Translator: CinderTL
"Investigate her in detail," Li Chunjun instructed Jiang Yuxue.
Jiang Yuxue didn't notice anything unusual about the disciple, but she didn't hesitate to follow Li Chunjun's order. She nodded and immediately set out to carry out the task.
As for Qin Zhou's suggestion to immediately arrest Zhao Bai and his family, Li Chunjun didn't respond right away. Instead, he pondered over the situation.
Based on the sequence of events he had pieced together...
Qin Chuan had likely been deliberately exposed.
The purpose of this exposure wasn't for any other reason but to draw his attention to Zhao Bai.
Once he noticed Zhao Bai and began investigating, he would face two choices.
One, attempt to rescue Zhao Bai's sister, Zhao Yu.
The other...
As Qin Zhou suggested, simply arrest them.
If it were the former, things would be straightforward.
It was obvious that Zhao Yu was walking into a dangerous situation.
But if he were to arrest Zhao Bai...
This would likely serve as a signal.
The key to this signal lay with Fang Yushu.
Compared to Qin Chuan and Zhao Bai, Fang Yushu had been working exceptionally hard.
He seemed to cherish the opportunity to climb the social ladder by attaching himself to a powerful figure.
To make himself appear valuable, after reaching the Innate Realm through pill-assisted cultivation, he had been diligently carrying out tasks in the surrounding areas to improve and elevate himself.
He was ambitious and driven.
Arresting Qin Chuan and Zhao Bai could still be somewhat justified, at most proving his ruthlessness.
But if even Fang Yushu wasn't spared...
Ruthless wouldn't even begin to describe it.
It would also be a display of callousness and ingratitude.
Friends who came to seek his help ended up in such a state—what else could it be but callousness and ingratitude?
This would deal a significant blow to his reputation as the Sword Prodigy.
"These are dirty tasks. To ensure such unsavory deeds become widely known, I might very well have to take matters into my own hands. Once the people are captured, fabricating a plausible reason for my actions would be a piece of cake," Li Chunjun's thoughts gradually became clearer.
After all, both Zhao Bai and Qin Chuan were at the foot of the Taixu Sword Sect, so their safety was unquestionable.
The only one out on a mission was Fang Yushu...
And his mission area was within five hundred miles of the Taixu Sword Sect's main gate.
After easily capturing Qin Chuan and Zhao Bai's group, it would be the most relaxed moment. If he ventured a bit further to capture Fang Yushu, who was on a mission, it would seem perfectly logical.
The real killing move...
Was likely hidden within Fang Yushu.
Li Chunjun glanced once more at the information gathered by his team.
Qin Chuan, Zhao Bai, and Fang Yushu—each had their own role when considered individually.
But together, they created a combined effect.
What exactly that effect was, he couldn't fully discern at this moment, only making a rough guess.
The truth remained unknown.
It had to be said, the person who set this trap was highly skilled.
After some deliberation, Li Chunjun decided not to follow the Chiyang Sword Sect's line of thinking.
"Leak the information about your investigation into Qin Chuan, and during the process of leaking this information, dig deeper into Zhao Bai..." he began.
But halfway through, he paused.
When they descended on Qin Chuan's courtyard with their swords, some observant individuals had already noticed Qin Chuan's exposure.
Given that...
He had to act faster.
"I need to know Fang Yushu's current movements," Li Chunjun said to Zhou Yuechen.
"Fang Yushu just completed a mission yesterday and has now taken on a new task—to investigate a case of demonic cultivation in East Flow Town," Zhou Yuechen quickly provided the answer.
"East Flow Town?" Li Chunjun looked up.
Zhou Yuechen waved his hand, and a light projection of the terrain around the Taixu Sword Sect appeared, marking the location of East Flow Town.
The distance...
Four hundred and eighty miles.
"Can I mobilize some people?" Li Chunjun asked.
"Of course, as the Sword Prodigy, your privileges are equivalent to a vice-sect leader! You have the authority to mobilize up to ten Core Formation cultivators. With the sect leader's written order, you can command up to a hundred Core Formation cultivators."
"Mobilizing a hundred Core Formation cultivators would be too conspicuous and might alert the enemy. To ensure everything goes smoothly, please accompany me, Peak Master," Li Chunjun stood up. "You all will come with me."
The Core Formation cultivators exchanged glances but quickly agreed to Li Chunjun's proposal.
Soon, Jiang Yuqiu arrived on his sword.
"What's the situation? Is this a setup by the Chiyang Sword Sect targeting you?" Jiang Yuqiu asked quickly.
"Very likely," Li Chunjun replied. "Having the Peak Master accompany us will ensure everything goes smoothly."
"No! You shouldn't go. Staying on Flaming Phoenix Peak is the safest option," Jiang Yuqiu said cautiously.
"I'll go," Li Chunjun insisted. "I've recently mastered Sword Intent and am looking for someone to test it on. If this is indeed a setup by the Chiyang Sword Sect, it's the perfect opportunity."
He glanced at Jiang Yuqiu. "Besides, with the Peak Master watching over us and being less than five hundred miles from the sect, what danger could there be?"
After hearing this, Jiang Yuqiu finally nodded.
There was an unspoken rule among the Nine Great Sects.
Nascent Soul cultivators couldn't easily intervene, as it would provoke an all-out war.
Even Nascent Soul True Lords entering the territory of another major sect had to report in advance. Otherwise, they could be killed without consequence, leading to severe repercussions.
Although Li Chunjun had shown remarkable achievements and had mastered Sword Intent...
Few people knew about his mastery of Sword Intent.
Moreover, he was still only a Qi Refining cultivator. No matter how high his potential, it was unlikely that Nascent Soul-level forces would be mobilized against him now.
For the Chiyang Sword Sect to play the Nascent Soul True Lord card against the Taixu Sword Sect without justification would be akin to flipping the table in front of the Taixu Sword Sect!
And if they dared to do so while the Taixu Sword Sect held an absolute advantage, wouldn't the Taixu Sword Sect crush the Chiyang Sword Sect and expel them from Blue Star? Why would they keep them around for the New Year?
Even if they obediently left Blue Star, it was unlikely they would send a Nascent Soul True Lord to infiltrate the Taixu Sword Sect to assassinate Li Chunjun.
...
The group set out again, concealing their sword lights as much as possible, heading straight for East Flow Town, four hundred and eighty miles away.
East Flow Town was a small town with a population of only a few tens of thousands, spanning just over ten miles. It didn't even have a proper martial arts academy.
As soon as Jiang Yuqiu, Li Chunjun, Qin Zhou, Jiang Yuxue, Zhang Weiqian, and the others arrived, their powerful Divine Sense swept over the entire town like a tidal wave.
Qin Zhou, Zhang Weiqian, and Zhou Yuechen didn't notice anything unusual.
But Jiang Yuqiu, Jiang Yuxue, and even Li Chunjun quickly sensed something amiss in a civilian house six miles away.
"Over there!" Jiang Yuqiu said.
He also gave Li Chunjun a surprised look.
A cultivator who hadn't even reached Core Formation seemed... capable of detecting a hidden target that even Core Formation cultivators like Qin Zhou couldn't find?
But now wasn't the time for curiosity.
Confirming the issue, the group rose into the air again, instantly crossing six miles and arriving above the civilian house.
The house seemed to have been uninhabited for some time, lacking any signs of life.
But...
That wasn't what they were focusing on.
"A Core Formation cultivator highly skilled in concealment," Zhang Weiqian said gravely. "This level of concealment can only be detected by exceptionally sensitive Core Formation cultivators or Nascent Soul True Lords using Divine Sense to carefully scan the area. Otherwise, even the Divine Sense of a Core Formation Great Cultivator wouldn't be able to sense it."
Activating Divine Sense consumes mental energy. Who would casually scan their surroundings with Divine Sense for no reason?
Hiding here, it was impossible to be discovered for at least ten days to half a month.
"Hmph!" Jiang Yuqiu didn't hesitate and pressed down with his hand.
In the next moment, a giant hand composed entirely of flames descended upon the house.
The terrifying pressure, accompanied by the violent flames, instantly collapsed the second floor of the house.
But just as the house was about to be completely obliterated, a sword light erupted, shooting into the sky, only to be shattered the next second.
"Boom!"
The ground shook!
A deafening roar echoed within a radius of several hundred meters, and the violent flames quickly reduced everything within a hundred meters to ashes.
Li Chunjun saw clearly.
When the palm struck, more than six spiritual lights flashed simultaneously.
They were likely third-tier defensive and offensive talismans.
But in the face of this flaming giant hand, these talismans, which could be deadly to any Core Formation cultivator, were utterly destroyed, torn apart like dry weeds.
Also shattered was a storage bag on his body.
"A Virtual Core cultivator. The Virtual Core stage is indeed the most suitable for concealing one's aura. Once you reach the True Core stage, it becomes much harder to hide," Jiang Yuqiu said, then snorted. "The Chiyang Sword Sect has some nerve, daring to send a Core Formation cultivator to our Taixu Sword Sect to assassinate our future Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy. They must answer for their actions! Otherwise, our Taixu Sword Sect's four hundred Core Formation cultivators will not stand for it!"
He then turned to Li Chunjun. "His Magical Artifacts and storage bag have been destroyed, and his Virtual Core has been severely damaged. You wanted to test your Sword Intent, right? This level of opponent is perfect."
Li Chunjun nodded.
He landed directly on the scorched ground, where flames still lingered.
The Core Formation cultivator, who had nearly been obliterated by Jiang Yuqiu's palm, was now desperately trying to stabilize his condition.
Looking at the Nascent Soul True Lord Jiang Yuqiu in the sky, as well as Qin Zhou and the other True Core and Golden Core cultivators, his eyes flashed with disbelief.
He knew that once he was exposed, he would face the Taixu Sword Sect's thunderous retaliation, but...
Wasn't it a bit excessive to have a Nascent Soul True Lord involved?
Moreover...
He couldn't understand where their plan had gone wrong.
Yu Xuan?
Zhao Bai?
They didn't even know of his existence!
Even Fang Yushu didn't know he was hiding here.
Under Elder Bai Yang's arrangements, their plan was supposed to be foolproof. Why had it turned out like this?
Fortunately, he still had one last hope!
From the looks of it, the Nascent Soul True Lord and the other Core Formation cultivators intended to use him as a whetstone for Li Chunjun's Sword Intent!?
Then let's see whether your yet-to-be-forged divine weapon is sharper, or whether I, a Core Formation whetstone, am harder!
"Since it's come to this, I have nothing left but to die!"
In the next moment, violent Qi erupted within the Core Formation cultivator's body.
Realizing that he was certain to die in the presence of a Nascent Soul and several Core Formation cultivators, he didn't hesitate to ignite all the Qi within him.
The surging Qi poured into a series of spell talisman structures, more complex and powerful than the Sharp Metal Technique!
Limit-Breaking Spell—Tai Bai True Force!
(End of the Chapter)
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