104: Chapter 63 Interception

Before the sound of the courtyard gate closing behind him had even faded, four figures stepped out from the shadows of the side rooms.

Their footsteps were light, making almost no sound as they stepped on the withered grass.

The leader took off his hood, revealing a face covered in scales.

Vertical pupils, a serpent's tongue, and high cheekbones—he was a snake-demon hybrid.

"Yun Qi." The snake-demon hybrid spoke, his voice sounding like sandpaper grinding against an iron plate. "Someone paid to buy your life."

Chen Xuan did not draw his sword.

He merely glanced at the spacing of the four men's positions.

One at the Perfection of Qi Refining, and three at the Late-stage Qi Refining.

Are they looking for death? Chen Xuan sneered inwardly.

The snake-demon hybrid's aura was the thickest; he should have been honing his craft at the Perfection Realm for at least five years.

The other three stood at the front left, front right, and directly behind, blocking all retreat routes in the courtyard.

This was an encirclement formation.

It was not their first time doing this kind of work.

"How much did Zhang Fan pay?" Chen Xuan asked directly.

The snake-demon hybrid grinned, revealing two fangs.

"Five thousand Spirit Stones."

"He said you have a protective Spiritual Artifact on you, which is worth this price."

Chen Xuan nodded.

Five thousand Spirit Stones to buy the life of a Golden Core Disciple.

The price was neither high nor low.

For a Loose Cultivator, it was enough to buy a small courtyard in Qingling Immortal City and live the rest of their life in peace.

But the prerequisite was that they had the life to spend it.

"Five thousand Spirit Stones." Chen Xuan repeated the number, his tone flat.

"I will give you ten thousand."

The snake-demon hybrid's smile froze.

What on earth was this guy saying?

"Ten thousand Spirit Stones, plus a Medium Grade Profound-tier Cultivation Technique." Chen Xuan took a jade bottle from his Storage Pouch and tossed it over casually. "This is the deposit. Qi Gathering Pills from the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce, twelve pills per bottle, with a market price of three hundred Spirit Stones."

The snake-demon hybrid caught the jade bottle, pulled out the stopper, and sniffed it.

His vertical pupils constricted slightly.

The Medicinal Pill was real, and the quality was not low.

He was actually giving it?

"What do you want us to do?" A tiger-headed Cultivator behind him couldn't help but speak up.

"Very simple." Chen Xuan's gaze passed over the snake-demon hybrid and landed on the tiger-headed Cultivator's face.

"Take out the person who hired you to kill me."

The courtyard was silent for a moment.

Then the snake-demon hybrid laughed, his laughter sharp and grating, like an owl screeching.

"Do you think we are fools?"

"If we kill the employer, who would dare do business with us in the future?"

"Even if we die, the Loose Cultivators of Qingling Immortal City would not let this rule go."

This was exactly what Chen Xuan was waiting for.

"So you admit that someone hired you to kill me."

His voice was very soft, but every word was clear.

The snake-demon hybrid's laughter stopped abruptly.

He saw a Recording Jade Talisman that had appeared in Chen Xuan's hand at some point.

The jade talisman was emitting a faint green light.

That was the sign that it was currently recording.

"You—"

"What about me?" Chen Xuan put the Recording Jade Talisman back into his Storage Pouch, the smile on his face cooling bit by bit.

"I am a Disciple of the Conquest Hall of the Liuyang Sword Sect, the fifth apprentice under Golden Core Master Liu Yun."

"Intercepting and killing a Golden Core Disciple within the territory of the Qingcang Sect—according to the The Three Sects Alliance Covenant, what is the punishment?"

"Your Families shall be annihilated!"

The snake-demon hybrid's expression changed.

The three accomplices behind him also subconsciously took a step back.

The The Three Sects Alliance Covenant.

That was a blade hanging over the heads of all Loose Cultivators in the Southern Region.

Those who intercept and kill direct Disciples of the The Three Sects shall be executed by the The Three Sects together.

Not only must the perpetrator die, but the employer must also die.

Furthermore, before dying, they would be subjected to Soul Searching.

Those who are searched by the Soul Searching technique have their Divine Soul shattered and cannot even undergo Reincarnation.

It would also cause their entire Family to never be able to transcend for eternity!

"You are a Qi Refining Cultivator, how could you carry a Recording Jade Talisman with you?" The snake-demon hybrid gritted his teeth.

"Unless you knew long ago that someone was going to kill you."

Chen Xuan did not answer.

How could he not know?

Having lived two lifetimes, if he didn't even have this much vigilance, he would have long since been looted in the dark alleys of the Qingyuan Market.

Not only did he bring the Recording Jade Talisman, but before entering the courtyard, he had sent a Transmission Talisman to the Enforcement Hall of the Qingcang Sect.

Calculating the time, they should be arriving soon.

Sure enough.

The courtyard gate was kicked open, and amidst flying wood splinters, seven or eight beams of light descended.

Leading them was a Foundation Establishment Deacon from the Enforcement Hall of the Qingcang Sect.

He had crane-white hair and a youthful face, wore a green robe, and had an Enforcement Token hanging from his waist.

"The Enforcement Hall of the Qingcang Sect is acting; everyone put down your Magical Artifacts, do not move!"

As the Foundation Establishment pressure descended, the four snake-demon hybrids trembled all over, subconsciously dissipating the magical power in their hands.

The Enforcement Hall Deacon first looked at Chen Xuan, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Liuyang Sword Sect token at his waist.

Then he cupped his hands in greeting.

"Fellow Daoist Yun Qi, I have long heard of you."

Chen Xuan returned the salute and presented the Recording Jade Talisman with both hands.

"Deacon Meng, this is the evidence."

Deacon Meng took the jade talisman and probed it with his Divine Sense to check it.

A moment later, his expression darkened.

"Intercepting and killing a Liuyang Sword Sect Golden Core Disciple within Qingling Immortal City."

"The four of you, what great audacity."

The snake-demon hybrid looked up sharply, pointing at Chen Xuan, and said sternly: "It was he who first took out Spirit Stones to bribe us!"

"He wanted us to kill the employer in return!"

Deacon Meng turned to look at Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan's expression was calm.

"Deacon Meng, I was merely fishing for information."

"If not for that, how would they have admitted with their own mouths that they were hired by someone?"

Deacon Meng didn't even hesitate, smiling and saying:

"Fellow Daoist is correct."

"These petty thieves are simply panicking and babbling nonsense. Men!"

The snake-demon hybrid's face turned completely pale.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more.

Deacon Meng raised his hand and struck out a beam of spiritual light, directly sealing his throat and tongue.

"Take them back for interrogation."

"Under the Soul Searching technique, no one can fake anything."

Six Enforcement Disciples stepped forward in response, pinned the four down, and shackled them with Restriction chains.

When the four snake-demon hybrids were dragged out of the courtyard gate, the tiger-headed Cultivator struggled to look back, his eyes full of resentment.

Chen Xuan met his gaze, his expression as calm as an ancient well.

There were plenty of people who resented him.

One more wouldn't make a difference.

The courtyard became quiet again.

Deacon Meng was not in a hurry to leave.

He walked a few steps with his hands behind his back and stopped by the stone table in the courtyard.

"Fellow Daoist Yun Qi, this old man has something he wants to ask."

"Please speak."

"How did you know they would make their move here?"

Chen Xuan did not hide it.

"When I entered the Immortal City, I discovered that someone was following me in secret."

"Today, I deliberately walked through this alley in the East District to force them to reveal themselves."

Deacon Meng stroked his beard, his gaze filled with a touch of admiration, and cupped his hands:

"As expected of Master Chonghe's Disciple, your mind is meticulous."

"However, as for that employer..."

"Naturally, we will use Soul Searching." Chen Xuan took over the conversation. "After the four snake-demon hybrids are subjected to Soul Searching, we will naturally be able to find out the employer's identity."

Deacon Meng nodded and did not ask any more questions.

Some things are better left unsaid.

The open strife and veiled struggles between the Disciples of the The Three Sects were not something he, an Enforcement Hall Deacon, could or wanted to manage.

He only needed to ensure that no lives were lost within the territory of Qingling Immortal City.

As for matters outside the city, those were the internal affairs of each sect.

"Farewell." Deacon Meng cupped his hands and left with the remaining Disciples.

The courtyard gate closed again.

Chen Xuan stood in place, looking down at the messy footprints on the ground.

Five thousand Spirit Stones.

Zhang Fan spent five thousand Spirit Stones to buy his life.

This price was too low.

So low that he found it a bit funny.

He raised his head, his gaze passing through the dilapidated eaves, looking in the direction of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Then he would stay for a few more days.

And play a good game with Zhang Fan.