Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 1000 Weighing
"What anger do you know!"

Xu Xuanling suddenly spoke in a low voice, each word like a heavy hammer blow: "Do you really want to escalate this matter to an uncontrollable point?"

These words pierced He Zhiyun's mind like an ice pick. He Zhiyun shuddered and was instantly jolted awake from his fury at being exposed by Chen Mu's scheme.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his churning blood, and turned his gaze: "Chen Mu! Why aren't you releasing Senior Brother Li?!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, a perfectly timed hint of surprise appearing on his face: "This person is... Senior Brother Zhenjun?"

His expression quickly returned to calm, and his voice was low, with a hint of "regret": "This is indeed Chen's fault."

"Just now, this person was shouting and threatening to kill at the drop of a hat, and his attacks were ruthless and merciless, with every move aimed at killing me. I thought he was just some vicious scoundrel who had appeared out of nowhere and had no connection with True Lord He. In my haste, I lost my composure and failed to consider True Lord He's feelings..."

That being said, judging from his expression, he was calm and composed, and his eyes were as clear as a cold pool. There was not a trace of genuine apology in them.

After speaking, he stopped looking at He Zhiyun's increasingly ashen face and turned his head to nod slightly to Murong Xi and Fu Danian behind him.

Murong Xi and Fu Danian understood each other perfectly. Just as they were about to dispel the Cloud and Water Chains and the Xuanhuang Sword Intent, Li Mang, who was bound, seemed to have recovered from the dizziness and shame of being slapped repeatedly. He suddenly raised his head, tried to straighten his body, sneered, and was about to say some harsh words.

But when he saw Chen Mu reach out again, he instinctively shrank back, and the words he was about to say died in his throat...

Chen Mu was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Li Mang to have such a "pragmatic" side.

He naturally wouldn't make another move.

After all, he already knew about the relationship between the other party and He Zhiyun, so taking action would only prove that he had done it intentionally.

This time, his raised hand was clearly aimed at someone.

Ignoring the lingering fear in Li Mang's eyes, that slender hand reached out and rummaged around.

In the blink of an eye, the six shimmering Dao Beacons fell into Chen Mu's palm, and then the water, cloud, and sword intent that had been entangled with Li Mang receded like a tide.

Freedom is restored after all constraints are lifted.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, Li Mang did not fly into a rage or utter any harsh words.

He staggered a step to steady himself, slowly raised his head, and his resentful gaze lingered on Chen Mu's face for a moment before turning to He Zhiyun.

"Hmph!" A cold snort escaped Li Mang's throat. He then stomped his foot and transformed into a disheveled streak of crimson-gold light, shooting headlong into the depths of the starry sky without even glancing back, not even uttering a word to Gan Qingni and Xu Xuanling.

Upon seeing this, Xu Xuanling frowned.

How could he not know that Li Mang was also taking out his resentment over the delayed rescue efforts on them?

He sighed inwardly, exchanged a glance with Gan Qingni, and the two of them simultaneously activated their escape lights and chased after Li Mang.

For a moment, this meteorite cluster, which had just experienced a fierce battle and bizarre twists and turns, was left with only a group of cultivators from the Floating Cloud Realm. The atmosphere was as still as lead, and you could hear a pin drop.

He Zhiyun stood there, silent for a long time.

His expression shifted between light and dark. His gaze swept over the six Dao tokens that Chen Mu had taken from Li Mang, then over Chen Mu's calm face, and finally over the silent, worried, and suspicious cultivators behind him.

In the dead silence, from some unknown corner, a whispered murmur came: "Given Li Mang's nature, having been humiliated this time... won't he seek revenge later, even to the death?"

The voice, though soft, was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples of unease in everyone's hearts.

Many people subconsciously looked at He Zhiyun, their eyes almost overflowing with worry.

He Zhiyun sighed deeply, as if he had swallowed a bitter gall, his mouth filled with bitterness.

Isn't this what worries him the most?

Li Mang, a direct descendant of the Golden Immortals and the young master of the Pill Pavilion, possesses an incomparably noble status.

He may seem to be alone at the moment, but given his background, all he needs to do is release a message, even just a hint, and countless cultivators in the Myriad Manifestations Corridor who are eager to curry favor with the Nine Peaks Immortal Sect and the Pill Pavilion will flock to him, willing to become his lackeys.
At that time, even with the help of dozens of cultivators from the Floating Cloud Realm, how long could He Zhiyun withstand the frenzied attacks driven by profit?
This time, he not only failed to steal a chicken but also lost his own rice; he practically ignited a volcano that could burn him to ashes at any moment!

Just then, Chen Mu made a move.

He walked calmly and steadily to He Zhiyun, and then, under everyone's gaze, he extended his hand.

Within his palm, gleaming light shone brightly—eight Dao Beacons!
Six of them came from Li Mang, and the other two were obviously Chen Mu and the other two's own previous acquisitions.

“True Lord He,” Chen Mu’s voice was calm, “We have not dared to slack off along the way and have made some gains. These are eight Dao markers. Please accept them, True Lord.”

He Zhiyun remained unmoved.

A pair of cold, sharp eyes, like an icy pool, silently gazed at Chen Mu.

An invisible pressure spread out, making the surrounding air seem to freeze.

Chen Mu seemed completely oblivious, still smiling and waiting patiently, while Murong Xi and Fu Danian behind him secretly broke out in a cold sweat...

In fact, He Zhiyun also knew that the root of the problem, once it was traced back to the source, lay within himself!

If he hadn't harbored selfish motives—to sit back and watch the tigers fight, to use someone else to teach them a lesson, or even to kill two birds with one stone—Li Mang wouldn't have found an opportunity to fight Chen Mu and the other two.

If he had appeared in time or made arrangements earlier, Li Mang would not have had the opportunity to be humiliated, and this out-of-control farce would never have happened.

The reasoning is clear and straightforward.

But who could have predicted it? Who could have predicted that Chen Mu would dare to do this! So recklessly! So audaciously!
On the surface, he was humiliating Li Mang, but in reality, his words were a blatant warning to He Zhiyun.

Their intentions are crystal clear: We came here as promised to help you, He Zhiyun, seize this opportunity. It is a transaction, a cooperation, but we are by no means entrusting our lives to you! Do not use us as pawns, and do not use our safety as bargaining chips to scheme for your shady personal gains!

But is what Chen Mu was thinking really what He Zhiyun was guessing?

That is indeed the case.

As early as when Li Mang and his two companions suddenly appeared and spoke ill of him, while He Zhiyun's reinforcements were slow to arrive, Chen Mu had already become suspicious.

When Li Mang suddenly attacked, each move deadly, while Gan and Xu remained bystanders, and He Zhiyun had vanished without a trace, he became completely certain that the three of them had been intentionally "abandoned" by He Zhiyun in this dangerous situation, becoming sacrifices in his scheme against Li Mang and to put his side in a difficult position.

Normally, Chen Mu might have tolerated it, since the three of them arrived late and might have unintentionally ruined some of He Zhiyun's plans.

He could understand the slight neglect.

The problem is that Li Mang and his two companions are by no means easy opponents.
The fact that the three of them were able to suppress and capture Li Mang was based on the premise that Gan Qingni and Xu Xuanling, two powerful enemies at the later stage of the Dao Inquiry realm, remained bystanders.

Once these two truly intervene, the battle will instantly reverse, and the three of them will be plunged into an abyss of no return.

At that time, life, death, honor, and disgrace will be in their own hands. Who knows if they themselves will be the ones slapped, humiliated, or even expelled from the trials and stripped of their guiding principles?
This is the bottom line that Chen Mu absolutely cannot tolerate.

They might risk their lives for him, they might charge into battle for him, but they must never become pawns to be sacrificed at will on his chessboard, or even abandoned without his knowledge...

Their minds raced, their eyes briefly meeting in the air. He Zhiyun saw the unquestionable bottom line in Chen Mu's eyes, while Chen Mu, in turn, sensed anger, and a hint of... apprehension and weighing of options after his schemes had been exposed, in He Zhiyun's cold scrutiny.

Time slips away bit by bit, each moment feeling as long as a year.

Finally, the sinister look deep in He Zhiyun's eyes receded like the tide. In the current situation, he was far from being able to abandon the powerful assistance of Chen Mu and the other two.

Thinking of this, He Zhiyun steeled his resolve, as if suddenly waking from some deep thought, and abruptly turned his gaze to Chen Mu and the other two, asking with concern:

"Fellow Daoists, the situation was critical just now. Are you... unharmed?"

Upon hearing this, the tense nerves of the cultivators in the Floating Cloud Realm relaxed almost simultaneously, and many even quietly exhaled a breath of stale air that they had been holding in for a long time.

The terrifying atmosphere that seemed poised to erupt into infighting was finally broken by He Zhiyun's seemingly "awakened" concern.

Chen Mu knew perfectly well what was going on, but he smiled at the right moment: "To be honest, if it weren't for the timely arrival of the True Lord, who intimidated Gan and Xu, the three of us would probably be doomed today."

He once again highlighted He Zhenjun's timely arrival, giving He Zhiyun ample face.

Reminded by him, Fu Danian immediately realized what was happening and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "That's right! Thank you for your help, True Lord!"

Although Murong Xi did not speak, a strange light flashed in her clear and cold eyes when she looked at Chen Mu.

She keenly noticed that since this junior brother became a disciple of their master, his style of doing things had become more and more calm and experienced. He was more reserved yet unyielding, and he knew better when to be firm and assertive and when to take advantage of the situation to ease tensions.

This balanced and adaptable mindset is far beyond what it was when I first entered the temple.

For a moment, the scene was strangely harmonious.

Everyone echoed their sentiments, relieved that their three fellow Daoists were unharmed, and praising He Zhenjun's awe-inspiring prestige. It was as if the resounding slap that had echoed through the starry sky, Li Mang's resentful gaze, and He Zhiyun's ashen face were all just illusions blown away by the starlight...

……

In another corner of the distant starry sky.

Li Mang pushed his escape light to its limit, his face tense, yet he felt a burning pain.

He cursed under his breath, then his divine sense surged into his personal inner world, searching through countless bottles and pills for a healing pill. He took one and swallowed it.
In the blink of an eye, the palm print on his face and the sword wound on his body were completely healed.

"Brother Li!"

The calls of Gan Qingni and Xu Xuanling came from behind.

A flash of malice crossed Li Mang's eyes. He initially intended to ignore it, but upon further thought, he forcibly suppressed his anger and slowed down his escape speed slightly.

Xu Xuanling breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. After seeing Li Mang recover from his injuries, he remained silent. Gan Qingni, however, glanced at him and said softly, "Brother Li, it seems that the relationship between that Taoist surnamed Chen and He Zhiyun... is not entirely solid, nor is it one of close friendship."

Upon hearing this, Li Mang paused slightly in mid-air.

He wasn't stupid. He had been blinded by anger and humiliation, but now that he had calmed down and combined with Gan Qingni's advice, how could he not see that he was the only one who had been outmaneuvered from beginning to end?

"Heh..." Li Mang chuckled, "Brother Xu is absolutely right. He Zhiyun... is indeed extraordinary, with a very deep mind."

He paused, his eyes flashing even colder: "As for that Chen Mu... Hmph, a mere lowly cultivator from the lower realm, yet he possesses such cunning and audacity, he deserves to die!"

A so-called "true disciple" marginalized by the Nine Peaks Immortal Sect, and a lowly ant who climbed up from the lower realm, dared to use Li Mang as a pawn, testing each other's bottom lines and staging such a good show, making him the biggest laughing stock...

"What are you planning to do?" Gan Qingni asked.

Li Mang paused, then sneered, "What He Zhiyun relies on is nothing more than his rabble! Strength in numbers? Humph!"

He clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles cracking: "For this young master, just one word is enough. I can have as many 'helpers' as I want to crush He Zhiyun and that bastard surnamed Chen!"

"I'd like to see how many he can withstand..."

……

After He Zhiyun accepted the eight Dao Beacons, he pondered for a moment and said, "Fellow Daoists, now that we have all gathered, it is time to search for the Dao Beacons with all our might."

He paused, his gaze lingering on Sui Jin and the others, and continued, "In my opinion, to gather the most beacons and seize the initiative, we can split into three teams, each choosing a direction and acting separately."

"In this way, we can expand the search scope and improve efficiency, while also avoiding attracting unwanted attention or getting bogged down in pointless entanglements due to an overly large target. What do you all think?"

Upon hearing this, the cultivators of the Floating Cloud Realm exchanged glances, their faces showing not excitement at the prospect of "freedom of action," but rather hesitation and worry.

If it weren't for Li Mang's affair, splitting up the forces would have been a welcome move. It would have allowed them to avoid He Zhiyun's "supervision" and enrich themselves, while also searching for rare resources and making their actions more free and flexible.

But now... Li Mang's resentful eyes are still vivid in my mind. Who knows when that madman will lead a group of bloodthirsty desperados back to take revenge?

If the troops are split up, and one of the teams is unlucky enough to run into a powerful enemy gathered by Li Mang, wouldn't that be like lambs to the slaughter, courting death?
He Zhiyun took in everyone's expressions and naturally understood their concerns.

He was initially worried, just like everyone else, but after calming down and thinking it over carefully, he realized that the possibility of Li Mang launching a large-scale retaliation in the short term was extremely low!
The key lies in this "signpost".

He estimated that the total number of markers needed to pass through this pass should be around nine hundred, which is exactly the number of people needed to pass through the pass.

This number sounds like a lot, but considering the thousands of True Lords flocking to this pass, it's a case of too many monks and too little porridge, so the competition must be fierce.

Therefore, at this moment, the most important thing for everyone is to collect road signs as quickly as possible.

Who would abandon the Dao Beacon that determines whether they can enter the next level of heaven, and instead waste precious time responding to Li Mang's personal grudges to help him besiege a sizable group of cultivators?

Even Li Mang himself, because his Dao Beacon was taken away, probably won't have this thought until he has collected all nine Dao Beacons.

By the time Li Mang finally gathers enough road markers again and has the time to plot his revenge... by then, they may have already gathered everything they need, or even entered the next stage, and the situation will inevitably be very different...

He Zhiyun nodded slowly and explained his clear and logical deduction to everyone.

As the cultivators of the Floating Cloud Realm listened to He Zhiyun's analysis, the doubts in their eyes were gradually replaced by rationality.

Yes, the road signs are the most important thing. If it were them, they wouldn't ignore the road signs and risk their lives first.

"Master He's insight is truly profound!"

"That's how it should be!"

"Splitting up is more efficient!"

With all doubts dispelled, everyone agreed without further hesitation.

……

(End of this chapter)