Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1364 - 873: Hidden Sword Mountain Disciple
Previously on Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather...
Her eyes turned past the array, fixing upon the cluster of black-cloaked Foundation Establishment cultivators.
She locked onto Zhang Mo with precision, since the threads from the other Foundation Establishment cultivators to him were especially thick, showing that they all orbited around Zhang Mo.
Examining the threads linked to Zhang Mo, she spotted numerous lines stretching out, packed densely, with each one tied to an individual.
A few threads reached beyond the array, some stayed within, and others stretched toward the east.
"These are truly members of the Unpredictable Ghost Sect, yet it isn’t Mo Xuanyu. Mo Xuanyu definitely wouldn’t possess so many links!"
Scrutinizing the threads on Zhang Mo closely, she abruptly detected one thread that stood out uniquely.
Sensing the aura flowing through that thread, her eyes brightened, "Mo Xuanyu!"
Regrettably, the far end of that thread lay distant from this place, preventing her from locating Mo Xuanyu exactly, though she knew he was northward.
Setting Mo Xuanyu aside temporarily, the ghostly woman kept examining the causal threads attached to Zhang Mo.
She couldn’t fully pierce the veil of causality, yet she deduced insights from the links among specific threads.
Her expression darkened more with each deduction.
"No, without some outside force stepping in, Lotus Heart Valley faces doom, and I’ll end up as another ghost soldier for the Unpredictable Ghost Sect!"
"Damn it!"
The ghostly woman’s spirit plunged into despair. She had barely broken free from Mo Xuanyu’s grasp and refused to submit to someone new.
"There has to be a solution!"
Her form blurred again, slipping out of the courtyard as she scoured the area for the means to turn the tide.
Lotus Heart Valley lay in ruins inside, with devastation and death scattered everywhere. Broken bodies littered the streets in heaps, while raging fires devoured shops and homes, and choking smoke blanketed the whole valley.
Amid the dense smoke, cultivators clashed fiercely still, filled with screams, pleas for mercy, and cruel taunts ringing without end.
All at once, a sword beam streaked into the sky, slaying three black-cloaked cultivators.
The ghostly woman trailed the sword light and beheld a remarkable cultivator brandishing a Green Spear Sword, hurling out devastating sword beams freely.
He donned a First Rank Top Grade vestment robe, his gaze piercing like thunderbolts, radiating a savage presence. His sword beams burned even hotter, carrying a profound realm that chilled onlookers to the bone.
Though his cultivation hovered at Qi Refining Eighth Layer, he had cut down multiple late-stage Qi Refining black-cloaked foes.
"This fellow stands out, but he’s not the key to shattering this deadlock!"
The ghostly woman gave a faint shake of her head, her shape vanishing soundlessly into the turmoil of the streets like a phantom.
The battles intensified into utter mayhem, and even with her supreme invisibility skill, the ghostly woman suffered from the wild mana surges, causing her figure to flicker into view.
Yet being at Foundation Establishment Stage, while the black-cloaked attackers in Lotus Heart Valley lingered at late-stage Qi Refining, she pressed on through the frenzy to find the savior of the crisis.
…
Spirit Origin Land.
Yang Jizhen remained oblivious to Lotus Heart Valley’s plight for now. He had just visited Tianshu Tower to check the recent reports on Lotus Heart Valley.
Still, the data from the Secret Martial Guards proved unreliable, merely suggesting a shadowy group might strike at Lotus Heart Valley.
As the Immortal Cultivator’s hub nearest the Sea of Spirit, Lotus Heart Valley had always ranked high on the Secret Martial Guards’ watchlist.
However, with hidden agents being Martial Artists, the intel they gathered stayed broad, hard to snag any crucial details.
Thus, they relied on analysis to guess at the schemes of rival powers.
Zhang Mo lurked in secrecy, beyond the Secret Martial Guards’ reach for any traces, so predicting his schemes or goals was out of the question.
Yang Jizhen departed Tianshu Tower feeling let down, heading toward Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau to discuss matters with Yang Zhenshan, when abruptly a ray of light burst from the Reception Hall.
That ray zipped swiftly, descending into Tianshu Tower.
Perplexed, Yang Jizhen glanced at Tianshu Tower. In Jade Capital, solo flight was banned; travel meant carriages on approved paths, like over rivers or beyond city limits.
While he felt baffled, a fresh streak of light abruptly shot out from Tianshu Tower, racing straight to the Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau.
"What happened?"
Yang Jizhen sensed some confusion.
After a brief pause for thought, he also made his way toward the Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau.
...
Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau.
Yang Chengye hurried there in great haste, as Yang Zhenshan focused in his study on crafting talismans.
For many years, he persisted with talisman making, treating it as mental cultivation similar to calligraphy practice.
At present, though, he managed to craft just four varieties of Second-Order talismans: the Cloud Ascension Talisman, Golden Saber Talisman, Small Teleportation Talisman, and Mysterious Thunder Talisman.
"Grandfather, something has happened in Lotus Heart Valley!" Yang Chengye burst into the study and announced.
Yang Zhenshan stayed serene like calm waters, steadily finishing his talisman, "What happened?"
"The Secret Martial Guards reported that someone is attacking Lotus Heart Valley. It’s already in turmoil, the Guardian Array has been activated, and many are attacking it." Yang Chengye replied.
The reports from the Secret Martial Guards lacked detail, since only one hidden guard with a Jade Token remained inside Lotus Heart Valley, and that guard was a former navy soldier who had sailed the Stormy Sea Area with Yang Zhenshan long ago.
His cultivation now stood at the Heavenly Gang Stage, but within Lotus Heart Valley, he acted as a mere low-level Martial Artist, running errands at one of the taverns.
"Many black-cloaked cultivators have infiltrated Lotus Heart Valley, committing wanton slaughter. Currently, the entire Lotus Heart Valley is like hell!" Yang Chengye said.