208: Chapter 208 Two Flowers Bloom

At this time, at the Xuanyou Sect stronghold, Yinzhao Island.

Xuan Ming, who had barely managed to escape from Ye Jing's hands, was now kneeling tremblingly in front of a stone gate.

Several Protector Elders with withered and pale faces stood in attendance nearby.

"Trash!"

A roar like thunder exploded from behind the stone gate, carrying a bone-chilling Yin coldness and a spiritual pressure that crushed everything, making Xuan Ming tremble all over.

"Sub—subordinate knows his mistake! I beg the Cult Leader for forgiveness!"

"Forgiveness?" Behind the stone gate was the Xuanyou Sect Cult Leader, Xuan Yin; his voice was hoarse and cold.

"This Lord ordered you to collect Blood Qi to refine the Sacrificial Vessels, yet you actually alerted the enemy and returned in such a pathetic state! Now all the Sects in the Canggu Realm know that the entrance to the Minghai Realm has been discovered by us! Even ten thousand deaths cannot atone for this crime!"

The old devil Xuan Yin roared, and a streak of pitch-black Devilish Qi shot out from the stone gate, slamming heavily into Xuan Ming's body.

Xuan Ming screamed as his body flew out like a kite with a broken string, hitting the stone wall heavily before falling to the ground. The sound of his bones shattering was clearly audible, and his aura instantly withered.

The several Protector Elders on the side remained standing with their heads bowed; no one dared to step forward and plead for mercy.

They all knew the old devil Xuan Yin's nature—cruel and bloodthirsty. Xuan Ming's failure this time was already a capital offense; it was a great fortune that he could keep a breath of life.

"If it weren't for the fact that opening the entrance to the Minghai Realm requires ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators, this Lord would have taken your life long ago!" Xuan Yin snorted coldly. "Useless trash who is more than a hindrance!"

Hearing this, Xuan Ming could only accept his fate and did not dare to say more.

"Ku Mu, how many more of those seven Sacrificial Vessels are missing?" Xuan Yin suddenly called out.

Among the waiting devil cultivators, Ku Mu stepped forward leaning on a cane and bowed, saying, "Cult Leader, besides the Sacrificial Vessels that were previously fused, we are still missing the Heart Soul Pill and the Right Ghost Hand."

"The task of gathering the Sacrificial Vessels is entrusted to you," Xuan Yin ordered. "Xuan Ming, you will follow Ku Mu as his deputy to make up for your mistakes!"

Hearing Xuan Yin's arrangement, no matter how dissatisfied Xuan Ming was, he could only comply.

"Retire. This Lord still needs to go into secluded cultivation. Once the gates of the Minghai Realm open, it will certainly be impossible to hide from those people, but this time our Xuanyou Sect must be the first to enter!"

"Yes! Cult Leader!"

Xuan Ming, who had luckily escaped with his life from the Cult Leader, walked out of the stone palace with Ku Mu.

After leaving Yinzhao Island, Xuan Ming breathed a slight sigh of relief and immediately complained, "Ku Mu, do you know you've really screwed me over! Who knew that the Ye Family Head we were always wary of was actually just a Qi Refining Cultivator!"

"But he is still not simple, is he?" Ku Mu sneered gloomily.

Thinking of how that old man could control so many Yao Beasts, Xuan Ming had no choice but to shut up and say no more.

He said quite indignantly, "The Cult Leader has been so calculating. If we had been more careful when we destroyed the Chen Family and obtained that thousand void ethereal map, why would we need to risk refining Sacrificial Vessels?"

Ku Mu said indifferently, "I suppose some ants just have too much good luck. But that thousand void ethereal map is only for one person, and it's just a rumor that no one has ever used; who knows if it's actually effective."

Xuan Ming's tone was resentful, "Good luck? I think that Ye Jing hid himself deeply!"

A Qi Refining Cultivator being able to control dozens of Yao Beasts and even forcing me to flee in such a pathetic state is simply illogical. Perhaps he has some wicked treasure hidden on him that might not be inferior to that thousand void ethereal map."

Ku Mu leaned on his cane, which was covered in black spots. His steps were slow but steady, and his withered fingers lightly tapped the staff.

His sinister gaze looked toward the distant Ye Family residence, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "That old thing is indeed not simple. When did such a Family appear in the Canggu Realm, playing all sides and rising so rapidly? I'm afraid they might be just like that resurrected Chen Family!"

"We can't move against them now even if we wanted to. But I heard that hasn't the Ye Family produced a Foundation Establishment Genius? When we enter the Minghai Realm, we'll..."

Saying this, Xuan Ming made a throat-slitting motion.

Ku Mu chuckled. "Once we enter the Minghai Realm, we can naturally play however we want!"

Meanwhile, at the Qingyun Sect.

Inside the Sect Master's Great Hall.

"Yun Jian, is what you said true? That Xuanyou Sect has actually started preparing Sacrificial Vessels? Could they have found the entrance to the Minghai Realm?" Yun Ling stood up in surprise.

Yun Jian hurriedly cupped his hands. "Sect Master, it is absolutely true. Now that the entrance to the Minghai Realm is about to open, they have begun slaughtering to refine Sacrificial Vessels, already making preparations to enter."

It had been three hundred years. Since Xuan Ghost used this method, these Sects had only seen it once; how could they have imagined that the people of the Xuanyou Sect would be so cunning.

The massacres over these years were for this purpose.

Yun Ling pinched the bridge of his nose with a bit of a headache and said, "This is troublesome. If we inform the other Sects of this matter, how much will the Qingyun Sect be able to get?"

Seeing this, Yun Jian hurriedly said, "Sect Master, now is not a question of how much we get, but that the Xuanyou Sect already has clues to the entrance. We cannot let them take the lead, otherwise, we won't be able to obtain any benefits at all!"

The Sect Master naturally wanted to gain more profit, but the trouble was that this entrance required several Golden Cores to open jointly. Now Yun Jian was the first to learn this news.

Those Sects would certainly see that the Qingyun Sect had just produced a Golden Core Sect Master and would not easily let the Qingyun Sect join the table.

This news was like a hot potato.

Yun Ling paced a few steps in the hall.

"Opened by several Golden Cores together... that cunning Fan Lang of the Lingxiao Sect, they already view my Qingyun Sect as a thorn in their side.

Now that I have just advanced to the Golden Core stage, he will only be more wary.

If I take the initiative to reveal the news, it will only be seen as showing weakness to curry favor. In the end, the Qingyun Sect might not even be able to touch the edge of the entrance."

Yun Jian's face darkened. "Does the Sect Master mean... we just stand by and watch the Xuanyou Sect take the lead?"

"Of course not." Yun Ling stopped his pace. "The Minghai Realm is of great importance; it hides more than just opportunities. The Xuanyou Sect has wild ambitions; once they are allowed to take the first step, I will absolutely not permit it!"

He paused, lowering his voice a bit with an unquestionable decisiveness.

"This news cannot be leaked directly by us, but it can be 'leaked'. Go and arrange for a few reliable people to quietly spread the news of the Xuanyou Sect refining Sacrificial Vessels and searching for the Minghai Realm entrance to the Lingxiao Sect and other places with long ears."

Yun Jian's eyes lit up, immediately understanding. "Sect Master is brilliant!"

"Using the mouths of others to lead the major Sects to take the initiative to come to us. At that time, our Qingyun Sect, holding the key clues, will be the ones in control, not beggars!"

Yun Ling nodded slightly, but his brow remained heavy. "This is only the first step. Once the news is out, the various forces will surely fall into chaos."

"At that time, the struggle will only become more brutal. We must make full preparations before then."

"Then the Ye Family..." Yun Jian suddenly mentioned.

Yun Ling waved his hand. "This Ye Family possesses special beast-taming techniques. Moreover, they have provided two exceptionally talented Disciples to our Qingyun Sect. As the Family Head, he even saved a life, which is a great kindness to the Qingyun Sect. I will naturally protect this Ye Family."

Speaking of this, he chuckled. "Furthermore, if we really are to venture into the Minghai Realm, I will still need this Ye Tianhao."

Yun Jian was startled at first, then smiled knowingly, the heaviness in his brow dissipating slightly. "Is the Sect Master referring to that Ye Tianhao who made a stunning debut at the Sect Grand Competition, breaking through several stages in a row and whose combat power rivals the inner Sect elites?"

"Exactly." Yun Ling looked up at the vast sea of clouds outside the hall, his tone carrying a bit more depth.

"This boy has a solid Foundation, a steady Heart-Nature, and potential far exceeding his peers. Ordinary Disciples entering the Minghai Realm would just be courting death and causing trouble."

Ye Tianhao is different; he has means to save his life and even more value for scouting the way."

He paused, his voice sinking a bit more. "The Minghai Realm is eerie and unpredictable, with thick Yin Qi and rampant corpse fiends. Ordinary Cultivation Techniques are difficult to use, and one can only rely on the Disciples' strength to compete."

Yun Jian nodded slightly. "Yun Jian understands. Should we send someone to the Ye Family to inform them in advance?"

"No need to be deliberate." Yun Ling waved his hand lightly. "The wind is blowing hard right now; the more movement we make, the easier it is to arouse suspicion."

"Just follow the original plan and wait for the news to ferment."

Wait until the major Sects gather to jointly explore the Minghai Realm, I will personally speak and invite the Ye Family to take action."