Volume 5 Chapter 14

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Volume 5 Chapter 14: Spirit Venom

When Xu Qingfan saw the suddenly appearing secret tunnel, his expression turned serious. He hesitated slightly but did not rush in. Instead, he made some hand gestures and sent a streak of flame shooting into the sky, high enough for the whole of Jiuhua Mountain to see.

Before long, all the elders patrolling various parts of Jiuhua had gathered where Xu Qingfan was. Upon seeing the tunnel before him, their expressions changed.

No one had expected that Jiuhua Mountain would have such a hidden passageway.

Moments later, all the elders had arrived at Xu Qingfan’s location. Not long after, Zhang Hualing and Gongsun Huasa also arrived together. Seeing the tunnel, their faces turned grim.

No one hopes for hidden dangers and secrets within their own sect.

"Is Feng Qingtian inside?" Gongsun Huasa asked.

Xu Qingfan shook his head slightly and replied softly, "I don’t know. As soon as I discovered this tunnel, I called you here, but I haven’t had a chance to explore inside yet. However, Feng Qingtian’s aura definitely disappeared here."

As he spoke, Xu Qingfan exchanged a silent glance with Zhang Hualing, both of them recalling the tunnel at the top of Jiuhua Mountain. Since Feng Qingtian had already decided to leave Jiuhua, this tunnel might lead out of Jiuhua Mountain just like the one at its peak.

"Let me go in and take a look."

A Jiuhua elder volunteered. This elder, Xu Qingfan, seemed familiar, but no one knew his name. He had just reached the early Fake Golden Core stage and recently advanced to the Condensed Core Stage. He had trained in the "Nine Pole Array" with Xu Qingfan years ago.

Seeing someone volunteer, Zhang Hualing, Gongsun Huasa, and Xu Qingfan exchanged silent glances and nodded in agreement. However, when they saw the elder about to jump into the tunnel without any preparation, Xu Qingfan suddenly warned, "Be careful, there might be traps or ambushes in this tunnel."

The reason Xu Qingfan hadn’t entered to explore earlier was that the dark and deep tunnel gave him a sense of danger.

The elder volunteered to make an impression in front of Zhang Hualing and the others, but he was not reckless. Hearing Xu Qingfan’s warning, he nodded and suddenly a powerful wave of Golden Spirit Qi emanated from him. Although his body didn’t glow, his skin turned a dark golden color.

Seeing the elder’s display, everyone nodded in approval. No wonder he dared to go in first without fear of the dangers inside. He had mastered the supreme defensive art of "Indestructible Golden Body," making him unafraid of most traps. His strength wasn’t easy to judge by his early Fake Golden Core level alone.

After preparing, the elder didn’t hesitate and jumped into the dark tunnel in full view of everyone. After a while, there was no sign of any danger, but soon his voice echoed from deep within the tunnel.

"Sect leader, fellow taoist friends, there’s a hall down here, but it’s safe."

Upon hearing the elder’s report, everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief. After Zhang Hualing nodded, they all jumped down into the tunnel one by one.

The entrance to this tunnel was very small, allowing only one person to pass through at a time. Xu Qingfan was with Zhang Hualing and the others, so he was at the back and it wasn’t his turn until some time later.

Before jumping in, Xu Qingfan suddenly turned to Li Yuhan and asked, "What was the name of that elder just now?"

Li Yuhan softly replied, "That elder is named Li Qingwu. He entered the Fake Golden Core Stage three years ago but is extremely gifted in Dao techniques. He’s known as the top gold-type Daoist expert on Jiuhua Mountain, second only to Martial Uncle Jin."

Xu Qingfan nodded slightly and followed Zhang Hualing and Gongsun Huasa into the tunnel. The size of this tunnel was clearly no match for the one at the top of Jiuhua Mountain. After Xu Qingfan cast the "Feather Fall Technique" once, he soon felt his feet touch solid ground.

As soon as Xu Qingfan entered the tunnel, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and a bit dizzy, but after circulating the "Withered Qi" and "Flourish Qi" twice, the discomfort quickly vanished, and he didn’t think much of it.

The elders who jumped into the tunnel earlier had already used various illumination spells, so the previously dim tunnel was now bright. Xu Qingfan could see clearly to the end of the tunnel, which opened into a vast hall covering dozens of acres. The walls were adorned with mysterious totem patterns, advanced formations that could hide energy fluctuations. Inside the hall, there were many strange apparatuses like copper cauldrons and stone jars, each holding various peculiar liquids.

Additionally, there were several shelves with materials rarely seen by anyone.

A strange atmosphere filled the hall, undiminished by the presence of dozens of Jiuhua elders.

The moment Xu Qingfan entered the hall, he was stunned, for the place felt intensely familiar to him. The blood-marked copper cauldron and the mysterious pattern below it were strikingly similar to the ones Zhang Hualing used when casting the secret technique on him earlier.

Could it be…

"Deacon Xu, did Martial Brother Liu ever tell you about the secret tunnel chamber here?"

Just as Xu Qingfan remembered something, he suddenly heard Zhang Hualing’s voice. Like Xu Qingfan, Zhang Hualing had undergone secret transformation and also noticed something. He believed it was the secret chamber set up by Liu Huaxiang years ago, so he asked.

Xu Qingfan replied through mental transmission, "He never mentioned it, and I don’t think this is the secret chamber arranged by Martial Uncle Liu. There are many things here that involve secret arts, which Martial Uncle Liu probably wouldn’t know about."

After a pause, Xu Qingfan added, "However, I did remember some other things Martial Uncle Liu mentioned before."

"What?" Zhang Hualing asked.

"Martial Uncle Liu once said that back when Zhang Xusheng was still the Deacon Elder of Jiuhua, after he was discovered secretly studying dark arts, it’s still a mystery how he escaped from Jiuhua. Furthermore, when Zhang Xusheng used those secret arts he researched, there was a strong evil energy fluctuation. How he managed to hide his dark arts research from the masters of Jiuhua for so many years remains an unsolved mystery."

"Are you saying this is the place where Zhang Xusheng researched dark arts back then?" Zhang Hualing asked.

Since Zhang Hualing was speaking with his back to Xu Qingfan, Xu Qingfan did not see the complex and struggling expression that flashed in Zhang Xusheng’s eyes while asking, yet he still answered, "I’m afraid it is. Now I’m thinking, if Feng Qingtian escaped through this tunnel, how did he even know of its existence? Could it be that Feng Qingtian sided with Zhang Xusheng?"

Although this seems like the most likely possibility, Xu Qingfan simply cannot believe that Feng Qingtian, with his personality, would ally himself with his family’s enemy.

Zhang Hualing also thinks it’s impossible for Feng Qingtian to have joined Zhang Xusheng and says, "Feng Qingtian must be using Zhang Xusheng instead."

Despite this, neither Zhang Hualing nor Xu Qingfan can imagine Zhang Xusheng as someone who would let himself be used.

At that moment, they heard Li Qingwu’s voice.

"There’s a secret passage leading out of Jiuhua Mountain!"

Hearing Li Qingwu’s voice, everyone headed towards it, entering a tunnel and climbing up the steps until they were greeted by the night scene in front of Jiuhua Mountain.

Standing at the tunnel’s exit, Zhang Hualing’s expression changed several times, and after a long pause, he waved his hand slowly and said, "Let’s go back."

Gongsun Huasa asked in surprise, "Sect Leader, aren’t we going to capture Feng Qingtian?"

Zhang Hualing replied softly, "It’s been at least two hours since Feng Qingtian disappeared. Where would we begin to chase him now?"

"What should we do with this tunnel?" Gongsun Huasa asked, looking helpless.

Zhang Hualing pondered briefly, then slowly said, "Move all the equipment and materials from the tunnel’s hall into the Jiuhua secret vault and have some knowledgeable elders study them. As for this tunnel, let’s destroy it."

Xu Qingfan and Zhang Hualing did not reveal that the original owner of the tunnel was Zhang Xusheng to avoid causing panic. The other elders, unaware of the secret arts, were simply told it was a hidden project by the Feng family, and no one questioned further.

Hearing Zhang Hualing’s decision, Gongsun Huasa was taken aback and asked, "Destroy this tunnel? Isn’t that a waste?"

Zhang Hualing replied slowly, "The tunnel exits just outside Jiuhua Mountain and can only hold about a hundred people, with only one entering or exiting at a time. If something happens, the tunnel is of no use. Most importantly, while we can sneak out of Jiuhua with this tunnel, others could also sneak in. Destroying it is for the best."

Xu Qingfan knew Zhang Hualing was willing to destroy the tunnel because he was aware of a more useful and concealed one at the top of Jiuhua Mountain. In comparison, this tunnel was unnecessary.

Gongsun Huasa sighed regretfully but knew Zhang Hualing made sense. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard a scream and turned to see Li Qingwu, the first to enter the tunnel, shouting in panic.

Li Qingwu’s face, now covered with wrinkles, looked terrified.

…

Meanwhile, in an elegant estate far away from Jiuhua, Zhang Xusheng stood with his hands clasped behind him, admiring the night sky. Bao Qingfang, who attended to him, seemed to have something on his mind and suddenly asked, "Master, aren’t you worried that Jiuhua’s people will discover the secret of the passage now that you’ve had Number 33 and Feng Qingtian escape through it?"

Zhang Xusheng smiled faintly, turned his head, and said calmly, "I actually hope they find it."

Bao Qingfang was slightly taken aback, looking at Zhang Xusheng in confusion. Despite being one of Zhang Xusheng’s closest aides, he could never quite fathom his thoughts.

Zhang Xusheng explained with a gentle smile, "The passage has long been abandoned and holds little use, as it can only accommodate a hundred people. Whether Jiuhua’s people find it matters not to me. However, in the hall of that passage, there’s a material with a remarkable effect on strengthening the body. But exposure to light turns it into a deadly poison that rapidly drains a person’s energy. This is why I instructed you to use ‘Sky Eye Skill’ when passing through it. I’m quite curious to see what happens if Jiuhua’s people get poisoned."

As he spoke, Zhang Xusheng’s smile deepened, yet his words sent a chill down one’s spine. He murmured to himself, "It would indeed be fascinating, though it’s unfortunate I won’t witness it."

Bao Qingfang was a bit stunned and asked, "But didn’t you say you wanted to destroy Jiuhua yourself? Isn’t this too easy on them?"

Zhang Xusheng replied softly, "This is just a little gift for Jiuhua. The poison isn’t incurable; let’s see if Jiuhua has any talent to handle it. If they can’t withstand this little gift, then they’re not worth my effort."

Clearly, Zhang Xusheng wasn’t concerned about Jiuhua’s fate. After a pause, he shifted the topic, "My powers have reached a significant level, and the presence of the ‘Ming’ organization is now annoying. Although I’m not yet a match for ‘Ming,’ preparations must be made. Your survival is known only to our people. I killed two core members of ‘Ming’ this time to pave the way for Feng Qingtian’s growth within ‘Ming’ and to aid your entrance. You understand what must be done."

Seeing Zhang Xusheng’s gentle and refined smile, a shiver ran through Bao Qingfang’s heart. He quickly bowed and said, "Yes, I will fulfill the Master’s task."

Zhang Xusheng smiled gently, turned around to continue admiring the bright moon and stars in the sky, and whispered softly, "It’s good that you understand."