Chapter 671
When Zheng Fa returned to Shenhuo Mountain, his storage bag concealed a counterfeit Xianjian, and in his sea of consciousness, the Jiuyou talisman lay in wait, making him feel as if he had come home—light and carefree.
Yet the atmosphere on Shenhuo Mountain was anything but relaxed.
“Li Shixiong.”
Ye Shimei stood at the mountain gate, seemingly waiting for him on purpose.
“Looking for me?” Zheng Fa regarded his junior sister with genuine concern. After all, she was a relative of Elder Jiu and a major patron of his Jiushan Mall.
In recent years, Haori Mountain had contributed significantly to Jiushan Sect:
Previously, Zheng Fa had been the only one reaping the benefits from Haori Mountain.
But ever since the popularity of Tongjian, disciples from Chongxuan Sect had been rushing to spend the resources brought in from Haori Mountain, shopping like madmen within the Tongjian.
As the acting head of Chongxuan Sect, Zheng Fa kept a close eye on the distribution of resources.
According to his calculations, about eighty percent of the spiritual materials and stones brought in from Haori Mountain had ended up in Jiushan Sect's hands.
He even had a rough idea of who bought what, thanks to the orders from the mall and the records of resource distribution from Chongxuan Sect’s Tongshi Cave.
This Ye Shimei was a true shopping addict.
In truth, Zheng Fa felt a bit reluctant to turn against a major player like Haori Mountain…
“Li Shixiong, do we… still have a way out?”
After a long silence, Ye Shimei asked softly.
Zheng Fa halted his steps and looked at her, but she didn’t meet his gaze, instead staring at the mountain peak as if speaking to herself: “All the disciples of the Transformation Elders have left.”
Ye Shimei was no fool.
Moreover, Shinan Dang and the others weren’t exactly keeping things under wraps.
The disciples of Chongxuan Sect had already begun to sense their fate, albeit vaguely.
The departure of the Transformation Elders’ disciples felt like the tolling of their final bell, making it impossible for them to escape or numb themselves any longer.
Those disciples had only come to take advantage; they wouldn’t accompany the Chongxuan Sect to their doom.
Seeing Zheng Fa silent, Ye Shimei turned to look at him and suddenly smiled: “Right, Li Shixiong has caught the attention of the Stone Sage, unlike us.”
There was an unmistakable emotion behind her words.
Zheng Fa didn’t get angry; instead, he found it somewhat amusing—Elder Jiu’s secrecy was indeed tight, and it seemed Ye Shimei had no idea of her own status.
Ye Shimei continued, “Actually, I’ve thought about bringing the younger disciples and seeking refuge in Jiushan Sect.”
“…”
Zheng Fa twitched his lips, surprised by her boldness today.
Seemingly reading his expression, Ye Shimei forced a smile: “Some have tried.”
“Hmm?”
Now Zheng Fa was even more astonished.
“They were captured and brought back by Elder Ba.”
“No punishment?”
“...Punishment?” Ye Shimei let out a bitter laugh. “Elder Ba looks at them as if they were already dead. Is punishment even necessary?”
“Whatever we say or do now, no one cares,” she continued, her tone growing heavier. “The indifference only deepens our despair.”
Zheng Fa finally understood why the disciples of Chongxuan Sect were spending so recklessly—it wasn’t just a reaction to their situation; it was a fear of dying with unspent money.
“How come I didn’t know?”
“Shixiong, you’ve either been at the mountain peak or outside for so long. How could you know?”
“…”
Zheng Fa was increasingly baffled, so he simply asked, “What do you need from me, Shimei?”
Ye Shimei produced a storage bag and handed it to him.
“Hmm?”
“Shixiong, we’re fellow disciples, and you’ve trusted me greatly. I’ll always remember that. If I were to…” Ye Shimei didn’t finish her sentence but added, “Inside are some spiritual stones, magical tools, and pills I’ve saved up. I’m giving them to you as a keepsake.”
Zheng Fa paused, looking at the storage bag in her hand.
He hadn’t expected so many people to give him gifts recently.
Seeing that Zheng Fa didn’t reach for it, Ye Shimei’s tone turned somber: “These things are of no use to me anymore. Giving them to others would be the same. Only you…”
Zheng Fa noticed the slight stubbornness in her eyes, thought for a moment, and accepted the storage bag.
Ye Shimei smiled and boldly added, “Shixiong, Haori Mountain is not a good place. You need to be careful in the future.”
Her words hinted at a sense of impending doom.
“Haori Mountain is one of the Five Sects…”
“Shixiong, if I didn’t know what Jiushan Sect was like, then Haori Mountain would indeed deserve its reputation among the Five Sects.”
…It seemed the discourse within Chongxuan Sect was quite free.
Or perhaps, since doing nothing was a death sentence from the start, what was the harm in seeking death?
“If we could go to Jiushan Sect, with your talent and aptitude…”
At this point, Ye Shimei smiled wistfully, as if realizing it was impossible.
She gave Zheng Fa a slight bow and said, “I won’t disturb you any longer.”
Zheng Fa watched her retreating figure, then turned his gaze to the peak of Shenhuo Mountain, where it seemed a few emotionless eyes were watching over the entire Chongxuan Sect.
…
As he navigated through the mist of the formation, Zheng Fa reached the summit of Shenhuo Mountain, where he heard Shinan Dang laughing:
“That disciple named Ye is quite bold.”
Indeed, at this moment, Shinan Dang was keeping a close watch on Chongxuan Sect.
“Master, with the hearts of the people in Chongxuan Sect like this, what will happen in the future…”
“What future is there?” Shinan Dang laughed heartily, seemingly unconcerned. “The Great Formation of Heaven and Earth will soon be complete; their thoughts are irrelevant.”
Zheng Fa looked into the volcano.
The Xianjian lay quietly in the mountain’s belly, amidst the earth fire.
Seven stars in the sky cast down seven beams of light, forming seven thick silver chains that bound the sword.
The dark surface of the Xianjian was now adorned with many new runes, resembling that counterfeit Xianjian.
With the cooperation of the spirit of the Xianjian, the Great Formation of Heaven and Earth was indeed nearing completion.
“Li Hao,” Shinan Dang suddenly asked, “once the formation is complete, that Ye disciple’s life will be in danger.”
Zheng Fa raised his eyes to look at him.
“Originally, if you had been merciful and pleaded for her, I could have spared her life. But her intentions…”
Shinan Dang fixed his gaze on Zheng Fa.
“Leave it to your judgment.”
Shinan Dang glanced at him, nodded slightly, and didn’t comment on whether he was satisfied with Zheng Fa’s response. He simply turned to Elder Ba beside him and said, “For the time being, you’ll manage Chongxuan Sect.”
Elder Ba was taken aback, his expression a mix of surprise and joy. He glanced at Zheng Fa and hurried down the mountain.
Zheng Fa said nothing, and then he heard Shinan Dang say, “It’s not that I don’t trust you; I just fear you might make a foolish mistake.”
“I understand, Master.”
“Good to hear.” Shinan Dang’s gaze fell on Zheng Fa, and he suddenly smiled, saying, “Don’t let her words confuse your mind.”
“You are a disciple of the Lu Ancestor, different from them.”
At this point, Shinan Dang continued to paint a bright future for him:
“Once the formation is complete, we will have achieved a great feat for our sect. When we return to Haori Mountain, we will be recognized as core members of the clan, and a bright future awaits.”
“Thank you for your support, Master.”
Zheng Fa began to understand that Shinan Dang truly regarded him as a trusted confidant.
After all, he had been brought up in Chongxuan Sect almost single-handedly by Shinan Dang.
In Shinan Dang’s eyes, if it weren’t for him, Li Hao would have met the same fate as Ye Shimei—meaning he was Li Hao’s savior.
Moreover, Li Hao’s displayed talent was indeed remarkable.
That’s why Shinan Dang was saying all this today.
Sure enough, upon hearing Zheng Fa’s gratitude, a genuine smile finally appeared on Shinan Dang’s face. He pondered for a moment, then suddenly spoke with a hint of disdain:
“That Ye Shimei only sees how wonderful Jiushan Sect is in the stories, but she doesn’t realize that while the tales are beautiful, once the Xianjian is refined by us, it will be the day Jiushan Sect meets its end.”
“Advising you to go to Jiushan Sect? That’s truly short-sighted, pushing you into a fire pit.”
Zheng Fa listened without rebuttal, nodding repeatedly, indicating that the Master’s teachings were indeed wise words. Then he suddenly paused, looking at Shinan Dang with a somewhat strange expression:
Could it be that Master, you are also one of my Jiushan clients?
Shinan Dang seemed to catch the meaning in Zheng Fa’s eyes, clearing his throat: “It’s quite dull on Shenhuo Mountain; during breaks, it’s easy to get bored.”
At this point, he sincerely lamented, “I’ve known Zheng Fa for a while; he truly is a gifted talent… what a pity.”
Elder Jiu in the formation twitched his lips, observing Shinan Dang’s expression with a hint of strangeness.
Shinan Dang was oblivious, growing more cheerful as he spoke: “Although the refining of the Xianjian faced some setbacks earlier, we are now nearing the completion of our sect’s goal in less than ten years.”
“Once we return to Haori Mountain, there will surely be great rewards for our efforts!”
“At that time, you will also share in the credit.”
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