109: Stay or leave

"Strange?"

At Feiyue Peak Summit, Zhou Liyue quietly appeared, a little puzzled:

"Father isn't here, Fourth Brother isn't here, and Uncle Xuan's state seems off too."

She had just quietly searched the entire Zhou Family, finding that Zhou Kaiding and Zhou Lihai were not home. Upon arriving at the peak summit, she noticed Mo Xuan's aura was faint, ethereal, and undetectable.

A sense of unease settled in Zhou Liyue's heart. After a moment of thought, her magic power circulated, and her figure flickered, finding Zhou Licheng who was examining the accounts.

"Big Brother, where have Father and Fourth Brother gone?"

Zhou Liyue asked softly.

Hearing this, Zhou Licheng was startled. He looked up and saw Zhou Liyue already standing beside him.

"Third Sister, you've come out of seclusion?"

Zhou Licheng's voice was a little excited. He stood up and looked at Zhou Liyue.

"Have you succeeded in Foundation Establishment?"

Although he had a guess in his heart, Zhou Licheng still asked, his voice tinged with a hint of tension.

"Indeed."

Zhou Liyue nodded.

"Good, good, good!"

Zhou Licheng clapped his hands, repeating "good" three times, pacing back and forth, seemingly more excited than when he himself had achieved Foundation Establishment.

Watching Zhou Licheng's demeanor, Zhou Liyue felt a warmth in her heart.

"The Tianshui Mountain Range is in chaos due to a Yao Beast rampage. Father and Fourth Brother received an order from Xuanqing Sect to go to Tianshui City for support."

A moment later, Zhou Licheng calmed his emotions and recounted the matter of the previous order.

"Has any news arrived?"

Hearing this, Zhou Liyue's unease became even more pronounced, and her tone grew somewhat urgent.

"No..."

Zhou Licheng shook his head, looking a little helpless. The Zhou Family's sphere of influence only radiated around Qingyuan Town. Previous inquiries in the surrounding towns had yielded no news.

Although he was worried, Zhou Licheng found himself unable to do anything, only able to manage the Family as best as he could.

During this time, Lin Muwan even prayed daily, hoping that the two would return safely.

The two discussed for a moment longer, then Zhou Liyue departed, secretly resolving that if no news arrived after a few more days, she would personally go there.

However, she had just made a Breakthrough, and her strength was still somewhat lacking.

Zhou Liyue returned to her secluded cultivation chamber and took out an object resembling moonlight from her Storage Pouch. This was what Zhou Licheng had just given her.

It was originally a gift Zhou Kaiding had prepared for Zhou Liyue, but fearing he might not return in time, he entrusted it to Zhou Licheng to pass on.

This treasure, named "Flower Morning Reflecting Moon," was a second-tier Low Grade Spiritual Artifact in the form of a silk ribbon, integrating offense, defense, and confinement.

Injecting magic power into it, her Divine Sense slowly sank in, imprinting her mark.

Xuanqing Sect.

On Qingxi Peak, True Person Qingmu held a Jade Slip in his hand, examining its contents with his mind.

After a long while, he looked at Sect Head Gu Li, who stood by, looking uneasy.

"Sect Head, implement the Legacy plan."

True Person Qingmu's voice was desolate, his eyes holding an unclear meaning.

Sect Head Gu Li, who had been waiting, looked shocked and turned to True Person Qingmu.

"This..."

This Legacy plan was a long-standing plan within Xuanqing Sect: when the Sect faced a life-and-death crisis, select excellent Disciples, abandon the foundation, and flee to another place to preserve the Xuanqing Legacy, hoping for a day of resurgence.

"Grand Elder, what about you then?"

Sect Head Gu Li wanted to say something, but after a moment of hesitation, he said nothing more, only asking this.

"I will not leave. The Cloud Jiao's betrayal and Senior Sister's death—I must stay to clean house. Besides..."

Besides, True Person He Run was still in seclusion, his life or death unknown, and he would not flee like this.

"But how can you alone withstand four Yao Kings?"

Sect Head Gu Li's tone was worried.

Daoist Master Liang returned to the Liang Family severely wounded, only to be surrounded by a Yao Tiger and a Yao Ape. The entire Liang Family was annihilated. As for the other two major Families, they had already seen the writing on the wall, leaving their subordinate Sects, Families, Mortals, and ordinary Disciples behind, and fled with their direct Family members.

"The He Family, the Ming Family..."

"Hmph!"

True Person Qingmu's tone was cold. Xuanqing Sect had long informed the two Families, yet they not only failed to provide support but fled faster than anyone else.

To be fair, these three Families had always been at odds with Xuanqing Sect. The True Persons of the He and Ming Families even wanted to use this opportunity to weaken Xuanqing Sect's strength. If Xuanqing Sect could lose one or two Golden Core Stage Cultivators, that would be ideal.

However, they never expected Xuanqing Sect to fall so quickly, and True Person He Run never appeared, leading to the current situation.

Only the Liang Family offered support, only to end up with their Family destroyed and members dead.

"Go."

"Also, issue an order to all Families, explain the situation, and their choice is up to them."

True Person Qingmu commanded. Now that Xuanqing Sect could barely protect itself, this was all it could do.

The plea for help to the Jiang Family remained unanswered, and the other surrounding Prefectures were also preoccupied. Among all the Golden Core Stage True Persons in Huichuan Prefecture, only he remained.

True Person Qingmu felt a deep sorrow, sensing that this time, he was more likely to perish than survive, but he had no intention of escaping alone.

Sect Head Gu Li's expression was complex, with clear sadness in his eyes. He bowed to True Person Qingmu and departed to carry out the order.

The bells of Xuanqing Sect rang again, and Spirit Cranes flew out, carrying Jade Slips in their mouths.

Jade Moon Peak.

Zhou Licheng took the Jade Slip, cupped his hands to the Spirit Crane in thanks, and then calmed his mind to carefully examine its contents.

A moment later, Zhou Licheng's face was ashen, devoid of color. The Jade Slip fell, and he sank weakly into a chair.

"Father, Fourth Brother..."

...In the Zhou Family's main hall, all the Zhou Family members gathered. Zhou Licheng and Zhou Liyue sat at the head of the table, and below them, Yang Linxi, Xia Chuxue, and the third generation of Zhou Family Disciples were all present.

Only Lin Muwan was absent. Zhou Licheng dared not tell Lin Muwan the news from the Jade Slip.

The atmosphere was solemn and sorrowful. Zhou Leren, Zhou Leyi, and others no longer had their usual demeanor.

"Now that Tianshui City has fallen, Father and Fourth Brother are missing, and Xuanqing Sect is powerless to resist, where should our Zhou Family go?"

Zhou Licheng forced himself to rally his spirits and asked the crowd. The Zhou Family had reached a point of life or death, but Zhou Licheng could not make the decision for them.

After receiving the news, Zhou Licheng found Zhou Liyue and informed her of the situation.

Her unease had come true, and Zhou Liyue found it hard to accept, only barely calming down after Zhou Licheng's persuasion. After all, Zhou Liyue now had the highest cultivation in the Zhou Family.

However, Zhou Liyue chose to remain on Jade Moon Peak.

She refused to believe that her father and brother had simply died like that.

Moreover, with Mo Xuan in a deep sleep, the Zhou Family certainly had no reason to abandon Mo Xuan and flee alone.

"Father, I'll stay!"

Zhou Leren spoke. Zhou Licheng had just explained everything. Where could they flee to? It would be better to defend Jade Moon Peak to the death; perhaps there would be a turning point.

"I'll stay too!"

"I also..."

...Everyone spoke up, none wishing to flee alone.

Zhou Licheng's gaze was complex. After a long moment, he looked at Yang Linxi and said:

"I have already sent a letter to my father-in-law, but..."

But the Zhou Family no longer had the capacity to do anything else.

Zhou Licheng had already spread the news to the various Families in Qingyuan Town. Whether they lived or died, it was their destiny.

Yang Linxi nodded, saying nothing, only reaching out and grasping Zhou Licheng's hand.

"Go back and prepare!"

Zhou Licheng looked around at everyone and spoke in a deep voice.