Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 996 The visitor is evil

"Why didn't Shen Liangcai make a move?"

After traveling for more than half an hour to make sure he was completely away from that place of trouble, Fu Danian's tense nerves finally relaxed, and he finally found an opportunity to express his doubts.

He frowned, completely baffled. He thought to himself that if he were in his shoes, with a ratio of ten to three, victory would be assured, and he would also have the advantage of eliminating He Zhiyun's arm... It seemed there was no reason to give up.

Shen Liangcai shouldn't be the kind of person who's soft-hearted and soft-hearted...

Murong Xi smiled silently and said, "What reason could there be? It's nothing more than feigning righteousness and sowing discord. Such tricks are so obvious that they're practically out in the open, trying to create a rift between us and Fellow Daoist He."

Although she was intelligent, she had little experience in worldly affairs and her mind was more inclined towards the purity of swordsmanship. As a result, she did not have as deep a understanding of the complexities of human nature as Fu Danian, who was used to the ups and downs of life.

As expected, Fu Danian's thick eyebrows did not relax upon hearing this; instead, they furrowed even more. After a moment of silence, he turned his gaze to Chen Mu, who had been deep in thought with furrowed brows beside him: "Brother Chen, what do you think?"

He was asking about Shen Liangcai's incisive assessment of He Zhiyun as "honey-tongued, narrow-minded, and harboring malicious intentions behind his promises."

Chen Mu slowly shook his head, his eyes calm and collected, like a deep pool without any ripples: "Whether Shen Liangcai's words are true or false, whether they are meant to sow discord or are the truth, it is impossible to tell at the moment. Thinking about it too much will only disturb your mind."

His voice was steady: "We only need to remember that no matter what kind of person Fellow Daoist He is, at this moment we are still in the same boat as him."

"Shen Liangcai's 'showing mercy' today is clearly intended to plant a thorn in our hearts. Let's put this thorn aside for now and not let it hurt our own people too soon. Just be careful and observe the situation."

Fu Danian nodded thoughtfully, and Murong Xi also stopped smiling and showed a serious expression.

Chen Mu's words hit the nail on the head.

Shen Liangcai's "truth" was itself a kind of invisible poison. He didn't need them to believe it immediately; as long as they had a slight doubt about He Zhiyun and their trust wavered at a crucial moment, his purpose would be achieved...

The three of them spoke in hushed tones for a few more minutes, reviewing the details of their encounter and making sure nothing was missed before falling silent.

Having encountered the perilous situation with Shen Liangcai and his group, and with the dense beacon lights representing the main force already in sight, the three no longer had the mind to linger on the seemingly ordinary fragments of stars along the way.

Under the premise of ensuring safety, the three pushed their escape speed to the limit, tearing through the dark star curtain with streaks of light, and flew at full speed towards the direction they sensed.

……

Meanwhile, in another corner of the starry sky, deathly silence still reigns over the shattered void.

However, this silence did not last long.

A square, dark gray fragment of a star suddenly began to tremble violently.

Fine cracks spread silently, and then a soft yet undeniable beam of light shone through the cracks, illuminating the surrounding dust particles in minute detail.

As the light intensified and the rift widened, more than ten figures emerged one after another. Each of them possessed a refined aura, and their magical power fluctuations subtly merged into one, clearly indicating that they had reaped considerable rewards.

The leader, dressed in a snow-white robe, with a handsome face and a satisfied smile, was none other than He Zhiyun.

"Fellow Daoist He, it seems we are truly fortunate!"

Dong Yi clapped his hands and laughed loudly, his voice so loud that it made several tiny fragments of stars nearby tremble.

He was playing with a warm, smooth jade gourd with an ancient shape. Although the gourd's mouth was sealed, it still emitted wisps of refreshing fragrance. Just a little bit of it made him feel his magical power surge.

"Who would have thought that this unremarkable, broken stone would contain an ancient alchemy chamber? Not only did we obtain two gourds of 'Nine-Turn Spirit-Nourishing Pill' and 'Mysterious Origin Barrier-Breaking Pill,' which would make even Dao Lords envious, but we also manifested four Golden Immortal Dao Marks in one fell swoop! Haha, this harvest is truly abundant!"

He Zhiyun's gaze swept over the jade gourd shimmering with spiritual light in Dong Yi's hand, then over the undisguised joy on the faces of the people behind him, and he said gently, "If it weren't for the concerted efforts and the full display of your supernatural powers by all of you fellow Daoists, how could I, by myself, have broken through the 'Six Harmonies Returning to Origin Restriction' outside the alchemy room, and how could I have withstood the siege of those six alchemy puppets, each with strength no less than that of the mid-stage Dao Seeking Realm?"

His words were not unfounded.

Those six alchemists were made of special materials, were fearless of death, and formed some kind of mysterious battle formation. If everyone had not worked together and used their own methods, it would have been very difficult to defeat them.

His eyes flickered twice, especially lingering on Dong Yi and the Broken Gold Daoist for a moment, before he said loudly, "The spiritual pills we obtained this time will greatly benefit our cultivation."

"Fellow Daoist Dongyi and Fellow Daoist Suijin, you two should take charge of distributing these two gourds of spirit pills among the fellow Daoists as a token of my gratitude for your great help."

Upon hearing this, Dong Yi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, but he feigned reluctance, saying, "What should we do? Fellow Daoist He is too kind. Contributing is everyone's responsibility..."

Despite this, his actions were decisive. With a flick of his sleeve, a gentle magical force swept through, and the "Nine-Turn Spirit-Nourishing Pill" from the jade gourd flew out like a shooting star, landing precisely in his sleeve, taking up more than half of it.

Then he tossed the jade gourd, which was now noticeably emptier, to another True Lord beside him and said with a smile, "Everyone, let's share the spoils!"

In contrast, the Broken Gold Taoist appeared much more composed.

He first bowed deeply to He Zhiyun, saying, "Thank you for your generous gift, Fellow Daoist He."

Then he reached out and took about 30% of the "Mysterious Origin Barrier-Breaking Pill" from the jade gourd. He then handed the gourd to Si Xuanshuang, who was standing a little behind him, and said gently, "Fairy Si, please share it with all of you fellow cultivators."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Suijin." Si Xuanshuang accepted the gourd, her face calm and composed, and expressed her gratitude with dignified manners.

However, Si Tengxiao, who was standing next to her, looked rather unpleasant.

In the fierce battle with the Dan people, he used the "Mysterious Frost Force" passed down by the Si clan to freeze the puppet's joints several times, creating openings for everyone. His efforts were in no way inferior to those of Dong Yi, who was charging ahead.

But at this moment, when the elixirs were being distributed, Dong Yi was acting like a hero, taking the lead, while he and his sister seemed to be marginalized... Such a disparity truly shows that circumstances are stronger than people.

"Sister!" Si Tengxiao, feeling indignant, finally couldn't hold back and secretly transmitted his voice to Si Xuanshuang, his tone filled with suppressed anger, "If Fellow Daoist Murong and Brother Chen were both here, how could the power to distribute the loot be given to that arrogant brat Dong Yi! Just because he's a little close to Fellow Daoist He, he's so domineering!"

Si Xuan Shuang's expression remained unchanged, as if she hadn't heard anything, but the fingers holding the jade gourd tightened slightly.

How could she not have thought of that? If Chen Mu and Murong Xi were here, given their demonstrated strength and He Zhiyun's high regard for them, Dong Yi would definitely not be able to surpass them.

Thinking of this, she shook her head. After distributing the elixirs, she took out the Mother-Child Jade from her sleeve and focused her mind on sensing it.

He Zhiyun seemed to notice Si Xuanshuang's subtle movements and Si Tengxiao's suppressed frustration. His eyes flickered, and he suddenly laughed:
"We've been lingering among these fragments for several days, and we've likely explored most of the valuable star fragments around us. It's time to set off and venture deeper into the surrounding area. However..."

He changed the subject, his gaze softening as he looked at Si Xuan Shuang, "I wonder where Fellow Daoist Chen and the others are right now? Has Fairy Si sensed the Mother-Child Jade in her hand?" Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes immediately focused on Si Xuan Shuang.

Lei Heng, standing slightly behind the crowd, grunted in annoyance and interjected, "They're so slow, not even a trace of them after several days. They're taking so long to regroup. What's the point of waiting for them? In my opinion—"

Before he could finish speaking, Si Xuan Shuang, who had been intently sensing the Mother and Child Jade, suddenly raised her head, her usually cold eyes flashing with undisguised surprise:

"The Dao Beacon! It's actually the fluctuation of the Dao Beacon! Fellow Daoist He, everyone, the mark represented by True Monarch Murong's movements perfectly matches the location of the Golden Immortal Dao Beacon!"

"This...this clearly shows that True Monarch Murong and his group have also made some gains in the past few days, finding at least one Golden Immortal Dao Marker!"

"what?!"

"Road sign?!"

"Chen Zhenjun and the others have also been found?!"

In an instant, exclamations arose from all sides, and everyone's faces showed surprise.

Many people subconsciously took out their own jade pendants to check, but the pendants only had simple dots of light representing the location of their companions, and no special sense of the beacon, since they did not have any physical beacon on them at the moment.

Only He Zhiyun, Dong Yi, and Suijin Daoren, each wearing the Daoist tokens they had just acquired, could clearly "see" through the mysterious connection between the mother and child jades that Si Xuanshuang's words were true.

Around the point of light representing Murong Xi, there was a faint yet pure and mysterious halo, unique to the Golden Immortal Dao Marker!

"Great! This is truly an unexpected delight!"

He Zhiyun's smile widened instantly, and he clapped his hands in praise, "The three of them, Chen Zhenjun, are indeed blessed with great fortune and extraordinary skills! Judging from the distance, they are not too far from us. I think if we travel at full speed for another day, we can meet up smoothly!"

He turned his gaze to Broken Gold Daoist and Dong Yi, his tone questioning: "We have just experienced a fierce battle and need to rest and recover our magical power. Why don't we stay here for a while to recover our strength and wait for Fellow Daoist Chen and the others to rejoin the group? What do you two think?"

The Broken Gold Taoist stroked his beard and nodded, saying succinctly, "Fellow Daoist He's considerations are thorough; this humble Daoist has no objection."

Dong Yi was playing with the elixir he had just received when he heard this. A hint of boredom flashed across his face, as if he felt that waiting was a waste of time. But seeing that He Zhiyun and Suijin both agreed, he could only purse his lips and casually say, "Fellow Daoist He, you may decide."

He Zhiyun ignored his emotions, smiled and gave the order for everyone to sit cross-legged and meditate on a relatively stable meteorite nearby, waiting for Chen Mu and the other two.

Seeing Dong Yi's listless yet reluctant appearance, Si Tengxiao felt much of his frustration dissipate and felt a sense of relief.

What caught his attention even more was that the True Lords who had been intentionally or unintentionally crowding around Dong Yi were now glancing at him with shifting eyes and slightly moving their feet, showing a subtle tendency to move closer to them.

Clearly, with the news that Murong Xi and Chen Mu are about to return with their new Dao markers, the delicate balance within this temporary team has begun to shift imperceptibly.

Time flows silently through the quiet starry sky.

More than ten True Lords sat cross-legged and regulated their breathing, their breaths drawing out wisps of starlight, creating a scene that was quite mysterious.

During this time, occasional streaks of light flashed across the distant starry sky, but upon sensing the auras of more than ten powerful True Monarchs gathered here, they all felt a chill in their hearts and took a detour from a distance, fearing that this was a fierce gang that was blocking the road and trying to avoid them at all costs.

However, after more than half a day, three streaks of light became the exception.

These three streaks of light were extremely fast and exuded an arrogant aura as they shot straight down from the depths of the starry sky.

After sensing the undisguised immense aura of He Zhiyun and his group from afar, instead of avoiding them like the others, it seemed to have discovered an interesting target. Its escape light suddenly veered, carrying an ambiguous and playful meaning, and flew head-on towards the location of He Zhiyun and his group.

"Junior Brother He! How have you been?"

Before they could even get really close, a clear, slightly arrogant young man's voice pierced through the air and came through clearly.

He Zhiyun was closing his eyes to regulate his breathing when he heard the sound and suddenly opened his eyes, looking in the direction of the sound.

When he saw the dazzling figure in the crimson-gold brocade robe in the leading light, his handsome face showed an uncontrollable twitch in his right eyelid.

An extremely ominous premonition instantly gripped his heart.

"Li Mang...!"

He Zhiyun muttered to himself, knowing this person as he did, that he was probably up to no good...

Three streaks of light arrived in an instant, hovering a hundred feet in the void in front of He Zhiyun and the others.

Li Mang, who was at the head of the group, was still dazzling in the dark starry sky despite his bright red and gold brocade robe. He put his hands behind his back, raised his chin slightly, and had a playful smile on his lips. His eyes swept over He Zhiyun and the group behind him as if he were inspecting goods.

Beside him, on his left, was Gan Qingni, a charming woman wearing a gold-threaded phoenix hairpin adorned with pearls. She was currently scrutinizing He Zhiyun with great interest, her eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny that was barely perceptible.

To his right stood Xu Xuanling, his eyes as deep as ancient wells, dressed in a dark Taoist robe, his face expressionless, unlike the other two...

He Zhiyun suppressed the turmoil in his heart, stepped forward, and bowed to Li Mang: "Senior Brother Li, you've come in such a hurry, what can I do for you?"

"Instructions?" Li Mang scoffed. "Junior Brother He, that's too formal. I wouldn't call it instruction; I just came to check on you out of fellow disciples... How are you doing in this 'Corridor of Myriad Phenomena'?"

He Zhiyun's expression remained unchanged, as if he did not notice the sarcasm in his words: "Thanks to the help of all my fellow Daoists, I have made some small gains. I dare not trouble you with your concern, Senior Brother."

"Oh? A meager reward?"

Li Mang raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the group behind He Zhiyun like a hawk, lingering for a moment on the four star fragments not far away.

"Why do I smell... the scent of an ancient elixir? And the aura of a Dao Beacon..." He stretched out his fingers and pointed at Sui Jin, Dong Yi, and Si Xuan Shuang one by one.

“Tsk tsk,” he shook his head, “This is called ‘microblog’? Junior brother, you’re being far too modest.”

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone behind He Zhiyun changed...

……

(End of this chapter)