Chapter 39: Wind and Rain Coming

In these few months, Song Qingming had never been calm because of the matter of picking up Liu Tianlong's storage bag. This time he came to Qinghe Market, in addition to purchasing the materials and elixirs he needed, he also wanted to inquire about Liu Tianlong's situation to see if he was really dead.

He was still a young man in his early twenties, and his mentality could not reach the city of those old cultivators. The wealth he obtained for no reason made him feel guilty from time to time. During the time he walked out of the Fuyun Mountain Range, sometimes he even feared that he was in a dream, and when he woke up, he returned to the time when he had just left Qinghe County.

It was just a pity that he still didn't get the answer he wanted from Fourth Uncle's mouth, and the Liu family's shop was closed abnormally, which made him worry again in his heart. After eating in the afternoon, Song Qingming said goodbye to Song Changqiu and his wife and left Qinghe Market with a heavy heart.

In the Lu family courtyard in Qinghe Market, Lu Yuanfeng looked at the communication spiritual talisman he had just received, and his face was a bit ugly as he paced alone in the courtyard.

Lu Yuanfeng was a Foundation Establishment cultivator sent by the Carefree Sect to guard Qinghe Market. He had been guarding Qinghe Market for nearly thirty years, and Qinghe Market had always been calm and peaceful without any major omissions. Unexpectedly, he received a questioning sound transmission from the General Affairs Elder of the sect today, which made him feel unhappy in his heart.

A flash of spiritual light flashed on Lu Yuanfeng's right hand, and he quickly cast a magic spell. A golden light shot from his hand and flew out of the courtyard. Before long, a white-clad cultivator with a mature appearance walked quickly into the courtyard.

Seeing the visitor, Lu Yuanfeng said quickly:

"Wencai, I just received news from Senior Uncle Guangling of the sect. The Liu family of Jingyuan Mountain privately mined the five-element spirit fruit tree in the sect's territory behind the sect's back. You take a few people to the market first to seal the Liu family's shop, and keep an eye on the Liu family's cultivators."

After listening, Yuan Wencai replied with embarrassment: "Master, the Liu family's shop in the market has been closed for nearly half a month. I'm afraid the people have already withdrawn long ago. Liu Tianlong has always been honest and dutiful in the past. This time, his courage is too big, and he actually dared to pay attention to the five-element spirit fruit tree. Isn't he looking for death?"

"Forget it, it seems that Liu Tianlong had thought of it long ago. You arrange for someone to notify the Huang family about this matter and let them send someone to accompany us to Jingyuan Mountain tomorrow." Lu Yuanfeng stood with his hands behind his back and said with a faint expression.

"Master, I don't know how the sect intends to deal with the Liu family this time. Does this matter need to be notified to Fifth Junior Brother?"

"Liu Tianlong must die. Senior Uncle Guangling has instructions in the letter. All other cultivators of the Liu family will be sent to Huoyan Mountain to mine ore for thirty years. Don't tell Huo Lin about it for now. I will naturally protect the people who should be protected. Jingyuan Mountain will temporarily belong to the sect's management. When the time comes, see if nearby families can accept some of the mortals under the Liu family, and the rest will be migrated directly to Qinghe Market." Lu Yuanfeng's tone had a sense of sadness, and then he waved his hand to signal Yuan Wencai to retreat.

Yuan Wencai was the first disciple accepted by Lu Yuanfeng after Foundation Establishment. He had always been very loyal to this master and was deeply trusted by Lu Yuanfeng. He had been guarding Qinghe Market with him for nearly thirty years.

The reason why he asked this was entirely because his Fifth Junior Brother, Huo Lin, happened to have a Dao companion who was a female cultivator of the Liu family, and the two had always been loving. This time the Liu family had an accident, I am afraid it would implicate the two of them. Seeing that Master Lu Yuanfeng already had a plan in his heart, Yuan Wencai felt relieved and walked out.

——

Qinghe County, Du family of Baoshi Peak

In the council hall of the Du family, Du family leader Du Shaoying looked at the several Du family elders in front of him with some anger on his face.

"Shaokang, tell me, what is going on with Yucheng? You are all back, why did he suddenly join the Carefree Sect?" Du Shaoying looked at Du Shaokang, who was trembling in front of him, and asked with displeasure.

Du Shaokang was also unlucky. This trip to the Fuyun Mountain Range, he was responsible for leading the team. One of the Du family cultivators who died happened to be relatively close to the family leader Du Shaoying. He was speechless when he was asked by Du Shaoying as soon as he came back.

Du Yucheng, a younger generation that the family didn't pay much attention to, Du Shaokang originally thought he had died after being swept into the pool. It wasn't until he came back that Du Shaokang knew that his soul mark on the genealogy was still bright. Knowing that he was still alive, Du Shaokang was a little happy in his heart.

It wasn't until today that he heard the news from the Du family cultivators in the Carefree Sect that Du Yucheng had joined the Carefree Sect and became an inner disciple. Du Shaokang was shocked on the spot. He really didn't know whether Du Yucheng was crazy or the person who recruited him into the sect in the Carefree Sect had water in his brain.

Large sects like the Carefree Sect had always been relatively strict in recruiting disciples. Generally, cultivators from civilian backgrounds who joined the sect had to start from the low-status outer sect miscellaneous disciples. Such disciples would recruit one or two hundred people every year, and the competition was very fierce.

Only those with backers in the sect or recommended by major vassal cultivation families could directly become inner disciples. However, the requirements were relatively high. They must be cultivators with Three-Spirit Roots or above, or have very talented cultivation skills. Otherwise, after entering the sect and becoming outer sect miscellaneous disciples, it would not be as comfortable as cultivating in the family.

Du Yucheng's spiritual root talent was not high, and he didn't have any particularly powerful cultivation skills. I don't know what the Carefree Sect saw in him. Du Shaokang thought about it for a long time, but still didn't understand. Facing Du Shaoying's questioning at this moment, he could only shrink his head and be speechless.

This trip to the Fuyun Mountain Range, although the Du family's harvest was okay, but they inexplicably lost two cultivators, which still had a great impact on the family. There were not many Du family cultivators, and two young cultivators were missing at once, so it was no wonder that the family leader Du Shaoying would be so angry.

It was just that although they knew that Du Yucheng had joined the Carefree Sect, they didn't know the details. Du Yucheng had now become an inner disciple of the Carefree Sect and had a glimmer of hope for Foundation Establishment. His status could be said to have changed drastically, which also made the Du family members not know how to face him in the future.

Liu family of Jingyuan Mountain, Liu Tianlong sat on the hospital bed, and several Liu family elders sat in front of the bed, all of whom looked panicked.

In a few months, although Liu Tianlong's injuries had recovered a lot, he always had a sense of decay on his face. After experiencing this trip to the Fuyun Mountain Range, it was as if his essence and blood had been exhausted, making him an old man who was about to die.

Liu Tianlong coughed lightly, sat up straight, forced himself to cheer up, and asked softly to a Liu family elder beside him: "Tianquan, have the people in the market all been arranged to withdraw?"

"Family leader, don't worry. The shop in Qinghe Market has been closed and suspended for ten days. Meng Cheng and the others have already withdrawn ten days ago, leaving only mortals to guard the shop," Liu Tianquan replied to the respected family leader.

Liu Tianlong had served as the Liu family leader for nearly forty years. When he took over as the family leader, the Liu family was still in decline. The surrounding forces of the Liu family were all eyeing this former Foundation Establishment family. Liu Tianlong relied on his extraordinary courage to quickly stabilize the family's decline and let the Liu family slowly recover a lot of vitality. Over the years, he had always been deeply loved by his clansmen in the clan.

Liu Tianlong nodded and said: "A few days ago, Meng Chen sent news from the Carefree Sect that someone offered a Water Spirit Fruit Tree to the Carefree Sect and became an inner disciple. It should be the one we discovered this time. I am afraid that our trip to the Fuyun Mountain Range this time has been exposed."

"Could it be those few people who were swept into the pool by the Black-Feathered Python that day? That person is really lucky. Not only did he not die, but he actually found the location of the Water Spirit Fruit Tree. Sigh..." Another Liu family elder sighed and said.

Liu Tianlong thought about it and said: "It should be. The few people who were swept into the pool that day, I sent people to check later. There were three people in total. Wu Ziyuan of the Wu family died in the pool. Song Qingming of the Song family also returned a month later. Only Du Yucheng of the Du family disappeared and hasn't returned yet. The one who went to the Carefree Sect should be this person. My storage bag should also have fallen into this person's hands, which made him guess the location of the Water Spirit Fruit Tree."

"Damn Du family, I didn't expect that we worked hard for decades, but in the end, it was cheaper for them. If I had known this, we might as well have offered this Water Spirit Fruit Tree directly to the Carefree Sect." The Liu family elder said, his eyes turning red, and he already hated the Du family to the bone in his heart.

Liu Tianlong smiled bitterly: "We failed today, and it is not entirely our own problem. Man proposes, God disposes. It is also the Liu family's bad luck. I have already let Meng Xin leave Jingyuan Mountain. The family cannot implicate her. In the future, she can only rely on herself."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 40 =====