Chapter 948: Fungus Forest

Before him, Qi Lanyan merely toyed with a bone fragment, tossing it lightly in his hand, and laughed:

"So, Fellow Daoist Murong... you have come?" Murong Yan, however, wore a gloomy expression as he stood in the courtyard.

The few people within the Liberation Soil must have had some scheme to push him, Murong Yan, out to the front. Yet, the Qi Lanyan before him, smiling so brightly, was likewise no good person!

'Those old things in the Liberation Soil want to push me out, but I am surnamed Murong. Although I am not of the imperial house, I am still of the direct line. At most, they will use me; at worst, they will drag me into the Liberation Soil... This thing, Qi Lanyan, truly hopes for my demise!'

The Murong clan and Guanxie did not get along; their conflict was not a matter of a single day. When the Great Liang fell and heroes rose in groups, the Qi family had been broken at the hands of the Murong clan. The Qi ancestor, Qi Wang, was even captured by Murong Dechang and forced to serve for life... The Qi family had always prided themselves as a noble clan of Yin City, enfeoffed by the Zhou, with noble bloodlines. They had always looked down upon the "barbarians" and could not endure such humiliation!

Back then, the Qi family had strived with all their might, swearing in blood and tears to be the mortal enemies of the Murong barbarians. As time passed, things seemed better on the surface, and with the Murong clan being powerful, the Qi family had remained silent. But who knew what they truly thought in their hearts?

Murong Yan had known there would be no good news when he saw him, and today he understood even more: although his own rear was unstable, bowing his head to Qi Lanyan would only bring him humiliation!

Therefore, he said coldly and casually:

"Naturally, I am here to follow the instructions of Lord Qi."

Qi Lanyan stood up with a smile, appearing very polite: "What instructions? I only ask that Fellow Daoist Murong camp outside the mountains. Once there is a result in the grotto-heaven, we shall enter together... By the way, there is also Lord Gao... is he willing to enter? I fear that if a conflict arises with the Li clan, it might chill his heart!"

The Shilou Yingge clan always claimed their surname was Shilou. Qi Lanyan was playing dumb, bringing up this "Gao" to mock him. Although he smiled on the surface, the sarcasm was evident. Murong Yan only said coldly: "Fellow Daoist Shilou has always followed the Lord's arrangements. I do not know who Lord Gao is. However, Tuoba..."

"Enough!"

He had only uttered the two words "Tuoba" when a cold, clear shout drifted from the palace gate behind Qi Lanyan, cutting him off decisively. Murong Yan immediately broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly bowed to the side: "I did not know Lord Wei was here!"

Murong Yan did not need to think to know that Qi Lanyan behind him must be sneering.

Then, he saw the palace gate open gently, and a summons came. Murong Yan stepped forward quickly and indeed saw a man in white standing in the hall, holding a small box, seemingly admiring something, with a faint, pale golden luster reflecting on his face.

Seeing him approach, Wei Xuan Yin put down the box in his hand and said sternly: "You have worked hard, Fellow Daoist Murong."

Murong Yan shook his head cautiously.

Wei Xuan Yin glanced at him and said casually: "I thought the Yan Kingdom would handle it themselves and did not wish to disturb the layouts of the great virtuous ones. I did not expect such a misunderstanding. Perhaps the news was not timely, and it has startled Fellow Daoist Murong."

Seeing him ask so directly, what else could Murong Yan say? Could he complain about his own Liberation Soil and expose his own shortcomings? He could only swallow the bitterness and laugh: "The Liberation Soil had already given hints... It is all my fault for being too impatient and misunderstanding the meaning within the Liberation Soil!"

Wei Xuan Yin did not know whether to believe him or not, only nodded slightly and asked:

"Both sides suffered many casualties this time. Once we reach the grotto-heaven, we can support each other and make amends... In a few days, Sect Master Sheng Bai is coming. He will first stay in Luoxia, and those rituals are naturally indispensable. We are not well-versed in these matters, so I must ask Fellow Daoist Murong to go and receive him."

"Yes..."

Murong Yan replied in a low voice, his heart pounding. Although Wei Xuan Yin's words sounded pleasant, he felt little comfort: 'Although the Guanxie faction is now a running dog for Luoxia, Qi Lanyan cultivates "Jiaomu" and Wei Xuan Yin cultivates "Jueyin." Neither path has anything to do with the orthodoxy of Luoxia, and they lack Luoxia's tolerance and bearing toward immortal cultivators...'

He did not guard against Wei Xuan Yin as much as he did Qi Lanyan, but he felt no affection either. He laughed: "I shall only follow the Lord's instructions. However, I heard that Fellow Daoists Zong Chang and Gongsun have already arrived at Mount Dayuan Guangyin and will be here soon..."

With Wei Xuan Yin here, his original intention to negotiate with Qi Lanyan and pressure the Yan Kingdom faded. He could only return empty-handed and leave in low spirits. Qi Lanyan did not even lift his eyelids. Only after Murong Yan retreated did he withdraw his smile:

"Murong Yan truly has not received a shred of news. Those compassionate figures in the Liberation Soil are ruthless enough. Compassion is compassion, and Murong is Murong... but it makes sense."

Wei Xuan Yin shook his head, his expression somewhat displeased:

"You acted too hastily in this matter!"

Seeing Qi Lanyan's confusion, he said softly: "Do you know why Murong Yan suffered this calamity?"

"There has been no news of Lord Xue to this day, and the mountain has not been watching over him. As time drags on, the North is inevitably suspicious and has gradually developed covetous hearts toward Li Zhouwei..."

"The Compassionate Path is the same. With the example of King Shengming Jinming before them, seeing that the mountain has never responded, how could they not develop greed for the Bai Lin? Li Zhouwei is not easy to convert, but if they could kill him and forge a great karmic debt, the benefits would be no less than swallowing Yan back then."

"Thus, they immediately had crooked thoughts. That is why they ignored Murong Yan, hoping he would suffer in this upheaval, planning to make the karmic debt grow larger and larger, and finally see if they could drag the Compassionate Path into the fray..."

"But Murong Yan is a person seeking immortality; otherwise, he would not have firmly chosen the path of 'Mother Pin Shui.' In his heart, he actually craves the Golden Rank and is ashamed to dwell in the Liberation Rank. Only when forced would he consider the Liberation cultivators... How could he be willing to be their scapegoat? That is why there was the matter of cutting off the news."

Qi Lanyan was silent for a moment, watching Wei Xuan Yin say softly:

"But the attitude on the mountain is not clear. The Compassionate Path is clearly hesitant. Murong Yan is, after all, gifted, while Li Zhouwei might be a fool's errand. They hope he gets injured and forms a grudge to prepare for future variables, so they can enter at the right time, but they do not wish for him to perish completely. That is why they created the contradictory appearance of cutting off news while guarding him in the Taixu..."

Qi Lanyan gradually understood. Wei Xuan Yin said gloomily: "Unfortunately, I do not know who let the cat out of the bag, deliberately disgusting the Compassionate Path, or perhaps that pair of golden pupils of the Bai Lin is powerful, secretly perceiving many shadows in the Taixu. It stopped at a point and did not break out into real fire. This game failed, making Murong Yan vigilant. From now on, he will likely not risk his life."

Qi Lanyan was silent for a long time and asked:

"Uncle... what do you think?"

Wei Xuan Yin lowered his eyebrows and did not speak. It was unknown how much time passed before he lifted his brush, his gaze still on the desk, and said quietly: "Compassion is not the first to have such thoughts, nor will it be the last... Just wait."

He rolled up the scroll on the desk and hid it in his sleeve. Only then did he take out the small box placed on the side of the table, illuminating the surroundings with a pale golden light. Qi Lanyan glanced at it slightly; it seemed to contain a small seal about two fingers wide, embedded in a base, revealing only the side.

Wei Xuan Yin shook his head and laughed: "I am going to the East Sea... to see an old friend."

The sky was bright, and the morning glow was rising on the horizon. The vast plain was full of vitality, and several rays of magic light quickly galloped over the fertile land along the small stream.

The youth in the lead was high-spirited and had a refined, scholarly temperament. He wore feather robes and a jade belt at his waist. At a glance, he was from a family of great wealth and status. He rode a silver-scaled steed, shining brilliantly.

The woman beside him wore a white dress. Her attire looked simple, but the material faintly revealed a luster. Her appearance was clear and beautiful, with an unworldly aura.

The youth smiled slightly and pointed to the territory before them: "Tianyou, this is Fengxiang County of the Fungus Forest Plain. It is also a treasure land with unique scenery..."

"Oh?"

The young girl looked at him with a smile and asked:

"Brother Liang has also been here?"

Li Jiangliang smiled and said, "When I traveled south years ago, I rested here. A fellow traveler introduced it to me, saying that the Shanyue once occupied this place and worshipped an idol. Later, it was destroyed by a cultivator named Yuan Chengdun, who seized the magic treasure. Since it fell into this prefecture, it has had this name."

Yang Tianyou said softly:

"So it was him."

The two stopped in the county town, and immediately many people came up to flatter them:

"Young Master!"

The youth waved his hand and frowned:

"Who is in charge of this place?"

The crowd immediately knelt down, somewhat terrified. After pushing and shoving for a while, a middle-aged man finally walked out from the crowd.

This man had gray hair and looked quite aged. Although his face was noble, he lacked an eye, and his beard was messy. He stumbled to the front and bowed deeply.

He was extremely terrified, stepped forward to lead the horse for Li Jiangliang, stepped aside humbly, and said with a trembling voice:

"The lowly one... the lowly one greets the Young Master."

Li Jiangliang turned his head and said with a smile: "Whose family are you from? Your cultivation is not bad. Lead the way and show us around."

The man knelt down with a thud and said in a low voice: "The lowly one is a person like a slave, I fear I might soil your noble ears!"

Li Jiangliang's smile remained unchanged, and he said:

"Speak freely."

There was a stir below, and everyone looked up. The man lowered his head deeply, revealing the skin-and-bone, protruding vertebrae on the back of his neck. He said with a trembling voice: "The lowly one... the lowly one... Yuan Fuyao."

"Oh!"

Li Jiangliang squeezed the steed under his crotch slightly. The silver-scaled spirit horse snorted, pulling the reins from his hand until they fell off. He laughed:

"What a coincidence!"

After he finished speaking, he had already dismounted. Another person came up from the crowd, with white hair, hurriedly pulling Yuan Fuyao down and dragging him behind, his face full of respectful smiles:

"The lowly one, Ding Xiding, greets the Young Master!"

Although the old man had white hair, his eyebrows were thick, and there was still a bit of openness on his face, looking very excited. He replied:

"My Lord... My Lord... please!"

Yang Tianyou also flew down from the spirit beast. The two entered together, and the people on the left and right came up, making it very lively. However, a subordinate behind Li Jiangliang laughed, seemingly recognizing Ding Xiding, and said: "Old Man Ding! I remember you boasting that you were sworn brothers with Lord 【Yueque Sword】. How come, now that the real master is before you, you have become mute instead?"

The old man's face turned red instantly, and those thick eyebrows raised high. But the words he could boast about back then could not be spoken now that they were at his lips. He could only stammer:

"At that time... at that time I had also seen him..."

Li Jiangliang laughed: "I know... the Ding family! You once had traces by the lake... bordering the An clan."

As soon as these words were spoken, Ding Xiding was moved to tears and nodded repeatedly:

"The Young Master is truly amazing... you have read through history books and actually remember such distant matters... The lowly one is endlessly grateful!"

Back when Li Tongya achieved Foundation Establishment, he still had sighs and jealousy in his heart, so he never mentioned it. But as Li Tongya's reputation spread and more and more Li family members achieved Foundation Establishment, he gradually boasted about it. By the time the Li family produced a Zifu, Ding Xiding did not dare to say a word.

At this moment, being mentioned by the descendant of a descendant, he felt honored and shed tears on the spot.

And Yuan Fuyao, whom he had treated with such diligence back then, calling him "Young Master" at every turn, had long been cast aside like a burden, standing alone and shrinking away.

A group of people crowded into the county hall. Li Jiangliang waved his hand, and they all left like the wind. Yang Tianyou laughed: "This place is too close to Wangyue Lake. Everyone knows the Li family, and the rumors below also revolve around the lake. Yuan Fuyao's little matter... I fear it is known to everyone."

Li Jiangliang shook his head and laughed:

"There is no need to make things difficult for him... After all, we still need to win over people's hearts. Your brother has just settled the Yuan clan, and if I go to make things difficult, it will look bad... Furthermore... I actually think I should thank him."

Yang Tianyou clearly knew what he meant and shook her head with a laugh. Li Jiangliang walked around the county with her, observing carefully, and said in a low voice:

"The few small clans in the area still need to be resolved. This is easy, but right now there are too few of our own people. It is not to say that everyone is outstanding, but once spread across the vast Fungus Forest Plain, it will be even more troublesome..."

Yang Tianyou was somewhat helpless and frowned slightly, but under the setting of her appearance and temperament, she looked even more moving. She replied:

"My family has few people... the few who could be brought have been brought. We are busy everywhere and cannot stay in this one place..."

She changed the subject and said with some hope:

"It is just that there are many cultivators on the lake, and everyone is capable... Can you borrow a few capable ones from home? They don't need to be Foundation Establishment; some Qi Refining ones will suffice. What we lack are trusted aides."

Li Jiangliang was suddenly a bit embarrassed.

He really didn't want to borrow people from the lake. Although his clan sister Li Quewan, who was in charge at home, and his second brother Li Jianglong would definitely not make things difficult for him, every brother and sister was working for the family. It was one thing that he couldn't help, but he actually had to ask the family for help!

Moreover, this matter was not for cultivation, but for others, so it was inevitably a bit awkward. He pondered: "This..."

He was secretly pondering how to speak when he raised his head and had already reached the lively market in the county. It was noisy everywhere. He scanned casually and felt the jade talisman at his waist heat up. The expression on his face instantly stiffened, both suspicious and happy.

Li Jiangliang's gaze quickly swept across the surroundings. Standing with his hands behind his back beside the stall in front was a man in crimson robes.

This person had a slender figure and an outstanding appearance. Standing quietly in the crowd, he had an outstanding temperament. Although his eyes were full of smiles, because the distance between his eyebrows and eyes was too close, he looked venomous. His eyes were slightly narrow, and his pupils were golden.

This man seemed to turn his head inadvertently and smiled brightly at him.

Li Jiangliang turned his head to look at Yang Tianyou. The woman was looking at him with a smile. His heart felt bitter, and he sighed:

"You'er... come and meet your eldest brother!"

Characters appearing in this chapter

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Murong Yan 【Zifu Early Stage】

Qi Lanyan 【Zifu Mid Stage】

Li Jiangliang 【Qi Refining Peak】

Li Jiangqian 'Dali Book' 【Foundation Establishment Late Stage】 ===== CHAPTER 949 =====