Chapter 25: Suspicion

"This is no Heaven-Sent Spiritual Treasure, but rather the result of someone using various divine abilities here, which created this scene."

After the various Peak Masters of the Qingyun Sect had their disciples sent back to the sect, they turned and arrived at the large crater. After Daoxuan took a few looks at it, he made his judgment.

"Not a Heaven-Sent Spiritual Treasure?"

Several Peak Masters were filled with doubt.

"Sword Qi, Thunder Technique, and various strange things intertwined—it can indeed make people mistake this for some shocking phenomenon, but this is all the work of a person. Moreover, this person's cultivation should be in the Lower Three Realms, and they have only recently practiced these divine abilities and methods."

Daoxuan explained with a chuckle.

The so-called Heaven-Sent Spiritual Treasure was completely groundless; finding out why this group from the Demonic Cult gathered here was the truth. As for this place where the Heaven-Sent Spiritual Treasure supposedly descended, it was very likely the work of some mysterious cultivator. As for what their intentions were, who knows? Perhaps they were just itching to use a divine ability?

It was just that Daoxuan had some silent doubts in his heart. From the traces of these divine abilities, why did they look so much like the techniques recorded in the Library Pavilion of his Qingyun Sect? It was just that, by comparison, the techniques used by this mysterious cultivator were even more profound, and they had even summoned heavenly thunder.

However, these were all just Daoxuan's guesses, and he did not mention them to the others.

Just as everyone was still deliberating and guessing about the actions of the Demonic Cult, they suddenly saw a figure walking toward them from afar, and they all looked toward him in unison.

"Hmm? Master, and fellow uncles, why are you all here?"

The figure approached; it was Su Changqing, dressed in white, his sleeves fluttering, looking handsome and refined. He walked slowly toward the various Qingyun Sect Peak Masters. Feigning surprise at seeing everyone, he asked them with a very astonished and puzzled look.

"Changqing!"

Seeing Su Changqing appear safely before her eyes, the heavy stone hanging in Shuiyue's heart finally fell. She hurriedly walked over and looked Su Changqing over: "Did you meet any other people on this trip? Were you injured?"

"Thank you for your concern, Master. Disciple kept your teachings in mind, avoided demonic beasts along the way, and did not encounter any strange people, so I was not injured."

Su Changqing replied to Shuiyue with a faint smile.

The various Peak Masters were puzzled. Hadn't all the Qingyun Sect disciples already returned? Why would Su Changqing suddenly appear here, looking so calm and composed as if he didn't know what had just happened?

Moreover, thinking back, when the Qingyun Sect chose disciples for training, they didn't remember seeing Su Changqing's figure.

"Changqing, why did you appear here?"

Zhaoyang Peak Master Ceng Shuchang was the first to ask Su Changqing.

Conversely, Qingyun Sect Leader Daoxuan Zhenren did not speak, but instead looked at Su Changqing with a curious, meaningful smile, seemingly guessing something silently in his heart.

"Uncle Ceng, I arrived at Jiuyin Mountain yesterday. Because I saw a fairy flower called Huanglan Narcissus recorded in the classics while practicing, I liked it and prepared to come here to pick one and gain some experience. I had already requested leave from my Master in advance."

Su Changqing bowed to Ceng Shuchang and replied.

"Huanglan Narcissus?"

The crowd did not seem to believe such a statement.

"Yes, I searched for a long time before I found one."

Su Changqing took a Huanglan Narcissus from his bosom. Fortunately, he had only used the spiritual essence of the Huanglan Narcissus plant to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm just now, and the main body was still preserved; now it could just happen to serve as proof.

The various Peak Masters finally believed Su Changqing's answer.

"By the way, I just obtained the Huanglan Narcissus and was preparing to return to the sect when I saw abnormal movements coming from here, so I hid. Were you uncles using divine abilities here?" Su Changqing changed the subject and asked them with great astonishment.

The crowd remained silent for a long time; Tian Buyi's face sank, and Shuiyue looked at Su Changqing with embarrassment, as if reminding him not to bring this up.

Two Qingyun Sect Peak Masters fighting a Demonic Cult leader, yet only achieving victory with someone else's help—this was something they could not bring themselves to say.

Su Changqing also feigned tact and did not ask further, instead saying: "By the way, uncles, when I was hiding just now, I saw a cave. The cave seemed to have an array with flowing dharma patterns but no one was there. Would you like to go take a look?"

Su Changqing naturally could not directly mention the Array and the Kui Ox; otherwise, it would only make these meticulous Peak Masters even more suspicious of what he had done at Jiuyin Mountain.

He could only tell them tactfully, letting them find the cause and effect themselves.

"Junior Brother Cangsong, Junior Brother Shang, you two go take a look."

Since Su Changqing had informed them, Daoxuan Zhenren sent Cangsong and the other to investigate.

"Then Sect Leader, Master, and fellow Peak Masters, disciple Su Changqing will return to the sect first and not disturb you."

The Demonic Cult had fled, leaving behind only an array, and there were still things for the Peak Masters to conclude. Su Changqing had nothing left to do at Jiuyin Mountain, so he requested to leave.

"Hmm, you may return with your Master and Uncle Tian first."

Daoxuan Zhenren nodded, letting Shuiyue and Tian Buyi, the two Peak Masters who had been injured in the battle, return to the sect with Su Changqing.

Just as Su Changqing stepped onto Shuiyue's Flying Sword and was about to leave with them, he heard a voice reach his ears from behind.

"Kid, good sword technique!"

Su Changqing was stunned for a moment. He turned back to look and saw Daoxuan looking at him with a meaningful smile, which immediately made Su Changqing understand.

It seemed that his actions had ultimately not escaped Daoxuan's eyes; he must have known that the person who had assisted and launched the sneak attack just now was him.

However, it seemed that Daoxuan had no intention of exposing his identity.

Since that was the case, Su Changqing felt relieved. He could still be that inconspicuous little transparent person, silently growing and cultivating the Great Dao in places where no one could see.

After Su Changqing returned a smile to him, the long sword flew up and gradually disappeared into the flying clouds.

"Good kid, you truly live up to the expectations I had for you back then."

From the first moment he saw Su Changqing, Daoxuan had already had many guesses, especially after detecting that Su Changqing had already reached Foundation Establishment, he became even more firm in this thought.

He remembered that when Changqing came to the sect to practice Daoist techniques, it had only been six or seven months, and he had already cultivated the fourth realm of the Taiji Xuanqing Dao, reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm. Such a cultivation speed made even him, the Sect Leader of the Qingyun Sect, feel somewhat shocked.

The only one who could compare to this might be the Qingyun Zushi of the past!

But this kid had a steady temperament and didn't seem to like showing off his mysteries in front of everyone; otherwise, he could have told the truth just now.

"You don't like to show your true colors in front of people, do you? Then the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament will have to let you show off properly, kid."

Suddenly, Daoxuan Zhenren had a mischievous thought. If this kid wanted to hide his talent, then he would have to test the kid's real mettle at the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament.

(End of chapter)