huangyuan】, but she had never seen this person before, so she could not judge, and could only nod and let it pass.

Seeing her so polite, Bai Yinzi had no choice but to sit down again and listen to the people in the boat chatting.

The people from Jin Yu were also experienced. Lin Shouye was an old cultivator over two hundred years old, and soon chatted with several East Sea cultivators. After a few exchanges, they all considered themselves to have an understanding of each other.

Ning Heyuan waited for a while before speaking, saying in a deep voice: "Everyone, going to 【Chengshui Mausoleum】 this time is to fight with the demonic cultivators of the Murong family. These are not ordinary demonic cultivators. Everyone must be careful."

Although the true direct descendants of the Murong family were Li Xuanfeng, Tang Shedu, and others to deal with, the remaining demonic cultivators were not those ordinary goods. Ning Heyuan was afraid that they would underestimate the enemy, so he specifically exhorted, and then said: "As for 【Chengshui Mausoleum】, do you all know it?"

Several cultivators did not speak. Only the old cultivator Lin Shouye raised his eyelids and said in a hoarse voice:

"It is the mausoleum of the royal descendants of the Ning State. It originally had the blessing of an ancient formation. Hundreds of years ago, it was broken by the Duke of Xu in alliance with various families of the Xu State, and the spiritual treasures within were looted clean..."

"Now it should only have an empty shell left... It's just that the spiritual energy is thick, and the original sects have fled overseas, so it happens to be able to accommodate the demons."

Ning Heyuan nodded and said:

"Old Senior has good insight."

Lin Shouye smiled in a low voice and replied:

"In my early years, I went there to train. It is rumored that the Ning State still has a cave heaven, and someone has entered from that Chengshui Mausoleum. I don't know if it's true or false..."

These words from Lin Shouye really made Ning Heyuan startled. Originally, it was just words to flatter him, but now it had a bit of true feeling. However, he was noncommittal in his mouth:

"There is indeed such a rumor..."

Lin Shouye stroked his beard and did not speak. Zhuang Cheng, who had the talisman sword on his back, spoke, his voice low and powerful: "After all, the Duke of Xu died suddenly not long after breaking the formation. This 【Chengshui Mausoleum】 must have many evils. I am afraid that it will be used by that group of demonic cultivators. It is a small matter for us to suffer, but it would not be good if the situation is reversed."

Lin Shouye nodded and praised:

"Fellow Daoist Zhuang's thoughts are very true. The Immortal Dao of the Xu State gradually declined from that time, one day not as good as the next. Even the once prosperous Tangjin Sect slowly declined. Only then did the later matter of the Buddhist cultivators moving south... the matter of the Upper Origin True Lord taking action..."

At that time, Upper Origin was still a True Person, but he had now cultivated into a True Lord and had become a legendary existence in everyone's mouth, so naturally, he could only be called a True Lord.

When Lin Shouye mentioned the True Person Shangyuan, the expressions of several people immediately became complex. After all, he was a member of the Golden Feather Sect and did not have deep feelings about this, but many people present had participated in the defense against the Buddhist cultivators and had seen Shangyuan take action, so they were all filled with emotion.

Lin Guying, from the neighboring valley, listened to this for a while, nodded gently, her emerald-green hairpin swaying behind her hair, and said softly:

"The 'Human Head in the Abdomen' of the Murong family is very famous. Many of their spells are adept at using the few to defeat the many, so everyone must be careful."

As they were talking, Li Qinghong just listened silently. Soon, she saw the clouds outside the boat gradually thickening, with demonic Qi drifting and hills undulating. The Thunder Pool in her Qi sea floated incessantly, clearly stimulated by the overflowing demonic Qi.

"Chengshui Mausoleum..."

Li Qinghong's pupil technique pierced through the mist, vaguely seeing the broken walls and ruins below. Several streaks of demonic light floated and drifted back and forth in the clouds, seemingly searching for something.

She carefully observed the terrain and realized that she seemed to have been to this place before. Back when she used the Dharma altar to pray for thunder, she had visited many places in the Zhao State that might have thunder, and she seemed to have been here.

"In the Dharma altar, it wasn't called 【Chengshui Mausoleum】, but rather the Anhuai Prefecture of the Wei State... It seems the Ning State was only able to be established after the fall of Wei, and they used this as a royal mausoleum..."

At that time, there were still several sects here checking and balancing each other, and they were all very polite to her, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. There should be several places here where the earth veins could be traversed, and there were many cave dwellings among them.

"Now, this group of demonic cultivators should be inside... This place is also very close to the Tangdao Mountain of the Tangjin Sect..."

The crowd gradually fell silent. Li Xuanfeng, with his bow on his back, looked on with focused spirit, the light of the token in his hand flickering, seemingly guiding something.

Soon, the brilliance on the token reached its peak, and one rune after another appeared. Li Xuanfeng read them carefully, calculated the distance, took the bow from his back into his hand, and said in a deep voice:

"Tang Shedu and the others have arrived. Everyone, make your preparations."

Sure enough, as soon as his voice fell, white light rose in the mist in the distance. A huge white human head rose into the air, glaring with two massive blue-black eyes. Two red eyes densely covered with bloodshot veins stared straight outside, bloody and teary, with snow-white fangs that were neat and bright, emitting a pure white light.

"Audacious!"

The human head immediately opened its mouth, its neat teeth opening like a door panel, spewing out dense blue-black light spots. These light spots swarmed over, turning into snakes, insects, ants, and scorpions, falling down from the rain with a clatter, growing wings, and searching for their own targets.

Li Qinghong had seen the reincarnated Mahakasyapa Murong Xia back then. The human head in the abdomen released by that monk was not this large, and what it spat out were living human souls that could speak and laugh, and could even thank Murong Xia...

"Murong Xia was Mahakasyapa after all, and the abdomen had been refined to the level of a Blessed Land. The direct descendant of the Murong family before us is far inferior; one can tell at a glance that it is some kind of demonic art..."

Li Qinghong's heart suddenly cleared. Li Xuanfeng, however, narrowed his eyes. He now looked like a middle-aged man, very fierce, and this narrowed-eyed expression was terrifying, causing everyone to look sideways.

But then, the middle-aged man slowly raised his golden bow, and a golden arrow jumped from his waist, landing on the string. The golden, shimmering string was pulled straight, and a harsh buzzing sound rang in everyone's ears.

"Buzz..."