Checking in for 100,000 Years

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Getting to the Crux of the Matter, Swords Drawn and Bows Bent

Li Qingshan’s heart felt a little heavy as he glanced at Elder Mu.

”In the past two months, have any Elders of our Sect in the Shaping God Realm gone out?”

Elder Mu thought for a moment, then furrowed his brows. ”No one has gone out.”

Li Qingshan understood immediately and smiled at the beautiful young woman.

”Master Luo, none of the Outer Cloud Sword Sect’s Shaping God Realm Elders have left the mountain in the last two months. I wonder who could have offended someone from your esteemed Sect?”

Luo Li didn’t reply, instead glancing at her junior brother, Jun Moxiao.

Jun Moxiao stepped forward.

The young man had a face as fair as jade and eyes like morning stars. He stood as straight as a sword, radiating heroic valor. He looked at Li Qingshan calmly and spoke in a deep voice, ”Sect Leader Li, you can summon all disciples whose cultivation is below the Shaping God Realm and who have left the Sect in the past two months. I will identify them one by one.”

Li Qingshan hesitated.

This young man before me, although his cultivation base is a minor realm lower than mine, exerts immense pressure on me. His vital energy is surging, as vigorous as a dragon. With every breath, the very air around him seems to tremble slightly. He’s truly a rare talent.

Especially since both this young man and young woman were clad in Emperor-level Robes, giving them an air of extreme nobility, Li Qingshan grew even more wary of acting rashly.

After some thought, Li Qingshan decided that maintaining peace was paramount.

So, he said to Elder Mu, ”Go and gather all disciples who have left the Sect in the past two months in the main square.”

”Yes, Sect Leader.”

Elder Mu acknowledged and immediately hurried inside.

He understood the Sect Leader’s predicament. After all, these two young Shaping God Realm cultivators, with their extraordinary bearing, were clearly not ordinary individuals. The Outer Cloud Sword Sect could ill afford to offend them.

Li Qingshan smiled faintly at Luo Li again. ”Please, follow me, both of you.”

Luo Li glanced at Jun Moxiao. Understanding her unspoken cue, his figure flickered, and he reappeared near the front of the black carriage. He then guided it slowly through the mountain gate.

A gleam flashed in Li Qingshan’s eyes. He was puzzled, wondering why they insisted on bringing the carriage.

However, despite his curiosity, he merely gave the black carriage a fleeting glance and said nothing, continuing to lead the way.

Luo Li followed behind.

Soon, the group arrived at the square.

Disciples began to stream into the square, their numbers quickly swelling.

Jun Moxiao leaped down from the carriage.

Standing in the square, his gaze as sharp as a hawk’s, he scanned each arriving disciple, searching for the person he had encountered before.

However, among the Outer Cloud Sword Sect disciples in the square, not one was the coachman he had seen that day.

Jun Moxiao wasn’t anxious; he simply continued his search slowly.

More and more people gathered, their numbers gradually swelling to several thousand.

Many disciples, upon arriving at the square, were baffled by the situation and began to whisper amongst themselves, creating a noisy hum.

”Sect Leader, everyone has arrived.”

Elder Mu, having counted the disciples, reported to Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan nodded and then looked at Jun Moxiao.

Jun Moxiao frowned; he hadn’t found the coachman.

”Is everyone truly here?” Jun Moxiao asked Elder Mu coldly, his gaze sharp.

”Essentially, yes.” Elder Mu felt a chill under Jun Moxiao’s stare and quickly nodded.

”Impossible,” Jun Moxiao stated with conviction. ”I saw a disciple from the Outer Cloud Sword Sect that day. He’s not among them.”

Li Qingshan looked at Elder Mu. ”Elder Mu, think carefully. Is anyone missing?”

Elder Mu pondered for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead. ”Ah! At the Ancestor’s secluded cultivation site in the back mountains, there are two attendant disciples. They’ve left the mountain before.”

”Then what are you waiting for?” Jun Moxiao said coldly. ”Bring them here at once.”

A troubled expression crossed Elder Mu’s face. He looked at Li Qingshan and said, ”Sect Leader, there’s absolutely no problem with those two. They’ve only left the mountain once.”

Li Qingshan sighed. Things have already come to this. I have no choice but to trouble Elder Mu to make another trip. Besides, I don’t want to make enemies of these two. If these two powerful Shaping God Realm experts were to turn against the Outer Cloud Sword Sect, even if we could defeat them, it would be at a terrible cost. I don’t want the Sect to suffer such a huge loss over a trivial matter.

Elder Mu accepted the order and departed.

Before long, he returned with two men, both young and around thirty years of age.

Jun Moxiao’s gaze swept over them.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He pointed at one of the young men. ”It’s him!”

Li Qingshan glanced over and saw that this disciple’s cultivation base was only at the First Level of the Origin Sea Realm.

Only the First Level of the Origin Sea Realm?

”Master Luo,” Li Qingshan asked, ”this disciple of my Outer Cloud Sect has such a meager cultivation base. How could he possibly have become an enemy of your esteemed group?”

Jun Moxiao abruptly reached out, and with a telekinetic grip, pulled the Origin Sea Realm disciple, who had been keeping his head bowed, towards him.

”Do you still recognize me?” Jun Moxiao sneered, looking down at him.

The disciple raised his head, carefully scrutinizing Jun Moxiao’s face.

The longer he looked, the more horrified he became, and he suddenly began to tremble violently.

He cried out, ”How can it be you? Weren’t you supposed to have died at Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge?”

”I’m alive, no thanks to you,” Jun Moxiao sneered repeatedly.

Still gripping the disciple, he strode over to Li Qingshan.

The disciple struggled violently, shouting, ”That’s not right! Weren’t you only at the Gathering Qi Realm back then? How have you become a great Cultivator at the Fourth Level of the Shaping God Realm in just over half a month?”

Jun Moxiao merely sneered, not dignifying the question with an answer.

Nearby, Li Qingshan and the others felt their hearts leap. From the Gathering Qi Realm to the Shaping God Realm in just half a month? How is that possible?

For an instant, they even began to think that this disciple of their Sect had gone mad.

Just then, a sound like an explosive clap of thunder echoed from the sky.

”Where did these two brats spring from? How dare they come to my Outer Cloud Sword Sect to cause trouble and even seize one of my disciples!”

The voice boomed.

A streak of sword light flashed, and an old man in a black Robe with a Longsword on his back descended.

The elder exuded a powerful presence, emanating the aura of the Ninth Level of the Shaping God Realm.

”Greetings, Supreme Elder.”

Recognizing the newcomer, Li Qingshan was startled and hurriedly bowed in respect.

All the other disciples in the square did likewise.

Instantly, a chorus of respectful greetings thundered across the entire Outer Cloud Sword Sect.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Figures descended from all directions.

Every one of them possessed a Shaping God Realm cultivation base.

These were the Sect’s other Shaping God Realm Elders, who had also emerged after the Supreme Elder’s arrival.

”Li Qingshan, you spineless Sect Leader! The Outer Cloud Sword Sect has been bullied to this degree, and you still stand by? Are you even a man?!”

The Supreme Elder glared, pointing a finger at Li Qingshan as he berated him.

Li Qingshan’s face flushed crimson, and his body trembled.

I only wanted to prevent the Outer Cloud Sword Sect from suffering any losses, but I never imagined that in the Supreme Elder’s eyes, this would be seen as cowardice.

”No need for explanations!” the Supreme Elder snorted coldly. ”Draw your sword and kill these two immediately!”

Seeing the Supreme Elder’s fury, Li Qingshan took a deep breath and drew his treasured sword.

The other Shaping God Realm Elders of the Outer Cloud Sect, their eyelids lowered, also drew their Swords, aiming the tips at Luo Li and Jun Moxiao.

In an instant, a palpable tension gripped the entire Outer Cloud Sword Sect, the air thick and chilling with murderous intent.

「Inside the carriage.」

Ye Yun watched this unfold with a faint smile. Although this Supreme Elder looks like the mastermind, it’s probably not that simple. However, that coachman was indeed the one who took Jun Moxiao to Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge. As for whether this Supreme Elder is the masked man, it’s still too early to say for sure. The true culprit is hiding too deeply; it’s unlikely that a small sect like the Outer Cloud Sword Sect could orchestrate something like this. Besides, the Outer Cloud Sword Sect and the Dragon God Sect have no dealings with each other, so this Supreme Elder has no direct motive to act. There must be a greater power behind him.