Chapter 239

Chapter 239

"The two Venerated Sages from Feixian Island and Tianfu Sect have emerged from the Blood Miasma Wasteland."

Su Shouling and his son personally came to the guest courtyard to inform Ning Yuzhou, who was explaining runes to the Tianfu Sect disciples.

Upon hearing this news, the Tianfu Sect disciples immediately became agitated, rushing over to surround them and asking questions in a flurry.

"Lord Su, is our Patriarch alright?"

"Why did the Patriarch only come out now?"

"Is there any new trouble in the Heavenly Plains?"

"Did the two Patriarchs slay the evil spirits in the Blood Miasma Wasteland?"

Faced with these questions from the Tianfu Sect disciples, Su Shouling replied, "I just received the news. I heard that the two Venerated Sages just emerged from the Blood Miasma Wasteland, both injured. They have returned to Feixian Island and Tianfu Sect to recuperate. There's no significant change in the Heavenly Plains."

Hearing this, the Tianfu Sect disciples could no longer stay calm.

Especially Venerated Hongfu, as the Primordial Emperor-level ancestor of Tianfu Sect, he had been able to leisurely come to Linglong Fort to study ancient runes with Ning Yuzhou because there were Venerated Sages handling matters at the front, allowing him to focus on learning ancient runes.

Now that their Venerated Sages were injured, how could they remain outside?

Venerated Hongfu immediately turned to Ning Yuzhou and said, "Brother Ning, I'll return to Tianfu Sect first. I'll visit you another day."

The other Tianfu Sect disciples echoed his words.

Ning Yuzhou hurriedly responded, "I've taught your juniors all I can. The rest depends on your own comprehension. After a year of study, you can read ancient runes, and there shouldn't be any other issues. You don't need to keep coming back and forth. Besides, I'm leaving too."

"Leaving?" The Tianfu Sect disciples looked at him in confusion. "Where are you going?"

"Of course, I'm leaving Linglong Fort."

The Tianfu Sect disciples finally realized that Master Ning was not a disciple of Linglong Fort and would not stay here indefinitely.

Su Shouling watched with a speechless expression; these Tianfu Sect disciples truly lived carefree lives.

If Ning Yuzhou were a disciple of Linglong Fort, he would be delighted.

Knowing that Ning Yuzhou was also leaving Linglong Fort, the Tianfu Sect disciples were reluctant but had to return to Tianfu Sect urgently. They wanted to take Ning Yuzhou with them, thinking it made no difference whether he went to Tianfu Sect or stayed elsewhere since he was leaving Linglong Fort anyway.

Ning Yuzhou smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I have other matters to attend to and won't go to Tianfu Sect. If there's an opportunity in the future, I will definitely visit you there."

Hearing this, the Tianfu Sect disciples did not insist and bid him farewell one by one.

After the Tianfu Sect disciples left, Ning Yuzhou invited Su Shouling and his son to sit in the small building.

Wen Qiao and Wu Qijie, who had received the news, also came over. Wen Qiao sat next to Ning Yuzhou and looked at Su Shouling and his son, who brought the news.

Ning Yuzhou asked, "Lord Su, are the two Venerated Sages severely injured?"

"I heard it's quite serious; otherwise, they wouldn't have rushed back to the sect to recuperate." At this point, Su Shouling frowned slightly.

Su Wangling pursed his lips and said, "The creature in the Blood Miasma Wasteland is indeed formidable. Even Venerated Sages couldn't eliminate it."

So, defending the exit of the Hellish Water Marsh that day was indeed difficult.

In hindsight, it was more luck than anything else. If the blood sea had swallowed the Heavenly Plains, allowing the creature in the Blood Miasma Wasteland to gather enough strength to break free, the Flying Star Continent would no longer be peaceful.

In recent days, Su Wangling and his father had discussed the situation in the Heavenly Plains and deduced the conditions within the Blood Miasma Wasteland.

The creature in the Blood Miasma Wasteland is the most powerful existence in the Heavenly Plains. Fortunately, the great being who sealed the Heavenly Plains used the Pure Spirit Water Lotus to seal the Hellish Water Marsh, setting up numerous restrictions. As long as the Heavenly Plains is not completely swallowed by the blood sea, the creature cannot easily escape.

The two Venerated Sages chose to deal with the creature in the Blood Miasma Wasteland, likely realizing it was the greatest threat. However, even working together, they failed to kill it and instead suffered severe injuries, forcing them to withdraw to heal.

Su Shouling continued, "After this experience, the two Venerated Sages understand the situation in the Heavenly Plains. They forbid anyone from touching the Divine Sound Tree and have jointly sealed the Heavenly Plains, preventing ordinary people from entering easily."

"That's great," Wu Qijie exclaimed with joy. With the Heavenly Plains sealed by the two Venerated Sages, others could no longer target the divine tree. Would those people stop focusing on Wen Qiao now?

Everyone present had already thought of this.

Ning Yuzhou's expression relaxed, and he looked at Wen Qiao with particular gentleness.

He didn't fear being targeted himself, but he was unwilling to see Chui targeted.

In recent days, he had devoted himself to teaching the Tianfu Sect disciples ancient runes, hoping they would bring this knowledge back to Tianfu Sect and have their ancestors seal the Heavenly Plains. Now that the Heavenly Plains was sealed, cutting off the cultivators' desires for the divine tree, it was perfect.

Indeed, after learning that the two Venerated Sages had sealed the Heavenly Plains, many eyes shifted away from Linglong Fort, leaving only a few insignificant ones.

Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao planned to leave Linglong Fort and head to Chongxu Valley.

Su Shouling, worried, decided to escort them.

Just as they were about to depart, Qiao Leshan and his brother arrived at Linglong Fort, looking weary from travel.

Qiao Leshan said straightforwardly, "Master Ning, when are you going to Chongxu Valley? We'll accompany you."

Knowing that the two Venerated Sages had left the Blood Miasma Wasteland, Qiao Leshan knew Ning Yuzhou would head to Chongxu Valley and timed his arrival accordingly, finding them preparing to leave.

Su Wangling laughed, "Friend Qiao, did you rush here specifically for this? My father and I also plan to escort Master Ning."

Qiao Leshan's thoughts were understandable. Although the Heavenly Plains was sealed, some still harbored hopes of questioning Wen Qiao to find the divine tree's location, hoping for a chance to enter the Heavenly Plains again.

Many shared this mindset, making it necessary to be cautious.

Qiao Lezhong felt somewhat embarrassed; originally, they had intended to do so, but with Su Shouling around, Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao would be safe regardless of their presence.

However, Qiao Leshan said, "We also want to go and see. If Master Ning needs to repair the transmission array, perhaps we can help."

The crowd looked at Ning Yuzhou and, seeing that he did not refuse, understood his intentions.

He actually wanted to repair the ancient teleportation array of the Qixing Sect.

When Ning Yuzhou learned about the ancient teleportation array, he was not merely interested in trying his luck; he intended to repair it.

After the shock wore off, everyone present felt a surge of excitement. If Ning Yuzhou could successfully repair the ancient teleportation array, traveling to other continents would become much more convenient, and the connections between continents would deepen.

Especially Su Shouling, who had not given up on finding the Golden Sun Lotus.

Although his son's injuries had been healed and there was no longer any danger to his life, Su Wangling’s body had suffered lasting damage, making his cultivation progress less smooth than before, even affecting his future cultivation. Su Shouling had only this one son, whom he cherished dearly. How could he accept this?

He wanted to find the Golden Sun Lotus to help his son recover fully, allowing him to advance further in his cultivation and fulfill the wishes of their ancestors.

Originally, Su Shouling planned to seek out two Venerated Sages in the Yuan Sheng realm and ask them to take him to another continent.

With the reputation of Linglong Fort, those two Venerated Sages would indeed help.

However, relying on others is never as good as relying on oneself—a truth everyone understands. Moreover, those two Venerated Sages were injured in the Blood Miasma Swamp, and it was uncertain when they would recover. If their injuries were severe, they might not be able to traverse space, and seeking their help would be uncertain. It was better to place hope in the teleportation array.

***

In the end, the Qiao Leshan brothers also joined them on their journey to Chongxu Valley.

Su Shouling and his son decided to go as well.

Su Shouling entrusted Linglong Fort to its mistress, Shan Hanya. She knew the importance of the matter and urged them to be careful but did not insist on anything else.

There was nothing to pack; they simply stuffed some items into their storage bags, picked up two spirit beasts, and left Linglong Fort with Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao, heading toward Chongxu Valley.

They still traveled by Linglong Fort’s Heavenly-class flying boat.

This time, the group was small, consisting only of Ning Yuzhou, Wen Qiao, Su Shouling and his son, and the Qiao Leshan brothers. Everyone agreed that fewer people knowing about this was better, as the teleportation array was indeed very tempting. If outsiders found out, who knows what might happen; it was better to keep it secret for now.

Halfway through the journey, the flying boat suddenly came under attack.

Su Shouling’s expression turned cold as he leaped out to intercept the attack, quickly spotting the attacker.

Su Shouling said coldly, "Venerated Lianyue, what is your intention?"

Venerated Lianyue was an ancestor in the Yuan Di realm from the Wasteland Highlands.

The forces in the Wasteland Highlands were complex, and most cultivators from there were ruthless individuals. Without some means, one could not survive there. Venerated Lianyue, despite being a solitary cultivator, had reached the Yuan Di realm, indicating his ruthlessness and cunning. A slight misstep could lead to falling into his traps.

Dressed in a moon-white robe, Venerated Lianyue stood in mid-air, the wind fluttering his robes. His smiling eyes seemed carefree, yet concealed a sinister intent.

"Fort Master Su, where are you headed?" Venerated Lianyue asked with a smile.

Su Shouling replied indifferently, "Venerated Lianyue, are you stopping me just to ask where I am going?"

"Of course not," Venerated Lianyue said straightforwardly, "I heard there are two young ones on your flying boat. I have something to ask them. Could Fort Master Su do me a favor?"

Su Shouling’s expression grew colder. He understood that when Venerated Lianyue and Venerated Lei Ting came to Linglong Fort, they appeared to be provoked, but in fact, they had their own motives. In reality, only Venerated Lei Ting was truly provoked, and after being scolded by Venerated Hongfu, he realized his mistake and left without any further thoughts.

Only Venerated Lianyue still harbored ulterior motives, appearing to have given up but secretly maintaining his intentions.

Therefore, when Venerated Lianyue left that day, Su Shouling did not trust him much. Now, being stopped here, he was not surprised at all.

Su Shouling firmly refused, "There is nothing to ask. The Heavenly Plains are sealed. Even if you learn something, what can you do?"

"If that’s the case, don’t blame me for being impolite."

As Venerated Lianyue spoke, he summoned a moon essence wheel and attacked Su Shouling.

When the two Venerated Ones in the Yuan Di realm fought, the people inside the flying boat felt the fluctuations of spiritual energy and became worried.

Su Wangling and Qiao Leshan stayed inside the flying boat, vigilantly watching their surroundings.

They knew Venerated Lianyue quite well. For him to openly confront Su Shouling here, he must have prepared. Moreover, he was extremely cunning and treacherous, so they had to be cautious.

Just as they were on alert, they suddenly sensed a cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm approaching rapidly.

Their faces changed slightly, knowing that this cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm must have been sent by Venerated Lianyue. They immediately summoned their weapons and rushed out of the flying boat to block the approaching cultivator.

With a Venerated One in the Yuan Di realm ahead and a cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm behind, the flying boat was caught in the middle, instantly becoming helpless.

Qiao Leshui nervously looked around. He was not worried about Fort Master Su but feared that his brother and Young Master Su might not be able to stop the cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm, given the difference in realms.

Fortunately, both were late-stage cultivators in the Yuan Zong realm and among the best in that realm. Together, they could hold their ground.

Just as Qiao Leshui breathed a sigh of relief, he suddenly noticed an extra person in the flying boat.

Before he could speak, he was suppressed by the newcomer’s aura and could only look in horror at the unfamiliar cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm who had appeared in the flying boat. He realized that Venerated Lianyue had brought two cultivators in the Yuan Huang realm: one to restrain Su Wangling and Qiao Leshan, and the other to capture someone.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou sat there, watching the cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm without moving.

In fact, after training with Hu Yansheng and Wu Qijie, the pressure of a cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm had little effect on Wen Qiao. This cultivator thought he had intimidated them with his aura, but Wen Qiao still had the strength to act.

However, she was somewhat concerned about Ning Yuzhou beside her.

Her husband was only a weak alchemist in the early stages of the Yuan Kong realm. If the enemy meant harm, she needed to protect him first.

When the cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm tried to grab her, Wen Qiao did not resist.

Ning Yuzhou frowned, placing his hand on the cultivator’s reaching arm and said, "Don’t touch her. We’ll go with you."

The cultivator in the Yuan Huang realm looked at him in surprise, realizing that these two young cultivators could remain calm despite his pressure, which was somewhat astonishing.

However, their cultivation levels were indeed in the Yuan Kong and Yuan Mai realms, matching their appearances. They were precisely the ones they were looking for.

The cultivator at the Yuan Emperor Realm didn't care about Ning Yuzhou's behavior; Venerable Lianyue had explicitly stated that they couldn't harm them and needed to speak with them, so it was best not to leave these juniors too injured to talk.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou stood up and obediently followed the cultivator at the Yuan Emperor Realm out.

Qiao Leshui lay on the ground, feeling extremely anxious as he watched the two being taken away.

However, a mere cultivator at the Yuan Spirit Realm was no match for someone at the Yuan Emperor Realm. No matter how hard he tried, it was all in vain. His jaw clenched as he glared at the cultivator at the Yuan Emperor Realm.

The cultivator at the Yuan Emperor Realm ignored him, fearing that Venerable Lianyue might not be able to hold off Su Shouling, so he hurried to take them away to prevent any further accidents.

Just as he was thinking this, having just stepped out of the flying boat, a sudden palm strike came from nowhere.

The palm wind was exceptionally fierce, breaking through the air. The cultivator couldn't react in time and took the full force of the blow, crashing into the ground and creating a deep pit.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou turned to look and saw the demonic cultivator hovering in mid-air nearby, looking ferocious and exuding an aura of dominance.

"Senior Hu!" they both exclaimed in unison.

Hu Yansheng, his face cold, nodded at them before darting forward to confront the cultivator at the Yuan Emperor Realm whom he had just struck down.

Though both were at the Yuan Emperor Realm, their combat abilities varied. Without a doubt, Hu Yansheng, as a demonic cultivator, had superior fighting prowess. Not only did he nearly kill the cultivator who had infiltrated the flying boat, but he also dealt a severe beating to the one holding Su Wangling and the others back.

Qiao Leshui, freed from the pressure of the cultivator at the Yuan Emperor Realm, quickly ran over and, upon seeing that the two were fine, breathed a sigh of relief.

When he saw Hu Yansheng, who had brutally beaten up the two cultivators at the Yuan Emperor Realm who had brought Venerable Lianyue, he asked in amazement, "This senior is incredibly powerful. Who is he?"

Su Wangling and Qiao Leshan, whose opponents had been taken by Hu Yansheng, also wondered who this ferocious-looking demonic cultivator was.