114: Chapter 114 Great Changes in the Sect

Liu Tingting understood and turned her head to ask, "What is this? Are you still planning to treat us as prisoners and send us to the Chiyan Sect?"

Ren Kan hurriedly waved his hands, "No, we aren't going, we aren't going."

Gao Zao was confused, "Brother Ren, what does this mean?"

A Cultivator beside Ren Kan let out a long sigh, "The Sect Head of the Chiyan Sect is already dead; who are you going to ask for this bounty?"

"What?"

These words struck like a bolt from the blue, leaving Xia Shaoxin stunned.

"Vice Minister Li, what did you say?" Gao Zao asked, finding it hard to believe.

That person was none other than Vice Minister Li of the imperial court.

"The Chiyan Sect was to hold a Foundation Establishment Ceremony, and they had invited various Schools to observe, which was ten days ago."

Vice Minister Li had represented the imperial court in attending the Chiyan Sect's ceremony, and he recounted what he had witnessed truthfully.

He had already told Liu Tingting once, but telling it again now, he still didn't find it tedious.

Sect Leader Wu Yin had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, causing a sensation throughout the Yue Kingdom. When the news reached the Tang Kingdom, even the Foundation Establishment Sects of the Tang Kingdom sent people to offer congratulations.

For a time, the Chiyan Sect was filled with guests.

Sect Leader Wu Yin enjoyed such prestige that he felt as if he were floating on air.

Just as the Foundation Establishment Ceremony was being prepared, Elder Huang had already begun plotting the next entry into the Zhuyun Courtyard Forbidden Ground.

After searching the entire Sect, there was no one who could be considered an expert in Formations.

The Disciples sent out failed to find the two, Xia and Liu, which angered Elder Huang so much that he issued a wanted poster.

Vice Minister Li was still at the Chiyan Sect at that time, and upon seeing the wanted poster, he was very surprised and investigated secretly, though that is a story for another time.

However, when the Foundation Establishment Ceremony was being held, just as Sect Leader Wu Yin was toasting the Sect Heads of the various Schools, he suddenly collapsed to the ground and died on the spot.

Everyone was stunned.

With everyone watching, the congratulatory ceremony turned into a funeral, so naturally, everyone wanted to figure out what had happened, assuming someone had carried out a secret assassination.

The secret of the taisui evil pill could no longer be hidden.

Only then did everyone realize that the Chiyan Sect's long-lost taisui evil pill had appeared once again.

The effect of the taisui evil pill was to use poison to stimulate the Dantian, forcibly elevating one to the Foundation Establishment state.

Afterwards, through diligent Cultivation and consuming a large number of Medicinal Pills to solidify the foundation and turn the void into reality, one could truly achieve Foundation Establishment.

This process was originally supposed to last for three years.

Sect Leader Wu Yin had already ordered all the Disciples of the Sect to donate Medicinal Pills and Spirit Stones to help him survive this dangerous phase.

Who could have imagined that this phase would end in just three months?

Failing to solidify the foundation, the false Foundation Establishment brought about by the taisui evil pill collapsed.

The toxicity of the evil pill erupted, and Sect Leader Wu Yin was poisoned to death.

The grand undertaking of the Chiyan Sect's Foundation Establishment came to an abrupt end.

Vice Minister Li recounted the story vividly, still feeling like he had more to say.

"Only then did I realize that the poisonous herbs obtained from the Chiyan Sect's Forbidden Ground used to refine the taisui evil pill were credited to the two on the wanted poster, but unexpectedly, they were two such young Cultivators."

He then clearly explained the origin of the taisui evil pill, the tragic experience of Elder Qian Yunchang, and the roles played by Xia Shaoxin and Liu Tingting.

Ren Kan added, "Therefore, when we met Vice Minister Li returning to the capital on the road and inquired, we learned that the situation had changed. After discussion, we decided not to send Miss Liu to the Chiyan Sect."

Gao Zao and Cao Ben listened with blank stares, dumbfounded.

"To think that the secret of Sect Leader Wu Yin's Foundation Establishment was like this!" Ren Kan shook his head continuously.

Gao Zao recovered from his shock and glanced at Xia Shaoxin.

"I understand now. You aren't sending them back to the Chiyan Sect not because of whether or not you can get the bounty, but because they simply shouldn't return there at all."

Ren Kan and Vice Minister Li nodded in approval.

"Once they return, I fear that some of the Chiyan Sect's Elders will continue to take risks, and the Chiyan Sect will face even greater chaos."

Ren and Vice Minister Li nodded repeatedly, agreeing.

"If a few more Elders of the Chiyan Sect die, it will not only affect the status of the Chiyan Sect but also significantly weaken the overall strength of the Yue Kingdom."

Vice Minister Li laughed, "Brother Gao, you have great foresight."

Xia Shaoxin shouted, "Then hurry up and let me go!"

Gao Zao glared at him, then asked Vice Minister Li, "Do we need to ask for instructions from our superiors?"

Vice Minister Li shook his head, "Brother Gao, this matter doesn't need to be pushed to the imperial court for handling; I can take responsibility."

Gao Zao chuckled, "Brother Li is right. The imperial court can pretend it doesn't know about this matter. Do we not even have this much sense of responsibility?"

Ren Kan also laughed, "I caught them, and I will release them. Whatever issues arise, I will take responsibility!"

All three men were very responsible.

Pushing this matter to the imperial court would instead make it difficult to handle.

Although the Chiyan Sect no longer had a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it was still the largest Sect.

If they sent Xia and Liu back, they would definitely refine the taisui evil pill again.

Perhaps something similar to what happened to Jia Tianru would occur again, and it might even lead to the destruction of the entire Sect.

The imperial court had a responsibility to maintain the order of strength in the Yue Kingdom.

After Vice Minister Li explained it this way, Gao Zao fell silent.

Xia Shaoxin shouted again, "Then hurry up and let me go!"

Gao Zao muttered, "I'm suffering a huge loss here; I used three Spirit Talismans."

But he still put away the Spirit Talismans and released Xia Shaoxin.

Xia Shaoxin jumped off his horse, took out twenty Spirit Stones, and gave them to Gao Zao.

"We got to know each other through conflict; I won't let you suffer a loss."

Gao Zao was stunned for a moment, then smiled and accepted the Spirit Stones, "Fellow Daoist Xia is straightforward; I like making friends with people like you."

Ren Kan didn't expect Xia Shaoxin to be so generous, so he laughed heartily and invited him to join the drinking table.

"We were just seeing off Fellow Daoist Liu."

After three rounds of drinks, Ren Kan wanted to explain their actions.

"The wanted poster was issued by the Chiyan Sect. You were moving around the capital, and we discovered you, so we had no choice but to capture you."

Gao Zao was very honest, "Besides, there was a bounty of one thousand Spirit Stones, but I didn't do anything to you, right?"

Liu Tingting was stunned. Wasn't the bounty eight hundred?

"You were eight hundred, he was one thousand."

Liu Tingting jumped up, "How is he more than me?"

"That's what it says on the wanted poster. The Chiyan Sect must have thought he was worth one thousand; they wouldn't have written it wrong, would they?" Gao Zao said.

Liu Tingting glared at Xia Shaoxin with narrowed eyes and sat down, pouting.

Xia Shaoxin spread his hands, "It must be a mistake; I'm actually not even worth eight pieces."

He said it sincerely, but to Liu Tingting, it sounded more like sarcasm.

Ren Kan solemnly apologized to the two, "We captured you only because we wanted the bounty; we did not mistreat you, so we hope you will not blame us."

The Qi Refiners of the Yue Kingdom's imperial court actually counted as a Sect.

They just didn't occupy a Spiritual Vein, which was better than the scattered Loose Cultivators.

If it wasn't necessary, they would absolutely not come into conflict with Sect Disciples.

Even though the two were at the Qi Refining Upper Stage and had overwhelming power, their words were extremely polite.

Xia Shaoxin hurriedly indicated that it was all a misunderstanding, not worth mentioning, and that he was willing to be friends with them.

Cao Ben was on the side, and the more he listened, the more uncomfortable he felt.

The two Imperial Guards captured Xia Shaoxin, and it could be considered open and honest; what did that make him?

Calling each other brothers to their faces, but betraying a friend behind their backs?

He hurriedly took out the two Spirit Stones given by Xia Shaoxin and placed them on the table.

"Brother Xia, I really didn't expect things to turn out like this. Take these Spirit Stones back; don't torture me like this."

"What is the situation here?" Ren Kan was surprised.

Xia Shaoxin said, "Fellow Daoist Cao met me on the road and told me the Chiyan Sect was hunting me, telling me to take the small paths to bypass the capital."

"In the end, he brought Fellow Daoist Gao in the middle of the night, found the inn where I was staying, and captured me."