Chapter 246: Rumors of the Reemergence of a Spirit Plant

Chapter 246: Rumors of the Reemergence of a Spirit Plant

"Jin Changhui's" reaction didn't surprise Yan Chunyun; instead, it seemed quite normal. After witnessing the might of the Xuan Yin Sect, Jin Changhui had long intended to join, so his curiosity about the sect's protectors was only natural.

Yan Chunyun didn't hide the truth, "It's You Jing, one of our protectors. In recent years, he's become the most prominent figure in the Xuan Yin Sect. He achieved the Golden Core cultivation stage in less than a hundred years. Unfortunately, I heard he was injured by someone from the Da Luo Zong today..."

Chu Ning was stunned by this news. You Jing was injured by someone from the Da Luo Zong? Could it be that Ao Langtian had made another move against You Jing?

Just as Chu Ning was about to ask for more details, Yan Chunyun spoke up again, "Let's not delay further. I can't stay away for too long."

Hearing this, Chu Ning hesitated slightly. Although he had a general idea about the Xuan Yin Sect's stronghold in Honghu City from Jin Changhui's memories, he still didn't feel entirely secure about it.

However, Yan Chunyun's next words made Chu Ning put aside his hesitation entirely.

"Currently, the Jin Ming Zong of the Tian Ji Alliance, the Da Luo Zong of the Yun Xiao Alliance, and our Xuan Yin Sect have surrounded most of the entrances to Honghu Lake. With the three forces vying for control, the situation for individual cultivators and large and small families will likely turn chaotic very soon. Moreover, other factions from the three major alliances will probably intervene soon."

"Also, there are several female cultivators with good aptitude among this group. If something happens to them, we'll face severe punishment from the sect. We can't afford that."

"Brother Yan, let's not delay then. We should leave immediately," Chu Ning said, his mind racing.

What a situation! None of the three major forces gathered at Honghu Lake seemed to be on good terms with him.

The Tian Ji Alliance was somewhat easier to deal with. Although there was enmity between the Yun Xiao Alliance and the Tian Ji Alliance due to the past split of the Shuang Yun Alliance, it didn't concern him directly since he was just a minor disciple.

However, the Da Luo Zong faction truly hated him to the bone.

As for the Xuan Yin Sect, after he had severely injured You Jing today, they certainly wouldn't view him favorably either.

Moreover, from Yan Chunyun's words, Chu Ning vaguely sensed that something significant might be happening in Honghu Lake. Even the individual cultivators and large and small families might not be spared from the turmoil.

It would be a good idea to first hide in the Xuan Yin Sect's stronghold and figure out what was going on. Since the Yun Xiao Alliance was involved, if cultivators from the Jiuhua Zong showed up, he could also look for an opportunity to escape.

Of course, the premise of all this was the information Chu Ning had obtained from Jin Changhui's memories.

According to that information, the two people in charge of guarding the female cultivators in the Xuan Yin Sect's stronghold, Yan Chunyun and another late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, were the highest in cultivation among those present.

If he wanted to escape, he would have a chance in such an environment.

The two flew out of Jin Peak Fortress and traveled about thirty miles before arriving at Honghu City.

The city had no specific governing force, and various businesses were divided among different families and powers.

Some of the female cultivators captured by the Xuan Yin Sect were hidden in a mansion within the city, and the arrangement of this mansion was provided by Jin Changhui, an outsider.

However, after the arrangement was made, Jin Changhui had little to do with the mansion. From his memories, Chu Ning learned that Jin Changhui rarely visited, perhaps once every year or two.

He would usually only come to the mansion when they had captured female cultivators or obtained information about them.

Yan Chunyun brought Chu Ning into the mansion and introduced him to several cultivators. By then, Chu Ning had a good understanding of the personnel in the mansion.

Yan Chunyun and a beautiful woman named Zheng, both late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, were the most powerful ones present.

In addition, there were two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Xuan Yin Sect.

There were also sixteen outsiders similar to Jin Changhui, five early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the rest were only at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining.

After the introductions, Yan Chunyun quickly divided the group into two teams for guard duty.

Naturally, the two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators didn't need to participate in such tasks. Seeing their affectionate behavior, it seemed they were off to cultivate together.

Chu Ning, along with the other two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and six Qi Refining cultivators, followed a man named Jia Yuchang, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Xuan Yin Sect, into the courtyard.

Even though it was already late at night, they could still see cultivators flying by in the sky from time to time.

Standing next to Chu Ning was a round-faced cultivator in his forties named Nie Guanghai, who had just reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment. He looked up at the flying figures in the sky with great curiosity and asked Jia Yuchang, "Brother Jia, the movements of the three alliances this time seem rather grand. I overheard some news this afternoon, but I don't know if it's true or not."

Jia Yuchang, who looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old with a rather kind face, occasionally revealed a sinister glint in his eyes. Hearing Nie Guanghai's words, he turned and asked, "What news did you hear?"

Nie Guanghai was obviously the type who loved to chat and gossip. With a mysterious smile, he said, "I heard that the reason so many cultivators have suddenly appeared at Honghu Lake is because a Spirit Realm is about to form here. In a short period of one or two years, or a longer period of ten to twenty years, the Spirit Realm will be fully formed, and a Spirit Plant will appear."

"Spirit Realm?"

Upon hearing Nie Guanghai's words, everyone's expressions changed, and Chu Ning and the other outsiders were particularly astonished.

Several Qi Refining cultivators looked completely bewildered, apparently unaware of the concept of a Spirit Realm and Spirit Plant.

Jia Yuchang, on the other hand, smiled at Nie Guanghai and asked, "Brother Nie, where did you hear this news?"

"Actually, many people in Honghu City are talking about it," Nie Guanghai chuckled. "I also heard that one of our protectors from the Xuan Yin Sect has already clashed with a late-stage Golden Core cultivator from the Da Luo Zong of the Yun Xiao Alliance."

Nie Guanghai hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I also heard that You Jing, one of our protectors, was being pursued by someone from the Da Luo Zong of the Yun Xiao Alliance, and even lost an arm in the process.

Eventually, the two Golden Core cultivators realized they couldn't defeat each other, and with the interference of the Tian Ji Alliance, they called it off.

However, all three sects immediately dispatched a large number of people to Honghu Lake."

After finishing his story, Nie Guanghai turned to Jia Yuchang and asked, "Brother Jia, I wonder if this information is true."

Jia Yuchang didn't directly answer Nie Guanghai. Instead, he glanced at him and said indifferently, "It's best not to ask too many questions about the protectors and the sect's matters.

This kind of talk is tolerated in Honghu City, but if you were in the sect, you daring to gossip like this... "

Jia Yuchang didn't finish his sentence, but the chilling laugh that followed sent shivers down everyone's spines.

Nie Guanghai's face turned embarrassed as he quickly shut his mouth, no longer daring to speak.

The rest of the group naturally remained silent, their faces reflecting their various emotions.

At this moment, Chu Ning feigned a look of surprise.

In fact, he was genuinely astonished.

Chu Ning never expected that after more than twenty years, he would once again hear news related to the Spirit Plant.

During his Foundation Establishment at the Thousand Lakes and Islands, Chu Ning had vaguely sensed the presence of the Wood Spirit Plant.

That feeling told him that although the Wood Spirit Plant had fled, it was still on the East Saint Continent.

Now, to hear rumors of a Spirit Realm and a Spirit Plant on the West Alliance Continent as well, it was unlikely to be the same Wood Spirit Plant.

According to the related classics he had found before, there was only one Spirit Plant for each attribute.

Even Spirit Plants of different attributes rarely appeared within a short period of time.

Often, it would take a hundred years or even several hundred years for another to appear.

Yet, here they were, just two decades later, hearing rumors of another Spirit Plant.

Even if, as Nie Guanghai said, it would take another decade or two for the Spirit Realm to fully form and the Spirit Plant to appear, it would still only be a span of four to five decades.

Of course, this was just Nie Guanghai's speculation, and it might not be entirely accurate.

However, what Nie Guanghai said about the clash between the Xuan Yin Sect and the Da Luo Zong cultivators seemed credible.

When Chu Ning sensed Ao Langtian's presence back then, he immediately used the Divine God Prohibition Technique to block his probing.

But it was likely that You Jing didn't have such means, so it made sense that he was being pursued by Ao Langtian.

As for the subsequent arrival of the Xuan Yin Sect cultivators, they were probably the backup that You Jing had called for.

As for why You Jing didn't mention that his arm was cut off by Chu Ning, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, but instead blamed it on Ao Langtian...

"Could it be that he doesn't want others to know that he was defeated by a mere late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

Chu Ning thought of You Jing's arrogant demeanor and made a guess.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

"This place is full of intrigue. It's best to figure out the general situation and leave as soon as possible."

With that in mind, Chu Ning spent the rest of the time chatting occasionally with the other cultivators, gathering information.

The next day, Chu Ning even ventured outside the mansion for a walk.

From what he gathered, many sects from the Demon Path Alliance and the Tian Ji Alliance had already arrived.

However, it seemed that the Yun Xiao Alliance had not sent much support, and only the Da Luo Zong was present.

A day passed, and it seemed that only the Da Luo Zong cultivators remained on the outskirts.

As a result, the Xuan Yin Sect, under the Magic Path Alliance, and the Tian Ji Alliance began to push towards Honghu City, taking control of various areas around Honghu Lake, driving away many small and large forces.

On the Yun Xiao Alliance's side, the Da Luo Zong's actions were much more subdued.

Another day passed, and finally, Chu Ning received news that several sects from the Yun Xiao Alliance were coming to aid the Da Luo Zong.

The news about the possible formation of a Spirit Realm and the appearance of a Spirit Plant in Honghu Lake also spread far and wide.

It was said that all three sides had Nascent Soul cultivators present, making it extremely difficult for other cultivators to enter or leave the area.

However, since the controlled areas of the three sides didn't overlap, there hadn't been any direct conflicts yet.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed since Chu Ning arrived at the mansion.

Once again, it was his turn for the night shift.

Over these two nights, the various escaping lights in the sky had become more frequent, and among them were some extremely powerful auras that even made Chu Ning dare not release his spiritual sense casually.

However, it seemed that no sect had tried to occupy Honghu City, perhaps realizing that it wasn't the birthplace of the Spirit Realm.

Even high-level cultivators rarely appeared.

As for this inconspicuous mansion in the city, it naturally attracted even less attention.

So, while they were supposed to be on guard duty, there wasn't much to do, and everyone practiced their cultivation instead.

Chu Ning did the same.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, Chu Ning's heart stirred.

Even though he hadn't intentionally released his spiritual sense, it was exceptionally sensitive, and he vaguely sensed a hidden presence in the mansion.

Driven by curiosity, Chu Ning released his spiritual sense to investigate.

Soon, about twenty feet below the ground, he sensed a figure.

It was a young man in his mid-twenties with a cultivation base at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. He was enveloped in a layer of light, moving stealthily towards the depths of the mansion using an Earth Escape Technique.

"Oh? He's using an Earth Escape Technique and also has some kind of spiritual sense-blocking treasure on him.

If not for my spiritual sense, which is comparable to that of a Golden Core cultivator, even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator's spiritual sense might not have been able to detect him."

Although Chu Ning had sensed the intruder, he had no intention of exposing him.

Although Chu Ning hadn't been to the backyard himself, he had probed the area with his spiritual sense the day before and knew that there were about thirty young female cultivators imprisoned there.

Each of the female cultivators was confined to a small room, separated by restrictions.

The young man seemed to have a clear target in mind as he made his way straight to the seventh room in the east wing.

Chu Ning also sensed that when the young man emerged from underground, a beautiful young woman in that room immediately lit up with joy.

It seemed as though she had anticipated his rescue, and without hesitation, she took a talisman from him.

Then, she followed the young man back through the earth, retracing his path.

"So, it's a heroic rescue!"

Amused, Chu Ning prepared to retract his spiritual sense. Just then, his eyes narrowed as he noticed Yan Chunyun walking out of the hall towards the courtyard.

Chu Ning's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he felt a twinge of worry for the young couple.

"The treasure this man used to shield his spiritual sense is quite good, but now that it's covering two people, its effectiveness has diminished.

A mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator might not be able to detect them, but Yan Chunyun is a late-stage cultivator.

At such close range, if he pays the slightest bit of attention, he will surely sense their presence."

Thinking that these people were also of concern to You Jing, Chu Ning's eyes flickered with a plan.

"Forget it, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I'll help you this time."

With that in mind, Chu Ning smiled and spoke up, "Brother Yan must have finished his cultivation and has some instructions for us."

As he spoke, Chu Ning walked towards Yan Chunyun, and the others exchanged knowing smiles.

Seeing Chu Ning take the initiative to approach Yan Chunyun, the others quickly followed suit.

Everyone knew that Yan Chunyun was the one in charge of this estate.

Since Brother Yan had just finished cultivating, he must be in a good mood.

They couldn't let 'Jin Changhui' take all the credit for flattering him.

When he saw that the others were indeed following him towards Yan Chunyun, Chu Ning immediately gathered his spiritual sense and transmitted his voice to the couple underground.

"You're about to be discovered. Change direction and get out from the southeast."

The young couple, who were using a secret treasure to hide from spiritual senses and employing an Earth Escape Technique, were startled by Chu Ning's warning and immediately stopped.

They exchanged a glance, and the young man bit his lip before turning with the woman and heading southeast, away from the estate.

After traveling a considerable distance, the young man finally emerged from the ground and entered a house.

"Shimei!"

"Shixiong!"

Having escaped their predicament, the two were overjoyed and shared their feelings.

Suddenly, the young woman asked, "Shixiong, who was that fellow cultivator who helped us?"

"I don't know," the young man shook his head, puzzled.

"Why would someone from the Xuan Yin Sect help us?"

They pondered for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

The young man said, "Never mind, maybe it was just some senior fellow cultivator passing by.

Let's go quickly to the alliance's headquarters. The elders from our sect will arrive in a couple of days as well."

"Okay!"

Back at the estate, Chu Ning stood beside Yan Chunyun, sensing with his spiritual sense that the couple had left the premises. He smiled to himself.

What happened to them after that was no longer any of his concern.

At that moment, Yan Chunyun, who had just finished dual cultivation with the beautiful woman named Zheng, was in a cheerful mood.

When a group of people suddenly surrounded him with flattery, his mood naturally improved even more.

He didn't pay attention to the underground movements at all.

He had even considered checking the backyard, but since there didn't seem to be anything happening in the last few days, and they had been chatting leisurely in the courtyard, he eventually forgot about it.

After a while, when it was time for Chu Ning and the others to change shifts, Yan Chunyun returned to his room to rest.

In fact, with the bodies of cultivators like Chu Ning, a night without rest while meditating and cultivating wasn't a problem at all.

However, it seemed like Yan Chunyun wanted to be fair, so he insisted on having shifts.

This way, Chu Ning and the others could take the first half of the night for their shift and then rest during the second half.

The next morning, as Chu Ning was cultivating, he suddenly heard a startled and angry voice.

"Where is the person from the seventh room in the east wing? Everyone, get out here!"

Hearing Yan Chunyun's angry voice, everyone quickly rushed to the backyard.

There, they saw Yan Chunyun and the beautiful woman named Zheng standing in front of the now open seventh room in the east wing.

The room was empty.

Chu Ning, of course, knew what had happened, but he feigned confusion along with the others.

Yan Chunyun and the woman named Zheng had unsightly expressions on their faces.

The usually enchanting woman now looked ashen.

"That person must have escaped last night. Search for them! Everyone, go and look for them in Yunhong Lake City.

This group of female cultivators includes one with the best aptitude, and we have already reported this matter to You Jing.

If we can't find her, then all of us..."

The woman's words trailed off as she suddenly looked up towards the sky in front of the estate.

At that moment, a flying figure was swiftly approaching.

Everyone looked up and recognized the visitor, causing Chu Ning's heart to skip a beat.

You Jing had arrived.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end