"Yu He..."

Hu Mei slowly mulled over the name, the cold glint in her eyes growing ever stronger.

The Nether and Ghost Guards were men she had personally promoted and trained. They were like disciples to her, and the bond they shared was anything but ordinary. They were her right and left hands.

Both were at Embracing Pill Power Perfection. When they joined forces, their coordination was seamless and their cultivation techniques were bizarre. Even against a master who had just entered the Astral Force realm, they could have escaped and sent a message even if they couldn’t win.

But now, they had vanished without a trace, no sign of them alive or dead!

If they were merely injured, they would have certainly called to her for help.

The only possibility was that they had been completely taken down in an extremely short amount of time, without even a chance to send a distress signal!

The one capable of doing this... According to all the current clues, the prime suspect was that old man Yu He from the Earth Element Sect!

Chen Qing? He doesn’t have that kind of skill yet!

Zuo Feng looked at Hu Mei’s increasingly frigid expression and said with a hint of regret, "Tsk, tsk. What a pity. Ming and You were at the Embracing Pill Power Perfection realm. If I had absorbed them, my own cultivation would have definitely advanced a step further."

Hu Mei whipped her head around and snapped coldly, "Shut up!"

Zuo Feng shrugged and said no more.

Hu Mei took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the rage that threatened to erupt, and shot to her feet.

"Come with me."

Zuo Feng asked, "Where to?"

"Lin’an Prefecture." Hu Mei spat out the two words, her killing intent palpable.

"Lin’an Prefecture? What are you planning to do?"

Zuo Feng sat up straight, his expression turning a bit grave. "The Earth Element Sect is no pushover. Those ’Nine Elders of Earth Essence’ are famous, and Yu He himself is a veteran Astral Force master. For the two of us to go there..."

The first rule of survival in the Demon Sect was to never clash with a master of the same realm, especially when Yu He’s cultivation might even be higher than theirs.

"What’s there to be afraid of?"

Hu Mei cut him off with a cold snort. "I’m not going to fight that old man Yu He head-on! He killed my people, so I’ll kill a few of his disciples and grand-disciples first. Collect a little interest!"

Before her words had even faded, the temperature of the entire stronghold seemed to drop several degrees.

Zuo Feng knew she had made up her mind, so he didn’t try to dissuade her further. "Fine. My cultivation has been stagnating lately anyway. I could use some fresh ’provisions’ to stimulate it."

...

Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

Chen Qing lived in seclusion, spending most of his time immersed in cultivation. His progress was natural, and he successfully opened his tenth Main Meridian. At the same time, with the help of the Earth Essence Marrow Pearl, he carefully comprehended the various mysteries of his Earth True Qi. Although his advancement wasn’t as rapid as before, it was far more solid and steady.

During this month, a joyous event occurred in the Wutai Sect—Shen Xiuyong ended his secluded training, successfully broke through, condensed his True Astral, and officially stepped into the Astral Force realm!

When the news spread, the entire Wutai Sect was shaken.

Shen Xiuyong was not old, and his future potential was considerable. His successful breakthrough meant that the Wutai Sect had gained another powerful general among its core members, further bolstering its prestige.

The entire Sect, from top to bottom, was filled with a festive atmosphere.

After emerging from his seclusion, Shen Xiuyong held a grand banquet within the Sect and sent out numerous invitations. Not only did the friendly powers in Yunlin Prefecture send representatives to offer their congratulations, but many masters from neighboring prefectures with whom he had personal relationships also came in person.

For a time, the gates of the Wutai Sect were bustling with people and carriages coming and going, and the sounds of congratulations were endless.

On the day of the banquet, the atmosphere was incredibly lively.

"Everyone, have you heard? The conflict between the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect and the Infinite Demon Sect has intensified recently. I heard they’ve had several major battles in ’Soul-Breaking Gorge.’ The scale was terrifying, and even masters at the Astral Force level have fallen!"

As soon as these words were spoken, a hush fell over the banquet, and many people looked shocked.

"I’ve heard a little about this as well,"

another elder from the Prefecture City Chamber of Commerce added, stroking his beard. "They say the fighting was exceptionally brutal. More than one Astral Force master has died."

The guests at the banquet began to murmur amongst themselves, discussing the recent major events.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

Chen Qing offered a toast to Shen Xiuyong, his words sincere.

"You’re too kind!"

Shen Xiuyong’s face was flushed with joy, and he was clearly in high spirits. But with guests as numerous as clouds, he was so busy he barely had his feet on the ground. He could only exchange a few brief pleasantries with Chen Qing before being surrounded by other well-wishers.

Chen Qing knew he was busy at the moment and didn’t bother him privately, returning to his own seat after the toast.

Two days later, Chen Qing was sitting cross-legged in his room meditating when a respectful knock came from the door.

Chen Qing opened the door to find a Steward Disciple bowing and holding out a beautifully crafted, gilt-edged invitation. "Chief Chen, this is an invitation sent by someone from the Prefecture City."

Chen Qing took the invitation. The cover was outlined with gold thread in a cloud pattern, and in the center was the seal of the Yunlin Prefecture Lord’s Mansion.

’The Mansion Master!?’

Opening it, he saw that it was indeed the Mansion Master’s annual invitation for the banquet of the "Yunlin Five Heroes and Seven Talents."

The Mansion Master held this banquet every year, inviting the most outstanding talents of Yunlin Prefecture. It was his way of maintaining relationships with the local prodigies, and the underlying meaning was an open secret to all.

Chen Qing naturally understood the implications. He said to the steward, "Reply to the messenger that I will attend on time."

"Yes!"

The steward nodded and turned to leave.

Three days later, Chen Qing tidied himself up, changed into a respectable set of green robes, and set off for the Prefecture City alone.

The Yunlin Prefecture Lord’s Mansion was located in the very heart of the Prefecture City. It was an imposing compound with high walls and deep courtyards.

After he presented his invitation, a serving girl who had been waiting to the side gave a graceful curtsy and said in a soft voice, "Young Master Chen, please follow me."

The serving girl was about sixteen years old, dressed in a pale pink palace-style skirt. She had a slender, well-proportioned figure.

As she led the way, she would occasionally glance back with a faint smile, her gaze so soft it seemed it could melt. Her voice was even more tender and sweet. "This way, Young Master. Please watch your step."

They passed through several courtyards along the way, decorated with rockeries, flowing water, and exotic flowers and plants. The scene was the epitome of luxury and elegance.

The serving girl led Chen Qing to the front of an extremely spacious and magnificent banquet hall before stopping. In a soft voice, she said, "Young Master Chen, we’ve arrived at the banquet hall. I will take my leave here."