Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

”I’ll deal with He Pingzhou. I’m curious to see how much he has progressed over these years,” Ouyang Zi said.

”The Su Nv Sect is a branch of the Daoist Family, its methods are akin to our Celestial Secret Tower. Being merely Second Grade, it can be handled by the disciples under my Celestial Secret Tower,” Zhengtian Mountain stroked his greying beard and said, ”Fan Laoguai, when the time comes, let’s test the strength of Prince Zhen Nan together.”

Fan Yanglou nodded.

After making preliminary plans, the three of them left the desert and sent pigeon messages to summon their followers.

...

On Chen Mo’s side, although he still hadn’t located that lustful monk, he obtained a crucial clue. That monk’s identity was a disciple of Abbot Fang Hui over a decade ago, with the Dharma name Yuan Kong. He was extremely perceptive but didn’t adhere to the Buddhist Sect’s precepts, for which he was expelled from the sect.

And Abbot Fang Hui happened to be the only survivor of the battle between three Buddhist experts and Lin Su Ya during the anti-Buddhist campaign of the time.

After learning the identity, it became much easier to proceed, but Chen Mo and his group decided not to linger in Hang City any longer, planning to find the Nan Zhou Treasure first.

The group took about two days to reach the seaside.

According to the clues obtained from the Red Sun Bell, the location of the Nan Zhou Treasure is on Qingdu Island, fifty miles away from Qingdu Town.

The harbor by the sea was already deserted due to the chaotic world, and no fishermen went out to sea. Only a few abandoned small fishing boats were left in the bay.

However, this posed no problem for Chen Mo and his group. As long as they had money, they could easily hire a large boat to go to the island.

But suddenly Chen Mo suggested taking a rest.

In the inn at Qingdu Town, when Wu Xin’Er noticed her husband calling even He Lao into the room, she knew he must have something to say.

Sure enough, after sitting down, Chen Mo first sensed around, confirmed there were no eavesdroppers, and said, ”We are being followed.”

At this, everyone was shocked.

Even He Lao hadn’t noticed.

”These people are very cautious, always keeping just outside the perceptual range of a First Grade Martial Artist. If it weren’t for my slightly farther sensing range, I wouldn’t have noticed them,” Chen Mo said.

Although he had anticipated that his whereabouts might be exposed before heading to Jiangnan, he didn’t expect someone would dare to ambush and assassinate him and, after failing, still dare to follow him.

At first, he thought they were from the same group.

But over the past two days, he realized these people were from multiple factions.

Moreover, they didn’t seem to be here to assassinate him, because an assassination wouldn’t require so many people, and it would be easier to expose.

Besides, if it were an assassination, since they had gathered enough people, why hadn’t they made a move yet?

This location was also very remote, there was no worry about him having reinforcements.

Therefore, he analyzed and concluded that most of these people were after the Nan Zhou Treasure.

The matter of the Nan Zhou Treasure has been a mystery for hundreds of years, with many doubting its existence because it has never been found. So why are so many people mobilizing for it now?

Furthermore, how did they know that by following him, they would find the Nan Zhou Treasure?

Very few people know that collecting all four Red Sun Bells reveals the location of the Nan Zhou Treasure.

After the last major incident, almost all involved died. Ji Xi’Er was with him, so how did the information leak?

”Husband, are they after you?” Wu Xin’Er couldn’t help but worry, knowing her husband was strong but fewer in number, there could still be danger if the enemies were many.

Chen Mo shook his head, ”They’re most likely after the Nan Zhou Treasure.”

At this, everyone was once again shocked, and Wu Xin’Er and Jiang Ruoqing almost simultaneously asked, ”How do they know about the Nan Zhou Treasure?”

”There are no walls in the world that don’t let out the wind, besides...” Chen Mo looked at Ji Xi’Er. Over these days, the control effect of the Charm Skill was gradually weakening. Last night, he asked Ji Xi’Er about how many still knew about the Nan Zhou Treasure details. The latter surprisingly hesitated.

After pressing further, Ji Xi’Er finally said there was another person who knew and was still alive, whom she called Master. The Black Shadow Killer Organization was actually created by that Master alone, who knew a lot about the Nan Zhou Treasure.

However, the matter of the Top Grade Magical Artifact was unknown to that so-called Master; only the royal bloodline of Nan Zhou knew about it.

Moreover, besides the Top Grade Magical Artifact and countless treasures, there’s also a Foundation Establishment Pill in the treasure, which could allow a First Grade Martial Artist to complete Foundation Establishment.

And this Foundation Establishment Pill was left by the ancestors of the Ji family.

Wu Xin’Er, seeing Chen Mo glance at Ji Xi’Er, thought she had leaked the information and immediately looked at her with disapproval.

Ji Xi’Er’s expression changed too, from resentment to timidity, then she hid behind Chen Mo.

”It wasn’t her. She’s been with us these days and had no chance to leak information; it’s someone else,” Chen Mo said.

”Who?”

”A person called Master.”

”Master?” Wu Xin’Er pondered for a while. So many people are called ’Master’ that it’s impossible to confirm who it really is. She looked at her husband, ”Since there are people tracking us, should we still go to the island?”

”We must. Since they have followed us this far, if any smart people among them could also link it to Qingdu Island. The island is only so big; if they get on it and, by chance, find the treasure and open it with brute force, all our efforts would be in vain,” Chen Mo said seriously.

”What should we do next?” Jiang Ruoqing asked.

”Xin’Er, is there anyone from the Wu Family here in Qingdu Town?” Chen Mo turned his gaze to Xin’Er.

Xin’Er thought for a moment and answered honestly, ”The Wu family has quite a few properties and businesses in Jiangnan, so many that even some stewards of the family don’t know where they all are, and I am just a woman of the Wu family...”

After finishing, Wu Xin’Er felt a bit embarrassed.

Chen Mo understood what she meant. Simply put, there are too many family businesses in this area, and even though I hold a high position in the family, being a woman, I’m not in charge and therefore not sure if there are any family businesses in Qingdu Town.

Wu Xin’Er glanced at He Lao.

He Lao helplessly shrugged his shoulders; not being a member of the Wu family, he certainly wouldn’t know either.

Just as Chen Mo felt slightly disappointed, Wu Xin’Er said, ”However, if there is family property, whether a shop or something else, it will have the family emblem.”

”Very well, let’s go for a walk then. Xin’Er, I need you to do me a favor,” Chen Mo whispered to Wu Xin’Er.

It wasn’t a secret, just for Wu Xin’Er to use family connections to send a message for more people to come and help, while he kept things here stalled, hoping to attract local militia for further assistance.

ps: Filling a previous plot hole.