Chapter 448: A Puzzling Mystery

Of all the sects in the Dao-Xuan Alliance, the Ice Extreme Sect was undoubtedly the most familiar with He Ping's strength.

After all, Xiao Xuan was a member of the Ice Extreme Sect.

Back during the Nine Nations Grand Competition, Xiao Xuan was at the twelfth layer of Core Formation, while He Ping was only at the sixth.

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

If it hadn't been for the intervention of the elders, Xiao Xuan would have been slain by him long ago.

Now that He Ping had reached the eleventh layer of Core Formation, his combat power was unimaginable.

Therefore, the first thing that crossed the minds of the Ice Extreme Sect members when they saw He Ping was that he had come to exterminate them.

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

He Ping 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."

Previously, there had only been some minor disputes.

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

"Whoosh... whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

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

When these people saw He Ping, they were all filled with fury.

One even drew a magic treasure and shouted, "What are we waiting for? Even if his combat power is strong, can't we kill him if we all swarm him together?"

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

He Ping 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 space flickered as a tall, black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator teleported over.

"Biyun Laozu!"

"Greetings, Biyun Laozu!"

All the Core Formation cultivators bowed to the Nascent Soul cultivator.

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

"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.

"Fellow Daoist He!" The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator bowed to He Ping. "Please forgive the previous offense!"

He Ping shook his head. "It is of no consequence!"

This remark sounded rather unpleasant to the ears of the surrounding Core Formation disciples.

This was their Ice Extreme Sect's Biyun Laozu, a great Nascent Soul cultivator, so why was he addressing this fellow as a peer?

And calling him 'Fellow Daoist'?

He was only at the eleventh layer of Core Formation!

Even if his combat power was heaven-defying, could he really be a match for their Biyun Laozu?

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

He Ping's spiritual sense extended out, scanning 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.

"Fellow Daoist He, you have traveled from afar; please, come inside!" The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator gestured toward the sect gate.

He Ping nodded.

The group turned into streaks of light, flying one after another into the Ice Extreme Sect's guest hall.

The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator sat in the seat of honor, He Ping sat opposite him, and the others sat below.

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

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

"Also, why is Xiao Xuan nowhere to be seen?"

He threw out both questions at once.

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

He Ping said, "You could say that!"

"She went missing in the vicinity of the Dao-Xuan Alliance. I have pondered it over and over, and the only ones with the suspicion and the ability to abduct her are your Ice Extreme Immortal Sect!"

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

The black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator gave a bitter laugh. "Fellow Daoist, you have misunderstood. Truly, we did not!"

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

"Back then, when you were both still weak, our Ice Extreme Sect did not take the opportunity to seize her by force. Now that you are both so powerful, how could we possibly dare to make a move?"

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

"Given your current status and strength, our Ice Extreme Immortal Sect would never dare to oppose you!"

The Ice Extreme Biyun Laozu said this with extreme flattery.

He Ping, however, was not swayed by this flattery. "You cannot prove that you did not take Zhao Linger."

"Hmph..." The Ice Extreme Biyun Laozu's face twisted into a bitter smile.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Ice Extreme Biyun Laozu said, "It was after the Nine Nations Grand Competition!"

"After your Nine Nations Grand Competition, he was quite dejected. After returning to the Ice Extreme Sect, he began his attempt to form a Nascent Soul!"

"Three months after he successfully formed his Nascent Soul, he just disappeared, inexplicably and without a sound!"

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

He Ping felt a sense of horror.

Xiao Xuan!

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

Calling him the third strongest Core Formation cultivator in the world would not be an exaggeration.

Such a heaven-defying genius—after advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage, how terrifying would his combat power be?

Yet...

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

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

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

"It's just that we don't know where he is!"

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

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

The Ice Extreme Biyun Laozu said, "Fellow Daoist He, when you were still at the Foundation Establishment Stage, you and Wang Dun were running around, hiding left and right. I think you know very well why that was, don't you?"

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

The Ice Extreme Biyun Laozu nodded. "The Qi Emperor fears those with great destiny as if they were tigers. I suspect he must have been captured by a great Nascent Soul expert from the Qi Kingdom!"