“You’re saying she’s the daughter of the Sect Leader. What proof do you have?” Python Lord asked.
“Not only does Little Yao bear a resemblance to the Sect Leader’s wife, but we can also confirm it with a blood test!” Yun Shuiqing replied confidently.
“And if the Sect Leader’s body is no longer around, we can seek a master to verify her aura.”
“You must still have some of the Sect Leader’s belongings. We can use those to verify the truth!”
“Fine! I’ll believe you for now,” Python Lord said in a deep voice. “But even with my help, what then?”
“Hu Yue has been acting as the de facto Sect Leader for years, and the Water and Fire Guards already support him.”
“Do you think he’ll give up the Tianluo Divine Art and acknowledge this little girl as the leader?”
“The Tianluo Sect today is not what it used to be.”
Yun Shuiqing coldly replied, “Hu Yue is indeed arrogant, but I’ll deal with him myself.”
“You just need to hold off the others for me. Once the situation stabilizes, everyone will know where to stand.”
“The Tianluo Sect has been in decline for years, with countless disciples meeting tragic ends.”
“A hundred years ago, Master Gu of the Earth Guard was publicly executed in the royal city…”
“Many disciples are eagerly hoping for the Tianluo Sect to rise again.”
Mentioning Master Gu, Python Lord’s face instantly darkened.
He and Master Gu were friends back then. Upon hearing of his public execution in the royal city, he sought revenge in fury.
But he fell into the royal family’s trap and was nearly captured by their elite warriors.
“Fine! I’ll help you. We’ll support this little girl as the new Sect Leader and reunite the Tianluo Sect!” he said.
Fang Ling, who had been listening for a while, now understood their identities.
They were members of the Tianluo Sect, which was once the top sect in the South Sun Kingdom!
The Sect Leader was always known as Rakshasa, and each Rakshasa’s combat prowess was unparalleled in the South Sun Kingdom.
Under the leader were the Two Ghostly Emissaries, the Three Lords of Eagle, Tiger, and Python, and the Five Guards of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
The two before him were Charm Emissary Yun Shuiqing and Python Lord Man Tianning.
“Kid, who are you?” Man Tianning asked Fang Ling with a cold gaze.
Fang Ling replied, “No sect, no family, just a wanderer.”
“A wanderer with no ties, huh?” He chuckled and raised his hand, ready to kill Fang Ling.
But Yun Shuiqing stopped him, “Wait!”
“To dare venture into Heaven Severing Mountain alone, this kid must have some skills.”
“He could be useful. We might need him to protect Little Yao.”
She looked at Fang Ling and said, “Young man, this is your opportunity.”
“If you can protect this girl, I promise you’ll be well rewarded.”
“How many more experts from the Tianluo Sect are coming?” Fang Ling asked.
“About three to five,” Yun Shuiqing replied. “Don’t worry, everything is under control.”
“I just need you to take care of this girl, not fight to the death with them.”
“After all, I can’t be holding her hand while fighting them.”
Fang Ling nodded, feeling a bit excited inside.
The experts from the Tianluo Sect had decent cultivation levels, making them excellent nourishment.
“Smart choice, kid,” Man Tianning said with a smile when he saw Fang Ling agree.
“Stick with us, and you won’t be disappointed.”
“What’s your name?”
“Fang Ling,” he replied.
“Good, I’ll remember that!” Man Tianning nodded.
Then he suddenly raised his voice and called into the darkness, “Qing Yeshi, are you still hiding? Did you really think we wouldn’t notice you?”
“I didn’t expect you to notice. I thought only Charm Emissary could sense my presence.”
An old man slowly emerged from the darkness.
He was dressed in tattered clothes, with a gourd of wine hanging from his waist.
The old man chuckled and walked over to Little Yao, squatting down to examine her closely.
“She does resemble her,” he muttered to himself.
“Qing Yeshi, what do you think of what I just said?” Yun Shuiqing asked calmly.
The old man stood up and sighed deeply.
“Ah! If it can be done, that would be best.”
“I’ve been hiding and running for years, and it’s been far from pleasant!”
“Kid, let me introduce you. This is Qing Yeshi, one of the Five Guards of the Tianluo Sect, the Wood Guard!” Man Tianning said to Fang Ling.
“He’s a renowned physician and alchemist in the South Sun Kingdom. Meeting him is quite an honor.”
“Not at all, I’m just an old man nearing the end of his days!” Qing Yeshi said with a self-deprecating smile.
He circled Fang Ling a few times, shaking his head, “Your bone structure… well, it’s a bit hard to figure out at a glance.”
Hearing that Qing Yeshi could refine pills and heal, Fang Ling’s eyes lit up. He thought it might be worth keeping this man alive.
“Hu Yue and the others should arrive tomorrow. You two should rest well; there are many tough battles ahead,” Yun Shuiqing said calmly, carrying Little Yao to a corner.
Man Tianning yawned and leaped onto a tree branch, “I’m in great shape. A nap will do.”
By the fire, only Fang Ling and the sloppy Qing Yeshi remained.
Qing Yeshi occasionally glanced at Fang Ling, his eyes full of curiosity.
But he had his own matters to attend to, so he withdrew his thoughts and silently sat down to meditate.
…
The next day, the group continued deeper into the mountains, entering the main area of Heaven Severing Mountain.
“Strange, this place is teeming with demons.”
“But why haven’t we encountered any?” Qing Yeshi asked suspiciously.
Man Tianning laughed, “Isn’t it obvious?”
“With our cultivation levels, ordinary demons wouldn’t dare cause trouble.”
“They must be scared off by our powerful auras.”
Yun Shuiqing glanced at Man Tianning and asked, “What’s wrong with your snake?”
“It’s a demon beast at the peak of the Merak Realm. Why has it been listless since last night?”
“I don’t know!” Man Tianning shrugged helplessly, “Maybe it’s not used to the environment of Heaven Severing Mountain.”
“But it’s more likely afraid of that beast in the mountain.”
“You know, demon beasts have much keener senses than we do. It must have sensed it already.”
“Let’s wait for them here,” Yun Shuiqing said, stopping in her tracks.
“Going any further, we might encounter that beast first.”
Man Tianning and Qing Yeshi nodded in agreement and immediately rested.
Fang Ling looked up and sensed the concealed aura deep within Heaven Severing Mountain.
“This demon is at the late stage of the Phecda Realm, not bad,” he thought.
The group set up camp, and two hours later, more people arrived!
Three people came at once, led by a middle-aged man with a commanding presence.
His face was chiseled, and his aura was imposing, exuding a natural authority.
Behind him were a man and a woman. The man wore heavy makeup, exuding an eerie charm.
The woman wore silver armor and carried three spearheads on her back, looking valiant.
“Tiger Lord, Water Guard, Fire Guard, long time no see!” Man Tianning greeted them warmly.
Tiger Lord Hu Yue ignored him, his eyes fixed on Yun Shuiqing.
“Charm Emissary, you said the Sect Leader died in the Nether Beast’s lair. Is that true?” he asked.
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