The two guardian spirit beasts of Meteor Hall were killed. Regardless of whether the murderer was caught, since Kunling Mountain had made the decision to let it go, certain things were no longer subject to individual will, no matter who might feel sad or angry.
The sudden commotion across the entire Kunling Mountain came quickly and went quickly too, settling in an instant as if nothing had happened at all.
The participants from the ten major districts, totalling one hundred and twenty sub-districts, were merely briefly bewildered, not understanding what had happened. Since it was fine now, and it did not concern them, they naturally did not care. So the situation did not stir up any waves. It could be said that it did not cause any impact on the Dawn Assembly.
The martial law in Dingyin District was thus lifted. Ke Ran also strolled down the mountain again. At a bend in the mountain path, he saw another waiting carriage again.
He strolled closer. While no one around was paying attention, he quickly slipped into the carriage and saluted Xiang Lanxuan, who was sitting inside with a smile. “Grand Walker.”
Xiang Lanxuan waved her hand, signalling him to sit and speak.
After Ke Ran sat down carefully, he tried asking, “Grand Walker, did something happen at Kunling Mountain?”
Xiang Lanxuan nodded slightly. “Something did happen. Last night, someone trespassed into Kunling Mountain. The two guardian spirit beasts of Meteor Hall were killed. The murderer is still at large. This matter has nothing to do with you. You signalled to see me, was it just to ask about this?”
Ke Ran hurriedly waved his hand. “Grand Walker misunderstands. Your subordinate only asked because of the sudden disturbance last night. The reason I asked Grand Walker to come is naturally about those few people’s matter.”
Xiang Lanxuan made an “oh” sound, immediately looking interested. “Did you discover something abnormal?”
Ke Ran said, “When Kunling Mountain was in commotion last night, your subordinate did indeed discover some abnormalities here. Although I did not see it, I can be certain that Zhang Zhichen and Dou Guan were not in their rooms at that time. They should have sneaked down the mountain.”
Xiang Lanxuan immediately asked, “How do you know?”
Ke Ran, “When Kunling Mountain was in abnormal commotion last night, everyone ran out to see what was happening. Only those two did not, and did not even show their faces. This was very abnormal. Afterwards, I went over to investigate, and they still did not show their faces. Zhu Yihai intentionally or unintentionally blocked me outside the door to talk, as if afraid to let me in. Therefore, I judged that those two were not inside. I have people taking turns watching the small building they live in. If someone went out through the main door, it would be impossible for me not to know. So it is very likely they slipped down the mountain directly from the back window or something similar.”
“During Kunling Mountain’s commotion, two people were not there…” Xiang Lanxuan muttered to herself, her face showing shock and doubt. “Could it be that last night’s murderers were them?”
Ke Ran was stunned. “That seems unlikely, right? With their strength, how would they dare to act recklessly at Kunling Mountain? They probably could not escape under Kunling Mountain’s encirclement and suppression.”
Xiang Lanxuan let out a snort that was a smile but not quite a smile. “Your logic does not apply to them. Their strength might not be much, but their courage has always been great. You do not know what they have done. I hope it is not them. If it really is them…” Speaking to this point, she herself was somewhat puzzled. “Wasn’t it Spirit Valley? Why did they target Meteor Hall again? What on earth do they want, sneaking around here like this?”
She had not thought about the immortal’s cave dwelling at all. Those few guys could enter Little Cloud Space because there were traces to follow, because they had obtained the map guide left by A Jiezhang. It was a chance encounter. How could they keep finding immortal cave dwellings? If that were really the case, what would become of it? How would the Great Enterprise Division and Sinan Mansion, who had been turning heaven and earth upside down for many years, feel?
It was not even a matter of whether to think in this direction or not. Anyone with a normal brain would consider it impossible.
Hearing her say this, Ke Ran became even more curious in his heart about who those few people really were.
Just at this moment, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the carriage. Ke Ran turned his head and gently pulled open a gap in the door curtain. He glanced outside and then let it down, also lowering his voice. “Grand Walker, those few guys are coming.”
“Oh.” Xiang Lanxuan also pulled aside a finger’s width of the curtain, quietly looking outside. Indeed, she saw familiar faces.
Outside, Yu Qing and his two martial brothers, as well as Baili Xin, were just strolling towards this side.
Yu Qing occasionally looked back at Baili Xin. He really had the heart to do away with her. He discovered that being pestered by this woman was truly aggravating.
He was clearly worried that she might be a problem and needed to guard against her, yet he could not find a suitable reason to shake her off. The key point was that she had stumbled upon their secretive activities. Her reason was also solid and real. She had helped them sneak in under false names. If something went wrong, she could not escape either. She wanted to keep an eye on things. What fault could there be in that?
So it was aggravating. She watched them so tightly that they did not dare to make any moves, and even private conversations became inconvenient.
Therefore, Yu Qing decided to come out for a walk.
They only glanced a couple more times at the carriage by the roadside, then passed right by it.
Led by Yu Qing, the group arrived at a place in the mountains. There was a babbling stream and an emerald green pool.
When they reached the poolside, Yu Qing stretched lazily towards the sky. Then he untied his sword and stuck it into the sand and gravel. After that, he began to look lazy as he started to undress.
The few of them were stunned. Baili Xin said in bewilderment, “What are you doing?”
Yu Qing, “The sky is so blue, the water is so clear, the environment is so good, and the weather is so nice. Wouldn’t it be a pity not to go into the water to wash and soak a bit?” He turned back to ask Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie, “What are you two still standing there for? Don’t you want to soak a bit?”
The two immediately understood and also began to remove their swords. Especially Mu Aotie. He actually really liked showing off his muscles and physique in front of women. He was quick at taking off his clothes, not to mention he had a legitimate reason.
“You…” Baili Xin could be described as gnashing her teeth. Seeing the three of them really start stripping down to bare flesh, she could not quite bear to watch anymore. She could only turn around and leave.
The martial brothers successively soaked into the water. Looking at the figure sitting on a rock not far away with her back turned to avoid seeing, Nan Zhu laughed drily. “What we are doing is a bit too much.”
Yu Qing, splashing water on himself, let out a scoff. “She asked for it. I also have no choice. Who knows what kind of person she is.”
“Alas.” Nan Zhu sighed. He also felt now that Baili Xin’s behaviour was a bit excessive. It was clearly suspicious and also very aggravating. He asked, “Don’t tell me you came here just to take a bath. Just say what the matter is directly.”
Yu Qing, “What else could it be?”
Nan Zhu frowned, “Such a big disturbance just happened. It is not suitable to sneak over there again now. It is better to pause and stop.”
He naturally had to inquire about yesterday’s matter. He had already learned the general idea from Mu Aotie’s mouth. Let alone the person who experienced it personally, even he was terrified just listening to it. And the reason it was not found out from Yu Qing’s mouth was because Yu Qing had no way to tell him. Old Fifteen was really being pestered by Baili Xin. They were almost sleeping in the same room. How could he not be aggravated?
If it were not for this, someone would not have been forced to come here and take off his clothes just to speak privately.
Yu Qing, “Sneaking over there indeed won’t work anymore. This Kunling Mountain is a bit excessively wealthy. Who knows what other spirit beasts are on the other mountain peaks. So I thought about it. Since sneaking won’t work, then we will just barge through directly.”
Nan Zhu’s eyes widened. “You couldn’t even sneak through, and you still want to barge through directly? With us? What are you thinking?”
Yu Qing retorted, “We have been to Spirit Valley once. Think about it. What was the root cause of being able to arrive smoothly all the way?”
Nan Zhu, “Is there even any need to say? The people from Kunling Mountain escorted us over, so naturally we could arrive smoothly.”
Yu Qing, “Then replicate the conditions of them escorting us.” He started counting on his fingers. “Carriage, the clothes of Kunling Mountain disciples, and also the bell. The most important thing is that bell. With these, we might be able to barge through directly.”
Nan Zhu laughed, more in ridicule, “Leaving aside whether it can work or not, do you think you can just have these things whenever you say you want them?”
“So we have to think of a way.” Yu Qing tilted his head to indicate towards Baili Xin’s direction. “If this woman were not pestering me, I would not be here wasting words. I would have already gone to inquire directly. Old Seven, you go inquire about the news. First get a feel for the situation, then we will discuss it later.”
Nan Zhu frowned, “Isn’t this a bit too hasty?”
Yu Qing raised his hand to touch the back of his neck. “After you have tasted that feeling of living death, you will not say that anymore. I estimate it will be your turn soon too?”
Nan Zhu could not help but sigh, nodding slightly.
The morning light faded. The early sun was golden and dazzling, rendering everything.
Outside the luxurious and elegant guest house mansion courtyard located on the mountaintop, Xiang Lanxuan, who resided here, paced along the edge of the mountain. Sometimes she walked with a faint smile, sometimes she stood still and silent, watching the sight of the rising sun, perceiving the new day of the mountain vegetation unfolding with a heart of cultivation.
The misty etherealness between the mountain peaks.
Just at this moment, an attendant swiftly arrived, reporting from the side, “Grand Walker, at the Kunling Mountain Sect Main Hall, Sect Leader Zhao Dengzi is currently receiving a guest. Someone has come from Chilan Pavilion. The one who came is Yin Shanhe.”
Xiang Lanxuan turned her beautiful face facing the golden light of the rising sun, asking curiously, “What is Yin Shanhe running here for at this time?”
The attendant said, “I do not know. Your subordinate’s identity is not suitable to barge into the Kunling Mountain Sect Main Hall to eavesdrop.”
“How many people came?”
“It seems he is the only one.”
Xiang Lanxuan was silent for a moment. Suddenly, with a flick of her sleeve, her person soared into the air, shooting like a meteor towards the high mountain peak where the Kunling Mountain Sect Main Hall was located.
She came as if riding on clouds and morning glow, landing directly on the steps outside the main hall. This made the surrounding Kunling Mountain guard disciples look at her with admiration and envy. Being able to reach the realm of freely soaring through heaven and earth was forever the dream of cultivators.
She walked straight towards the inside of the main hall. The guards did not dare to block her. To save face, they could only urgently run to report.
Immediately, a sound of “Please enter” rang out. Xiang Lanxuan was already lifting her skirt and stepping over the threshold. A restrained kind of dominance.
Inside the hall, two elders were accompanying Sect Leader Zhao Dengzi in receiving the guest. The guest was precisely Yin Shanhe, standing alone with a dry tobacco pipe in his mouth. The wound on his face had healed, leaving a faint scar.
“Grand Walker.”
Although Zhao Dengzi and the others did not step forward to greet the guest, they all cupped their hands in greeting.
Xiang Lanxuan slightly bowed in return. Her gaze wandered onto Yin Shanhe. She waved her hand to brush away the smoke he puffed out, looking him up and down and asking, “Why did you run here?”
Yin Shanhe stood unmoving in his original spot. “I do not seem to have any need to report anything to you, do I?”
Xiang Lanxuan let out a “hehe”. She simply turned back and directly asked Zhao Dengzi, “Sect Leader Zhao, this assembly is not only Kunling Mountain that is worrying about it. The Great Enterprise Division has the right to guard against unexpected occurrences. What did he come here for?”
Zhao Dengzi immediately showed a bitter smile, caught in a dilemma. But there was nothing he could do. He was not Chilan Pavilion, who could ignore the Great Enterprise Division. The arm cannot twist the thigh. He could only reveal the truth, “The young pavilion master of Chilan Pavilion, Long Xingyun, has already registered to participate in the assembly and has already checked in, but he used a pseudonym. Brother Yin came over to greet us, to avoid any misunderstandings from happening.”
Xiang Lanxuan immediately felt surprised. She looked at Yin Shanhe again and asked, “That kid is so self-important and opinionated. How could he deign to compete with these miscellaneous people? How did he suddenly think of joining in on this excitement?”
Yin Shanhe gave a bland sentence, “Young people, they like to have fun.”
The truth was not easy to reveal. He could not say that Young Master Long had been slapped in the face in the Nether Sea, had been provoked by someone, had secretly inquired about outsiders’ true evaluations of himself, and then discovered that it was really as someone said. Many people did not think Young Master Long had any real ability. He was merely bullying others by relying on Chilan Pavilion’s power.
The words spoken behind one’s back were indeed not very pleasant to hear. It had angered Young Master Long. He vowed to let the world see his true strength at this assembly. He could not be stopped. The pavilion master also did not think that seeing the world was a bad thing, and had agreed.