114: Chapter 114 Exposure

True Person Jin Niu knit his sword-like brows, looked at the red-haired old man not far away, and asked sharply, "Fellow Daoist Bai Lian, why have you come to the Chu Kingdom instead of staying in your Yuan State?"

True Person Bai Lian snorted coldly, "A traitor of my Sect is hiding in your Yellow Ox Immortal City. Does Fellow Daoist Jin Niu not intend to give me an explanation?"

"So that's what this is about."

True Person Jin Niu patted his storage belt and took out Liu Bai's corpse from it.

"Could the person you're referring to be this man?"

Seeing Liu Bai, True Person Bai Lian raised a red eyebrow and snorted, "It is indeed him. How did he die?"

True Person Jin Niu shook his head, "How should I know? By the time I saw him, he had already been dead for a long time."

"Can you hand him over to me? Perhaps I can find the source that lured him into betrayal."

Upon hearing this.

True Person Jin Niu sneered, "Has Fellow Daoist Bai Lian forgotten where this is? Yellow Ox Immortal City is not a place for you to give orders."

Although True Person Bai Lian was at the Middle Stage of the Golden Core realm, as Jin Niu was a Sword Cultivator and was on his home turf, he naturally felt no fear.

True Person Bai Lian stroked his white beard and nodded, "What True Person Jin Niu says is quite right. This person is likely of little use to you."

"I recently happened to find a piece of Tier 3 Geng-Metal. I wonder if Fellow Daoist would be willing to exchange this person for it?"

Artifact Refiners were generous, and the offer immediately struck a chord with True Person Jin Niu.

"Really?"

"My word is my bond!"

As soon as he spoke, True Person Bai Lian took out a bright yellow metal nugget and threw it directly to True Person Jin Niu.

"Fellow Daoist Jin might as well inspect it."

He checked it half-doubtingly, even taking a bite of it.

His eyes sparkled: "It's real."

He tossed Liu Bai's corpse over.

Looking at True Person Bai Lian with a meaningful expression: "This person is actually so important? Does Fellow Daoist Bai Lian not intend to tell me anything?"

He shook his head helplessly: "It's all Sect scandals. It cannot be said, cannot be said."

After confirming the Hundred Refining Valley mark on Liu Bai's body, he put it into his Storage Pouch.

He cupped his hands in farewell: "I am not a Cultivator of the Chu Kingdom, so I won't stay any longer."

He summoned a flame-red Tier 3 battleship, flew to the bow, and with a hum, it sped away through the air.

True Person Jin Niu suppressed his curiosity and watched him disappear into the horizon.

That battleship just now emanated the pressure of the High Grade Tier 3, making him feel for a moment as if he might perish.

Since his Revered Master was not coming out of seclusion, only the near-Tier 4 grand formation of Yellow Ox Immortal City would have the power to fight back.

"A false alarm. I hope Hundred Refining Valley hasn't refined such a vessel for the Demonic Path Sects."

After the city defense matters were handled.

He turned and flew toward Huangniu Mountain.

But he saw a huge gap had suddenly appeared in the middle of the mountain, eight miles long and high.

The Immortal Caves, Cultivators, mud, rocks, and trees within were all nowhere to be found.

The mountain stream flowed down, forming a white waterfall with misty water vapor.

Li Hongxuan was standing by the large pit, his eyes full of daze: "Where is my home?"

"I went out for a trip, and my home is gone?"

...

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, another three months had passed.

On this day, a small cheer came from the Artifact Refining Room in Broken Cloud Ridge.

"I've finally reached it—High Grade Tier 2 Formation Master."

Xu Changsheng's eyes gleamed as he looked at the closed door.

Over the past few months, through the daily collection of intelligence, he had roughly learned his current location.

This Earth Fire Room of his was deep within the mountain ridge.

Let alone entering the room, even the corridor outside was rarely traversed.

If he wanted to leave Broken Cloud Ridge, the simplest way was not to walk out the front gate; that path was too long and had guards checking all along the way.

"The best way is to take the back door."

Through the intelligence, Xu Changsheng knew of a small path in the back mountain; it was a bit roundabout, but the risk was relatively lower.

He muttered to himself: "Walk out of the Artifact Refining Room, then follow the corridor to the Heavenly Fiend Hall at the back, then take the second path behind the hall, which is a downward passage..."

Besides this, the intelligence had an unexpected gain.

One of his 'old friends' happened to be here in Broken Cloud Ridge as well.

It was none other than Lu Yuanze.

This person seemed to have reached an agreement with the Ghost Shadow Sect and was currently recovering from injuries in the warehouse behind the bronze gate to the left of the second hub in the rear.

He didn't intend to provoke this person.

"Creak."

The door of the Artifact Refining Room, which had not moved for a long time, was quietly pushed open.

A man in black walked out holding a key.

Xu Changsheng finally took this step.

Outside the door was a wide corridor, cold and embedded with ghostly green fluorescent stones on the stone walls.

Looking left and right, there was indeed no one.

Secretly delighted, he turned and locked the door tight.

The Hundred Refining Furnace in the Artifact Refining Room had already been put into his Storage Pouch by him, and he didn't even leave the Tier 1 spiritual materials on the shelves, taking them all to use for practice later.

After confirming there were no problems, he walked to the left.

...

What Xu Changsheng didn't know at this moment.

In the Hall of Reflection ten miles away, several Qi Refining Disciples wearing Ghost Shadow Sect robes were looking at dozens of Shadow Walls in front of them with boredom.

What was playing on the walls were real-time images of various core areas in Broken Cloud Ridge.

The leading Disciple sitting in the middle yawned: "Oh, I'm exhausted. How can there be such a boring job, just sitting here and watching all day."

The Disciple beside him also agreed: "Exactly. We originally sneaked into the Chu Kingdom secretly, and now we actually have to prevent Chu Kingdom Cultivators from coming in. It's simply ridiculous."

An ugly-faced young girl sitting at the very edge took it seriously, sitting upright and staring at the images in front of her.

"You're too honest, Junior Sister Zhu. I've been on three shifts here, and nothing ever happens."

He wanted to get Junior Sister Zhu's agreement.

But what came back was a warning.

"Senior Brother Li, it seems like something's wrong."

"What could be wrong? Junior Sister Zhu, you've been staring for too long, you're having hallucinations."

"No, there really is a problem."

Finally attracting everyone's attention, they followed her gaze.

A man in black walked out of the Artifact Refining Room in the back area.

"This is?"

Senior Brother Li rubbed his eyes.

"Am I seeing this right?"

Junior Sister Zhu nodded: "You're not seeing wrong. This is Artifact Refining Room Ding-007 that the Junior Martial Uncle mentioned."

A trembling voice squeezed out of Senior Brother Li's throat: "Is it that Uncle-Master Liu who brought the demon sword?"

"Yes!"

"Great, I'll inform the Junior Martial Uncle tomorrow. This is a huge merit. Junior Sister Zhu, you did well!"

The leader, Senior Brother Li, scolded the others: "You should learn more from Junior Sister Zhu. Don't always look so lazy. Our Reflection Department can also achieve merits."

Junior Sister Zhu interrupted him again: "Senior Brother, I'm talking about another problem."

"What problem? This is something worth a reward. What problem could there be?"

"Look."

Junior Sister Zhu pointed at the Shadow Wall: "This Uncle-Master Liu is acting suspiciously, avoiding our Sect's Disciples all the way. I don't know where he's trying to go?"

"What?!"