The Legend of Fangren

"Let's go back to the city."

The three rested for a while before preparing to leave this troublesome place.

Seeing the two elders fly into the air, Fang Shi cried out from below, "Elders! I can't fly!"

"Emmm..."

Yun Yue recalled what had just happened, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out her hand.

"Sit still and don't move."

"Mmm." Fang Shi nodded obediently, pressing his hands under his bottom, very well-behaved.

Elder Yun Yue's natal artifact is an ice-iron bow, which feels icy cold when you sit on it.

Only when he got close enough did Fang Shi realize that the immortals usually flew up and down simply by stepping on mysterious artifacts.

But halfway there, Yun Yue landed, panting, and threw Fang Xiaozi to the ground.

"Junior Brother Fang looks very heavy. I don't have the strength to carry you."

Huh? Fang Shi's mouth dropped open.

Although I'm a boy, I'm only sixteen or seventeen years old. It hurts me to hear you say I'm overweight.

"Do you think flying is that easy?"

Slender Cloud descended from behind and, seeing his deeply disheartened expression, explained, "Besides relying on mystical artifacts, we also need the power of water and fire to make ourselves light when we fly. You belong to the wood element, so you should have some upward power, but you can't mobilize your mystical energy. You're too sturdy. How can Elder Cloud carry you?"

That makes perfect sense, Fang Shi couldn't refute for a moment, and then shamelessly said, "Elder Qian, why don't you take me with you?"

Qianshaoyun immediately rolled her eyes at him and said, "My magical weapon is a soft iron whip, which I need to wrap around my body to fly. How can I carry you? Or... do you want to hug me?"

"Uh, that's not necessary."

Fang Shi considered himself to be upright and honest, and the previous incident was purely accidental. In his mind, Elder Qian could actually keep him hanging on, and he wouldn't mind.

Hmm... Oh well, it's only a mile or two from Qingye City anyway, so what's the harm in running back?

"Elder, I'll be going now."

Fang Shi straightened his legs and felt his physical functions improve to a new level.

The two flew behind, quite surprised, as this kid's running speed was no slower than their flying speed.

Such physical abilities are not something one might possess even at the fourth or fifth level of cultivation.

"Senior Sister Qian, I think this kid has some profound energy, he's quite good."

"It's not bad..."

The two looked at each other and shook their heads: "It's a pity that our zodiac signs aren't compatible."

……

Fang Shi rushed back to the post station, eager to see Luo He as soon as possible.

Hearing that a disciple had been kidnapped by thieves, he was very worried. Even though he learned from the elder that she was alright, he still wanted to come and see her first.

"Hezi!"

As soon as Fang Shi entered the room, he saw Luo He shedding tears, and when Luo He saw that it was Fang Shi, her tears fell even more heavily.

"Fangzi, Senior Sister Qu has been kidnapped, and I couldn't save her."

Fang Shi quickly stepped forward to comfort her: "This is not your fault. The sect will definitely take this matter seriously. We'll go find her together then."

"Hmm..." Luo He quickly calmed down. She knew about these things, but she was just feeling down and needed someone to talk to.

"The Grand Elder ordered us to wait at the post station. He has already taken a junior elder who has returned to the city lord's mansion to ask for reinforcements. I believe we will be able to leave the city to find people soon."

She leaned against Fang Shi, and just as she finished speaking, a person came in from outside the door and said, "I'm afraid not."

"Senior Brother He?" The two were surprised to find He Qisheng there.

He Qisheng entered the room and said somewhat seriously, "When the Grand Elder received news of the bandit attack, I was at the post station. If he needs to ask the City Lord's Mansion for manpower, he can tell me in person."

"That……"

"Yes, he did not do that. Instead, he took the young elder and left Qingye City."

"Then he must have gone to the sect to report that several Heavenly Rank disciples have been kidnapped. Such a major event definitely requires the sect's intervention."

To his surprise, He Qisheng shook his head again: "I'm afraid that's still not the case. If he were to return to the sect to report the news, why would he bring along the seriously injured junior elder, slowing down his journey?"

"Then what is your opinion, Senior Brother?"

"I'll just say it directly."

Having kept everyone in suspense, He Qisheng finally said, "Today, my father sent back intelligence from the front lines. This beast calamity was caused by a malfunction in the Azure Dragon Peak's grand formation, which caused the mountain's energy to leak out and attract a wave of mystical beasts."

"Well……"

Before he could finish speaking, Fang Shi was already drenched in sweat.

Could it all be because of his opening of the mountain? Brother He's arrival is probably to demand an explanation.

Fortunately, He Qisheng's next sentence dispelled his doubts: "It's quite a coincidence. If a mountain peak hadn't suddenly collapsed and disappeared the day before yesterday, the sect really wouldn't have noticed."

"Wasn't it because the falling rocks disrupted the formation?" Just in case, Fang Shi asked again.

He Qisheng shook his head: "No, on the contrary, a rock rolled down and smashed open the cover that concealed the broken formation. But even so, this cover was not very well hidden. The sect's patrolmen should have found it within three days. However, for more than a month, no one knew about it. Furthermore, how the formation's method was leaked is also worth considering."

"According to Senior Brother, could it be that someone has betrayed the sect?"

"That's right, that's also what the sect leader conveyed to my father."

In this way, recalling the Elder's strange behavior several times, He Qisheng's suspicions became almost certain.

"Senior brother, if you suspect the Grand Elder of betraying the sect, why are you telling us this?"

Logically speaking, in such a grand conspiracy, shouldn't these two minor characters just be NPCs?

He Qisheng said, "Of course I have something to ask of you. Junior Brother Fang, did you carry a letter with you when you came down the mountain?"

"this……"

He Qisheng understood at a glance: "Junior Brother Fang, there's no need for a reply. I just hope you can go to Qumu City as soon as possible."

Fang Shi wanted to ask what it was about, but the two exchanged glances and realized that some things could not be said aloud.

People were still walking in the corridor outside.

"There are not many soldiers left in the city. Junior Sister Luo can ride a horse, and her zodiac sign is metal and she is quite secretive. Going together will be faster. Once we arrive in the city, we will find the inn, meet someone, and then you will know what happens next."

"What about the disciple who was kidnapped..." Luohe asked.

"I will arrange for someone to handle this, but the final outcome depends on you going to Qumu City to fulfill my request."

"Okay, I'll go."

He had been suspicious of the letter the sect leader had entrusted to him from the beginning, feeling that something was amiss. It wasn't until he reached the mountainside that he realized the sect leader hadn't told him where he was going or who he was delivering the letter to.

Now that Senior Brother He has made this explicit statement, it naturally indicates that it is also the Sect Master's intention.

Qu Mu City—he remembered that it was the hometown of Senior Sister Qu, and also the hometown of his master. Since the sect leader wanted him to go there, there must be a reason behind it.

It seems that the abduction of Senior Sister Qu was not entirely a coincidence.

He Qisheng then took out another token: "Tonight, when night falls, go to the small south gate. There is a horse there. With this token, the guard will let you out. Remember to act discreetly."

"clear."