Chapter 448: Puzzling and Obscure

Of all the sects in the Dao Profound Alliance, perhaps none were more familiar with He He Pingsheng's strength than the Ice Extreme Sect.

After all, Xiao Xuan was a member of their sect.

Back during the Nine Nations Grand Competition, Xiao Xuan was at the twelfth layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage, while He He Pingsheng was at the sixth.

Even then, He He Pingsheng could have killed Xiao Xuan in an instant.

If not for the intervention of the Grand Void Gate, Xiao Xuan would have been slain long ago.

Now that He He Pingsheng had reached the eleventh layer of the Golden Core Stage, his combat power was unimaginable.

Therefore, the first thing that crossed the mind of Elder Elder Bingxuan of the Ice Extreme Sect upon seeing He He Pingsheng was that this fellow had come to wipe out their sect.

Otherwise, why would he come to their Ice Extreme Sect?

He He Pingsheng shook his head. "The thing I hope for most right now is that there is no deep-seated hatred between me and the Ice Extreme Sect."

In the past, there had indeed only been some minor disputes.

But if they dared to do anything to Qiao Linger, that would be an irreconcilable blood feud.

"Whoosh... whoosh whoosh..."

Just then, four or five more Golden Core cultivators flew out from within the Ice Extreme Sect, landing with a thud around He He Pingsheng.

When these people saw He He Pingsheng, they were filled with indignation.

Some even drew their magic treasures, shouting, "What are we waiting for? Even if his combat power is formidable, can't we kill him if we all attack together?"

"That's right... today, this villain must die!"

He He Pingsheng was stunned.

I haven't even said I wanted to kill you yet, and you're already trying to kill me?

"All of you, stop!"

A majestic voice drifted out from within the Ice Extreme Sect, and then, with a flash in the void, a tall, black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator arrived via teleportation.

"Old Ancestor!"

"Greetings, Old Ancestor!"

The Golden Core cultivators all bowed to the Nascent Soul cultivator.

The great Nascent Soul cultivator waved his hand. "An honored guest has arrived; do not be rude!"

"All of you, put away your magic treasures!"

"Are you not listening to my words?"

Only then did those people put away their magic treasures one by one.

"Daoist He!" The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator bowed to He He Pingsheng. "Please forgive the earlier offense!"

He He Pingsheng shook his head. "No matter."

This remark sounded rather uncomfortable to the Golden Core disciples nearby.

This was their Ice Extreme Sect's Old Ancestor, a great Nascent Soul cultivator, so why was he addressing the fellow opposite him as an equal?

Even calling him 'Daoist'?

He was only at the eleventh layer of the Golden Core Stage!

Even if his combat power was heaven-defying, could he really beat the Old Ancestor?

Of course, although they were resentful in their hearts, they didn't dare to say anything on the surface.

He He Pingsheng's spiritual sense swept over the great Nascent Soul cultivator: eighth layer of the Nascent Soul Stage.

The great Nascent Soul cultivator of the Ice Extreme Sect was truly unfathomable.

"Daoist He, you have traveled far to be our guest; please, come inside!" The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator gestured toward the sect gate.

He He Pingsheng nodded.

The group turned into streams of light and flew into the Ice Extreme Sect's reception hall.

The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator sat in the main seat, He He Pingsheng sat opposite him, and the others sat below.

"Daoist He, please have some tea!" The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator said. "I presume you didn't come to our Ice Extreme Sect without a reason."

He He Pingsheng nodded, and at the same time, his spiritual sense surged out, probing every corner of the Ice Extreme Sect again. He didn't stop speaking, saying, "I would like to ask you, Daoist: my wife, Qiao Linger, came to this place a year ago. Did you abduct her?"

"And why is Xiao Xuan nowhere to be seen?"

He threw out two questions at once.

"Qiao Linger?" The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator looked slightly startled. "What do you mean, Daoist? Your wife, Qiao Linger, has gone missing?"

He He Pingsheng said, "You could say that!"

"She went missing in the vicinity of the Dao Profound Alliance. After much thought, the only ones with the motive and the ability to abduct her are your Ice Extreme Sect!"

He He Pingsheng's gaze was like a blade, landing on the black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator.

The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator gave a bitter laugh. "Daoist, you have misunderstood; that is truly not the case!"

"I understand what you are thinking, Daoist He—that our Xiao Xuan had his heart set on your Qiao Linger. But that is impossible..."

"Back then, when you were both still weak, our Ice Extreme Sect didn't resort to forceful abduction. Now that you are both so powerful, how would we dare to make a move?"

"Wouldn't that just be inviting trouble for ourselves?"

"Given your current status and strength, our Ice Extreme Sect wouldn't dare to oppose you!"

The Ice Extreme Old Ancestor said this with extreme flattery.

He He Pingsheng, however, was not swayed by this flattery. "You cannot prove that you didn't take Qiao Linger!"

"Sigh..." The Ice Extreme Old Ancestor's face was filled with a bitter smile.

"Hmph..." Just then, a Golden Core cultivator below snorted coldly. "Originally, Xiao Xuan was indeed obsessed with Qiao Linger, but Xiao Xuan himself has been missing for over a decade now. We spend every day thinking about how to find him; where would we find the spare time to go and abduct some Qiao Linger?"

"If it weren't for the great distance, we would have run to the Liang Nation to ask you, He He Pingsheng, if you were the one who abducted our precious disciple!"

As soon as these words were spoken, He He Pingsheng's brow furrowed.

"What did you say?" He He Pingsheng turned his head. "Xiao Xuan is missing?"

"That's right!" The Ice Extreme Old Ancestor nodded. "Actually, I was just about to tell you this. Your wife, Qiao Linger, has gone missing, and our Xiao Xuan has also disappeared."

He He Pingsheng felt a chill run from head to toe upon hearing this news. He took a deep breath and asked, "When exactly did Xiao Xuan go missing?"

The Ice Extreme Old Ancestor said, "It was after the Nine Nations Grand Competition!"

"After your Nine Nations Grand Competition, he was quite dejected. Upon returning to the Ice Extreme Sect, he began preparing to form his Core."

"Three months after he successfully formed his Core, he just vanished, inexplicably and without a sound!"

"He didn't leave a single trace behind!"

He He Pingsheng felt a sense of horror.

Xiao Xuan!

A genius with a Void Void Linggen. Although he couldn't beat He He Pingsheng or Wang Dun, his combat power was already enough to sweep aside everyone else except for Wang Dun and He He Pingsheng.

To call him the third strongest Golden Core in the world would not be an exaggeration.

Such a terrifying person, even after advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage, his combat power should have been even more terrifying!

Yet...

How could such a terrifying person be taken away by someone else without a sound?

"Could it be..." He He Pingsheng asked, "that he has fallen?"

"No!" The Ice Extreme Old Ancestor took out a life tablet from his robes. "Daoist He, please look. This is Xiao Xuan's life tablet. At this very moment, he is still alive..."

"It's just that no one knows where he is!"

The hall fell into silence, and a deathly aura permeated the air.

After a long while, He He Pingsheng asked, "Is there anything suspicious?"

The Ice Extreme Old Ancestor said, "Daoist He, when you were still in the Foundation Establishment Stage, you and Wang Dun were running around, hiding left and right. I think you know very well why that was."

He He Pingsheng said, "You mean, it was the people from the Qi Nation's imperial court?"

The Ice Extreme Old Ancestor nodded. "The Emperor of Qi fears those with great destiny like tigers. I suspect he must have been captured by a great Nascent Soul power of the Qi Nation!"