Chapter 260 Guarding the Gate

“Wood spirit self-immolation?” The talisman cultivator sent by the Jiang Clan narrowed his eyes. “Which wood spirit root cultivator was driven to such a dead end? They really left themselves no way out. With self-immolation at this level, I am afraid even their spirit root will be damaged… Judging from the fluctuation of spiritual power, that person’s cultivation is not high, but the flame seed is very unusual.”

That deep crimson flame, like a red lotus, could only be found in one place.

Hua Qiuxin frowned. “As far as I remember, there are no wood-element Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivators inside the exploration field.”

The wood spirit root elder they had sent out had already returned, and among the missing disciples, none had the ability to summon a wood spirit tree. There were hardly any wood-element Heavenly Spiritual Root disciples to begin with, and all of them were here.

Hearing this, Ji Mingyue’s heart gave a jolt.

No wood-element Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator… could it be that Lian Mu had unsealed her second Heavenly Spiritual Root?

The possibility flashed through Ji Mingyue’s mind, but she quickly talked herself down. No, Lian Mu always used her fire spirit root. Fire was more offensive, and she could wield a sword. There was no need for her to detonate her wood spirit root and burn herself.

Just as that thought ended, she saw Guan Shize hurrying over. “Chief Disciple, so you were here!”

“Why the rush, has something happened?” Ji Mingyue asked.

Guan Shize panted for breath as he took the green sword off his back. “No… I have bad news. Elder Shang found Lian Mu’s sword earlier in Withered Bone Swamp. She might have…”

Ji Mingyue stared at the glossy green sword and fell silent for a moment.

“This is bad. She is in danger,” Ji Mingyue said to the others.

Baili Que sensed something was wrong as well. “That aura just now was…”

None of the four mentioned a name, but they all knew who they were talking about.

They all knew about Lian Mu’s unique three spirit roots. Faced with what had just happened inside, their thoughts converged without needing to be spoken.

“Is it really her?” Guan Shize asked.

If so, did that mean Lian Mu was still alive?

Guan Shize was speechless. That Elder Shang was far too unreliable. As expected of someone not from their own sect, she did not worry at all. She had not found the person, yet had brought the sword back instead. Did that not mean Lian Mu, still in the exploration field, had to face those demonic creatures barehanded?

Guan Shize had seen firsthand how terrifying the demonic creatures were. Back in the Abyssal Circle, they had only run into that Ground Skin Infant, yet even with swords in hand they had to hack at it for ages and still could not kill it. He simply could not imagine how Lian Mu was supposed to move around the exploration field without a sword.

“If she is still alive, why do we not find someone to deliver her sword to her?” Guan Shize suggested.

“The sword is no longer the main issue,” Ji Mingyue said. “What matters is finding her as soon as possible. We need to have an elder head to the Red Scorched Circle.”

After detonating one’s spiritual power, the body remains weak for a long time. Even if Lian Mu got her sword back, it would not help.

“But according to the rules, they have to start searching from the outer perimeter,” Wen Yun said. “And among the ones going in, there is no one from Returning Immortal Sect.”

Their gazes could not help but turn toward the Tang Family young master who was known for “doing anything for pay.”

This time they did not hesitate. They immediately took out all the money they had on them, which added up to a considerable sum.

“Clear Thought Sect has always been at odds with us, and her younger brother is from Clear Thought Sect too. Will she really agree to help us?” Guan Shize asked.

“Relax. As long as we pay enough, people of the Tang Family will always honor a contract. Their reputation is very good among the great clans of the immortal sects. Besides, Tang Wuxun is not exactly valued within the Tang Family anyway,” Wen Yun said.

Ji Mingyue took the money to negotiate, and Baili Que turned his head. “I will go talk to my people and have them search Withered Bone Swamp and Mist Sea Cliff again.”

The Baili Family had sent their steward. Although he did not bear the Baili surname, his strength was in no way inferior to that of anyone present.

Before the rescue party set out, both of them had convinced their respective targets. As soon as Ji Mingyue produced the deposit, Tang Qingning agreed readily, paying no attention at all to Tang Wuxun’s embarrassed expression beside her. She even said that if there was a chance in the future, she wanted to share a meal with the people of Returning Immortal Sect.

It was obvious that Tang Qingning really only had eyes for money. She knew her younger brother had a poor relationship with the people of Returning Immortal Sect, but she did not care.

However, without a confirmed location, even narrowing it down to the Red Scorched Circle was like searching for a needle in the ocean. When the contract was set, Tang Qingning only promised that once she went in she would first enter the Red Scorched Circle to search. She did not guarantee that she would definitely bring the person back.

As the young master of the Baili Family, once Baili Que spoke, the steward agreed without hesitation.

The other disciples could not help sighing when they saw them still going to such lengths to send people in to fish Lian Mu out.

Were the people of Returning Immortal Sect really still clinging to hope, thinking Lian Mu was alive? From the moment her sword was found in Withered Bone Swamp, there was an eighty percent chance she had met with disaster. Even if she had been alive then, so much time had passed. Without even her sword, how was she supposed to survive in a place crawling with demonic creatures?

Instead of wasting effort like this, it would be better to look for Guan Huailin. At least Guan Huailin’s life lamp was still burning steadily.

“Guan Huailin is really pitiful. He is also in the exploration field, yet his teammates act like they have forgotten him. It was one thing for him to be overshadowed by Lian Mu during the Immortal Sect Grand Competition. Her strength is what it is, you cannot make up the gap overnight. But Lian Mu is dead now. The Returning Immortal Sect chief team should at least show some concern for him.”

“You know how cautious Guan Huailin is. He is definitely still sticking close to an elder, of course nothing will happen to him. Lian Mu, on the other hand, messes around every day and no one reigns her in. Now look, she has finally capsized. In the end, it really is better to be careful if you want to last.”

“I think we should not jump to conclusions. They have not even found a body. If she turns out not to be dead and comes back to hear what we are saying about her, she will probably torment us to death.”

“There are so many demonic creatures in the Shifang Nether Soil they cannot even eat their fill of humans. How would there be any corpse left?”

The crowd buzzed with discussion. Ever since Lian Mu’s sword had been brought back, she was already dead in their minds. This was not malicious speculation. Everyone had seen with their own eyes how dangerous Black Moon was. Even experienced senior brothers and sisters did not dare linger inside for long, let alone a new disciple like Lian Mu.

No matter how strong a person was, there was a limit.

Hua Qiuxin did not stop the Returning Immortal Sect chief team’s actions. She chose instead to turn a blind eye.

She knew these few had a good relationship with Lian Mu. They were youngsters who had never truly experienced life and death partings. The first time they encountered something like this, as long as they had not seen the corpse with their own eyes, they would cling to a stubborn hope that could not be talked away.

Besides, being able to persuade those people to help them was a skill in itself. Those were not the sort who could be moved by just anyone.

Hua Qiuxin temporarily withdrew her gaze from the teleportation portal. At this moment, she could only hope that the spiritual power fluctuation just now had not been released by someone of the demon race. That would be anything but good.

Hua Qiuxin had the people from Returning Immortal Sect finish all the procedures, then said, “To ensure the safety of all disciples, anyone who has entered the exploration domain must be examined with the Illusory Heaven Pool Water. This is to prevent anyone from being tainted by Demonic Qi without realizing it, and also to screen out any demon race members disguised as disciples.”

As soon as she spoke, the whole place fell silent.

Her words had scared them. They had seen strangely shaped Demonic Creatures, but had never encountered true demon race people.

The demon race was skilled at disguise. Returning Immortal Sect had once suffered an assassination attempt on an Elder by a demon race member masquerading as a disciple.

Could there also be hidden demon race among them now?

In an instant, the disciples’ gazes toward their fellow sect members all turned a little strange.

It was a terrifying thought. Imagine finding out that the fellow disciples you had lived and fought alongside had long since died, and the one standing beside you was a twisted, shadowy monster wearing their skin. Just standing there doing nothing would be enough to make one break out in a cold sweat.

As for Demonic Qi Invasion, that was even more frightening. Everyone’s constitution was different, so the time it took to manifest and the symptoms after being invaded by Demonic Qi were also different. The only common point was that it was impossible to cure.

No one objected to Hua Qiuxin’s arrangement. Anyone who dared step forward to refuse now was eighty percent likely to be a demon race spy.

But some people were uneasy, their legs trembling as they recalled their experiences in the exploration domain. They were not afraid of demon race being detected. They were afraid that a Demonic Seed would be found inside themselves.

The sense of safety they had just regained after escaping a dangerous place vanished abruptly. The crowd grew restless and agitated.

Standing in a corner, Yin Chongyang lifted his eyes to glance at Hua Qiuxin on the platform, his expression carrying a hint of chill.

Cheng Ling said, “Sect Master, the head of the Lu Family will be here any moment. Shuang’er’s Life Lamp is still lit. She will definitely be fine.”

Yin Chongyang neither agreed nor disagreed. Instead he muttered, “This Hua Qiuxin, I really cannot quite see through her. If she wanted to test for demon race, she should have done it as soon as they came out. Now that those kids have all mixed together, even if there really are demon race among them, they would have long since changed their faces and found a safe place to hide.”

Cheng Ling said, “…To be honest, I do not really understand what she is doing either. To suddenly think of testing for demon race now is clearly already too late.”

Yin Chongyang pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the people of Azure Profound Sect before finally landing on Ying You in Azure Profound Sect’s chief team.

Suddenly he understood and smiled. “I was wondering. She guarded him like a precious treasure before. How did she suddenly bring herself to throw him into Shifang Nether Soil? So he is being used as live bait. No wonder even Xie Yunshan came along. I imagine Hua Qiuxin could let him go, but he could not.”

Cheng Ling pressed his lips together. With Yin Chongyang’s hint, he finally understood Sect Master Hua’s intention as well. “…Azure Profound Sect really does not lack talent. They let such a good seedling go just like that. I suppose having the disciples tested for Demonic Qi is also to send the others away and give those things an opening?”

“After all, he is the special one. With him there, those things’ first target will definitely be him. She is paying a hefty price to capture a few demon race alive.” As Yin Chongyang spoke, the smile on his face deepened. “Forget it. I want to see whether she turns a profit on this move, or takes a loss.”

Yin Chongyang smoothed his sleeves and turned to leave. “Come on, stop watching. She definitely will not let anyone from Crimson Sky Sect go in.”

Cheng Ling frowned. He was very worried about the Crimson Sky Sect disciples who had gone missing in the exploration domain, but there was nothing he could do. After all, the right of passage was in the hands of their rival sect.

After the two of them left, the various clan heads and nobles also stepped into the barrier’s teleportation gate one after another, their figures disappearing into the white light.

Hua Qiuxin glanced at the backs of the two men out of the corner of her eye, her expression unchanged. Then she turned and called out to Ying You, who was about to leave, “Xiao You, you stay.”

Ying You halted. “Sect Master?”

Hua Qiuxin said, “Every elder and disciple here has to be examined with the Illusory Heaven Pool Water, myself included. During this time, someone needs to stay here to guard the entrance to the barrier.”

Ying You asked, “Sect Master, you mean…”

“You are the only one who has never entered the exploration domain, and you do not need to be tested. So during this period, you will guard this place.” Hua Qiuxin said, “It is very safe here. You only need to receive the people who come out.”

Ying You had not expected the Sect Master to agree to let him stay. He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then understood what she meant. “All right.”

Hua Qiuxin was not surprised by his straightforward agreement. She could see that Ying You actually very much wanted to stay. Before this, he had been quietly running over here again and again, secretly watching the people who came out.

Perhaps he wanted to understand the situation in Shifang Nether Soil. Or perhaps it had to do with Lian Mu, who had yet to emerge.

“Xiao You, you are a good child.” Hua Qiuxin rubbed the top of his head. “Do not worry. No matter what, the sect will keep you safe.”

Ying You only smiled faintly and did not answer.