Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 376 Two-Level Reversal
Song Xian knew, of course, that what the two said was true. He remained silent for a moment, then looked at Hu Xiaobao and said, "Xiaobao, what's your opinion?"

Having been singled out by name, Hu Xiaobao naturally understood his meaning, so he said, "I think there's no need to rush into leaving Xijiang County right now. After all, our sect isn't facing any immediate crisis, and we're not at our wits' end. We can wait and see how things develop."

Lin Zixiang glanced at Song Xian: "I'm not saying we should leave Xijiang County now, but we need to make preparations first. I suggest sending a few people to Changping City in Pingyuan County to scout out the situation there. If there's an opportunity, we can retreat back to Changping City and reclaim the Qingyun Sect. If not, we can look for another place."

“Then let’s leave it at that!” Song Xian didn’t want to leave Xijiang County. He had long-term plans for Tianshan and was really unwilling to give up like this. But given the current situation, he couldn’t see any hope. Lin Zixiang’s words left him with no room for argument, so he could only agree for the time being.

“Your son, Senior Brother Xiang, will take charge of this matter. You send two people back to Changping City to investigate.”

"it is good."

"That's all for today's meeting, everyone can leave now!" Song Xian waved his hand, and the others got up and left, except for Su Zhirou, who remained by his side. After they left, she shook his hand.

The two exchanged a glance. After being married for many years, a single look was enough for them to understand each other's feelings. No words were needed; everything was understood without being spoken.

"Sect Leader." Just as Song Xian was about to leave, Huang Ye entered from outside and bowed to him.

"what's up?"

"I just heard that Liu Qingyue has been appointed as the new sect leader of the Qianqing Sect, and this has been announced to the world."

"Oh!" Song Xian didn't care much. Although the Qianqing Sect was a behemoth in the Qin Kingdom and the appointment of a new sect leader was a major event that shook the world, it had nothing to do with him.

The two are too far apart. The Qianqing Sect has changed its leader, but it won't kill the Yunxuan Sect.

His predicament wouldn't change in the slightest, so he didn't take it too seriously. He then casually asked, "Why is there a new sect leader all of a sudden? What happened to the previous sect leader of the Qianqing Sect? Why did he abdicate so abruptly?"

"As far as I know, the Qianqing Sect's announcement did not explain why a new sect leader was chosen."

"Any new developments from the Beast Taming Sect and the Cloud Propagation Sect?" Song Xian was most concerned about the situation in Xijiang County.

"I've only heard that the Xuan Yuan Sect got involved, but I don't know the specifics yet."

Song Xian didn't say anything more, only instructing him to let him know if there were any new developments before leaving the main hall with Su Zhirou.

Upon returning to his residence, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he immediately stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong, my husband?" Su Zhirou asked when she saw him suddenly stop and look thoughtful.

"Something seems off." Song Xian's brows furrowed.

"Something's wrong."

"Something's not right about the new leader of the Qianqing Sect."

Su Zhirou looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Song Xian felt as if the mud blocking his mind had been cleared, and his thoughts suddenly became extremely clear. He felt as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining through, and his eyes brightened.

"I seem to understand."

"What do you understand, my husband?" Su Zhirou still looked confused.

"Let's go back and talk about it."

After the two returned to their room, Song Xian told them everything he had guessed.

He had been wondering before that the Xuan Yuan Sect hadn't taken any stance on the matter, which had been going on in Xijiang County for so many years and had just been watching from the sidelines. Logically speaking, this shouldn't be the case.

After all, Xijiang County is under the jurisdiction of Xuanyuan Sect, and Yushou Sect has been paying tribute and taxes to it for many years. It can either support one side or step in to maintain peace.

But he remained a bystander, ignoring the issue.

Now they're suddenly jumping in to interfere; there must be a reason for this.

He originally thought that the Xuan Yuan Sect had finally stopped standing by and stepped in.

But now it seems that this is not the case.

What a coincidence! The Xuan Yuan Sect has ignored it for so many years, but as soon as the new leader of the Qian Qing Sect takes office, it has to step in to stop it.

Clearly, there are hidden secrets behind this.

Combining the clue that Qi Yunxuan, the leader of Yunxuan Sect, was originally a disciple of Qianqing Sect, or a descendant of Qi Xiaofeng, the former head of the Qianqing Sect stationed in Xijiang County, the answer is already obvious.

The attitude of the Xuan Yuan Sect and the succession of the new leader of the Qian Qing Sect are closely related.

Perhaps Qi Yunxuan was originally sent to Xijiang County by Qi Xiaofeng to carry out some secret missions, which is why Xuanyuan Sect turned a blind eye to their actions.

This also explains why so many Golden Core cultivators are willing to join the Yunxuan Sect; they are probably all doing it out of respect for Qi Xiaofeng.

If this inference is correct, then it can be further concluded that the current new leader of the Qianqing Sect, Liu Qingyue, and Qi Xiaofeng are at odds.

Therefore, after she took power, the Xuan Yuan Sect no longer tolerated Qi Yunxuan.

It's very common for major sects to have numerous factions; it would be abnormal if they didn't.

Not to mention a behemoth like the Qianqing Sect, even the Hunyuan Sect has its own small factions.

Sometimes, internal conflicts within a sect can be even more intense, irreconcilable, and irreconcilable than external conflicts.

For example, the Qingyun Sect was forced to surrender to an outsider, Yuanyi Sect, because of internal conflicts and the sect elders' dissatisfaction with Zhang Hunyuan. They preferred to hand over the Qingyun Sect to an outsider rather than hand it over to Zhang Hunyuan.

If Emperor Qianqing had such a situation, it wouldn't be too surprising.

Throughout history, internal strife has often been the bloodiest and most deadly. The once mighty Zhou Dynasty, which encompassed the four seas and was extremely powerful, collapsed due to internal conflicts, leading to the current situation of seven kingdoms.

The announcement of the new leader's succession to the Qianqing Sect was intriguing because it made no mention of the old leader. Normally, when a new leader takes office, the situation of the old leader should be announced.

If he is dead, a funeral must be arranged first; if he is alive, the situation must be explained, and he must be given the title of some kind of Supreme Elder.

However, the proclamation from the Qianqing Sect contained absolutely no information about the former sect leader, which was clearly abnormal.

In other words, there's something fishy or suspicious about this new leader's succession.

If I'm not mistaken, Qi Yunxuan's backers, Qi Xiaofeng and Liu Qingyue, belong to different factions within the Qianqing Sect. They may be openly or secretly fighting for the position of sect leader, with Liu Qingyue ultimately emerging victorious.

If that's the case, then Emperor Yunxuan's good days are probably over.

Xuan Yuan Sect had always indulged Yun Xuan Sect out of respect for its master, Qi Xiaofeng. Now that its master has lost power, who would continue to tolerate a dog barking and biting?

Of course, this does not mean that the Xuan Yuan Sect will kill the dog, since its master has only lost power and is not dead.

As one of the high-ranking members of the Qianqing Sect and one of the most powerful Nascent Soul cultivators in the world, he still has face to save. Unless the conflict between him and Liu Qingyue has reached an irreconcilable, life-or-death point.

How much of a blow Xuan Yuan Sect will take against Yun Xuan Sect depends on the extent of the conflict between Qi Xiaofeng and Liu Qingyue, as well as Qi Yunxuan's position in Qi Xiaofeng's eyes.

In any case, one thing is certain: the Xuan Yuan Sect will no longer allow the Yun Xuan Sect to wreak havoc on Xijiang County with impunity.

.........

Dark clouds obscured the moon, and a fierce wind howled.

Dark, heavy clouds blanketed the sky, as if they were about to fall. The bamboo grove in the courtyard was blown askew by the strong wind, rustling and swaying like a mournful cry.

A heavy rainstorm is coming soon.

Qi Yunxuan stood by the window with his hands behind his back, the wind making his clothes flutter loudly.

His expression was solemn, his gaze fixed on the distance, his eyes deep and unfathomable, as if he were looking at his future through the bamboo leaves.

“I visited the Xuan Yuan Sect three times, but I didn’t see Yin Ningxuan. Clearly, he doesn’t want to see us.” Elder Luo Ziquan of the Yun Xuan Sect, who also came from the Qian Qing Sect, had a gloomy face that seemed to drip water, and his voice was somewhat hoarse.

Qi Yunxuan did not answer, still with her back to him, a drop of rain fell on her shoulder.

"Should we stay in Xijiang County? It seems pointless now. Or rather, everything we did in the first place was meaningless." Luo Ziquan looked up at Qi Yunxuan.

"Let's wait a little longer!" Qi Yunxuan finally spoke, his voice filled with an indescribable weariness, and his eyes became lost.

A thunderous roar followed, lightning flashed across the sky, and then the raindrops intensified, quickly turning into a torrential downpour.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, Wei Wuyai of the Xuan Yuan Sect has come to pay a visit and requests an audience with the Sect Leader." A disciple arrived outside the house and bowed.

"I understand." Qi Yunxuan didn't say anything more, just nodded.

.........

"Fellow Daoist Wei, it is an honor to have you here. I am sorry for not welcoming you sooner." In the brightly lit hall, Qi Yunxuan strode in from outside, his eyes firm and confident, just as always.

"Since Fellow Daoist Qi is unwilling to make the trip, then I have no choice but to pay him a visit." Wei Wuyai stood up with a smile and returned the greeting.

"These are turbulent times, please forgive me, Fellow Daoist Wei." Qi Yunxuan took his seat in the main seat.

He was a disciple of the Qianqing Sect and had powerful backers, so he was not as highly regarded as the local sects in Xijiang County.

In his eyes, Wei Wuyai was nothing more than a gatekeeper of the Xuan Yuan Sect, and could not make any decisions at all.

If he has something to discuss, he should go to the owner to discuss it; there's no need for him to negotiate with the gatekeeper.

Since arriving in Xijiang County, he had only visited Qianfeng Mountain once, right after he settled here and acquired this territory. It was Yin Ningxuan who instructed him to seek help from Wei Wuyai if he needed anything, and that's why he accepted the invitation.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, do you perhaps suspect that I would conspire with the Beast Taming Sect to harm you?" Wei Wuyai asked in a joking tone as he sat down, still smiling.

Qi Yunxuan remained expressionless, showing no interest in idle chatter: "Fellow Daoist Wei, you haven't come here today to joke, have you?"

Wei Wuyai picked up the teacup, took a small sip, then poured the teacup out, spilling the tea onto the hall floor. He clicked his tongue and said, "This tea is no good."

After saying this, he calmly put down his teacup: "I am here on behalf of the sect. Xijiang County has been in chaos for so many years, and it should not continue like this. The sect demands that you immediately cease hostilities and withdraw all personnel back to the mountain gate."

Qi Yunxuan narrowed his eyes slightly: "Is withdrawing from the mountain gate the intention of your sect leader? Or the intention of others in your sect?"

Wei Wuyai's smile vanished, his gaze fixed on him with a sharp, intimidating intensity, and his tone lost its usual gentleness: "Wasn't I clear enough? I'm here representing our sect."

"If all the disciples of our sect retreat to the mountain gate, what will happen to the resources of the territories we possess? Can your sect guarantee that they won't be seized by the Beast Taming Sect?"

"The resources in the territories you occupied must be returned to the Beast Taming Sect, as they never belonged to you. Of course, the resource territories originally belonging to the Mingxuan Sect will remain yours."

Qi Yunxuan's gaze sharpened. Although he had anticipated that once the news of the new sect leader of Qianqing Sect was announced, Xuanyuan Sect might no longer turn a blind eye to them as before, he did not expect it to come so quickly and so forcefully.

It is unreasonable to demand that they return all the resources and territories they have occupied to the Beast Taming Sect without compensation.

"What if our sect doesn't agree?"

"Fellow Daoist Qi, don't you understand? I'm not here to discuss this with you; this is an order. I'll tell you one last time, this is Xishu County." Wei Wuyai's voice grew increasingly stern as he spoke, and the two locked eyes, the air thick with tension.

"Our sect allows you to establish your sect here and spread your influence, but you must obey our orders. Past events will be forgiven, but from now on, you must stay put if you want to remain here."

Wei Wuyai stood up with a cold expression.

"I've said what I needed to say. I'm giving you a month. If you're still occupying those spaces after a month, don't blame me for not giving you prior notice."

After saying that, he walked towards the outside of the hall, but stopped halfway there.

"Oh! By the way, your tea is hard to swallow. How about we switch to our sect's new Amber Jade Ginseng Spirit Tea? This is just my personal suggestion."

Qi Yunxuan's face was grim, and his fists clenched involuntarily, as if he were a tiger fallen to the plains being bullied by dogs.

If he hadn't been ordered to come to Xijiang County, he wouldn't have given a second glance to someone like Wei Wuyai. Now, however, Wei Wuyai dared to ride roughshod over him and put on airs.

The Xuan Yuan Sect's tough stance was beyond his expectations, indicating that the situation was worse than he had imagined.

The information he received was, after all, third-hand information relayed through intermediaries, which differed from the first-hand information received by those within the power circles.

The attitude of Xuan Yuan Sect today made him feel that the internal conflicts within Qian Qing Sect may have reached a fever pitch.

.........

Under the dim moonlight, on Qianfeng Mountain, Wei Wuyai descended with a flash of light, humming a little tune, his smiling face returning to normal.

He was in a really good mood today. He had long disliked Qi Yunxuan. What was he? A stray dog ​​who had left the Qianqing Sect, yet he always put on airs, thinking he was some important person.

If it weren't for Qi Xiaofeng as his backer, who would take him seriously?

Having arrived in Xijiang County, he didn't even bother to properly pay his respects to the local lords. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was a special envoy of the Qianqing Emperor. He had long wanted to put an end to his arrogance, and today he finally got his revenge.

"Uncle-Master Wei, you're back." A disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect stepped forward and bowed.

"What's the matter?"

"Murong Yun has arrived and requests to see you. He has been waiting for quite some time."

"Hmph! Your information network is quite efficient." Wei Wuyai snorted lightly. "Now you're in a hurry? Let him wait a little longer!"

(End of this chapter)