In Heavenly Sword City, Pill Pavilion had just opened its doors for the day when He Ze arrived early at the shop rented by Chu Xuan. However, this ti, he didn't see Chu Xuan, who usually arrived earlier than him.
"That's strange, Senior He is always here before ; why isn't he here today?" He Ze found this unusual but didn't dwell on it too much. Instead, he busied himself with cleaning the shop, receiving respectful nods from the cultivators passing by. Everyone knew that He Ze was now under the wing of a Nascent Soul powerhouse, a true case of a sparrow transforming into a phoenix!
As the minutes and hours passed, there was still no sign of Chu Xuan, even by midday. Puzzled, He Ze hurried to Chu Xuan's cave dwelling and sent a voice transmission talisman inside. Almost imdiately, another voice transmission talisman flew out and landed in his palm.
He Ze listened to the ssage: "Out hunting ancient beasts, won't return to the city for now, don't worry. If there are any changes in the city, use the voice transmission jade to inform ."
Scratching his head, He Ze turned and left, a bit confused.
...
The following afternoon, a large contingent of Reincarnation Divine Sect cultivators mobilized, and Heavenly Sword City was suddenly sealed off without any warning. The cultivators inside the city were panic-stricken, unsure of what was happening.
Even though cultivators from the Majestic Sword Sect, including Xin Changqing, were very cooperative, Leng Hanshuang searched Heavenly Sword City thoroughly for five days. She turned it upside down, even to the point where the earthworms sleeping underground might have been uncovered, yet she found nothing significant.
This news naturally reached Chu Xuan through He Ze's transmissions. "They really ca for ," Chu Xuan mused. "However, it's not True Master Tiancang who's acting, but one of his disciples..."
Chu Xuan pondered this developnt. It seed that if he could just avoid capture during this period, he might be able to return to Heavenly Sword City eventually.
At the city lord's mansion, Xin Changqing cheerfully brewed tea for Leng Hanshuang. "Holy Maiden, there is no need to hurry. Senior Tiancang has already said that the person is extrely skilled at hiding and certainly won't be found within just a few days."
"Heavenly Sword City is now sealed, and everyone entering or leaving must register. It's only a matter of ti before this person is caught. Why not enjoy so of my Ku Mao Feng tea in the anti?" he offered, trying to ease the tension with a touch of hospitality.
Leng Hanshuang couldn't help but shake her head. "I don't care for tea."
Xin Changqing was not offended, rely smiling. "This tea is difficult to cultivate, and it is quite rare. Since the Holy Maiden does not partake, I shall drink it myself."
Suddenly, Leng Hanshuang spoke up, "I recall there is an alchemist nad He Liang in the city. Where is he now?"
Xin Changqing chuckled, "Fellow daoist He has been in secluded cultivation for four years, achieving the Nascent Soul realm. Currently, he is hunting ancient beasts outside the city, amassing contributions."
"I suppose he plans to return ho in glory after advancing to a higher realm—a common practice among cultivators." He saw nothing amiss with Chu Xuan's actions.
"By the way, this Ku Mao Feng tea was a gift from fellow daoist He," Xin Changqing added with a smile.
Leng Hanshuang calmly stated, "Uncle Master Tiancang cherishes talent, and he intends to take He Liang as his disciple. Please, fellow daoist Xin, ask He Liang to return to the city."
Xin Changqing's action of sipping tea stiffened. "Uncle Master Tiancang... to take fellow daoist He as a disciple? Ha-ha-ha, that truly would be a great fortune for fellow daoist He. If that's the case, I shall send him a voice transmission to share this excellent news."
Leng Hanshuang fixed her gaze on Xin Changqing's eyes. "Surely such good news should be delivered in person to be most surprising, right?"
Xin Changqing lowered his eyes, a flash of coldness passing through them, but when he raised his head again, his expression was warm. "Understood, worthy of being the Holy Maiden, indeed thoughtful. In that case, I will send a voice transmission to fellow daoist He, asking him to return."
Leng Hanshuang smiled slightly. "Very well, transmit your ssage here, and let listen."
Xin Changqing, still smiling, took out the voice transmission jade. "Fellow daoist He, are you still hunting ancient beasts outside? Why not return and drink so tea? I recently acquired a packet of Mountain Clouds tea, said to be like descending into the clouds of heaven. I haven't opened it yet, waiting for your return to share it."
Having spoken, he put away the voice transmission jade and looked towards Leng Hanshuang.
"Holy Maiden, were my words appropriate?"
Leng Hanshuang nodded. "Quite appropriate."
"Please, Fellow Daoist Xin, join us when the ti cos. To be accepted as a disciple by a mighty divine cultivator like Uncle Master Tiancang is an imnse honor."
Xin Changqing, still smiling, responded, "Yes, yes, Holy Maiden, rest assured, I will be present."
Only after Leng Hanshuang had left the city lord's mansion did Xin Changqing's expression gradually turn cold.
Leng Hanshuang had nearly forced him to send the voice transmission to He Liang, insisting that it be done imdiately—quite aggressively.
As a Nascent Soul cultivator, did he not have any dignity?
Xin Changqing gave a self-mocking smile. The other was a Holy Maiden from a sixth-tier cultivation sect.
How could he, a re third-level Nascent Soul cultivator, compare?
Dignity. Indeed, there was none.
Xin Changqing sipped his tea. "Bitter... truly bitter... Why does sweetness never co? I wish to stay out of conflicts, yet I'm always drawn in. Now, I might even lose soone to share tea with. He Liang, no matter who you are, I hope you can discern the subtleties in my words..."
Inside a cave outside Heavenly Sword City, Chu Xuan appeared once again. He surfaced every few days to receive voice transmissions from He Ze. From these ssages, he learned that Leng Hanshuang had been searching Heavenly Sword City for several days—not for the Taotie Tree Seed, but for the killer of Yun Zhongyu. Chu Xuan pondered briefly, then connected the dots.
"The Taotie Tree Seed is far on Blue Star, and with a Nascent Soul cultivator's divination power, it's indeed impossible to pinpoint its location," he thought. "But the mont the formation on the blood jade pendant vanished, True Master Tiancang must have discovered that Yun Zhongyu's killer was in Heavenly Sword City. That's why Leng Hanshuang ca to Heavenly Sword City to search for the murderer."
Just then, Chu Xuan received another ssage, surprisingly from Xin Changqing. After listening to Xin Changqing's words, Chu Xuan furrowed his brows.
"An invitation to drink tea? It sounds like sothing Xin Changqing would say, yet not quite."
After becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator, Chu Xuan had often shared tea with Xin Changqing and was familiar with his speaking habits. Xin Changqing would not describe tea as "a packet" nor invite soone to "drink tea"—he always used the term "enjoy tea."
Most importantly, given Xin Changqing's obsession with fine teas, if he had really acquired one of the Reincarnation Divine Sect's ten famous teas, he would not wait to drink it with Chu Xuan. Instead, he would likely hide it away to savor it himself first.
"There's deceit here. Xin Changqing is trying to discreetly send a ssage. Who could force a Nascent Soul cultivator to convey a ssage in such a manner?"
Imdiately, a face ca to mind—Leng Hanshuang, the Holy Maiden of the Reincarnation Divine Sect. It must be her! Chu Xuan could even imagine her sitting next to Xin Changqing, listening as he sent the transmission.
"Heavenly Sword City is to be avoided."
With a shake of his head, Chu Xuan returned to Blue Star.
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