Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 555 The Elder Returns

Green Peak.

Dragon Transformation Island has many peaks, with the highest peak reserved for the sect leader, while the other elders each possess a peak that forms a protective ring around it.

Qingcui Peak is the mountain that belongs exclusively to Elder Li Xueqing.

This place is rarely visited by anyone on ordinary days.

Because Li Xueqing practiced poison arts, poisonous insects, poisonous plants, poisonous flowers, and poisonous trees can be seen everywhere on the mountain, covering the entire mountainside.

These poisons are highly toxic, and poisoning can occur if one is not careful.

This is also why the disciples rarely dare to set foot here on ordinary days.

Even so, if it were in the past, when Li Xueqing was still the elder in charge of law enforcement, people would still come to visit her on Green Peak from time to time.

After all, in the face of power, even poisonous insects seem insignificant.

However, times have changed.

Li Xueqing is no longer an enforcement elder, and her status within the sect has plummeted.

The person who now holds the reins of power in the sect is Xiong Ba, and Li Xueqing is a well-known enemy of Xiong Ba. This makes the disciples afraid of offending Xiong Ba, and they dare not come to Qingcui Peak.

This made Green Peak even more desolate.

But as the saying goes, nothing is absolute.

at this time.

Then a furtive figure appeared at the foot of Green Peak.

At the foot of the mountain, rotting leaves and poisonous flowers intertwine, forming a colorful yet deadly swamp. Every now and then, scarlet snake tongues peek out from under the decaying leaves, exhaling a nauseatingly sweet and pungent stench.

The figure lingered for a long time, seemingly hesitant.

This person was none other than Zhao Zhichen, a deacon in the Enforcement Hall.

Zhao Zhichen looked at the verdant peak and sighed softly:

"Hey……"

Back then, under the leadership of Elder Li Xueqing, the Law Enforcement Hall was considered the most prestigious hall in the sect, holding a highly respected position.

But who would have thought that after Xiong Ba arrived, he would start targeting the Enforcement Hall?

Former head of the Enforcement Hall, Liao Chengxuan, along with deacons Tang Ge and Liu Wei, as well as those disciples who had offended Xiong Ba, had their cultivation stripped and were expelled from the sect.

The entire Enforcement Hall was taken over by Xiong Ba, who then seized the power to enforce the law, making the Surveillance Hall under Xiong Ba's leadership both capable of surveillance and enforcement, wielding immense power.

From then on, the Enforcement Hall never recovered.

All the disciples in the hall who had the ability and ambition transferred to Xiong Ba's Surveillance Hall.

Those who remain in the Hall of Law Enforcement today are merely those who are unambitious, incompetent, or nostalgic.

Zhao Zhichen is a sentimental person.

Li Xueqing had once done him a favor, which is why he appeared here today.

Zhao Zhichen looked around to make sure no one was there before he dared to sneak up towards Green Peak.

He moved slowly along the rock face, his palms sweating and soaking the hem of his clothes.

As the only remaining familiar face in the Enforcement Hall, he was intimately familiar with the path leading to the summit.

Once, disciples came and went here every day, but now it is covered with cobwebs, and vines sprouting from the cracks in the stone steps are entwined with the faded sect emblem, as if telling the story of its former glory.

"Crench!"

He stepped on a dead branch, startling a swarm of eerie blue moths atop the tree. The phosphorus powder they scattered as their wings fluttered shimmered eerily in the sunlight.

Sudden--

"what!!!"

A piercing scream suddenly rang out from the mountaintop, piercing the deathly silence of the forest like a sharp sword.

The sound was filled with excruciating pain, like countless steel needles stabbing wildly into the eardrums.

This startled the poisonous insects in the forest, causing them to scatter in a flurry.

Fortunately, there was insect repellent on the path, which kept the poisonous insects away, thus saving Zhao Zhichen from being attacked.

"It's...it's Elder Li's scream!"

Zhao Zhichen recognized the voice, and his expression immediately became tense:

"Could it be... that some villain is planning to harm Elder Li?"

"Could it be... Xiong Ba?!"

Zhao Zhichen looked conflicted and hesitant.

Now that Xiong Ba is in charge, no one dares to provoke him.

Even Li Xueqing, the First Elder, was defeated by Liang Jin.

If anyone else were to offend Xiong Ba, they might not even know how they died.

But Zhao Zhichen gritted his teeth and ran quickly toward the top of the mountain.

Soon, he finally reached the summit.

"Xiongba! Stop!"

Zhao Zhichen shouted, panting heavily.

However, when he saw everything clearly, he was stunned.

Where was Xiong Ba's shadow on that open and flat training ground at the summit?
All that remained was... a dense swarm of poisonous insects!

Tens of thousands of venomous insects surged like boiling lava, with colorful centipedes, crimson scorpions, and metallic beetles piled up densely together, forming a writhing "mound of flesh" in the center.

"what--!!!"

Another painful scream rang out.

This time, Zhao Zhichen heard it clearly. The screams came from the swarm of poisonous insects, each accompanied by the faint sound of bones grinding together.

"Elder Li!"

"Elder Li, are you alright?"

"Do you need me to call someone to help you?"

Zhao Zhichen was extremely anxious and shouted loudly.

Upon hearing Zhao Zhichen's shout, the poisonous insects seemed to stir.

They receded as quickly as the tide and disappeared into the woods.

And from the high bulge of the insect swarm, a person gradually emerged, none other than Li Xueqing!

At this moment, she was like a demon crawling out of hell.

Her snow-white silk dress was stained black and red, and her exposed skin was covered with dense, bloody holes. Countless tiny insect corpses were embedded in the wounds, trembling slightly with her breath.

His once icy face was now twisted and deformed, and his left eye was covered with bluish-purple poisonous patterns that spread like a spider web to his neck.

She had just been suffering from the torment of being devoured by countless insects.

No wonder the screams were so painful.

"Elder Li... Elder Li!"

Zhao Zhichen knelt down with a thud, his knees hitting the gravel without him even noticing.

He watched as Li Xueqing reached out and pried the poisonous spider embedded in her shoulder, the black blood dripping from her fingertips corroding the ground and creating a sizzling pit. A chill ran through him.

Li Xueqing slowly turned her head, a smile appearing on her blood-stained face:
"Oh, it's Zhichen."

"I never expected that you would be the first person to come to see me in the Hall of Enforcement."

Zhao Zhichen was deeply moved upon hearing this; he hadn't expected Elder Li to still remember him.

Zhao Zhichen immediately spoke with concern:

"Elder Li, are you alright?"

"Should I... go and invite someone from the Hundred Flowers Hall to treat you?"

Li Xueqing suddenly let out a sharp laugh.

Her laughter had a metallic, grating quality, each note seeming to be squeezed from the deepest part of her chest.

"Why are you panicking?"

"I was just practicing the Hundred Evils Body Technique, it was nothing more than a little physical pain!"

Zhao Zhichen was startled upon hearing this.

Within the Hualongmen sect, everyone knows that the cultivation process of the "Hundred Evils Body Technique" is extremely painful and difficult.

The most crucial aspect of practicing this martial art is the daily ingestion of various poisons.

Just one poison can torture a person to death and make him suffer unbearable pain.

As long as you are not poisoned to death, you must continue to take more poison.

When practicing this skill, one can say that one is constantly suffering from the inhuman torture brought by the poison.

Those who practice this skill for a long time will eventually become mentally distorted or even go crazy and possessed by demons due to constant self-abuse.

Even the sect leader Yu Linglong could only hold on to the third level and chose to give up.

The other elders avoided this technique like the plague.

Since the establishment of the Hualongmen, only Xiong Ba has been able to cultivate this martial art to the ninth level of perfection!
Li Xueqing's voice turned cold:
"If Xiong Ba could master the Hundred Evil Body Technique, I can definitely master it too!"

She suddenly ripped open her clothes, revealing a hideous tumor on her neck, with bluish-black blood vessels writhing beneath her skin like living creatures.

"Back then, Xiong Ba ingested forty-nine kinds of poisons, so I will ingest a hundred kinds! He can withstand a thousand poisons gnawing at his bones, so I can have ten thousand insects eating away at my heart!"

In the end, Li Xueqing practically spoke through gritted teeth.

Especially her eyes, which teemed with boundless malice.

Even now, Li Xueqing will never forget the first time Liang Jin defeated her, it was because the Hundred Evils Body gave Liang Jin extremely strong defense and attack.

If Liang Jin's physical body hadn't been so powerful, Li Xueqing wouldn't have lost!

Furthermore, Li Xueqing also realized that although her poison skills were strong, Liang Jin was immune to all poisons.

To defeat Liang Jin, one must rely on other martial arts skills.

Li Xueqing has many martial arts skills to choose from, but her first martial art is the "Hundred Evils Body Technique".

Once she masters the technique, she will have a better understanding of Liang Jin's martial arts style and will be able to find a way to defeat him.

In addition, she was also practicing another poison technique, which also required drawing poison into the body. The early stages were similar to those of the "Hundred Evils Body Technique".

So she practiced both martial arts at the same time.

That's why she attracted countless poisonous insects to bite her, constantly poisoning herself, enduring pain and torment. It was the resentment in her heart that allowed her to grit her teeth and persevere until now.

"Elder..."

Looking at Li Xueqing's current appearance, Zhao Zhichen couldn't help but feel a little scared.

In the past, Li Xueqing was fair and impartial in enforcing the law, cold and ruthless. She gave people a strong and tough impression, which was awe-inspiring.

Then Liang came in.

Liang Jin not only accused Li Xueqing of unfair law enforcement, but also defeated Li Xueqing in public, causing her to lose face.

A while ago, Liang Jin carried Li Xueqing back to Hualong Island like a dog. At that time, Li Xueqing was beaten black and blue, and even her legs were broken.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Li Xueqing lost all her dignity.

Everyone felt only sympathy and sighs for Li Xueqing.

Whether it's awe or sympathy, these are still the normal impressions people have of her.

But strangely, there was no fear.

But at this moment, Zhao Zhichen truly felt genuine fear from Li Xueqing!

At this moment, Li Xueqing was no longer the elder who enforced the law strictly.
The person before me is clearly a monster consumed by hatred and poisonous arts!

suddenly!

Li Xueqing's eyes lit up as she looked at Zhao Zhichen.

Zhao Zhichen trembled with fear and quickly lay prostrate on the ground.

At this moment, Li Xueqing, like a blood-drinking demon, stuffed the poisonous insect into her mouth and chewed it. The purplish-black juice flowed down the corner of her mouth, leaving burn marks on her pale skin.

"He took everything from me..."

Li Xueqing suddenly approached, her breath carrying the stench of rotting insects onto Zhao Zhichen's face.

Her pupils contracted to pinpoints, and the whites of her eyes were bloodshot.
"The position of Elder of Law Enforcement, the dignity... I will make him pay a hundredfold!"

Before she finished speaking, she slammed her hand on the stone table beside her. The hard black iron stone was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks, and flying shards of stone cut Zhao Zhichen's cheek.

Zhao Zhichen screamed in fright, his heart pounding, and he lay trembling on the ground.

Available in the next second.

Li Xueqing's face, however, revealed a gentle smile:
I was a little out of line just now, and I scared you.

"Don't be afraid. I've thought things through very clearly now, and I feel even more clear-headed than before."

At this point, Li Xueqing seemed to transform into a gentle elder once again.

She then seemed to realize that her current appearance, covered in blood, was terrifying.

With a sudden wave of her hand, she unleashed a surge of immense internal energy.

She immediately drew water from the nearby water tank, creating a stream of water that floated in mid-air and surrounded her.

The water flowed gently over her face, washing away the blood and grime.

She then controlled the water flow, sending it soaring into the air and turning it into a shower that fell into the forest.

It is evident that her control over internal energy has reached a new level.

"By the way, you came to see me, is there something wrong?"

After doing all this, Li Xueqing sat cross-legged on the stone platform in the middle of the training ground and looked at Zhao Zhichen with a question.

The poisonous markings and tumors on her face had all disappeared, as if she had returned to normal.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhichen immediately replied:

"Today in the main hall, Xiong Ba spoke about some things and made some suggestions."

"I think this information is very important, and I hope Elder Li may be interested in it, so I have come to tell Elder Li."

As he spoke, Zhao Zhichen immediately recounted everything that had happened in the main hall during the morning assembly.

Zhao Zhichen was, after all, a steward, and was naturally qualified to attend the morning meeting.

He desperately wanted to repay Li Xueqing, but he knew that his martial arts skills were weak and his status was low, so he couldn't help Li Xueqing directly deal with Liang Jin.

So all he could do was to promptly inform Li Xueqing of important matters within the sect, so that she wouldn't be marginalized.

Li Xueqing listened quietly and smiled:
“I understand now, this matter is indeed very important.”

"I will bathe and change my clothes now, and go to see the sect leader to discuss this matter."

"Zhichen, here is a Seven Herbs Pill. Take it back and take it."

As she spoke, Li Xueqing waved her hand, and a porcelain bottle landed in front of Zhao Zhichen.

The Seven Herbs Pill is an extremely rare pill in the Dragon Transformation Sect, and only elders are qualified to take it.

Now that Li Xueqing has bestowed it upon Zhao Zhichen, it is clearly a way of repaying Zhao Zhichen.

After accepting the pills and thanking Li Xueqing, Zhao Zhiyu descended the mountain.

Only Li Xueqing remained in the same spot.

After her eyes flickered for a moment, she began to wash away the bloodstains all over her body and change into a formal outfit.

Then, with a swift movement, she flew towards the main hall, and wherever her robes swept past, the flowers and plants withered instantly.

soon.

She then entered the main hall.

As soon as I entered the main hall, I overheard a discussion among the elders.

"Actually, I think Xiong Ba's suggestion makes sense. According to intelligence, the Great Qian Dynasty is currently beset by powerful enemies from the outside and the emperor is seriously ill with no heir. It is truly a rare opportunity."

“That’s right, I also think we should speed up our planning. If we continue to be confined to this island, we might miss the opportunity when the time is right.”

"No! I strongly oppose it! Although it seems like an opportunity has come, we need sufficient strength to seize it! The current strength of the Dragon Transformation Sect is not enough to compete for the world. We need more time."

"That's right! The most important thing is that the sect leader hasn't reached the first rank yet. As long as he doesn't reach the first rank, we won't have enough confidence!"

"That's right. In today's world, the struggle for supremacy relies on the most elite and powerful combat strength. And this combat strength is the first-rank martial artist. If my Dragon Transformation Sect doesn't even have a single first-rank martial artist, then it's destined to be in vain."

……

Inside the hall, the elders were arguing heatedly, their faces flushed.

Yu Linglong sat alone on the throne, her eyes unfocused, clearly lost in thought.

The moment Li Xueqing stepped into the main hall, all the elders instinctively stopped arguing.

Everyone looked at Li Xueqing with complicated emotions.

The once dashing and heroic elder of law enforcement is now withered and emaciated, yet he exudes a chilling sense of oppression.

Every step she took felt like it was treading on everyone's hearts.

Back then, Li Xueqing was the head of all the elders, and even they had to show her some respect.

However, later on, Li Xueqing's status and authority were repeatedly suppressed by Liang Jin.

Now, Li Xueqing has even been marginalized by the sect and has become a laughing stock in everyone's eyes.

Even so, all the elders maintained the respect due to Li Xueqing.

Because they all knew that Li Xueqing was not only a third-rank martial artist, but her ancestors were also loyal ministers of the royal family. She herself had always been loyal to the Dayu royal family and had made great contributions to the Hualongmen.

On the throne.

Yu Linglong couldn't help but sit up straight, and asked in surprise:
"Elder Li, haven't you been recuperating on Green Peak?"

"What brings you here today?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xueqing smiled slightly.

She had been recuperating from her injury for some time.

However, no one came to visit her during this time.

It was as if she had done something wrong.

She is right!
Even though she secretly disguised herself and left the island, it was because she wanted to catch the traitors from the Six Doors for the sect!
Her only mistake was losing to Liang Jin!
Li Xueqing bowed respectfully, her face full of a gentle smile:

"Sect Master, I'm all better now."

"And now, I understand the sect leader's good intentions, and I have a complete awakening."

"My subordinates have not only calmed down and changed their temper, but they have also become deeply aware of their past shortcomings and have corrected them."

"Especially recently, my subordinates have gained a lot of insights into martial arts, and have even vaguely grasped the opportunity to break through to the second rank."

"Now that I have returned, I intend to continue serving the sect leader and contributing to the Hualong Sect."

Li Xueqing's voice was eerily calm, and as she slowly knelt down, her knees made a sickeningly sharp cracking sound.

Upon hearing this, Yu Linglong frowned slightly.

The elders remained silent.

At this moment, Li Xueqing's attitude was humble, even somewhat ingratiating.

He was completely unlike the cold, tough, and domineering law enforcement elder he once was.

But has she really changed?
Seeing that no one spoke, Li Xueqing smiled and said:
Why are you all looking at me so strangely?

"I know! It must be because I've undergone a complete transformation after my profound enlightenment, and I'm a completely new person!"

"But you don't need to worry, I really won't be as aggressive as I used to be."

"and……"

As she said this, Li Xueqing maintained a smile, but the smile seemed somewhat stiff.

Her gaze swept over the elders present, finally settling on Yu Linglong.

She stepped forward and said in a loud voice:

"Furthermore, I will no longer make things difficult for Xiong Ba; in fact, I quite agree with his views."

"The land is the future of the Dragon Transformation Gate, and I am willing to be the vanguard and clear away all obstacles."

Yu Linglong sat up straight, a hint of amusement flashing in her phoenix eyes.

Li Xueqing actually agreed with Liang Jin's suggestion?
The sun can rise in the west?
However, with Li Xueqing's strong support, Yu Linglong is confident that she can make a decision on this matter!
And she herself can finally gain a wider and freer world!

Yu Linglong stared at Li Xueqing, then suddenly burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the empty hall:

"Excellent! With Elder Li's assistance, what is there to worry about in achieving our great cause?"

She stood up and walked down the steps, and amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd, she personally helped Li Xueqing up:
"I have decided to deploy on land ahead of schedule."

“Starting tomorrow, Elder Li will assist Xiong Ba in coordinating land affairs.”

(End of this chapter)