A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Taking advantage of the darkness, Zhou Ping quietly returned to Cuifeng Villa. He needed to pack his bags as soon as possible and prepare to escape at any time.

Once the battle is decided, regardless of which side wins, they will inevitably launch a full-scale search of the entire Jin Garden after discovering that he and Jin Jingtian are dead and that the relics of the four ancestors of the Jin clan are lost.

His residence, Cuifeng Villa, will also be subjected to a thorough search, so he must take this opportunity to take away everything useful.

Zhou Ping changed into a common black outfit, which looked similar to the attire of most of the people fighting outside.

He then slung his bag over his shoulder and quietly left his residence, intending to sneak into the crowd outside before dawn and find an opportunity to slip down the mountain.

He had already set up a fake death trap here, so there was no need for him to stay any longer. For the safety of his family, he had to get back to Qingyang Town as soon as possible.

.......

On the east side of Qingyang Town, atop the tallest pavilion, two figures lay on the roof, chatting idly.

"Master, are we just going to stand here like this? Should I go and patrol the area?"

"Just stay quiet. The view from here is excellent. If there's any disturbance at the blacksmith's shop, the old man will immediately notice. Since we promised your young friend, we, master and apprentice, must ensure the safety of this place."

"However, I'm still a little worried about that boy. What if something bad happens to him?"

"What's the use of your worrying! Your young friend is in the eye of the storm. Nobody knows whether he can survive this ordeal. In the end, it all depends on his own fate."

"Sigh... I should have never let him go to Jin Yuan. Now look what's happened. He didn't become a live-in son-in-law, and instead, he risked his own safety."

"Is this something you can control? Don't you even know your own limitations? If you were even a little bit smarter, I'd be burning incense in gratitude. Go get a pot of tea!"

"Master, are you joking? It's so late at night, there's not a soul in sight. Where am I supposed to make you tea?"

"Oh... the old man's precious teapot..."

........

Zhou Ping used the Floating Shadow Step to its fullest extent, not daring to make the slightest sound, for fear of being discovered.

At this moment, there was another person in the Golden Garden who was making him uneasy: another cultivator he had not yet met.

As long as this person is still in Jin Yuan, he dares not act rashly. He knows better than anyone else the perception ability of cultivators, and there is a risk of being exposed if he is not careful.

Normally, it would only take an incense stick's time to get from Cuifeng Villa to the gate of Jinyuan, but this time it took Zhou Ping almost three incense sticks' time to barely make it across.

He gazed at the two opposing forces from afar, momentarily puzzled.

Why did the two sides stop fighting? What exactly happened here while he was away?

Zhou Ping looked at his clothes, a hint of worry on his face. His plan to sneak in during the chaos had failed before it could even be carried out.

Now, all we can do is wait patiently for the right opportunity.

At this moment, two more faces appeared in the arena that Zhou Ping had not shown before he left.

He examined it carefully, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

The dark green figure was not human at all, but a monster with a human shape, which made him feel a chill down his spine when he saw it.

The other person was even more terrifying; he was dressed as a Taoist priest, but held a round, golden shield in his hand.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Ping immediately looked away, his heart pounding wildly.

Judging from the man's attire and the strange shield in his hand, he immediately recognized him as the other one of the only two cultivators.

He was so certain not entirely because of the other person's clothing, but because of the sudden sense of unease that arose in his heart when he glanced at the other person.

This feeling was all too familiar; it had happened twice before, and each time it occurred when I saw that cultivator.

Therefore, when Zhou Ping saw his figure, he immediately looked away without lingering.

"Master Tongxin, this stalemate is going to be very disadvantageous for us. We are currently in the enemy's stronghold and could be attacked from both sides by the Jin Clan and the Qingzhu Sect at any time."

Seeing that his reliance, the immortal cultivator Tongxin Daoist, remained motionless and showed no sign of making a move, Mo Liancheng's expression changed, and he reminded him in a low voice.

"Master Mo, don't panic. Once my disciple arrives, he will be able to easily subdue the other party. If we make a move now, I am not very confident."

Tongxin Daoren answered crisply and decisively.

"What if the Taoist priest's nephew isn't coming back anytime soon? Are we just going to keep waiting like this?"

Mo Liancheng asked stiffly, as dawn was approaching.

Jin Yunfeng's initial agreement with him was to create a one-night period of emptiness for him, during which the Qingzhu Sect would not discover any trace of his actions.

But if by daybreak he and the Longquan Sword Sect still cannot take down Jinyuan, then the Qingzhu Sect will become out of control.

After all, the Green Bamboo Sect was cultivated by the Jin Clan. It's not a place where Jin Yunfeng can have his own say. There are many direct descendants and spies of the Jin Clan inside. Jin Yunfeng has the means to deceive them temporarily, but he can't do it for long.

At this moment, Mo Liancheng was like an ant on a hot pan, feeling anxious and restless.

Ever since he discovered that Jin Yunfeng had secretly left, he had been on tenterhooks, fearing that something bad might happen from the Green Bamboo Sect behind him.

"Since Patriarch Mo is in such a hurry, then this old Taoist will go and find my good disciple."

Tongxin Daoist grinned, and before anyone could react, his figure blurred as he dashed straight into the Golden Garden. His speed was even faster than when he was fighting the puppet.

"you!"

"How dare you!"

Mo Liancheng and Jin Haiming exclaimed in shock at the same time, one terrified and the other furious.

After the Taoist Master Tongxin left, no one could control the dark green puppet in the arena, which filled Mo Liancheng with great fear.

He never expected that the old Taoist priest would be so shameless, coming and going as he pleased.

This prompted him, who was already considering retreating, to make a decisive decision almost simultaneously, letting out a loud shout as he retreated.

"Sword Sect disciples, retreat immediately!"

Seeing the other party's decisiveness, Jin Haiming was overjoyed. He didn't even bother to give chase, and instead manipulated the puppet to pursue them into the interior of Jinyuan.

Now that the Sword Sect has retreated, it has undoubtedly temporarily relieved the Jin Clan's current crisis. He must catch up with that cultivator immediately. When he joins forces with Jin Jingtian, he may not be afraid of that Taoist.

"Disciples of the Jin Clan, heed my command! Retreat immediately to the Golden Garden! Martial Masters at the Flowing Realm, follow me to drive out the alien invaders!"

The two sides scattered, and in the chaotic retreat, a dark figure flickered and disappeared, eventually appearing far behind the Sword Sect disciples...