Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 469 Water Transformation Divine Power

Inside the brightly lit hall, Ding Mingde, the second elder of the Mingyue Sect, entered from outside. The burly man rose and bowed. After exchanging a few polite words, the two took their seats as host and guest.

"This was sent by someone from the Hunyuan Sect. Please take a look, Senior Brother Ding." The burly man took out a jade slip and a scroll and handed them to him.

Ding Mingde took the dossier and jade slip, and after reviewing them, his brows immediately furrowed: "Who sent this?"

"Chen Xuan, the head of the shops in the city's market of the Hunyuan Sect, said that he was sent by Xiao Ling to bring it, but I have already sent him back."

"Where is Zhang Tianda? Where is he now?"

“I have already asked him, and he claims that he has nothing to do with it and insists that it was a frame-up by Hunyuan Sect.”

Ding Mingde's gaze turned cold: "Hmph! Framing him, he's got some nerve."

"This is indeed only Hunyuan Sect's side of the story; there is no direct evidence to prove that he did it."

Ding Mingde glanced at him: "If everyone did what he did, wouldn't the sect be in chaos? This time he offended the Hunyuan Sect, but what if he had offended the Beast Taming Sect, or even a stronger force?"

“Zhang Tianda has already submitted his Foundation Establishment application. Without conclusive evidence, it would be a real pity if the sect were to punish him and delay his Foundation Establishment. In my opinion, we should put this matter aside for now and deal with it after he succeeds in his Foundation Establishment attempt. If he succeeds, then there is no need to investigate further, since the Hunyuan Sect has no evidence anyway. If he fails, then we can investigate him more thoroughly.”

Ding Mingde frowned: "How do we explain this to the Hunyuan Sect? What if they retaliate against our sect for this?"

“That means the Hunyuan Sect is causing trouble. They don’t have any solid evidence. If they retaliate against our sect, then they are in the wrong.”

"That's true, but if it really comes to that point, without even talking about the losses, things could get out of control."

"We can stabilize the Hunyuan Sect first, and then see how it goes after Zhang Tianda breaks through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

Ding Mingde thought for a moment and said, "Let's do it this way!"

Should we inform the sect leader about this?

"Of course I want it! I'll go talk to them!"

…………

“We have already dispatched two hundred people in twenty teams to search, but we still haven’t found Xu Xinyu. According to our intelligence, the Mingyue Sect has not taken her in. She has either fled far away from Xijiang County, or she has been secretly silenced by Zhang Tianda.”

“Zhang Tianda has been at the Bright Moon Sect’s mountain gate for some time now. He has applied for Foundation Establishment preparation and put aside worldly affairs. It is almost impossible to lure him out at this time.”

In the spacious and brightly lit hall, Huang Ye reported on the progress of the matter.

Song Xian remained silent, only nodding. He was considering whether to retaliate against the Bright Moon Sect, perhaps by killing one of their mid-to-high-level cultivators, or by robbing some of their goods.

If they do nothing, it will be difficult to explain to the internal staff, since Fan Cheng is, after all, the deputy hall master.

If we take action, I'm worried that the conflict will escalate.

Just as he hesitated, a disciple came outside and reported to him that Xiao Ling was requesting an audience.

Soon, Xiao Ling arrived and reported the Bright Moon Sect's reaction to him.

The Mingyue Sect stated that it takes this matter very seriously and will immediately launch an investigation. They have already imprisoned Zhang Tianda, and if the evidence is conclusive and he is indeed the perpetrator, he will be severely punished.

"I'm considering whether to retaliate against the Bright Moon Sect and would like to hear your opinions," Song Xian said slowly after a moment of contemplation.

Xiao Ling lowered her head and looked down at the ground. She had already made her stance clear during the previous discussion, which drew a sharp rebuttal from Lin Zixiang, so she was now being very cautious with her words.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Huang Ye said, "This matter was originally Zhang Tianda's personal act. If we retaliate against the Mingyue Sect, it would be unjust and could very likely cause a bigger conflict. Besides, we have already informed the Mingyue Sect about this matter through negotiation, and the Mingyue Sect has already expressed its attitude. Let's wait for their investigation results before making any further decisions."

"What are your thoughts, Junior Sister Xiao?"

When asked by name, Xiao Ling replied, "I agree with Senior Brother Huang, but I suggest that the sect leader should consult other people before making a decision."

Song Xian nodded and let the two go back.

As night fell, he summoned all the cabinet members to discuss the matter. Following Jiang Zichen's initial statement, Yu Lian immediately echoed it, and everyone agreed not to retaliate against the Mingyue Sect, but to exert pressure on them through negotiation and wait for the Mingyue Sect to make its decision.

.........

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

On this day, Song Xian was cultivating his qi in his cultivation room with his eyes closed, as usual, when a knocking sound suddenly came from outside. He opened his eyes, waved his hand, and the stone door opened by itself without wind. A disciple stood outside and bowed respectfully.

"Sect Leader, a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Wei Fan has arrived outside the mountain gate, saying he has important matters to discuss."

Upon hearing Wei Fan's name, Song Xian immediately stood up, then quickly left the cultivation room, his escape light rising as he arrived outside the mountain gate.

In the distance, Wei Fan's slender figure stood. After many years, his cultivation had broken through the bottleneck of the sixth level of Foundation Establishment and reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment.

Song Xian greeted him with a broad smile: "Fellow Daoist Wei, it's been a long time."

When Wei Fan saw that he had also broken through to the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, his eyes revealed a strong sense of vigilance and apprehension.

"The day is fast approaching. I have come to invite Sect Leader Song to join me on our journey to the Boundless Sea."

Song Xian was not surprised; he had long guessed that Wei Fan's visit must be for this matter.

"Didn't Fellow Daoist Wei say that there was another fellow Daoist accompanying us? I wonder where this person is now?"

“He has already gone ahead to the northern market of the Muhhe Grassland, where he is waiting for us. I have also deposited the half of the key at the pawnshop in that market. We will go there now to meet him, retrieve the key, and then head to the Boundless Sea together.”

The first meeting between the two left an indelible impression on Wei Fan, so he made no attempt to hide his fear of Song Xian. The meaning behind his words was also clear: the half of the key is no longer with me, so it's no use for you to touch me.

“Alright, I’ll hand over the affairs of the sect and then go with you, fellow Daoist.”

"Then please handle this as soon as possible, Sect Leader Song. Is one day enough?"

"no problem."

"I'll come again tomorrow."

"Fellow Daoist Wei has come from afar, so please stay overnight at our sect, and we will set off together tomorrow."

"No need." After saying that, Wei Fan rose into the air and quickly disappeared from sight.

Seeing him leave, Song Xian's smile gradually faded. He stood there blankly for a while, seemingly lost in thought, before returning to the mountain gate.

As night fell, the room was brightly lit. Su Zhirou, her face full of worry, nestled against him and said, "Let me go with my husband! That way we can look after each other."

“If we go together, Wei Fan will refuse. He is already very wary and defensive of me. The day when the seven stars align only occurs once every hundred years. If we miss this opportunity, we will have to wait another hundred years. We must not miss this chance.”

“But I’m worried that Wei Fan might have set a trap and ambushed people there to deal with my husband.”

Song Xian's eyes flickered slightly: "Then you definitely shouldn't go with him. If there's an ambush, it's easy for me to escape on my own. Unless he finds a Golden Core cultivator to help him, he poses no threat to me."

……

'Haitianfang' is located in the center of the northern region of Muhe Grassland. It is the largest market town in the northern region, covering an area of ​​over a hundred miles. It has everything from shops and pavilions to gambling dens and arenas.

Unlike typical market town structures, Haitianfang is straight on the east and west sides, while forming several elliptical shapes on the north and south sides. When viewed from above, it resembles a butterfly shape, with large lakes in between.

The market is filled with buildings of various styles, arranged in a neat and orderly fashion.

That day, the sky was clear and the air was fresh.

In front of a majestic white domed pavilion, two men strode into the inner room. The two men were Song Xian and Wei Fan.

"This is Fellow Daoist Cheng Zongyuan." After the door opened, a young man with fair skin, handsome features, and a scholarly appearance stood inside with a friendly smile. He looked to be under thirty years old. Wei Fan introduced him to him and then strode into the inner room.

"This must be Sect Leader Song. I've heard so much about you." Cheng Zongyuan bowed with a warm smile, appearing very sincere.

Song Xian scrutinized him, and with his discerning eye, he saw through all his secrets.

This person has a Foundation Establishment level 10 cultivation, 3420 spiritual power points, and is almost at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. He has a single spiritual root aptitude and possesses a water attribute spiritual root.

Divine consciousness 2260 points.

Under normal circumstances, a cultivator's spiritual power is half that of their spiritual power. This person's spiritual power is far higher than that of an ordinary cultivator. Either they have had a fortuitous encounter and obtained a treasure that enhances their spiritual power, or they are cultivating spiritual power techniques.

In addition, it possesses a unique innate ability: water transformation (the ability to change its own form into water).
Song Xian was shocked. This person not only had a single spiritual root aptitude and a spiritual sense far exceeding that of ordinary people, but also possessed innate supernatural abilities. Where did Wei Fan find such a powerful person?

Just from the name of this [Water Transformation] supernatural power, one can tell that this supernatural power must be related to the water attribute. Combined with his single water attribute spiritual root aptitude, it can be said to be a perfect match.

No wonder Wei Fan felt comfortable going with him; he must have great trust in this person's abilities.

Back then, I used the secret technique of divine sense to attack his soul and startle his mind, and took him down by surprise.

The helper he found was a cultivator with extremely strong spiritual power, clearly to guard against his spiritual attack.

"I wouldn't dare. We're all in the same boat, working together with one heart. May I ask where Fellow Daoist Cheng is from?" Song Xian returned the greeting.

"I am a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect and an old acquaintance of Fellow Daoist Wei. I was invited by him to go to that secret realm to search for treasures, which is also thanks to the Sect Leader Song. I hope you will take good care of me."

Song Xian glanced at Wei Fan, not expecting him to travel with a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect. Generally speaking, independent cultivators are unwilling to cooperate with cultivators from major sects because they are powerless and vulnerable to being taken advantage of.

Without a doubt, Wei Fan chose this Xuan Yuan Sect disciple to accompany him to protect himself, since he had a family and a career. If he were to kill the Xuan Yuan Sect disciple in a sneak attack, he would definitely be in deep trouble. Perhaps Cheng Zongyuan had already informed his relatives and friends before setting off.

If he really dies during this treasure hunt, the Xuan Yuan Sect might come after him immediately.

It has to be said that Wei Fan's move was really clever; the person he found met all the requirements.

Not only is his cultivation high and his spiritual power strong, but he also has a remarkable background. No wonder he was able to agree to waive the mortgage conditions in the first place.

"So you're a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect. My apologies for my disrespect." Song Xian replied calmly with a smile.

At the same time, he became secretly wary. Since Wei Fan had found such a powerful person, why was he still being so secretive?
If he goes to the mountain gate with them, would I dare to touch them?

However, he had Cheng Zongyuan arrive at the market ahead of him to wait, preventing him from being exposed prematurely, which is quite noteworthy.

Cheng Zongyuan is a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect, and like himself, he has a family and a career. If they are determined to double-cross each other, it is indeed not advisable to let Cheng Zongyuan show up at Luoyun Mountain.

Because if he were to be killed, the sect disciples would definitely suspect the person who was traveling with him.

Wei Fan was a wandering cultivator who roamed the world and could leave at any time, but Cheng Zongyuan was someone who could run away but couldn't hide.

Once he shows up, he'll definitely be harassed, and there will be a lot of trouble.

“Fellow Daoist Wei said he stored the key to the secret realm at the pawnshop in this market. I happened to have some personal business to attend to in the Muhe Grassland, so I came here early to wait for you. I’ve been waiting for you for over a month now. If you hadn’t come soon, I was planning to go to Bianxi City to pay my respects.” Cheng Zongyuan said with a seemingly casual smile.

Song Xian didn't know if he was telling the truth or not, but it was enough to show that this man was meticulous. Whether he was preparing to double-cross Song Xian or was afraid that Song Xian would worry, he had at least thought of something.

“I was worried that there might be dangers inside that secret realm, and that Fellow Daoist Wei and I might not be able to handle it alone. Fellow Daoist Cheng, your cultivation is profound. With your help, we are more confident in our journey.”

Cheng Zongyuan smiled and said, "Sect Leader Song is too modest. I have heard Fellow Daoist Wei talk about your deeds. In Xijiang County, you fought three cultivators with higher cultivation levels than you all by yourself and finally killed two of them. There are not many people in the entire Xishu Prefecture who can do that."

Song Xian glanced at him, then turned his gaze to Wei Fan: "Fellow Daoist Wei is a rogue cultivator, while Fellow Daoist Cheng is a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect. May I ask how the two of you met?"

Wei Fan did not answer. Since entering the room, he had been like a transparent person, sitting there without saying a word. Even now, upon hearing these words, he still did not respond.

“I used to work in Anfeng County, and Fellow Daoist Wei is a famous weapon refiner in Anfeng County.”

"I see." Song Xian didn't ask any more questions about their relationship or background. "Fellow Daoist Wei, should we make any preparations for this trip? Or perhaps purchase some items?"

Wei Fan finally answered, his face solemn: "I have never been inside that secret realm, so I don't know what dangers it holds. Just in case, I advise you two to prepare as many life-saving items as possible. We'll rest here today. Fellow Daoist Song can browse the market here and buy whatever you need. After I get the key, we'll head to the Boundless Sea."

"Okay, then I'll go prepare." Song Xian said, and left the room.

……

"This person is probably even stronger than you said." Sensing that he had already gone far away, Cheng Zongyuan looked out at the outside world with a slight glint in his eyes.

Wei Fan looked at him suspiciously: "How did you know?"

“I can feel it.” Cheng Zongyuan flipped his hand and took out a large black cylinder. A silver-gray insect crawled out of it. At this moment, all the hairs on its body stood up, and its two long antennae were completely retracted together.

Seeing its appearance, the muscles around his eyes twitched almost imperceptibly as he gently stroked the insect's fur, seemingly to soothe it.

"So, even you're not confident?" Wei Fan glanced at the insect, his brows furrowed.

"Let's play it by ear!"

(End of this chapter)