Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 429 Unexpected
Night fell, the moon was bright and the stars were few, in the dimly lit, secret room.

The Ghost Spirit Pearl emitted a dazzling, eerie green light, enveloping the black crystal core. Beside it, a ghost was also enveloped by the light, appearing as if it were asleep.

This is a ghost within the second layer of restrictions inside the Blood Soul Banner, which Song Xian named Number Two.

This trip to the Ghost Realm yielded over twenty crystal cores, enough to allow Number Two and Number Three to advance to Ghost General based on Number One's experience.

The ghost spirit pearl, which absorbs the yin energy of the ghost's crystal core, can then transform into spiritual milk for the ghost to consume, thus nourishing its master.

In this way, a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement is formed.

What Song Xian wanted to see was that all forty-nine ghosts within the Blood Soul Banner would advance to the level of Ghost General, and presumably the Blood Soul Banner artifact would undergo a tremendous transformation at that time.

At this moment, the stone door to the secret chamber was pushed open, and he turned his head to look, only to see Su Zhirou walk in with a radiant smile.

"My husband, I have good news for you."

"what news?"

"Sister Ling'er said she knows a master craftsman who can help refine the Yin Soul Pearl."

"You told her about the Yin Soul Pearl?" Song Xian was taken aback. He didn't trust Xiao Ling at all, and only put her in charge of Bianxi City affairs because of Su Zhirou.

The matter of refining the Yin Soul Pearl wouldn't be a big deal if it weren't for the threat of Yin Abyss Island. But now that Xiao Ling knows about it, if she were to leak it out, it would be troublesome. These are all potential problems.

Su Zhirou also realized that something was wrong. She took his hand and said in a half-coquettish tone, "At first, I just told her that my husband wanted to find a master craftsman. Then she said she knew one, so I casually asked if he could craft Yin Soul Pearls."

"You! Sigh!" Song Xian didn't know what to say, and could only shake his head helplessly.

“Ling’er wouldn’t harm us. Besides, she’s the one who introduced us. If she really wanted to find out, she would definitely know.”

"Does the person she mentioned actually know how to refine Yin Soul Pearls?"

"She didn't know if the other party could do it, she only said that this person's weapon-refining skills were outstanding."

"Where is she now? I want to talk to her. You stay here and guard the Ghost Spirit Pearl, make sure nothing goes wrong." Song Xian turned and left the secret room, calling someone to summon Xiao Ling.

Before long, he arrived at the waiting room, and bowed respectfully with a smile.

"No need for formalities, please sit down! I heard you know a master weapon refiner, may I ask who he is?"

Xiao Ling sat down as instructed: "This person's surname is Hu and given name is An. He is a rogue cultivator. He is not a cultivator from Xijiang County. I heard that he is from Anfeng County."

How did you meet him?

"At that time, the sect leader of Luoyun Sect wanted to refine a Soul-Bearing Bead and found this person. Later, he sent someone to invite him to the sect. I was the one who received him, and that's how we got to know each other."

Xiao Ling deliberately omitted Tao Jinyuan's name, only referring to him as the sect leader of Luoyun Sect, because it was inappropriate for her to call him by his name directly, especially now that she had joined Hunyuan Sect, mentioning the past of Luoyun Sect was always a sensitive matter.

"Does this person know how to refine Yin Soul Pearls?"

"I don't know, I only know that this person is exceptionally skilled and loves to study all kinds of objects."

Do you know where this person is staying? Can you find him?

"If the sect leader wishes to invite this person to the sect, I can give it a try."

"You just said he's a rogue cultivator, right? I wonder if he holds any positions like guest elder or senior in other sects or forces?"

"As far as I know, he has a close relationship with Hua Xuanzong of Anfeng County, but I don't know if he is Hua Xuanzong's guest elder."

Song Xian nodded calmly. His ideal candidate was a reclusive cultivator like Han Yuan, who was strict and unrestrained. If he had deep ties with other forces, the news would inevitably leak out, which might attract the attention and suspicion of Yin Yuan Island.

Seeing that she had suddenly fallen silent, Xiao Ling did not say anything more. Since joining the Hunyuan Sect, she had not done anything or made any contributions; she only got this position because of Su Zhirou.

She also knew that there were many people gossiping behind the scenes within the Hunyuan Sect, so when she heard Su Zhirou say that Song Xian was looking for a master weapon refiner, she immediately recommended this person.

She knew that to truly establish herself in the Hunyuan Sect, her relationship with Su Zhirou alone was not enough. If she could accomplish a few important tasks for Song Xian, her position would be more secure.

"How much do you know about this person?" After a moment of silence, Song Xian asked.

"I wonder which aspect the sect leader is referring to?"

"For example, his preferences, quirks, and needs. Since you know I need someone to refine the Yin Soul Pearl, I won't hide it from you. What I need is a highly skilled weapon refiner with whom I can cooperate long-term. Ideally, I'd like to bring him into the sect, or at the very least, I'd like to hire him as a guest elder. Do you think that's possible?"

“This…” Xiao Ling hesitated for a moment: “I am not familiar with him and do not know what his hobbies are. It will probably not be easy to bring him into the sect. Back then, the sect leader of Luoyun Sect saw his outstanding skills and wanted to bring him into the sect and invite him to serve as a guest elder, but he resolutely refused.”

"However, if the sect leader is truly eager to invite us and is willing to offer very high terms, it's not entirely impossible. I can try to persuade him."

Song Xian pondered for a moment: "Here's what we'll do! You find him first. Don't say you're refining the Yin Soul Pearl, just say you're looking for him to refine the Soul-Binding Pearl."

“Okay, I’ll go to Anfeng County immediately to find him.”

"I'll leave this matter to you. Also, don't reveal the matter of refining the Yin Soul Pearl to outsiders."

"Don't worry, Master, I understand."

.........

In the blink of an eye, several months have passed.

The conscription team from Bianxi City had already set off for Nanhan County.

During this period, news of battles from the front lines continued to arrive. It was said that after receiving support from the Tianxuan Sect's army, the rebel forces in Nanhan County gained momentum and launched a counterattack against the allied forces, also recapturing some areas.

Despite the fierce fighting on the front lines, Bianxi City remained peaceful and serene, with only a growing number of people discussing the matter over tea.

Song Xian continued to diligently cultivate every day. On this day, as usual, he was cultivating with his eyes closed in his cultivation room.

A knocking sound came from outside. He opened his eyes, waved his hand, and the stone door opened by itself without wind. Huang Ye stood outside, his face somewhat solemn, and bowed to him: "Sect Leader, I just received news from Xu An that Wan Huaming is to be transferred from Xijiang County to return to his sect to report for duty."

"What?!" Upon hearing this, Song Xian was startled and abruptly stood up: "Wan Huaming is being transferred? Why?"

"Xu An didn't know the specific reason either; he heard it from Wan Yuesheng. During a recent casual conversation over drinks, Wan Yuesheng casually mentioned that Wan Huaming might be transferred back to the mountain gate to report for duty."

"Will Wan Yuesheng be transferred back with him?"

"do not know."

Song Xian's eyes flickered slightly. He hadn't expected Wan Huaming to be transferred. The reason he hadn't closed the net yet was because he wasn't entirely confident. Wan Huaming had also broken through to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, and this matter was of great importance. One wrong move could lead to total defeat.

If they fail to kill Wan Huaming in one fell swoop and their identities are exposed, not only will they be in danger, but they will also implicate the entire sect.

He originally intended to wait until he had mastered the Six Paths of Reincarnation before taking action.

But now time is of the essence. After Wan Huaming was transferred back to the Xuan Yuan Sect, it will be much harder for him to find an opportunity to take action against him. The variables will become increasingly greater.

Moreover, the war in Nanhan County is in full swing. If Wan Huaming is transferred to the front line and dies on the battlefield, all our efforts will have been in vain.

.........

As night fell and the moon shone brightly, in the brightly lit hall of Zhongmiao Pavilion in Xijiang County, two men sat facing each other, each with a beautiful woman in their arms, drinking heartily.

"Brother Wan, let me toast you again to thank you for your support." A slender man raised his glass.

"It's nothing, nothing to worry about." The fat man sitting opposite her had already slipped one hand inside the woman's clothes, groping her and teasing her until she gasped for breath.

"Brother Xu, I'm going to rest now." After finishing his drink, the fat man with big ears chuckled lewdly, then got up and left with the woman in his arms.

It wasn't until late at night, after the two had eaten and drunk their fill, that they came out of the attic together.

"Brother Xu, I had a great time today. Let's get together again another day. I'll send you those materials in a few days."

"Then thank you very much, Brother Wan."

"Don't be so formal. Alright, let's part ways here!"

The fat, big-eared man waved his hand, staggered out of the pavilion, took out a flying magic weapon, and headed southwest. In less than half an hour, he arrived at a desolate mountain wilderness.

As they were walking, they saw two figures fighting each other in the distance.

"Fellow Daoist, save me! I will repay your great kindness!" One of them was clearly outmatched, and upon seeing him, he cried out for help as if he had found a lifeline, rushing towards him.

Before it could get close, the pursuer behind it pulled out a talisman, which transformed into bolts of lightning and struck the man. The crimson light shield that had gathered around him was instantly engulfed by the lightning, and he let out a scream as his body plummeted from the flying artifact.

The pursuers, draped in robes and carrying shields to conceal their figures, ignored him and descended on their flying magical artifacts. They arrived at the body of the fallen cultivator, took his storage bag, searched his clothes, and then hurried away.

The fat, big-eared man saw that the pursuer was well-concealed and looked mysterious. Seeing that the pursuer had already flown away on his flying artifact, he came to the corpse and kicked it away.

Seeing that the corpse's fist was clenched, he opened it and saw that it was holding a piece of golden cloth in its palm.

The man was still clutching this object tightly before he died, so it must have been something very important. Could it be that the mysterious pursuer was after this? He recalled that the pursuer had searched the corpse thoroughly, clearly looking for something.

Unexpectedly, despite all the precautions, the thing wasn't hidden on his person, but rather held in his hand.

It is likely that the mysterious person, fearing complications after being witnessed committing the crime, was too hasty to notice and was overlooked due to the darkness of the lamplight.

The fat, big-eared man took the golden cloth, unfolded it, and saw that it was completely blank, as if it were a wordless book.

What's going on? Could he have been mistaken? The man was stunned for a moment, but thinking that it was not advisable to stay here for long, he searched the corpse again and, finding nothing else, took the golden cloth and left on his flying magical artifact.

.........

In Longtougu, in the northeastern part of Xijiang County, the streets are filled with the constant noise of vendors hawking their wares.

In the distance, a streak of light shot out, revealing Song Xian's figure. He was wearing a black robe and a bamboo hat, and strode towards Tingyuxuan Shop. Cultivators on the road gave way, and even the shouts of vendors on both sides became much quieter.

"Senior, it is an honor to have you here. Please forgive me for not greeting you sooner." He Xiu hurriedly came forward to greet him upon his arrival, bowing obsequiously.

"Fellow Daoist He, please allow me a moment to speak."

He Xiu recognized his voice and quickly led him to the backyard.

After entering the room, Song Xian took off his bamboo hat: "Fellow Daoist He, I have come to see Fellow Daoist Han. I have something important to discuss with him."

He hasn't seen Han Yuan since he last asked Han Yuan to impersonate him.

After that incident, Han Yuan left Xijiang County. He was an extremely cautious person. Knowing that this matter was related to Yinyuan Island, he was worried that Yinyuan Island would find him, so he ran away after doing that thing.

Song Xian came here this time to ask for his help in dealing with Wan Huaming.

He wasn't very confident on his own, not because he was worried about losing to Wan Huaming, but because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to eliminate the other party in one fell swoop.

Wan Huaming was, after all, a Foundation Establishment Stage 7 cultivator and a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect. It wasn't surprising that he possessed one or two life-saving techniques.

He was not afraid of a one-on-one, head-on confrontation, but if his opponent discovered the ambush, he would definitely not engage in a prolonged fight and would inevitably flee.

His weakness has always been his ability to escape quickly. Since the opposing cultivator is no weaker than him, he might not be able to catch up if the cultivator has a sure-fire escape technique.

If the other party escapes back to Xijiang County and reports it to the Xuanyuan Sect for investigation, then there will be endless troubles.

Han Yuan is not only highly skilled, but also proficient in escape techniques. Song Xian once witnessed him transform into a peacock and use spatial manipulation to escape. If he could get Han Yuan's help, they would be more confident in eliminating Wan Huaming.

"To be honest, Senior Song, I'm not sure if I can get in touch with Senior Han either," He Xiu replied calmly.

"I'll wait for your message. Whether you can contact Fellow Daoist Han or not, please reply to me as soon as possible." Song Xian stopped wasting words with him and left.

.........

As dawn broke, in the dimly lit room, the fat man with big ears kept turning the golden cloth over and over, convinced that it held a secret. However, he couldn't find any flaws until he placed the golden cloth under the lamplight and saw a dense layer of shadows appear on it.

He was overjoyed and hurriedly examined the golden cloth before the fire, but there were only faint, dense lines on it, and he had no idea what was written on it.

He tried placing the golden cloth in the fire, and a layer of flame quickly ignited on it, just like a layer of oil spread on water, which would ignite at the slightest touch.

The flames burned on the cloth, but did not completely engulf it; it was as if the flames were isolated, only wiping away the surface layer of gold.

The golden cloth, stripped away, revealed its true form: a black pattern, resembling a topographical atlas, with one dot marked in red.

On the back of the design, there is also a passage.

It turns out this was a hiding place for a rogue cultivator who had reached the Golden Core stage.

The Golden Core cultivator had hidden all the things he had collected over the years in that place, because he was going to explore a dangerous ruin. He thought that if he encountered any accidents, he would hand those things over to his family's descendants.

(End of this chapter)