Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 274 Seeing flowers in the mist
Inside the spacious and bright hall, a middle-aged man dressed in Mingxuan Sect attire was anxiously waiting. Seeing Beastmaster Sect Elder Xu Qingyuan enter, he quickly stood up and greeted him, "Junior greets Senior Xu."

"Friend Huang, why are you here? Please take a seat."

The man knelt down on one knee with a resolute expression and pleading eyes, saying, "Senior Xu, our sect has been attacked by a group of cultivators from an unknown force. We are now at the brink of life and death. I beg for your help."

Xu Qingyuan said calmly, "Friend Huang, please stand up first. What's going on? Don't be anxious. Tell me slowly."

"Around noon the day before yesterday, a third-tier spirit ship sailed towards our sect's mountain gate. Dozens of foundation-building cultivators leaped from it, forming a formation as if they were about to attack the gate. Then, a Jindan cultivator named Qi Yunxuan from the spirit ship demanded that our sect give them the mountain gate, saying he wanted to establish the Yunxuan Sect. Naturally, our sect leader refused, but Qi Yunxuan then attacked our leader."

"Qi Yunxuan?" Xu Qingyuan frowned. "Who is this guy?"

"I don't know where this person came from. He claimed that he wanted to establish a sect in Xijiang County and had his eyes on our territory, so he attacked us."

"How many of them are there? What is the current situation of your clan?"

"I don't know exactly how many people there are, but I estimate there are about a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators. Besides Qi Yunxuan, there are two Golden Core cultivators helping out on the spirit ship. Our sect's mountain gate has been breached by this group, but I escaped in time and have come to ask for your help."

Xu Qingyuan's eyes twitched. "There are three Jindan cultivators. Do you know who the other two are?"

"I don't know their identities, but I saw Qi Yunxuan fighting with our sect's headmaster when those two suddenly rushed out and surrounded our sect's headmaster."

"Where is Fellow Daoist Mo now?"

The man showed a sad expression: "The leader of our sect was outnumbered and has been killed by the bandits."

Xu Yuanqing's expression changed slightly, and he was silent for a few breaths. "Friend Huang, please rest here for a while. We will make a decision after we understand the situation."

"Yes." The man also knew that the Beastmaster Sect was unlikely to send troops to help, but he had no other choice, so he came to ask for help with the mentality of trying everything.

.........

At night, the moon is bright and the stars are sparse. In Qianfeng Mountain, Xuanyuan Sect is located in the jurisdiction of Xijiang County.

In the distance, several golden dragon-like spirit beasts slowly approached, pulling a radiant black sedan chair.

Everyone in Xijiang County knew that this was the Dharma carriage of Hong Haoran, the head of the Beast Taming Sect.

The golden dragon-like monster is the golden-backed lizard, also known as the earth dragon. Each of the four monsters pulling the black sedan has reached the foundation-building stage.

The black sedan chair was also extraordinary. From a distance, it looked like a magnificent palace. It was five meters long, two meters wide, and ten meters high. It was glowing all over and had dense runes engraved on its surface.

A disciple of the Beast Taming Sect who was riding on the back of the spirit beast shouted, and the four land dragons simultaneously let out a majestic roar, pulling the sedan chair down at a rapid speed and stopped at the mountain gate.

"We respectfully welcome Senior Hong." Someone had already been waiting there. A man dressed in Xuanyuan Sect clothing saw Hong Haoran's carriage stop, and quickly stepped forward to greet him, speaking loudly.

As soon as he finished speaking, three men walked out of the black sedan. The leader was Hong Haoran, and the two men behind him were his followers.

"I am here on orders from my uncle Wei to meet you, Senior Hong." The man bowed.

"Lead the way!" Hong Haoran said expressionlessly.

"Senior Hong, please."

Several people rose up and arrived at a hall. Hong Haoran left two followers outside and strode into the inner room.

"Senior Hong, please wait a moment. Uncle Wei will be here soon." After the disciple of Xuanyuan Sect said this, he also stayed outside.

There was no one in the empty hall. Not long after Hong Haoran sat down, he heard footsteps outside, and then two people came in from outside, one in front and one behind.

The person in front was slightly plump, with a round belly and a chubby face. He looked kind. It was Wei Wuya, the head of Xuanyuan Sect stationed in Xijiang County.

Behind him was an old man with white hair and beard, triangular eyes, a hooked nose, and a fierce look on his face. When he looked at Hong Haoran, Hong Haoran also looked at him.

The two men looked at each other, but the old man did not back down at all. Instead, he held his head high and looked arrogant, as if he was superior to the others.

Hong Haoran remained expressionless, having already guessed the man's identity. There were only a handful of Jindan cultivators in Xijiang County, and he had never seen this man before. He was not wearing the Xuanyuan Sect's attire, so it was most likely Qi Yunxuan, the mysterious visitor who had recently stirred up trouble in Xijiang County and attacked the Mingxuan Sect.

This person, an outsider, actually got in touch with Wei Wuya so quickly. Logically speaking, this shouldn't happen. Could it be that this person has something to do with Xuanyuan Sect?
He was invited to the banquet by Wei Wuya today. He had guessed that it must be about Qi Yunxuan, but he did not expect that Wei Wuya would bring this person with him.

"Friend Hong, I've been waiting for you for a long time." Wei Wuya bowed with a smile.

Hong Haoran withdrew his gaze, stood up and returned the greeting: "I wonder what important matter has Fellow Daoist Wei invited me here for?"

"Let me introduce you first. This is Fellow Daoist Qi Yunxuan from the Qianqing Sect. Fellow Daoist Qi, this is Fellow Daoist Hong Haoran, the headmaster of the Beast Taming Sect."

Hearing this, Hong Haoran was slightly surprised. No wonder Qi Yunxuan could get Wei Wuya's support. It turned out that he was from the Qianqing Sect.

The Qianqing Sect was the overlord of the Qin State and had close ties with the Xuanyuan Sect. Qi Yunxuan was from the Qianqing Sect, so he might have the support of high-ranking officials of the Qianqing Sect behind him.

"Friend Hong, I have long heard of your great name. I, Qi, have now settled in Xijiang County. I will have to deal with your sect in the future, so I hope you will take care of me." Qi Yunxuan said lightly.

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Qi has already captured the Mingxuan Sect's mountain gate and declared that he would establish the Yunxuan Sect. Could it be that he wants to use the Mingxuan Sect's mountain gate as a foundation to realize his ambitions in Xijiang County?" Hong Haoran asked tentatively.

The hidden meaning of this statement is that whether Qi Yunxuan wants to be an enemy of the Beast Taming Sect or not, if he wants to do something in Xijiang County, it will inevitably infringe on the interests of the Beast Taming Sect.

"I can't say I have great ambitions. I just want a place to live out my days." Qi Yunxuan answered calmly, neither admitting nor denying. A place to live can be big or small. If it is small, the territory of Mingxuan Sect is enough. If it is big, the entire Xijiang County is not enough.

As the two men looked at each other, there was already a hint of tension in the hall.

Wei Wuya smiled faintly: "My two fellow Daoists, please stop standing and take a seat!"

The two of them then took their seats.

"Fellow Daoist Hong must have known about the Mingxuan Sect. Fellow Daoist Qi's capture of the Mingxuan Sect was in accordance with the rules. Fellow Daoist Hong probably doesn't know that Fellow Daoist Qi is a third-class marquis, qualified enough to establish a sect. The head of the Mingxuan Sect holds no title, and their sect has long since passed its three-hundred-year protection period. Therefore, it is legal and reasonable for Yunxuanzong to replace Mingxuanzong." Hong Haoran said expressionlessly, "So, if Yunxuanzong replaces our sect in the future, it will also be legal and reasonable."

"That's not what I meant, Fellow Daoist Hong, please don't misunderstand me. How can the Mingxuan Sect be compared with yours? The reason I invited you two here today, besides introducing you two to each other, is also because I hope that our two families can coexist peacefully in the future. Our sect doesn't want Xijiang County to be in turmoil and unrest."

Qi Yunxuan had a blank expression on his face: "I only seek a place to live and spend my remaining years in peace. I have no intention of fighting for power or gain, and I have no intention of becoming an enemy of the Beast Taming Sect."

"Since the Yunxuan Sect is a legitimate sect that complies with the rules of the Qianqing Sect, our sect naturally welcomes your sect to settle here." Hong Haoran also expressed his opinion.

No matter what the two of them think, they still have to put on a show. Besides, so far, there is no conflict of interest between the two parties.

Hong Haoran didn't know what the background of Qi Yunxuan was, so he certainly wouldn't make an enemy of him for no reason.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, I have something I'm confused about. I hope you can explain it to me. Since you are from the Qianqing Sect and have achieved great honors and titles, why did you choose to establish a sect in such a remote place like Xijiang County?"

"In my early years, I served in this sect stationed in Xishu County. I have lived in Xishu County for many years and have developed some affection for this land, so I decided to establish a sect here."

"Hong heard that in addition to Fellow Daoist Qi, there were two other Jindan cultivators who attacked the Mingxuan Sect's mountain gate. I wonder who these two Fellow Daoists are?"

Qi Yunxuan was not subtle: "These two are both my good friends, one is named He Jin and the other is named Luo Ziquan."

"Could it be that Fellow Daoist He and Fellow Daoist Luo are also from the Qianqing Sect?"

"Not really. Only Junior Brother Luo is from the same sect as us, while Fellow Daoist He is a casual cultivator."

"Fellow Daoist Qi founded the Yunxuan Sect. Will these two Daoists stay in your sect?"

"Of course. They are all elders of our sect."

"I heard that in addition to these two fellow Daoists, there were dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators accompanying Daoist Qi to attack Mingxuan Sect. Have all these people joined your sect?"

"Yes, they will all become disciples of Yun Xuanzong."

"Now that you have captured the Mingxuan Sect's mountaintop, I wonder how you will deal with those disciples of the Mingxuan Sect?"

"All the former Mingxuan Sect monks who stayed behind at the mountain gate have expressed their willingness to join our sect. As for the rest of the Mingxuan Sect monks who fled and are willing to join our sect, we welcome them. Those who are unwilling can be left alone. However." Qi Yunxuan paused and his expression became solemn when he said this.

"All of Mingxuan Sect's resources and territories outside the territory will be transferred to Yunxuan Sect. Disciples who were originally employed in Mingxuan Sect's various industries or stationed in resource-rich territories are not allowed to give these industries and territories to other forces."

"They can leave, but the properties and territories under their jurisdiction must remain. Our sect has already sent people to recover Mingxuan Sect's properties and territorial resources. On this point, I hope to reach a consensus with you."

"If a disciple of the Mingxuan Sect comes to us with property and resources, I hope your sect will not accept him, so as not to affect the harmony between our two sects."

Hong Haoran had a blank expression on his face: "Friend Qi, are you warning our sect?"

Qi Yunxuan did not answer. The two looked at each other, and it was like a needle meeting a wheat awn, as if sparks were ignited.

At this moment, a disciple of Xuanyuan Sect walked in quickly from outside and bowed to Wei Wuya. "Uncle Master, the banquet is ready. You may join us anytime."

Wei Wuya smiled and nodded: "My two fellow Taoists, let's take our seats and chat while we drink!"

Qi Yunxuan stood up and said, "Fellow Daoist Wei, our sect has just been established and we have many important matters to attend to. It is inconvenient for me to stay for long. In a few days, our sect will hold a grand celebration. I hope that Fellow Daoist Wei and Fellow Daoist Hong will be so kind as to come and join us."

"Well, since Fellow Daoist Qi has something important to attend to, I won't force you to stay."

"Goodbye." Qi Yunxuan said, turned around and strode away.

Hong Haoran kept watching the figure as he left until he disappeared from his sight. He then turned his gaze to Wei Wuya, "Daoist Wei, what exactly is the origin of this Daoist Fellow Qi Yunxuan? If you know anything about him, please feel free to tell me."

Wei Wuya chuckled, "Actually, I don't know much about Fellow Daoist Qi. I only know that he was originally a disciple of the Qianqing Sect and had been working at the Qianqing Sect's mountain gate. As for why he left the Qianqing Sect and came to Xijiang County to establish his own sect, I don't know the details either."

"So, Fellow Daoist Wei already knew they were going to attack Mingxuan Sect?"

"Didn't I say that? I don't know much about him. How could he have told me such a secret in advance? To be honest, I have indeed met Fellow Daoist Qi before. Two years ago, when I returned to the mountain gate, Fellow Daoist Qi visited our sect's Uncle Yin. We met at that time. Now that I think about it, Fellow Daoist Qi should have been planning to settle down in Xijiang County a long time ago."

Hong Haoran's eyes fixed on him. "Senior Yin? Is there any connection between Fellow Daoist Qi and Senior Yin?"

"It is rumored that this Fellow Daoist Qi and Senior Qi Xiaofeng of the Qianqing Sect are from the same family, and Senior Qi Xiaofeng is an old friend of Uncle Yin."

"So that's how it is. I understand." Hong Haoran narrowed his eyes slightly. He certainly knew who Qi Xiaofeng was. He was not only a high-ranking member of the Qianqing Sect, but also one of the most famous great monks in the Qin State. He also had served as the head of Xishu County for a long time.

It is no wonder that Qi Yunxuan chose to establish his sect in Xijiang County.

If he is really Qi Xiaofeng's relative, then he has a very strong background. No wonder he has such an arrogant look and doesn't even give Wei Wuya face.

Wei Wuya glanced at him and said, "Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Hong. As the saying goes, a powerful dragon cannot overpower a local snake. Even though Fellow Daoist Qi Yunxuan has a strong background and is as powerful as a dragon crossing the river, he still has to rely on your clan's will when he comes to Xijiang County. What kind of trouble can they cause?"

Hong Haoran keenly heard the hidden meaning in his words: "Fellow Daoist Wei, is it that Qi Yunxuan wants more than just the Mingxuan Sect's territory?"

"Does Fellow Daoist Hong believe what he just said? Three Jindan cultivators, nearly a hundred foundation-building cultivators, such a big fuss, all for the Mingxuan Sect? If they really just want to find a place to spend their old age, why would they recruit so many elite soldiers?" Wei Wuya smiled wryly.

"Besides, Luo Ziquan is young and powerful. He wouldn't stay in the Qianqing Sect. Why would he come to this remote place and become a sect elder?"

"From what I know, He Jin was once the lord of an island, with many cultivators under his command. He has now followed Qi Yunxuan to Xijiang County. He's the king of the island, and he's giving up his position as island lord to become a sect elder. What's his purpose?"

Hong Haoran frowned slightly. He also felt that this matter was strange, but he couldn't see through the trick behind it. Now, after hearing what Wei Wuya said, he knew that the matter was not simple.

"Yes! Why? Fellow Daoist Wei, can you explain it more clearly?"

"Like I said, I don't know the inside story either. But I do know that some people don't welcome them. As I just said, our sect doesn't want Xijiang County to be in turmoil."

(End of this chapter)