Chapter 263: The true root of disaster

Northwest side of the Dongping Mountain Range, near a flat valley by a wild lake.

Because it is humid between the mountain forests, the crackling sound of the branches used for burning constantly comes out, splashing sparks everywhere.

Two managers of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao, as well as Elder Fang and Elder Ge from the Elder Pavilion, the four of them are standing on a low cliff, looking at the practitioners resting at the bottom of the valley.

To the east are their Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples, and to the west and south are disciples of the Asking Dao Sect and the Mountain Sea Pavilion. Apart from this, there are also some scattered disciples from other sects recovering their energy here, their faces reflected by the constantly jumping firelight, flickering on and off.

Investigating Dou Yuankong's matter took a month, and from entering the mountains to now, it has been another month and a half.

From discovering the existence of the Bu family members to discovering that they had underestimated their terror, and then sending more disciples, they have been tossing and turning for half a month, but have gained nothing.

But whether it is the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan or other Xian Sects, they don't look tired, but are vaguely excited.

Because anyone who has seen the Bu family members mutate into evil corpses knows that this will be something that can subvert the world.

"There are more than twenty Bu family members who fled into the mountains. The most critical core figures have never appeared. Now it seems they have hidden."

"And more than half of them have been sent out to disturb our sight, leading us by the nose and turning around in the mountains."

"These disciples' combat power is only a little higher than the Realm of Merging with the Dao, but we can't even find these people, can't catch them."

Elder Fang stood with his hands behind his back, his gloomy voice dissipating into the wind.

He is a great power in the Boundless Realm, and his spiritual sense is stronger than others, but he is still powerless in the face of the vast Dongping Mountain Range.

So they sent the disciples out to search everywhere, but there has been no effect for so many days, and his tone couldn't help but carry a sense of scolding.

Ji Jingyao and Qin Rong looked at him upon hearing this: "Six disciples sent to search the North Mountain died, and eight were injured. This is all to capture them alive. If the goal was to kill, we would never be so passive."

Elder Fang looked at them upon hearing this: "What can be asked if they are killed? We must know how they mutated into evil seeds, so we can be prepared."

Hearing this, the two couldn't help but look at each other.

They both know that preparation is Elder Fang's scene talk.

In fact, almost everyone in the valley is like this. They don't think that people mutating into evil seeds is a disaster, but feel that this is an opportunity.

Especially those in the Elder Pavilion, these old monsters whose lifespan is running out.

They have been stuck in a bottleneck for many years, and seeing that they are about to run out of oil and lamps, they can't sit still knowing such news.

Elder Fang looked at their expressions, and a trace of coldness flashed in his deep-set eyes: "Things in the Qingyun World are not always black and white. Some things can be unused, but they cannot be non-existent."

Elder Ge immediately took over the conversation after hearing this: "Elder Fang is right. Not having it is the root of disaster. You two are also family head-level figures in your respective families. Have you ever thought that one day there will be fighting with you, and there will be many people in the Realm of Merging with the Dao in the family, and people in the Realm of Responding to Heaven walking everywhere? How should you handle yourselves then?"

Ji Jingyao was silent for a long time after hearing this, then nodded gently: "The two elders are right. In the Qingyun World, others have it and you don't; this is the true root of disaster."

Elder Fang lowered his eyes to look at the valley at this time: "The disciples sent by other Xian Sects are more numerous than ours, and their cultivation bases are higher than our disciples. We should send more high-cultivation disciples."

Qin Rong raised his head upon hearing this: "This kind of thing should be known by as few people as possible. If everyone has some opportunities, then the meaning is not great."

"That's something to think about after getting the opportunity."

"Elder Fang means...?"

"There are many Inner Court disciples who sit on the mountain and seek enlightenment all day long. They should always make some contributions to the sect."

Elder Fang's idea of sending more disciples was accurately transmitted to the minds of Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao, but the problem is that this matter is not easy to do.

Because the more people there are, the higher the risk of news leaking.

And this is not traveling, but capturing, and there will be casualties, so selecting people also needs to be extra cautious.

At this time, Ji Jingyao was slightly startled and couldn't help but look at Qin Rong.

Qin Rong looked at him, and a name that was the same as what he was thinking appeared in his mind—Ji You.

In the eyes of the people in the Management Hall, Ji You is the best-used disciple of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, beheading the sword forest, crossing the snow region, and winning the Heavenly Dao Assembly.

It's just a pity that he didn't break through a realm after coming out of the Sages' Holy Land. Otherwise, even if he entered the Realm of Merging with the Dao, he could be of great use.

Qin Rong sighed slightly, and suddenly heard Elder Ge's voice from his ear.

"Why is there some commotion?"

"?"

The four of them looked up together and found that a team of Asking Dao Sect disciples had returned, seemingly carrying something.

Before a few people could observe clearly, a team of Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples also arrived in the valley, instantly causing discussion.

Seeing this scene, Elder Fang instantly flew down from the cliff, and Elder Ge, Qin Rong, and Ji Jingyao followed.

Then they saw a head, eyes closed, pale skin with a gloomy black color.

Elder Fang looked at the head in front of him with some anger: "Why was it killed?!"

The disciple who brought the corpse back raised his head upon hearing this and spoke tremblingly: "Although it's not alive, it's still a Bu family member. Can... can it be exchanged for some elixirs?"

"What is the point of a dead one? Didn't I give an order to keep it alive?"

"This, this..."

Elder Fang looked at them coldly: "Where did you get the courage to disobey the imperial order?"

The few disciples who returned raised their heads and hesitated for a long time before opening their mouths: "Reporting to the Elder, actually this wasn't killed by us."

Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao looked at each other: "It wasn't killed by you?"

"We just discovered their corpses while searching."

"?"

Elder Fang instantly frowned: "Where did you see them?"

The disciple who answered immediately bowed his head: "In a valley on the east side, there were three in total..."

"Who did it?"

"When we arrived, there were only corpses left in that valley. We don't know who made the move."

Hearing this, Elder Fang's eyes instantly turned cold: "Simply a waste of heavenly treasures!"

His lifespan is not much left. For the past few decades, he has been pinning his hopes on breaking through a realm but has not achieved anything. His mind was already gloomy. Now that he finally saw some hope, it was ruined in the hands of others, and he couldn't calm down at all.

Seeing Elder Fang furious, the two managers couldn't help but look at each other, a trace of confusion flashing in their eyes.

Because they had just checked the beheading marks on the neck and found that the wound was clean and decisive, obviously with ease.

But they didn't understand why the person who made the move didn't capture him alive to exchange for elixirs, spirit stones, and arts, but had to behead him with one sword.

Qin Rong and Ji Jingyao couldn't help but return to their senses and look towards the Asking Dao Sect.

If they hadn't seen wrong just now, what they brought back should also be the corpses of the Bu family members.

In fact, what they guessed was indeed correct. Apart from the Pill Sect, other Xian Sects almost all had disciples who discovered corpses scattered in the mountain forest.

Asking Dao Sect, Chen Family Xian Clan, Mountain Sea Pavilion... all were discussing it at this moment.

"Someone really killed the Bu family members and then abandoned the corpses in the wilderness?"

"That's right, five corpses have already been found, all of which have been beheaded with one sword, and they didn't stop at all to keep them alive."

"The lowest cultivation base among the Bu family members who fled into the mountains is the Realm of Merging with the Dao, plus they can mutate into evil seeds, which is even more terrifying. Who would have such strong combat power?"

"Could it be an Elder of some sect?"

"Impossible, all the major Xian Sects have sect orders to keep the Bu family members alive."

"Not all."

"?"

"It is said that the little Inspector of Lingjian Mountain has issued a kill order."

"Impossible, we met some Lingjian Mountain disciples some time ago and heard them say that they were also required to keep them alive."

"That's the Heavenly Jianfeng disciple. Lingjian Mountain is different from other Xian Sects. It is the only Xian Sect with two people in power. The Heavenly Jianfeng listens to the Abbot Yan Zhong's order, while the Profound Jianfeng listens to the Inspector's order."

"Could it be that the one who killed the Bu family disciples is an Elder of the Profound Jianfeng?"

The little Inspector of Lingjian Mountain did indeed issue a kill order, which other Xian Sects also knew.

So when the corpses of the Bu family members were constantly being discovered, the first thing everyone thought of was the Profound Jianfeng.

Most importantly, those evil seeds were indeed killed by sharp swords, which is extremely consistent.

In the thick night of the mountain forest, the great powers from the Xian Sects stood with their hands behind their backs between the mountains, their eyes slightly cold.

In their view, the little Inspector of Lingjian Mountain has already mastered the holy artifact at a young age and has high talent. It is not strange that she has issued such an order because her desire to seek outside is not strong.

It's just that in the eyes of these great powers, they still feel that she is a bit too arrogant.

The opportunity on the Bu family members is not just about one person's cultivation base; it even affects the level division of the Qingyun World, the survival of families, and the entire Nine Provinces.

Rustle, rustle, rustle—

Under the gloomy sky, the sky in the Dongping Mountain Range did not become much brighter because of the dawn.

Ji You stood between the intertwined thousand-year-old trees and gently hammered his waist.

There is no good accommodation environment in the mountain forest. He didn't sleep last night, but was meditating to calm his mind. After waking up, he missed his bed in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, or the bed in Ji Village. Of course, the phoenix couch of the arrogant ghost is also good...

At this time, he leaped into the air and landed on a towering blue stone, judging the route with the rare sky light.

The terrain of the Dongping Mountain Range is always upward, the mountain peaks are intertwined and the sky is not visible, so the deeper you go, the lower the temperature here.

The mountain slope ahead is now covered with snow everywhere, and even the insects are much less noisy.

"This environment is a bit like where I came from."

Zhuo Wanqiu was guarding on the side, holding a delicate long sword, and couldn't help but raise her head upon hearing this: "Is the Young Master talking about Yuyang County?"

Ji You shook his head: "Other places."

Zhuo Wanqiu was stunned for a moment, her eyes a little blank.

Ji You opened his mouth upon seeing this: "The Bu family members used to disturb the sight are scattered very widely. Compared to the Seven Great Xian Sects, my advantage is that I can vaguely sense their position, but the disadvantage is that I am only one person. To kill the Bu family disciples before everyone else, the speed must be accelerated. If you are tired, tell me." Zhuo Wanqiu shook her head after hearing this: "The Young Master's business is important, we can keep up."

As soon as the voice fell, a sound of footsteps came from afar.

Ding Yao came out of a mountain cave in the distance, and the dress on her body had been changed to a new set: "Young Master, I'm ready."

Ji You looked at her with a strange expression, then coughed twice: "Then let's go."

"Yes."

Ding Yao felt that today's Young Master was a bit cold, but didn't think much about it, and stepped forward to follow.

Ji You's speed was extremely fast, flying low while stepping on the ground amidst the whistling of spiritual energy. Fortunately, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were not delicate young ladies, so they didn't complain at all about such high-intensity hunting.

Even if the spiritual energy was exhausted, they would silently take out spirit stones to replenish it.

After a long time, Ji You pulled out his long sword between a low peak, his blood and energy surging, and jumped down.

Then, the sword hummed.

Although they had seen it many times, the two women were still shocked by every move of their Young Master, and at this moment, they looked down without blinking.

Amidst the violent sword humming, facing the suddenly surging baleful energy, the white-clothed figure slashed down, with a monstrous momentum, and slashed one of the figures at the bottom of the valley with a hum.

And as his sword fell, a sharp claw appeared in the air wave, whistling and killing with the sound of tearing wind.

Seeing that the sharp claw was about to seal the throat, the next moment it was firmly clamped by a slender and bony hand in the air, and a burst of bone cracking sounded deafeningly.

Ding Yao was watching carefully when she suddenly heard Zhuo Wanqiu yawn, so she couldn't help but turn to look at her: "You didn't sleep well last night?"

Zhuo Wanqiu's eyes suddenly became strange: "Did Ding Ding Shijie sleep well last night?"

"Actually... I slept quite well."

"Is it that you slept well, or that you dreamed well?"

"?"

Zhuo Wanqiu couldn't help but look at Ji You in the valley: "Ding Ding Shijie started calling the Young Master after falling asleep yesterday..."

Hearing this, Ding Yao's eyes widened.

She belongs to the kind of person who has a very light sleep when away from her own bed, especially since the environment in the mountain forest is really not suitable for resting, so she would have many dreams.

And last night's dream was really a bit overstepping, so much so that she hurriedly found a mountain cave to change her clothes and dress when she got up in the morning.

But the good thing is that no one would know her dream, so she wasn't too panicked.

But she really didn't expect that she had talked in her sleep...

At this time, Ding Yao suddenly remembered Ji You's strange look at her, and immediately opened her mouth: "It's probably because I've gotten used to calling the Young Master these few days, and I couldn't help but mutter a few times in my sleep."

Zhuo Wanqiu looked at her: "But you started calling him brother while calling him..."

"?"

"The Inspector hasn't called him brother yet, but you let Ding Ding Shijie call him first."

Zhuo Wanqiu's mind instantly recalled the scene of last night.

She found that Ding Ding Shijie, who usually had a cold and arrogant appearance, kept calling him brother, so she didn't dare to sleep anymore, fearing that she would also call him that if she fell asleep, so she held on all night.

Ding Yao naturally didn't admit it, and told Zhuo Wanqiu seriously that she was calling someone else.

Zhuo Wanqiu didn't believe it at all, only feeling that if the Inspector couldn't hold on, Ding Ding Shijie might be able to share the firepower.

Just at this moment, the battle sound in the valley gradually subsided.

Ji You killed two more Bu family members and leaped onto the cliff.

Most of those killed on the outskirts of the Dongping Mountain Range were only at the Realm of Merging with the Dao, even if their physical bodies were extremely powerful, it was not difficult for him.

But the few encountered today were clearly stronger than the previous ones.

He put away the long sword in his hand, the surging spiritual sense surged towards the distance, and couldn't help but look at the two women: "The Seven Great Xian Sect people are coming, let's go one step ahead."

Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao immediately bowed: "Yes."

The two women followed him and left, constantly traveling in the mountain forest.

During this period, Ji You slashed and killed two more Bu family members, and only stopped at a mountain cliff when the night was deep.

There are not many "zheng" characters left on the paper drawn earlier, which made Ji You feel a little relieved.

At the same time, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu had already cleared the snow on the cliff before, and then lit a bonfire again.

It's just that until the middle of the night after dinner, neither Ding Yao nor Zhuo Wanqiu had any intention of sleeping.

"Zhuo Yan Shimei has been up for two days, go to sleep first."

"Let Ding Ding Shijie go..."

"I... I will meditate."

Zhuo Wanqiu looked at Ji You at this time: "Isn't the Young Master sleeping yet?"

Ji You looked at her: "Not sleeping, boys still need to protect themselves when outside."

"?"

Sun rises and sun sets, stars and moon rotate.

A mountain mist rose in the dense mountain forest, and between this mountain mist, countless figures full of spiritual energy flew past.

At the same time, countless named Elders floated in the air, their sharp eyes constantly scanning the depths of the mountains, then their toes lightly touched, and they flew away between the pitch-black mountain ridges.

The cultivators in the mountain forest are becoming more and more dense.

This is not because more people have come, but because cultivators from different Xian Sects, although each fighting for their own interests, are actually shrinking the encirclement area very tacitly.

In their view, as long as they are blocked in the middle, even if it is a little slower, these mice hiding in the mountains will definitely be caught.

In fact, this is also the reason why Ji You wants to speed up.

Because as the encirclement gets smaller and smaller, the spiritual sense of those cultivators will become more and more useful.

In fact, since he entered the hinterland of the mountains, he has almost been captured by others' spiritual sense several times.

There was another time when someone clearly felt the aftermath of the battle with spiritual sense and chased after him.

If it weren't for his amazing strength, he might have been surrounded by those cultivators before killing the Bu family disciples.

He is not afraid of meeting others, but if he really meets them, he will definitely be disturbed and obstructed when killing people.

Ji You vaguely began to feel that his next move might be to snatch people from others' hands.

The most critical thing is that the Bu family members are not dead.

Although they can mutate into evil seeds, they are not truly fearless evil seeds.

In his view, as the Xian Sects' ring-style search gradually approaches, the Bu family members will definitely not sit still and wait for death, and are very likely to make a move first.

In other words, the further back he goes, the more difficult his move will be.

And those great powers who came from the Xian Sects are not the only ones who feel worried.

Because they have locked onto the Bu family members several times, but after rushing over, they found only corpses.

One, two, three...

The faces of the Elders of the major Xian Sects changed, thinking that this is a bit wrong.

They don't know how this beheader found these Bu family members, but they found that the Bu family who fled into the mountains are almost all going to be neat!

"So strange."

"Where is it strange?"

"No money bag, but the strings of the money bag are all there, and each one is like this."

"?"

Some people encountered corpses, some encountered acquaintances.

As the search area shrank, many old acquaintances also met by coincidence.

Just like a valley on the south side called Falling Eagle Gorge, people who met here by coincidence found that they all knew each other.

Such as Jiang Chenfeng, Jiang Yan, Tu Ri of the Asking Dao Sect, Huo Hong, the illegitimate son of the Mountain Sea Pavilion, Junior Brother Lu Dacheng, Yan Shimei Jiang Yuerou, Yan Qiubai and Xie Chenyu of Lingjian Mountain, and Chu Butian of the Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion.

They once went to the Snow Region Demon Race together. Although they had their own purposes, they were also in a relationship of life and death, especially after the night raid by the Demon Race, they also had friendship with each other.

So under this coincidental meeting, there was naturally no lack of pleasantries.

"Jiang brother hasn't broken through a realm yet?"

"I gained a lot in the Sages' Holy Land. If it weren't for the evil seed matter, I might have closed-door cultivation to break through the threshold of the Realm of Responding to Heaven long ago, but this is also good. Wait until I get the Pill Sect's elixir and then close-door cultivation, perhaps it will be smoother."

"The Sages' Holy Land is really mysterious, but I heard that Ji You hasn't broken through a realm. Is this true?"

"Seen with my own eyes, naturally it is true."

"I didn't expect it to be like this. Back in the Snow Region, at the Heavenly Dao Assembly, I thought he could be listed with us. I didn't expect it to be so sigh-inducing."

Back then, the Chen Family Xian Clan was hit hard and didn't send anyone to follow to the Snow Region for some reason, so only a few people from the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan were missing here.

There is a basic principle for gathering, which is to gossip about whoever is not there. Ji You is naturally the best topic.

Because he failed to break through a realm, it is indeed sigh-inducing, and it will make people feel comfortable.

Talking and laughing, Jiang Chenfeng has been paying attention to Huo Hong, who was just standing and not making a sound.

Since entering the Dongping Mountain, he has seen Huo Hong for the second time, but feels that Huo Hong's performance is very strange. He was a person who talked a lot, but he has been silent during these two meetings.

It's not that he doesn't like to talk, but it's as if he has been keeping something in mind.

Jiang Chenfeng paid attention for a long time and found that people often came to look for him, whispering in his ear, as if there was some news being passed...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 264 =====