Chapter 369: Transformation and Concealment

With a whoosh, as Letian’s voice fell, nine disciples from Sword Cometh Peak swiftly shot out from around the valley, plunging into the low-lying area shrouded in a faint mist.

This valley was not small, and its terrain was somewhat complex. However, as the nine figures spread out in a fan shape, advancing inch by inch, these complexities clearly posed no obstacle.

“The rest of you, get ready. Once Zhou Yuan’s tracks are found, act immediately,” Letian said indifferently, standing on a treetop with his arms crossed.

Outside the valley, nearly ten other figures, their sharp eyes, continuously stared into the misty depths.

Su Wan sighed softly as she watched this scene. There were some Cangxuan Peak disciples beside her, but they had no particular relationship with Zhou Yuan. If she asked them to help, it would mean offending Letian and his group, which they would likely be unwilling to do. After all, Su Wan didn’t yet have that level of authority.

This also made her wonder why the Sword Cometh Peak disciples were completely obeying Letian’s orders. Generally, to achieve such a degree of obedience, it would require their chief disciple or… one of the two Saint Sons to speak. But would figures of that caliber bother with Zhou Yuan, a mere gold-belt disciple?

She frowned and pondered for a long time, finally shaking her head. Her beautiful eyes regretfully looked into the valley. This time, she knew she couldn’t offer any help, so whether Zhou Yuan could overcome this crisis would depend entirely on himself. Of course, in Su Wan’s view, this situation was a dead end. Zhou Yuan alone could never overcome the elite gold-belt disciples of Sword Cometh Peak led by Letian.

“Junior Sister Hongyi, I truly feel helpless this time…”

“Zhou Yuan, that guy, has an extraordinary knack for getting into trouble.”

Outside the mountain range, Gu Hongyi clenched her teeth, watching the scene in the Origin Qi mirror. At this moment, the commotion inside was noticed by almost all the disciples watching, immediately eliciting numerous exclamations.

“The people from Sword Cometh Peak actually cornered Zhou Yuan in the valley…”

“And with Letian leading the charge, Sword Cometh Peak has truly come out in full force.”

“Zhou Yuan is unlucky, but to be able to draw a siege from Sword Cometh Peak, he must have some skill. After this, even if he fails the purple belt selection, he’ll still be famous throughout Cangxuan.”

“How can this be! I placed a heavy bet on him!”

Various discussions erupted, and almost instantly, most eyes in the area converged on the Origin Qi mirror.

On the most majestic peak, Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang and the six Peak Lords also noticed this scene. With just a sweep of their perception, they knew what was happening, and surprise flashed in each of their eyes. A situation where one peak besieged a single person was very rare in the purple belt selection.

“Heh heh, Peak Lord Ling Jun, your Sword Cometh Peak disciples seem quite experienced in ganging up on the few and bullying the weak,” said Peak Lord Lian Yi of Snow Lotus Peak, her beautiful eyes sweeping over them, a cold smile appearing on her red lips.

Peak Lord Ling Jun of Sword Cometh Peak, dressed in white with a handsome face, cast his deep, dark gaze like a still pond towards the depths of the mountain range. A hint of surprise also flickered in his eyes. Clearly, he hadn’t expected the Sword Cometh Peak disciples to go hunt Zhou Yuan. However, it was just a fleeting surprise; there was no anger whatsoever.

Peak Lord Ling Jun smiled faintly, saying indifferently, “Peak Lord Lian Yi, there are rules in the purple belt selection. These youngsters haven’t actually violated any of them.”

“That disciple named Zhou Yuan has been very prominent lately, so it’s inevitable he’d attract some targeting. Young people, after all, are full of youthful vigor.”

“However, after this experience, I expect he’ll become more composed in the future. For him, this isn’t a bad thing.”

Peak Lord Ling Jun smiled and looked at Peak Lord Lei Jun of Thunder Prison Peak, saying with a smile, “Of course, if any Sword Cometh Peak disciples violate the rules, I will personally punish them.” Although he didn’t know why these Sword Cometh Peak disciples were targeting Zhou Yuan, it was irrelevant; given his status, he didn’t need to know. In his view, the Sword Cometh Peak disciples hadn’t done anything wrong, because their peak’s guiding principle was to be as sharp and incisive as a sword: if they wanted to do something, they would do it.

Peak Lord Lei Jun of Thunder Prison Peak, who managed the Cangxuan Sect’s rules and punishments, was stern and unsmiling. His silver eyes seemed to contain a world of thunder, striking fear into observers. He said indifferently, “What the Sword Cometh Peak disciples have done, though it may invite criticism, does not violate the rules.”

Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang also smiled at this point, saying, “These are just some disputes among disciples; there’s no need to pay too much attention.” His voice paused, and he looked at Peak Lord Ling Jun, saying, “However, such actions are indeed prone to criticism. Peak Lord Ling Jun, you should say a few words within your peak afterward. It’s good for Sword Cometh Peak disciples to act decisively, but disciples from other peaks are also fellow sect members.”

Peak Lord Ling Jun nodded slightly, saying, “The Arch-Sect Master is right. After the selection, I will discipline these youngsters.” However, from his expression, it was clear that he was only saying this because Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang had spoken, not because he truly believed the Sword Cometh Peak disciples had done anything wrong.

Deep in the mountain range, outside the valley.

Letian stood on the treetop, his gaze fixed on the valley. As time passed, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly. He realized that the search party had already scoured the valley, but surprisingly, they hadn’t found any trace of Zhou Yuan. The several Sword Cometh Peak disciples emerged from the valley, looking at Letian with some confusion.

“Senior Brother Letian, no one was found!”

Outside the valley, a commotion immediately arose. Disciples from various peaks looked on in astonishment. Zhou Yuan, hidden so well? A hint of surprise and doubt flashed in Letian’s eyes.

“Could he have already escaped?” Lu Xuanyin asked, her pretty face looking displeased.

Letian shook his head. “Impossible. We’ve sealed off this area. He absolutely could not have escaped!”

“Then…” Lu Xuanyin hesitated. The previous search had clearly yielded no results.

“He must still be hiding inside!” Letian declared decisively. As his voice fell, he waved his hand and said, “Come with me again. I’ll lead the search this time!” He shot forward, once again leading the disciples into the dense mist of the valley.

Letian led the search for another half-incense stick’s time, then ascended with a somewhat grim expression. This time, even outside the mountain range, there were exclamations. Countless eyes looked on in surprise; no one had expected that after Letian and his group cornered Zhou Yuan in the valley, they would lose track of him instead.

Innumerous whispers arose, and some people began to gloat. Sword Cometh Peak had made such a grand show of hunting Zhou Yuan, only to lose him right under their noses. If Zhou Yuan truly escaped, Sword Cometh Peak would suffer immense humiliation. The growing commotion began to spread. In the end, even Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang and several Peak Lords turned their attention back to the scene.

“Heh heh, this is rather interesting,” Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang chuckled softly. A rare look of keen interest appeared in his deep, wise eyes—a look seldom seen when he observed the disciples of the Cangxuan Sect.

Facing the whispers and expectant gazes around him, Letian’s eyes darkened slightly. He stood above the valley, looking down at the thin mist below. He took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

“Senior Brother Letian, should we spread out and continue searching?” Lu Xuanyin, her pretty face a little pale, couldn’t help but ask.

Letian did not reply, simply staring intently into the valley. He stared for another half-incense stick’s time. Behind him, Lu Xuanyin was growing impatient, but just as she was about to speak again, Letian finally spoke slowly in a low voice.

“Junior Brother Zhou Yuan, you truly possess remarkable skill…”

“If my guess is correct, you must have… mastered the Art of Illusion, haven’t you?!”