144: Shocking changes at Yanling Fortress! The Ghost Spirit Sect's conspiracy!

Chapter 144: Shocking Change at Yanling Castle! The Ghost Spirit Sect's Plot!

A short while later.

Han Li walked out from inside.

His face bore a look of relief, as if a heavy burden of a thousand catties had just been lifted.

"Junior Brother Han, how did it go?"

Lu Qiu stepped forward and asked with a smile.

Han Li took a few steps closer and lowered his voice, "I explained to Master that my heart is set solely on the Dao and I have no other thoughts for now, so I entreated Master to decline Martial Aunt Hong Fu's kindness."

"Master was a bit displeased at first, but after hearing me explain the pros and cons and seeing my firm attitude, he finally agreed. He said he would go and speak with Martial Aunt Hong Fu."

Lu Qiu heard this and understood clearly.

In the original story, Han Li had handled it this way. Although Li Huayuan felt it was a pity, he wouldn't go as far as to force his Disciple.

However, on Hong Fu's side, she likely wouldn't give up easily, especially since she was convinced Han Li was a good match for Dong Xuaner. There would probably be further complications later.

"Junior Brother Han's devotion to the Dao is a model for our generation."

Lu Qiu praised him, then added, "However, Martial Aunt Hong Fu has a stubborn temperament, so this matter might not end here. You should be prepared, Junior Brother."

Han Li frowned slightly and nodded, clearly understanding the trouble involved.

Just as he was about to say more, Li Huayuan's deep voice rang out from the hall again:

"Lu Qiu, come in for a moment!"

Lu Qiu's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He gave Han Li a signal, then turned and walked back into the hall.

Inside the hall, Li Huayuan and his wife were still sitting upright.

Seeing Lu Qiu enter, Li Huayuan scrutinized him carefully.

Those seemingly gentle eyes seemed capable of seeing through all falsehoods.

"Lu Qiu... in just a few short years, you've gone from the Early Foundation Establishment Stage to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage. Your cultivation speed truly surprises me!" Li Huayuan spoke slowly, his tone betraying no emotion.

"It is all thanks to Master's excellent guidance; this Disciple did not dare to be lax."

Lu Qiu bowed, his tone respectful and cautious.

"You don't need to be nervous."

Li Huayuan waved his hand, a faint smile appearing on his face. "We Cultivators each have our own destinies. It's only normal to have some opportunities and secrets. I have no habit of prying into my Disciples' privacy or seizing their fortunes!"

He spoke bluntly, providing both reassurance and a warning.

As long as Lu Qiu did not harm the sect's interests or violate its rules, he would not question the source of his opportunities.

Lu Qiu felt slightly relieved but remained respectful on the surface. "This Disciple understands. Thank you for your understanding, Master."

"Mhm."

Li Huayuan nodded, no longer dwelling on the matter of cultivation, and changed the subject. "I called you in because I have a task for you to handle."

"Please give your instructions, Master."

"Before long, the Yan Family will hold a 'Treasure Seizing Convention,' inviting Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the State of Yue and neighboring countries. Our Yellow Maple Valley is also among the invitees. You shall represent Yellow Maple Valley and take a trip to Yanling Castle."

As Li Huayuan spoke, he took out a gold-stamped invitation from his sleeve and handed it over.

Lu Qiu's heart skipped a beat.

The Yan Family Treasure Seizing Convention!

He naturally knew what this meant. In the original story, this was a place of great peril.

All the Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the State of Yue who attended the convention, except for Han Li and Dong Xuaner who narrowly escaped, were blood-sacrificed by the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Lord, Wang Chan, and his men to Cultivate a Demonic Technique!

It was an absolute massacre!

Dangerous, extremely dangerous!

However, facing a mission personally assigned by Li Huayuan, he simply could not refuse.

Decline? With what reason?

Claiming he had a premonition of danger? That would only invite deeper suspicion.

"Yes, this Disciple accepts the command."

Lu Qiu suppressed the stormy waves in his heart and calmly took the invitation... Back at Chixiao Cave, Lu Qiu's expression was solemn.

The task of the "Yan Family Treasure Seizing Convention" weighed on his heart like a massive boulder.

Yanling Castle... Ghost Spirit Sect... blood sacrifice... the cruel conspiracy from the original story targeting the Foundation Establishment elites of the Seven Sects of Yue surfaced in his mind like dark clouds.

Except for Han Li and Dong Xuaner who narrowly escaped, almost all the other Yue Cultivators who attended the meeting were wiped out, becoming sacrifices for the Ghost Spirit Sect's "Blood Spirit Great Art."

"Since I know it's a death trap, why should I jump into it?"

Suddenly, Lu Qiu's eyes brightened slightly. "I only need to take a trip to the perimeter. Once the matter is over, I can return and report that I 'encountered an ambush and narrowly escaped.' Everyone else will be dead; who can prove I never entered Yanling Castle?"

A plan that would both complete the sect mission and avoid the lethal calamity quickly took shape in his mind... A few days later, Li Huayuan summoned him again.

After explaining the precautions for the Treasure Seizing Convention, Li Huayuan added, "Lu Qiu, it's getting late, you should set out early. By the way, your Junior Brother Han Li will also be going to Yanling Castle this time."

A trace of helplessness appeared on his face. "On your Martial Aunt Hong Fu's side... she hasn't given up yet. She's having Han Li travel with Dong Xuaner, ostensibly to look after each other, but in reality, she wants them to spend more time together on the road to Cultivate feelings. You two fellow Disciples should travel separately; there's no need to go together."

Lu Qiu understood clearly.

Martial Aunt Hong Fu was determined to matchmake Han Li and Dong Xuaner, even bundling their missions together.

However, this suited his intentions perfectly.

He hadn't planned on traveling with Han Li anyway, and he was even less willing to get involved in the entanglement between those two.

"This Disciple obeys." Lu Qiu respectfully complied, having already made up his mind... The Yan Family, the number one cultivation Family in the State of Yue, had a resounding reputation.

But interestingly, their Family Foundation was not established in the core provinces of the State of Yue, but rather in a border region among the thirteen provinces with mediocre spiritual energy and ordinary resources—Lin Province.

Lin Province, outside Qingliang City, Mount Yanliang.

The mountain terrain was ordinary, without any strange peaks or dangerous ravines, and the spiritual energy concentration was only considered average.

If not for the Yan Family Fort being located here, few Cultivators would likely set foot in this place.

An inconspicuous green Escape Light quietly landed at the edge of a dense forest several miles away from Mount Yanliang, concealing all spiritual light.

It was indeed Lu Qiu.

He did not head directly to Yanling Castle. Instead, he found a spot on the perimeter with decent visibility that was also easy to hide in and retreat from, set up a simple concealment Formation, and quietly lay in wait.

His plan was simple: wait here until the Yan Family Fort incident broke out and the dust settled.

During this time, he would not set foot inside the fort.

Once everything was over, he would return to Yellow Maple Valley and report that he "encountered an unexpected ambush and failed to enter Yanling Castle, narrowly escaping"... Meanwhile, deep within Yanling Castle, a secret discussion that would determine the future fate of the Yan Family and was destined to stir up a storm of blood was nearing its end.

In the ancient secret room, the Yan Family Old Ancestor and the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Lord, Wang Chan, sat facing each other.

The atmosphere was heavy and subtle.

"Wang Chan, my Yan Family can agree to your conditions."

The Yan Family Old Ancestor's voice was low, carrying a hint of decisiveness. "But you must guarantee that once the matter is settled, you will keep your word!"

Wang Chan, wearing his signature ghost-face mask, let out a light chuckle upon hearing this, his voice tinged with a bit of evil: "Old Ancestor, rest assured. My Ghost Spirit Sect has always been as good as its word."

He paused, his gaze through the mask seemingly falling on Yan Ruyan, who stood waiting nearby with a complex expression: "Of course, the matter of Miss Ruyan becoming my Dao Companion is the bond of our two families' Alliance, and even more so, the top priority."

The Yan Family Old Ancestor nodded slightly and glanced at his most outstanding junior. A flash of reluctance passed through his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the determination of Family interests above all else: "Ruyan, being able to contribute to the Family is your honor."

Yan Ruyan's delicate body trembled slightly. Her lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing, only lowering her head deeply, her long eyelashes concealing all the emotions in her eyes.

A bloody agreement, with the lives of dozens of Foundation Establishment elites from the State of Yue as sacrifices and the Yan Family's future as the bargaining chip, was thus reached... The next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten.

In front of the bulletin board in the central square of Yanling Castle, many Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had rushed from various places had already gathered. The crowd was bustling, and the atmosphere seemed lively.

A Foundation Establishment steward from the Yan Family stepped out from the crowd, cleared his throat, and announced loudly:

"Fellow Daoists, thanks to your great support, the participants for this Treasure Seizing Convention have far exceeded expectations! To avoid crowding on the stage and affecting your performance, after careful deliberation by our Yan Family, we have specially divided the convention venue into two locations!"

His voice was resonant, ensuring everyone heard clearly: "Fellow Daoists from the Seven Sects of Yue, please head to the 'Qixia Peak' arena thirty miles to the west! Fellow Daoists from other countries and sects, please head to the 'Falling Eagle Ravine' arena twenty-five miles to the east! Both locations have been properly prepared and will be guided by our Yan Family Disciples. The reward rules remain unchanged, and the final winner can still obtain our Yan Family's supreme treasure—the 'Heaven and Earth Tower' talisman treasure!"

As soon as the message was out, there was a slight commotion in the crowd, and a wave of whispers arose.

Most non-Yue Cultivators were only slightly surprised, feeling that the Yan Family was being considerate and facilitating management, so they had no major objections.

As for those twenty to thirty Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the various sects of Yue, although some felt the sudden separation was strange, they saw that the Yan Family's arrangements seemed orderly and had the seemingly reasonable excuse of "too many people." Combined with their habitual trust in the reputation of the "Number One Cultivation Family in the State of Yue" and their desire for the "Heaven and Earth Tower" talisman treasure, they suppressed that hint of doubt in their hearts.

Guided by several smiling and enthusiastic Yan Family Disciples, these twenty to thirty Yue Foundation Establishment Cultivators one after another summoned their flying Magical Artifacts.

They turned into streaks of Escape Lights of various colors, flying toward Qixia Peak to the west. Among them were Han Li, who was mixed in the crowd with a vigilant expression, and Dong Xuaner beside him, whose face was displeased and eyes filled with impatience.

Outside Mount Yanliang, at the edge of the dense forest.

Lu Qiu gazed at the small group of Escape Lights gradually receding in the western sky, his eyes deep.

"Finally... it's about to begin."

...Qixia Peak had a gentle terrain, with a huge platform manually carved out at the top. An arena was set in the center, surrounded by simple bleachers.

Dozens of Disciples wearing the uniform of the Yan Family were scattered across the platform, maintaining order with formulaic smiles on their faces.

Roughly twenty to thirty Yue Foundation Establishment Cultivators stood scattered around the arena, either conversing in low voices or resting with their eyes closed, waiting for the convention to begin. Han Li and Dong Xuaner stood slightly on the periphery of the crowd.

Han Li's gaze seemingly casually swept over the surrounding "Yan Family Disciples."

These people were all smiles and their behavior seemed normal, but Han Li was always cautious and suspicious, observing everything minutely.

Soon, he discovered something was wrong.

A few "Disciples" close to him, although wearing the uniform, had fingernails that faintly revealed an extremely unnatural pale green color!

This characteristic was almost identical to the few secretive individuals he had accidentally glimpsed yesterday upon entering the fort, who were suspected to be Ghost Spirit Sect Cultivators!

Moreover, the positioning of these people seemed casual, but in reality, they were faintly blocking several paths that could be used for a quick retreat.

Their eyes were also too calm, even to the point of being somewhat indifferent; they didn't look like they were receiving guests, but rather like they were guarding prey.

"Something's wrong... something's very wrong!" Alarm bells rang wildly in Han Li's heart, and a chill rose from his spine.

He quietly tugged at Dong Xuaner's sleeve beside him and lowered his voice, "Junior Sister Dong, the situation is a bit off. We'd better stay away from the center of the arena and move closer to the woods."

Dong Xuaner was already feeling irritable from being forced to travel with Han Li. Hearing this, she shot him a glance and said crossly, "What could be wrong? The Yan Family is the number one Family in the State of Yue; could they possibly harm us? You're as timid as a mouse!"

At this moment, Han Li couldn't care less about Dong Xuaner's ridicule. He was rapidly calculating a retreat in his mind, while also feeling somewhat puzzled: "Revered Master clearly said Senior Brother Lu was also ordered to come, so why has there been no sign of him these past few days? He's not even here at Qixia Peak... Did something delay him on the way? Or..."

And just as Han Li was on high alert and slowly retreating, in the shadows on one side of the arena, a Cultivator wearing a ghost-face mask was coldly watching Han Li's every move through the holes in the mask.

It was none other than the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Lord, Wang Chan!

"A mere Middle Stage Foundation Establishment, yet his alertness is quite good, better than those fools."

Wang Chan sneered inwardly with a cat-and-mouse-like playfulness: "Pity, today this Qixia Peak shall be your burial ground! No matter how vigilant you are, you won't escape this Young Lord's palm!"

He waited no longer; the timing was ripe.

Wang Chan flipped his wrist, and a small flag, pitch-black all over and embroidered with a hideous ghost head, appeared in his hand.

He chanted obscure incantations and violently threw the small flag toward the center of the arena!

"Go!"

The small black flag expanded in the wind, instantly transforming into a huge black banner several zhang high, which crashed into the arena floor!

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—!"

A piercing buzzing sound suddenly rang out! The arena floor, and even the entire Qixia Peak platform, instantly lit up with countless crisscrossing blood-colored patterns!

A massive Formation that had been prepared long ago was completely activated!

Dense, tangible black Yin Qi poured frantically from the black banner, instantly spreading and blotting out the sky!

At the same time, a thick blood-colored light screen rose from the ground like an inverted giant bowl, completely enveloping the entire top platform of Qixia Peak along with parts of the mountain forest!

Within the light screen, black mist churned and blood-light flickered. The pungent smell of blood mixed with the eerie ghostly Qi was nauseating.

Countless blood-colored electric snakes slithered across the light screen, emitting crackling pops and blocking all possibilities of escape!

"Ah—! What is this?!"

"A Formation! It's a trapping Formation! And an attacking Formation!"

"Yan Family! What are you trying to do?!"

"Ghost Spirit Sect! It's the Ghost Spirit Sect's Nether Blood Fiend Formation!"