Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 927 Confrontation on the Vast Ocean
Caihua Tower is a place for exchanging rare and precious items, and the items listed for sale are all extremely rare and unique, so it is usually deserted.

It's rare to close two deals a month, so it's not uncommon for the watchman to disappear for months on end.

Normally, Gong Qinghe and the others wouldn't have paid any attention. However, this situation was special. They knew that Hong Wuyai was neglecting his duties and even deliberately delaying the reporting of information about Lingzhu Mountain to the clan. All these abnormalities aroused their suspicions.

Are these two strange events connected? Hong Wuyai has vanished without a trace; could he be plotting something sinister?
A glint of light flashed in Gong Qinghe's eyes, and he clapped his hands and laughed, "Wonderful, truly wonderful!"

The more Hong Wuyai got involved, the more benefits he could reap, but he wasn't worried at all about what kind of earth-shattering things Hong Wuyai might do.

After all, no matter how much Hong Wuyai plotted, he could not change the fact that he was a vassal of Gonggong. Not only was his life or death at Gonggong's mercy, but he was also greatly limited.

As Gong Qinghe's thoughts raced, she turned to the black-clad messenger beside her and solemnly instructed, "Quickly report back to my third brother; he has his own way of finding Hong Wuyai's whereabouts..."

The black-clad messenger, also a subordinate, sighed inwardly, but dared not show it on his face: "I will obey your command."

He immediately took out the jade talisman, engraved the message, and with a wave of his hand, the talisman transformed into a stream of light that burst through the window and disappeared into the heavens in an instant.

In less than half an hour, Gong Daosheng sensed something and gently unfurled his wide sleeves to catch the communication jade talisman that had broken through the air.

As his divine sense swept over the contents, his brows furrowed sharply: "Not in the Colorful Flower Pavilion..."

With a thought, his figure vanished from the hall and landed in front of a pavilion with nine-tiered eaves.

As he stepped across the threshold with his robes billowing, he was greeted by thousands of faint, ghostly flames floating in the air, like a galaxy falling into an ink pool.

He chose a direction and finally focused his gaze on the northwest corner, where the soul flames of the Hong clan members were scattered. Among them, the brightest and most dazzling light emanating from the flame belonged to Hong Wuyai.

"Let's see where you're hiding."

Frosty lips clung to Gong Daosheng's face, a half-moon of water rippled from his sleeve, and then his fingertips lightly tapped the void. The wisp of bright soul fire instantly returned to its nest like a swallow returning to its nest.

In an instant, the mirror surface rippled with countless waves, and the red light flickered uncertainly, like fireflies on a summer night.

Gong Daosheng focused his attention on probing, but before he could determine the location, the red light suddenly went out, only to reappear in the southeast moments later.

He frowned, and just as his gaze followed that spot, the crimson light vanished again, flashing back in another direction.

This went on and on without stopping, as if the wisp of soul fire had lost its way to its rightful owner.

"They were actually on guard..."

Gong Daosheng's lips curled into a mocking smile, showing no surprise whatsoever.

With a sudden change in his hand gestures, the light spots on the mirror surface immediately converged, and the soul fire reappeared. Then, with a wave of his hand, a cloud of blood mist spewed from his palm, swirling around the soul fire like a dragon.

Strands of blood energy merged into the soul fire, gradually turning its color crimson, and streams of energy unique to Hong Wuyai overflowed outwards.

Gong Daosheng seized the opportunity and, at the moment when the fire was at its strongest, struck down with his palm, causing the soul fire to once again sink into the water mirror.

Unlike the previous flickering light, this time the light spot remained constantly lit on the inside of the mirror and was also moving continuously.

Gong Daosheng lowered his eyes and looked over, his gaze finally stirring with emotion. He thought to himself, "It's actually within the clan's territory?"

He had assumed that Hong Wuyai was intentionally fleeing to Guixu, which was why he helped the outsider cover up the news so that he could go with him.

But judging from the current situation, Hong Wuyai seems to have other plans...

He pondered for a long time, but still couldn't come up with anything. After shaking his head inwardly, he had no choice but to send Hong Wuyai's location back to the black-clad messenger...

"how?"

Gong Qinghe lightly tapped the table, his eyes gleaming with barely concealed interest.

The black-clad messenger revealed a jade talisman and truthfully stated, "Young Master He, the Palace Master has ordered us to bring Elder Hong back to the clan. If he dares to resist, he will personally go..."

This was also a little scheme of Gong Daosheng's. If Hong Wuyai obediently followed him back, then he probably had no connection with that outsider. But if he acted unusually, then the two of them were very likely to have made contact.

At that time, he can seize the opportunity to make his move and seize the Dao in one fell swoop...

"it is good!"

Gong Qinghe slammed his hand on the table and stood up. He was about to step out the door when he suddenly stopped, thinking to himself, "Hong Wuyai has broken through the sixth level of the profound barrier and is now in the 'sitting in oblivion' state. If he is really determined to attack me, I am afraid I am no match for him. I must be on guard..."

Thinking of this, a chill crept down my spine.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned to look at his cousin in blue robes: "You should return to the palace immediately and bring my token to Elder Gong for assistance."

The young man in blue robes didn't say much. He accepted the token and was about to transform into a rainbow and rise into the sky.

"Stay on!"

He paused, looking at Gong Qinghe with a puzzled expression: "Is there anything else, cousin?"

Gong Qinghe smiled gently, her voice clear and warm, "Be careful on your journey, and don't disturb those busybodies in the clan, otherwise..."

Before he could finish speaking, his cousin in blue robes already understood.

The clan has many members, but Hong Wuyai is only one person. If they want to gain any benefits, they need to conceal their presence and move stealthily...

As the blue light dissipated into the sky, Gong Qinghe shook his wide sleeves and said, "Brother Gong, let's set off too, so as not to keep Elder Hong waiting too long."

The black-clad messenger nodded, and the jade talisman in his palm suddenly burst forth with azure light, following the aura left behind by Gong Daosheng as it broke through the air.

The further southwest they sped, the more somber their expressions became.

Although the two of them failed to find Hong Wuyai's whereabouts, they vaguely sensed that his trajectory led directly to the Abyss Cave Secret Realm, which had been abandoned for thousands of years...

"The Abyss Cave Secret Realm has long since lost all spiritual treasures, so why would Hong Wuyai want to go there?"

……

As dusk settled, the sea and sky met at the horizon.

High above the heavens, Chen Mu, who was traveling through the sea of ​​clouds, suddenly frowned, and his aura stagnated slightly.

Before long, Yu Chengkong and Hong Wuyai also stopped in their tracks. As their eyes met, Yu Chengkong spoke first: "Brother Hong, could that aura be Gong Qinghe?"

Hong Wuyai nodded with a livid face, his clothes fluttering even without wind.

Chen Muyan said, "The trajectories of these two streaks of light are exactly the same as ours, so they are probably not just passing by..."

Yu Chengkong frowned and said, "We have made no mistakes along the way, so why were we detected?"

The air between the three suddenly fell silent. After a long while, Hong Wuyai sighed and said, "This matter... I'm afraid it will fall on my shoulders."

"how do I say this?"

Hong Wuyai did not rush to explain, but instead looked at Chen Mu and asked, "Fellow Daoist Chen, is your Dao Fruit of the Ze Ding stage?"

Chen Mu nodded without speaking. His Ze Ding Dao Fruit was no secret; many people had witnessed it during the battle at Lingzhu Mountain.

"That's the crux of the problem."

"Gonggong possessed a strange and secret technique that allowed him to refine the Dao fruits of others into Dao essence and devour them, transforming them into his own foundation."

"In the past thousands of years, apart from aristocratic clans and powerful families, has the Guixu region ever produced a Water Element True Lord with extraordinary talent?"

Hong Wuyai's face was filled with sorrow, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists: "Of those exceptionally talented individuals, nine out of ten have had their bones and marrow drained, turning them into walking corpses..."

Yu Chengkong remained unmoved. The scions of the great clans were all aware of such matters, but since it did not involve their own interests, no one was willing to offend Gonggong.

Chen Mu felt a chill run down his spine. He had never heard of such an evil technique that could seize the very essence of heaven and earth.

Hong Wuyai continued, "And with Fellow Daoist Chen's extraordinary talent, how could he possibly escape unscathed? Even if he were from beyond the borders, the Gonggong Clan would not hesitate to act without restraint." "Furthermore, as far as I know, more than a year ago, the Gonggong Clan's ancestral mirror issued a warning, precisely because it sensed the birth of the Ze Ding Dao Fruit. Therefore, Young Master Li led his followers to search the four seas..."

"Although I do not know the reason why you have entered the Ruins of Return, this is no different from walking into a trap."

"To protect you, fellow Daoist, I delayed the news from Lingzhu Mountain again and again. Now it seems... the Hong family has already found out and will hold me accountable."

After saying this, Hong Wuyai shook his head and sighed, "The timing is so unfortunate... If only we had waited until we escaped into the minor world to make our move..."

"About a year ago, the Ancestral Mirror showed unusual activity?"

Chen Mu muttered to himself, "Wasn't it the time I broke through the barrier about a year ago?"

This ancient clan can actually see through the secrets of heaven; their foundation is indeed unfathomable...

"If what you say is true, and Chen is indeed responsible for this matter, then it cannot be entirely attributed to you."

Chen Mu raised his eyes as he spoke softly, his plain robe fluttering even without wind: "What are your plans, the two of you?"

The three had not been unaware of the Gonggong clan's obstruction, but they never expected to run into a direct descendant of the True Lord.

The troublesome aspect is secondary; what they truly fear is that the secrets of the small world might be discovered.

If they were to follow their original plan, they would rather lie low for more than a month than make any rash moves.

However, the situation has suddenly changed. Regardless of whether it is delayed or not, Hong Wuyai will eventually be taken back to his clan's territory.

Once this powerful ally is lost, the schemes of the small world will be like a roc with broken wings, unable to spread its wings again.

Such an outcome is intolerable to the three of them, so their strategy must be changed...

Yu Chengkong calculated the distance with his fingers and said, "The Abyss Cave Secret Realm is almost here. In my opinion, Brother Hong should go and open the small world himself, while Fellow Daoist Chen and I will stay here to hold off Gong Qinghe and the other two. When the time is right, we will quickly finish the battle and then meet up."

The Yin-Yang Boundary Jade is on Hong Wuyai, so this matter is indeed something only he can accomplish.

"At this point, there's no other way..."

Hong Wuyai sighed deeply, never expecting to experience this before even entering the Lesser Realm.

"We can only rely on the two of you."

The three exchanged glances and nodded. Hong Wuyai immediately transformed into a blue rainbow and disappeared into the clouds, while Chen Mu and the other two strode through the air, their auras like sharp swords unsheathed.

Almost simultaneously, Gong Qinghe's heart tightened, and his divine sense spread out like a net, finally catching sight of two figures standing in the air.

In fact, he had vaguely sensed something earlier, but he couldn't make out what it was. Now that he saw it appear on its own initiative, and there was no sign of Hong Wuyai, his alarm bells went off. He dared not approach any further and could only observe Chen Mu and the other person from a distance.

Yu Chengkong was easy to recognize. Although Gong Qinghe had never met this "unorthodox" direct descendant of the Yu family, he had long heard of him.

Chen Mu was equally easy to guess. Judging from the true meaning of Ze Shui flowing between his brows, who else could it be but that foreign cultivator who had condensed the Ze Ding Dao Fruit?

Thinking of this, a glint of greed flashed in Gong Qinghe's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

He only dared to act arrogantly towards vassal cultivators, because his third brother, Gong Daosheng, was most wary of clansmen overstepping their bounds. If there was any unusual movement, he feared that he would perish before even getting his hands on any treasures...

"Brother Yu, this fellow Daoist."

Gong Qinghe feigned enthusiasm and raised his voice: "You two have quite the refined taste. May I ask what brings you to our clan's territory? Where is Elder Hong? Since we have come to welcome you, we know where he is. Why hide yourselves?"

He shouted repeatedly, trying to test the waters, but Chen Mu and the other man ignored him completely, leaving him extremely frustrated...

Gong Qinghe and his companion dared not act rashly, while Chen Mu and his companion were happy to delay in this way.

Suddenly, the tense situation, which had been on the verge of erupting, became quiet...

As the moonlight descended, two more figures appeared on the horizon. One of them, with silver hair and a handsome face, was none other than Old Master Gong.

Gong Qinghe was overjoyed to see this and hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, saying, "Old Gong, you've come at just the right time!"

The messenger in black also stepped forward to pay his respects and addressed him as "Uncle".

When Elder Gong arrived, he had already heard the blue-robed cultivator explain the situation. He approached and cupped his hands, saying, "Young Master He, where is Elder Hong?"

Gong Qinghe shook her head, gesturing for him to look across: "Hong Wuyai is nowhere to be seen, but it's those two..."

Old Master Gong frowned slightly. Although he had reached the middle stage of the Dao and had gone through thirty lifetimes of reincarnation in the "Sitting in Oblivion" stage, he still sensed a few dangerous auras from the two people opposite him.

While Yu Chengkong's white robes exuded a formidable aura, the simple Taoist in plain clothes, despite being slightly inferior in cultivation, sent a chill down his spine.

"What does Young Master He intend to do?"

With strong reinforcements, Gong Qinghe sneered, "Even if it is a powerful dragon crossing the river, it cannot sneak into our territory like this. If we allow it to come and go as it pleases, what face will our Gonggong clan have?"

Old Master Gong understood, but said nothing more, only reminding him, "Young Master He, be careful of that Taoist priest..."

"Well."

Gong Qinghe remained noncommittal, and said in a low voice, "I heard that Su Han, the son of the Su family of Lingzhu Mountain, was defeated by this person. He is indeed not to be underestimated."

"But does Elder Gong's reminder mean he thinks I'm inferior to Su Han?"

He smiled broadly, but it was just a joke.

However, Old Master Gong's expression changed slightly, and he said no more. He cupped his hands and stepped forward, shouting, "Why don't you all quickly point out where Hong Wuyai has gone? If you continue to delay like this, don't blame us for bullying you with our power!"

Before Chen Mu and his companion could respond, the young man in blue robes who had come with him couldn't help but say, "Elder Gong, why waste words? Let's take them down first!"

After saying that, he stomped his foot, which transformed into a cold light that shot straight at Chen Mu.

Seeing the lust surging in his eyes, even Gong Qinghe couldn't help but curse him as a brute.

What Gong Daosheng has set his sights on, how could he allow others to covet it?

As one might expect, he also set off towards Chen Mu.

If we cannot lay a finger on him, then capturing this person for the future clan leader would be a great achievement.

Thus, for a moment, the only two direct descendants of the Gonggong clan in the arena unanimously chose Chen Mu as their opponent...

For the safety of the master, Elder Gong had no choice but to join hands with his nephew to press Yu Chengkong to his side.

"Fellow Daoist Chen."

After Yu Chengkong nodded to Chen Mu, he spread his six-zhang snow wings and soared into the sky in an instant, rushing away into the distance, thus leading away the Gong family uncle and nephew.

The moonlight, like a silver veil, poured over the sea and sky. Beneath the seemingly tranquil waves, dark currents surged like dragons, and even the void trembled with the deep roar of flowing water.

Chen Mu stood on the waves, while the Gong twins rode in a dazzling light, breaking through the air.

The three Water Element True Lords faced each other across the sea, their emanating Daoist aura evolving into completely different celestial phenomena.

The lush vegetation on the banks of the Qinghe River resembles the verdant landscape, with fish swimming in the clear waters, and vitality flowing gently from the ripples.

The young man in the blue robe seemed to be deep within a thousand-year-old icy cave, a winding, cold spring in the ethereal light of ice, each drop of water imbued with ancient solitude.

Chen Mu, standing with his hands behind his back, seemed to be surrounded by a vast expanse of blue waves that encompassed the heavens and the earth, his boundless aura enveloping the two of them in a boundless ocean...

……

(End of this chapter)