225: Five people gathered

A flicker of surprise flashed in Su Yue's eyes, followed by a prolonged silence.

Though she didn't speak, this silence was an answer in itself!

Ye Hao slightly furrowed his brow. Seeing her unwillingness to elaborate, he didn't press further, yet he vaguely felt something was amiss.

Could it be that the people from the Chusheng Sect had truly ventured to the Flame Continent to capture people? That was simply too unbelievable.

Moreover, what purpose did they have in capturing so many Cultivators!

Not long after, the three of them returned to the Guiyan Inn in Yunxi City. Ye Hao asked the innkeeper for another superior room and a table of exquisite food. After escorting Su Yue back to her room and giving her a few simple instructions, he prepared to turn and leave.

At that moment, Su Yue suddenly looked up, her voice as light as a sigh: 'I've wronged my Revered Master.'

'Hmm?'

Ye Hao knew what she was referring to. His expression turned serious as he looked back at her and probed, 'Miss Su, if you're willing, perhaps you could tell me the reason?'

But Su Yue merely slowly lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting a dim shadow beneath her eyes. She pressed her lips tightly together, repeating over and over:

'It was me... I was the one who harmed my Revered Master with my own hands.'

She didn't utter another word, offered no explanation of the circumstances at the time. Her shoulders trembled slightly, her entire being steeped in profound remorse.

Seeing her in this state, Ye Hao was reluctant to touch upon that past event again.

Though doubts still lingered in his heart, he didn't force the issue any further. He simply let out a soft sigh and said, 'Rest well. We can discuss matters another day.'

'Your most urgent task now is to find your Revered Master.'

With that, he gently closed the door and quietly exited the room.

Immediately after, he went to chat with the innkeeper, intending to inquire about some Senior and, incidentally, ask how to contact Disciples of the Chusheng Sect.

Ye Hao recalled Zhao Xu's extremely earnest expression and decided to try and see if he could contact him for a meeting.

Whether it was mere politeness or genuine gratitude, a test would reveal the truth!

...In a canyon where yellow sand howled, fierce winds swept up clouds of dust, churning the world into a murky yellow haze. At the entrance of a hidden cave deep within the canyon, sand grains, carried by the wind, struck the rock walls, producing a rustling sound.

'Sister Yun!'

'Sister Yun, we have news!'

An urgent shout pierced through the wind as a creature with a spider's body and a human woman's head scurried into the cave. Her eight long legs, covered in fine hair, moved alternately across the ground, stirring up a bit of dust, her face unable to conceal her anxiety.

Inside the cave, the light was dim, with only a few faint rays of daylight filtering through cracks in the walls.

Yun Xuanxuan sat quietly on a smooth rock, faint Spiritual Qi swirling around her. Hearing the voice, her gaze swept over the creature, her tone still gentle:

'What is it? Have you found out the Chusheng Sect's next target?'

The Spider-Woman stopped, her eight legs bending slightly to steady herself before hurriedly reporting, 'Indeed, we have! Their next move is against Pingquan Village. This time, they've specifically dispatched a Nascent Soul Stage Expert, along with three Golden Core Cultivators to oversee the operation!'

Hearing this, Yun Xuanxuan narrowed her eyes slightly and pressed, 'A Nascent Soul Stage Expert? What layer of the Realm? Was that mentioned?'

The Spider-Woman regretfully shook her head, her expression worried. 'Our people could only gather this much information. Probing deeper would risk exposure. Sister Yun, maybe we should let this one go? The other side is clearly well-prepared, deploying such a lineup. You mustn't come to harm!'

Yun Xuanxuan didn't respond immediately. A faint ripple of Spiritual Qi, stirred by her emotions, surfaced around her but was instantly suppressed by force.

Her expression was inscrutable, lost in thought.

After a long moment, she finally spoke calmly, 'Understood. Go rest now.'

'Sister Yun, there's one more thing!' the Spider-Woman quickly added, a note of excitement in her tone.

Yun Xuanxuan's wings trembled slightly, signaling her to continue.

Yun Xuanxuan gave a slight nod, her wings behind her fluttering gently, indicating she should go on.

'The Medicinal Pill you asked us to inquire about, the one that can repair the Divine Soul, we have news!'

The composed expression on Yun Xuanxuan's exquisite face suddenly softened. A glimmer of light flashed in her eyes, followed by a faint smile slowly curling at the corners of her lips.

'Excellent, tell me quickly!'

...Inside the Dao Seeking Sect!

[Congratulations, Host. Your Eldest Disciple, Mu Wanqing, has broken through to the Golden Core Sixth Layer. Reward: 7000 reputation points.]

[Congratulations, Host. Your Fifth Disciple, Xie Xingchen, has broken through to the Golden Core Seventh Layer. Reward: 7500 reputation points.]

The successive chimes of the System notifications in his mind brought a comfortable, faint smile to Chen Xuan's lips, giving him a feeling akin to collecting rent without lifting a finger.

If this were his previous life, that sound would be like hearing 'Alipay payment received ****.'

At that very moment, a mysterious yet gentle fluctuation suddenly emanated from the depths of his heart lake, shattering this tranquility.

Chen Xuan's mind stirred. With a casual wave of his hand, a pitch-black jade fragment, shimmering with a faint halo, floated before him. He focused his consciousness into it, and the familiar mental space instantly unfolded.

This time, it was somewhat lively.

The figures of Number Two, Number Three, Number Four, and Number Eight were all present. Together with Chen Xuan as Number Six, the consciousnesses corresponding to the five jade fragments had actually gathered in one place.

Number Two's gaze swept around the circle, and he chuckled lightly, 'I never thought we'd manage to gather so completely this time.'

Number Eight spoke first, 'What's the matter this time?'

Chen Xuan's eyes also quickly scanned the other four. Though he couldn't make out their specific appearances, it was a subconscious action.

He was curious about who had initiated this group chat request!

'Nothing major,' Number Two said, his smile fading as his tone turned serious. 'I'm just here to make a trade with Number Three.'

A trade?

Everyone was taken aback, their gazes shifting in unison toward Number Three.

Number Three's tone was flat, revealing little emotion. 'What trade?'

Number Two said no more. With a casual wave of his hand, a lustrous, translucent blue porcelain jade bottle materialized out of thin air. As soon as the bottle appeared, an indescribable medicinal fragrance wafted forth—clear and refreshing yet rich with pure Spiritual Qi. Even a mere whiff of its aura made everyone's minds tremble, filling them with a sense of profound comfort.

'What is this?' Number Four asked, squinting his eyes.

Number Two clearly had no intention of engaging with him; the two seemed somewhat incompatible.

Number Three's gaze fell upon the blue porcelain jade bottle. At first, it focused intently, then, as if recognizing something, he exclaimed in surprise:

'A god-rank pill, the Tianyuan Soul Pill?!'

The only trade he had mentioned before was this one.

Not only Number Three, but Chen Xuan was also shocked.

A god-rank pill!

This was the pinnacle of Medicinal Pills. Since his Transmigration, this was the first time he had seen a pill of such a high grade. Previously, the one used to improve Xiao Lingxian's Physique was merely a saint-grade pill.

Such is human nature: things one has possessed often seem less precious, while things beyond reach are often held in particularly high regard.

If Number Two had produced a God-Tier Divine Ability, Chen Xuan might have glanced at it and then averted his gaze, thinking to himself, 'Is that all?'

But instead, the other party had produced a god-rank pill.

As Number Three's words fell, the figures of the others visibly rippled.

Number Four was especially flustered, his tone filled with incredulous tremor, even bordering on agitation: 'A god-rank pill? Such things only exist in ancient records. I never thought I'd actually have the chance to see one with my own eyes!'

Number Eight praised, 'Number Two, you truly are extravagant. You... you couldn't be a big shot from Huangji Prefecture, could you?'

Number Four hastily chimed in, his voice trembling slightly, 'C-could it be... a-a Heavenly Venerable-level existence?!'