Chapter 128 First Encounter in Tianyan City, Undercurrents Run Deep
The towering silhouette of Tianyan City loomed in the morning mist, the ancient spiritual runes on the bluish-black walls resembling the scales of a sleeping giant, glinting with a cold, hard luster under the dawn light.
The qinglan boat withdrew its spiritual light and slowly descended onto the mooring area outside the city gate, just like an ordinary flying Magical Artifact. As soon as they landed, a bustling atmosphere mixed with the fragrance of spiritual plants, the sharp aura of Magic Treasures, and the spiritual power fluctuations of countless Cultivators rushed towards them, showcasing the extraordinary grandeur of this ancient city as the core of the Seven Sects' Dao-Seeking Great Competition.
Lin Yue was the first to step off the spirit boat. His gaze swept over the bustling crowd seemingly at random, but in reality, he had already taken in the entire surrounding environment.
He kept his aura restrained to the Qi Refinement Stage, and combined with his disguise technique, he appeared completely unremarkable. Ling Wei followed closely behind, a trace of imperceptible pale green spiritual light quietly circulating at her fingertips. She gently tugged on Lin Yue's sleeve and sent a voice transmission: "Senior Brother, at the three o'clock direction, that stall vendor selling talismans has residues of the Soul-Eroding Grass juice unique to the Xuanyue Sect on his cuffs; at the nine o'clock direction on the second floor of the teahouse, the spiritual power fluctuations of the person by the window carry the foul stench of the Yin Kuizi lineage; and among the city gate guards, the captain on the left—the way his waist token's cord is tied is the 'Heart-Binding Knot' commonly used by Wu Tianli's confidants."
Lin Yue nodded slightly, his heart turning cold. The Xuanyue Sect's spies were expected, but Wu Tianli's subordinates had actually infiltrated Tianyan City's defense force? That old scoundrel's reach was longer than imagined. Remaining calm, he transmitted back: "Note their positions, but don't alert them for now. Let's settle in the city first."
Liu Qingyan, escorted by Su Qingyuan and Luo Ningshuang, also stepped off the spirit boat. Her face was still somewhat pale, but her eyes remained as sharp as ever. She looked towards the right side of the city gate, where a group of Cultivators dressed in blue-gold martial attire with long swords on their backs were entering the city with their heads held high. Wherever they passed, others moved aside.
"The people from the Yujian Sect have arrived as well. Look at the leading Disciple; his aura is condensed, already at the Foundation Establishment Peak, and his Sword Intent is restrained but ready—a formidable opponent," she said softly to Lin Yue. "On the left, those holding spiritual brushes with pill patterns embroidered on their clothes are Disciples of the Qingxuan Sect. One of their Elders is talking with someone from the Xuanyue Sect, and his gaze has swept over us several times."
Lin Yue looked over and indeed saw the people from the Qingxuan Sect and Xuanyue Sect appearing intimate, but there was a hint of unspoken understanding in the way their eyes met. He sneered in his heart; it seemed Wu Tianli had colluded with far more than just the Xuanyue Sect.
The group followed the flow of people toward the city gate to undergo routine inspection. When it was their turn, the guard captain Ling Wei had pointed out was indeed exceptionally "diligent." Not only did he repeatedly check the Qingyun Sect's Sect tokens, but he also attempted to use a detection Magical Artifact to probe Liu Qingyan at close range. He spoke high-sounding words about "carefully verifying the status of high-level Cultivators to ensure the city's safety," but his gaze flickered uncertainly.
"Presumptuous!" Su Qingyuan stepped forward. Although she had suppressed her cultivation, the awe-inspiring aura of her Innate Sword Body still made the guard captain's breath hitch. "Elder Liu is the master of a peak in the Qingyun Sect. How can you be allowed to conduct such a disrespectful inspection? Is this the hospitality of Tianyan City?"
Lin Yue pulled Su Qingyuan back at the right moment and gave the captain a cautious, apologetic smile: "Please don't take offense, Senior Brother. My Senior Sister has a quick temper. Elder Liu's old injuries flared up a few days ago, and her aura is unstable, so it's truly inconvenient to disturb her too much. Here is a small token of our appreciation; please make it easy for us, Senior Brother." As he spoke, he quietly pressed a few Mid-Grade Spirit Stones into the man's hand.
The captain weighed the Spirit Stones, glanced at the pale-faced Liu Qingyan, and then sullenly waved them through. However, as the group brushed past him, he muttered under his breath: "Hmph, coming to the competition with such heavy injuries—has the Qingyun Sect run out of people?" The voice wasn't loud, but it was just enough for Lin Yue and the others to hear, filled with provocation and testing.
The process of checking into the "Wangyue Inn" in the west of the city was also not peaceful. The inn seemed secluded, but when the shopkeeper took the Spirit Stones, his fingertips made a momentary contact with Lin Yue. Lin Yue's Ten Thousand Jun Dao Body sensitively detected an extremely faint fluctuation of earth-attribute spiritual power that shared the same source as Wu Tianli's Cultivation Technique. This shopkeeper was actually someone planted by Wu Tianli!
Just as they entered the second-floor guest room, the Purple-Gold Detoxifying Spirit Bud in A He's palm suddenly emitted a faint green warning light.
"Husband, something is wrong with this room!" She quickly walked to a seemingly ordinary ornamental spiritual plant in the corner. The light from the spirit sprout grew even brighter. "Something has been buried at the roots of this 'Tranquil Heart Orchid.' It's emitting a very faint soul-eroding poison aura, mixed with... 'Spirit-Entwining Silk,' which can slowly corrode the Divine Soul of a Golden Core Cultivator!"
Luo Ningshuang immediately stepped forward, flicked some medicinal powder from her fingertips, and carefully brushed aside the soil. Sure enough, she found several black, ink-like poison beads the size of rice grains, as well as several almost transparent fine threads tangled around the roots.
"It's the Xuanyue Sect's 'Soul-Eroding Poison Seed' and Wu Tianli's unique 'Spirit-Entwining Silk'!" Her expression was grave. "These two things are limited in harm if placed separately, but if they coexist for a long time, the aura emitted by the poison seed will nourish the Spirit-Entwining Silk, allowing it to silently seep into the Divine Soul of an injured or weakened Cultivator, worsening their injuries and even leaving behind hidden traps. They are attacking from two sides—not only to poison Master Liu but also to plot against you, who might be healing her!"
Lin Yue's eyes were cold. Wu Tianli truly refused to give up, arranging his conspiracy with such sinister meticulousness!
He signaled Ling Wei to check the other corners of the room.
Holding the hundred treasure exquisite disk, Ling Wei quickly discovered an extremely well-hidden miniature surveillance Formation Plate at the mortise and tenon joint of a roof beam. The refining technique of the Formation Plate bore obvious characteristics of the Qingyun Sect's North Peak. "It's the 'Shadow-Peeping Formation Plate' refined by Mo Renxing. It can resonate remotely with a specific Magical Artifact to transmit images."
Everyone's hearts were heavy. Having just entered the city, they were already caught in layers of nets. The enemy was in the shadows while they were in the light; the situation was far more severe than expected.
As night fell, the second-floor guest room of the Wangyue Inn was brightly lit, yet an invisible tension filled the air.
Lin Yue set up a simple soundproof barrier and sat with everyone. On the table lay the discovered poison seeds, the Spirit-Entwining Silk, and the dismantled Shadow-Peeping Formation Plate.
"The shopkeeper is Wu Tianli's man, the room was set with double traps, there are eyes among the city gate guards, and there are Xuanyue Sect spies monitoring outside the city." Lin Yue summarized the clues, his brow furrowed. "Wu Tianli's layout this time can be described as painstakingly planned. But how could he so accurately grasp our itinerary and Master Liu's injuries?"
Liu Qingyan mused: "Although we didn't leave the Sect with great fanfare, the qinglan boat is a conspicuous target. Wu Tianli has operated within the Sect for many years and has numerous eyes; it wouldn't be hard for him to find out our departure time and general route. As for my injuries... during the battle with Mo Chen that day, although I tried my best to hide it, fluctuations of the Golden Core were inevitable, and perhaps they were sensed by scouts lurking nearby."
"I'm afraid it's more than that." Ling Wei pointed at the Shadow-Peeping Formation Plate. "The Formation Plates refined by Junior Martial Uncle Mo require the receiving Magical Artifact to be within a certain range to be effective. I've checked, and the energy fluctuations of this Formation Plate are very fresh, clearly having been activated just recently. This means the person holding the receiving Magical Artifact is currently inside Tianyan City, and not far from us! Only by monitoring us in real-time could they coordinate with the outside actions so precisely."
Su Qingyuan gripped her sword hilt tightly: "In other words, besides the enemies on the surface, there are core confidants of Wu Tianli or Mo Renxing commanding from the shadows within the city?"