Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 161 The Great Demon in the Mountains
For the past two weeks, Jian Wuchen felt like he was living in a joke.

He could even sense the schadenfreude in the hearts of the cultivators in the city.

The mighty Heavenly Sword Manor, the overlord of Qingzhou, caused such a commotion over a mere swordsman who had just entered the Sea Condensation Realm, yet they couldn't even catch a glimpse of him.

This is simply rubbing Tianjian Manor's face and Jian Wuchen's face into the ground repeatedly.

"waste!"

Finally, Jian Wuchen could no longer suppress his anger and slammed the dossier in his hand to the ground.

"They're all trash!"

He stood up and stared intently at Zhao Qian and the others below.

"It's been over half a month. I gave you over half a month, and this is how you repay me? Hundreds of people and you can't even find a single person at the Sea Condensation Realm. What are you all good for? Heavenly Sword Manor supports you just so you can embarrass yourselves in public?"

Jian Wuchen's voice grew louder and louder, until it was almost a roar.

An uncontrollable, terrifying pressure belonging to an Inner Realm expert emanated from him, causing the temperature in the entire room to drop to freezing point.

Zhao Qian and the others trembled under this oppressive force, sweat pouring down their foreheads and soaking their collars.

"Young Master, please calm down!" Zhao Qian stammered, his voice trembling with tears. "That... that Chen Ye is just too cunning. We really did our best!"

"You did your best?" Upon hearing these two words, Jian Wuchen seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world. He flashed in front of Zhao Qian, looking down at him with icy cold eyes.

"You spend your days running around like a headless fly, is this what you call trying your best?"

Zhao Qian was speechless when asked the question, and didn't know what to say.

They said they did indeed do as the young master instructed, but the Southern Wilderness Mountains were simply too vast, with mountains upon mountains and forests upon forests. Not to mention hiding a person, it would be easy to hide an entire army.

Although these disciples were not weak in cultivation, in those vast mountains, they were like a handful of salt scattered into the ocean, unable to play a significant role.

But he dared not say these words.

Because once those words are spoken, it would be considered questioning the young master's orders, and the consequences would only be worse.

“We’ve searched every village, town, cave, and dilapidated temple within a 500-mile radius… we’ve even gone into some demon lairs, but we still haven’t found any trace of him,” Zhao Qian explained, forcing a smile. “He… he just vanished into thin air.”

"Disappear into thin air?" Jian Wuchen sneered. "How many things in this world disappear into thin air? If you can't find them, then you're incompetent!"

He grew angrier the more he thought about it, and kicked Zhao Qian in the chest.

"boom!"

Zhao Qian was sent flying backward, crashing hard into the wall before rolling to the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The other disciples were terrified when they saw this and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy.

"Young Master, spare my life!"

"Shut up!" Jian Wuchen shouted sternly. "If we can't find him, every one of you is responsible. From today onwards, all of your sect contribution points and pill allowances will be halved. They will be restored only when we find Chen Ye."

Upon hearing this, the faces of all the disciples present turned ashen.

Sect contribution points and pills are the foundation of their cultivation, but at this moment they don't even dare to say a word of rebuttal, and can only swallow their anger.

"Get out of here and keep looking!" Jian Wuchen roared, pointing at the door. "Don't come back to see me if you don't find him!"

"Yes Yes!"

With the help of his fellow disciples, Zhao Qian struggled to his feet and, like the others, scrambled out of the suffocating room.

The room fell silent, with only Jian Wuchen's heavy breathing remaining.

After venting his anger, the fire in his chest not only didn't subside, but burned even brighter.

He paced back and forth in the room, his mind a complete mess.

What exactly is going on?

Just who exactly is this Chen Ye?
How could a mere swordsman who had just broken through to the Sea Condensation Realm possibly escape from the inescapable trap set up by the Heavenly Sword Manor?

Or... is someone helping him behind the scenes?

The moment that thought popped into his head, Jian Wuchen nipped it in the bud.

impossible.

In Qingzhou, who dares to openly oppose Tianjian Manor?

Who would dare to protect the person that Tianjian Manor is determined to kill?

But if that's not the case, how do you explain the current situation?
Jian Wuchen became increasingly agitated, and slammed his fist on the table next to him.

Click!

The table, crafted from fine ironwood, shattered instantly, turning into a pile of wood chips.

"Wuchen." Just then, a calm and old-fashioned voice came from behind the screen, and then Elder Jian slowly walked out.

Upon hearing Elder Jian's voice, Jian Wuchen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his irritation, and turned around to bow to Elder Jian.

"Elder."

"Are you still angry about Chen Ye?" Elder Jian walked up to him and asked in a calm tone.

"This disciple... has made a fool of himself in front of the elder." A hint of shame appeared on Jian Wuchen's face.

He dared not be the slightest bit presumptuous in front of Elder Jian.

This was partly due to Elder Jian's high position and power, but more importantly, Elder Jian was one of his mentors in swordsmanship and had taught him.

"You're too hasty. You lost your composure and took your anger out on your subordinates because of a mere Nascent Soul Realm swordsman. If word gets out, people will only look down on you and on our Heavenly Sword Manor."

Elder Jian's words were like daggers to the heart.

Jian Wuchen lowered his head even further, his face turning pale and then flushed.

He knew Elder Jian was right, and he understood the reasoning, but he just couldn't control his emotions.

He had always been a chosen one, with everything going smoothly, and had never suffered such a humiliation.
A nobody, a country bumpkin, killed his junior sister right in front of him, then disappeared without a trace, making him the laughingstock of the entire Qingzhou.

How could he swallow this insult?

"Disciple... knows he was wrong." Jian Wuchen sincerely admitted his mistake.

Elder Jian glanced at him, then stopped scolding him. Instead, he walked to the wall, took down the huge map of Qingzhou Prefecture, and laid it flat on the ground.

"come over."

Jian Wuchen quickly went over and squatted down in front of the map.

“Anger and scolding will not solve anything,” Elder Jian said slowly, pointing to the map. “Now, calm down and tell me what you plan to do?”

Jian Wuchen looked at the map, trying to calm himself down.

The map was marked with red cinnabar to indicate different areas.

These are all places that Tianjian Manor has focused on searching over the past two weeks.

Centered on Qingzhou Prefecture, the area radiating outwards for 500 li (approximately 250 kilometers) included almost all the mountains, forests, villages, towns, and major roads.

It can be said that a vast and inescapable net has already been cast.

But just not enough netting, they couldn't catch that fish.

Jian Wuchen's gaze slowly moved across the map, his brows furrowed.

“We have searched all the official roads and waterways leading to the outside world. Qingzhou Prefecture has also dispatched officials and yamen runners to cooperate with us in checking all passing pedestrians and caravans. Logically speaking, it is impossible for him to escape from Qingzhou territory.”

"At the same time, our people have searched almost all the mountains around Qingzhou Prefecture, even those remote and desolate places, but still found nothing."

Jian Wuchen's voice was filled with confusion.

He simply couldn't understand where Chen Ye could be hiding.

Elder Jian didn't speak, but just watched him quietly, as if waiting for him to discover the problem himself.

Jian Wuchen's gaze swept across the map repeatedly, once, twice, three times...

Suddenly, his finger stopped at the south side of the map.

It was a vast, boundless green area, unmarked by any vermilion.

The Great Southern Wilderness Mountains!

“Here…” Jian Wuchen’s pupils contracted slightly. “Our people didn’t go deep into the Southern Wilderness Mountains to search?”

"We went in," Elder Jian said calmly, "but we only wandered around the outer area and didn't dare to go too deep."

"Why?" Jian Wuchen asked subconsciously.

After asking, he realized what had happened. It was because of those mountain people.

Deep in the mountains of the southern wilderness lies the territory of those mountain people.

Those mountain people were no pushovers.

They disobeyed the king's rule, disrespected ghosts and gods, and only believed in their own mountain gods. Moreover, they were all brave and skilled in battle, used strange methods, and were extremely xenophobic.

"So, the only possibility is..." A sharp glint flashed in Jian Wuchen's eyes, "that Chen Ye has hidden deep in the Southern Wilderness Mountains, in the villages of those mountain people!"

This is almost the only explanation.

Because that was the only place that was a blind spot for the search and capture efforts of Tianjian Manor.

"Elder, I understand." Jian Wuchen stood up, his aura becoming sharp once more. "I will personally lead men to the Southern Wilderness Mountains!"

"Even if I have to turn every single one of those bandit camps upside down, I'll still find that bastard!"

He had made up his mind.

The prestige of Tianjian Manor cannot be challenged, and Jian Wuchen must personally reclaim his reputation!
Seeing his murderous look, Elder Jian frowned.

"stop."

Jian Wuchen paused, turning back with some confusion: "Elder, is there anything else you need?"

"I'm asking you, how do you plan to get in?" Elder Jian looked at him, his eyes deep.

"Of course, we'll just take people in and search!" Jian Wuchen replied without hesitation. "If those mountain people know what's good for them and hand over the person willingly, then so be it. But if they dare to harbor the criminals and remain stubborn, then don't blame me, the swords of Tianjian Manor, for not recognizing people!"

His words were filled with undeniable power and domineering attitude.

This is Jian Wuchen's consistent style of doing things.

In his view, Tianjian Manor was the overlord of Qingzhou, so why should it have to consider the opinions of others?
Even if a mere group of mountain folk is troublesome, do they really dare to be enemies of the entire Heavenly Sword Manor?
However, after hearing his words, Elder Jian's brows furrowed even more deeply.

"Confused!"

Elder Jian gave a low shout, his voice not loud, but it carried an immense sense of authority, which made Jian Wuchen's mind tremble.

"Do you really think those mountain people are pushovers you can easily manipulate?"

"Do you really think that the rules of Tianjian Manor were established for nothing?"

Jian Wuchen was taken aback by the reprimand, and the arrogance on his face subsided somewhat, but he still said somewhat defiantly, "Elder, that's not what I meant. It's just that it concerns the reputation of the manor. We can't just cower and let the murderer go unpunished because we're afraid of a group of mountain people, can we?"

“I didn’t tell you to let the murderer go,” Elder Jian shook his head, “but I absolutely disagree with you using such a forceful method to get in.”

"Why?" Jian Wuchen finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering him. "This disciple doesn't understand. What is there to be afraid of about those mountain people? They just know some rudimentary mountain magic and are a bit troublesome because of their advantageous location. Do you think our Heavenly Sword Manor would be afraid of them?"

In his mind, Tianjian Manor was the heaven of Qingzhou.

There is nothing that Tianjian Manor cannot handle on this land, and there is no one that Tianjian Manor cannot afford to offend.

Therefore, he couldn't understand why Elder Jian, who was always decisive in killing, was so wary of these mountain people.

Elder Jian looked at his puzzled yet somewhat disdainful expression and did not answer immediately. Instead, he remained silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts.

Finally, he sighed softly.

"Wuchen, you have been too engrossed in cultivation all these years, and you know very little about the outside world."

Elder Jian's tone carried a hint of emotion.

Do you think that what we fear is only those mountain people?

Jian Wuchen was taken aback: "Isn't that right?"

“Of course not.” Elder Jian shook his head, then said in an unprecedentedly solemn tone, “What we are truly wary of are the powerful figures behind those mountain people.”

"A powerful backer?" Jian Wuchen frowned. "Who is their backer? Could it be that in Qingzhou, there is a backer even stronger than our Heavenly Sword Manor?"

He found it somewhat absurd.

Tianjian Manor has a history of over a thousand years and a profound heritage, making it a powerful force in the world.

So in this small area of ​​Qingzhou, who would dare to be a supporter of those mountain people?
Elder Jian did not answer, but walked to the window, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked out at the horizon, which was in the direction of the Southern Wilderness Mountains.

"Wuchen, do you know why this Southern Wilderness Mountain is called the Southern Wilderness?"

Jian Wuchen thought for a moment and replied, "Because the mountains there are high and the forests are dense, the miasma is pervasive, the environment is harsh, it is a barren land, so it is called a wasteland?"

"That's only one reason," Elder Jian said slowly. "The more important reason is that a true master lives deep in those mountains. Because of its existence, that land has become a forbidden zone for cultivators from the outside world, a truly desolate place."

"Master?" Jian Wuchen's heart skipped a beat. "Elder, you mean...?"

Elder Jian turned around and said, word by word, "I am referring to the mountain god of the Southern Wilderness Mountain."

"Mountain God?" Jian Wuchen was somewhat taken aback.

He was naturally aware of the existence of mountain gods and local deities.

However, most of these are just minor spirits or monsters that receive offerings from local temples and have some spiritual power, or simply souls that are still attached to something after death.

Such a thing might be a god high above ordinary people.

But for these true cultivators, it was utterly insignificant.

A skilled cultivator could easily obliterate its soul.

As if seeing through his thoughts, Elder Jian shook his head and said, "This mountain god is not that mountain god."

"Ordinary mountain gods and local deities are nothing more than wandering ghosts who have stolen a piece of land and received some incense offerings; they are not worthy of respect. But the mountain gods of the Southern Wilderness Mountain are different."

"It is a truly great demon."

"A great demon?" Jian Wuchen's pupils suddenly contracted.

“That’s right.” Elder Jian’s expression turned extremely serious. “A powerful demon with a cultivation level of at least the Core Formation stage.”

Core Formation Stage!
Upon hearing those three words, Jian Wuchen froze on the spot. The disdain and arrogance on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by deep horror.

You should know the seven stages of Qi Refining: Foundation Building, Qi Nourishment, Unobstructed Flow, Sea of ​​Qi Condensation, Inner Landscape, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul Transformation.

Each leap in a major realm signifies a world of difference.

The inner realm is already seen as a terrestrial immortal by the world, enough to establish a sect and become an ancestor.

The Core Formation Realm is also known as the Golden Core Path. Once a cultivator enters this realm, it means that a golden core has been condensed within their body, their lifespan has increased dramatically, supernatural powers have arisen spontaneously, and they have completely transcended the mortal realm.

In the entire Heavenly Sword Manor, only his father and Elder Jian are openly at the Core Formation stage.

Moreover, Jian Wuchen also knew that Elder Jian's Core Formation was actually induced by the medicinal power of a rare and precious herb. So although he had formed a Core, his supernatural abilities and power were inferior to those of true Golden Core cultivators.

Therefore, Elder Jian can only be considered as half a Core Formation Realm cultivator.

But now Elder Jian is telling him that deep within the Southern Wilderness Mountains dwells a great demon that is at least at the Core Formation stage.

This...this news is absolutely astonishing!
"Elder, are you... are you telling the truth?" Jian Wuchen's voice trembled slightly, and he even doubted whether he had misheard.

"Do you think I would joke about something like this with you?" Elder Jian retorted.

Jian Wuchen remained silent.

That means all of this is true.

The thought of how he had just boasted about leading his men to raze those mountain strongholds sent a chill down Jian Wuchen's spine.

That's not going to find someone, that's practically going to your death!

Running wild on the territory of a Core Formation stage demon, let alone an Inner Realm cultivator like him, even if his father came in person, he probably wouldn't get the slightest benefit.

The power of the demon race is not only reflected in their cultivation level. Their strong physical bodies, strange innate abilities, and unique advantages in their own territory make them almost invincible among those of the same level.

"Then what kind of demon is the mountain god of the Southern Wilderness Mountain?" Jian Wuchen swallowed hard and asked cautiously.

Elder Jian shook his head: "I'm not even sure what its true form is. Perhaps only the Master of the Manor knows a thing or two."

All I know is that it is very strong, extremely strong.

A deep sense of apprehension flashed in Elder Jian's eyes.

"About sixty years ago, when I was still only at the Inner Realm, I accidentally wandered into the depths of the Southern Wilderness Mountains while investigating a case."

"At that time, I had a brief encounter with the incarnation of the mountain god."

"An avatar?" Jian Wuchen was startled again.

“That’s right, it’s just an avatar.” Elder Jian’s tone became more and more solemn. “It is an avatar formed from the essence of mountains, rivers and plants, but even so, the pressure emanating from it makes me feel uneasy.”

(End of this chapter)