56: Chapter 56 The White Crane Sect is Coming!

When the sky had completely darkened, Han Qingshan arrived at Xianyuan Pavilion with two Foundation Establishment Disciples.

Xianyuan Pavilion was already closed, and the lanterns hanging outside were not lit.

Innkeeper Wu Youcai led the three of them in through the back door and came to the first-floor lobby.

Elder Zhou Xuanze's corpse was still lying in its original place, except that it was covered with a white cloth.

Han Qingshan lifted the white cloth and squatted down to examine it for a while.

The flesh on Elder Zhou Xuanze's neck had turned black, the wound was not large, and there were no traces left behind from a fight around it.

A Foundation Establishment Disciple standing nearby asked:

"Senior Brother Han, can you tell what kind of spell this is?"

Han Qingshan shook his head.

"I can't tell."

"However, Elder Zhou didn't even have time to circulate his Spiritual Qi. That person's cultivation level should not be below mine."

Innkeeper Wu Youcai stood at the back and said:

"Immortal Han, when those two people left, they didn't use their Flying Swords; they walked from North Street."

Han Qingshan stood up and looked at a Disciple beside him.

"Go to the North Gate and ask when they left the town and which road they took."

"Only inquire, do not pursue."

That Disciple acknowledged the order and turned to leave Xianyuan Pavilion.

Han Qingshan then had Innkeeper Wu Youcai take him to see the corpses of Haitang and Qiutang.

Both women were lying on the bed, the flesh on their bodies had dried up, leaving only a layer of skin clinging to their bones.

The other Foundation Establishment Disciple examined them for a moment and shook his head.

"I can't tell what method was used."

"To be able to turn two living people into this state, it's most likely some kind of evil art."

Han Qingshan said:

"Keep the corpses for now, and we'll talk after we find out the origins of those two people."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Innkeeper Wu Youcai again.

"Xianyuan Pavilion should not open for business for the next few days."

Innkeeper Wu Youcai hurriedly asked:

"How long do we need to close?"

"We'll talk when there is news from the Sect."

Although Innkeeper Wu Youcai was reluctant to lose business, he dared not say much more and could only nod in agreement.

Han Qingshan returned to the first-floor lobby and said to the Disciples beside him:

"Let's stay in Qingshi Town tonight."

"After the person who went to the North Gate to gather information returns, we will decide what to do next."

On the same night, in a small town north of Qingshi Town.

Those two alien Cultivators had traveled for a day and finally checked into an inn in the town.

Mo Xiaochuan waited outside for a while, and after confirming that the two had entered their room, he came to the counter to request a guest room.

This inn was not large; the front was a dining hall, and the back had a courtyard for parking carriages.

As Mo Xiaochuan followed the attendant toward the back courtyard, he saw four familiar carriages parked in the yard.

Standing next to the carriages were several members of the Mo family, and one of them was checking the ropes used to tie the horses. It was none other than Mo Qingshi, who had returned from Jiuzhou City.

Mo Xiaochuan did not go over immediately; instead, he followed the attendant into his room first.

After the attendant left, he released his Divine Sense to check on the movements of those two alien Cultivators.

The two of them were staying in the innermost room on the second floor and showed no sign of leaving for the time being.

Only then did Mo Xiaochuan go downstairs and into the back courtyard.

Mo Qingshi had just tied up the horse and turned around to see a strange man in his thirties walking toward him.

He stepped aside, only to hear that person shout in a low voice:

"Uncle Qingshi, it's me."

Mo Qingshi stopped in his tracks and stared at him for a moment.

"Xiaochuan?"

"Mn."

Mo Xiaochuan glanced around.

"Let's talk in your room."

Mo Qingshi didn't ask any more questions and led him into a guest room nearby.

After the door was closed, Mo Qingshi looked him up and down a few more times.

"How did you end up looking like this?"

"Don't ask about that for now, Uncle. Did you guys just come back from Jiuzhou City?"

Mo Qingshi said:

"The road isn't easy to travel after dark, so I had everyone stay here for the night and continue the journey tomorrow morning."

Having said that, he asked again:

"Why are you here too?"

"I am investigating a matter and cannot return home for the time being."

Mo Xiaochuan did not mention the matters regarding Xuanyuan and the broken jade.

"After Uncle Qingshi goes back, please tell my dad and Xiuyun for me that I am doing well and they don't need to worry."

Mo Qingshi asked:

"When are you going back?"

"I don't know yet."

Mo Xiaochuan said:

"It might be a few days, or it might be longer."

Mo Qingshi nodded.

"Alright, after I return to the village, I'll go tell Brother Shoutian and Xiuyun."

Mo Xiaochuan said:

"Tell them that I will go back once I finish my business."

Mo Qingshi agreed.

"Be careful yourself."

"I know."

Mo Xiaochuan did not stay long in the room; after speaking, he got up and left.

After returning to his room, he released his Divine Sense again to keep an eye on the movements in the innermost room on the second floor.

Those two alien Cultivators had not yet slept. One of them took out the wooden box containing the black bugs, looked at it for a while, and then put it back into his bosom.

Also on this night, dozens of sword beams appeared outside the mountain gate of the Xuanyang Sect.

Mo Xiaozhu and Mo Xiaoman were still guarding in front of the mountain gate.

At first, the two of them only saw more than a dozen bright lights rapidly approaching from the distance, and they thought the Elders and Disciples who had gone out of the Sect had returned.

After those people drew closer, Mo Xiaoman finally saw clearly the white robes they were wearing.

"They are people from the Baihe Sect."

Mo Xiaozhu looked up.

Gu Changfeng at the very front stepped on a white longsword, followed by more than a dozen Lingtai realm and Foundation Establishment realm Cultivators.

With so many people from the Baihe Sect rushing over late at night, it was obvious they were not here for a visit.

Mo Xiaozhu's expression changed.

"Quickly ring the bell!"

He turned and rushed to the side of the mountain gate, grabbed the bell striker hanging on the wooden frame with both hands, and struck the bronze bell with all his might.

Dong—

The heavy bell chime spread throughout the entire Xuanyang Sect.

Mo Xiaoman drew the longsword from her waist and shouted to Mo Xiaozhu:

"Stop guarding, fall back inside the mountain gate first!"

Mo Xiaozhu struck the bronze bell twice more in succession before dropping the striker and running up the mountain following Mo Xiaoman.

The bell chimes spread through the mountains.

Lights quickly lit up in various courtyards of the Xuanyang Sect, and Disciples holding weapons rushed toward the mountain gate one after another.

Lu Chongshan and two Elders also rushed over from the direction of the main hall.

Gu Changfeng stopped in the air above the mountain gate, with Duan Qingfeng and several Elders and Disciples of the Baihe Sect following behind him.

Lu Chongshan came to the front of the mountain gate and looked up at Gu Changfeng.

"You've made a Breakthrough to the Golden Core realm?"

"Indeed."

Lu Chongshan glanced again at the Baihe Sect Cultivators behind Gu Changfeng.

"You brought so many people to the Xuanyang Sect late at night, what do you want to do?"

Gu Changfeng said:

"The Spiritual Vein, medicine garden, and treasury of the Xuanyang Sect shall belong to the Baihe Sect starting today."

After hearing this, Lu Chongshan already understood why he had come.

"You want to swallow up the Xuanyang Sect?"

"Indeed."

Gu Changfeng raised his hand, and the white longsword under his feet flew out on its own, stopping in front of him.

Lu Chongshan also summoned his Flying Sword.

"Then let me see just how capable you are, having just achieved a Breakthrough to the Golden Core realm."

The two Elders standing behind him dispersed simultaneously, one flitting to the left and the other circling to Gu Changfeng's right.

Lu Chongshan struck first, his Flying Sword heading straight for Gu Changfeng's chest.

The other two Flying Swords followed closely behind, one slashing toward his neck and the other stabbing toward his waist from the right.

Gu Changfeng stopped in mid-air without dodging.

The white longsword in front of him swept horizontally, first knocking away Lu Chongshan's Flying Sword, and then immediately blocking the other two Flying Swords.

Several Flying Swords collided one after another, and the sound spread throughout the entire mountain gate.

Lu Chongshan and the other two retreated backward at the same time.

Gu Changfeng's white longsword did not stop; changing direction, it flew toward Lu Chongshan once again.

"Attack."

Duan Qingfeng shouted and led the Baihe Sect Cultivators to charge toward the mountain gate.

The Xuanyang Sect Disciples met them head-on.

Both sides were soon engaged in a chaotic melee in front of the mountain gate; some manipulated Flying Swords, while others engaged in close-quarters combat with swords and sabers.

Two Xuanyang Sect Disciples joined forces to block a Baihe Sect Cultivator. Just as they forced the opponent back, Duan Qingfeng rushed over from the side and pierced one of their chests with a sword.

Before the remaining Disciple could react, he was kicked down the stone steps by him.

"Charge inward!"