Chapter 3178: Support

The Green Crane Mountain Range stretches for tens of thousands of miles, abundant in spiritual energy. This area, once the territory of the Lizard Tribe, was secured by the Wang family for the Xin family after the great racial war. The Xin family then established a market town here, which also serves as a crucial node in the Wang family's trade caravan network.

The streets were bustling with people and carriages, creating a lively atmosphere.

In a secluded courtyard with green-tiled roofs, Wang Ruyi and Long Qingfeng sat in a green stone pavilion, enjoying tea and conversation.

Wang Ruyi had specifically traveled to the Green Crane Market Town for a major auction, having heard that high-grade flood dragon essence blood was being offered. She hadn't expected to run into Long Qingfeng there.

Long Qingfeng had spent the past few years traveling the Xuanling Continent and was currently a mid-stage Void Refinement cultivator.

"All good things must come to an end," Long Qingfeng began. "I'm preparing to leave the Green Crane Market Town. If fate allows, we shall..."

Before Long Qingfeng could finish his sentence, a sharp whistling sound emanated from Wang Ruyi. She pulled out a magic disk that glowed red, cast a spell, and her expression instantly changed dramatically.

"What happened?" Long Qingfeng asked in a deep voice. "If you need my help, please don't hesitate to ask."

Wang Ruyi was a core member of the Wang family, and her reaction wouldn't be this strong for ordinary matters.

"Fellow Daoist Long," Wang Ruyi replied, "I truly do need your help. Our clan members have gotten into a fight with disciples from the Cold Flame Sect."

Wang Ruyi explained candidly that she was the only Wang family Void Refinement cultivator in Green Crane Market Town, and even with the Xin family's Void Refinement cultivators, their combined strength was not considerable.

"No problem, I'll go with you!" Long Qingfeng readily agreed. The Wang family had saved him twice, so he naturally wouldn't refuse Wang Ruyi's request for assistance.

Wang Ruyi thanked him, then cast a spell into the magic disk and commanded: "Immediately contact Madam Xin and have her join me to assist Elder Wang Yier. Additionally, send messengers to other strongholds to mobilize Void Refinement cultivators and dispatch them to the Azure Rainbow Mountain Range."

"Yes, Elder Ruyi," a respectful female voice replied from the magic disk.

As the Xin family had only one Void Refinement cultivator in the market town, Wang Ruyi and the two others swiftly departed.

Almost simultaneously, the Wang family began dispatching Void Refinement cultivators from various strongholds to the Azure Rainbow Mountain Range. The Cold Flame Sect did the same. Both factions were sending reinforcements while also dispatching messengers to report the situation to their respective superiors.

In the Qiyun Mountain Range, a branch of the Guangyuan Sect was located on a Tier 6 spiritual vein, abundant in spiritual energy. This area, originally Lizard Tribe territory, later fell under the Cold Flame Sect's control, which then assigned its management to the Guangyuan Sect.

Within a vast estate, Wang Mengshan, Liu Chuanting, and Su Qingheng were engaged in casual conversation in a green stone pavilion. Both Su Qingheng and Liu Chuanting were late-stage Void Refinement cultivators.

Shortly after Wang Mengshan left the Ice Flame Mountain Range, he was attacked by forces affiliated with the Wang family just as he entered Guangyuan Sect territory. Fortunately, his swift reaction allowed him to narrowly escape. After careful consideration, he decided not to return to the Guangyuan Sect's main headquarters, choosing instead to stay temporarily in the Qiyun Mountain Range to lie low.

"In that case, it's indeed fortunate you managed to escape," Su Qingheng remarked. He sighed, "Fellow Daoist Deng wasn't so lucky."

As they were passing through, their conversation turned to Deng Tianqi, and Wang Mengshan already had his prepared explanation.

"It's all Fellow Daoist Deng's fault," Wang Mengshan grumbled. "If I had known Wang Ruyi possessed a Tier 7 talisman, I would never have gotten involved. It caused our Guangyuan Sect to suffer significant losses and lose considerable territory." Wang Mengshan complained that because the Wang family's affiliated forces couldn't find him, they had caused significant trouble for the Guangyuan Sect. With the Sect Master absent, many of Guangyuan Sect's territories had been occupied by the Wang family's affiliates, leading to numerous casualties among its disciples.

Wang Mengshan, however, didn't truly care about the loss of territory or disciples. The Cold Flame Sect had heavily infiltrated the Guangyuan Sect, with many key departments staffed by their operatives. His complaints were merely a ploy to allay Su Qingheng's suspicions.

Even if Wang Mengshan were to die, the Cold Flame Sect could still maintain control over the Guangyuan Sect. Simply put, in the Cold Flame Sect's eyes, Wang Mengshan was merely a pawn, replaceable at any moment.

"Fellow Daoist Deng didn't mention his purpose for capturing Long Qingfeng?" Liu Chuanting asked, sounding puzzled.

When this incident occurred, both she and Su Qingheng were in secluded cultivation. By the time they emerged, Wang Mengshan was already in the Ice Flame Mountain Range, also in seclusion. Consequently, they were unaware of many details.

"He didn't say," Wang Mengshan replied, shaking his head. "His lips were sealed." He stated that he had already told Li Qingyue a similar story, ensuring their accounts would be consistent.

"What a pity for Fellow Daoist Deng," Su Qingheng said with a sigh. "If he could have advanced to the Body Integration stage, it would have been a significant asset."

"It's difficult for Fellow Daoist Deng, being alone, to advance to the Body Integration stage," Wang Mengshan flattered. "However, Fellow Daoist Su and Madam Su, I fear I'll have to address you as seniors the next time we meet."

"Fellow Daoist Wang, you jest," Su Qingheng replied modestly. "Advancing to the Body Integration stage is far from easy. Not only is the difficulty of unifying essence, qi, and spirit immense, but the power of the Seven-Nine Heavenly Tribulation is also considerable. Senior Brother Yang and Senior Sister Liu have a higher chance of reaching the Body Integration stage, followed by Senior Sister Sun."

"Fellow Daoist Su, are the three individuals you mentioned Fellow Daoist Yang Hao, Fairy Liu Yao, and Fairy Sun Xue?" Wang Mengshan asked curiously. Having frequently interacted with Void Refinement cultivators from the Cold Flame Sect during his time in the Ice Flame Mountain Range, he was aware of some of the sect's experts.

Yang Hao had a rapid cultivation speed and excelled in fire-element divine abilities. Liu Yao, a lightning spiritual root cultivator, was skilled in lightning arts, while Sun Xue was an ice spiritual root cultivator. All three were key talents specifically nurtured by the Cold Flame Sect.

"Precisely," Su Qingheng said meaningfully. "Fellow Daoist Wang, you know of them too?"

"When I was in the Ice Flame Mountain Range," Wang Mengshan explained, "I often heard other fellow Daoists mention them."

Su Qingheng nodded, not dwelling on it further.

He then took out a white glowing magic disk, cast a spell, and his expression instantly changed.

"Fellow Daoist Wang," Su Qingheng said gravely, "you must come with me to the Azure Rainbow Mountain Range immediately."

"The Azure Rainbow Mountain Range?" Wang Mengshan asked curiously. "What happened?"

"Senior Sister Sun discovered True Monarch Nine Swords' secluded cultivation cave," Su Qingheng explained, his voice heavy. "Coincidentally, Wang family cultivators were also there, and they've already begun fighting, resulting in many casualties. The Wang family's reinforcements are en route, so we must get there as quickly as possible." He stressed that even a moment's delay could mean True Monarch Nine Swords' legacy falling into the Wang family's hands.

"There's no time to lose," Liu Chuanting said with a grim expression. "We must hurry there immediately. We absolutely must obtain True Monarch Nine Swords' legacy."

The three of them—Su Qingheng, Wang Mengshan, and Liu Chuanting—then departed from the Qiyun Mountain Range, hurrying toward the Azure Rainbow Mountain Range.

In the Azure Rainbow Mountain Range, a streak of escaping light rapidly swept across the high sky.

"Only now do you think of leaving? Don't you think it's too late?" a cold female voice echoed. "Hand over the Nine Swords Token!"

As the words finished echoing, the void rippled, and a massive, ghostly white hand materialized from thin air, striking the streak of light. A man's scream followed.

A disheveled figure then plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground. It was Wang Yier.

His clothes were drenched in blood, and a gruesome bloodied hole marred his left chest. He was panting, his face pale, looking severely depleted of vital energy.

Shortly after Wang Guangming and the others departed, the Cold Flame Sect's reinforcements arrived. With three additional Void Refinement cultivators, the fight became nine against six, and Wang Yier's group was no match at all.