184: Chapter 184 Do Not Explore Lightly

Wherever the sword light passed, blood splattered!

The three pursuers cried out and fell!

The other two pursuers were greatly alarmed. Before they could react, the sword light flashed again!

Two more pursuers fell!

Qin Hao looked up and saw a person standing in front of him.

Clothed in green, with a green sword, and a delicate face.

Li Changsheng.

Qin Hao was stunned.

"Brother Li..."

Li Changsheng didn't turn back. He just pulled out a few Medicinal Pills from his Huai and put them into Qin Hao's hand.

"Go," he whispered.

"There's a small path behind the mountain that leads out of the valley. Go quickly."

Qin Hao's eyes were red, and his lips trembled. He wanted to say something but didn't know where to start.

Li Changsheng looked at him and said softly.

"I heard Elder Li Ran's words. The Legacy of the Jinyang Sect cannot be broken."

He paused, then added.

"I've also settled those children. They are in a hidden rock crevice behind the mountain. Go find them."

Qin Hao's tears finally burst forth.

"Brother Li... thank you."

He struggled to stand up, gave Li Changsheng a deep look, and turned to run into the depths of the dense forest.

Li Changsheng stood still, watching his receding figure, motionless for a long time.

In the distance, the faint sound of new pursuers could be heard.

He took a deep breath and turned to disappear into the dense forest.

Three days later, Ling Cang stood on the ruins of the Jinyang Sect's main hall and announced the complete annihilation of the Jinyang Sect's conservative faction.

He incorporated the Jinyang Sect's former site into the Qinglan Sword Sect's territory and appointed Zhao Kun as the Branch Master of the Jinyang Sect's sub-branch, responsible for managing this newly acquired land.

At the celebration banquet, wine cups clinked and laughter filled the air.

Li Changsheng stood at the edge of the crowd, looking at his smiling fellow Disciples, his heart utterly cold.

He remembered Elder Li Ran's dying words.

He remembered the Jinyang Sect Disciples who had fallen in pools of blood.

He remembered the children he had saved, who should now be on the run.

He tightened his grip on the qingshuang sword.

The runes on the sword body were faintly visible in the moonlight.

He took a deep breath and turned to leave.

He knew he could no longer stay in the Qinglan Sword Sect.

He had to leave.

To find Qin Hao, to protect the Legacy of the Jinyang Sect, and to uncover the hidden secrets.

No matter what lay ahead.

He had to keep going.

Because he was Li Changsheng.

Because he still had people he wanted to protect.

The cleanup of the Jinyang Sect Secret Realm lasted a full seven days.

Li Changsheng was assigned to clear the outskirts of the battlefield.

Those secluded corners, those ruins no one wanted to go to.

This suited him perfectly.

He needed time, space, and to be alone.

On the evening of the seventh day, he found something in a collapsed stone chamber.

It was a palm-sized Jade Slip, completely black, covered with dense blood-red runes.

The Jade Slip was buried under the rubble, and he wouldn't have found it if he hadn't accidentally kicked a stone away.

He bent down to pick up the Jade Slip, his pupils suddenly contracting.

Those runes... he had seen them before.

On the Blood Fiend Sect's altar, on the token retrieved from a Blood Fiend Sect Disciple, and on the qingshuang sword's blade.

Exactly the same.

His heart pounded like thunder. He glanced around, and seeing no one was paying attention, he quietly put the Jade Slip into his Huai.

Then, he continued cleaning as if nothing had happened.

After returning to the Qinglan Sword Sect, Li Changsheng began a more secretive life.

During the day, he continued to tend to the spiritual plants in the spiritual fields, practiced his sword in the Martial Arts Field, and greeted his fellow Disciples as usual. He remained the gentle and reserved Li Changsheng, showing no abnormalities.

At night, he locked the door of the Tool Storehouse, lit a lamp, and took out the Jade Slip.

The Jade Slip was completely black, and the blood-red runes flickered under the lamplight, emitting an eerie glow.

He injected his spiritual power into the Jade Slip, attempting to probe its contents.

However, as soon as his spiritual power touched the surface of the Jade Slip, it was repelled by a powerful force!

That force was cold and domineering, carrying a chilling Evil Qi!

Li Changsheng grunted, and the Jade Slip in his hand almost flew out.

He steadied himself, looked at the Jade Slip, and frowned deeply.

Restriction.

A powerful Restriction.

With his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, he couldn't possibly break it.

He remembered Elder Li Ran's dying words.

"The Blood Fiend Sect's degeneration was not accidental. The Qinglan Sword Sect hides a secret."

In the following days, Li Changsheng began to secretly inquire about news related to the Blood Fiend Sect.

He had gone to Manager Qin, but Manager Qin was evasive about it, only shaking his head and saying.

"Some things are better left unknown."

He had gone to Chu Feng, who remained silent for a long time, finally only saying one sentence.

"Don't inquire about the Blood Fiend Sect's affairs."

He had gone to Wang Hai, whose face changed. He pulled Li Changsheng away, saying as they walked.

"Senior Brother Li, do you not want to live?"

No one was willing to speak.

No one dared to speak.

Li Changsheng increasingly felt that this matter was not simple.

Behind the Blood Fiend Sect's degeneration, there must be a great secret hidden.

And the high-ranking members of the Qinglan Sword Sect must know this secret.

Perhaps, they might even be participants.

He recalled Ling Cang's gentle face, the high-sounding words he spoke, and his indifference when he ordered "no survivors."

Was this person truly as benevolent as he appeared?

He didn't know.

But he grew increasingly suspicious.

A month later, late at night, Li Changsheng was Cultivating in the Tool Storehouse.

Spiritual power slowly circulated within his body. The Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Bottleneck had loosened, and he was only a hair's breadth away from the Late Stage.

He could feel that with a bit more effort, he would Breakthrough.

Just then, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

Li Changsheng suddenly opened his eyes, his hand on the sword hilt.

"Who's there?"

The door was pushed open, and a white-haired figure walked in.

True Lord Three Swords.

Li Changsheng was stunned and quickly stood up to bow.

"True Lord."

True Lord Three Swords looked at him, his gaze as deep as an abyss.

"Come with me."

He turned and left.

Li Changsheng hesitated for a moment, then followed.

The two walked one after another, passing through the spiritual fields, walking through the bamboo forest, and arriving at a secluded cliff edge.

Moonlight, like water, spilled over them.

True Lord Three Swords stopped, turned around, and looked at him.

"You've been inquiring about the Blood Fiend Sect recently?"

Li Changsheng's heart sank suddenly.

How did True Lord Three Swords know?

He was silent for a moment, then nodded.

True Lord Three Swords looked at him, silent for a long time.

Then, he took something from his Huai and handed it to Li Changsheng.

It was a fragment of a Jade Slip, palm-sized, with jagged edges.

Li Changsheng took the fragment, his pupils suddenly contracting.

The runes on the fragment were identical to the runes on his Jade Slip.

True Lord Three Swords looked at him and slowly said.

"Do you also have something like this in your hand?"

Li Changsheng was silent.

He knew he couldn't hide it anymore.

He nodded.

True Lord Three Swords took a deep breath, his gaze becoming extremely solemn.

"Li Changsheng," he said, word by word.

"This matter is perilous. Do not investigate it lightly."

Li Changsheng was stunned.

True Lord Three Swords continued.

"When the time is right, I will tell you everything. But now is not the time."

He looked at Li Changsheng, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"You are a good child. I don't want to see you go down that path."

Li Changsheng's heart trembled.

Which path?

What path?

He wanted to ask, but True Lord Three Swords raised a hand to stop him.

"Don't ask."

True Lord Three Swords said.

"Knowing too much now will do you no good. You just need to remember to protect yourself and Cultivate diligently."

"When you have enough strength, you will naturally understand everything."

He turned and looked towards the distant mountains.

"Go."

Li Changsheng stood still, watching his receding figure, motionless for a long time.

Then, he bowed and turned to leave.

Behind him, True Lord Three Swords' voice came.

"Li Changsheng, remember, no matter what happens, guard your heart."

Li Changsheng paused, but did not turn back.

He continued forward, disappearing into the night.

Under the moonlight, his figure grew more distant, eventually vanishing into the depths of the bamboo forest.

True Lord Three Swords stood still, looking in that direction, motionless for a long time.

He sighed, muttering.

"What is destined to come, will eventually come."

He turned and also disappeared into the night.