124: Returning home on a rainy night, shadows follow.

Night fell quietly over Luofeng Town amidst the drizzle. Inside the Listening Bamboo Cottage, the faint lamplight illuminated the swaying bamboo shadows.

Lin Xuan, Su Wanqing, and Qu Feiyan were discussing the details of their next step: infiltrating the Qinglan Sect. Su Wanqing’s injuries were mostly stable; her cold, clear face looked even more translucent under the lamp, though her brow held a trace of worry about the Sect's current situation. Qu Feiyan leaned back lazily against the chair, winding a strand of hair around her fingertip, her seductive gaze occasionally sweeping over Lin Xuan, carrying a complex, indescribable emotion.

Just as the discussion deepened, the warning Restriction Lin Xuan had set up around the courtyard suddenly transmitted an extremely subtle fluctuation, yet one with a familiar rhythm. This fluctuation was not a forceful trigger; it was more like an anxious, confirming knock, containing a faint trace of Thunder Qi that made Lin Xuan's heart skip a beat.

"Someone's here!" Lin Xuan instantly became alert, and his Divine Sense spread out like mercury pouring across the ground.

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan also stopped talking simultaneously, their aura retracted, and their sharp gazes fixed on the outside of the courtyard.

Through the hazy curtain of rain, a small, delicate figure stumbled toward the courtyard gate. She was drenched, her light yellow dress clinging tightly to her body, making her look particularly disheveled. Rainwater streamed down her pale face, making it impossible to distinguish rain from tears. Her originally lively eyes were now filled with panic and exhaustion, suddenly lighting up with hope upon sensing the familiar aura inside the courtyard.

"Big Brother Lin! Senior Sister Su! Sister Qu! Is that you? Open the door!" The girl's tearful cry pierced through the sound of the rain, carrying a heartbreaking fragility.

"It's Junior Sister Gongsun!" A flash of surprise and solemnity crossed Su Wanqing's icy eyes.

Qu Feiyan also sat up straight, the playful look vanishing from her seductive face. "How did this girl find this place? And why is she in such a state?"

Lin Xuan didn't hesitate at all and immediately waved his hand, opening the courtyard Restriction.

As soon as the Restriction opened, Gongsun Yu collapsed forward as if all her strength had left her. Lin Xuan moved like lightning, appearing instantly by her side and catching her. What he felt was cold wetness and the uncontrollable slight trembling of her body.

"Xiao Yu! What happened?" Lin Xuan asked in a deep voice, while channeling pure and gentle spiritual power into her nearly depleted Meridians. He could sense that Gongsun Yu was not only exhausted of spiritual power but also severely drained in her mental state, clearly having undergone a huge upheaval and a long, desperate escape.

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan immediately stepped forward. Su Wanqing's fingertips emitted a gentle, cold Taiyin Radiance, enveloping Gongsun Yu, quickly evaporating the moisture on her body and bringing a cooling sensation that stabilized her Divine Soul. Qu Feiyan quickly pulled out a jade bottle, poured out a fragrant Spirit Pill, and carefully fed it to Gongsun Yu.

Feeling the trio's immediate help and their familiar, reassuring aura, Gongsun Yu's tightly strung nerves finally relaxed. Tears burst forth like a broken dam. She clutched Lin Xuan's lapel, sobbing uncontrollably: "Big Brother Lin... my, my Family had an accident... they... they've all been controlled..."

"Controlled?" Lin Xuan frowned deeply. He exchanged glances with Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan, both seeing the solemnity in the other's eyes. The first thing they thought of was the Guixu Cult!

"Take your time. What exactly happened? Who controlled your Family?" Lin Xuan helped the weak Gongsun Yu into the living room, sat her down, and spoke in a steady tone that carried a reassuring strength.

Su Wanqing silently handed her a cup of warm Spiritual Tea. Qu Feiyan stood to the side, her eyes vigilantly watching the movements outside.

After taking a sip of the Spiritual Tea and catching her breath, Gongsun Yu began to speak haltingly: "Not long after I returned to the Family, my Eldest Uncle... he seemed like a different person. His temperament changed drastically, and his actions became secretive. Suddenly, there were some unfamiliar Black-Robed Cultivators in the Family. Their aura... was very cold and unsettling. They seemed to be setting up something in the Family's secret place..."

Fear appeared on her small face: "I accidentally overheard a conversation between Eldest Uncle and those Black-Robed Figures. They mentioned the 'Holy Cult,' they mentioned 'Descent,' and they also said they wanted... to use all the disciples in our Family who possess the Thunder Bloodline as 'Sacrifices'! I was terrified and tried to secretly send a message to you, Big Brother Lin, but I was discovered... Eldest Uncle, he personally moved to capture me! I only barely managed to escape by relying on the Escape Talisman and Thunder Drum you gave me before... I didn't dare stop along the way, I could only rely on a vague sense of direction to flee toward the Qinglan Sect..."

Sacrifices? Thunder Bloodline? Descent?

These words combined made the hearts of the three people sink completely. This almost explicitly indicated that the Guixu Cult was using the Gongsun Family to perform some evil ritual, and the goal was likely related to the unfinished conspiracy in the Nether Abyss!

"It's them, alright! Persistent ghosts!" Qu Feiyan's beautiful face was grim, and a faint bloody light flickered in her eyes.

Su Wanqing looked at Lin Xuan, her icy eyes questioning: "The Gongsun Family is not too far from the Qinglan Sect. The Guixu Cult setting up a scheme here must be related to the Sect."

Lin Xuan nodded, gently patting Gongsun Yu's shoulder. His tone was firm: "Xiao Yu, you did very well, and you were very brave. Don't worry. Since we know about this, we absolutely won't stand by and do nothing. We will definitely handle your Family's matter!"

Gongsun Yu raised her tear-filled eyes, looking at Lin Xuan's determined gaze, and then at Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan. The immense fear and anxiety in her heart finally found an outlet, transforming into even more torrential tears, but she nodded heavily, choking out: "Mhm! I believe Big Brother Lin, and I believe my Senior Sisters!"

She knew how terrifying the Guixu Cult was, but having experienced life and death together in the Thunder Emperor Palace, she trusted the strength of these three people beside her even more.

Just then, Lin Xuan's expression shifted slightly, and the System issued a prompt:

[Warning: Undetermined Cultivators detected loitering outside the Inn. Their aura is concealed, and their intentions are unknown. Quantity: Three people. Cultivation: Two Mid-stage Golden Core, one Late Golden Core Stage.]

Pursuers? Or other forces?

A cold light flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes. He whispered to the Three women: "There are rats outside. It seems things aren't peaceful here either."

Su Wanqing instantly clenched her fist, her Frost Silence Sword Intent held back but ready. Qu Feiyan licked her red lips, revealing a dangerous smile. Gongsun Yu nervously grabbed Lin Xuan's sleeve.

On this night of wind and rain, the girl's return brought a warning of crisis, tightly linking the Protagonist Group once more. A new storm was already drawing near.