Chapter 21 Part 2

Mu Cheng had not restricted his junior brothers’ movements, and the Immortal Palace’s gates had no formations prohibiting entry or exit.

Yet every member of the Lin Xian Sect stayed obediently inside the Immortal Palace.

They practiced swordplay, cultivated, and sparred.

They repeated their previous dull training as if nothing had happened—as if they were not trapped in Xiaoze State, as if their Sect Jade Tokens had not been swapped, as if their four fellow sect members had not “mysteriously disappeared.”

When Lian Yunzhi saw them, they were pairwise sparring on the martial field. Their frequent mistakes, dazed and unfocused eyes, and full-of-holes moves made Lian Yunzhi frown repeatedly.

“Pa!”

One cultivator’s sword mistakenly stabbed another’s shoulder due to an error, and blood instantly stained the snow-white sect robe.

The injured cultivator happened to be Feng Yuan, whom Lian Yunzhi recognized. He stared blankly at the blood on himself, then fell backward powerlessly.

Feng Xi, who was supervising nearby, reacted first. He rushed over in big strides, helped Feng Yuan up, and fed him a Pill.

It was clearly just a minor wound, and the pill would heal it immediately, but Feng Yuan suddenly threw himself into Feng Xi’s arms and broke down crying: “I want to go out… I… I don’t want to stay here, I don’t want to… I want to go home… Wuu… Why did I have to come here… Senior Brother, it’s all my fault…”

Feng Xi patted his back without speaking, his gaze looking distantly into the horizon.

The remaining few exchanged glances in pairs, their expressions sorrowful.

Feng Xi was the first to notice Lian Yunzhi. He paused but still politely nodded to Lian Yunzhi and subtly covered Feng Yuan’s mouth.

Lian Yunzhi returned the courtesy, then stepped into the martial field and asked casually: “Could someone tell me which way the gate is? Perhaps someone could show me the way?”

Feng Yuan: “…Senior?”

He wiped away his tears, stood up from the ground, and said stuffily: “I’ll show Senior the way…”

Suddenly, his footsteps halted as he looked at Lian Yunzhi: “You can leave? He let you go?!”

Lian Yunzhi also wished he could nod at that moment, but he merely sighed and said: “Just going out for some fresh air… Do you all want to come with me?”

“C-Can we?” Feng Yuan looked at Feng Xi hesitantly. “Can we leave the Immortal Palace?”

Feng Xi was silent for a moment before saying: “Going out for fresh air should be fine. He didn’t issue any ban on leaving.”

In the end, all seven disciples present decided to go out with Lian Yunzhi for “fresh air.”

Lian Yunzhi breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

If there were any secrets, it would be easier to speak of them outside than in the Immortal Palace.

Moreover, Lian Yunzhi had a bit of selfish motive… He wanted to go out himself.

With the restrictions inside the Immortal Palace, even after recovering his spiritual power, Lian Yunzhi could not receive any Message Paper Cranes.

He itched to know what was happening outside, to know how Lian Chengfeng was faring after sending him over—whether he had hurriedly sold off family assets and fled overnight, or stayed in the residence drowning in wine and luxury.

.

As expected, the moment Lian Yunzhi stepped out of the Immortal Palace’s gate, he received several new Message Paper Cranes.

He opened Fang Tianxin’s first.

[Lian Yunzhi… are you okay?]

[I heard Lian Family sent you to Mu Mansion?! Lian Family is scum, how could they do such a despicable thing?! Lian Yunzhi… I hope you’re not dead! Reply to me!]

[Are you still alive?]

[Lian Family got their retribution, pity you can’t see it. I don’t know if I should send you paper cranes or burn paper money for you.]

Lian Family got their retribution?!

Lian Yunzhi’s heart skipped a beat. He was just about to take out the Voice Transmission Jade Token to ask Fang Tianxin in detail what had happened to Lian Family when a new Message Paper Crane appeared before him.

Lian Yunzhi subconsciously opened it.

[Mu Cheng is here. Fang Family’s turn. Brother. See you in the underworld.]

Lian Yunzhi: “…”

Lian Yunzhi: “?!!”

Lian Yunzhi immediately drew his sword, preparing for Imperial Sword Flight to Fang Mansion, but almost at the same moment—

[Ding ling ling ling…]

The familiar bell sound forcefully invaded his mind. Lian Yunzhi felt a wave of dizziness. He shook his head, trying desperately to resist, but found his consciousness being pulled away uncontrollably.

Before his vision was completely obscured by the Red Mist, Lian Yunzhi sent a Message Paper Crane to Mu Cheng at the fastest speed.

[I will complete the task you assigned. Don’t touch Fang Tianxin!!!]

Whoosh—

Countless Red Mists drifted past his eyes. When Lian Yunzhi opened his eyes, he found himself back in that bizarre space, facing the masked Cyan-Clothed Man.

But this time, there were seven more people by his side.

However—

Why did everyone else have clothes while he had none?!

And his Storage Bracelet had not come with him.

Lian Yunzhi gritted his teeth and quickly wove himself a layer of grass clothing. Before others looked over, he made it look more proper.

Then he strode up to the Cyan-Clothed Man: “What do you have to say this time? Make it quick. I have urgent business.”

The Cyan-Clothed Man smiled: “No need to worry. No matter how long we stay here, only an instant passes in the outside world. Whatever urgent business you have won’t be delayed.”

Only then did Lian Yunzhi’s furrowed brows relax slightly, and he had the mind to observe the others.

The additional seven were naturally the Lin Xian Sect disciples, but strangely, though they all wore clothes, the styles and fabrics differed greatly. Some even looked tattered and full of scratches.

Moreover, their appearances had undergone slight changes… some looked more youthful, others older.

“Senior… you too…”

Feng Yuan, whose face looked no older than sixteen, stared at Lian Yunzhi in a daze, his tone full of disbelief.

Lian Yunzhi nodded deeply at him, suddenly feeling that his task was about to be completed soon.

.

Meanwhile.

At Fang Mansion.

The Protective Grand Array maintained by all Fang Family cultivators at full strength was casually broken by Mu Cheng. The array maintainers all suffered backlash—some spat blood, others knelt on the ground.

Fang Tianxin both spat blood and knelt.

Mu Cheng had not even glanced at him originally.

Suddenly, he received a Message Paper Crane he had never seen before.

The paper crane was beautiful, white, shimmering with faint golden light in the sunlight, and emitting a faint fragrance when it flapped its wings.

Mu Cheng stood still for a moment.

He cleaned the blood from his hands, pinched the paper crane’s wing, brought it over, and opened it.

Mu Cheng: “.”

Mu Cheng crumpled the paper crane.

He continued walking forward expressionlessly.

And kicked Fang Tianxin as he passed by.