Chapter 489 - 355: A Strange Look
Ji Yulang felt his expression must be frozen solid. He had thought today would be just another ordinary day, but after hearing Lechuan’s words, he found himself thinking that the peace and quiet of the past wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
’Just listen to what Lechuan is saying! The assassination of a Sealed Sect Leader—a Nascent Soul Cultivator, no less—is a case of monumental proportions on its own.’
’But now a Divinity Transformation Lion is involved.’ He instantly made the connection to the massive battle that had just occurred in the Qi Yun Territory.
Countless people must have witnessed yesterday’s events at Qi Yun Main Mountain: the brilliant celestial phenomenon stretching for dozens of miles and the thousand-zhang-tall Dragon-Controlling Celestial People. Even though Qi Yun had issued a gag order, with Ji Yulang’s status, he knew what he was supposed to know. He just wasn’t privy to the details.
’It seems I’ve been dragged into this vortex.’
Ji Yulang composed himself and realized Lechuan was calling his name. He had been lost in thought, his mind wandering.
"Ahem, Sect Leader Le, shall we find a quiet place to talk?"
As Ji Yulang made his request, Fang Qingyuan and Yan Nanxing, who had been arguing heatedly just a moment ago, immediately fell silent. The red flush on their faces vanished, and they furtively glanced at Lechuan.
Lechuan waved a hand, gesturing for them to continue their "argument," then made an inviting motion to Ji Yulang, leading him to the courtyard where Chu Hongshang was recuperating.
After the two had left, Fang Qingyuan finally plopped down onto a chair. He took a large gulp of Spirit Tea, soothing his dry lips.
"Finally, the act is over. Sect Leader Yan, I didn’t realize you were such a good actor. Not bad at all."
Yan Nanxing, a hearty, frank man with thick brows and large eyes, had actually been more invested in the performance than Fang Qingyuan.
Yan Nanxing cleared his throat. He wasn’t about to admit that he’d channeled some of his personal grievances into the act. After all, he’d been kept in the dark about this whole affair from the very beginning; it was only natural for him to be a little angry.
But now that Ji Yulang had taken the Heaven-Reaching Order, it was too late for regrets. Yan Nanxing had no choice but to see this through with Fang Qingyuan to the very end.
Afterward, Fang Qingyuan and Yan Nanxing made idle conversation, but a large part of Fang Qingyuan’s mind was already occupied with what would happen next.
’By using the Heaven-Reaching Order to summon Ji Yulang, we’ve brought a Late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Great Zhou Academy into the mix. Nangong Zhi should know to back down now.’
’An attack on a Sealed Sect Leader, with Demon Cultivators involved... This is definitely no small matter.’
’If Ji Yulang takes this investigation seriously, it’ll take quite some time to unravel everything. The masterminds are likely the Gao Family within Qi Yun. I wonder if Ji Yulang will get a headache just thinking about dealing with a faction like that.’
’The Great Zhou Academy’s authority isn’t what it once was. Or rather, in the eyes of Qi Yun and the Beast Taming Sect, the academy has always been merely a ’cooperative partner.’ They’ll cooperate with an investigation if they feel like giving you face; if not, they’ll just politely stonewall you. Over the last few thousand years, countless cases have fizzled out exactly like this.’
’Take what happened decades ago, for instance. Chu Zhen used the Demon Saber to kill Gao Guangsheng in front of tens of thousands of witnesses. But in the end, to save its own reputation, Qi Yun resisted the Great Zhou Academy’s pressure and refused to hand him over. They simply let Chu Zhen die of old age and only then announced to the public that he had committed suicide out of guilt.’
’An outcome like that sent countless upright members of the Great Zhou Academy into a fiery rage, but what good did it do?’
’That incident alone tells you everything you need to know about the Great Zhou Academy’s standing in the eyes of Qi Yun and the Beast Taming Sect.’
What Fang Qingyuan didn’t know yet was that the Old Lion had gone on a rampage within Qi Yun, alarming its true upper echelons. As for the Gao Family and their allies who were targeting Chu Hongshang—they had stirred up a hornet’s nest this time.
Now that Ji Yulang was here, the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect no longer had to worry about Chu Hongshang. Fang Qingyuan felt that he and Lechuan had already done more than enough. After all, not just anyone had the guts to stand up to Nangong Zhi, a Core Disciple from a Divinity Transformation Clan.
Any other faction would have likely handed Chu Hongshang over meekly the moment Nangong Zhi came knocking.
And by "any other faction," Fang Qingyuan was referring to all the other sects within White Mountain.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Yan Nanxing, Fang Qingyuan sank his consciousness into his Immortal Mansion. After yesterday’s great battle, the Origin Power within the mansion had been significantly depleted.
Both the Godslaying Needle and the Five-Colored Divine Escape consumed the Origin Power from within the Immortal Mansion.
This Origin Power was the culmination of countless years of accumulation within the Immortal Mansion. Fang Qingyuan estimated that he had lost a full tenth of it in yesterday’s battle alone.
Origin Power was not the same as Spiritual Qi. It was the essential life force, the Origin Power that emanated from the bodies of plants and animals. Within the Immortal Mansion, Origin Power was even more precious than Spiritual Qi.
Now, within the Immortal Mansion, the leaves of some of the Spirit Plants in the medicinal garden had drooped, looking wilted. The monkeys and Spirit Fish were also listless and lethargic, as if their very life force had been drained away.
His heart ached at the sight. He made up his mind then and there: from now on, unless it was absolutely critical, he would avoid using the Godslaying Needle and the Five-Colored Divine Light.
’Yes, I should avoid fighting and just live a peaceful life. I’m already a Golden Core Cultivator, why am I still fighting to the death?’
’With the Primordial Qi Great Sun Divine Techniques, I have a long life ahead of me. I’m not even a hundred and fifty years old yet, which gives me over three hundred more years to cultivate at my own pace. It won’t be too late to prepare for Nascent Soul Formation when I reach five hundred.’
Having sorted out his thoughts, Fang Qingyuan felt a sense of ease wash over him. He went to the core area of the mansion—the Purple Bamboo Forest where the Bee Queen resided—to check on what the Bee Queen, Jinbao, and Nanli were up to.