Chapter 65: Chapter 61: Resonance of the Stepping Stone of Immortality, High-Quality Immortal Bone!
No matter how talented he was, he was still just a boy under twenty, and his thoughts were simply unable to help him make sense of the situation before him.
Song Lingqing didn't speak further, she pulled out the long sword and swung it again, directly beheading Xiao Yuanqing.
Having confirmed that Xiao Yuanqing was dead, Song Lingqing slowly exhaled a breath of turbid qi, turned around, and left, leaving behind only a string of muttering.
"You were not wrong, nor was I, it's just that some actions inevitably come with a price."
"You are that price."
"The sects don't have to help the Song Family, I wouldn't hold a grudge even if they just stood by and watched, but they shouldn't have shattered my Immortal Bone."
"If no one helped and my family were destroyed, my Immortal Bone shattered, I'd never again have the chance for vengeance in this lifetime. This would be taking my life."
"The day I stepped onto the Immortal Path, I made a resolution that even if I had to die, I wanted to die on the road to becoming an Immortal. No matter what the cost, I would never stop moving forward."
"Since the Phantom Spirit Sect cut off my path to immortality, I'll sever its lifeline. Seeking compensation is only right."
...
...
At the boundary of the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range.
The crowd surged like a tide.
In these extraordinary times, disciples were coming and going frequently, and the pressure on some of the elders became enormous, working almost without rest day and night.
Song Lingqing shed her Phantom Spirit Sect disciple attire, donning plain clothes and walked slowly to the entrance, greeting the elder who guarded the gate:
"Elder Li, I wish to leave the sect."
"Where to?"
Elder Li looked up at her, his brow slightly furrowed, "Why roam around instead of properly recuperating from your injuries?"
Song Lingqing remained composed, her face still carrying a smile, "I'm going to Illusory Spirit City to buy some things."
A flicker of realization passed through Elder Li's eyes. Now that Song Lingqing's status had changed, she was no longer a true disciple, so the treatment she once received naturally ceased, and she needed to run some errands herself.
"Go ahead."
Elder Li didn't make things difficult and quickly allowed her to pass. With a battle imminent, he was overwhelmed by the recent events and had no desire to waste time on such trivial matters.
Song Lingqing stepped leisurely into Illusory Spirit City, first buying a loose, thick robe and donning a hood to disguise herself. She then headed north, quickly finding the medical hall.
She didn't rush inside but started to observe her surroundings.
Soon, she noticed something.
Not far from the medical hall, several servants dressed individuals were squatting on guard, their gazes lingering on the entrance of the hall.
Song Lingqing's eyes lingered on the flag at the entrance of the medical hall for a long time. After a moment of consideration, she circled around and stealthily entered through the back of the hall without a sound.
Signs of disturbed earth were easy to find, and in just a moment, she had the Storage Bag in her hands.
The moment she opened the Storage Bag, the Spiritual Light within nearly harmed her eyes.
Even as a true disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect, she had never seen so many Spirit Stones before. This amount of resources was sufficient for her to cultivate to the Entry Path and perhaps even beyond.
This was the foundation for her to establish herself and secure her future.
Song Lingqing sighed softly. The debts of gratitude were piling up... how would she ever repay them...
She didn't linger inside the medical hall and exited. Heading east, she soon arrived at the gates of Illusory Spirit City.
The guards here were very lax. She faced no obstruction whatsoever.
The moment she left Illusory Spirit City, a feeling of indescribable exhilaration rose in her heart, and her mood greatly improved.
As soon as she reached the wilderness, she controlled her flying tool and took to the skies, heading straight in the direction of Giant Marsh Country.
For whatever reason, she needed to confirm her family's safety first.
...
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...
At the main peak of Phantom Spirit Sect, within the grand hall.
Though it was noon, the hall was deathly cold, with a layer of frost visible to the naked eye coating the green stone walls.
Xiao Yuanqing's body lay across the center of the hall, his severed head reattached, and the sword wound in his heart patched up, but it was devoid of life.
All Supreme Elders who had stepped into the Divine Infant Realm were present, with uniformly ghastly complexions, a mix of pale and livid.
"A high-quality Immortal Seedling, slain deep within the Inner Sect, has such a farce occurred in the entire Cangyun Realm in millions of years?"
With a faint laugh, Feng Qiyuan's voice was chilling to the bone, "Right now, what's the point of us going to war with Night Light Pavilion?"
Gu Chunyang knelt on both knees, repeatedly kowtowing, "Master, it's my fault for losing vigilance..."
With war looming, many Supremes were preoccupied with affairs, having little energy to spare for anything else.
Nobody would have expected an ambush on Xiao Yuanqing, who had been part of the Sect for over three years and was barely recognized by Inner Sect disciples, especially in the core area of the Inner Sect.
Even a master of the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant couldn't possibly avoid the grand formation silently and infiltrate so deeply without a trace.
"Of course you're at fault!"
Feng Qiyuan shouted coldly, pointing at the Supreme Elders, "Not just you, all of you, including myself, for making such foolish mistakes. How can we face our ancestors in the future?"
He closed his eyes and concentrated, then after a moment said in a calmer tone, "Lock the doors, allow entry but no exit, and investigate thoroughly."
"Screen all disciples who have joined the Sect recently. Set aside how the information was leaked for now; we must capture this person first before discussing anything else."
Before his words had settled, a deep, resonant chant echoed within the Sect, between the mountains. A ray of rosy light shot into the sky, illuminating the heavens and overshadowing the brightness of the sun.
"A high-quality Immortal Bone?!"
Gu Chunyang stood up in disbelief, looking toward the Stepping Stone of Immortality. In just a short moment, he had gone from deep sorrow to great joy. Despite his profound cultivation and seasoned experience, his emotions were indescribable.
He turned instinctively, looking toward the dais, only to find Feng Qiyuan had disappeared without a trace.
...
...
Miles away from Phantom Spirit Sect, within a remote small town.
At a wonton stall, two figures sat facing each other, leisurely sipping their soup.
"You left the Sect like this, won't they come looking for you?" Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled.
"Me, an Outer Sect Disciple, the Sect doesn't have that much energy to spare."
Fu Quanliang did not even lift his head, gesturing instead, "Another bowl, please."
When Chu Zheng had found him the night before, he had chosen without hesitation to leave with Chu Zheng.
In a war between Sects, an Outer Sect Disciple of his strength would only become cannon fodder.
Besides, his life was in Chu Zheng's hands; it was safer to follow Chu Zheng.
Seeing this, Chu Zheng did not say more and pulled out his panel.
[Name: Chu Zheng]
[Cultivation: First Order Mid Stage]
[Cultivation Technique: Great Circulatory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Incomplete), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Incomplete)…]
[Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order), Invisibility Technique (First Order)]
[Repair Master: Second Order (5/1000)]
[Remaining daily repairs: 0]
[Items currently repairable: Great Circulatory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon-Tiger Body - Middle Volume (0/500), Condensing Space Bracelet (765/1000), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/10000)]
Song Lingqing's storage bag contained only some clothes and slightly over a hundred Spirit Stones, which was rather meager.
Chu Zheng needed to rebuild his wealth, but fortunately, in a little over a month, he'd be able to unlock the treasures within the Condensing Space Bracelet.
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