Chapter 251: The Possessed Heavenly Son |
Upon hearing that Xu Ning had encountered two evil ghosts comparable to the Spirit Perception Realm, killing one and letting one escape, even Li Qingqiu was astonished, let alone the others.
Facing the stunned expressions of the crowd, Xu Ning remained calm, one might even say indifferent.
She continued, saying, “Besides that, I found out that they seem to venerate a certain powerful evil ghost. This evil ghost is the source of the Ghost Soldiers. If we can find him and exterminate him, this calamity should be able to pass.”
Li Qingqiu looked at Xu Ning, satisfaction appearing on his face.
The intelligence he had obtained through soul searching, Xu Ning had managed to uncover through her own investigation. Even if it was not as detailed as his, being able to reach this point was already very impressive.
Jiang Zhaoxia looked at Xu Ning. He had to admit that this time, he had lost.
After the upper ranks of the various sects learned of Xu Ning’s record of slaying evil ghosts, the pressure on them greatly lessened.
With Li Qingqiu and his disciple present, this calamity might not be as terrifying as they had imagined.
After that, Li Qingqiu recounted Great Demon Luo’s plan, causing the expressions of all the upper ranks to change drastically, including Xu Ning and Jiang Zhaoxia.
Li Qingqiu said as he swept his gaze across the crowd. Immediately after, he issued combat preparation tasks one by one, mobilizing all the halls.
The Martial Sect would not participate in the battle, but it would have to shoulder more patrol duties. Yan Daozong had no objections to this.
Yan Daozong realized that his martial path was still insufficient to threaten ghosts and monsters. This made him feel pressure, a sensation he had never experienced at Tianxuan Mountain.
After coming to Clear Sky Sect, he seemed to be becoming ordinary.
Yan Daozong disliked this feeling, and he decided that he would train even more diligently from now on.
He did not believe that the Martial Path was inferior to the Immortal Path; it was merely that his current martial attainment was not high enough.
After Li Qingqiu finished arranging the tasks, he kept Xu Ning behind and let the others leave.
When only the master and disciple remained in the courtyard, he finally spoke, “For this ghost extermination operation, I plan to keep you within the sect.”
Xu Ning immediately grew anxious and was just about to speak when she heard her Master raise his hand and say, “I’m keeping you here because you are the strongest. If I entrust this to others, I won’t be at ease. This trip to the Northern Border is far too distant. We must be fully prepared for evil ghosts attacking Clear Sky Sect.”
Hearing this, Xu Ning fell silent.
She took a deep breath and said, “Alright, Master. Rest assured, I will only die after Clear Sky Sect is destroyed.”
Li Qingqiu rolled his eyes at her and said, “What nonsense are you spouting? Alright, go rest first. Before we obtain concrete intelligence, the sect will not take action.”
Xu Ning nodded, followed with a formal salute, and withdrew.
Li Qingqiu did not immediately return to his cave dwelling. He was thinking about the sect’s next major lesson. He planned to promote a type of Ghostly Path spell throughout the entire sect, one that required no Dao Fate, allowing disciples to gain the ability to identify ghosts.
This spell could not be one from the Scripture Repository, otherwise it would be unfair to those disciples who had already exchanged points for spells.
That very day, he summoned Chu Jing, and the two discussed it together.
Chu Jing had long discovered that he possessed great talent in Ghostly Path spells. He had even developed confidence because of it, but then he discovered that Li Qingqiu’s comprehension in the Ghostly Path was no less than his own, filling his heart with admiration.
The Sect Master was truly an all-round talent!
……
At the end of June, Clear Sky Sect began promoting the Ghost-Identifying Technique. All inner sect disciples were required to cultivate it, and they could go to the Cultivation Hall for collective training.
Regarding this, the disciples showed no intention of resisting and were even grateful to the sect.
Many people’s views were shaken. In martial sects and aristocratic families, those in power were often afraid that their subordinates would become too strong, fearing that they would be hard to control. Yet Li Qingqiu was instead pressing them to become stronger, afraid that they might be harmed by ghosts while outside.
For a time, the loyalty of the vast majority of disciples toward Li Qingqiu increased.
On this day, a Dark Hall disciple, Qin Yucheng, returned to the sect. He was preparing to hand over his spy mission. This mission was a long-term one, but he had to return every year to ensure that he had not betrayed them.
The longer Qin Yucheng stayed at Azure Cloud Sect, the more grateful he became that he had been able to join Clear Sky Sect. He was now filled with pity for Azure Cloud Sect.
Qiu Dahu had great ambitions, but unfortunately lacked the ability. In Qin Yucheng’s view, for Azure Cloud Sect to truly rise, there would have to be the birth of a Heaven-Favored Genius like Zhao Zhen in the future for there to be any real chance.
Walking along the mountain path of Clear Sky Mountain, Qin Yucheng heard disciples along the way discussing a person.
Hu Yan, the Sect Master’s newly accepted disciple.
Half a year after entering the sect, he had already reached the fourth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.
Qin Yucheng was shocked by this. He felt that every time he went down the mountain and came back, a peerless genius would be born in the sect. Hu Yan’s cultivation speed was far too exaggerated; he felt that even Zhao Zhen and Xu Ning might not necessarily compare.
After the shock, he felt proud instead.
To serve such a sect was his honor.
After that, he also heard about ghosts. Upon hearing that some disciples had been slain by ghosts and that the Sect Master was preparing a large-scale northward campaign, he felt some regret in his heart.
He also wanted to participate in such a campaign. After all, staying stationed at Azure Cloud Sect was far too boring.
While thinking this, he arrived at the northern side of Clear Sky Mountain and entered an underground palace.
This place was the Dark Hall.
The mountain forest where the Dark Hall was located was a forbidden area. Aside from Dark Hall disciples, no other disciples were allowed to trespass.
After entering the Dark Hall, Qin Yucheng discovered that the underground palace had expanded, with more disciples present. Every chamber had Dark Hall disciples cultivating, or rehearsing scenarios of being exposed as spies.
He arrived at the Hall Master’s door and gently knocked.
“Come in.”
Mo Jiuhong’s voice came from inside.
Qin Yucheng pushed the door open and entered. What greeted his eyes was a bright room filled with various furnishings, antique in style, with landscape scroll paintings hanging on the walls.
Mo Jiuhong was meditating and cultivating in the inner chamber. Around him were blocks of Spirit Stones, with four bamboo flagpoles planted in them. Streams of Spiritual Energy continuously circulated around his body, causing his robes to flutter without cease.
He had now reached the sixth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm. Before joining Clear Sky Sect, after cultivating for so many years, he had only reached the fourth layer. This showed that the cultivation resources Li Qingqiu invested were by no means small.
After all, Mo Jiuhong was the Dark Hall Hall Master. Li Qingqiu hoped that he could shoulder more responsibilities, which meant that he had to possess powerful cultivation as a foundation.
Qin Yucheng walked over and reported the situation of Azure Cloud Sect to Mo Jiuhong.
Azure Cloud Sect was an Immortal Cultivation Sect. Although it was not large, it was still a potential threat. Therefore, Qin Yucheng’s mission was directly coordinated with the Hall Master.
After he finished explaining the situation at Azure Cloud Sect, Mo Jiuhong still did not open his eyes. He replied, “You’ve done well. You don’t need to interfere with their development. Let them proceed naturally.”
Qin Yucheng nodded and said, “I followed the Azure Cloud Sect Master to visit White Abyss Valley and learned that White Abyss Valley seems to control a certain Blessed Land. Their disciples’ cultivation levels are generally higher than those of Azure Cloud Sect. Should we send people to keep an eye on them?”
Mo Jiuhong replied, “People have long been watching them. The Blessed Land you mentioned has already been thoroughly investigated by the Dark Hall.”
“How do you plan to handle it?”
“Everything in the Nine Provinces belongs to Clear Sky Sect. Allowing them to cultivate immortality is already an immense act of benevolence. I will give them time to consider. If reason fails, then White Abyss Valley has no need to continue existing.”
Mo Jiuhong spoke calmly, but to Qin Yucheng’s ears, it sounded overwhelmingly domineering.
“Does the Sect Master know about this?” Qin Yucheng asked next.
He came from the Qin Clan. The clan’s eldest legitimate son, Qin Ye, was still the Sect Master’s disciple. Thus, in his heart, he belonged to the Sect Master first, and only then to the Dark Hall.
Mo Jiuhong snorted and said, “Such a small matter still needs to trouble the Sect Master? Does the Sect Master not need to cultivate anymore?”
Qin Yucheng felt that this made sense, then performed a salute and withdrew.
After leaving the Dark Hall, he headed toward his own residence.
After thinking it over, he still felt that he should inform the Sect Master. This matter was indeed small, but in the current world, aside from Clear Sky Sect, there were only two Immortal Cultivation Sects left. He feared that leaving hidden troubles behind would be dangerous.
……
Southern Chu Province, within the grand hall of the provincial capital.
Liu Jing sat at the head seat. Although he was not wearing a dragon-patterned robe, his imperial aura had grown increasingly imposing, fully bearing the dignified presence of a Heavenly Son. Dozens of civil and military officials stood in the hall, reporting on the situations from various regions one by one.
With the assistance of Clear Sky Sect, Liu Jing’s conquest of the realm had become extraordinarily easy. He did not need to personally go into battle. Strategists, renowned scholars, and fierce generals flocked to him. The battlefronts across the provinces advanced steadily. All he needed to do was manage the people’s livelihood and place suitable individuals in suitable positions.
At this moment, a soldier clad in armor hurried in. He rushed all the way to the steps, half-kneeled, and raised a scroll in his hands.
“Reporting to my lord, a letter has arrived from Cangzhou, and it is an urgent one!”
Upon hearing this, Liu Jing immediately waved his hand. The palace attendant standing to the side below the steps promptly went forward to receive the scroll. He first opened it to check for anything unusual. Only after confirming it was safe did he ascend the steps and present it to Liu Jing.
Liu Jing unfurled the scroll and carefully read the urgent letter.
Soon, his expression darkened. The civil and military officials in the hall noticed the change in his expression and could not help but begin whispering among themselves.
Although Cangzhou was the farthest from Southern Chu Province, it was controlled by the Li Clan. With just one more bordering connection, it could be annexed.
An urgent letter from Cangzhou was, in all likelihood, related to the Northern Barbarians.
Could it be that the Northern Barbarians were returning once again?
After quite some time, Liu Jing finally put down the scroll. He looked at the civil and military officials in the hall and said, “Something has happened in the Northern Barbarians’ lands. The Northern Court’s Heavenly Son has had his body possessed by evil entities. The current Northern Court is in complete chaos, and the common people are living in utter misery.”
Evil entities?
Hua—
Everyone in the hall was shocked. No one had expected such a situation.
No one felt happy, because the words ‘evil entities’ alone sounded chilling.
An old minister quickly asked, “Will those evil entities move south?”
Liu Jing replied, “The letter also says that there is more than one evil entity in the Northern Court. Other evil entities are sweeping through the civilian population. More and more Northern Barbarian commoners are being persecuted into Ghost Soldiers. Their momentum is moving southward and may threaten Cangzhou. Cangzhou sent this letter seeking aid.”
The faces of all the civil and military officials changed drastically. With Immortal Cultivation Sects already existing in the world, the emergence of ghosts did not entirely shock them.
But thinking about the abilities of ghosts, they felt their scalps go numb.
Could it be that their opponents were about to change from mortals to evil specters?
“My lord, the realm is not yet settled. How can we spare the effort to go to the Northern Border?” a general spoke up, his voice thunderous. His words immediately gained the approval of many officials.
Liu Jing frowned, deep in thought.
Li Qingqiu had set a deadline for him, but he felt that since he intended to sit upon t
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