Chapter 171 - 163: Reactions from All Sides, Qin Yu’s Fury

Chapter 171: Chapter 163: Reactions from All Sides, Qin Yu’s Fury

Deep in the mountains of Yunlong County lay the Cyan Profound Sect’s headquarters. Where the earth’s energy converged and Primordial Stone Veins intertwined, a majestic mountain range was perpetually shrouded in dense, cyan clouds and mist.

This mist was no ordinary phenomenon. It was transformed from the Primordial Qi naturally generated by the Sect’s Mountain Protection Array, the Wood Array. It could gather Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to nourish the Sect, while also hiding it from enemy prying eyes. Furthermore, it possessed hallucinatory and defensive capabilities.

Deep within the clouds, pavilions and towers were built along the mountain’s contours. Sweeping eaves and intricate brackets were hidden among ancient pines and emerald cypresses, dotted with spiritual springs and cascading waterfalls. The clear, resonant cries of cranes echoed in the air, creating the perfect image of an Immortal Blessed Land. This was the home of the Cyan Profound Sect, which had been passed down for over a millennium.

However, at this moment, inside the Sect Assembly Hall on the Cyan Nether Peak, the Sect’s main peak, three ancestors sat in a circle. The atmosphere was incredibly tense. Seated in the center was Cyan Wood Ancestor, his face still somewhat pale. On a prayer mat to his left sat an old man in a black Daoist Robe. With a withered face and a body as thin as bamboo, he was known as the Withered Bamboo Ancestor. As the oldest ancestor of the Cyan Profound Sect, he was usually in secluded Cultivation and had already reached the Late Stage Primordial Mansion Realm. To the right was a middle-aged Daoist in a luxurious purple robe. He had a face as flawless as jade and three wisps of long beard flowing over his chest. He was known as Elder Purple Cloud.

"Senior Brother Withered Bamboo, Junior Brother Purple Cloud," Cyan Wood Ancestor was the first to speak, his voice slightly hoarse. "I’m sure you two are already aware of what happened in Bishui City. The Flood Dragon that seized the Five Poison Sect’s legacy is a Qin Family War Beast. As for Qin Yu of the Qin Family, his breakthrough on the battlefield triggered a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon, earning him the favor and rewards of the Demon Suppression Bureau and Celestial Patrol Army. How should we respond?"

For a moment, the other two remained silent. During the battle outside Bishui City, tens of thousands of Demon Fiends had clashed. The Bishui River Dragon King and the Blood Demon Sect Altar Master, Li Xuehai, had both died in battle, and even the Demon Suppression Cave had been forcefully opened. The earth-shattering strike from the Primordial Spirit Realm Evil Dragon had shocked every faction that received the news. Fortunately, the Celestial Patrol Army had arrived in time; otherwise, if it had escaped, the ensuing disaster would have been endless. The entirety of Yunlong County, and even Ling State, would have plunged into panic.

Beyond all this, what attracted the most attention was the Qin family! Or rather, the Qin family genius who broke through on the battlefield—Qin Yu. The Demon Suppression Bureau had actively publicized his deeds, and his identity as a Demon Suppression Bureau Inspector had become widely known.

In truth, Qin Yu remained unaware of the internal politics. Had he been an outsider, the Merit Points he received from the Demon Suppression Bureau would not have been so substantial. But through a bit of maneuvering, he was now considered a member of the Bureau. This meant the Bureau could claim major credit for the battle: discovering the Blood Demon Sect’s plot in advance, taking the initiative to delay them, and buying enough time for the Celestial Patrol Army to arrive and resolve the disaster.

Withered Bamboo Ancestor slightly lifted his eyelids, a glint of sharp light flashing through his cloudy eyes. "Triggering a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon, breaking through in the heat of battle, and using Qi Blood to slay a Qi Sea Demon King... Such Talent would be considered top-tier even in the Great Wei Royal Capital.

"We cannot afford to carelessly offend a genius like this!"

Elder Purple Cloud snorted coldly, lightly waving his Duster. "No matter how high his Talent is, he’s just a fledgling who has yet to mature. He killed our Sect’s Elder and disciples, and he stole our Cyan Profound Sect’s opportunity! If we swallow this insult just because he has some Talent and a little favor from the Demon Suppression Bureau, what will become of our Cyan Profound Sect’s millennium-old prestige? How will we establish a foothold in Yunlong County in the future?"

"Prestige? Foothold?" Cyan Wood Ancestor smiled bitterly. "Junior Brother Purple Cloud, do you know that Qin Yu is now a Ling State Demon Suppression Bureau Inspector? His rank is Junior Sixth Grade! While the position may not be high, it falls under the direct jurisdiction of the State Governor’s Mansion and grants him the authority to inspect and arrest. He represents the face of the Great Wei officialdom in Ling State! To touch him is to slap the face of the Demon Suppression Bureau and the State Governor’s Mansion!"

When he first learned of the battle at the Bishui River and the news regarding Qin Yu, his already heavily injured body had been so infuriated that he coughed up blood. But once he calmed down, he had no choice but to consider the consequences. Any fool could see that Qin Yu was poised for a meteoric rise. The Qin family, which had previously shown signs of decline, had already become a rising star in Yunlong County.

Withered Bamboo Ancestor spoke slowly. "The Demon Suppression Bureau bestowed this official position because they value his potential. Right now, he has just achieved a massive merit and is at the height of his fame. Openly, it is indeed unwise for us to make a move."

Elder Purple Cloud’s brows furrowed tightly. "Are you suggesting, Senior Brother Withered Bamboo, that we just let this go? What about our dead Elder and disciples, or the stolen Five Poison Order?

"Furthermore, given this brat’s gloomy mindset and domineering style, he has already formed a blood feud with our Sect. Do you think he will let us off?

"Once his wings are fully grown, the first one he will eradicate is the Zhang family. The second will likely be our Cyan Profound Sect! Moreover, his sudden rise must harbor a massive secret!"

As his words fell, a trace of greed and desire flashed through Elder Purple Cloud’s eyes. The Cyan Profound Sect was the number one faction in Yunlong County, second only to the government! They boasted three ancestors in the Primordial Mansion Realm! Withered Bamboo Ancestor was even at the Late Stage Primordial Mansion Realm, with hopes of breaking through to the Myriad Phenomena Realm. Although the Sect was located deep in the mountains, their industries were spread throughout Yunlong County. If they were to back down, the loss would be far more than just a bit of face. It would be a loss of profit! Who would be willing to simply spit out what they already held?

More importantly, there was the opportunity behind Qin Yu! Setting aside the Five Poison Sect token, how could a down-and-out Qin family produce such a genius? If Qin Tianfeng could guess that Qin Yu had some fortunate encounter backing him, others could guess it just as well. An unrisen genius was merely a genius. Once dead, they were nothing at all.

"It would be best if we could shake hands and make peace. The Qin family isn’t that easy to deal with. That Primordial Mansion Realm Flood Dragon most likely swallowed the Bishui River Dragon King’s Dragon Pearl. Its strength is bound to skyrocket in the short term. After Qin Yu’s breakthrough, his combat power won’t be weaker than an ordinary Primordial Mansion Realm cultivator. Add to that the Celestial Wind Ancestor, despite his decaying Qi Blood, and an unknown number of War Beasts... Even if we wanted to target them, it would be difficult to achieve much," Withered Bamboo Ancestor said in a deep voice. "Although this kid has risen rapidly, he’s still not a true powerhouse. If our Cyan Profound Sect is willing to pay a sufficient price, resolving this grudge isn’t entirely impossible."

"Bow our heads to him? Offer compensation?" Elder Purple Cloud’s voice rose with anger. "Our Cyan Profound Sect is a millennium-old Sect. You want us to bow down to a wet-behind-the-ears brat?"

"It’s about temporarily avoiding his sharp edge to plan for the future!" Cyan Wood Ancestor said sternly. "Junior Brother Purple Cloud, do you think I don’t want revenge? A wise man submits to circumstances! To fight to the death against a peerless genius who is destined to grow into a towering tree—one who is already being watched by massive entities—is simply courting death."

Withered Bamboo Ancestor nodded slightly. "Junior Brother Cyan Wood is correct. However, we cannot pin all our hopes on reconciliation. Our Cyan Profound Sect must also prepare for the worst."

Elder Purple Cloud’s spirits lifted. "What do you mean, Senior Brother?"

A cold and sinister light burst from Withered Bamboo Ancestor’s cloudy eyes. "Secretly contact the Zhang family and the Su family to discuss countermeasures.

"A mere Qin family could never cultivate such a genius! Dispatch our most capable and stealthy disciples to the Wilderness Mountain Range. Investigate the source of his War Beasts at all costs.

"Gather all possible intelligence on him, especially detailed information regarding Qin Yu’s parents and closest relatives. We won’t make a move against them unless absolutely necessary, but we must have them in our grasp. Perhaps... this is our chance to break through to the Myriad Phenomena Realm!"

In Yunlong County, at the Zhang family estate.

Inside the main hall, the crowd was filled with righteous indignation.

"The Qin family! They must pay in blood!"

"Ling Shan, Ling Yue... and several of our Zhang family’s Qi Sea experts were all wiped out!"

"Kill! We cannot let the Qin family rise! Our Zhang family and the Qin family are mortal enemies! If they rise, our Zhang family will inevitably be destroyed. We must obliterate them before they can fully mature!"

In the seat of honor, the Zhang family ancestor coldly set down a Jade Scroll. The Cyan Profound Sect and the Qin family still had room for reconciliation, as the casualties only involved Sect members. But the Qin family and the Zhang family were true mortal enemies. The two sides had been engaged in covert slaughter for who knows how many years, with countless clansmen and disciples dying at each other’s hands.

"Send out our men. I want all the intelligence on that Qin Yu. Go explore the Wilderness Mountain Range; his fateful encounter must be hidden deep within it. Find out where those War Beasts are! This is a life-or-death crisis for our Zhang family!"

As he spoke, the Zhang family ancestor’s expression fluctuated. Beneath his wide sleeves, he gripped a seemingly ordinary Communication Token. It was given to him by a former hidden agent of the Blood Demon Sect. He had never wanted any ties to the Blood Demon Sect; plotting with tigers would only lead to a miserable end. But the current situation was completely different. Against just one Primordial Mansion Realm Flood Dragon, he was already utterly helpless.

"The Qin family enslaved a Primordial Mansion Realm Flood Dragon and even had it swallow a Dragon Pearl. If we pass this news to the Canglan River Dragon Palace, perhaps they will intervene.

"If the Cyan Profound Sect and the Su family are unwilling to cooperate, then we’ll have no choice but to take a desperate risk."

Meanwhile, somewhere in Ling State, in a location extremely deep underground.

There was no light here—only a darkness so thick it felt tangible, accompanied by a lingering, eerie stench that mixed blood with decay. The space was so vast that it defied logic. This was a Grotto Heaven! A Little World isolated from the outside reality.

At its core lay a Blood Pool over a hundred meters in diameter. In the center of the pool, a three-zhang-tall Evil God Statue stood tall, devouring the blood and turning the entire sculpture a crimson red. In front of the statue was a grand hall. At this moment, a figure sat upon the throne within the hall. His aura was terrifyingly strong—even more powerful than the Evil Dragon that had been suppressed and sealed.

Before him, a figure draped in a large black robe lay prostrate. Judging by his aura, this person was also in the Primordial Mansion Realm.

"Master, the plan in Bishui City failed..." The black-robed man’s voice was hoarse as he recounted the events in Bishui City from beginning to end. His forehead remained firmly pressed against the floor, his entire body trembling with absolute terror.

"Li Xuanting... the Celestial Patrol Army... and that unexpected variable, Qin Yu." The figure on the throne finally spoke. "List him as number 92 on the Ling State Assassination List. Since he is hostile to our Holy Sect, eradicate him as quickly as possible."

By the time Qin Yu entered the Wilderness Mountain Range, his reputation was already spreading throughout Yunlong County and its neighboring county cities, even catching the attention of certain true bigwigs.

A tall tree attracts the strongest wind. Otherwise, why would Qin Tianfeng have rushed over in such a panic?

"So there are already factions unwilling to give up and planning to make a move. However, this Wilderness Mountain Range is the Insect Swarm’s territory!" Qin Yu’s gaze turned chilling as he sat cross-legged in his Cultivation Room, using the Insect Nest to aid his Cultivation. He had anticipated this exact scenario when he made his move at the Bishui River. Within the Insect Swarm’s surveillance network, he spotted hidden forces converging from all directions toward the Wilderness Mountain Range and even Cyan Peak County. Some arrived on Flying Ships, while others disguised themselves among merchant caravans and villagers.

As the news of the Bishui River battle spread, the surrounding towns and villages caught wind of it and naturally flocked toward Cyan Peak Town. After all, in chaotic times, immense strength was the greatest guarantee of safety. Consequently, Cyan Peak County would also develop and flourish. Qin Yu couldn’t possibly slaughter all these ordinary folks just to be safe.

He thought to himself, "It’s a good thing I didn’t rush to Yunlong County City, or dealing with this kind of situation would have been a real headache. But for now, I’ll first sever all these reaching tentacles. Anyone who dares to lay a finger on my parents or relatives will die."

As these thoughts crossed his mind, hundreds of Thunder Rocs soared into the sky from the Snake Valley, flying at breakneck speed in a specific direction. In that direction, an unmarked Flying Ship was slowly descending. It landed right on the Insect Swarm’s Mimic Fungal Mat.

"Two more days until the Leviathan is fully incubated," he murmured. "When the time comes, I’ll wipe these Ghostly Realm factions clean off the map."