176: Chapter 176 Suppressing the Rebellion

After returning to Jingxin Cliff, Li Changsheng entered a rare period of calm.

He was no longer in a rush for quick success, and every day he simply followed his routine: Cultivate, practice sword, and tend to the spirit fields.

Under his meticulous care, that Spirit Tea Tree had grown taller, and its leaves were even denser.

The Jade Dew Ginseng was also growing gratifyingly, and in another month, a new batch would be ready for harvest.

The peaceful days lasted for half a month.

On the morning of the fifteenth day, an urgent Message Talisman landed by the side of the spirit field.

Li Changsheng picked up the Message Talisman and injected his Qi into it; Chu Feng's voice was urgent and heavy:

"Broken Stone Camp has rebelled. Assemble at the Council Hall immediately."

Li Changsheng's heart sank abruptly.

Broken Stone Camp.

That small Sect that had voluntarily surrendered after Qingfeng Gate, the place where the camp leader had personally brought his Disciples to kneel and beg for mercy.

It had rebelled.

He put down the watering can, changed into a martial outfit, grabbed his qingshuang sword, and flew on his sword toward the Main Peak.

Inside the Council Hall, the atmosphere was heavy enough to wring out water.

Chu Feng stood in the center, his face livid.

Beside him stood Wang Hai, Zhang Yuan, Zhao Qian, and several other Foundation Establishment Disciples that Li Changsheng did not recognize.

Everyone's expression was grim.

The hall doors closed, and Elder Chen walked out from the back hall.

His expression was worse than everyone else's, and his gaze, like a knife, swept across those present.

"Broken Stone Camp has rebelled."

He spoke, his voice cold.

"Three days ago, they united with three small Sects in the surrounding area, killed the seven Disciples dispatched by our Qinglan Sword Sect, seized supplies, and fled into the deep mountains."

The hall was deathly silent.

Elder Chen continued.

"The Sect Master is furious and has ordered you to immediately go and quell the rebellion. Anyone who participated in the rebellion is to be killed without exception."

Killed without exception.

These four words were like a knife stabbing into Li Changsheng's heart.

He thought of those people from Broken Stone Camp.

They had knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy, their eyes filled with fear.

They just wanted to survive; they just wanted to protect their home.

Now, they had rebelled.

They would die.

And he had to go and kill them.

Elder Chen looked at everyone and said coldly.

"Chu Feng will lead the team; depart immediately."

Chu Feng cupped his hands and said: "This Disciple acknowledges the order."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping across everyone.

"Let's go."

Five streaks of sword light cut through the sky and flew toward the southern part of Yunzhou.

On the way, no one spoke.

Li Changsheng followed behind Chu Feng, looking at the mountains and rivers rapidly passing below, an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

He thought of Qingfeng Gate.

He thought of the little boy he had saved and the broken jade pendant in his hand.

He thought of Broken Stone Camp.

He thought of those people who had knelt and begged for mercy, and he thought of the fear in their eyes.

Now, they had rebelled.

They would die.

And he had to go and kill them.

"Senior Brother Li."

Zhao Qian's voice came from the side.

Li Changsheng turned his head to look at him.

Zhao Qian's expression was also grim; his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

Li Changsheng knew what he wanted to say.

He was also forced into this.

He also did not want to go.

But they had no choice.

Two days later, they arrived at Broken Stone Camp.

It was a camp built on the mountainside, built against the mountain, easy to defend and difficult to attack.

At this moment, the camp gates were tightly shut, and the camp walls were filled with people holding blades and swords, waiting in full battle array.

Chu Feng raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.

He looked at the camp, was silent for a moment, and suddenly spoke.

"Listen, people of Broken Stone Camp: hand over the leaders of the rebellion, and those who surrender will be spared. Otherwise, you will all be killed without exception."

There was a commotion on the camp walls.

A moment later, a rough voice came from within the camp:

"Spared? What a load of bullshit!"

"You dog thieves of the Qinglan Sword Sect, isn't oppressing us enough? Do you still want us to kneel and wait for death?!"

A middle-aged man leaped onto the camp wall, his face full of rage, possessing the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

It was none other than the Broken Stone Camp leader.

Behind him stood several Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage, along with a group of Disciples at the Qi Refining Stage.

Their eyes were filled with anger and determination.

Chu Feng's expression darkened.

"Stubborn and unrepentant."

He waved his hand and said coldly.

"Attack!"

As soon as his voice fell, Wang Hai, Zhang Yuan, and Zhao Qian all attacked at the same time!

Sword light illuminated, instantly blasting toward the camp gate!

Boom!

The camp gate exploded, and rocks flew everywhere!

On the camp walls, the Disciples of Broken Stone Camp roared and charged down, engaging the four in battle!

Li Changsheng stood where he was, not moving.

He watched those Disciples charging down, watched their angry gazes, watched their desperate figures, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart.

They just wanted to survive.

What did they do wrong?

Just then, a black shadow rushed out from the camp, heading straight for Li Changsheng!

It was a streak of blood-colored light, carrying a dense Evil Qi!

Li Changsheng's pupils constricted, and his body flashed to avoid the attack!

The blood-colored light landed on the ground, blasting out a deep pit!

Li Changsheng looked up and saw a figure shrouded in black mist standing not far away.

The figure held a blood-colored long blade, the blade covered with strange runes, exuding a cold aura.

A remaining Disciple of the Blood Fiend Sect.

Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

The man sneered and slashed over with another blade strike!

Li Changsheng drew his sword to meet it!

Clang!

Sword and blade clashed, sparks flying everywhere! Li Changsheng was shaken back three steps, his hand numb!

Such strong power!

The man's blade technique was ruthless, every strike carrying dense Evil Qi, and that Evil Qi eroded Li Changsheng's Meridians, making his Qi circulation become sluggish!

Li Changsheng gritted his teeth and responded calmly.

He alternated using the Gale Style, Flowing Cloud Style, and Falling Thunder Style of the Qinglan Sword Art, combined with the fierce fist strength of the Green Wood Fist, to engage the man!

After fifty Moves, he gradually gained the upper hand.

Although the man's blade technique was ruthless, his Foundation was unstable; it was clearly a quick-success method.

His Qi was shallow and unstable, and there were flaws in the connections between his Moves.

At the seventieth Move, Li Changsheng seized an opening and stabbed his shoulder with one sword strike!

The man let out a miserable shriek, and the blade in his hand flew out of his grip!

Li Changsheng closed in, and his second sword strike aimed for his throat!

When the tip of the sword was only an inch from the man's throat, he suddenly stopped.

Because he saw the man's eyes.

It was a pair of eyes filled with fear.

They were not the eyes of a murderer, not the eyes of a villain, just the eyes of a person... forced to a dead end.

Li Changsheng was stunned.

The man looked at him, a trace of complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

There was fear, despair, and also a hint of... relief.

"Do it."

He said hoarsely.

"It's death either way."

Li Changsheng did not Move.

The man looked at him and suddenly smiled.

The smile was full of bitterness.

"Do you think I wanted to be a member of the Blood Fiend Sect?"

"I was captured. If I didn't Cultivate, I would die. I had no other choice."

Li Changsheng's heart gave a sharp tug.

Captured.

Not voluntary.

He thought of the little boy at Qingfeng Gate, thought of the broken jade pendant in his hand.

Were those people also captured?

He did not know.

But he knew that the person before him was not a heinous villain.

He just... wanted to survive.

He slowly lowered his sword.

The man was stunned, his eyes full of confusion.

Li Changsheng took a healing Medicinal Pill from his bosom and stuffed it into his hand.

"Go," he said softly.

"Don't let me see you again."

The man stared blankly at the Medicinal Pill in his hand, then looked at Li Changsheng; his lips moved as if to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

He turned around and staggered into the mountain forest.

Li Changsheng stood where he was, watching his back, and did not Move for a long time.

Behind him, Chu Feng's voice came.

"Li Changsheng, you let him go."

Li Changsheng turned around and saw Chu Feng standing not far away, staring at him coldly.

Li Changsheng did not speak.

Chu Feng was silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed.

"One demerit," he said.

"If there is a next time, go to the Hall of Law Enforcement yourself to receive your punishment."

He turned and left.

Li Changsheng stood where he was, watching his back, then looked toward that mountain forest.

The man's figure had long since disappeared into the dense forest.

But his words still echoed in his ears.

"I was captured. If I didn't Cultivate, I would die. I had no other choice."

Li Changsheng gripped his sword tightly.

What exactly is the boundary between evil and righteousness?

He did not know.

But he knew that he did not want to kill those who just wanted to survive.

The battle continued.

While rushing to the battlefield, Li Changsheng discovered a token on a killed Blood Fiend Sect Disciple.

It was a palm-sized black token, with a blood-red character "Blood" engraved on the front, and the back covered in strange runes.

Those runes...

Li Changsheng's pupils constricted slightly.

Those runes were exactly the same as the runes on the qingshuang sword.

His heart hammered like thunder; he looked around, and seeing no one paying attention, he quietly tucked the token into his bosom.

He would take this token back to study it thoroughly.