https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-372-The-World-Watches-the-Wolf-Hides/13688691/
Chapter 373: The Patience of Xuan Kong Shan, Golden Light Slicing Through the Sky
“Xuan Kong Shan actually retreated into the Lingshan Mountains?”
"That mysterious cultivator... is his aura really that terrifying?"
“Can one man really force an entire Secret Place to cower in retreat?”
Across the realm, disciples and spies dispatched by various powerful factions into Xi Zhou were stunned to discover that Xuan Kong Shan had withdrawn entirely into the Lingshan Mountains, sealing off its territory in defensive formation.
Everyone was speechless—unable to believe what they saw.
Because this was Xuan Kong Shan! One of the Four Secret Places, with a heritage spanning tens of thousands of years. For ages, it had loomed in the shadows, its presence mysterious and omnipotent, quietly manipulating the fate of the entire world.
Now, it was being forced into retreat by a single, unknown cultivator?
Was Xuan Kong Shan merely a name without substance? Or was this mysterious figure truly as fearsome as the rumors claimed?
For a moment, countless powerful cultivators felt their hearts tighten with unease.
All eyes turned toward the Lingshan Mountains.
They wondered—could it be that Xuan Kong Shan truly intended to remain hidden in the mountains forever?
“Tai Shang Elder,” a red-robed monk asked the elderly red-faced abbot within the mountains, “are we really going to stay here like this?”
Though Lu Qing had slain several red-robed elders, even cutting down the Great Elder Xuan Yi in one stroke, not all of Xuan Kong Shan’s high-ranking elders had perished. Some red-robed elders still remained.
“Where else would we go?” the red-faced elder replied coldly.
Had it not been for the cowardice of these disciples—fleeing from their missions the moment they heard of the ghost-faced man—Xuan Kong Shan’s ambush plan might have succeeded. But now, the trap had collapsed before it could even be sprung.
The enemy had vanished without a trace.
They might have already captured the ghost-faced man by now.
Though frustrated, the red-faced elder knew this was no time for blame.
“That demon is becoming brazen. Even the Tai Shang Elders couldn’t stop him. If we keep doing nothing, the sects we’ve just subdued may begin to waver again!” the red-robed elder insisted.
“What demon? He’s vanished. No trace remains. Do you have any idea how to draw him out?” the red-faced elder replied with quiet disdain.
The red-robed elder fell silent.
He wanted to speak further, but seeing the cold expression on the Tai Shang Elder’s face, he froze.
He knew he had already angered the sect’s leadership by returning prematurely without orders.
If he pressed further, things could turn dire.
Seeing the elder fall quiet, the red-faced abbot finally turned his gaze away.
He sighed inwardly.
The sect’s disciples had spent too long in the secret realm, lacking real trials. Most were useless.
Xuan Yi had been a loss—killed by that ghost-faced man. Had he still lived, these disciples wouldn’t be floundering like headless flies.
Glancing upward at the sky, the red-faced elder felt a growing unease.
They had just begun their ambush when the ghost-faced man disappeared without a trace.
No information should have leaked. So where had the mistake occurred?
And where had the man gone? Was he still lurking in Xi Zhou… or had he already fled?
A chill crept through him.
He sensed this was Xuan Kong Shan’s greatest crisis in millennia.
If mishandled, their ten-thousand-year prestige could be shattered in an instant.
But with the enemy in the shadows and themselves exposed in the light, they were helpless.
They had tried divination—using sacred artifacts from the secret realm—but even with all their power, they could not detect a single trace of the man.
Clearly, the ghost-faced man had prepared thoroughly. He must possess a unique treasure capable of shielding himself from fate-reading.
They couldn’t find him.
To go out was to risk being cut down.
For now, there was only one choice: passive retreat.
Two more days passed.
More factions sent scouts into Xi Zhou.
But to everyone’s astonishment, Xuan Kong Shan showed no sign of emerging.
Even bold spies who crept to the very outskirts of the Lingshan Mountains found the sect utterly indifferent.
“Those old baldheads have gone soft. How much patience can they have?”
In a small city on the edge of the Lingshan Mountains, the figure of Yang Ming Dao Ren appeared.
He stared toward the mountains, eyes flickering with surprise.
Xuan Kong Shan retreating? This was something he never expected.
As a long-time rival, he knew the sect’s arrogance all too well.
Even when facing the other three Secret Places, Xuan Kong Shan had always stood tall—dominant, unyielding.
Now, it cowered in silence, letting rumors spread unchecked.
What was the truth? Was there a hidden scheme? Or was the ghost-faced man truly as terrifying as the whispers claimed?
“Looks like Xuan Kong Shan really isn’t coming out,” a voice murmured from a guesthouse in another city.
Lu Qing opened his eyes, having just awakened from meditation.
He listened to the murmurs outside and spoke softly.
Lu Qing hadn’t remained hidden in a cave all this time.
After all, the mountains were isolated—information was slow. To stay updated on Xuan Kong Shan’s movements, the city was far more convenient.
To be honest, he was surprised by how thoroughly Xuan Kong Shan had retreated.
Only one thing could be said: it was no surprise they had endured from the last cultivation era to the present.
Their ability to endure, to bend when necessary—this patience alone surpassed that of countless other sects.
“But do you really think hiding in the mountains makes you safe?” Lu Qing’s eyes flashed cold.
“Senior Brother ‘Yan,’ prepare to carry out the plan.”
“Little Master,” a voice echoed in Lu Qing’s mind, “are you certain? If we do this, the Lihuo Ding will be unusable for some time.”
“No problem,” Lu Qing replied. “Afterward, I’ll set up a spirit-summoning array. You’ll recover your spiritual essence in no time.”
Seeing Lu Qing’s resolve, ‘Yan’ sighed and agreed. “Very well. As you wish, little master.”
“Then let’s go.”
With ‘Yan’ now in agreement, Lu Qing exited the inn, checked out, and left the city. Once in the open countryside, he donned his mask, summoned the Golden Small Boat, and soared into the sky—toward the Lingshan Mountains.
A beam of golden light split across the heavens.
The city where he landed was not far from the mountains.
And with so many factions already sending spies to the region, the sight of the golden light did not go unnoticed.
“What is that?”
“A golden glow… someone inside it!”
“It’s the mysterious warrior! He’s finally appeared! Look at the direction he’s heading—Lingshan Mountains?!”
“Going alone, straight to Xuan Kong Shan’s stronghold?!”
“Hurry! I have a feeling—something big is about to happen!”
The martial artists’ eyes were sharp.
And Lu Qing’s flight path wasn’t too high.
Though the spies couldn’t make out his face, they could clearly see a mysterious figure within the golden light.
Combined with the wild rumors circulating, they had no doubt: this was the very one who had forced Xuan Kong Shan into retreat!
Seeing the golden light heading straight for the Lingshan Mountains, the spies’ hearts pounded.
A major event was imminent.
Without hesitation, every spy erupted in excitement, racing toward the mountains with all speed.
(End of Chapter)
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