357: Chapter 357 Demon Suppression Pass

"Good! As expected of a capable general of my Yao Race! This matter shall be left to your responsibility."

"By your command!" Liu Feng cupped his hands.

Shen Guhong glanced at Liu Feng and then said, "Going north this time, you must not only guard against Human Race Cultivators, but also against the Grand Elder's people!"

At this moment, Shen Guhong's greatest worry was still the Grand Elder.

After all, the Grand Elder had always been at odds with him.

Now that the Yao Race frontline army was mutinying, if it wasn't handled properly, the Grand Elder would certainly seize the opportunity to strike.

Therefore, it was impossible for the Grand Elder to want these one hundred million Spirit Stones to reach the front lines.

Hearing Shen Guhong's words, Qin Changsheng's eyes suddenly lit up.

Before this, he didn't know how to find a reason to absolve himself of blame.

Now, he could completely pin everything on the Grand Elder.

Shen Guhong seemed to feel that Liu Feng going alone was not enough, so he immediately said to Gou Feng, "Gou Feng, you go together with Liu Feng!"

"By your command," Gou Feng said, stepping forward.

...

Inside the small courtyard.

Qin Changsheng sat cross-legged on a prayer mat and began to ponder this robbery plan.

After just a short while, a meticulous plan had taken shape, with every step interlocking. It would both allow him to seize the Spirit Stones and further stir up internal strife within the Yao Race.

He never just wanted these one hundred million Spirit Stones; he wanted to use this matter to completely intensify the conflict between Shen Guhong and the Grand Elder, making the Yao Race's internal fighting grow more violent so they would have no time to worry about the Human Race.

"To intercept the Spirit Stones silently without exposing myself, the only way is to act in the name of the Yao Race Grand Elder."

Qin Changsheng already had a clear plan in mind: when the time came, he and Hu Nan would go to the mandatory path for the Spirit Stone delivery in the north to set an ambush.

The two of them would use the Golden Trait [Disguise] to perfectly masquerade as Yao Race Cultivators under the Grand Elder. Whether it was their aura, clothing, or speech and behavior, they would be lifelike, making it impossible for others to distinguish truth from falsehood.

And Liu Feng would provide the location for him and Hu Nan.

After Gou Feng collected the Spirit Stones, Qin Changsheng and Hu Nan would ambush them on the mandatory path.

He believed that with the power of the Longyuan Sword Domain, he could definitely take down Gou Feng easily.

However, Qin Changsheng did not intend to kill Gou Feng.

Gou Feng was Shen Guhong's trusted aide.

By sparing his life and letting him return alive, the fake news that "the Grand Elder's subordinates intercepted the Spirit Stones" could be delivered intact to Shen Guhong.

If he killed Gou Feng or let all the accompanying Cultivators perish, Shen Guhong would become suspicious of Liu Feng;

But by leaving Gou Feng alive and letting him "witness" the Grand Elder's men intercepting the Spirit Stones with his own eyes, and having him report it personally, Shen Guhong would surely believe it without a doubt. In his fury, he would completely turn against the Grand Elder, and the Yao Race's internal strife would escalate accordingly.

Furthermore, while heading to the northern border this time, he also wanted to see Senior Brother Wu Yong.

If Senior Brother Wu Yong really had been the victim of Possession by Elder Qingxuan, then he would kill Elder Qingxuan and avenge Senior Brother Wu Yong.

...

The northern border.

Zhenyao Pass stood tall and majestic. Its walls, built of blue bricks, were hundreds of feet high and carved with dense anti-demon runes. Despite the erosion of time, they still emitted a faint spiritual light, guarding this border land.

This pass was the junction between the Human Race and the Yao Race. Beyond this Zhenyao Pass lay the Yao Race's forward positions. In the past, it should have been a place of constant warfare and heavy security, but now it appeared exceptionally calm.

Simply because the Yao Race's frontline soldiers were mutinying and internal strife was unending, they had no time to worry about the confrontation at the border with the Human Race. Both sides had temporarily ceased fire, and the Zhenyao Pass had shed its past killing intent, gaining a bit more of the atmosphere of daily life.

Inside the pass, the sounds of people were deafening, and the flow of Cultivators was constant. Most were Human Race Cultivators stationed at the border, but there were also a few Loose Cultivators who had come upon hearing the news to scout for information.

These Cultivators gathered in small groups, either strolling and chatting under the city walls or finding a quiet spot to sit cross-legged and Cultivate to refine their cultivation. Many Cultivators had also set up small stalls, bringing out idle spiritual materials and Magical Artifacts for trade. The sounds of haggling rose and fell, making the place exceptionally lively.

Qin Changsheng was dressed in ordinary green cloth clothes, still appearing as a middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Mingling in the crowd with a calm expression, he looked like an ordinary Loose Cultivator and did not attract any attention from others.

He walked slowly through the crowd, his gaze subtly scanning the surroundings. While observing the situation at Zhenyao Pass, he also listened to the discussions of the Cultivators, most of which revolved around the Yao Race mutiny.

"Have you heard? The Yao Race frontline army has mutinied again!"

"I heard they haven't been paid their military pay for two years!"

"How did the Yao Race's Spirit Stones suddenly become so scarce?"

"I reckon something went wrong with the Spirit Stone Mine!"

"The Yao Race hasn't attacked Zhenyao Pass for over a year now!"

Listening to everyone's discussions, Qin Changsheng remained very calm.

As for why the Yao Race's Spirit Stones were scarce, Qin Changsheng knew very well.

It was because he had swindled three hundred million Spirit Stones from Shen Guhong and stolen several hundred million more from the treasury.

However, Qin Changsheng would never tell anyone.

His arrival at Zhenyao Pass this time, besides waiting for Liu Feng's Spirit Stone convoy, had another purpose: to see how Senior Brother Wu Yong was doing.

With a wave of his hand, Qin Changsheng summoned the Heavenly Dao Entry Intelligence.

In the next instant, Qin Changsheng entered 'qingfeng sword'.

This qingfeng sword was Senior Brother Wu Yong's Lifebound Treasure.

Senior Brother Wu Yong always carried it with him.

In the next moment, information about the qingfeng sword appeared on the attribute panel.

[qingfeng sword: Senior Brother Wu Yong's Lifebound Treasure, crafted by Senior Brother Wu Yong]

[Held by: None]

[Location: Within a grave ten miles outside Zhenyao Pass!]

Looking at the information on the attribute panel.

Qin Changsheng knew that Senior Brother Wu Yong had already been possessed by Elder Qingxuan.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for Senior Brother Wu Yong to place his Lifebound Treasure inside a grave.

Next, Qin Changsheng entered 'Qingxuan Sword'.

[Qingxuan Sword: Elder Qingxuan's Lifebound Treasure, crafted by Elder Qingxuan]

[Held by: Senior Brother Wu Yong]

[Location: Inside a pavilion ten miles outside Zhenyao Pass!]

Looking at the information on the attribute panel, Qin Changsheng was silent for a long time before giving an order to Hu Nan.

He told Hu Nan to go ten miles outside Zhenyao Pass to kill Elder Qingxuan and avenge Senior Brother Wu Yong.

...

On a barren slope ten miles from Zhenyao Pass, the vegetation was sparse and the wind wailed, carrying a sense of bleakness and sorrow.

Qin Changsheng and Hu Nan appeared here.

Qin Changsheng came here to pay his respects to Senior Brother Wu Yong and then find Elder Qingxuan to avenge him.

On the barren slope, there was a solitary grave.

The solitary grave was not large, built of rough blue stones without extra decoration. Only a simple stone tablet stood before the grave. On the tablet, seven clear characters were carved with spiritual power.

Tomb of my Master, Elder Qingxuan.

Qin Changsheng walked to the tombstone, stopped his pace, and looked up at those seven characters. A flash of complex emotion crossed his eyes—indifference, regret, and a hint of hard-to-detect melancholy.

He had already seen through the truth. This tombstone bore Elder Qingxuan's name, but the one truly buried in the grave was not that Golden Core powerhouse, but Senior Brother Wu Yong, who had been possessed by Elder Qingxuan.

Elder Qingxuan's Lifespan was nearing its end, and he had long secretly planned the Possession. Senior Brother Wu Yong was simple-natured, loyal, and held Elder Qingxuan in high esteem, making him the most ideal target for Possession.

The so-called "died in battle after being ambushed by Yao Race experts" was merely a facade Elder Qingxuan fabricated to deceive others and smoothly complete the Possession. This grave was an even more carefully arranged scam, aimed at completely erasing Senior Brother Wu Yong's existence so he could continue living in this world under Senior Brother Wu Yong's identity and extend his own Lifespan.

Qin Changsheng slowly raised his hand, his fingers lightly brushing over the characters on the tombstone. The icy touch transmitted through his fingertips made him involuntarily recall the time he spent with Senior Brother Wu Yong a few years ago.

At that time, Senior Brother Wu Yong was still a high-spirited young Cultivator with a pure Heart-Nature and full of yearning for the path of immortal cultivation. He had also frequently asked him for advice on cultivation matters. Although they weren't best friends, they did have some friendship.

When they parted, he had also given Qin Changsheng a heavenly dao fragment, entrusting him to look after the Wu Family.

He remembered that at the time of their parting a few years ago, he had also warned Senior Brother Wu Yong to be more cautious, to guard against Elder Qingxuan, and not to be too trusting.

But at that time, Senior Brother Wu Yong had already been blinded by Elder Qingxuan's outward kindness. He didn't take the warning to heart at all, thinking he was just overthinking. He even defended Elder Qingxuan, saying he was his master, and told Qin Changsheng not to mention it again.

"Sigh..." Qin Changsheng sighed softly, his tone full of regret.

Just then, a hurried sound of footsteps came from one side of the barren slope.

Qin Changsheng's expression shifted slightly. He subtly stepped behind Hu Nan, his gaze quietly casting toward the direction of the footsteps, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.