Mountain and sea lantern

Chapter 634 What are you afraid of?

Yin Xu also sensed something was wrong. Shi Chun said it wasn't appropriate for the Golden-haired Rat Clan to go to Qingqiu and asked if she could find a way to stop them. Naturally, she immediately had someone contact Tian Shen again.

However, by the time Tian Shen received the news, he had lost track of the Golden-haired Rat Clan.

He hadn't followed the Golden-haired Rat Clan after they entered the Qingqiu region, because they had left because they couldn't establish themselves there. They had already turned back. By the time he received the news and went back to chase them, they were already quite far away. In fact, by the time he received the news again, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang had already arrived in Qingzhou territory...

Qingqiu is a hilly area within a marshland. Although it doesn't have any very high mountains, it has many unique peaks and beautiful scenery. The colorful forests have a vibrant and intense color contrast, and rainbows can be seen stretching across the mountains everywhere during the day, which is truly a wonder.

Pink clouds appear and drift in the mountains at dawn and dusk, and at night fireflies of five colors fly everywhere. When they fly in groups, they are like dancing neon lights, corresponding to the stars in the sky, like a dream.

A rich spiritual energy permeates this space.

A dreamlike place, said to be the burial place of an ancient god, has long been occupied by a group of foxes.

To enter this place, one must first cross a vast swamp.

The swamp here produces poisonous gas, some deadly, some hallucinogenic, and there are also guardian beasts lurking within.

One method is to pass through from a high altitude.

The Golden-haired Rat clan had to thank Bai Qiru, otherwise, with their cultivation level, they really wouldn't have been able to cross the swamp surrounding Qingqiu.

However, as soon as they landed in Qingqiu, they were immediately stopped by the fox clan guards.

"Who has trespassed into Qingqiu?"

After a shout, several men in blue robes blocked Bai Qiru and his group's path.

Bai Qiru stepped forward and bowed, replying, "The Golden-haired Rat clan, guided by a friend of the Qingqiu Ancestor, has come to Qingqiu seeking temporary refuge. Please convey our message to Your Excellency."

Among the string of words, the phrase "Ancestor of Qingqiu" immediately startled the men in blue who were blocking the way.

That was the most prestigious member of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, so they dared not be negligent. They figured no one would dare to come to Qingqiu to lie about their ancestor. So they immediately put away their fierceness, and the leader hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "Please wait a moment, everyone. We will go and inform them."

He took a step back, turned around, and then quickly soared into the air.

At the summit of Qingqiu, in the ancient palaces and pavilions shrouded in a light mist, banners filled with words fluttered gently in the wind. A beautiful woman in white, with her black hair styled in a fan shape behind her head, had a face like a lotus flower and eyes like autumn water. She was noble in appearance, yet she held a brush and practiced writing on a piece of cloth.

An elderly woman was serving him.

Inside a small pavilion nearby, someone was playing the zither to add to the merriment; the music was slow and melancholic.

The beautiful woman practicing calligraphy was none other than Yin Luo, the current patriarch of the Qingqiu Fox Clan.

The Qingqiu Fox Clan is a matrilineal society that reveres women; therefore, all the leaders in the clan throughout history have been female.

The old woman who was helping the calligraphy student suddenly looked up and saw someone waiting outside the pavilion. She immediately left and communicated with the visitor briefly. After confirming that it was an important matter that could disturb the clan leader, she brought the visitor over.

After bowing, the visitor reported: "Reporting to the clan leader, a group of lesser demons have arrived outside. They claim to be from the Golden-haired Rat clan, saying they came here on the advice of an ancestor's friend, seeking protection."

Clan Chief Yin Luodun looked up, surprised, and asked, "Ancestor's friend? Which of Ancestor's friends?"

The visitor replied, "We do not know. We dare not inquire further about our ancestor's affairs."

"The Golden-haired Rat Clan?" Yin Luo looked at the old woman attending him and asked in confusion, "Could it be the Golden-haired Rat Clan from the Phoenix Clan?"

The old woman, named Yin Ning, also asked with some doubt, "I guess so. I've never heard of any branch of the Golden-haired Rat clan. Aren't they always enslaved by the Phoenix Clan? What do you mean by seeking refuge? Did they escape from the Phoenix Clan?"

After a slight hesitation, Yin Luo said, "Please come over."

"Yes." The messenger quickly left.

Only when someone came to report that the guest had arrived did Yin Luo put down his pen and leave the pavilion, going straight to the back hall of an antique-style palace, and from there to the main hall in front.

Inside the hall, there were many kneeling cushions arranged neatly on both sides, and the carved beams and murals on both sides were decorated with exquisite fox spirit cloud and swamp images.

Bai Qiru and the Golden-haired Rat Clan have arrived.

Bai Qiru was alright, with a poised and generous demeanor, while the Golden-haired Rat clan was truly timid and cowardly, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they looked like thieves and rats.

Fortunately, they were no longer in a state of being barely clothed. When they left the Xun Gate of Jukuzhou, Bai Qiru bought them clothes in the city. Most of them were not used to wearing clothes and did not know how to choose clothes, so the clothes were almost all ill-fitting.

Even with clothes on, it's hard to shake off that sloppy look.

The little mice that couldn't transform clung tightly to the feet of the one who could, filled with unease.

Upon seeing this scene, Yin Luo, the fox clan chief, instinctively paused before taking the main seat, asserting his identity through his position.

"Greetings, Chief of the Qingqiu Clan." Bai Qiru bowed first.

"Greetings, Chief of the Qingqiu Clan."

The others followed suit, bowing in unison, some speaking softly, some loudly, creating a chaotic and disorderly atmosphere.

Yin Luo raised his hand to indicate that there was no need for formalities, then stared at Bai Qiru and said, "You're not from the Golden-haired Rat clan, are you?"

Bai Qiru said, "I come from the Bai family of Fenglin Continent, but I have been expelled from the family." He then gestured to Huang Yingying beside him, "This is my husband."

Huang Yingying immediately bowed and scraped to Yin Luo.

Yin Luo and Yin Ning exchanged glances. Turning back, Yin Luo asked again, "Is it the Golden-haired Rat Clan from Phoenix Clan Divine Mountain?"

Bai Qiru said, "That's right."

Yin Luo stared at her and said, "The Golden-haired Rat Clan, you're in charge?"

Bai Qiru hurriedly bowed to the clan chief Jin Fu to show his respect.

Jin Fu then spoke up, "I am the clan chief."

Yin Luo did not lose his manners despite the other party's disheveled appearance. After giving a slight nod in greeting, he smoothed his robes, knelt down on the high cushion, and then got to the point, "My clansmen have come to report that you were guided here by a friend of my Qingqiu Ancestor. Is that true?"

Jin Fu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes."

Yin Luo naturally pressed for details, "May I ask which of your friends, Ancestor, gave you this guidance?"

Jin Fu hesitated again and looked at Bai Qiru. He was somewhat unsure about this matter, since Shi Chun had not said such a thing. However, Bai Qiru seemed certain that the proprietress could speak on behalf of Shi Chun.

When the time came, he, as the clan leader, had to hesitate again because of the safety of the entire clan.

His reaction immediately alerted Yin Luo to something amiss.

Bai Qiru quickly replied on his behalf, "Shi Chun."

"Shi Chun?" Yin Luo asked in confusion. She had heard of someone with that name before, but how could he be a friend of the ancestor? Could it be someone with the same name? She immediately asked again, "Which Shi Chun?"

Bai Qiru said, "It's Shi Chun, the one who helped Mingshan Sect win the championship through the Divine Fire Alliance."

Huang Yingying nodded in agreement. In her eyes, Shi Chun was also a big shot.

"..." Yin Luo was speechless. Wasn't this nonsense? How could the ancestor be friends with that kind of trash? He wasn't even worthy of carrying the ancestor's shoes.

Her gaze swept coldly over the group of down-on-their-luck demons present.

After a moment's thought, the elderly woman Yin Ning, who was seated at the head of the table, reminded him via telepathy, "Clan leader, it's not impossible."

Upon hearing this, Yin Luo looked at her and asked in a telepathic message, "What do you mean?"

The old woman, Yin Ning, said, "It is said that this Shi Chun came from a place of exile. You know about the relationship between the ancestor and that jailer, so it is normal for him to have gone to a place of exile. Besides, Shi Chun is indeed different from people who come from ordinary places of exile."

Upon hearing this, the hostility in Yin Luo's eyes gradually faded, and he confirmed with the demons below, "Shi Chun said he was a friend of my Qingqiu Ancestor, and then directed you here?"

Bai Qiru couldn't very well say that it was Shi Chun who said it, as one has to take responsibility for speaking carelessly. So he immediately told the truth: "It was Shi Chun's friend who said it. Shi Chun's friend relayed the message on behalf of Shi Chun, and he is also a member of your Qingqiu Fox Clan."

Yin Luo and Yin Ning exchanged another glance. What about the ancestor's affairs that the subordinates knew but the two of them didn't?
She immediately asked again, "Is Shi Chun's friend or someone from my fox clan? Who is he?"

Yin Luo said, "Yin Xu is the proprietress of Zhu Lang Pavilion in Yaoshan City, Jukuzhou."

Yin Luo pondered blankly for a while, unable to recall the person, and then looked at Yin Ning.

Seeing this, Yin Ning frowned slightly and immediately transmitted his voice, saying, "I have heard of her. She is indeed a member of a branch of my Qingqiu clan. That branch has long since separated. The reason I heard of her is because I heard that the mistress of the Hanzhou Domain Lord is a member of my clan, so I paid attention to her. Logically speaking, even if the family has separated, it is unlikely that she would spread rumors about the Ancestor. I don't know why she knows about the Ancestor. Whether it is true or not, the clan leader may ask the Ancestor, and he will know for sure."

Should we disturb the ancestor? Yin Luo hesitated for a moment, but this matter definitely needed to be confirmed, so he finally stood up and politely nodded, saying, "Please wait a moment, everyone."

Bai Qiru and his group saw them off.

Anyone with eyes can see that the other person seems a little suspicious.

Just then, Bai Qiru was slightly taken aback. He sensed Wu Jinliang's message and was secretly delighted. He guessed that Shi Chun and the others had also come to Qingqiu. It seemed that Yin Xu's message was indeed true.

With Shi Chun and his team personally communicating with Qingqiu, the pressure and trouble on this side were saved.

She quickly took out the mother-child talisman to check, and saw that the message was: Where is it?

She immediately replied: I am already in the Qingqiu Fox Clan.

On the other side, Wu Jinliang, who was holding the mother and child talismans, looked like he had a toothache. Shi Chun, who was watching from the side, also turned pale. He quickly snatched the mother and child talismans away and asked again: You didn't say anything nonsense, did you?

Upon hearing this, Bai Qiru's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied: I have already met with the Fox Clan Chief and have done as Yin Xu said.

Both Shi and Wu looked dejected, realizing that what they feared had come to pass, and they were too late.

Wu Jinliang suddenly said, "In the spring, we must distance ourselves from this matter. Yin Xu said it has nothing to do with us. We must either silence that fox spirit or throw her into the underworld. There is no other way. The Qingqiu Ancestor is an extremely bloodthirsty old demon. We really can't afford to offend him."

After a moment's thought, Shi Chun's eyes flashed with decisiveness, and he immediately replied: "Where's your brain? You believe everything Yin Xu says? You've been fooled. Leave now."

They really did distance themselves from each other immediately.

After throwing the mother and child talismans back to Wu Jinliang, the two immediately turned around and headed towards the Xunmen exit to deal with Yin Xu.

As long as Yin Xu disappears, then this matter cannot be blamed on the two of them, nor can it be blamed on the Qingqiu Fox Clan.

Bai Qiru was stunned as she stared at the message on the mother-child talisman. She wanted to ask, "Aren't you all in cahoots with Yin Xu?"
However, she had no evidence, and even if she had, she couldn't say it.

Leave immediately? Things had suddenly turned out this way. She looked at the fox clan members present and was at a loss for what to do.

In the forbidden area of ​​Qingqiu, behind the main peak, lies a valley shrouded in mist year-round. A stream murmurs through the mist, and even the Qingqiu chieftain, dressed in snow-white robes, dares not wander about. Every step he takes lands on every stone in the stream, and the further he goes, the dimmer the light becomes.

(End of this chapter)