Fu Mingxu was taken aback; he couldn't find any logical flaws in the statement.
Han Tao interrupted his thoughts, took a step forward, pointed to a spiritual plant by the roadside, and asked, "Do you still want to pick spiritual plants?"
"want!"
Fu Mingxu had no time to think about anything else and hurriedly awakened the mirror spirit, allowing the Heaven and Earth Mystic Mirror to leave enough space to store spiritual plants.
As the spirit did as instructed, it complained, "Master, you've blocked us again."
Fu Mingxu paused, his hand gripping the branch of the spiritual plant, and pretended not to hear.
...
The sudden disappearance of the secret realm caused a commotion among the crowd, and everyone put down what they were doing and looked up.
Soon, they were surprised to find that the secret realm, which was full of spiritual energy and contained countless rare treasures, had suddenly disappeared, leaving only a clear blue sky for the world.
Fang Yan once again attracted countless gazes, and even the disciples of the Sword Sect couldn't help but step forward and ask curiously, "Fellow Daoist Fang, why didn't the Medicine Sect inform us in advance about closing the secret realm?"
Didn't they know they would make a wasted trip?
Faced with the questioning gazes of the Sword Sect disciples, Fang Yan had no way to express his suffering.
How could he have known the secret realm would be suddenly closed! Nobody told him about it!
Yan Yun's eyes darted around, and after noticing the unspeakable embarrassment on his face, a bold guess formed in her mind.
He leaned close to Li Chixue's ear and said, "Could this guy be trying to trick you?"
His careful movements suggested he was whispering, but his voice was loud enough for everyone around him to hear.
Li Chixue ignored the constantly changing expressions on his face and simply said, "In that case, I'm afraid I cannot comply."
As they were speaking, three more powerful beams of light came from the Medicine Sect and landed directly among the crowd.
Qi Muyuan glanced casually at the Sword Sect disciples and raised his voice: "Oh, is the Sword Sect going to help you bully people again?"
"Tsk, a proper sword cultivator doesn't practice his sword, but is quite enthusiastic about wandering around aimlessly."
Si Yang, who was standing next to him, glanced at him and said, "Aren't you the same?"
The sect leader of the Tianyan Sect, who should be doing his job properly, is now running around aimlessly all day long, which makes him miss the poor little thing who used to follow him around so obediently.
Qi Muyuan understood his meaning and said solemnly, "Master is right."
Does whatever I say make me right?
Si Yang sighed helplessly, his gaze sweeping around casually before finally settling on Li Chixue.
Hmm, this disciple actually has a natural sword physique? He's quite a promising talent for swordsmanship.
His silent observation was noticed by Qi Muyuan, who then transmitted a message in a low voice: "Master, have you perhaps taken a fancy to someone again and want to take them as your disciple?"
Si Yang got goosebumps from his drawn-out tone and glared at him: "Nonsense!"
The telepathic communication between the two was not known to any third party. Wenren Tuo frowned as he watched Fang Yan and the others' actions, and asked, "Who told you to do this?"
Fang Yan was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening: "Reporting to Uncle Wenren, it was Hall Master Bai of the Enforcement Hall who sent me."
Master Bai is in charge of the Law Enforcement Hall of the Medicine Sect. He is also Bai Lengxia's uncle, and Bai Lengxia was brought to the Medicine Sect by him.
Wenren Tuo understood and said to him, "You don't need to get involved in this matter. If Hall Master Bai asks about it, just tell him to come to me."
“This…” Fang Yan glanced at him, looking troubled.
"What do you mean, 'here' or 'where'?" Si Yang suddenly spoke up, his voice clear and gentle. "What that young friend said earlier makes sense. Since this secret realm is not unique to the Medicine Sect, you cannot capture people in broad daylight."
He spoke the truth, but even so, he couldn't control what would happen if he retaliated afterwards.
As soon as Immortal Lord Siyang finished speaking, everyone present said, "Immortal Lord is right. If all the cultivators who caused the disciples' deaths in the secret realm are captured and taken back to the sect by their fellow disciples waiting at the entrance of the secret realm, then aren't we rogue cultivators just meant to be slaughtered at will?"
It's not uncommon for people to avenge their disciples, and there's nothing wrong with that, but for the Medicine Sect to be so impatient is rather unseemly.
As soon as the rogue cultivator spoke, Fang Yan knew that the matter was doomed to fail. Just as he was worrying about how to end it, another beam of light descended from the sky.
The newcomer was none other than Bai Lengxia's uncle, Bai Lanyou. As soon as he landed, without a word of greeting, he raised his head and unleashed a domineering palm strike towards Li Chixue.
The Absolute Snow Sword blocking her way trembled, and Li Chixue was swept by the palm wind, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the sword.
A beam of starlight fell, and Bai Lan's second palm strike was dissipated by the impact of the starlight before it could even land on Li Chixue.
Bai Lan's eyes blazed with boundless rage, and her voice rose: "Immortal Lord, what is the meaning of this? Do you think you can interfere with my revenge for my nephew?"
Yan Yun was startled by his attack and hurriedly went to help her senior brother. Li Chixue, however, used her sword to prop herself up and looked at him coldly.
This directly enraged Bai Lanyou, who immediately thrust out his palm to attack again.
Si Yang cast another starlight and glanced at him sideways: "Revenge is of course possible, but that happened in the secret realm. You can take revenge yourself, but you can't abuse the name of the Medicine Sect."
Among the thousands of cultivators on the Cangling Continent, only Si Yang can be respectfully addressed as Immortal Lord. This is not only because he was once the person closest to ascension, but also because he is the only one who can glimpse the deepest secrets of heaven.
Within the secret realm, life and death are irrelevant; this is a law acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao of Cangling.
Bai Lan could wait until the secret realm closed and then take revenge himself, rather than acting in the name of the sect.
That rogue cultivator is right. If that's the case, then all the rare and precious materials on the Cangling Continent should be marked as belonging to high-level cultivators. What's the point of training for anyone other than disciples of major sects?
Of course, not everyone has an uncle like Bai Lan who is at the Nascent Soul stage, and Li Chixue knew that this matter would not end well.
But he doesn't regret it. If he could do it all over again, he wouldn't just stand by and watch Bai Lengxia fight to the death without intervening.
Qi Muyuan glanced at the young sword cultivator and felt that the other party was not rigorous and ruthless enough in his work.
Li Chixue wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, stepped forward, and said with her sword in hand, "Bai Lengxia was indeed killed by me."
Ignoring Bai Lan's angry gaze, he said, "I am ready to welcome Hall Master Bai at any time. I hope Hall Master Bai will not implicate others."
In front of Immortal Lord Siyang and the cultivators, Li Chixue abandoned all other options, clearly indicating that she would take full responsibility for her actions.
"Fine!" Bai Lan's resentment was genuine as she said bitterly, "In that case, once we leave the Medicine Sect's territory, don't blame me for being impolite."
Li Chixue did not refute, but agreed without hesitation.
The Medicine Sect has managed to save face, but the disappearance of the secret realm has already caused a huge uproar.
Some of the bolder ones actually demanded an explanation from Bai Lanyou.
"To be honest, my senior brother's soul lamp has been extinguished. Since the secret realm belongs to the Medicine Sect, may we go in and retrieve his remains?" Yun Feizhang, the disciple leading the Sword Sect, stepped forward and politely bowed to Bai Lan. "I hope Senior Bai will grant my request."
Bai Lan frowned, unable to suppress her irritation: "Who told you that?"
Yun Feizhang was taken aback, not expecting him to ask such a question, and subconsciously asked, "Isn't that right?"
"Only the sect leaders of our two sects know about this matter." Bai Lanyou immediately reacted and lowered his voice, "The two sect leaders have already entered the high-level space of the secret realm. Let's talk about it when they return."
Qi Muyuan pointed to the sky above, "But the secret realm is already closed."
Bai Lan, who had only been focused on revenge, was stunned on the spot. When he looked up, he saw that there was no secret realm anywhere except for the blue sky and white clouds.
Since the secret realm is closed, why hasn't the sect leader returned yet?
Bai Lan had a bad feeling. Could it be that something had happened to the sect leader?
For the sake of the sect, he had to put his nephew's matter aside for the time being. The other disciples who had been surrounding Li Chixue dispersed and stood behind him with their hands at their sides.
Feeling increasingly uneasy, Bai Lan hurriedly sent a message to the Elders' Hall, asking them to check on the Sect Master's Soul Lamp.
The Sword Sect disciples exchanged glances, while Yun Feizhang, who had already received news that his master's soul lamp was undamaged, waited calmly to one side.
Soon, Bai Lan received a message that made his eyes widen in horror.
The soul lamp of Sect Master Shi has shattered.
This means that he has been completely annihilated, disappearing into the world.
What happened? What exactly occurred in the secret realm?
The day after the secret realm disappeared, in order to find out the reason, Bai Lan had his sect disciple Fang Yan and sword sect disciple Yun Feizhang find all the disciples who came out of the secret realm and use various methods to bring them to the exact bottom of the original secret realm.
The disappearance of the two sect leaders is of great importance, and only the presence of the Immortal Lord Siyang in this place can command respect.
The disciples of the Sword Sect and the Medicine Sect kept receiving news from the arriving crowd of cultivators. Li Chixue frowned slightly when she heard the words "Lord Han City".
Yan Yun stood beside him with some worry: "Senior brother, won't Bai Lan use this opportunity to settle personal scores?"
He noticed the sinister look in the other person's eyes and knew they wouldn't let it go.
"With Immortal Lord Siyang here, there's no need to worry." He reassured his junior brother, but also sent a message to Qingheng Sect to explain the situation and relieve him of any concerns.
Hearing him say that, Yan Yun was finally less worried, but he still leaned closer and whispered, "Senior brother, you were trying to help Fellow Daoist Fu and the others back then, so why did you take it all on yourself?"
"Watch your words!" Li Chixue's face was stern, and her tone was sharp. "This has nothing to do with him. For anyone, should I draw my sword to help someone just because I feel like it, and then make the person I'm helping bear the consequences?"
If so, the original meaning of drawing the sword is lost.
Yan Yun was also concerned about him. After hearing this, she thought for a moment and nodded, but didn't say anything more.
As time slowly passed, the Medicine Sect and the Sword Sect finally pieced together some information from the cultivators who emerged.
That is, these surviving cultivators were all sent out by a golden light. And some of them recognized the owner of this golden light as none other than Han Tao, the city lord of Yunhan City.
Both being at the Mahayana stage, Sect Leader Shen and Sect Leader Shi had been on good terms for many years. If Sect Leader Shi had truly perished, the only one related to him would be Han Tao.
Upon hearing what they were discussing, Qi Muyuan merely raised an eyebrow without saying a word.
Wenren Tuo looked at Si Yang and asked, "What does the Immortal Lord think?"
He remembered that Han Tao had some connection with Immortal Lord Si Yang.
"Won't we know when they get back?"
He spoke the most objective and fair statement, leaving no room for criticism.
As the sun began to set, some cultivators who had come for the reward of the elixirs wanted to leave.
Fang Yan blocked the other party's path, his expression indifferent: "Please wait."
"What do you mean by this?" The other party's face changed, and he shouted, "Didn't your Medicine Sect invite us here? Are you reluctant to part with these two pills?"
"Of course not."
Fang Yan said calmly, "If you leave now, I'm afraid you won't be able to buy any more pills from the Medicine Sect in the future."
"You!" The other person dared not speak out when he heard his threat, and could only turn around angrily.
Cultivators cannot do without elixirs, and the Medicine Sect's elixir pavilions are all over the continent. Although the prices are slightly higher, the quality is excellent, and cultivators with abundant spirit stones are willing to buy them.
Using pills is much more convenient than the Sword Sect's hardline stance.