Chapter 19: Sir, Times Have Changed
Chen Xuan subconsciously looked toward the door and saw a white-clad female ghost standing timidly at the entrance. She had a beautiful but sorrowful face, and melancholy filled her eyes, giving people the urge to protect her.
She was very beautiful, but unfortunately, she wasn't the Xiao Qian from the movie.
"Where is he?"
The white-clad female ghost said softly: "You two are from the Ascension Bureau, right? Please follow me."
Chen Xuan cautiously asked: "We're not from the Ascension Bureau. We're Junior Brother Leng's senior martial brothers. May I ask what relationship you have with Junior Brother Leng?"
Upon hearing this, the white-clad female ghost's face actually showed a hint of shyness. She bowed respectfully: "So you two are Leng Lang's senior martial brothers. This humble one is Xiao Zhuo. I greet you, two senior martial brothers."
"Hmm?"
Chen Xuan was a little surprised. He glanced at Zhao Youqian beside him: "Brother Zhao, is the 'undead knight' an exclusive inheritance of your Sword Vein?"
Xiao Zhuo didn't know what an "undead knight" was and looked at the two senior martial brothers of Leng Li with confusion.
It was strange—the surface cultivation of these two senior martial brothers seemed weaker than Leng Li's, yet they had killed the thousand-year tree demon.
If that weren't the case, she wouldn't have dared to meet them so rashly.
"If you put it that way, there's no problem. Since this is Junior Brother's... person, let's follow her to find Junior Brother."
As Zhao Youqian spoke, he picked up the dark green tree demon essence from the ground and handed it to Chen Xuan.
"I'm not interested in green, oily things."
Chen Xuan didn't take it and said calmly.
Xiao Zhuo, walking at the front, was surprised when she heard this. This senior martial brother of Leng Lang was something else—he didn't even care about the thousand-year essence of a tree demon.
"Brother Chen, you're truly extraordinary. This thousand-year essence of a tree demon is a rare treasure. For ghost cultivators and demon cultivators, it's a great tonic. You could sell it for quite a few spirit stones."
As Zhao Youqian spoke, he was about to put the tree demon essence into his storage ring, but his hand was grabbed by Chen Xuan beside him.
"Wait!"
Chen Xuan smiled: "Why didn't you say so earlier? Give it back to me."
Zhao Youqian casually returned the tree demon essence: "You didn't ask."
Xiao Zhuo, walking at the front, subconsciously paused when she heard this...
Chen Xuan opened his money bag and stuffed the tree demon essence inside. Seeing Zhao Youqian's strange look, he decided he must find a mental cultivation method to practice after returning. Carrying a storage bag was standard for cultivators.
After a while, the three arrived at a dried-up well in the temple.
"Two senior martial brothers, please wait a moment. I'll bring Leng Lang up right away."
After Xiao Zhuo finished speaking, she flew into the ancient well. Soon, she flew back up with a pale-faced Leng Li.
"Leng Li greets the two senior martial brothers, Sword Master and Guardian."
As soon as he landed, Leng Li bowed to Chen Xuan and the others. However, he seemed to have suffered significant injuries, and his voice was weak.
"Second Junior Brother, are you alright? Do you need some medicine to replenish yourself?" Zhao Youqian asked with concern.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. May I ask who is leading the Ascension Bureau team this time?"
Leng Li asked subconsciously. When Xiao Zhuo went down the well earlier, she told him people from the sect had come to find him, which surprised Leng Li. After all, there wasn't a single person in the sect who could fight.
There must be a big shot from the Ascension Bureau leading them, which was why these two had the opportunity to come find him.
Zhao Youqian said calmly: "Your Guardian Senior Brother didn't let those guys from the Ascension Bureau who only know how to shout '666' come along. He was afraid of alerting the enemy."
"???"
Leng Li looked at Zhao Youqian and Chen Xuan with question marks all over his face. In terms of entry time, he had joined earlier than both of them. He knew better than anyone what level these two were at when they joined.
Even now, he could see through their cultivation at a glance—Zhao Youqian was just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and Chen Xuan, like when he first joined, was still a mortal.
For these two to have wiped out Lanruo Temple was simply impossible. Yet Xiao Zhuo said she had witnessed the two senior martial brothers kill Granny Huai with her own eyes. This made him start to question his life.
Seeing Leng Li's confused look, Chen Xuan smiled and said: "Junior Brother Leng, this isn't the place to talk. Let's return to Dongyang Prefecture and discuss it there."
"Alright. But before that, let me dig out Xiao Zhuo's ash urn. This will also give the Ascension Bureau an explanation. Please wait a moment, two senior martial brothers." After speaking, Leng Li left the small courtyard with Xiao Zhuo.
Zhao Youqian, watching the disappearing figures of the person and ghost, couldn't help but praise: "I didn't expect Junior Brother Leng, this quiet gourd, to be one of us. He went on a mission and even managed to win over the target."
"Sigh..."
Chen Xuan sighed beside him.
"Why are you sighing? Am I wrong?" Zhao Youqian asked in return.
"You're quite right. I'm just lamenting that because I'm not perverted enough, I seem out of place with you all," Chen Xuan said seriously.
Zhao Youqian: "..."
Without Granny Huai, Leng Li quickly retrieved Xiao Zhuo's ash urn. The group of three walked away from Lanruo Temple on foot.
By the time they returned to Beiguo County, it was almost dawn.
Everyone was a cultivator, so staying up all night didn't affect them much. The group took the carriage back to Dongyang Prefecture.
"Young Master, was this trip smooth?" Liu Yunmeng asked while brewing tea for everyone.
"Very smooth. Brother Zhao and I joined forces, and Lanruo Temple was easily handled. We just didn't find any trace of the great devil," Chen Xuan said as he picked up his tea cup to savor it.
Liu Yunmeng's tea-brewing skills were truly exceptional. Having such a sister brew tea for him should give him a buff for practicing sword, right?
Leng Li had learned this Fairy Yunmeng's identity before getting on the carriage. Now hearing her call Chen Xuan "Young Master," he was completely dumbfounded. A disciple from a Holy Sect was calling a disciple from his Wushang Sword Sect "Young Master"—what was going on?
The two didn't seem like a couple either?
What shocked him most was that Zhao Youqian acted as if this was completely normal.
"Junior Brother Leng, have some tea!"
"Alright!"
After carefully drinking that cup of tea, Leng Li sat uneasily the entire way. Fortunately, he had a naturally cold face, so no one could tell anything was wrong.
The carriage sped along. Before noon, everyone had returned to Dongyang Prefecture.
Before Leng Li could even get off the carriage, he heard Commander Liu's voice from outside: "Welcome back, Immortal Master Chen!"
"???"
Leng Li thought he had misheard. He subconsciously glanced at Chen Xuan, who calmly stepped off the carriage.
"I've brought the person back. You can handle the Ascension Bureau's task yourselves. I'm going back first."
After speaking, Chen Xuan turned and left, showing no interest in exchanging pleasantries with Commander Liu.
"Farewell, Immortal Master Chen."
After Commander Liu sent Chen Xuan off, his gaze shifted to Leng Li: "Official Leng, you've returned."
This sudden flattery made Leng Li extremely uncomfortable, but his tone remained calm: "Commander Liu, you're my superior. How can you address me this way?"
Commander Liu smiled: "Official Leng, you jest. You're a disciple from a higher sect. How would this old one dare to put on airs before you? Moreover, we'll be working together under Immortal Master Chen in the future. Please take care of me, Official Leng."
These words completely confused Leng Li. Hadn't the Ascension Bureau always intended to give the Wushang Sword Sect trouble?
Previously, Commander Liu had been advising him to leave the Wushang Sword Sect and pledge allegiance to Director Xiao of the Ascension Bureau. How had he changed so much in just a few days?
"Commander Liu, you weren't like this before?"
Commander Liu, being an experienced man, could tell that Leng Li still didn't know what had happened in Dongyang Prefecture these past few days.
"Official Leng, times have changed. Dongyang Prefecture now belongs to the Wushang Sword Sect..."
After hearing Commander Liu's account, Leng Li's cold, handsome face was filled with surprise. He subconsciously blurted out: "Guardian Senior Brother is so formidable!"
...
After the group of three returned to the Wushang Sword Sect, Chen Xuan didn't immediately return to the Sword Guardian Pavilion. Instead, he followed Zhao Youqian to the main peak.
After sitting down in a room, he asked: "Brother Zhao, our Wushang Sword Sect should have techniques for cultivating spiritual perception, right?"
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