Chapter 48

Qingzhou is the territory of the Chen Immortal Clan, located on Huangyun Mountain.

They are the only Immortal Sect that has retained the form of a noble family since ancient times. Disciples entering the sect must forget their roots, change their surnames, and join the Chen clan.

And just in the first year of Taiyuan, as the beginning of spring was approaching and the winter chill was fading, the Huangyun Mountain formation was suddenly lifted, and the immortal mist that originally shrouded the mountain also gradually dissipated with the Abbot's flick of his sleeve.

At this time, the sky light surged, and the inner and outer disciples lined up on both sides of the mountain road, whispering.

"Are disciples from another sect coming to visit the mountain?"

"The sect-protecting formation has been lifted; this is clearly not visiting the mountain, but asking the mountain."

"What is the difference between visiting the mountain and asking the mountain?"

"No matter who the disciple from another sect is, even if it is a contemporary direct disciple, they must first submit a visiting card to visit another sect, which is called visiting the mountain. Only when the Abbot of another sect comes for a matter can it be called asking the mountain. To show respect, the visited Immortal Clan must lift the sect-protecting formation."

"Why have I never heard of an Abbot from another sect leaving their mountain?"

"Yesterday, a senior brother saw Spirit Sword Mountain send someone. It is said that the one who came this time is the young Inspector who is a direct disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain."

On the peak of Huangshan, where the sea of clouds is ten thousand hectares, three people also stood in the wind and waves, with ten thousand rays of golden clouds rising from the sun at their feet, dyeing the surging sea of clouds into white waves and floating gold.

Among the three, two were young men and women, one named Chen Luo and one named Chen Xi, a pair of siblings of the main family bloodline.

Although young, the two were already in the Middle Realm of Merging with the Dao, and were the direct disciples of this generation of the Chen Immortal Clan.

And behind them was an old woman, a powerhouse in the Boundless Realm, and also their guardian.

The three looked down from the sea of clouds and saw the Chen clan disciples lined up all over the mountain, with immortal cranes flying with the clouds, their expressions very puzzled.

"Last autumn, my sister and I also went to Spirit Sword Mountain, holding a visiting gift. This Yan Kuangcheng Yan Shuyi is only a direct disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain; by what right does she dare to come and ask the mountain, and even alarm the ancestor?"

Chen Luo spoke coldly, looking at the old woman behind him.

The old woman with gray hair spoke upon hearing this: "The young master's words are very true, but this young Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain is different from other direct disciples."

Chen Xi couldn't help but be curious: "Grandmother Wu, how is she different?"

"Among the Seven Great Immortal Sects of the contemporary world, except for the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan which has not yet decided on a direct disciple, the other six major Immortal Sects all have direct disciples, but the young Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain is the only one who is different."

The old woman put her hands behind her back: "Because among the six major direct disciples, only she has already held the Heavenly Dao Saint Artifact. Although she is not an Abbot, she already has the status of an Abbot."

Chen Xi and Chen Luo looked at each other, a trace of surprise appearing in their eyes.

In fact, they also knew that even if one became a direct disciple of an Abbot, it did not mean that one would definitely be able to become an Abbot.

Just like Chu Chu Xian of the Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion, whose mysterious arts were invincible and whose talent was stunning, but the Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion was ultimately surnamed Ji.

So whether the contemporary Xuanyuan Abbot would pass the teaching to Chu was still an undecided matter.

The immortal path of the Qingyun world is prosperous, but it ultimately has the same nature as the secular dynasty, which is the family world.

In the Da Xia folk, there are often plays saying that a disciple is stunning through the ages, and after going up the mountain, he is valued by the Abbot, who passes on his arts and marries his daughter, wishing he could give everything.

But just think about it, in an Immortal Sect that has been passed down for thousands of years, who would really be willing to hand over such a huge ethnic group and the power of prosperity and decline to an outsider?

Even if it is the same surname, the internal power struggle is fierce.

Just like the three main veins of Spirit Sword Mountain—Heaven Jianfeng, Mysterious Jianfeng, and Sword Inquiry Peak—fought each other for thousands of years, and finally, the power was monopolized by Heaven Jianfeng, which produced five generations of Abbots in a row.

But after the mysterious disappearance of the previous Inspector who came from Heaven Jianfeng, the Spirit Sword was also lost.

Until that day, it fell to Mysterious Jianfeng.

Therefore, the young Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain is different from all contemporary direct disciples.

Because she, who holds the Heavenly Dao Saint Artifact, is destined to be the next Abbot of Spirit Sword Mountain, and even the current Abbot has no right to interfere.

The Saint Artifact represents the Daoist tradition. Only when the Daoist tradition is still passed down do the disciples in the sect have the opportunity to enter the Approaching Immortal Realm from the Upper Five Realms.

And if the Seven Great Immortal Sects lose the recognition of the Daoist tradition, they can only be considered a larger noble family.

Therefore, in the other six major Immortal Sects, no one really treats her as just a small direct disciple.

Even if she went to the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, which ranks first, the Abbot of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan would personally lift the sect-protecting formation to show the friendship between the two sects.

Chen Luo and Chen Xi were full of surprise after hearing this.

The old woman couldn't help but speak: "The reason why the Qingyun world has been stable for a thousand years is that the Seven Great Immortal Sects each hold their own ground, but evil seeds have appeared frequently in recent days, and it is clear that troubled times are coming. The young Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain came to our Chen family on her first trip down the mountain. Regardless of the reason, it is a deterrent to other Immortal Sects and petty people."

Chen Xi suddenly realized after hearing this: "So on the day she broke through the realm, the direct disciple of the Asking Dao Sect went to congratulate her with gongs and drums?"

"Not bad, because she is a woman after all, and she will eventually have to marry."

"..."

Chen Luo and Chen Xi were thoughtful for a moment, and then saw the immortal cranes in the clouds suddenly look up to the sky and cry.

Subsequently, they saw a woman of peerless beauty appear on the divine road of the mountain, followed by more than ten people, walking calmly toward the main hall within the clan.

Several elders of the Chen Immortal Clan were already seated in the hall, and Abbot Chen Chen Ruhai stood in front of the hall, and both sides met and held etiquette to each other.

"The Inspector has come from afar. My Chen family is honored. Please take the seat."

Yan Kuangcheng Yan Shuyi smiled faintly: "Many thanks, Abbot Chen."

Chen Chen Ruhai stroked his beard and nodded, then gave a look to the person beside him.

Before long, a thin clansman was brought into the main hall, first paying respects to the great-grandfather, and then paying respects to Yan Kuangcheng Yan Shuyi.

Standing beside Chen Chen Ruhai was the great manager of the clan, named Chen Sheng, who now spoke: "The one the Inspector sent up the mountain yesterday, we have already investigated clearly. His name is Chen Qinghe, originally a disciple of our Chen Immortal Clan. This is the teacher who taught him when he was practicing in the clan, Chen En."

Yan Kuangcheng Yan Shuyi raised her eyebrows slightly: "Formerly?"

Chen En immediately bowed: "Returning to the Inspector, Chen Qinghe was indeed my apprentice, but he stopped at the completion of the Lower Three Realms for many years, and he had already gone down the mountain more than a year ago."

"That is to say, the disciple Spirit Sword Mountain lost has nothing to do with your Chen Immortal Clan?"

"The Inspector is wise. Chen Qinghe's actions were definitely not directed by our Chen Immortal Clan."

Yan Kuangcheng Yan Shuyi looked at Chen En: "Then do you know where Chen Qinghe went after going down the mountain?"

Chen En shook his head: "The five-year period expired, the master-apprentice relationship ended, and I don't know what happened after he went down the mountain."

Chen Chen Ruhai spoke in a low voice at this time: "Since the Spirit Sword Mountain disciple disappeared in Qingzhou, our Chen Immortal Clan naturally has responsibility, and we have already sent outer courtyard disciples to search."

Yan Kuangcheng Yan Shuyi looked at Chen Chen Ruhai and then turned to Chen En: "He was at the completion of the Lower Three Realms when he left, and reached the Upper Realm of Merging with the Dao more than a year later?"

"After receiving the message from Spirit Sword Mountain yesterday, we also felt strange. We ordered disciples overnight to organize all the cultivation arts, types of medicine taken, and sleeping and eating records of Chen Qinghe. Please move, Inspector, and follow me to the Disciple Hall."

Yan Kuangcheng Yan Shuyi immediately got up and followed Chen En to the Disciple Hall to check everything about Chen Qinghe.

Chen Chen Ruhai looked at Chen Sheng, and the two left from the back hall, entered a long and narrow passage, and finally entered a stone room.

Chen Qinghe was bound by iron chains, struggling in the stone room. From last night until now, he hadn't stopped for a moment, clearly having lost his humanity.

"Investigated clearly?"

"Investigated clearly. He went to Qiling Town in Zhongzhou after leaving the mountain."

Chen Chen Ruhai spoke expressionlessly: "The largest ancient relic is in Qiling, and no one has been able to open it to this day."

Chen Sheng looked at the great-grandfather: "Is it related to the evil seeds suddenly leaving the relic?"

"It must be related, but this is not the point. The point is that in more than a year, he could break through from the completion of the Lower Three Realms to the Upper Realm of Merging with the Dao. There must be an incredible secret treasure in the relic."

"However, Chen Qinghe has no humanity."

Chen Chen Ruhai laughed: "So what? Even if it's just a killing weapon, it cannot fall into the hands of others. The Heavenly Tian Shuyuan sent disciples to investigate the so-called evil seed incident, which is not as simple as just for the sect's prestige."

Chen Sheng thought for a long time after hearing this: "Then we must also quickly send people there, so as not to fall behind other Immortal Sects."

"Indeed."

"Then... should we report to the great-grandfather?"

The Chen Immortal Clan is passed down by noble families, so even Abbot Chen Chen Ruhai is not the complete holder of power.

The one who truly controls the Heavenly Dao Saint Artifact is the clan leader, Great-Grandfather Chen, who has been practicing in the deep mountains and is in the Approaching Immortal Realm.

Chen Chen Ruhai thought for a moment and waved his hand: "We don't even have any clues yet, how dare we disturb him? Let's find some clues first."

"Yes."

"Also, find a way to stabilize the Spirit Sword Mountain group, let them stay for a few more days, so as not to leak the news."

Chen Chen Ruhai rolled up his sleeves: "The young Inspector of Spirit Sword Mountain is no small matter, but she has lived for fewer years after all, only caring about finding the missing disciples, but ignoring the greater opportunity behind this."

Chen Sheng turned around immediately after hearing this, secretly sent a message to the inner and outer courtyards, selected a batch of disciples, quickly changed their clothes, left the mountain from the back mountain path, and headed to Qiling Town.

And as a group of disciples sneaked away, Zhuo Zhuo Wanqiu and three disciples appeared from behind a thousand-year-old tree on the back mountain path.

"The Inspector's guess was indeed correct. Follow them."

"..."

(End of chapter)