After staying at the Tiandao Sect for only a day, Mo Tiange and Qin Xi set off for the Xuanqing Sect on the second day.
What they found amusing was that, whoever had come up with the idea, the Xuanqing Sect had dispatched two disciples to the Tiandao Sect's Immortal Platform Meet to stir up trouble, trying to coax some rather talented cultivators into joining the Xuanqing Sect.
Coincidentally, just as they were arguing about whether the Tiandao Sect or the Xuanqing Sect would produce a Nascent Soul cultivator first to secure the position of the number one sect in Tianji, Mo Tiange and Qin Xi broke through the restrictions of Tianmo Mountain, triggering the Nascent Soul Phenomenon. This made the two disciples think that someone from the Tiandao Sect had just formed their Nascent Soul, causing their efforts to fall short.
Not long after, the truth spread like wildfire. Upon learning that the one who triggered the Nascent Soul Phenomenon was a cultivator from the Xuanqing Sect, a group of cultivators indeed withdrew from the Tiandao Sect's Immortal Platform Meet, intending to head west to Kunwu to try their luck at the Xuanqing Sect. The two disciples were overjoyed and subsequently contacted the two of them.
Since they were disciples of the Xuanqing Sect and were on an "important mission," Mo Tiange and Qin Xi didn't refuse and brought these two Foundation Establishment disciples along—if they had to fly back to the Xuanqing Sect on their own, it would probably take several months.
The appearance of the Nascent Soul Phenomenon saved them a lot of persuasion, allowing them to complete their task directly. The two disciples were immensely grateful and reverent towards Qin Xi, and by extension, were also very curious about Mo Tiange. Qin Xi's personality was rather cold, and now that he was already a Nascent Soul cultivator, these two didn't dare ask too many questions. Seeing that Mo Tiange was quite amiable, they surrounded her, asking this and that, calling her "Shishu" affectionately with every sentence.
Having been trapped in Tianmo Mountain for ten years, Mo Tiange also wanted to inquire about news from the outside world, so she chatted idly with these two Foundation Establishment disciples along the way.
"Shishu Qingwei, I heard you formed your Golden Core before reaching a hundred years old, that's just too amazing! We've heard of you before, but we never had the chance to meet you. Now that we can see you, it's truly an honor!"
This Foundation Establishment disciple named Li Yang had a mouth as sweet as honey, spouting flattery effortlessly.
Mo Tiange, of course, didn't take his words seriously, but she found it quite amusing and smiled, saying, "Are you two specialized in tasks that require smooth talking? Your eloquence is quite impressive!"
The other disciple named Wu De felt somewhat ashamed upon hearing this and said, "Shishu Qingwei, please don't mind him. We often go to other sects to spread some news. This kid is used to it, and flattering words come out of his mouth without thinking. He doesn't mean any offense." As he spoke, he glared at Li Yang. "Shishu is one of us, drop that routine."
Li Yang scratched his head and gave an embarrassed smile. "Shishu Qingwei, although my words are flattery, what I said is true. You and Shishu Shoujing... oh, no, Patriarch Shoujing, are legends within our sect. We've been looking forward to meeting you for a long time. It's a pity that both of you are like dragons—seen the head but not the tail, making it difficult to meet."
These words were indeed true. Qin Xi, needless to say, rarely appeared in public. Even disciples who had been in the sect for decades had rarely seen him. Mo Tiange also didn't go out much on weekdays. Apart from the time over sixty years ago when she handled mundane affairs for Dao Lord Jinghe and frequently traveled between the peaks, she had either been traveling outside or in seclusion cultivating for the past few decades.
Mo Tiange smiled slightly, sidestepping the topic, and asked, "Since you two work for the Deacon Hall, you must be well-informed. How has our sect been doing these past ten years?"
"Our sect's situation?" Wu De thought for a moment and replied, "Shishu wants to know about our sect's current strength and reputation? It's excellent! Speaking of which, it's fortunate that we are far in West Kunwu, too far from Tianmo Mountain. Every time Tianmo Mountain opens, although a few Golden Core Shishu and Nascent Soul Patriarchs go, Foundation Establishment disciples and below rarely participate, so our losses aren't great. When the great restrictions of Tianmo Mountain collapsed ten years ago, we only lost two Golden Core Shishu and several Foundation Establishment fellow disciples, which is much better than the other sects."
"Oh?" Mo Tiange had already learned from the Tiandao Sect that her master and Patriarch Hua Yan were safe, but she asked again, "Are the two Nascent Soul Patriarchs doing well?"
Li Yang hurriedly answered: "Shishu, rest assured! Both Nascent Soul Patriarchs escaped in time, but they were both slightly injured."
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi had already mentally prepared for this, so they didn't take it too much to heart and only asked, "Are they fine now?"
Unexpectedly, Li Yang asked, "Shishu, did the people from the Tiandao Sect tell you that Patriarch Jinghe was lightly injured and Patriarch Hua Yan was seriously injured?"
"That's right." Mo Tiange raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with Qin Xi. Judging by his tone, could the information be inaccurate?
Wu De sighed and took over, "Shishu Qingwei, Patriarch Shoujing, that statement was actually released to mislead others. The reality is not so. Patriarch Hua Yan's injuries weren't actually that severe. Not only was his life not in danger, but he also didn't lose any cultivation. It's estimated that after ten years of recuperation, he's already recovered."
Mo Tiange's eyebrow twitched, and she pressed further, "What about Patriarch Jinghe? Is he alright?"
Sure enough, Wu De continued, "Patriarch Jinghe's situation is actually not so good. In fact, it was Patriarch Jinghe who exerted all his strength back then to escape Tianmo Mountain with Patriarch Hua Yan. Before we left the mountain gate, we heard that Patriarch Jinghe was still in seclusion recuperating. We don't know how he's doing."
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi exchanged a glance, each frowning in thought. So it was their master who was seriously injured, and the news circulating outside was false.
This wasn't hard to understand. Although the Xuanqing Sect had six Nascent Soul cultivators, there was only one late-stage and one mid-stage. Dao Lord Jinghe's cultivation was already at the peak of the mid-stage, and his combat strength was not inferior to late-stage cultivators. What the existence of such a Nascent Soul Dao Lord meant for the Xuanqing Sect went without saying. With the Tiandao Sect's strength diminished and the Xuanqing Sect potentially becoming the number one sect in Tianji, of course, this news would be concealed.
Thinking of this, the two couldn't help but worry. Their master was currently at the peak of the mid-stage. If he was seriously injured, would it prevent him from advancing to the late stage?
Wu De and Li Yang, observing their expressions and seeing their worried looks, immediately chimed in one after the other: "Shishu and Patriarch, please don't worry too much. Although we can be considered core disciples of our sect, we are just two minor Foundation Establishment cultivators. If Patriarch Jinghe's life was truly in danger, that would be top-secret information, and we wouldn't be allowed to know."
"That's right. Qingquan Peak has been just as prosperous these past few years. I heard Patriarch Jinghe still occasionally receives disciples, so it seems nothing major is wrong."
After pondering for a moment, Qin Xi nodded and finally spoke, "What you say makes sense."
Receiving praise from a Nascent Soul Patriarch, Wu De and Li Yang were overjoyed and showered Qin Xi with another round of flattery, making Mo Tiange feel both worried and amused.
Temporarily setting aside the matter of Dao Lord Jinghe, Mo Tiange asked again, "Since you are so familiar with sect affairs, do you know a Foundation Establishment disciple named Ye Zhenji?"
"Ye Zhenji?" Li Yang asked, "Is Shishu referring to Patriarch Shoujing's personal disciple, your nephew?"
Mo Tiange was pleasantly surprised that Li Yang remembered just from hearing the name. "You really know him?"
Li Yang shook his head. "Senior Brother Ye is among the elite of the elite disciples. We two are just deacons from the Deacon Hall, often running errands outside. How could we know him? We've only seen him in passing."
"I see. Then do you know about his situation? Did he return from his training journey back then?"
Wu De took over, smiling, "Speaking of that, it's also an interesting story!"
Mo Tiange was taken aback. "What happened?"
Li Yang eagerly said: "Senior Brother Ye was missing for over a dozen years with no news. Unexpectedly, one year, news suddenly came from Kunzhong City that a Loose Immortal named Baiyu had been killed by two Foundation Establishment cultivators. Then our branch stationed in Kunzhong City received a message from Senior Brother Ye..."
"Loose Immortal Baiyu?" Mo Tiange and Qin Xi exchanged a glance, both showing surprise in their eyes.
Seeing Mo Tiange's confusion, Qin Xi spoke up, "Loose Immortal Baiyu is also a member of the Loose Cultivator Alliance in Kunzhong City. Over four hundred years old, with a youthful appearance, he is said to specialize in the dual-cultivation path... I once speculated that the person Old Man Tong mentioned, who wanted you to exchange Heavenly Fragrance Beans for Jade Marrow, was Loose Immortal Baiyu."
"That's right." Li Yang chimed in. "Patriarch Shoujing is truly knowledgeable. This Loose Immortal Baiyu is a Loose Cultivator from Kunzhong City, at the Golden Core stage. According to senior brothers who have seen him, he looks like an old man but resembles a youth, and is as fastidious as a woman... His reputation isn't very good. Many say he uses plundering techniques to maintain his youthful appearance."
Mo Tiange nodded. "What exactly happened to Zhenji?"
Wu De continued, "Speaking of which, Senior Brother Ye was really unlucky. While traveling to Kunzhong City, he unintentionally saved a woman. As it turned out, that woman was a furnace vessel that Loose Immortal Baiyu had his eye on, so he captured Senior Brother Ye as well. Fortunately, due to Senior Brother Ye's status, Loose Immortal Baiyu didn't dare kill him. To protect the woman, Senior Brother Ye was imprisoned by Loose Immortal Baiyu for over ten years..."
Hearing this account, Mo Tiange was first shocked, then furious. "This Loose Immortal Baiyu has some nerve! He actually dared to imprison a disciple of our Xuanqing Sect!"
"Exactly! Later, somehow, Senior Brother Ye managed to kill Loose Immortal Baiyu despite the difference in cultivation stage and escaped..." Li Yang shook his head as he spoke. "According to fellow disciples from the Kunzhong City branch, when Senior Brother Ye and that woman escaped, both were tortured beyond recognition!"
"What happened afterwards?" Qin Xi asked with a furrowed brow. "That Loose Immortal Baiyu imprisoned a disciple of our Xuanqing Sect. Did the sect take any action?"
"Naturally." Knowing that this Patriarch Shoujing only had one personal disciple, Li Yang quickly said, "As soon as Senior Brother Ye returned to Taikang Mountain, the entire sect was shaken. Patriarch Jinghe personally gave the order, almost wiping out the Loose Cultivator Alliance in Kunzhong City. At that time, this incident shook Kunwu. The Loose Cultivator Alliance was annihilated overnight. Later, after Patriarch Jinghe cooled down, he agreed to spare those who were unrelated. The Loose Cultivator Alliance in Kunzhong City now has been reorganized."
Hearing this, Mo Tiange and Qin Xi felt their anger subside. If that Loose Immortal Baiyu were still alive, the two would definitely head straight to Kunzhong City to kill him. Zhenji was their only disciple, and he was almost tortured to death by someone else. Just thinking about it made them furious.
Especially Mo Tiange, who thought that since this Loose Immortal Baiyu practiced plundering techniques and was a member of the Loose Cultivator Alliance, he was most likely the old friend Tong Tianyun mentioned. She had made an agreement with Tong Tianyun to obtain Heavenly Fragrance Beans from Tianmo Mountain to exchange for Millennium Jade Marrow. If she had met this Loose Immortal Baiyu before this, perhaps Zhenji wouldn't have suffered so much. She deeply regretted it. Fortunately, Zhenji escaped. Otherwise, she would have regretted it for the rest of her life.