Chapter 850: Rumors

Under the heavens, Bei Chu was in an extraordinary uproar.

First, there was Xue Qiong, leading the army of the ninth branch of Shi Xue Dian with utter recklessness, causing widespread panic and unease.

Then, the Shi Xue Shen Ying, though acting in secrecy, created quite a stir. Their traces could be found in nearly half of Bei Chu's renowned ancient cities, where they guarded the transmission arrays with ironclad control.

Finally, the forces of Yan Huang in Bei Chu, though only a fraction as strong as Shi Xue Dian, were making bold moves and causing indiscriminate chaos, striking various Bei Chu factions one after another.

What baffled the people of Bei Chu was that they still had no idea which hidden force was behind all this mischief.

"You know, these past couple of days have been nothing short of bizarre. What's going on with all this mess in Bei Chu?" In a gathering spot for cultivators, the discussions had swelled into a roaring tide. "First, Ye Chen killed Cang Ming, then Ye Chen self-destructed, followed by the upheaval in Bei Zhen Cang Yuan, and now all the major forces in Bei Chu are getting tangled up. Is this turning into a total free-for-all?"

"Looks like the world is heading for major chaos."

"The grand trends of the world: periods of unity always lead to division, and division to unity." One person stroked his beard thoughtfully. "From the looks of it, Bei Chu isn't far from being unified."

"Oh no, oh no, the lord of Shi Xue Dian is dead—his head was chopped off!" In the bustling cultivators' gathering, cries like this pierced through the waves of discussion.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned toward one direction.

There, they saw an old man in plain clothes carrying a sack, shouting at the top of his lungs. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed Liu Neng.

"Hey, don't go spreading wild rumors, or Shi Xue Dian might come after you," someone said, eyeing Liu Neng with disbelief.

"Nonsense, I saw it with my own eyes, and I have memory crystals as proof." Liu Neng dumped the contents of the sack out in a heap. "This isn't a joke—we've got evidence."

"Damn, it's real." Someone casually picked up a memory crystal, and upon seeing the images inside, they cried out in shock.

"Is this for real?" The ancient city where the cultivators gathered erupted in an instant uproar.

"It must be genuine."

"No way!" Someone scratched their head. "That's the lord of Shi Xue Dian—even Nan Chu Tian Ting doesn't have that kind of power!"

"I saw it myself—who could doubt that?" Liu Neng, blending into the crowd, was spitting as he spoke, his acting skills spot-on and leaving people stunned.

And he was clever about it.

Ye Chen had given him so many memory spirit stones, but he only released the one showing the Shi Xue Dian lord being killed, aiming to stir up the waters first. The other versions would appear according to the original plan.

There's no denying that Ye Chen's move had sparked a massive storm.

Setting aside other matters, just consider the nine branch lords of Shi Xue Dian.

Upon receiving the news, each of them couldn't help but stroke their chins, their eyes flickering with uncertainty. Xue Qiong, who was still pursuing the Hao Tian Shijia, simply ordered a halt to the search.

"My lord, this is probably just a rumor," a commander at his side said hesitantly.

"But what if it's true?" Xue Qiong narrowed his eyes. If it was, then instead of chasing the Hao Tian Shijia, he should hurry back to vie for the lord's position.

Compared to those commanders, as the ninth branch lord, Xue Qiong was thinking further ahead. If it was a rumor, that would be ideal. But if it was real? Then he needed to weigh his options. If Shi Xue Yan Luo had truly been eliminated, the lord's position in Shi Xue Dian would be vacant, and as a branch lord, he was eligible to compete. However, being out in the field with his army, he was already at a disadvantage compared to the others.

Better safe than sorry. Realizing this, Xue Qiong declared firmly, "Pass the order: the army will hold position here."

"My lord, you're actually believing this?" The commander stared at him in astonishment.

"What's with all the nonsense? Just pass the order." Xue Qiong snapped angrily. "And send a message to Feng Ying—tell him to come see me immediately."

"Understood." The commander quickly withdrew.

Watching him leave, Xue Qiong's eyes gleamed with sharp intent. "Shi Xue Yan Luo, if this is true, it's a golden opportunity for me."

As he spoke, a playful smile curved at the corners of Xue Qiong's mouth.

In the past, under such circumstances with his weaker forces, he wouldn't have dared to return and fight for the lord's position. But now, things were different—he had the authority to command the Shi Xue Shen Ying. In plain terms, even if Shi Xue Yan Luo was dead, the Shi Xue Shen Ying would still follow his orders. With that backing, he had every right to contend for the lord's seat.

Perhaps the desire for power was gradually consuming his mind, making him completely forget about his current task: hunting down the Hao Tian Shijia.

Yet, his actions played right into Ye Chen's hands.

Although the ninth branch army of Shi Xue Dian had halted to rest, Bei Chu remained in turmoil. And it wasn't just Bei Chu—Nan Chu was equally abuzz.

"That Ye Chen really knows how to handle all sorts of tricks!" In the grand hall of Heng Yue Zong, a group of elders clicked their tongues in amazement. "His skill at spreading rumors is top-notch."

"I bet the nine branch lords of Shi Xue Dian are getting restless now," Zhong Jiang said with a slight smile.

"This should keep the major forces in Bei Chu quiet for a while."

"Have you all considered that Ye Chen might have actually taken down Shi Xue Yan Luo?" The Su family ancestor scanned the crowd in the hall.

"You're buying into the rumor?" Gu San Tong said casually while wiping his iron sword. "Shi Xue Dian isn't some place anyone can just waltz into. Even with his divine killing techniques, he'd have to get close to Shi Xue Yan Luo first!"

"That makes sense." The Su family ancestor stroked his chin. "But thanks to this, we've gained more time to fortify our city walls."

Amid the chaos in both Bei Chu and Nan Chu, in a remote, desolate corner of the mountains, Ye Chen sat leisurely with his legs crossed, watching the vast expanse of Bei Chu with interest.

Beside him was a person bound by Kun Xian rope, with a filthy black sock stuffed in his mouth. The man was teary-eyed, whether from the stench or the beating, it was hard to tell.

This person was, of course, Xue Lin, the fourth true successor of Shi Xue Dian.

Xue Lin was an old acquaintance of Ye Chen's. Back in the day, the nine true successors of Shi Xue Dian had come out in full force to capture him, only to be thoroughly thrashed. If not for Shi Xue Dian's holy son, Huo Zun, showing up, the nine might have met a grim fate.

Now, tying up Xue Lin was just Ye Chen finishing what he started—old habits die hard, even if it was a bit late.

"The Hao Tian Shijia should have reached Long Xi Gu Di by now." Ye Chen glanced briefly at the map. "I hope there are no complications."

"Saint Lord." With a call, Liu Neng zipped over to Ye Chen's side.

"How did it go?"

"You're spot-on as always!" Liu Neng plopped down on the ground, took a swig of wine, and grinned. "Xue Qiong really ordered the ninth branch army to stop. He's probably plotting to head back to Shi Xue Dian and grab the lord's position."

"The method works well, but it won't hold up for long." Ye Chen smiled faintly. "We need to keep stirring things up."

"You bet we do! Hey, this is the fourth true successor of Shi Xue Dian? So that's what he looks like—must be worth a pretty penny." Liu Neng slapped Xue Lin on the shoulder, his grinning face making Xue Lin burst into tears on the spot.

"Where's the Hao Tian Shijia now?"

"Just got word—they're at Long Xi Gu Di." Liu Neng took another gulp of wine. "If nothing goes wrong, they'll reach the mortal realm in two days."

"What about Nan Chu?"

"It's buzzing like crazy." Liu Neng flashed a toothy grin. "Tian Ting is all geared up for war. Even if Shi Xue Dian attacks, we're ready—just bring it on!"

"Any news from Bei Zhen Cang Yuan's Chan Yuan Gu Cheng?"

"They pulled out of Bei Zhen Cang Yuan three hours ago," Liu Neng replied. "Based on the intel, they're following the route you provided. If all goes smoothly, they'll arrive in Nan Chu around the same time as the Hao Tian Shijia."

"Deliver these four letters to Zhu Jian Cheng, Bei Hai Shijia, Qi Xi Gong, and Xuan Tian Shijia respectively." Ye Chen handed over four ancient scrolls to Liu Neng. "Make it quick."

"Saint Lord, is this because you're worried Shi Xue Dian might target them?"

"All our recent actions have enraged Shi Xue Dian." Ye Chen took a deep breath. "If Shi Xue Yan Luo goes berserk, he'll wipe out any opposing forces. It's inevitable—just a matter of when."

"I'm on it." Liu Neng snatched the scrolls and vanished in a flash, as quick as he came.

After he left, Ye Chen created a clone.

Then, he used a secret technique to link Xue Lin's and the clone's life imprints.

Finally, his clone grabbed Xue Lin and flew off, waiting for the right moment to demand a ransom from Shi Xue Dian.

"Time to keep things going." After the clone departed, Ye Chen stretched lazily, a scroll in his hand depicting a fair-skinned young man—Sun Hao, the third true successor of Shi Xue Dian.

But before he could take a step, his divine sea trembled, followed by a loud, eager voice.

"Old big, I want to go to Bei Chu."

"Stay put in Huan Hai and wait for my master. If you come to Bei Chu on your own, I'll kick you so hard you'll regret it."

"Speaking of your master, I should tell you something." The Xing Chen Dao Shen scratched his ear. "With my 180-degree IQ, I'd guess she's already been to Huan Hai."

"The reason?"

"The local land gods and mountain spirits have seen her. Is that reason clear and unique enough?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen furrowed his brow slightly. "Did they say when they saw her?"

"Old big, you might rack your brains and still not figure it out." The Xing Chen Dao Shen's words were full of implication.