70: Chapter 70 Departure

Within Baicao Valley, medicinal fields stretched out endlessly.

Su Qianxue stood on high ground, watching the Disciples of the valley busily shuttling back and forth. Before Mu Qingteng entered secluded cultivation to heal his injuries, he had entrusted all the valley's affairs to her. The traitors from Grand Elder Yuan Tong's lineage had been thoroughly uprooted. The entire Baicao Valley was now a monolithic entity, with everything decided by her, the newly appointed Valley Revered Master.

“Valley Revered Master, the envoys from the Great Xia Dynasty have arrived, urging the delivery of the first batch of Medicinal Pills,” a deacon stepped forward quickly to report.

Su Qianxue withdrew her gaze. “Give them the pills according to the contract. Additionally, pass down my order: Baicao Valley is to be sealed for three months. Except for necessary external purchases, all Disciples must remain in the valley to Cultivate and are not permitted to leave without permission.”

The deacon took the order and withdrew.

Su Qianxue turned and returned to her quiet room, activating an isolation Formation. She sat cross-legged and pressed the Jade Slip given by Gu Sheng to her forehead. A vast stream of information instantly flooded her Sea of Consciousness. The topography of the Sword Burial Abyss, the distribution of Sword Qi, the remnants of ancient Formations, and the final distress signal left by her father, Su Tiance—everything was detailed without omission.

“The intelligence in this Jade Slip is even more detailed than what the local Sects of the Western Wasteland possess.” Danqingzi’s illusory figure floated to the side, stroking his beard with a solemn tone. “The intelligence network behind Gu Sheng is simply terrifying.”

“He even dared to smash the gates of the Taichu Holy Land; what does getting some intelligence on the Western Wasteland count for?” Su Qianxue opened her eyes and stored the Jade Slip into her storage ring. Her current cultivation was stable at the Early Stage of Soul Transformation. Combined with the Taiyi Divine Needle and the shennong seal, she was safe enough on the periphery of the Western Wasteland. However, to go deep into the Sword Burial Abyss to rescue someone, it was still far from enough.

“Revered Master, how many forces will enter the fray during the Western Wasteland Buddhist Sect's Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly?”

“Hard to say,” Danqingzi analyzed. “The Buddhist Sect is making such a grand show this time, even sending invitations to the Central State, which indicates that 'great treasure' carries immense weight. Holy Lands like Taichu and Wuji will certainly send people to scout it out. The Yao Race and devil cultivators of the Western Wasteland likely won't stay quiet either. Even more troublesome is that those bald donkeys of the Buddhist Sect are most skilled in Karma Law Spells. Once you reach the Western Wasteland, try your best to avoid entangling yourself in Karma. Don't just accept things from others, and don't make promises lightly.”

Su Qianxue nodded. The muddier the water, the better. The Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly would attract everyone's attention, and the defenses at the Sword Burial Abyss would inevitably have gaps. This was her only chance to rescue her father.

“I'll set out tomorrow.” She stood up, her gaze fixed toward the west.

Eastern Domain, Tianshui City.

In a private booth on the second floor of the Haiyue Inn, Ye Yuan toyed with an empty wine cup while listening to Chu Kuangren's report.

Outside the inn's door, Nie Xiao stood like a piece of withered wood, cradling that rust-stained broken saber. He hadn't drawn the blade, but the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seemed to encounter a natural enemy, automatically retreating. On the wooden doorframe of the inn, several extremely fine cuts had appeared at some unknown point. There were no fluctuations of spiritual power; it was purely caused by the natural overflow of Saber Intent.

Chu Kuangren stood before Ye Yuan, his back already soaked with cold sweat. When passing the door, he hadn't even dared to glance at that broken saber, fearing his own gaze would be shredded.

For the past three days, he had led the elites of the Penglai Sword Sect to turn the Eastern Domain upside down.

“The Fishing Sea Guest escaped?” Ye Yuan's tone betrayed neither joy nor anger.

“Yes. That old monster is as slippery as can be. Just as we approached the Return to the Void, he cut his fishing line and fled into the deep sea. Before leaving, he left a message saying the Ye Family acts too overbearingly and he won't get involved in this muddy water.”

“What about the Changsheng Pavilion and Yanyu Pavilion?”

“No leads at all.” Chu Kuangren gritted his teeth. “Young Lord, it's not that we aren't trying. These Three Pavilions have always been legendary in the Eastern Domain for being elusive. For thousands of years, no one has known where their true mountain gates are. I suspect they aren't in the mundane world at all, but are hiding in some independent Secret Realm attached to the Eastern Domain. There was a Loose Cultivator who said he saw a woman carrying a red umbrella in the Jiangnan Water Towns, but by the time we rushed there, we didn't even catch a shadow.”

Ye Yuan did not speak.

Far away in the Central State, Gu Sheng heard these words clearly through shared Divine Sense.

[Host, these Three Pavilions are quite interesting. Lingxu Pavilion stays close to the mortal world, Changsheng Pavilion performs Alchemy, and Yanyu Pavilion kills. The Laws of the Heavenly Dao are fragmented; it’s normal for them to hide in Secret Realms to avoid tribulations.] The System's mechanical voice sounded at the right time.

“They can hide for now, but they can't hide forever. When the great era descends and the Laws are repaired, they’ll have to show their faces sooner or later.” Gu Sheng sent a transmission to Ye Yuan, “Tell Chu Kuangren to stop. Since we can't dig them out, we'll change the way we play.”

Ye Yuan set down his wine cup, his fingers tapping the tabletop. “If you can't find them, then forget it. However, this pool of water in the Eastern Domain cannot remain so calm. Sect Master Chu, use the channels of your Penglai Sword Sect to issue a bounty. The Ye Family is going to hold an auction in Tianshui City.”

“The finale item will be three drops of pure-blood True Dragon Essence Blood.”

Chu Kuangren’s legs went weak, and he nearly knelt.

Taking the essence blood of a Dragon Clan ancestor out for auction? This was no longer just a provocation; this was stripping the Dragon Clan's face off and grinding it into the dirt. If those old loaches of the Dragon Clan found out, they would absolutely go insane, and Tianshui City would instantly turn into a massive meat grinder.

“Young Lord, this... regarding the Dragon Clan...”

“If the Dragon Clan has an objection, tell them to come find me.” Ye Yuan glanced at Nie Xiao outside the door. “Since the Ye Family has entered the world, we must see some blood to establish our authority. Go handle it.”

Chu Kuangren didn't dare to advise further and left with a heavy heart to carry out the order.

On the top floor of the Star-Plucking Tower, the sandalwood incense had burned halfway.

Outside the window, the sky was slightly dim as the winds of the Central State swirled a few fallen leaves past the eaves. Luo Qingxue pushed the door open and entered, her body still carrying the lingering aura of Lightning Tribulation that hadn't fully dissipated, and fine frost even clung to her hair. She stepped over the threshold and set the nine nether soul-suppressing zither down on the red sandalwood table.

The solid wood tabletop let out a muffled groan under the burden, cracking with several fine lines.

“The gate is smashed.” Luo Qingxue's tone was cold as she pulled over a chair and sat down. “The old ghost of Taichu didn't dare to show his face, but the Heavenly Dao did strike down a bolt of lightning. Their protective Sect array has three cracks; they won't be able to repair it within three months.”

Gu Sheng sat in a grand armchair, not even lifting his eyelids as he pushed a gold-stamped invitation to the center of the table.

“Good work. Look at this.”

Luo Qingxue's gaze swept over the cover of the invitation, pausing for a moment on the striking swastika mark. She reached out to open it, quickly scanning the contents.

“Western Wasteland Buddhist Sect, Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly?” Luo Qingxue's brow furrowed slightly, her fingertips tapping on the table. “Those monks have always kept their doors shut at the Great Leiyin Temple. They haven't sent out an invitation in centuries. They're willing to open their mountain gates this time, and even specifically invited you?”

“The invitation says a great treasure concerning the Luck of the Central State is about to appear.” Gu Sheng picked up his teacup and brushed away the foam. “The Taichu Holy Land just had its gate smashed by you and is sealing its mountain to repair the array. The new monarch of Great Xia has just been established, and the court is unstable. The Buddhist Sect sending an invitation at this time... their timing is very precise.”

“Are you going?”

“I'm going. And not only am I going, I have to take you with me.” Gu Sheng set down his teacup and stood up. “Xuan Kong will stay in Heavenly Saint City to watch the house. You come with me to the Western Wasteland.”

In his mind, the System bubbled up at the right time.

[Host, are you really using the dignified Xuanming Goddess as a hired thug? She just finished smashing the gates of the Taichu Holy Land, hasn't even caught her breath, and you're dragging her to the Western Wasteland to take the heat. Even black-hearted capitalists aren't as ruthless as you.]

Gu Sheng thought silently: “Making the best use of everything. The waters of the Western Wasteland are deep, and monks care most about Karma. Bringing someone whose Karma is even heavier than mine will make things easier to handle.”

[Aren't you afraid she'll fail in the Western Wasteland? Buddhist Cultivation Techniques specifically counter cold Devilish Qi.]

“With me there, she won't fail.”

Luo Qingxue did not refuse. She was very clear about her current position. Having taken the taiyin divine marrow, she owed an immense favor, and the Xuanming Hall still relied on the Gu Family's protection. Wherever Gu Sheng told her to go, she had no right to say no.

She picked up the nine nether soul-suppressing zither again and stood up. “When do we leave?”

“Now.”

Gu Sheng instructed Su Jiuer to watch over the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion and report any matters directly to Xuan Kong. Then, the two of them boarded the purple-gold flying boat.

The flying boat soared into the sky, turning into a streak of light and heading straight for the Western Wasteland.