Chapter 583: Branch Headquarters Incident |
"Oh?"
Hearing him say this, Xu Qingqiu immediately became interested: "It's actually true."
"Yes, that old man didn't lie to us."
The Pill Spirit also chimed in agreement, his eyes full of a teasing look: "I wonder what he would think if he knew the things inside here were all real."
"I heard that back in the day, the remains of a single divine beast sold for a sky-high price of ten billion spirit marrow."
"You have at least four in here, so... this is truly a priceless treasure."
Xu Qingqiu was astonished: "Ning Qi, you've really stumbled upon a treasure this time."
"Yes, it's all thanks to our good luck."
Hearing this, Ning Qi said with a smile: "It's mainly because of you. If you hadn't brought us here, we wouldn't have encountered this treasure."
Xu Qingqiu started joking.
"Alright, what do you want? I'll give it to you!"
Ning Qi was also not stingy at all: "Spirit marrow? Name any price you like."
"Haha, I don't want it! I was just teasing you!"
Seeing his serious expression, Xu Qingqiu said with a laugh.
"Miss Xu, just say it, don't be polite! My master won't mind!"
The Pill Spirit also added.
"Alright, enough of that, let's set off!"
Xu Qingqiu suddenly said in a serious tone: "Let's go check on our branch today."
"Branch?"
Hearing her say this, Ning Qi immediately became interested: "You have a branch here too? Did we book our chamber too early then?"
"No, our branch isn't located here."
"It's still some distance away!"
Xu Qingqiu shook her head and continued: "It's for managing our territory."
"Oh, I see. I thought it was here."
Hearing her words, Ning Qi couldn't help but sigh: "Seems I worried too much."
"This place doesn't allow any sects to establish branches here."
"Otherwise, do you think we wouldn't want to!"
Xu Qingqiu shook her head and sighed: "Our condition for ceding this place to them was exactly this."
"You ceded it to them, and they still set this condition? Isn't that too much?"
Hearing her words, the Pill Spirit couldn't help but ask curiously.
"There's no other way. Who told them they're from the Immortal Realm."
Xu Qingqiu sighed lightly, then looked towards the door: "Ning Qi, let's go. We can talk on the road too."
"Alright."
Ning Qi didn't hesitate either, agreeing and then following her out: "Let's go."
"Off we go!"
The Pill Spirit also hurriedly followed.
The Nine-Tailed Cat also shrank to the size of a palm and landed on Xu Qingqiu's shoulder.
They left the inn just like that, easily reaching the street.
"Let's go."
"We'll leave the city from this direction!"
Xu Qingqiu pointed in a direction and then began leading the way out.
Ning Qi nodded, simply following her out.
After they reached the city gate, they continued outward. They didn't notice that in a corner, someone had spotted them.
Upon seeing them appear, that person immediately activated his Voice Transmission jade talisman and said something into it.
After seeing that the two hadn't noticed him, he then continued to secretly follow them.
After exiting the city gate, Ning Qi and Xu Qingqiu arrived on the official road.
"You two, need a carriage?"
At that moment, another shop assistant came over to ask them.
"No need."
Xu Qingqiu's reply was very curt.
It left the assistant confused, thinking he had offended someone.
Ning Qi didn't pay it much mind either, continuing to follow Xu Qingqiu as they hurried on their way.
They soon left the city gate behind, reaching the heart of the official road.
By this point, people were already starting to pick up their pace one after another, hurrying forward.
When they reached the foot of a mountain, Xu Qingqiu stopped.
"From here, we should be able to fly, right?"
She looked back and could already see some people flying through the air.
"Mhm. Where exactly is this branch you mentioned?"
Hearing her say this, Ning Qi couldn't help but ask.
"Let's go, we'll take the Flying Vessel."
Xu Qingqiu agreed, then waved her hand.
She took out their Flying Vessel from her storage bag.
After both of them boarded simultaneously, they continued hurrying forward.
This time, they sped northward.
Below their Flying Vessel was still a vast expanse of mountain ranges.
During their flight, down in the mountain ranges beneath them, several people were watching them.
"Notify Senior Brother, they're heading over."
One of them said to another.
"I've already sent a Voice Transmission."
That person agreed, simultaneously putting away the jade pendant in his hand.
"Good."
The other person nodded in agreement, then continued looking ahead: "I wonder if Senior Brother and the others have finished preparing."
"It should be fine. They've been preparing for a whole day!"
The previous person also looked over and said.
At that moment, Ning Qi on the Flying Vessel was gazing into the distance with Xu Qingqiu.
"So, are we almost there?"
Ning Qi glanced ahead and couldn't help but ask.
"Yes, we're almost there."
Xu Qingqiu agreed, then continued: "Next, we'll go check on the situation."
"Mhm, that's good."
Ning Qi nodded, then stood up directly from the deck.
His eyes looked at the mountain range ahead of them.
Here, there were several small towns, along with some mountain villages.
Outside a relatively larger town, at the foot of a mountain, there was a Mountain Gate.
From the Mountain Gate upward was a mountain path leading to the mountainside. At the halfway point up the mountain, there was a main hall.
Surrounding it were some chambers and also an Altar.
"This is our branch!"
"Dozens of our disciples reside here year-round. There's one Branch Master, plus two deputy branch masters."
"There are also a few stewards. The rest are all ordinary inner sect disciples."
"There are also several dozen outer sect servants."
Xu Qingqiu began introducing it to Ning Qi, a flicker of anticipation flashing in her eyes as she looked ahead: "I wonder how they're living here."
"Oh? You've never been to places like these before?"
Hearing her say this, Ning Qi couldn't help but become curious.
"Yes, we're all personal disciples. They wouldn't send us to places like this!"
"Either we participate in trials, or we enjoy the best resource treatment within the sect."
"Only they are sent out to carry out missions. Our missions are all ones we voluntarily accept."
"As for their missions, they are mostly assigned by the sect. Only after a portion of them become very strong do they gain the power to choose for themselves."
Hearing his question, Xu Qingqiu patiently responded.
"I see."
Ning Qi nodded and continued looking ahead. "We're about to arrive."
"Mhm!"
Xu Qingqiu nodded, then continued looking forward.
Then, when the Flying Vessel reached the Mountain Gate, she abruptly put away their Flying Vessel.
She landed together with Ning Qi before their Mountain Gate.
"Whoosh!"
After they landed, a cold wind blew past.
It made Ning Qi feel that something was off about the situation here.
"What's going on?"
Xu Qingqiu glanced ahead, her brows involuntarily furrowing.
"What's wrong?"
Hearing her say this, Ning Qi couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Normally, our branch's Mountain Gate should have guards."
"Why is there no one here at all?"
Xu Qingqiu kept frowning as she continued walking forward.
She soon reached the Mountain Gate.
"Hum!"
Before she could proceed further, a light screen appeared here.
"Careful, Mountain Protection Formation!"
Seeing this, Ning Qi hurriedly stepped forward and pulled her back,
preventing her from continuing towards the Mountain Gate.
"The Mountain Protection Formation is activated?"
After coming over, Xu Qingqiu immediately felt something was wrong: "This Mountain Protection Formation isn't activated lightly. What's going on?"
"Hey, anyone there!"
Ning Qi didn't bother with all that, shouting at the top of his lungs towards the Mountain Gate.
However, this time, no one responded to him.
"Junior Brothers!"
Xu Qingqiu then began calling out directly.
Yet, even after her call, there was still no reply from anyone.
"What's going on? Let's go up and take a look!"
Ning Qi frowned, then directly started walking upward.
While being blocked by the Mountain Protection Formation's formation, he directly activated the water-wave pattern fluctuations, pushing the light screen aside.
"Miss Xu, let's go up and check the situation."
The Pill Spirit turned his head, calling out to Xu Qingqiu.
"Alright!"
After Xu Qingqiu agreed, she also followed upward.
Soon, they reached the main hall area of the Mountain Gate.
Here, corpses were everywhere.
"They're all dead."
Looking at these junior brothers of her junior brothers, Xu Qingqiu's brows couldn't help but furrow.
She never expected that so many people had actually been killed.
"Who did this?"
The Pill Spirit also looked at the corpses before him, turning around as he spoke: "Isn't the Myriad Swords Sect the strongest here? Who would dare oppose you?"
"No, you're mistaken."
"There are also people here who have been corrupted by the Distorted Monsters."
Xu Qingqiu shook her head and continued: "They willingly fall, becoming their Puppets, controlled by them!"
"Ah? There's such a thing?"
Hearing her say this, the Pill Spirit couldn't help but frown: "Those are traitors then."
"Yes, so we've always been opposing them, and they've been constantly infiltrating us."
Xu Qingqiu nodded, then continued: "I need to report the situation to the sect. There's a problem here."
"I'm afraid you won't be able to send any messages out."
It was at this moment that a sinister, cold voice came through.
Ning Qi and she simultaneously looked in that direction.
They saw a middle-aged man shrouded in black mist walking over from the distance.
Gradually, many black-clad figures appeared around him, each one looking enveloped in black mist.
Behind them, there were also a few people. Xu Qingqiu recognized one of them at a glance.
It was none other than Gao Yunze, along with a few of his senior and junior brothers.
The several of them appeared restrained, clearly having been tied up for some time.
Moreover, they were all covered in wounds and bruises; they must have been taught a lesson by them earlier.
"Junior Sister, save me!"
Seeing Xu Qingqiu, Gao Yunze hurriedly cried for help.
His face was full of panic.
At that moment, his entire body was pitch black and covered in wounds.
"He's already been invaded by evil energy."
Ning Qi just took one look and shook his head: "Even if we save him, I'm afraid it won't be of much use."
"Why are you here?"
Looking at him, Xu Qingqiu couldn't help but frown.
She never expected that he would have come here even before her.
"Junior Sister, I was worried about you going out on a mission, so I wanted to help you investigate in advance."
Gao Yunze hurriedly explained.
His face remained etched with panic, clearly showing he never expected to have such a day.
"If you want to save him, surrender obediently."
"I can let you become a pair of lovebirds."
The middle-aged man obviously already knew what was going on and threatened: "If you don't agree, then I won't be polite."
"How about this: you let these few goods go, and I'll go with you."
Looking at the people before him, Ning Qi said with a smile: "I alone am worth several of them."
As he spoke, he also erupted with his power, though he kept it under control.
He only unleashed thirty percent of his strength, but that was already at the peak True Immortal level.
"Oh, there's also a half-step Celestial Immortal Expert."
"Trading you alone for these few pieces of trash is indeed acceptable."
Seeing Ning Qi's power, the middle-aged man said with a smile: "In that case, you first take this pill, and then we'll release them."
"Oh? If I take it, you'll release them?"
Looking at the pill in his hand, shimmering with black mist, Ning Qi asked with a smile.
On this pill, evil energy still coiled, clearly capable of corrupting the human body.
"Correct. I can release them, but whether they can leave or not depends on their own fortune!"
The middle-aged man nodded, then looked at Ning Qi again: "Well? Dare to make the exchange with us?"
"Why wouldn't I dare? Release them now."
Ning Qi nodded, saying without a care.
"Ning Qi, don't!"
Xu Qingqiu hurriedly tried to stop him: "He's not worth it. He brought this upon himself."
"Junior Sister, you can't abandon me! I did it all for your sake!"
Gao Yunze hurriedly pleaded for help.
His eyes were full of panic.
He was terrified that Xu Qingqiu would give up on him.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Ning Qi smiled, then took a step forward, extending his hand: "Give me the pill!"
"Good!"
Seeing this, the middle-aged man nodded in agreement.
Then, with a wave of his hand, he directly tossed the pill to him.
Ning Qi reached out, caught the pill, and without hesitation, swallowed it in one gulp.
"Whoosh!"
Immediately after, black mist began to envelop his entire body, and the next moment, his eyes turned crimson.
"Ning Qi!"
Xu Qingqiu wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.
When she saw Ning Qi's condition, she immediately became frantic.
"Now you can release them, right?"
Looking at the crowd before him, Ning Qi pretended to be in agony.
"Heheh, Kid, you're new here. Don't you know not to trust others?"
Hearing his words, the middle-aged man said with a laugh: "Now, you're one of us too. In a few days, you'll become demonized."
"Oh? So you're saying you tricked me?"
Ning Qi wasn't surprised, instead wearing a playful expression.