168: Chapter 168 Potential Crisis

After resting for several days, the few of them resumed hunting the Flame Lizards.

However, because the fat man Cao Hong had lost his left arm previously and his strength had decreased somewhat, Zhong Yuan made the move this time instead, while Cao Hong was in charge of the Formation.

Zhong Yuan's strength was formidable. Although his exact age was unknown, his cultivation had reached the eighth level of Qi Refining, and in terms of combat power, he was even slightly stronger than Liu Qi.

Chen Lingyi was very unhappy with him, but he had to admit that this person's combat power was indeed formidable; even he dared not say that he could steadily defeat the other party.

No wonder he dared to come out alone; he must be a Disciple of some Family or faction.

As another day came to an end, they killed another Flame Lizard.

After dividing up the Flame Lizard, the few of them rested for several more days before continuing the hunt.

However, for several consecutive days afterwards, the number of Flame Lizards they attracted exceeded three, reaching as many as five at most. It was unknown whether the Flame Lizard nest had discovered the disappearance of three Flame Lizards, which caused them to become vigilant.

"It seems we won't be able to continue hunting Flame Lizards for a while." Xu Shi said with a frown.

"Since that's the case, Team Leader, what do you plan to do next?" Cao Hong asked. His left arm was still completely empty; without the assistance of certain spiritual items, his arm would never grow back in this lifetime, and if his resolve wasn't firm, his cultivation might not even advance by the slightest bit ever again.

Chen Lingyi and the others also looked at Xu Shi, wanting to see what plans he had.

"I plan to keep waiting. Killing three Flame Lizards is still some distance away from completing the mission; the higher-ups require us to obtain at least five Flame Lizards." Xu Shi glanced at everyone, the last sentence spoken to the members of his own Monster Hunting Team.

Chen Lingyi glanced at Chen Lingtong to ask for her opinion, and Chen Lingtong nodded at him.

Chen Lingyi looked at Xu Shi, "It's fine with the two of us either way."

"Same here." Zhong Yuan hurriedly chimed in.

Seeing that this group of people were all willing to stay, Xu Shi breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they were willing to stay, they wouldn't need to return to regroup and come back to hunt Flame Lizards.

Then they all looked at the old man Liu Qi; he was the only one left who hadn't expressed his stance.

"Since all Fellow Daoist have decided to stay, this old man will naturally stay as well." Liu Qi smiled faintly. He had originally come here to accumulate some resources for his grandson.

Xu Shi nodded. Although he didn't know what motives these people really had, since they had all decided to stay, it certainly wasn't just because of the Flame Lizard corpses.

Because those three corpses alone could fetch over a thousand Spirit Stones if taken out to be sold.

...

"We've searched the Zhao Family everywhere, but still no one is found. Where on earth did this Senior Xuesha run off to? This Formation hasn't been tampered with either..."

On Baiyun Mountain, Master Qianyu lingered in mid-air, pondering as he looked at the entire mountain of the Zhao Family.

"Could it be that he left Baiyun Mountain and was waylaid and killed outside? But during this period, I haven't heard of any Purple Palace Cultivator visiting Qinghe County."

Master Qianyu pondered for a moment and decided to start searching from the outside. He had been here for half a month, spending this time inquiring for news in Qinghe Market.

However, let alone any major events happening, even the disappearance of the entire Zhao Family had not yet spread out; at most, some people had begun to notice issues with the Zhao Family.

During this period, he had also gone to the Li Family to inquire about recent matters. As a result, he searched the souls of all Foundation Establishment Cultivators, yet still had no clue whatsoever.

Originally, he thought about heading to the Chen Family to investigate, but in the end, he didn't go. The Li Family was the strongest in Qinghe County; if even the Li Family didn't know about it, could a Chen Family know?

"Since there is no problem in Qinghe County, what about the Wanshou Mountain Range? Previously, Senior Xuesha intended to completely refine the Zhao Family members first, followed by the Li Family and the Chen Family, but as a result, neither of these two families met with misfortune. Perhaps we can find some clues in the Wanshou Mountain Range."

Master Qianyu immediately headed towards the Wanshou Mountain Range to begin his search.

...

Qingyang Mountain Chen Family.

"Changqing, a major event has occurred." Chen Yuanwen hurriedly came to find him.

"What major event?" Chen Changqing walked out from the Immortal Cave.

"The Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Li Family has met with misfortune." Chen Yuanwen said.

"Met with misfortune?" Chen Changqing frowned. If it were just a single Foundation Establishment Cultivator meeting with misfortune, Tenth Uncle definitely wouldn't have come looking for him.

The most likely possibility was that the entire Li Family had met with misfortune, not just a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Li Family Clan Chief Li Chengyan sent a message personally, telling us that a Purple Mansion Master approached their Li Family, and then all of their Foundation Establishment Cultivators without exception were captured to have their souls searched. Now, all the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the entire Li Family have become demented and crazy, completely paralyzed." Chen Yuanwen recounted all the contents of Li Chengyan's message.

"Could it be the Anti-Immortal Alliance? They discovered that Zhao Tiangang had already died, so they deliberately came to investigate!" Chen Changqing was also surprised.

"Mm, it is very likely the case. What I am most worried about right now is that that Purple Mansion Master might come to our Chen Family at any time; by then, it might spell a catastrophic disaster for our Chen Family." Chen Yuanwen stated his guess.

Chen Changqing furrowed his brows, not knowing what to do either.

"Should we relocate our clan members?" Chen Yuanwen pondered for a moment and suggested.

"No, relocating our clan members right now would only prove that we have a guilty conscience, and by then our Chen Family would truly attract the attention of the Anti-Immortal Alliance." Chen Changqing refused.

"Then what should we do now?"

"Wait. If the other party really comes, I will have no choice but to expose my strength. By then, relying on the two tier-3 Formations of Qingyang Mountain, we might be able to contend against them, and then we can report to the Yuxu Sect and request their help. I believe the Yuxu Sect will definitely not abandon us." Chen Changqing explained.

After hearing this, Chen Yuanwen said no more. This method was one of the few viable solutions available now.

However, the premise was that Chen Changqing could hold off that Purple Mansion Master.

What the two of them didn't expect was that in just a single night, the entire Li Family completely declined. Although no one else knew about it besides their two families for now, paper ultimately couldn't wrap up fire.

Furthermore, their maternal grandfather Li Taixuan was already over two hundred years old, and his life limit was only a decade or two away. When he died, the entire Li Family would completely fall into decline.

Who would have thought that in just a few decades, only the Chen Family would remain as a Foundation Establishment Family in the entire Qinghe County.

Eventually, even the Chen Family might perish.

After all, with the Zhao Family controlled, the Chen and Li families couldn't escape either.

A haze loomed over the hearts of the two. They hadn't expected that merely killing Zhao Tiangang would attract a Purple Mansion Master.

However, for Chen Changqing, if he hadn't killed that Purple Mansion Master, the fate of the Chen and Li families would have been the same as the Zhao Family's, so he did not regret it.

Chen Yuanwen naturally wouldn't regret it either. Regardless of whether Chen Changqing killed him or not, he respected Chen Changqing's decision.

Even if doing so made the entire Chen Family take the blame.

"Tenth Uncle, during this period, arrange for more clan members to go out and handle matters. If there really is a great battle, it will at least minimize the losses of our Chen Family's members." Chen Changqing said, looking at Chen Yuanwen.

"I know, you can rest assured about this. I will try my best to have all clan members with slightly decent Aptitude in the Family go out to handle matters."