Palatial Lord Essence Charm quickly calmed himself and sat down. He smiled at Qin Yun and Hong Lingtong before sighing. “Sorry for the outburst. I made a fool of myself in front of you two.”
“Senior Essence Charm, you were just excited over your sect’s future,” commented Hong Lingtong.
Palatial Lord Essence Charm nodded and said with a smile, “I’m already an old man. I’ll probably not see the day my Scenic Mountain Sect is restored to being a Daoist sacred land. But if all the manuals are returned, my Scenic Mountain Sect will constantly increase in strength, with each generation being stronger than the other. In several hundred years or even a thousand years, my Scenic Mountain Sect will definitely be restored to a Daoist sacred land.”
Qin Yun and Hong Lingtong nodded.
In fact, the major factions of the world did not covet the Scenic Mountain Sect’s heritage! First, it was impossible that the Scenic Mountain Sect would just hand the manuals to outsiders. Second, the various major factions had their own heritages. Qin Yun, for example, cultivated a Sword Immortal Legacy, and the Dharmic powers he wielded were that of a sword immortal’s… There was no way he could convert his cultivation into other styles. Yi Xiao was the same. She cultivated in the Lightning Dharma and could not cultivate in anything else.
Only those who cultivated in superficial Dharmic formulations could convert their cultivation path with powerful Dharmic formulations.
And the better the sect, the more unlikely they would convert!
“My friends, I won’t lie to you,” said Palatial Lord Essence Charm. “The other five tokens have their rightful owners. None of them are with my Scenic Mountain Sect. But my Scenic Mountain Sect has also made arrangements with the other five parties! Each group can send two cultivators at most. And my Scenic Mountain Sect will send three cultivators. However, we have already announced that among all the treasures in the Scenic Yang Cave Abode, we only want the manuals! The Numinous treasure or Dharma treasures… the holders of the six tokens will have to vie for them, and may the best man win.”
“However, the manuals must be returned to my Scenic Mountain Sect. The location of the Scenic Yang Cave Abode has long been covered with arrays. Without my Scenic Mountain Sect’s permission, no can enter even with the tokens,” said Palatial Lord Essence Charm.
Although Scenic Mountain Sect did not have any tokens, they still heavily secured Scenic Yang Cave Abode!
“I’m a sword immortal and there’s no way I can convert my Dharmic formulations,” said Qin Yun. “I naturally will not take any of the manuals.”
“I believe you, Qin Yun.” Palatial Lord Essence Charm nodded. “It’s just that I have to make things clear ahead of time. Also, about the possessors of the other five tokens… I can give you general information on them. One of them is in the royal palace. Three of them respectively belong to three thousand-year-old family clans, and the final token is in the hands of a Connate Golden Core cultivator.”
“These five factions are forces to be reckoned with.” Palatial Lord Essence Charm smiled. “The treasures left behind by Ancestor Scenic Yang are coveted by the imperial government and the thousand-year-old family clans. Even Essence Soul immortals want it. However, the array formation set up by Ancestral Master Scenic Yang is very impressive. It completely forbids even Essence Soul immortals from entering. As for those at the Connate Golden Core realm, the array could end their lives.”
“Other than that danger, even if you finally leave the place with treasures… It would be fine if the treasures are ordinary, but what if you obtain a Numinous treasure? Qin Yun, I’m afraid that the imperial government and the various large family clans will try to take anything valuable from you forcefully,” said Palatial Lord Essence Charm. “Even if you are willing to sell it, the treasures needed to exchange for a Numinous treasure are just too much. It will also lead to demons and other humans coveting them.”
“Without strength, one will not be able to secure any treasures,” Palatial Lord Essence Charm smiled as he looked at Qin Yun.
“Senior Essence Charm, what do you mean?” Qin Yun looked back at him.
“My Scenic Mountain Sect only wants the manuals and not the treasures. In that way, we are detached from any conflicts. The other factions would not vie with us for the manuals,” said Palatial Lord Essence Charm. “I’m telling you this to warn you, my friend. Without enough strength, you won’t be able to secure any treasures! Even Connate Golden Core cultivators would not dare claim to be capable of securing a Numinous treasure alone unless they were among the top few.”
“At your strength, you probably might not even be able to secure a first-grade Dharma treasure,” explained Palatial Lord Essence Charm. “After all, most first-grade Dharma treasures are in the hands of Essence Soul immortals.”
“And entering the immortal’s cave alone is a great risk. Yet, you risk losing the powerful treasures after obtaining them. And the trip wouldn’t be worth it to only obtain ordinary treasures. That’s why I suggest that you… sell the token! Sell it to the imperial government or the thousand-year-old family clans,” Palatial Lord Essence Charm suggested. “That way, there is no risk and you still gain a large amount of treasure without others knowing.”
“How much could this token exchange for?” asked Qin Yun.
“I estimate a third-grade Dharma treasure would be possible,” said Palatial Lord Essence Charm. “It will be difficult to ask for anything more! After all, the expedition will be very risky and it’s not even certain that you will receive something better in the abode.”
Qin Yun and Hong Lingtong exchanged looks.
“There’s no need to do that.” Hong Lingtong said with a voice transmission. “With the both of us, we will definitely obtain treasures worth more than that! And as long as we take treasures in secret, who would know about the things we obtained if we do not say or show them publicly?”
“We still plan on entering the immortal’s cave abode to take a look,” said Qin Yun.
When Palatial Lord Essence Charm saw the scene play out, he nodded. “Alright then. Now, with all six tokens gathered, my Scenic Mountain Sect will prepare for the expedition. When do you plan on entering?”
“It’s now the end of April. Let’s do it in June, preferably towards the end of June,” said Qin Yun.
“Alright. I’ll return now and inform the other five parties. Once the date is settled, I’ll inform you,” said Palatial Lord Essence Charm. “On your side, the both of you will be the ones entering?”
Palatial Lord Essence Charm had guessed it when Qin Yun brought Hong Lingtong to meet him.
However, he was somewhat puzzled… Why would Qin Yun bring Hong Lingtong to the immortal’s cave abode? Why didn’t he invite someone more powerful? Could it be that Qin Yun secretly schemed to take more of the treasures because Hong Lingtong was easily repressed due to his weak strength?
“It will be the two of us,” said Qin Yun. “Senior Essence Charm, please keep the news of the two of us confidential.”
“Don’t worry. But on the day of entry, the six parties will meet and it will no longer be a secret,” said Palatial Lord Essence Charm.
“That will be when we enter, so there’s naturally no need to keep it a secret,” said Qin Yun.
“Alright, I’ll be returning first. I have to thank you, Qin Yun. You have allowed my Scenic Mountain Sect to have a chance of regaining our lost heritage.” Palatial Lord Essence Charm raised his cup, as Qin Yun and Hong Lingtong raised theirs in response.
After drinking the wine, Palatial Lord Essence Charm got up and pushed open the door. The moment he walked into the open corridor, he streaked through the sky as a whizzing bolt of lightning, vanishing into the distant horizon as he headed straight for Scenic Mountain Sect.
“He’s fast.” Hong Lingtong had gone out into the corridor as well. As he held the railings, he looked into the distance. “In terms of flying and escape arts, Senior Essence Charm should be ranked number one in all of Jiang Prefecture, I suppose?”
“That’s right. His escape art is indeed the best in Jiang Prefecture. Fiendish demons that he locks on to have no way of escaping.” Qin Yun walked to the railing.
“We are about to enter the immortal’s cave abode. I’m truly a little nervous,” said Hong Lingtong.
Qin Yun looked at him. “I’m rather impressed that you dare enter the abode with your present strength.”
“Brother Qin Yun, isn’t that because I’m under your huge banner?” Hong Lingtong smiled and said, “Brother Qin Yun, let’s return to Grand Dominance now?”
Qin Yun shot a glance into the distance and looked deep in thought.
“You return first. I have something else to tend to,” said Qin Yun.
“Alright.”
Hong Lingtong immediately departed silently.
Qin Yun looked into the distance and was somewhat astonished. “I swear I saw that clearly.” Although it was several kilometers away, Qin Yun’s extraordinary vision allowed him to discern the other person’s looks clearly.
Immediately, he took a step forward and vanished from the restaurant. Of course, the bill had been paid. As good cultivators, there was no way they would dine and dash.
Qin Yun walked among the crowds on the street. He had also naturally cast his Divine Concealment Spell, so none of the passers-by noticed him.
He strolled leisurely but he was extremely fast. In a blink of an eye, he had traveled several kilometers.
“Oh?”
Amid the noisy crowd, Qin Yun looked ahead. “I wasn’t wrong. She’s Sis Yuqing after all. But why is she in such a dire state?”
Qin Yun had practiced his swordplay in Western Mountain Sword Garden in his youth. Back then, there were about forty members, mostly young males. There were very few females, one of which was Sis Yuqing.
“Wasn’t it said that Sis Yuqing’s father was posted to the Southbright County and she had left with him? She is apparently married to a sickly young master of the wealthy ‘Guihai Family’ in Southbright County.” Qin Yun was secretly perplexed.
…
On the streets.
Li Yuqing was adorned with a headscarf and dressed in ordinary cotton clothing and shoes. She carried a baby behind her.
She had a sword hanging by her waist as she swept her surroundings with her keen gaze. There was a group of guards obstructing her and right in front of her stood a youth with triangular-shaped eyes and a mole on his face. He was sneering at Li Yuqing. “Sister-in-law, you sure can run. You even managed to run all the way to Vessel Altar County! However, do you think you can run from me?”
“Guihai Cheng, my husband has just recently passed away; yet, you are forcing your younger brother’s wife in such a manner?” Li Yuqing clenched her teeth.
“My third younger brother is dead and you still want to remain chaste the rest of your life for him?” The youth scoffed. “Besides, I’m his elder brother. Shouldn’t I take care of his wife and daughter after his death?”
“You are forcing me,” Li Yuqing said through clenched teeth.
“Your sword arts are not bad, but how are you to resist against me?” said the youth with a scoff.
Li Yuqing looked at the guards blocking her path and with the sound of singing metal, she unsheathed her sword and brought it straight to her neck.
“If you force me any further, I’ll kill myself.” Li Yuqing’s eyes were filled with tears.
However, the youth said, “Why, you don’t want to be with your daughter anymore?”
“I’ll die with her.” Li Yuqing said with a stare. Her eyes showed her determination.
The youth looked at the woman in front of him. She had caught his eye ever since his brother married her. She was truly beautiful! She was different from the renowned courtesans in the brothels and the commonly seen beauties. As his sister-in-law, Li Yuqing liked sword arts and her talent in them was high, she had a natural bearing of a sword hero. With her excellent beauty, he had been coveting her all this while.
After a long wait, his sickly brother finally passed away. Li Yuqing’s father had died while dealing with demons and she lacked someone to fall back on. Finally, the lovely flower would fall into his hands. However, he never expected her to be so unyielding in her moral integrity. She would rather escape the family with her daughter then submit to him.
“Brother Li, are you confident that you can take her down? You must not let her die,” said the youth with a voice transmission. He too was a cultivator.
“This woman’s sword arts are at quite a high proficiency. However, I’m very near to her and if I suddenly cast a Dharma spell, there is a ninety percent chance of taking her down while preventing her suicide. Second Young Master, do you want me to take action?” asked another cultivator with a voice transmission.
Li Yuqing was extremely nervous at that moment.
She could feel the heat coming from her daughter behind her. She wasn’t even two years old.
“Lianlian, don’t blame Mommy.” Li Yuqing’s eyes were brimming with tears as she muttered under her breath, “Mommy wishes she could bring you up, but Mommy can’t do it.”
As she whispered, she focused on her surroundings warily.
“Sis Yuqing, it’s been a long while!” A voice sounded.