Chapter 1356: Small-Scale Exchange (Part One)

Li Yan had taken the time to study the detailed information on the supervising “Blood Lantern Sect” itself, as well as the several larger sects under its jurisdiction. The Donglin Family seemed to have a good relationship with the Broken Army Sect, and Li Yan also had a memory of the information on the Nascent Soul cultivators in their family.

“Donglin Tingyue, eighty years after advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, went all the way from the initial stage to the mid-stage Nascent Soul. She is the youngest mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in the Donglin family…”

Some information immediately surfaced in Li Yan’s mind. When it came to cultivators who were skilled in the way of beast taming, Li Yan was always quite cautious when he encountered them. With this kind of person, you couldn’t be sure what kind of demonic beast they would bring out, what innate divine abilities it possessed, and you couldn’t judge its combat power by its rank alone. Demonic beasts were inherently skilled at fighting across ranks. If two Nascent Soul cultivators were to fight, and the opponent’s demonic beast were to use some special innate divine ability, if it affected you for even half a breath, it might be the moment of your death.

Regarding the information on the Nascent Soul cultivators in the Donglin family, Li Yan’s memory of Donglin Tingyue was relatively deep, because this woman had only used eighty years of cultivation to reach the mid-stage Nascent Soul. Even in the Immortal Spirit Realm, this was considered the kind of elite disciple with particularly outstanding cultivation aptitude, the kind that all sects and families would be most pleased with and value most.

Of course, when judging others, Li Yan never considered his own cultivation speed. His cultivation method was too special, tailor-made for him, and his opportunities had always been good. So in his view, his aptitude was very different from his own; his own success was all due to opportunities.

After speaking, Shangguan Tianque didn’t pause, but turned his head to look at Donglin Tingyue and continued to introduce.

“Fellow Daoist Tingyue, this is my sect’s Elder Li Yan. I hope everyone can get along well in the future. He will also be going with us in a moment, hahaha…”

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist!”

As Shangguan Tianque’s voice fell, Li Yan, with a calm expression, cupped his hands in salute to the masked black-robed woman.

Donglin Tingyue, however, after hearing Li Yan’s name, a hint of surprise flashed in her pair of crystal-bright, beautiful eyes. She hadn’t expected this extremely ordinary-looking young man in a green shirt to be the cultivator who had killed Mang Yan, according to the news from her family. His cultivation was similar to her own. Indeed, one couldn’t judge a book by its cover. Thinking about it, if she were to sneak attack Mang Yan herself, the success rate would not exceed twenty percent, and she would definitely have to pay a heavy price.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Li. Your name is now quite famous in some sects. It is truly this humble girl’s honor to have the fortune of meeting you today!”

A voice as ethereal as an orchid in a secluded valley sounded. Upon entering the ear, it immediately made one feel cheerful and relaxed. Li Yan felt that this, combined with the light and graceful air of a gazelle that the other person exuded, complemented each other perfectly, making this woman seem even more ethereal and elegant.

As Donglin Tingyue spoke, she also gave a slight curtsey, at the same time sizing Li Yan up a few more times with her eyes. Li Yan just smiled without saying a word.

“Let’s not stand on ceremony here. We shouldn’t keep the others waiting. Let’s go over first!” Seeing that the introductions were over, Shangguan Tianque was thinking of heading over early…

Inside another inn in the market, Shangguan Tianque and Donglin Tingyue walked side by side, with Li Yan following behind. Along the way, he would only reply softly when Shangguan Tianque occasionally mentioned him. This slowly made Donglin Tingyue understand Li Yan’s character. However, the more it was like this, the more curious she became. In the news her family had received, the Li-surnamed cultivator who had killed Mang Yan was a body cultivator with a very explosive personality, his specific origins unknown.

News such as Li Yan coming from the lower realm had long been strictly forbidden from being spread by Shangguan Tianque to Yu Banjiang. Even within the Broken Army Sect, only the three of them knew of Li Yan’s origins. When Donglin Tingyue first saw Li Yan’s appearance, his short, steel-needle-like hair, coupled with his taciturn nature, she felt that this person must be the kind of extremely cold person who had long been fighting with others. Although this was somewhat different from the news she had received, it shouldn’t be too far off. But after observing along the way, she felt that the other party was not as she had imagined.

Although Li Yan didn’t like to talk, whenever he did speak, his tone was not arrogant or cold, but rather gave people a feeling of extreme calm. When he spoke, his pace was always unhurried. If you said he was well-versed in Buddhist teachings, people would believe you. There was no trace of the fierceness and explosiveness of a body cultivator. This made Donglin Tingyue think constantly in her heart, feeling that the news her family had received should be wrong. She even felt that this was all a rumor spread by the Broken Army Sect, and that the other party might be a Dharma Cultivator.

After the three of them entered this inn, Shangguan Tianque and his companion led Li Yan around a series of pavilions. After walking for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the view before them suddenly darkened, and a tree-lined path appeared in front. A patch of woods appeared here, giving a deep and endless feeling in the night. The moment Li Yan and the others stepped onto the tree-lined path, the hustle and bustle that had existed behind them instantly disappeared completely. The tree-lined path was not long, about a hundred zhang or so. After the three of them reached the end of the path, Li Yan saw a row of courtyards appear side by side.

On the walls of these courtyards, every ten zhang or so, a Moonlight Stone the size of an adult’s fist was embedded. It continuously emitted a faint yellow light, immediately giving people a feeling of faint fragrance floating and dim lights.

Shangguan Tianque turned a corner and followed the path outside the wall forward. Soon, he stopped in front of a courtyard gate and at the same time, sent another voice transmission to Li Yan.

“This courtyard was rented by Fellow Daoist Shentu of the ‘Mountain-Splitting Divine Bull’ clan. He is from a demonic beast clan from the ‘Heavenly Demon Prairie.’ He is much wealthier than us, hahaha…”

“There are also cultivators from the demonic beast clan here?” Li Yan transmitted in surprise.

“Hahaha, don’t just look at the existence of the ‘Heavenly Demon Prairie’ as if it has demarcated a region and the fighting with human cultivators is very bloody. But all kinds of trade between the two sides is unimpeded. In fact, this is not surprising. Don’t human sects also fight to the death among themselves? Here, as long as you are strong enough, you can live very comfortably. During the exchange later, as long as you don’t take out the corpses of the demonic beast races present, they won’t care at all.”

Shangguan Tianque and Li Yan once again used voice transmission, because from the content of what they were saying, Donglin Tingyue might be able to guess Li Yan’s origins.

As Shangguan Tianque transmitted his voice, a hand seal had already been struck towards the courtyard gate, and at the same time, he exchanged a look with Donglin Tingyue.

Soon, the courtyard gate opened on its own amidst a surge of mist, but no sound came out, and no one came out to greet them. Shangguan Tianque just smiled slightly and stepped in. Donglin Tingyue also entered without any hesitation!

It was only then that Li Yan quietly withdrew his Divine Sense that had been probing the surroundings.

After entering the courtyard, Li Yan saw that the courtyard was not very large, only about ten zhang in size. There were two wing rooms on each side, and a main hall directly opposite the courtyard gate. But thinking about it, in a place like the market where every inch of land was worth gold, to be able to rent such a courtyard was already a grand gesture. And thinking about the place where he lived, compared to here, it was simply not on the same level.

At this moment, the main hall was brightly lit. When they were outside the courtyard, they couldn’t hear any sound, but as soon as they entered the courtyard, some laughter came from behind.

“Fellow Daoist Shangguan and Fairy Tingyue, you are late… Huh? Who is this Fellow Daoist?”

Amidst the laughter, a very rough voice came out, but before the sentence was finished, it was tinged with surprise. Shangguan Tianque didn’t answer immediately but walked quickly towards the main hall. The distance of more than ten zhang was covered in an instant, and the three of them were at the door. At this time, the laughter in the main hall had also stopped.

The moment Li Yan and the other two appeared at the entrance of the main hall, gazes and Divine Senses swept over them.

“Fellow Daoists, please rest assured, he is not an outsider. This is my sect’s Elder Li Yan. He has been cultivating since he arrived at the market. Today, since there is this gathering, he came along.”

Only then did Shangguan Tianque explain. For this kind of gathering, if a stranger appeared, it would actually be disliked by the others. Even though Shangguan Tianque said this, it was still somewhat inappropriate. After all, he hadn’t greeted the others. But he had his own measure in his heart.

“Oh, your sect’s Li… Yan, could it be the Fellow Daoist who killed Mang Yan?”

It was that rough voice again.

Li Yan could now see the scene in the main hall clearly. There were already seven people sitting in the main hall. Each of them had an aura that was either powerful and exposed, or faint and almost non-existent. This was related to the cultivation method each person practiced.

Of the seven people, two were women and five were men. In the center sat a man as burly as a mountain. He was bald, about forty years old. A brocade robe was worn on his body, and it was stretched very tight. As he casually swayed his body, the muscles on his body, like giant rats, scurried around under the brocade robe. Even though he was sitting there, Li Yan felt that he was only a head shorter than himself. Once he stood up, even with Li Yan’s tall frame, he would probably only reach his chest.

‘Is this that Fellow Daoist Shentu of the ‘Mountain-Splitting Divine Bull’ clan?’

Li Yan was speechless. This person actually gave him a feeling of extreme oppression. A glance at this person’s aura, and it was clear he was a terrifying existence who could uproot mountains with his strength. Although Li Yan had only swept his Divine Sense over him occasionally, he had already discovered that there was an extremely rich earth-attribute spiritual power fluctuation around the other’s body. This showed that the other was an earth-attribute expert. This kind of cultivator not only had astonishing strength, but their defense was also one of the best among those of the same rank. It was also a type of cultivator Li Yan was unwilling to face.

And just as Li Yan swept his gaze over the other, the gazes of the several people, including the man in the brocade robe, all fell on Li Yan with the man’s words. The few people who were still somewhat dissatisfied with Shangguan Tianque for suddenly bringing someone here were now all somewhat surprised after hearing his explanation. This green-robed guest was actually the one who had killed Mang Yan. In the past few days, whenever they had talked about it, Shangguan Tianque had been evasive. Unexpectedly, today he had brought this person directly here.

Of course, they still didn’t know that on that day, Li Yan had also simultaneously blasted the physical body of another Nascent Soul. Otherwise, they would have been even more surprised.

“Li Yan greets you, Fellow Daoists. I heard from Fellow Daoist Shangguan that there was such a gathering, so I begged him to bring me along. It was a bit presumptuous. I hope you Fellow Daoists will not take offense.”

At this moment, Li Yan took a step forward, stood in a row with Shangguan Tianque and his companion, and cupped his fists to the people in the main hall.

Shangguan Tianque turned his head slightly and slanted a glance at Li Yan. He had indeed brought Li Yan here on a whim, but it was he who had proposed it.

“Hahaha, since you are a member of Fellow Daoist Shangguan’s sect, and Fellow Daoist Shangguan has a good relationship with us, there is no need for you to be so polite, Fellow Daoist Li. Please, come in. After you three have arrived, only Fellow Daoist Liu is missing. I think he will be here soon!”

Seeing that Li Yan had tacitly agreed, the man in the brocade robe laughed heartily.

Subsequently, under the gazes of the others, Li Yan and the other two entered and sat down on one side. Then, Shangguan Tianque began to introduce the others to Li Yan. Among the seven people, the man in the brocade robe was indeed an expert from the “Mountain-Splitting Divine Bull” clan, Shentu Tianduan, a late-stage Nascent Soul expert. At the same time, Shangguan Tianque would occasionally transmit his voice in secret, telling Li Yan some details.

Although Shentu Tianduan was of a similar age to Shangguan Tianque, as a demonic beast, his remaining lifespan alone was at least two thousand years. Among the other six people, there were four human cultivators and two demonic cultivators. One was an expert from the “Netherworld Ghost Snake” clan, a young man of about twenty with a cold face, who looked at everyone with an icy gaze, at the mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation. The other was an exceptionally tall and slender woman, especially with a long, jade-like, snow-white neck. Her legs were even longer. Li Yan felt that even Gong Chenying’s long legs might not be able to match hers.

Later, in Shangguan Tianque’s introduction, he learned that she was from the “Ice Cloud Crane” clan. However, this woman’s cultivation was only at the early-stage Nascent Soul. But Shangguan Tianque still secretly transmitted to him that this clan was extremely skilled in speed and had mastered a spatial innate divine ability. An ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator might not be able to beat this woman in speed.

Among the remaining four people, there were actually two rogue cultivators. The other two were also elders of two third-rate sects, but they were not under the jurisdiction of the “Blood Lantern Sect,” and their relationship with the “Broken Army Sect” was also quite good.

Just as the few of them were exchanging pleasantries, Shentu Tianduan’s expression suddenly changed. He looked up at the courtyard and at the same time, gently waved his hand again, and a ray of light shot towards the courtyard gate.

Not long after, a Daoist with an exceptionally handsome appearance, whose handsomeness was almost on par with Shangguan Tianque’s, had appeared in the main hall. This Daoist looked to be only eighteen or nineteen years old. His skin was fair and he was thin, so much so that one could clearly see the blue veins under his skin. He had a horsetail whisk stuck in his back, cloud shoes and white socks, and three thousand strands of snowy hair scattered in the wind. A white jade hairpin was stuck horizontally in his topknot, and a head of black hair hung down his back, contrasting with the snowy strands of the whisk, giving him an even more otherworldly air.

The moment his figure appeared, his gaze swept across the main hall. His gaze paused slightly on Li Yan, a strange color flashing in his eyes, and then it fell on Shangguan Tianque. And Shangguan Tianque’s expression was as usual, but he was already quickly transmitting his voice to Li Yan in secret.

“This person is from the ‘Green Goat Temple,’ named Liu Huaigu. He is also a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. His Daoist arts are extremely formidable. I have fought him several times and have not been able to gain any advantage. He can even slightly gain the upper hand and injure me. The ‘Green Goat Temple’ is not a subordinate sect of the ‘Blood Lantern Sect,’ but they have a good relationship with the ‘Dragon-Catching Sect.’ Especially this person, his relationship with the second elder of the ‘Dragon-Catching Sect’ is unclear, so he is very hostile to my sect.”

After learning about the several sects under the “Blood Lantern Sect,” Li Yan also knew who the second elder of the “Dragon-Catching Sect” that Shangguan Tianque mentioned was. It was the bewitching woman he had seen after ascending into the sky. It was just that Li Yan had not fought with her. But he also knew that she was the one who had fought to the last, burned her Nascent Soul to activate the sect-protecting grand formation, and perished together with the “Dragon-Catching Sect.”