529: Chapter 530 Inquiry!

"Investigate further," Ancestor Yun Chen said, his tone brooking no dissent.

"Keep a close watch on the people from the Tianli Cult; you must find out their background. Also, I recall there is a branch in the Tianxing Immortal Sect that Old Ghost Tianxing took special care of when he was alive. Go and make contact in secret, and get a clear understanding of the situation."

"Are you referring to... that Zhou Yang?" Pavilion Master Xu Qing confirmed cautiously.

"Yes, it is him." Ancestor Yun Chen nodded slightly and took a sip from his teacup.

"It is said that this person was once a servant of that Golden Core surnamed Han. Before that person left the Southern Wilderness Region, he entrusted all his old acquaintances to Old Ghost Tianxing. Old Ghost Tianxing, grateful for the foundation gifted by the other party, returned the favor by taking good care of these people over the years. However, this led to many discordant voices within the Sect. They all felt that Old Ghost Tianxing was biased, but they dared not act out of turn due to the Immortal Master's authority. But now that Old Ghost Tianxing has passed away, these people have lost their greatest support, and their days are likely not easy. If we go to contact them now, they will surely be very willing to cooperate with our Cloud Thunder Pavilion."

This was Ancestor Yun Chen's calculation. He wanted the benefits, but he didn't want to bear the risks. Since he was worried about the Tianli Cult attacking his home, he simply wouldn't leave, choosing instead to support a Puppet from the outside. It just so happened that Zhou Yang and the others were genuine Disciples of the Tianxing Immortal Sect, making their power struggle legitimate.

Upon hearing the Old Ancestor's plan, Pavilion Master Xu Qing felt a surge of excitement. If it truly succeeded, Cloud Thunder Pavilion would surely make a fortune, enter a period of rapid development, and perhaps one day be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with, or even surpass, the Tianxing Immortal Sect.

However, he soon thought of something, and his tone carried a hint of worry. "But Old Ancestor, the one behind this Zhou Yang..." He did not finish his sentence, but he believed the Old Ancestor would understand.

The true backer behind this Zhou Yang was not True Person Tianxing, but that Golden Core surnamed Han who had long since departed. That was a ruthless person who had slaughtered his way through the Southern Wilderness Region! If he found out later that his former acquaintances had been used as pawns, he would likely not let it rest.

Ancestor Yun Chen waved his hand, his tone dismissive: "I know what you mean. But that Zhou Yang was only a servant of that person. Besides, that person has been gone for decades, and there has been no news or word from him at all during this time. Whether he has severed his past Karma or has already died, no one knows. We cannot just do nothing out of fear, can we? Besides, so many years have passed; whose cultivation would remain stagnant?"

Ancestor Yun Chen's words were calm, but to Pavilion Master Xu Qing, they sounded like a thunderclap. "Old Ancestor, you..." "Haha, that's right!" Seeing Pavilion Master Xu Qing realize the truth, Ancestor Yun Chen stroked his beard, laughing with great pride. "I recently achieved a Breakthrough to the Late Golden Core Stage!"

"Congratulations to the Old Ancestor on your cultivation advancement, your flourishing path to immortality, and your hopeful longevity!" The middle-aged man was full of excitement and hurriedly offered his congratulations. A Late Golden Core Stage Great True Person! Looking across the entire Southern Wilderness Region, setting aside those visitors from outside the region, their Cloud Thunder Pavilion was the first force to possess the combat power of a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator.

This meant that the Old Ancestor had leapt to become the number one person in the Southern Wilderness Region, and Cloud Thunder Pavilion would rise along with him. Even if they were weaker than the Tianxing Immortal Sect in terms of territory, they now had the capital to challenge or even suppress the Tianxing Immortal Sect, which was currently in internal turmoil. If they were to annex the Tianxing Immortal Sect... he dared not even imagine what Cloud Thunder Pavilion would become. For a moment, Pavilion Master Xu Qing's heart surged, and he couldn't wait to get to work.

"Calm down." Although Ancestor Yun Chen also wanted to immediately bring the Tianxing Immortal Sect into his pocket, he knew he couldn't be too hasty. "Let's proceed according to the plan. First, go and contact those people like Zhou Yang, and see who wants to sit in Old Ghost Tianxing's position; we will support him. However, we must still take precautions to avoid being betrayed."

Pavilion Master Xu Qing hurriedly assured him: "Rest assured, Old Ancestor. In terms of contracts, our Cloud Thunder Pavilion is not lacking in methods!" Cloud Thunder Pavilion was a commercially-oriented cultivation force, and they usually needed to draft contracts for all their transactions. Their methods in this regard were varied and numerous; they could easily pick a few to firmly control the other party, ensuring that the Puppet they supported would not renege on the deal once they grew powerful.

However, he still had some misgivings. "Old Ancestor, what if this group of people doesn't cooperate?" Ancestor Yun Chen sneered: "I don't believe all of them are ascetic Cultivators solely focused on the Dao; there must be those who covet worldly power. Even if we take a step back and assume they refuse, so what? If they won't do it, naturally there will be others who will. We can just change our target; we must be flexible! However, for those in the know, it is necessary to keep things confidential until the major task is accomplished." As for how to keep it confidential? Of course, only dead people can keep secrets.

"Rest assured, Old Ancestor, I understand." Pavilion Master Xu Qing's mouth curled into a sinister smile as he patted his chest in assurance.

"Hmm, go then, and make sure to handle things cleanly." Ancestor Yun Chen nodded, and was about to wave for him to leave. However, at this very moment, a sudden change occurred!

"Boom!" The earth beneath their feet began to tremble violently without any warning, as if an Earth Dragon were turning over. The candles in the hall flickered violently, and the pillars groaned under the unbearable strain. Ancestor Yun Chen stood up abruptly, his expression changing drastically. Although he didn't know what was happening, his Spiritual Pressure sense was screaming a warning, as if something terrifying was about to arrive!

Just as this thought arose in his mind, the Void Realm above Cloud Thunder Pavilion was suddenly torn apart. It was as if an invisible giant hand had gripped that piece of the Void Realm and violently torn it to shreds. A rift stretched across the sky above Cloud Thunder Pavilion, extending for a hundred zhang, with countless fine cracks spreading in all directions at its edges. Inside the rift, it was pitch black, with grey, swirling currents of Chaos churning endlessly. Then, a foot slowly stepped out from within.

At the same time, the Third Grade High Grade Sect-Protecting Array of Cloud Thunder Pavilion seemed to detect the invading enemy and lit up spontaneously, shrouding the entire Cloud Thunder Pavilion in a pale green light screen. But this light screen only lasted for a breath before it shattered silently like paper the moment that foot stepped out, dissipating into countless points of light in the night sky. It hadn't even managed to block the attack for a single breath of time.

Accompanying this was an overwhelming Spiritual Pressure!

"Thump—" In an instant, inside Cloud Thunder Pavilion, no matter what the Disciples were doing at that moment, their bodies seemed to stop obeying them, and they all knelt down, their heads slamming into the ground. They supported themselves with their hands, their foreheads pressed tightly against the cold stone floor, trembling all over, their teeth chattering. They wanted to lift their heads to see what had happened, but they simply couldn't.

The few Foundation Establishment Elders with slightly higher cultivation weren't doing much better. Although they managed to barely stand, they were equally pale, cold sweat dripping down their chins, their legs shaking uncontrollably. Ancestor Yun Chen was also stiff all over. He couldn't sense the cultivation level of the figure walking out from the rift. But the aura overflowing from the figure reminded them of the feeling of looking up at those great Cultivators when they had just started their cultivation journey. Insignificant as ants, like dust. His own hundreds of years of cultivation were nothing in front of this existence.

It was laughable, really; just a moment ago he had been smug about his Breakthrough to the Late Golden Core Stage, thinking he was invincible in the Southern Wilderness Region. He had even mapped out a development blueprint for after annexing the Tianxing Immortal Sect. But the existence of the person who had arrived was like a slap in the face, waking him up from his beautiful dream of being at the Late Golden Core Stage.

At this moment, the figure finally stepped completely out of the rift. He stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering, hovering above Cloud Thunder Pavilion, looking down at the trembling crowd below, and finally cast his gaze upon Ancestor Yun Chen.

"Thump!" Finally, Ancestor Yun Chen could no longer withstand the pressure and fell to his knees with a thud. "Se... Senior..." Ancestor Yun Chen's voice was trembling, his teeth chattering, completely devoid of the dignity expected of a Golden Core True Person.

In the sky, Great Elder Lu Chenyuan looked down at the kneeling Ancestor Yun Chen, the corners of his mouth curling slightly into a playful arc. He was not at all surprised by the reaction of this group. Don't look at how he acted timidly in front of a Nascent Soul True Monarch; he was a genuine False Nascent Soul Cultivator. Facing a Golden Core True Person was simply a dimensionality-reduction strike; this was a gap in the level of life existence. However, he was also a bit surprised; he hadn't expected this muddy realm to be able to produce a Late Golden Core Stage Great True Person.

So he spoke slowly: "Are you the master of this place?" The voice was not loud, but it was deafening, striking directly at the Divine Soul. Ancestor Yun Chen buried his head even lower. "Replying to Senior... it is this Junior. This Junior, Yun Chen, is the master of Cloud Thunder Pavilion. I did not know of your arrival, Senior, and failed to welcome you properly. I hope you will forgive my offense." He tried to keep his voice calm, but could not hide the terror within it.

"Where on earth did this person pop out from!" He was utterly baffled in his heart; why would such a terrifying person descend upon the Southern Wilderness Region? The key was that he was unlucky enough to run into him. Ancestor Yun Chen had a premonition that if he acted rashly, he would likely be slapped to death by the other party. Therefore, he chose to be cowardly.

At this moment, Great Elder Lu Chenyuan stepped down from the Void Realm. He walked very slowly, but every step felt like it was treading on everyone's heart. He stopped only when he reached Ancestor Yun Chen. Ancestor Yun Chen could feel that gaze resting on top of his head, like a mountain pressing down on it. He dared not look up, dared not move, and even held his breath.

"Get up and speak." Great Elder Lu Chenyuan's voice remained calm, devoid of any emotion. He had come to ask for directions and did not want to make things difficult for the people here. The reason he had forced his way in was simply to show off his strength so that these guys wouldn't take him lightly. Otherwise, it would be inevitable to incur more blood debt. Over here, when Ancestor Yun Chen heard the request, he was stunned for a moment. Then, his face showed joy, and he stood up as fast as possible, then lowered his head, standing respectfully to the side, not even daring to breathe loudly.

He did not know why this Senior had come, nor did he know what awaited him next. But judging by his attitude, there was a high probability that he wouldn't kill him. That was enough!

"I have something to ask you." At this, Great Elder Lu Chenyuan spoke, his tone not heavy, yet it made the entire Cloud Thunder Pavilion go quiet. Ancestor Yun Chen hurriedly bowed, his waist bent almost to the ground: "Please speak, Senior; this Junior will tell you everything he knows."

Great Elder Lu Chenyuan nodded slightly, his gaze falling upon him. "Is this the Southern Wilderness Region?" Ancestor Yun Chen was stunned, nodding in confusion. "Replying to Senior, this place is indeed the Southern Wilderness Region." Seeing that he hadn't gone in the wrong direction, Great Elder Lu Chenyuan breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded and continued to ask. "Then do you know where the Tianxing Immortal Sect is located?"

"Ah?" Ancestor Yun Chen was stunned; he hadn't expected the other party to ask this question. Instantly, his heart tightened. Could it be that this Senior had come for the sake of Old Ghost Tianxing? Is he a friend or an enemy? An enemy would be fine, but if he were a friend, that would be troublesome. Although his own scheme to seize the Tianxing Immortal Sect through a substitution tactic had not yet been implemented, there was no guarantee that his intentions wouldn't be discovered. If he angered this Senior... the cold sweat on Ancestor Yun Chen's back had already soaked through his clothes.

"What is it?" Seeing the change in Ancestor Yun Chen's expression, Great Elder Lu Chenyuan raised an eyebrow. Is there something going on? He immediately became a bit more serious. There were a few people inside the Tianxing Immortal Sect who were old acquaintances of the Buddha Lord; this time he had come mainly to deliver resources to these people. He didn't want any mishaps to occur and be punished by the Buddha Lord upon returning. So, he frowned, and the Spiritual Pressure of his False Nascent Soul surged out, like an invisible mountain, pressing heavily upon Ancestor Yun Chen.

Ancestor Yun Chen's knees went weak, and he nearly knelt down again. "Answer honestly; do not force me to search your soul." Great Elder Lu Chenyuan's voice remained calm, but it was unquestionable.

"I dare not! I dare not!" Ancestor Yun Chen apologized repeatedly, stooping his waist and nodding continuously. Then he asked cautiously: "May I ask why you are inquiring about the Tianxing Immortal Sect, Senior?"

Great Elder Lu Chenyuan frowned slightly, his tone turning a bit colder: "What?" Seeing that the other party had misunderstood, Ancestor Yun Chen hurriedly waved his hands, speaking rapidly. "Senior, you may not know, but the Tianxing Immortal Sect is currently in Chaos. Since the passing of True Person Tianxing, the power struggle within the Sect has intensified, with several major factions pitted against each other, none willing to submit to the other. It is said that there are shadows of the Demonic Path forces behind it. However, although this Junior has also been paying attention to the situation there, I truly know very little of the inside story."

Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Great Elder Lu Chenyuan's expression become terrifyingly gloomy. That False Nascent Soul Spiritual Pressure became increasingly heavy, pressing down on his waist until it creaked. He gritted his teeth and held on, the veins on his forehead bulging one by one, his face turning bright red. But that Spiritual Pressure was too terrifying; it was not something he, at the Late Golden Core Stage, could withstand. It was no exaggeration to say that he felt he would be crushed to pieces in the next moment.

Just as he thought he was about to collapse, Great Elder Lu Chenyuan finally spoke. "Then have you heard of this person named Zhou Yang?"

Ancestor Yun Chen's heart skipped a beat, and various thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind. Why would such a great Cultivator inquire about such a small figure? As far as he knew, although Zhou Yang had obtained the resources left to him by that Golden Core surnamed Han, his talent was limited, and after all these years, he had only barely managed to cultivate to the Late Stage Foundation Establishment. Such a person shouldn't be worth the attention of such a great Cultivator. However, although he muttered in his heart, he dared not be slow in his speech and hurriedly replied. "I have indeed heard of this person."

"Is he alright?" "Probably... yes." Ancestor Yun Chen's voice felt a bit weak. "What do you mean by 'probably'?" Great Elder Lu Chenyuan's tone turned even colder.

Ancestor Yun Chen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Senior, please calm your anger; this Junior has not yet had time to investigate the detailed situation there. After the internal turmoil in the Tianxing Immortal Sect, the transmission of information has been inconvenient, and this Junior has only heard that this person, Zhou Yang, is still alive; as for his specific situation... this Junior truly does not know."

Great Elder Lu Chenyuan stared at him for a moment, and seeing that he truly couldn't get any answers, he finally withdrew the Spiritual Pressure. Then he stood up: "Forget it, I will make the trip myself." Since he couldn't get to the bottom of it, he didn't want to waste any more time here. The Tianxing Immortal Sect was nearby, so he would just go and see for himself. "In which direction is the Tianxing Immortal Sect?" He asked.

Ancestor Yun Chen hurriedly raised his hand, pointing to the northeast. "Replying to Senior, from here towards the northeast, about a million li away, is where the mountain gate of the Tianxing Immortal Sect is located."

Great Elder Lu Chenyuan nodded slightly, not saying another word. He raised his hand, tore open the Void Realm, stepped into it, and his figure instantly vanished. The huge rift in the Void Realm above Cloud Thunder Pavilion slowly closed, and the Spiritual Pressure that had made everyone unable to breathe also dissipated along with it.