Chapter 282: Another Xuanyou Sect

Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed, and the captain’s eyes gleamed.

Their gazes fell upon the large tomb, which was entirely black, appearing eerie and ancient, as if it had weathered the passage of time. Its overall shape resembled a shrine, with pillars erected on either side. There should have been inscriptions on them once, but now they were weathered and unclear. Inside the shrine, a small stone figure, seated cross-legged, was enshrined. The figure’s features were also weathered, making it seem faceless and even more bizarre.

Xu Qing and the captain exchanged glances, recognizing the wariness in each other’s eyes. They didn't act rashly; instead, they slowly retreated, deciding not to investigate further but to report the matter to their sect. After all, this grand tomb was peculiar, and the three characters on the tombstone exuded mystery and strangeness. The Xuan You Sect was one of the upper sects of the Eight Sect Alliance, yet another Xuan You Sect had appeared here. Especially when thinking of the Xuan You Sect, Xu Qing couldn't help but recall the string-like gaze of the Purple Xuan Immortal, which made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Just as the two were about to leave, the area behind the great tomb suddenly blurred. Tombs erupted from the ground, instantly forming a cluster of at least several hundred. As the eerie atmosphere intensified, Xu Qing and the captain suddenly retreated. But the next moment, the shrine-like tomb rumbled. A crack appeared in the tomb body behind the shrine, and a child in ancient, luxurious robes, emanating an antique aura, emerged from within.

The child had pale skin and a red dot between their eyebrows. From their attire, they appeared to be an ancient person. After stepping out, they bowed to Xu Qing and the captain and spoke in a clear voice. "Don't be alarmed, esteemed sirs. My immortal master requests an audience with both of you."

Before Xu Qing and the captain could agree, as the child spoke, the surrounding environment instantly changed, blurring for a moment before becoming clear again. However, everything around them was no longer the jungle outside the tomb but a black hall. The hall was made of dark material, and although there were lights, they cast only dim illumination, making the entire hall feel gloomy. At the same time, a shocking oppressive aura converged from all directions. The source of this pressure came from a figure seated cross-legged at the head of the hall, shrouded in darkness. Outsiders could only discern a silhouette, not the specific details.

Xu Qing's eyes narrowed, and the captain's did the same. They quickly exchanged glances, seeing shock in each other's eyes.

"Shape-shifting? Void displacement? Shrinking the ground into an inch?" As the captain gasped, the figure seated cross-legged at the head of the hall, shrouded in darkness, spoke faintly, their voice raspy. "Young friends, have you come regarding the diversion of the Immortal River water?"

Xu Qing remained silent, his senses spreading out to ascertain his location and to check if there was any restriction on teleportation. Only after confirming there was no blockage did he feel a slight relief, but his vigilance remained high. The captain remained composed. While attempting to transmit a message to the Security Department disciples, he spoke with a chuckle. "Given your inquiry, Senior, we dare not lie. As disciples of the Eight Sect Alliance, we have indeed come for this matter. It is our duty, please forgive us."

Silence filled the hall, and the oppressive feeling intensified. The person meditating in the darkness spoke faintly. "This old man is currently refining a batch of Profound Underworld Creation Pills, which require continuous washing with river water. It will be completed in about five days at most, and then the diversion will be removed."

"Of course, Senior's request is no problem. We won't report this to the Eight Sect Alliance. You don't even need to wait five days; just remove it whenever it's convenient for you," the captain said with a chuckle. He seemed respectful, but his eyes blinked frequently, darting towards the darkness, and his right hand made a subtle gesture to Xu Qing behind his back.

Xu Qing's gaze seemingly drifted over, then he lowered his head to look at the shadow beneath his feet. The shadow rapidly formed an image: an old man eating insects. The shadow's ability had clearly improved, creating a vivid depiction, even clearly expressing the old man's timid and cowering expression. The insects he ate were thumb-sized, and the more nervous he got, the more he ate. Where he sat cross-legged was a large stone. As he ate the insects, the stone seemed to change subtly, emitting peculiar bubbles that floated away. Xu Qing and the captain were currently standing in the open space in front of this old man, surrounded by these bubbles. At the same time, the shadow's image also depicted seven or eight nervous-looking figures outside the bubbles.

Xu Qing's eyes widened. After a careful look, he raised his head and gazed meaningfully at the cross-legged figure hidden in the darkness, who exuded terrifying pressure and spoke calmly, as if an otherworldly master.

"That's good then. You two needn't be nervous. For the sake of the Alliance's Xuan You, this seat won't make things difficult for you. Turn around and walk straight ahead. After a hundred paces, you can leave. Remember not to look back. I'm worried I might not be able to resist… eating you two." The cross-legged figure's voice was faint and eerie, especially the last four words, which were accompanied by a swallowing sound, as if struggling to restrain themselves, sending shivers down their spines.

"Go quickly!" The dim lights in the hall suddenly flickered, creating an atmosphere of intense nervousness. The captain's blinking sped up, and as he stared at the figure hidden in the shadows, a faint, chilling gleam gradually appeared in his eyes.

"Why aren't you leaving?" the figure in the shadows asked, their tone slightly changed.

"Damn it, you put on quite a show! You almost fooled me!" the captain suddenly exclaimed, his body instantly darting towards the shadows. Amidst the hidden figure's surprised cry, the captain was already close, reaching out to grab them.

At the same time, Xu Qing attacked, and his fierce flames erupted all around with a rumble. The next moment, the surroundings roared, the hall vanished, and the tombs disappeared. This was still the jungle of Mount Tai Si Du'e, but where the great tomb had been, a small sect now stood revealed as the tombs dissipated. Inside the sect, there were seven or eight wooden houses, and outside, it was dilapidated, completely different from what Xu Qing and the captain had seen earlier. Clearly, they had been under an illusion earlier. The only thing that remained the same was the stone tablet outside the sect, which indeed had the three characters "Xuan You Sect" written on it.

At this moment, Xu Qing and the captain stood outside this small sect. In front of them was a scruffy old man, currently looking terrified, clutching a handful of stone-like insects, retreating rapidly. As for the surroundings, there were seven or eight disciples of this sect, each gaunt and pale, their eyes filled with terror, scattering in all directions.

Seeing the captain's ferocious gaze, the retreating old man hastily cried out, "Seniors, please spare us! For the sake of our shared humanity, please show mercy!"

The captain ignored the old man's pleas, instantly charging towards him. Xu Qing, meanwhile, scanned the surroundings, confirming that the disciples' gaunt appearances seemed genuine, and also knowing through his shadow that this was no longer an illusion. His other focus was the large stone where the old man had previously sat cross-legged. This stone was greenish, appearing quite ordinary with nothing remarkable about it. Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, carefully observed the large stone, then looked at the old man, who had been slammed to the ground by the captain, breathing unevenly. This old man's cultivation wasn't high, only at the two-flame stage.

After the old man landed, the captain raised his right foot and directly stomped on the old man's Dantian, then opened his mouth in a sinister grin. "Old man, dare to trick me? Weren't you going to eat me? I'll eat you!"

"Please calm your anger, esteemed senior! We had no choice! Please, for the sake of our shared humanity, spare us! Our master had no other option but to resort to this!" The nervous disciples around them looked miserable, and one middle-aged man pleaded repeatedly.

Xu Qing's expression remained normal, still vigilant. He had no mercy for enemies; even if it was difficult to discern their malice at this moment, he wouldn't harbor pity.

"Senior, spare my life! We only resorted to this due to fear of the esteemed sect's power. We had no intention of harming anyone; we merely wanted to make you two leave just now," the old man stammered, blood at the corner of his mouth, trembling, and looking at the captain in terror.

"How did you create the illusion just now?" Xu Qing suddenly asked.

"Senior, our sect possesses a treasure that, when activated by a special method, can create illusions. However, this item grows here and cannot be taken away by outsiders. That's why we moved our sect to this location," the old man quickly replied, daring not to conceal anything, and pointed to the large stone nearby. "Our small sect, we only diverted the river water out of necessity to make a living and survive. Please, esteemed senior, calm your anger."

The captain glanced at the large stone, a strange gleam in his eyes. Xu Qing walked over, observed it carefully, then turned his gaze back to the old man. "Why are you called the Xuan You Sect?"

The old man was stunned, and the surrounding disciples also froze for a moment.

"S-Senior, we are called the Xuan You Sect. Oh, oh, oh, I understand now. Senior, could it be that you've just arrived on the Ancient Vast Continent? Are you from the Alliance's Seven Blood Eyes?" The old man clearly knew about the changes in the Alliance's structure and seemed dazed for a moment, but the captain stomped hard.

"Speak clearly."

The old man immediately shivered, becoming even more deferential. "It's like this, Seniors. There are at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand, Xuan You Sects on the Ancient Vast Continent. Anyone who has even a slight connection to the Ancient Emperor Xuan You can call themselves the Xuan You Sect. Everyone claims to be the legitimate one."

Xu Qing was a bit surprised by this answer. As for the captain, his focus in these words wasn't why they were called the Xuan You Sect, but rather...

"How are you connected to Ancient Emperor Xuan You? Cultivation techniques? Treasures? Lineage?" A chilling gleam appeared in the captain's eyes. He swallowed, looking as if he was struggling to restrain himself from eating the other person.

The old man was clearly terrified by the chilling gleam in the captain's eyes and hastily roared at the surrounding disciples, "Quickly, bring the sect's most precious treasure!!"