Chapter 66: Three-Way Convergence

Deep in the ruins, opposite the high mountain known as the "Central Immortal Mountain."

A group of Spirit Sword Mountain disciples sat on a gentle slope, watching the immortal fate surging in the sky ahead.

At this moment, there was another person lying on the ground, deep in a faint, life or death unknown.

Zhuo Wanqiu was bringing water, and together with several other disciples, they lifted this person from the ground and began to remove his clothes.

There were not many wounds on his body, only a blood hole an inch to the right of his heart that had been pierced through. The dirty blood had already turned black, but for someone at the Realm of Merging with the Dao, this was not enough to take his life.

But, the strange thing was exactly here.

Cultivators had spiritual sense induction; there was no such thing as not being able to find the heart.

The only possibility was that the person who inflicted the wound did it deliberately, missing by exactly that inch.

Even stranger was the previous battle; almost all those who died were disciples of the Asking Dao Sect, which also led to suspicion and rumors on the Asking Dao Sect's side, and they never traveled with them again.

【Remember, do not cause extra trouble, and do not be a busybody.】

【Brother-in-law, didn't you say not to be a busybody?】

【No, the disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain must be saved.】

Zhuo Wanqiu was changing the gauze for Gongshu Chou, the conversation she had heard in the mountain forest that day constantly echoing in her mind.

That person named Ji You seemed to harbor goodwill toward the disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain, but she didn't know where this goodwill came from.

Spirit Sword Mountain was far away on the coast of the Profound Sea in the extreme south and had never had any dealings with the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan.

If that Ji You were a disciple of the Asking Dao Sect, stemming from the Asking Dao Sect's personal disciples' love for their own Inspector, this mercy would be reasonable.

But the key was that he wasn't...

Zhuo Wanqiu tied the bandage, her mind still thinking about the possibility of this matter, when suddenly she saw the mountain gate jade token at her waist flash.

Apart from the Abbot, only the Little Inspector could mobilize the jade token for communication.

She was just a walker outside the mountain; the Abbot couldn't possibly communicate with her. The only possibility was that the Little Inspector had something to find her for.

Zhuo Wanqiu threw the replaced bandage into the basin, walked to a corner where no one was around, and took out the jade token. As the immortal light surged, the Inspector's cold voice came from it.

"Order all disciples to leave Qiling immediately. Anyone who violates the order will be expelled from the sect."

Zhuo Wanqiu was stunned for a moment: "Inspector, what happened?"

"What's in the mountain is not immortal fate, but a great disaster. You have Ding Yao take people out of the mountain, and then go notify the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples, telling them to leave as soon as possible."

"?"

Zhuo Wanqiu had just been thinking about the matter between the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan and Spirit Sword Mountain, unable to figure it out. Hearing her own Little Inspector specifically entrust her to notify the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, she felt even more confused.

That goodwill Ji You had toward Spirit Sword Mountain didn't seem to be one-way...

Zhuo Wanqiu pondered for a long time and said: "Inspector, Ding Shijie recently besieged the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan with the Asking Dao Sect. They probably won't believe what I say."

"Besieged?"

"Yes, a female disciple of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan brought a large amount of spirit stones. It just so happened that the baleful Qi in the mountain hindered the circulation of spiritual essence, so Ding Shijie set her sights on them."

The Little Inspector was silent for a moment: "What were the casualties?"

Zhuo Wanqiu pursed her lips: "The other side had several disciples seriously injured, and Gongshu Chou almost died."

"Two sects besieged them, and yet a disciple at the Realm of Merging with the Dao almost died?"

"They had already won, but then a disciple who practiced both martial arts and Daoism jumped out and controlled seven swords. Gongshu Chou was pierced by him, but for some reason, the other side showed mercy and spared his life. By the way, he had saved me before, saying something about how disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain still had to be saved."

"Hmph, he's quite capable."

"?"

A question mark appeared in Zhuo Wanqiu's heart, thinking that the Little Inspector's tone seemed a bit "cloying," not knowing if she had caught a cold.

However, this praise that boosted others' morale and destroyed one's own prestige made people feel even stranger.

Before she could think carefully, the Little Inspector's voice sounded again.

"Wanqiu, you still have to go. If the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples don't believe you, go find that person named Ji You. If he doesn't listen to persuasion either, tell him I will be angry."

As the words fell, the immortal light of the jade token quickly faded.

Zhuo Wanqiu was stunned for a long time, a clear confusion in her eyes. She didn't seem to have said that the person was named Ji You...

Did he and the Little Inspector know each other?

Zhuo Wanqiu suddenly felt that some things were connected, so she pondered again and couldn't help but hold her breath.

Immortal fate surged deep in the ruins, attracting Immortal Sects and aristocratic families, all fearing to fall behind others.

At this time, persuading people to leave was no different from persuading them to give up immortal fate. But the Little Inspector wanted her to tell that Ji You that if he didn't leave, she would be angry.

That meant the Inspector felt that her being angry was more important in the other person's heart than immortal fate...

Thinking again of the cloying tone when mentioning him just now, Zhuo Wanqiu's expression suddenly became very strange.

However, the top priority was not this. Zhuo Wanqiu got up to find Ding Yao and informed her of the Inspector's message.

"Withdraw? Immortal fate is right in front of us; how can we withdraw?"

"The Inspector said that if anyone refuses to obey the order, they will be expelled from the sect immediately."

Ding Yao looked at the immeasurable immortal light right in front of her. Although she was extremely reluctant, she didn't dare to disobey the order, so after thinking for a long time, she ordered a withdrawal.

However, there was another group of Spirit Sword Mountain disciples who came from the inner sect and did not follow the order, but instead slipped into the night along the chaos of the withdrawal.

These disciples were all those with profound cultivation who had come later, and a large number of them belonged to Heaven Sword Peak.

Even hearing the Inspector's message that there would be a great disaster in the mountain, they didn't care.

Wealth and honor were sought in danger. Most of them had been stuck at cultivation bottlenecks for many years. Asking them to give up immortal fate at this time was truly too difficult. This was the conflict between individual consciousness and collective consciousness.

In fact, ever since the disaster of the Evil Seeds began and Immortal Sect disciples kept disappearing, many people had guessed that someone was causing trouble and that there must be a great disaster in the Qiling mountain range.

But even so, the Immortal Sects and aristocratic families still came upon invitation.

Because this was not a conspiracy, but an open plot.

Of the seven great Immortal Sects, apart from the Pill Sect, which stood independent in the world with irreplaceable pill techniques, the other six great Immortal Sects had balanced power.

But once someone obtained immortal fate, the balance maintained for a thousand years would be broken.

And sects that did not obtain immortal fate would be like the Array Master lineage that perished back then, or like the Pill Sect that was enslaved during the Dark Ages, so no one could stay out of it.

"Ding Shijie, you all return along the original path; I am going to leave first."

Ding Yao turned to look at her: "Where are you going?"

Zhuo Wanqiu pondered for a long time, feeling that since there was an imperial order from the Inspector, there was no need to hide it, so she said: "I am going to notify the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples to tell them to withdraw quickly."

"That Ji You saved your life, so you want to repay the favor? But don't forget, we are now mortal enemies with the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan. Why bother with them?"

"It was the Inspector who told me to go."

"What?"

Zhuo Wanqiu glanced at her and then flicked her sleeves and left, thinking to herself that Ding Shijie, you are usually arrogant and domineering in the mountain, and others treat you with courtesy because you are the Inspector's maid.

But now, you seem to have offended someone extraordinary.

That person's extraordinariness is not because of cultivation or status, but entirely because of the Little Inspector's preferences.

Zhuo Wanqiu slipped into the mountain forest, relying on her memory to head in the direction the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan had left, and soon found Wen Zhengxin's group.

Because they were returning along the road at this time, intending to withdraw from the only main road into the mountain, it was not strange to meet.

And seeing Zhuo Wanqiu wearing the immortal robes of Spirit Sword Mountain, the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples immediately drew their swords and faced her.

"I... I am not here to seek revenge; I am here to notify you that there is a disaster in the mountain. Please withdraw quickly."

Wen Zhengxin narrowed her eyes: "Whether we advance or retreat is not something Spirit Sword Mountain disciples need to worry about."

Zhuo Wanqiu looked around in the crowd: "Where is Ji You?"

"What do you want with him?"

"I have something important to tell him. He saved my life before; I will not harm him."

Bai Rulong spoke from the side: "Her words are not false. I saw her many times at the foot of the mountain at that time, and she did not attack us."

Ban Yangshu was stunned after hearing this: "It was fought to that extent, and you still had the mind to watch the young lady?"

Bai Rulong narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself that the young lady made his Dao heart clear.

Wen Zhengxin hesitated for a moment and said: "Junior Brother Ji went into the mountain after parting with us; he went to save someone."

"Saving his fiancée!"

Bai Rulong explained, thinking to himself that my Brother Ji is simply too invincible; he has a fiancée everywhere. There is one in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, and there is another one outside!

And there was that one with immortal grace on the Immortal-Ascending White Jade Platform last time; he took her away in two sentences. He is simply a role model for our generation.

Zhuo Wanqiu: "?"

(End of chapter)