Chapter 376: Chapter 276: Inviting An Jing to Universally Save the World Chapter 376: Chapter 276: Inviting An Jing to Universally Save the World “Oh?”

An Jing’s eyebrows rose slightly, “He wants to see me?”

Towards Xi Hafu, the Great Grandmaster and the most eminent Buddhist master of the day, An Jing still harbored a trace of caution. Although Xi Hafu was presently cooperating with the Great Yan Court, in An Jing’s mind, this person was not a friend but an enemy, who needed to be guarded against at all times.

An Jing had personally witnessed Xi Hafu becoming a Great Grandmaster.

He had integrated the remains of the evil spirits into his own body and had absorbed a large amount of their blood. Moreover, Xi Hafu had also attempted to kill An Jing at Yulong Snow Mountain and even seriously injured Nan Weiping. If it weren’t for the protection of a million ghost soldiers in the Jade Seal, An Jing might have fallen to his malevolent hands.

Even now, during their cooperation, his aim was undoubtedly to wait for the Earth Vein Spirit in the Dragon Locking Well.

Li Fuzhou asked, “Young Master, do you want to meet him?”

“Meet, of course I’ll meet.”

An Jing said slowly: “I just happen to want to get some information from the mouth of this Great Grandmaster.”

Since Xi Hafu knew to merge with the remains and blood of evil spirits to become a Great Grandmaster, he obviously was aware of the secrets of the world. Maybe he even knew the true origins of this evil spirit Qi.

While speaking, the two arrived at the great hall.

At the moment, Fa Wu was seated in the guest seat of the great hall, hands pressed together, looking calm and serene. It was hard to imagine a child of about twelve years old having such an expression.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Fa Wu opened his eyes and said, “Donor An, I greet you.”

An Jing gave a one-handed salute and said, “It seems Master Fa Wu is not far from the Five Qi Realm.”

Inside Fa Wu, the Five Qi were rising gradually, with an aura as solid as mountains, indicating that he was not far from the Five Qi Returning to Origin.

The Buddhist ranks were about to gain another Five Qi Grandmaster.

Given Fa Wu’s current age, it was very likely that he had a chance to strive for the Grandmaster Realm in the future–his prospects were limitless.

Fa Wu shook his head and said, “The cultivation of this poor monk is the legacy of the blessings left by the predecessors of my faith, unlike the donor who has cultivated on his own. It is like a castle in the sky, which will shatter upon touch.”

An Jing chuckled softly, “The master is too humble.”

Fa Wu brought his hands together and said, “It is not humility, it is the truth.”

To reach such a level of cultivation at such a young age naturally stemmed from a great opportunity and immense blessings, which is not as solid and reliable as the cultivation achieved step by step by others.

An Jing did not further delve into this matter and said, “I have heard that Master Xi Hafu from your esteemed sect wishes to meet with me, so please invite him.”

“Donor, please.”

Fa Wu bowed down slightly, making an inviting gesture.

The two walked on in silence until An Jing suddenly asked, “Does Master Fa Wu think this evil spirit Qi is good or bad?”

Upon hearing An Jing’s words, Fa Wu’s eyelids twitched, and he said, “This poor monk thinks it’s nothing benign.”

Previously on Three Temple Mountain, to protect the seal, Fa Zhi did not hesitate to sacrifice his life. Moreover, the emergence of evil spirit Qi caused many people with low cultivation to lose their sanity, leading to chaos everywhere. Although these incidents had been suppressed with thunderous methods by the Xuanyi Guard of the Court, such situations were still occurring.

And Xi Hafu, having become a Great Grandmaster, had integrated the remains and the blood of the evil spirits and was waiting for the Earth Vein Spirit, thoroughly tainted by the evil spirit Qi, to merge with himself.

An Jing spoke somberly, “Then why does the master not stick to his own heart?”

Fa Wu’s steps faltered slightly, An Jing’s words ringing in his heart like the resounding sound of temple bells.

…..

Imperial City, Imperial Study Room.

Zhao Xuening, who had just attended the early morning court session, returned to the Imperial Study Room. The war between Yan Country and Zhao Country was still ongoing, while incidents of the evil spirit Qi becoming more frequent were on the rise as well. This newly enthroned Eternal Peace Human Emperor was naturally busy, sleeping only two to three hours a day, spending most of the time reviewing and approving documents.

Each memorial bore her red annotations, with many a thousand words and fewer around a hundred words.

“`
Even among the emperors of the Great Yan Dynasty, Emperor Yan of Yong’an was undoubtedly one of the busiest, with very rare and fixed periods for sleep and rest.

Just then, the eunuch Bai Mei entered and said, “Your Majesty! Meng Zhaodou requests an audience.”

Emperor Yan of Yong’an set down his writing brush and said indifferently, “Let him in.”

“Yes.”

Eunuch Bai Mei responded and then walked towards the door.

Before long, Meng Zhaodou slowly walked in, performed a respectful gesture, and said, “Your humble servant greets Your Majesty!”

Emperor Yan of Yong’an continued reviewing the memorials and said indifferently, “Speak, what is it?”

Meng Zhaodou clenched his fists and said, “Experts from Guishuang have appeared in the city. According to my investigation, they are top forces from the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace of Guishuang. Moreover, there are Five Qi Grandmasters among them.”

Emperor Yan of Yong’an paused his movements and asked, “Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace?”

Meng Zhaodou said, “The Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace is the strongest force in Guishuang, supported by the Guishuang Royal Family. It’s comparable to the Black Ice Platform; it’s said that there are three Five Qi Grandmasters and one Great Grandmaster within the palace.”

Emperor Yan of Yong’an’s eyes narrowed slightly, “A Great Grandmaster!?”

This region had been without a Great Grandmaster for a very long time, and now there was one in Guishuang?

Meng Zhaodou said in a grave tone, “This Great Grandmaster is none other than Guishuang’s current top expert, Wutu. He’s also the Palace Master of the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace. He reached the Grandmaster realm just a few years ago, and his cultivation is not that long-standing. It’s said that after stabilizing his cultivation, he intended to challenge the experts of Great Yan, Houjin, Pure Land, and the Southern Barbarians. He had been silent until now, which is why our countries in the east have had no news of him.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yan of Yong’an let out a cold laugh, “The waters are indeed becoming murkier. Even Guishuang wants to have a hand in it. Did the people from the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace come to Yujing City for the Earth Vein Spirit as well?”

Meng Zhaodou took a deep breath before replying, “Exactly, the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace has been covertly expanding for years, recruiting many Jianghu experts. I was negligent before and failed to detect their presence. It is said that Wutu is about to leave seclusion, and their appearance in Yujing City is aimed at the Ghost Swordsman of Outer Heaven and State Preceptor Xiao Qianqiu.”

The Heaven and Earth Net is the Great Yan Royal Family’s intelligence network, which has an intimate understanding of Great Yan. Even if some intelligence wasn’t promptly investigated, it could be soon unearthed.

When An Jing first appeared on the Xuanyi Guard’s wanted list, the Heaven and Earth Net had already begun its investigation. Had it not been for Zhao Chongyin discreetly removing the wanted notice, as time went on and more clues emerged, there was a great risk of exposure.

And yet, the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace had hidden in Great Yan for years undetected by the Heaven and Earth Net. On one hand, this was a lapse in their duties; who could have imagined that such a distant power as the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace had begun its infiltration? On the other hand, the actions of the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace were indeed very secretive.

“An Jing and the State Preceptor?”

Emperor Yan of Yong’an slowly rose to his feet, a glint of cold light flickering in his eyes.

Meng Zhaodou nodded and said, “Yes, it’s said that the Five Qi Grandmasters from Guishuang have come for this very reason.”

The Great Yan Dynasty does not permit the breaking of the Dragon Locking Well’s seal. That means if the seal is indeed to be broken, the top experts of Great Yan must be eliminated, and the strongest among them currently are An Jing, Xiao Qianqiu, eunuch Bai Mei, the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect, and others from the Five Elements.

As for the Xi Hafu of Dragon Spring Temple, not many people were aware of him.

Emperor Yan of Yong’an had sealed the news, and the Buddhist community remained silent. It would be difficult for anyone to guess that Xi Hafu, who had previously collaborated with Houjin, was now at Dragon Spring Temple near the Dragon Locking Well.

This was a hidden piece on the chessboard, naturally not to be revealed lightly.

Xi Hafu had his own calculations, and so did Emperor Yan of Yong’an.

Emperor Yan of Yong’an instructed bluntly, “Inform An Jing of this matter. Make sure he knows immediately.”

With Xiao Qianqiu currently at Nanhua Mountain and accompanied by a top expert of the Zhenyi Sect, Hua Lian, a standout of the Hua generation, the only one in Yujing City was An Jing.

Meng Zhaodou bowed and said, “I will attend to it right away.”

Then, Meng Zhaodou slowly took his leave.

Zhao Xuening picked up a memorial and let out a cold smirk, “Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace, things are really getting more interesting.”

…..

Yujing City, Dragon Spring Temple.

After renovations, the ancient temple’s imposing and austere gates seemed more majestic than ever, with its main eaves covered in purple glazed tiles. The temple gate bore twelve gilded characters: Dragon Spring Ancient Temple, glittering in the sunlight.

“`
Under Fa Wu’s guidance, the two of them walked along the long corridor and entered the ancient temple.

Seeing the newly risen sun casting its golden radiance on the temple, the great hall and jade tower became even more magnificent and extraordinary. The trees planted on both sides turned greener and lusher, providing a feast for the eyes and refreshing the spirit.

Behind the bamboo forest, a winding and secluded path appeared. A breeze came by, and the bamboo swayed gently, dancing in the wind.

Following the path, they arrived at a Zen room shrouded amidst flourishing flowers and trees.

The vegetation was lush, with a fragrance that was fresh and rich, quiet and enchanting. Only the sound of the bell and chime echoed and extended through the air… The lingering sound was endless, like wisps that never ceased.

An Jing looked up at the sky and saw the sound of the bell and chime mingling above the Zen court, blending with the daylight and the purple smoke as if the Buddhist chant entered his ears, cleansing the dust within his chest, remote and lasting, offering endless aftertaste.

Fa Wu stretched out his hand in a gesture of invitation and said, “The Patriarch is waiting inside the Zen room.”

Creak-!

An Jing pushed open the door and stepped inside slowly.

He saw Xi Hafu sitting on a meditation cushion, striking a wooden fish with his hands and murmuring Buddhist scriptures to himself.

The mild sunlight streamed through the gauze window and shone upon Xi Hafu, as if draping him with a layer of golden light, giving him a sacred and dignified aura.

Xi Hafu stopped the wooden fish and said lightly, “Benefactor, please take a seat.”

An Jing sat down opposite him and said, “I never expected that even after becoming a Buddha, the master is still reciting sutras.”

Xi Hafu set aside the wooden fish and replied, “Reciting sutras is for oneself to hear, not for others. As the saying goes, sincerity opens the path even to gold and stone.”

An Jing nodded, “Then the master’s heart must be very sincere.”

Xi Hafu asked, “What do you mean by that?”

An Jing replied playfully, “If the master’s heart were not sincere, how could he become the Buddha of our time?”

How Xi Hafu became a Great Grandmaster was something An Jing had witnessed with his own eyes.

Is this sincerely becoming a Buddha!?

Xi Hafu said, “Benefactor, you are being persistent. Nature’s spiritual energy is one path, and the evil energy you speak of is also a path. As long as the heart does not lose its way and one can see the path ahead clearly, what difference is there between the two?”

“I have already told you, the nature’s spiritual energy in your eyes might well be evil energy, and the evil energy might actually be the true nature’s spiritual energy.”

An Jing sneered in his heart but responded calmly, “Right and wrong are crystal clear to me. Doesn’t the chaos in the world now explain everything?”

What others say is ultimately what others say. Only what one sees is the most real. Not only is his body invaded by evil energy that he cannot purge, but the world has also experienced disasters due to this same evil energy, which is apparent to anyone with clear sight.

Xi Hafu brought his hands together and said, “Amitabha, many people are indeed suffering. But these are just the trials they face before great changes. Only after enduring these trials, and showing true sincerity to Buddha, will it be time for the great revelation.”

An Jing inquired, “What does the Buddhist revelation of gold and stone mean?”

In Xi Hafu’s eyes, a glimmer of longing shimmered as he said, “It means that everyone in the world may enter the Pure Land.”

“Hahaha!”

Upon hearing this, An Jing burst into laughter as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world.

Xi Hafu asked, “Why does Benefactor An laugh?”

An Jing couldn’t help but say, “What a Pure Land! I’m very curious, what exactly is this Pure Land you speak of?”

He now finally understood why Xi Hafu could let go of obsessions. The person in front of him was clearly a fanatic to an extreme degree.

Madmen often differentiate from geniuses by a mere thought. Some become geniuses, others become madmen.

Is a madman scarier or a genius more formidable?

An Jing felt that an obsessed madman was scarier, and extremely so at that.

Xi Hafu said, “When everyone becomes a Buddha, that will be the Pure Land.”

An Jing narrowed his eyes slightly, “That will be very difficult.”

Xi Hafu calmly looked at An Jing and said, “The purpose of my actions is to help enlighten all people in this world to become Buddhas.”

To enlighten all people in the world to become Buddhas!?

Anyone who heard Xi Hafu’s words would be shocked by their audacity.

But the person who spoke these words was a land immortal of this era, a master as esteemed as a living Buddha.

An Jing exhaled and said, “Master, you didn’t come just to tell me your grand vision today, did you?”

Xi Hafu earnestly said, “Of course not, I hope you can be a part of it.”

An Jing looked at Xi Hafu before him, his pupils contracting slightly, “Me, be a part of it?”

Xi Hafu put his hands together in front of his chest and said, “Beneath the Dragon Locking Well lies an Earth Vein Spirit, coveted by countless treacherous people, including those of the Grandmaster Realm. They all wish to use the Earth Vein Spirit to break through to a realm above what anyone has ever reached before in this world.”

An Jing’s lips curled into a cold smile, “The treacherous people you speak of–are they him, me, or yourself?”

“Donor An, you are mistaken.”

Xi Hafu said unaffectedly, “My intentions are sincere and devoted to the well-being of the world. When have I ever been one of those with treacherous hearts?”

“Whether you’re a person with a treacherous heart, you and everyone else plainly know.”

An Jing shook his head and stood up, saying, “Qian Qiu who never dies, Wang Yangsheng, and you, master, the reason there has been no great conflict until now is because you are all waiting.”

“You are all waiting for the Earth Vein Spirit to be fully tainted by the evil spirits. Only then will it be the real time for you to take action. Am I wrong?”

The Earth Vein Spirit lies beneath the Dragon Locking Well, but these Grandmasters, other than making some tentative moves, have refrained from launching an attack on the well.

An Jing and Zhao Qingmei speculated that apart from the fear of becoming the target of all by acting first, another reason for their inaction was that they were waiting.

Xi Hafu looked at An Jing, who had stood up, and was silent for a long time, “You are not wrong; I am indeed waiting. Only when the Earth Vein Spirit has been completely cleansed will it be the tipping point for tumultuous change in this world.”

As expected!

An Jing felt even colder in his heart upon hearing Xi Hafu’s words.

An Jing had also delved into the Dragon Locking Well himself, finding the Earth Vein Spirit tainted by an unknown evil spirit, nearly corroded completely. This malignant aura had no traceable source and could not be cleansed, its sheer presence impeding An Jing’s movements simply by clinging to his body.

It seemed that the Earth Vein Spirit being infected by the evil spirits was all but a foregone conclusion.

And once the Earth Vein Spirit was thoroughly tainted, it would signal the time for these individuals to make their move.

Then, with the evil spirits pervading the world, countless people would lose their reason and plunge into slaughter, inevitably leading to chaos, devastation, and the suffering of all living beings.

After a long while, An Jing coldly said, “I have no interest in participating in the grand schemes of the master.”

Xi Hafu said indifferently, “Donor, I am doing this for the benefit of all living beings.”

An Jing paused mid-step and scoffed, “Seated high in your great hall, do you understand the suffering of the world?”

Having said that, An Jing strode out of the Zen room.

Xi Hafu watched An Jing’s retreating figure, his face expressionless, neither joyous nor sad, just like the Buddha statue atop the Buddhist Temple.

……

In Yujing City, at the Lv Mansion.

With the arrival of autumn, the weather was growing noticeably cooler.

Tan Yun, dressed in a light green dress that fell to her waist and revealed her fair ankles, stepped lightly in her white embroidered shoes, walking briskly towards the outside of the mansion.

“`
“Woof! Woof!”

The little black pup followed Tan Yun happily, its excited tail wagging nonstop.

Ever since An Jing had come to Yujing City, Tan Yun had found it to be much livelier, and she was someone who loved a bustling scene–making excuses to head toward the Demon Sect’s stronghold whenever possible.

Just as Tan Yun arrived at the outer courtyard, she suddenly spotted a shady, chubby figure sneaking around.

That person was none other than Lv Jingchun.

At that moment, he was crouching under the corridor, cautiously taking out a letter.

“How strange!”

Tan Yun couldn’t help but be curious on seeing this.

Lv Jingchun glanced around, ‘discovered’ that no one was around, and then opened the letter.

Instantly, a row of elegant and refined handwriting appeared on the paper, and at the same time, a fragrance assailed the senses.

Lv Jingchun immediately leaned his plump head closer, greedily inhaling the fragrance from the handwriting.

“Pfft!”

Just then, a weird noise sounded.

“What’s that smell!?”

Lv Jingchun’s face changed instantly, and then a strange stench reached his nose. He looked down to see a pitch-black little dog staring at him with big eyes–it was the culprit of the smelly fart.

Tan Yun, her smile so wide she could hardly close her mouth, walked over, “Oh dear, I’m so sorry, Little Blackie has been so lazy lately, always eating and sleeping–hardly getting any exercise.”

The expression on Lv Jingchun’s face was rich in variety, and after a long time, he finally exclaimed in anger, “What the hell did your dog eat? Its farts are unbelievably stinky.”

Tan Yun’s smile faded as she put her hands on her hips, “What’s it to you? You sniff and leave it be; what, you want the recipe?”

Lv Jingchun: “…..”

Suddenly, Tan Yun’s eyes widened, “Grandfather, how did you get here?”

“What?!”

Hearing Tan Yun’s words, Lv Jingchun’s heart skipped a beat, and he cursed inwardly, quickly turning to look behind him. But the street was empty–where was the shadow of Lv Guoyong?

It was too late to react; before he knew it, Tan Yun had swiftly grabbed the letter from Lv Jingchun’s hands.

“You tricked me!”

Lv Jingchun saw his precious letter snatched away by Tan Yun and immediately scolded, “Give it back to me, you little brat!”

“What is it that makes you treasure it so much?”

Tan Yun dodged Lv Jingchun while reading, “Lv Lang… bring silver and the register… looking forward to your honorable presence… Shui Rou.”

The handwriting was exquisite, emanating the air of a great lady, but there were several complex and rare characters that puzzled Tan Yun.

Seeing this, Lv Jingchun grew anxious and angry, “That’s from Miss Shui Rou of Cuilou Building (Chapter 240), she’s arranged to meet me under the parasol tree outside the city at the hour of the Dog.”

Tan Yun raised an eyebrow on hearing this, “Isn’t Cuilou Building a brothel?”

Cuilou Building was a well-known brothel in Yujing City, and Shui Rou was a famous courtesan, not just gorgeous but also proficient in the literary arts. Countless scions and officials from the court aspired to be her favored guests, but so far, there seemed to be very few men who caught her eye.

Lv Jingchun hurriedly said, “Give it back to me!”

Tan Yun replied dismissively, “You fool, this woman is scamming you; she’s not only after your silver but also the register.”

The register was something extremely secretive. Although Tan Yun didn’t know which register it was, she knew that it definitely should not be handled carelessly by Lv Guoyong.

“`
Lv Jingchun snorted, “Nonsense, how could she possibly deceive me? She definitely has her eyes on my handsome and extraordinary self, my many talents. Miss Shui Rou is the most beautiful girl in this world, she isn’t like those common worldly women without discernment.”

Taken by your handsome and extraordinary self, your many talents?

Tan Yun glanced at Lv Jingchun, “Are you out of your mind?”

Lv Jingchun replied with frustration, “What do you know? This is called love.”

“What kind of crappy love is this?”

Tan Yun scoffed, “She’s after your silver, even wanting some vital secrets from our Lv Mansion. She is clearly throwing you into a pit of endless disaster.”

Lv Jingchun hastened to shout, “Mind your own business. If I have the silver, it’s to spend on her. I’m willing. Now, give me the letter. I must protect every single one with great care.”

Tan Yun clutched the letter in her hand tightly, “Today, I want to see what kind of woman has bewitched you to the point of losing your soul.”

Saying that, Tan Yun grabbed the letter and ran towards the door.

“Tan Yun! You dead girl, give it to me!”

Upon hearing this, the joy in Lv Jingchun’s eyes was fleeting. He then quickly followed her.

Soon, the silhouettes of their chase disappeared from the outer court of the Lv Mansion.

Not long after, a plump figure strolled out from the inner courtyard, leisurely.

It was Lv Jingchun.

He lifted his head to look at the sky and couldn’t help but sigh, “The weather is getting cooler, just like my heart. I really wish for a female swindler to cheat my pure and beautiful feelings, to let me taste the bitterness of love. Just how bitter it is.”

Right at that moment, a maid caught sight of Lv Jingchun and showed a hint of surprise, “Young Master, didn’t you just go out?”

Lv Jingchun rubbed the sleep from his eyes and said, “Little Green, I just woke up. What do you mean ‘just went out’?”

The maid, puzzled, said, “I saw you chasing the miss just now.”

Lv Jingchun gave a dry cough and said with a sly smile, “You must have not slept well last night. Did you have hysteria? Come to my room tonight and I’ll take a look at you.”

The maid felt goosebumps all over and quickly replied, “Young Master, pardon the interruption, I must really be going blind with age.”

Saying so, she walked away, stepping delicately into the distance.

“You are in the prime of youth, how could you be going blind with age?”

Lv Jingchun chuckled dryly and touched his nose.

……

Yujing City, in the west within the parasol tree forest.

The withered yellow leaves spiraled down continuously, like butterflies fluttering in the wind, forming layer upon layer on the ground.

“Where is the person?”

Tan Yun stood beneath the parasol tree looking around, and soon spotted a graceful figure in the distance.

The woman wore a hairpin with a bead and had purple ribbons dangling from her hair down to her waist. The flower hairpin between her brows was especially elegant. Her peach-blossom eyes were lively and charming. She was dressed in a light purple palace attire with light blue butterflies embroidered on the hem of her skirt and was draped in a layer of white gauze. Her earlobes dangled with pair of aqua blue earrings, and on her left hand, she held a handkerchief embroidered with lotus flowers.

She was holding a letter in her hand, seemingly eagerly waiting.

This person was the top courtesan of Cuiyun Tower, Shui Rou.

“You’re Shui Rou, right?”

Just then, a cold voice rang out.

Hearing the voice, Shui Rou turned to look and saw Tan Yun watching her with an icy expression.

No matter what, Tan Yun had grown up in the Demon Sect. Asking her to talk about worldly matters might be too much, but when it came to fighting and killing, she was quite adept at handling the average Jianghu figures. At this moment, those eyes of hers staring with intimidating momentum.

Shui Rou nodded and said, “That’s right, who are you?”

“Who I am is not important.”

Tan Yun spoke indifferently, “Stay away from that idiot Lv Jingchun in the future, or don’t blame me for not being polite to you.”

Shui Rou didn’t seem to be scared by Tan Yun’s momentum as she covered her mouth and laughed, “Not polite, how exactly will you be impolite?”

Tan Yun said, “You will die!”

Shui Rou asked, “Are you going to kill me?”

Tan Yun said, “Killing you would be as easy as turning over my hand.”

Shui Rou, full of confidence, said, “Then you may try.”

Tan Yun’s beautiful eyes narrowed into slits and said, “Since it is so, then don’t blame me for not giving you a chance.”

“Shi!”

The next moment, she drew the Futu Sword from her waist.

The sword light was as fast as lightning, and its force like thunder as it slashed towards the front.

By now, Tan Yun’s cultivation had reached First Grade, and her Sword Dao realm had also attained the Fourth Realm. Although she was not using her full strength with this sword, it was not something that ordinary experts could withstand, let alone an Oiran in front of her?

But in the next moment, as the sharp edge of the sword was about to touch the fair, delicate neck, it was caught between a pair of fingers.

Those fingers were like iron pincers, and the Futu Sword couldn’t move at all.

“You!”

Tan Yun looked at Shui Rou, a hint of shock in her eyes.

This Oiran was no simple character!

Shui Rou smiled lightly, “Little sister, it seems you can’t be impolite to me after all.”

Tan Yun demanded, “Who exactly are you?”

Just then, the voice of Lv Jingchun came from behind her, “That dead dog actually farted, seriously bad luck.”

Tan Yun turned around and quickly shouted, “Scarecrow, get away, this person….”

She stopped halfway through her sentence when she saw Lv Jingchun’s eyes emanating an icy chill, as if wanting to devour someone, completely different from the usual Lv Jingchun.

He was not Lv Jingchun!

In an instant, Tan Yun realized, “You are not Lv Jingchun, who are you?”

Then she saw that ‘Lv Jingchun’ placed a palm on his face and ripped off the human skin mask, revealing a dead and chilling face, “You little brat, see who I am?”

Disguise Technique!

In Jianghu, there are many Disguise Techniques and Concealing Qi Skills, some of which are exceptionally refined, even a common Grandmaster would find it hard to detect.

An Jing’s Concealing Qi Technique was one that even a Grandmaster had not been able to discover.

Tan Yun queried, “Who are you guys, what are you planning to do?”

Shui Rou replied indifferently, “What are we going to do? You will find out soon.”

After speaking, Shui Rou’s figure flashed in front of Tan Yun, and a hand chop landed on the back of her neck; she then embraced the soft body.

The shadowy man coldly said, “That dead dog didn’t follow, otherwise I would have flayed and eaten it alive.”

Shui Rou’s delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed as she said, “Alright, enough grumbling. Master Mo Chen and Uncle Chang Ning are still waiting for us to report back.”

The man nodded without saying anything.

Afterward, their figures leapt up, vanishing into the parasol tree forest.

……

While everyone was eagerly anticipating the battle between Ghost Swordsman and Zongzheng Huachun, another major event swept through the entire Yujing City.

This was the disappearance of Lv Guoyong’s granddaughter.

No one could be unaware of Lv Guoyong’s granddaughter. Previously, atop the Eight Feet Platform of the Xuanyi Guard, Li Fuzhou had slain Tang Taiyuan, and afterward, when the Royal Family’s top expert, the Eunuch Bai Mei, attempted to take Tan Yun away, it was at this critical moment that Lv Guoyong made his appearance.

Following this event, Tan Yun naturally became the apple of Lv Guoyong’s eye, and everyone knew of his fondness for her.

Furthermore, Tan Yun had originally come from the Demon Sect, and her master was none other than the leader of the Demon Sect’s Human Sect.

Although the Demon Sect had retreated to Great Yan after being pushed back from Dongluo Pass, and their prestige had suffered, Ghost Swordsman had slowly gained fame. Then the Demon Sect extinguished the Ma Family on Beihuang Dao, Four Qi Grandmaster You Gai joined them, and they gathered the Five Gangs Alliance and the Five Poison Sect. In short order, the Demon Sect had become the premier sect in Great Yan, compelling even the Zhenyi Sect and the Buddhist to step back.

Such a person was Lv Guoyong’s granddaughter, the disciple of the leader of the Demon Sect’s Human Sect. Now, such an important figure had gone missing, causing an uproar in Yujing City.

All of Yujing City was suddenly in turmoil–Heaven and Earth Net, the many forces of the Demon Sect’s Human Sect, all began the search for Tan Yun’s whereabouts, but she seemed to have vanished without a trace.

No one knew where she had gone.

Lv Mansion, the main hall.

At this moment, the hall was as silent as death. Lv Guoyong’s face was stern, casting an icy cold atmosphere. Seeing such an expression on Lv Guoyong, Lv Fang and Lv Jingchun dared not even breathe too loudly.

Manor Steward Jin Wuwang also stood with brows tightly furrowed, silent at the side.

Lv Guoyong asked with a knitted brow, “Wuwang, you said you were stopped by a master?”

Jin Wuwang nodded, “This morning, a Four Qi Grandmaster appeared in the manor. I sensed their presence and gave chase, instead of following the young lady.”

Hearing this, Lv Guoyong softly said, “It seems this was a premeditated action.”

Lv Jingchun angrily said, “Who on earth has such an enmity with our Lv Sect to kidnap Tan Yun?”

At this moment, his fists were clenched tightly, and his heart was filled with immense anxiety.

Although Tan Yun had often bullied and beaten him, he did not hold a grudge in his heart. On the contrary, he was deeply fond of his food-loving younger sister.

After all, not many in the Lv household had accompanied him in play, and now having someone to fight and frolic with wasn’t so bad. Plus, since Tan Yun’s arrival at Lv Mansion, life indeed had become more flavorful.

Lv Fang said in a stern voice, “There are too many on the court and in the Jianghu who bear grudges against the Lv Mansion.”

Lv Guoyong, with an expressionless face, said, “But I believe there is none in Great Yan who would dare to do such a thing.”

Lv Fang inquired, “Father, could it be Houjin or the Black Ice Platform?”

A cold light flashed in Lv Guoyong’s murky eyes.

He had killed Qin Shan of the Black Ice Platform before, and if the Black Ice Platform were to seek revenge now, it would not be surprising. At the same time, the much-anticipated and widely publicized battle between Ghost Swordsman and Zongzheng Huachun could distract and affect his mindset. It was possible that this incident was engineered to that end.

After a long pause, Lv Guoyong said indifferently, “This matter, I fear, is not so simple.”

Lv Fang asked, “Father, what do we do now?”

Lv Guoyong calmly said, “Investigate. Mobilize all the forces at the disposal of the Lv Sect to thoroughly investigate the matter. Narrow the search to within thirty miles of Yujing City.”

Although his Literary Palace had shattered, his innate sense had not vanished. He knew Tan Yun was still alive and nearby Yujing City.

Upon hearing this, Lv Fang quickly responded, “I understand.”

……