502: Chapter 502 The Grand Elder and Leng Ning Shuang went ahead to probe the other party's intentions.

The territory of the Tianyan Sect is a stretch of rolling green hills.

The mountains are not high, but they are layered and stacked like green waves, stretching all the way to the horizon.

Clouds and mist swirl among the mountains, occasionally revealing the flying eaves of a few Daoist temples, and the faint sound of bells drifts from the depths, distant and serene.

A stone path winds its way up from the foot of the mountain, flanked by towering ancient trees that block out the sun, casting mottled shadows on the steps as sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves.

The Grand Elder stood beneath an ancient pine tree at the foot of the mountain, gazing at the stone path, silent for a long time.

Behind him were Hua Xunhuan and Granny Liu, and further back were more than three hundred Hehuan Sect Disciples.

They were dressed in rags, looking exhausted, their eyes filled with confusion and unease.

After several days of rushing about, they were completely worn out, but no one complained, and no one cried out.

Having experienced the expulsion by the Taihu Clan, the bloody battle on the cliff, and the desperate flight for their lives, these young people were no longer the pampered Sect Disciples they once were.

Their faces bore the marks of hardships, and their eyes held determination, but at this moment, looking toward the direction of the Tianyan Sect, their hearts were filled with uncertainty.

"Grand Elder, are we just going up there like this?"

Hua Xunhuan walked to his side, lowering her voice, her eyes filled with worry.

"The Tianyan Sect is a major Sect of the Righteous Path; if we go up there in such a large, swaggering group, what if they turn hostile..."

She did not continue, but the meaning was already very clear.

They knew all too well what the attitude of Righteous Path Sects was toward the Hehuan Sect.

Always calling them "demonic heretics" and constantly shouting to kill them at every turn.

Even if the Tianyan Sect Sect Master had a past relationship with Xiao Nianyin, what about the people below? How would those Elders and those Disciples view them?

The Grand Elder shook his head, his graying eyebrows knitted tightly together, deepening the wrinkles on his face.

"We cannot all go up. There are too many people and eyes, and if word leaks out, not only will we be in danger, but the Tianyan Sect will also be implicated."

He paused and sighed. "We are already like stray dogs; we cannot implicate others anymore."

Granny Liu stood to the side, leaning on her cane, a flash of shrewdness passing through her cloudy, aged eyes.

She was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, her voice hoarse and measured: "My meaning is, let us first send two people up to scout the path. Find the Tianyan Sect Sect Master, convey Xiao Nianyin's intentions, and see the other party's reaction."

"If they are willing to take us in, then we can make arrangements in secret to avoid prying eyes. If they are not willing..."

She did not continue, but the meaning was already very clear.

If the Tianyan Sect was unwilling to take them in, they would have to look elsewhere. The lives of the three hundred people in the Hehuan Sect could not all be staked on an uncertain bet.

The Grand Elder nodded, silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally landing on Leng Ningshuang.

"Girl Leng, you come up with me."

Leng Ningshuang was busy bandaging the wounds of several injured Disciples. Her movements were light and skilled, and while bandaging, she whispered words of comfort to a Junior Brother who was grimacing in pain.

Upon hearing the Grand Elder's words, she looked up, her ice-blue eyes devoid of surprise, holding only calmness.

She stood up, brushed the dust off her hands, handed the medicinal cloth to a Disciple nearby, softly said "Change the dressing yourself," and then walked over to the Grand Elder and nodded.

Hua Xunhuan was somewhat worried; she grabbed Leng Ningshuang's hand and whispered: "Girl Leng, hasn't that Tianyan Sect head Disciple been pestering you? What if you run into him..."

Her eyes were full of worry. She knew all too well how obsessed Shen Ao was with Leng Ningshuang.

He was not a person who would give up easily. If he made some excessive demands at this time, what would Leng Ningshuang do?

Leng Ningshuang looked at her and said calmly: "Even if I run into him, I must go. Junior Martial Uncle Xiao sent us to the Tianyan Sect precisely because of her past relationship with Shen Biyun. As for that head Disciple, he is just a junior; Shen Biyun will not let him act recklessly."

Her voice was calm, but there were ripples in her heart. The name Shen Ao was like a thorn that had been stuck in her heart for several years.

But she could not retreat. For the sake of the Hehuan Sect, she could endure anything.

Hua Xunhuan wanted to say something more, but Granny Liu held her back and shook her head. Hua Xunhuan opened her mouth, but in the end, she said nothing more.

She released Leng Ningshuang's hand and stepped aside, her eyes filled with heartache.

The Grand Elder looked at Leng Ningshuang, and she nodded. Their figures flashed, turning into two streaks of light as they flew up along the stone steps.

Behind them, Hua Xunhuan and Granny Liu led the more than three hundred Disciples, retreating into the depths of the mountain forest to conceal their tracks.

No one spoke; everyone held their breath, waiting for the judgment of fate. The mountain wind blew, and the leaves rustled, as if countless people were sighing in low voices.

The mountain gate of the Tianyan Sect was built halfway up the mountain. Two massive stone pillars rose from the ground, with the characters "Tianyan" carved into them, the brushstrokes sharp and the Aura magnificent.

Between the stone pillars was a water-like curtain of light; that was the barrier of the Mountain Protection Array, emitting a faint blue glow that enveloped the entire mountain.

In front of the mountain gate, four gate-guarding Disciples held long swords, standing straight, eyes looking forward without deviation.

Their Cultivation was not high, only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, but their gazes were sharp, their postures upright, and they were clearly well-trained.

The Grand Elder and Leng Ningshuang landed in front of the mountain gate, kicking up a fine layer of dust. The gazes of the gate-guarding Disciples fell upon them in unison.

All four were young Disciples, and seeing strangers appear, they immediately gripped their sword hilts, their expressions guarded.