Chapter 892: Scheme (II)
The Azure Pond Sect.
The immortal formations were brightly lit, while all the peaks were sealed off except for Yuanxing Peak, where people bustled about. The mountain was nearly entirely forged from golden iron, adorned with thousands of iron pillars linked by iron chains. It was a rather grim and intimidating view.
Yet in the main hall atop the peak, its master stood with a spear in hand, brow furrowed with deep anxiety.
Ning Hejing had received the news early. Chi Zhiyun had never truly trusted his brother Chi Zhiyan. While he didn’t believe Chi Zhiyan would recklessly squander all their forces, he feared that his subordinates might lie to him. So he had secretly placed informants in several locations.
When Li Xuanfeng crushed the Buddhist cultivators and the north fell silent, a specialized courier flew back from the riverbank. He had used talismans and all his mana to barely make it to the city’s market. Upon collapsing, a second messenger immediately took over. The relay labored nonstop day and night, until the message finally reached Ning Hejing by the next day.
"Killed all eighteen monks? Are you kidding me!?"
Ning Hejing’s entire attention was on Li Xuanfeng, his mind filled with that terrifying feat. He began to sense things had gone awry at Mount Bianyan. Initially, he thought nothing of it. Chi Zhiyan had a Purple Mansion Realm talisman, and could even traverse the great void. What could mere devil cultivators do to him? At worst, he would suffer a few casualties.
But Chi Zhiyun had left orders to seize control of the Heavenly Glow Cloudship, seal off all peaks, and summon all members of the Chi Family back to Azure Pond Peak. It felt like overkill, but Ning Hejing, afraid of punishment should Chi Zhiyun emerge from seclusion, went along with it.
Then came the second message. No word from Mount Bianyan, and Li Xuanfeng was dead. Ning Hejing felt some relief, but sensed something off. On the third morning, the soul lamps on Azure Pond Peak, once a sea of purple, snuffed out like candles in the wind. Only a few remained. Even Chi Zhiyan’s soul lamp had extinguished. Ning Hejing was stunned for a full half-minute.