Chapter 261: Evil seeds? Heavenly treasures?

"Back during the Qiling incident, your Inspector personally went to investigate the Zheng family and saw those Zheng family disciples who had already been turned into evil seeds, locked away in the old mansion's dungeon."

"After the Zheng family ancestor failed his ascension, the Seven Great Xian Sects also turned that old mansion upside down, inside and out. They should have seen those things too. By all logic, this shouldn't be fresh news."

Hearing Ding Yao's words, Ji You did not show any surprise.

The fact that Zheng family disciples had turned into evil seeds was known to very few in the Qingyun World, but among the Seven Great Xian Sects, it shouldn't have been a secret.

By all logic, Yan Shuyi shouldn't have sent Ding Yao and her companion to tell him something he already knew.

Ji You looked at Ding Yao: "Is this time different from the last?"

Sure enough, Ding Yao raised her eyes upon hearing this: "Young Master is wise..."

That the Zheng family disciples had all turned into evil seeds was indeed known to all the Seven Great Xian Sects.

Although they didn't know what kind of evil arts the Zheng family had used, this incident indirectly proved that wanting to obtain immortal fate from the ruins was a fool's dream.

But this time, the Seven Great Xian Sects had seen something completely different.

They followed the clues regarding Dou Yuankong all the way to the outskirts of Anyuan City and indeed discovered the last place Dou Yuankong had stayed.

There was indeed a winery there, belonging to the Bu family of Qingzhou, which produced spirit wine brewed from spiritual materials.

Most of the wine in Shengjing City was supplied by that winery.

It is said that Dou Yuankong had mentioned that winery many times while looking for songstresses, saying that things were definitely better from the source and that he wanted to taste a cup of undiluted craft brew.

Ji You heard this: "In other words, Dou Yuankong went there himself?"

Ding Yao nodded: "He was aimless the whole way after leaving Shengjing. He probably remembered the winery after being invited by a friend nearby, so he decided to go drink. Apart from those songstresses, no one else knew about this."

"The songstress remembers it so clearly?"

"Dou Yuankong originally wanted to keep her for half a month, which is why the songstress remembered it clearly."

Ji You opened his mouth after hearing this: "Since that songstress is still alive, does that mean she didn't go with him?"

Ding Yao coughed: "She said every time it was neither here nor there, and she had long since grown tired of serving him."

"It's fortunate Dou Yuankong went mad..."

Ji You couldn't help but grin after hearing this, unable to stop himself from thinking of the laptop he had left behind in his dormitory before coming to the Qingyun World.

Or rather, the all-encompassing history records in the laptop's browser.

"And then?"

"That winery has a problem..."

Dou Yuankong was indeed unlucky to have gone to that winery himself.

What happened there is unknown, but the timeline is roughly the same as when he was found by the farmers in Sanli County.

The Mountain Sea Pavilion was the first to find that winery. They didn't think there was anything wrong at first and were just conducting a routine inspection, but who would have thought a fierce battle would break out at the winery that very night.

When other cultivators arrived, the Mountain Sea Pavilion disciples had suffered heavy losses. This incident shocked the other sect wanderers.

Because they hadn't expected a local family to have such combat power.

"The Seven Great Xian Sects circled in from all directions. The people in the winery couldn't escape. After a search, the people sent by the Xian Sects discovered a group of people full of baleful energy in a wild mountain forest, who turned into evil seeds while being surrounded."

Ji You froze his eyes after hearing this: "You mean to say they can turn into evil seeds at will?"

Ding Yao nodded: "This is the reason why the Seven Great Xian Sects want to suppress the news."

Hearing the affirmative answer, Ji You instantly tightened his brow, thinking to himself that this was a huge deal.

The things the Zheng family had created back then turned their family members into living-dead evil corpses, which looked ferocious and terrifying, but in reality, they hadn't caused much of a stir.

Because those ghosts had no thoughts; otherwise, they wouldn't have been locked in a dungeon by their own kin.

Therefore, they were not driven by anyone and were basically just wandering ghosts.

But this time, someone could actually transform into an evil seed at will, and even had their own logic and thoughts.

"It seems Dou Yuankong never truly went to the winery."

"?"

Ji You turned his head to look at the puzzled Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu: "If he had truly gone to the winery, by the time the news of him being rescued and brought back to Shengjing spread, those ghosts should have been alerted. They wouldn't have waited until now to escape. Or rather, if Dou Yuankong had really entered, he couldn't possibly have come back alive."

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu blinked after hearing this, and immediately understood their Young Master's meaning.

It is true that Dou Yuankong went to drink, but he must have discovered people turning into evil seeds nearby before entering the winery, and was scared out of his wits.

Therefore, the people in the winery didn't actually know he had been there, which is why when Dou Yuankong was found in Sanli County, they never imagined the Seven Great Xian Sects would follow that line of inquiry to them.

Ji You looked at Ding Yao: "What about the people in that winery?"

"They are more familiar with the terrain of Qingzhou than the Xian Sect disciples. After several skirmishes, they broke free and are currently fleeing in the mountains and wilderness."

"The Seven Great Xian Sects have sent disciples twice back and forth, and they can't even stop these ghosts?"

Zhuo Wanqiu pursed her lips: "They weren't trying to slaughter them, but were ordered to keep them alive. However, the cultivation bases of those people completely exceeded the Xian Sects' previous expectations. After turning into evil seeds, their bodies became even tougher and their speed extremely fast, making them very difficult to capture. So, until now, they haven't succeeded."

Ji You looked at her after a long silence: "Where are they now?"

"In the Dongping Mountain Range of Qingzhou."

"And your Inspector?"

"After this incident occurred, the Heavenly Sword Peak sent a large number of people to Qingzhou, and the Inspector also left the mountain. Before leaving, she instructed us to follow Young Master for these few days."

The news blockade in the Qingyun World is not truly airtight, especially when certain things completely exceed everyone's expectations; it cannot be hidden completely.

Thus, after only a few days, news gradually began to spread about fierce battles occurring in the Dongping Mountain Range.

But no one knew this had anything to do with Dou Yuankong, and even fewer knew of the strange matters hidden behind it.

Some speculated whether there was a dispute between local Qingzhou families, but this was subsequently clarified by the Qingzhou families, so some speculated that some kind of heavenly treasure nourished by the sun and moon had appeared in the Dongping Mountain Range.

Such speculation, which easily arouses covetousness, naturally attracts widespread attention.

On the east side of the Inner Court's Purple Bamboo Zen Forest, in a stone pavilion built of white marble.

He Lingxiu, a personal disciple of the Free and Unfettered Hall, is currently inviting everyone to drink tea together and is taking the opportunity to chat about this matter.

In fact, their He family had also participated in the previous investigation of Dou Yuankong, but after the matter was settled, the people sent by the He family were dismissed from Qingzhou by the Seven Great Xian Sects.

She feels that the heavenly treasure in the Dongping Mountain Range must have been discovered while investigating Dou Yuankong. Their He family is closely connected to the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan through marriage; if a heavenly treasure really appeared, perhaps they could get a share of the spoils.

Fang Jincheng, sitting on the south side of the tea table, had the same thought.

This grandson of Elder Fang had been infinitely glorious since entering the Inner Court, feeling he was a cut above others. He rarely associated with friends anymore, preferring instead to crowd around He Lingxiu and the others.

In his view, only these direct disciples of the Immortal Hall were worth associating with now.

Also drinking tea here with them was Lu Hanyan, the second young lady of the Lu family.

After the second young lady of the Lu family entered the Inner Court, Lu Xiong paved the way with spirit cores, which could be considered using his daughter to open up connections for his family.

Associations in the Qingyun World have always been like this, especially the Lu family, which started with spirit mines and is even more well-versed in this way.

However, the second young lady of the Lu family doesn't seem very good at such occasions, and just tasted the tea without speaking.

"It is extremely difficult to go from the Realm of Merging with the Dao to the Realm of Responding to Heaven. Since the Heavenly Dao Assembly began, I have been trying to step into the next realm, but unfortunately, I have no clue at all."

"If the treasure is obtained by our Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, perhaps it could assist me and make my breakthrough smoother."

He Lingxiu sat opposite everyone, murmuring while holding her teacup.

Hearing this, Shi Junhao and Xiao Hanyan crossed their arms, unable to help but fall into thought.

Back then, they accompanied the Great Xia diplomatic mission to the Snow Region and received a promise that they could be selected as direct disciples after entering the Realm of Responding to Heaven.

But everyone knows that after entering the Upper Five Realms, each realm is more difficult than the last. Even for geniuses like the direct disciples of the Xian Sects, it takes countless years to break through a realm.

They had originally wanted to find another way, intending to enter the Sages' Holy Land to seek enlightenment and break through, but in the end, it was all for nothing.

Thinking of this, they couldn't help but think of Ji You, who had stayed in the Sages' Holy Land for more than half a year but hadn't even entered the Realm of Merging with the Dao.

Like Tang Jingming from the Central Province, they also felt that Ji You had wasted their opportunity.

Xiao Hanyan couldn't help but raise her eyes to look at the people in front of her: "It seems we haven't seen Ji You for the past few days?"

He Lingxiu recovered from her speculation about the heavenly treasure: "Didn't he go back to Fengzhou for some autumn harvest?"

"He came back long ago."

"After his cultivation base got stuck at the Realm of Profound Understanding, my attention to him decreased a lot. I really didn't know he was back."

He Lingxiu originally had high expectations for Ji You; otherwise, she wouldn't have tried to win him over through marriage so many times.

But a person who had fallen into a bottleneck at the Realm of Profound Understanding, even if his combat power exceeded his own realm, how could he continue to interest her?

He Lingxiu looked at Lu Hanyan: "A few days ago, your father asked me to introduce some young talents to you. I have been keeping this matter in mind. There is a banquet in the Winter Garden in a few days. Would you be willing to go with me?"

Lu Hanyan raised her head upon hearing this: "Thank you, Senior Sister, but I am currently at the bottleneck of the Middle Realm of Profound Understanding and need to go into seclusion. Can we discuss this in a few days?" "Of course, after all, cultivation is the priority."

Hearing the conversation between the two, the people at the tea table couldn't help but look at each other.

People in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan actually all know that the Lu family has always wanted to marry their daughter to Ji You, and the second young lady of the Lu family herself has this intention.

It is said that when she was learning sword arts from Ji You, she was all "ying-ying" even when she was spanked.

And this was the first time they had heard that when Lu Xiong was sending spirit cores to the Zizai Hall, he had also asked He Lingxiu to act as a matchmaker.

However, this is not surprising; after all, the Realm of Profound Understanding is indeed hard to count on for a spirit stone family...

It's just that the second young lady of the Lu family's answer clearly had a stalling posture.

She probably didn't want to waste the connections her father had spent so much to open, but in her heart, she still belonged to Ji You.

Yu Shiliu, who was at the tea table with them, understood this state of mind.

Who isn't like this?

She remembers that after watching Ji You behead Yan Hao, she was also in a daze for a long time.

So much so that she had to change her silk trousers every morning, and would subconsciously chase his figure in the Rusheng Garden, but now that the charm has worn off, she realizes he is just a rural private cultivator who cannot break through a realm.

While a few people were chatting, a flying sword overflowing with spiritual energy suddenly fell from the sky, passing through the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's sect-protecting array amidst a flash of mysterious light.

Everyone was attracted by this aura and immediately turned their heads to look.

Lang Hetong, the manager of the Management Hall who had left the academy earlier, fell from the flying sword, then flicked his sleeves and went straight up to the Zizai Immortal Hall.

"Bu Qirong?"

"Yes, the leader of those who mutated into evil seeds in that winery is a collateral family head of the Qingzhou Bu family."

Zuo Qiuyang stood deep in the main hall, turning his head to look at Lang Hetong: "Where are the Bu family members?"

Lang Hetong shook his head: "The mansion is empty, and everyone's whereabouts are unknown. However, the matter the Hall Master asked us to investigate earlier has now been clarified."

Zuo Qiuyang reached out and took the letter from his hand, staring at it for a long time.

The Bu family is also a very ancient family, but it has gradually declined in the long river of time.

In the Qingyun World, there are many such families. Many are no longer remembered, and the most common result is that their population gradually withers away.

Precisely because of this, these families basically do some business to maintain their wealth, such as grain shops, trading firms, wineries, or flower houses.

By all logic, the number of disciples in such families who can cross the threshold of the Lower Three Realms' perfection is not too many.

But Bu Qirong's cultivation base is indeed surprising.

"A fifty-year-old in the Realm of Profound Understanding, reaching the Upper Realm of Responding to Heaven in one year...?"

"Yes."

Zuo Qiuyang spoke with an expressionless face: "No wonder it's so difficult to catch."

Lang Hetong raised his head in the main hall after hearing this: "This speed is absolutely abnormal. I just don't know if this exaggerated realm leap is related to their ability to mutate into evil seeds."

Hearing this, Zuo Qiuyang's gaze became deep...

Like the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, news regarding the Bu family members mutating into evil seeds was also constantly being sent back in a secret state, causing much discussion.

Coming and going, it made more people who didn't know the truth feel that there must be strange treasures in the mountains.

And at this moment, on the official road from Shengjing to Qingzhou, a carriage rented from the Shengjing post station was galloping.

Because the Xian Sects and families have been making constant moves these days, one could notice that the county towns and villages here were very quiet as soon as one entered Qingzhou.

On the road, apart from government officials, there were only a few scattered people, all in a hurry.

And in that speeding carriage, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were sitting upright like ladies, staring at Ji You, who was deep in thought, then looked at each other, a trace of doubt flashing in their eyes.

After they told the Young Master what the Inspector had instructed, the Young Master didn't say anything else and immediately decided to come to Qingzhou.

They had been traveling for a long time, day and night without stopping.

But even now, they didn't understand why the Young Master would want to muddy these waters after hearing these things.

Because in their view, the matter of the evil seeds had little to do with the Young Master, but the danger level was extremely high. Even if something was found, it would inevitably fall into the hands of the Xian Sects. No matter how you look at it, it wasn't worth him getting involved.

Clatter, clatter—

The carriage kept bumping as it sped along.

The Great Xia's national strength has been declining for a long time. Apart from the newly repaired official road in Fengzhou and the official road in Yunzhou repaired by the Spirit Stone Chamber of Commerce, the roads between other prefectures and counties were basically in a state of disrepair for years.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, amidst this bumping, were bouncing around, their figures ready to burst out the whole way.

The dudou worn by ancient women were basically made of silk, soft and smooth, without any binding function. It was normal for them to be bouncing around in such a situation.

She changed her address to "Young Master" when she confirmed that the Inspector really wanted to marry Ji You, and it was from that time that she stopped treating Ji You as an outsider.

Moreover, back at the Heavenly Dao Assembly, she had also "ying-ed" for Ji You for a long time.

Ji You sat upright and thought for a long time. Only after coming to his senses did he realize the very active bouncing in front of him. After watching for a long time, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, thinking that you are accumulating anger points for your Inspector who is afraid of pain...

The weather in Qingzhou these days has been very gloomy, with large patches of dark clouds covering the sky, so that even in the daytime, it was like the evening when night falls.

At this moment, as the carriage turned into the mountain forest, rumbling thunder sounded in the sky, as if a heavy rain was about to fall.

Ji You lifted the carriage window curtain and looked outside.

Along the way, many villages and towns were seen with scenes of rammed earth and wooden piles, as if they were trying to repair earthen houses before the heavy rain arrived.

Kuangcheng had told him earlier that the heavy rain in the spring had actually washed away many civilian houses, which must have left a shadow on the common people...

Crossing the towns, the carriage gradually drove into the boundless wilderness, and the Dongping Mountain Range was getting closer and closer to them.

As far as the eye could see, lead-colored clouds hung low, almost brushing against the jagged peaks, while the mountain bodies, like dormant giant beasts, lost the layers they had in sunny days and turned into a blurry and huge silhouette, like an outline scraped out of the iron-gray sky with a blunt knife, spanning east to west, as far as the eye could see.

And on the mountains were lush vegetation, which, after thousands of years of wild growth, was so dense that even the sky light could not penetrate.

Between such huge and vast mountains, people are indeed as small as ants.

"Is the Dongping Mountain Range this huge?"

Zhuo Wanqiu nodded after hearing Ji You's voice: "Unlike Fengzhou, where mountains are scattered, Qingzhou has vast plains, and the mountains are almost all concentrated here. The overall area is even larger than Qiling."

Ji You's brow furrowed slightly: "No wonder they chose to flee here; it really isn't easy to find."

On the outskirts of the Dongping Mountain Range, there were practitioners arranged by the Xian Sects patrolling back and forth, with a look of vigilance.

So they didn't decide to get off here, but went around the back along the mountain road.

It wasn't until the wilderness was boundless that the carriage slowly stopped by the road, and then the three of them jumped off the carriage shaft and looked up at the mountains for a long time.

"I want to go into the mountains, but it's too dangerous inside. You two shouldn't go; find a town nearby and wait for me."

Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao looked at each other: "The Inspector is also in the mountains now; we should follow the Young Master."

Ji You thought for a long time: "Then don't stay too far from me, and be careful."

"Yes."

Ji You didn't insist on letting them wait outside, and then walked through a remote wild forest and entered the Dongping Mountain Range.

The Qingyun World puts the Immortal Dao above all else, and there is basically no civil engineering construction.

Apart from the dojos of the Xian Sects and families, places with mountains and rivers are basically wild lands without roads.

Ji You led the two women through it for a long time before vaguely seeing some old trees that had been cut down and some bloodstains dripping on the leaves.

These should be the traces left by the Seven Great Xian Sect disciples who came to hunt down the Bu family members.

"Could it be that the Young Master is also... interested in the evil seed matter?"

"I don't know either..."

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu whispered behind him, and then saw Ji You following the traces he could find, gradually entering the mountains where the peaks reached the sky.

Looking up again at this time, apart from the gloomy sky, the surroundings were surrounded by high mountains.

After a long time, they gradually began to see scattered rays of light moving constantly between the dense forests.

"Young Master, that should be a sect wanderer from some Xian Sect, using a magic tool to illuminate and search for the Bu family members."

Zhuo Wanqiu looked at Ji You immediately after seeing these light spots.

Ji You stopped and observed for a long time after hearing this, then looked at them: "They should be heading southeast; we will head due east."

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu looked a little blank after hearing this.

Because they didn't understand why they had to go around the Xian Sect disciples; this feeling was as if they were the evil seeds hiding in the mountains.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 262 =====