Chapter 666 - 278: All for the Immortal Vine
"Young friend!"
A voice like thunder boomed from the sky.
Chu Lingguang, who was running toward Mazhou Prefecture, shuddered. It was like a sharp blow to the head, and he couldn’t help but stop.
He looked up at the sky.
A golden light shot across the horizon. A moment later, it stopped overhead, revealing an elderly man with an immortal and transcendent bearing.
The old man descended, stepping on the air.
Each step he took created ripples in the air.
It seemed to be waves of transformed Spiritual Power, flowing out from his body and disappearing into the distance.
"Senior, you are...?"
Chu Lingguang’s expression was guarded.
For some reason, he felt no hostility toward the old man.
"The Qi Refining Art?"
"It’s actually a pure Qi Refining Skill."
"I wonder where you acquired it, young friend?"
The newcomer was none other than the Yuan Shanhe whom Zhang Xuan had mentioned.
"This..."
Chu Lingguang was shocked. The old man could tell with a single glance that he practiced the Qi Refining Art. ’What do I do now?’
"Never mind. I know what’s going on even if you don’t tell me."
"You possess a Spiritual Root, so how could Yuanchu Mountain let you get away so easily? The one who backed you didn’t take you away, but left you on Yuanchu Mountain. Could it be they have their eyes on something of ours?"
Yuan Shanhe asked, puzzled.
His Spiritual Sense enveloped Chu Lingguang, trying to observe the slightest changes and glean key information from his eyes.
Hearing the old man rationalize everything on his own, Chu Lingguang was first taken aback, then inwardly breathed a small sigh of relief.
’It seems there are more than just two major cultivation sects like Yuanchu Mountain and the Demon Sect in this world.’
He thought to himself.
"It seems you people are also here for the Immortal Vine."
"My Yuanchu Mountain has toiled and waited for countless reincarnations, yet we have never seen the Immortal Vine’s true form. If you people truly have the ability, then go ahead and take it!"
Yuan Shanhe said.
He spoke as if intending for others in the vicinity to hear. In his mind, the person who had taught Chu Lingguang the Cultivation Technique must be somewhere Within the Great Yuan Territory, perhaps even observing Chu Lingguang’s every move.
He tried to search for this person’s aura, but found nothing.
He never believed that Chu Lingguang had obtained the Qi Refining Art on his own. It might have been possible for someone else, but Chu Lingguang possessed a Spiritual Root. He was likely targeted from the very beginning by an overseas cultivation sect that provided him with the Cultivation Technique.
Otherwise, how could his aura be so pure?
Moreover, his Sea of Consciousness Power was formidable, far beyond what an ordinary sect could cultivate.
Yuan Shanhe would never believe there wasn’t a hidden hand manipulating things from the shadows.
In fact, his thoughts weren’t entirely wrong. He just never would have guessed that everything Chu Lingguang currently possessed was mainly obtained by exchanging Favor Points, not through the support of a powerful sect.
But this was the most logical explanation he could find.
’Immortal Vine.’
’True form.’
’Could it be that Yuanchu Mountain has gone to such great lengths just to obtain the Immortal Vine’s true form?’
’So they stop others from merging with the "bizarre objects" to prevent anyone from fusing with the Immortal Vine?’
Chu Lingguang thought to himself.
Yuan Shanhe’s words seemed to have cleared up his confusion.
BOOM!
However, just as he was pondering this, a powerful force swept over him.
Like a leaf on a stormy sea, Chu Lingguang was sent flying, crashing through more than a dozen trees before finally slamming into the ground.
"Still not showing yourself?"
Yuan Shanhe wondered aloud.
He had used Chu Lingguang to probe for the person behind him, but he still hadn’t detected any unusual aura.
"Master."
Kou Han flew over.
"Cough, cough!"
"Senior Brother."
Chu Lingguang coughed up blood on the ground. Seeing Kou Han, he called out weakly.
"Master, Junior Brother is...?"
Kou Han asked, confused.
"He has practiced an orthodox Qi Refining Art and has long been a disciple of another sect. I originally thought his backer was nearby, but it seems they didn’t follow him," Yuan Shanhe explained.
"Junior Brother is from the Demon Sect?"
Kou Han asked in astonishment.
"The Demon Sect couldn’t provide him with such an orthodox Cultivation Technique."
Yuan Shanhe shook his head.
Spiritual Power surged out like a giant, invisible hand, pulling Chu Lingguang toward him.
"Possessing a Spiritual Root is a one-in-ten-thousand gift. Since my Yuanchu Mountain is not fated to have you, let’s just end it here!"
Yuan Shanhe struck Chu Lingguang’s chest with his palm.
Chu Lingguang felt a massive amount of Spiritual Power pour into his body, as if he were about to explode. But when he landed, his body was completely unharmed. On the contrary, his injuries were healed in an instant. Even his cultivation level had risen, and he successfully broke through to the second layer of the Qi Refining realm.
"I don’t care which overseas sect is behind you. The Immortal Vine belongs only to Yuanchu Mountain. Our hundreds of cultivators will be waiting for your esteemed arrival."
Yuan Shanhe said with his hands clasped behind his back.
Chu Lingguang wanted to speak but held his tongue. The old man had clearly misunderstood, but his cautious behavior made Chu Lingguang realize that perhaps this misunderstanding was a good thing.
Thinking of Guo Wei’s situation, he said, "This junior does not dare to hope for the Immortal Vine. However, my mortal master, Guo Wei, has been labeled a demon by Yuanchu Mountain. I hope he will not be threatened by your sect."
"Fine."
Yuan Shanhe nodded, then left with Kou Han.
The two of them soon rendezvoused with Zhang Xuan and Li Mao.
"Chu Lingguang is colluding with an overseas sect?"
"No wonder his cultivation has progressed so quickly."
"He does have a mortal master in the Great Yuan named Guo Wei. He originally practiced martial arts under him and only managed to become a Military Scholar after great difficulty. Later..."
Zhang Xuan recounted everything about Chu Lingguang to Yuan Shanhe in great detail.
"It seems he truly is a disciple of an overseas sect. Otherwise, a mere mortal Martial Artist could not have trained him."
Upon learning Guo Wei’s true identity and that Guo Xiaotian had been exiled to Wolf Valley Pass, Yuan Shanhe became even more convinced that Chu Lingguang was a disciple of an overseas sect.