Daoist Competition-Chapter 1078 - 279: Storms and Thunderclouds Conceal Schemes

Elder Shen returned to the peak with a desolate expression, listlessly bowing to the middle-aged cultivator who sent him back. He pushed away the child who wanted to support him, entered the half-collapsed temple, and said nothing.

The middle-aged cultivator felt a pang of sympathy upon seeing him so dispirited.

He glanced around; the peak was enveloped in a somber air. For hundreds of years, no one had tended to it, leading to rampant weeds, scattered tiles, and broken debris everywhere, presenting a scene of utter desolation.

He sighed. Had Senior Brother Ying Ya not ordered him to guard Elder Shen until the token talisman arrived, he wouldn’t have stayed here for a moment longer.

He looked again at the sky. There had been no sword duels yet, and staying here was boring, so he sought a place to meditate alone.

Elder Shen stumbled as he walked, and Jiang Yue, the disciple who accompanied him to the Dharma Assembly, had just stepped out from inside, causing her to exclaim, "Master, what’s happened to you?" She hurriedly came forward to support him.

Elder Shen shook his head, waved his sleeve forward, and urged her to walk inside.

Jiang Yue’s eyes were full of concern as she helped him inside.

However, upon entering, Elder Shen straightened his bent back and said in a calm, steady voice, "Disciple, I recall you once meeting True Master Zhang Yan at Mingcang Sect’s Dangyun Peak years ago?"

Jiang Yue was astonished to find that her master’s previously haggard and disheartened demeanor had vanished, and his eyes now gleamed with brightness and even a hint of cunning.

She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, and said, "Yes, disciple not only met True Master Zhang at the Erosion Text Ceremony, but also in the Dang Domain Water Country later."

She had left unsaid the fact that Shen Yuefeng went missing pursuing Zhang Yan back then.

Elder Shen nodded slowly and said in a deep voice, "Listen carefully, I need you to carry out a task, and no one must find out."

Using sound transmission, he whispered a few phrases to Jiang Yue, finally adding, "Deliver my words to True Master Zhang, and regardless of what he plans, report truthfully back to me."

Jiang Yue felt uneasy and said, "The Sword Fighting Conference is imminent, I’m afraid it might be too late, and besides, someone outside is watching. I’m afraid suspicion will be raised as soon as I step out."

"That’s no problem." Elder Shen took out two talismans from his sleeve, placed them in Jiang Yue’s hand, and pointing to one, said, "This one was left by Ancestor Shen Chong many years ago. Although it lacks substantial divine power, it can call the wind and summon rain, gather thunder. Use it, and no one will detect it. Even attempting to dispel it with mana will be futile. This way, the Xuanmen sect disciples will suspect the Demon Sect is interfering, and vice versa. Neither will take action lightly."

He pointed to the other talisman and said, "When the weather changes, seize the moment, use this Invisibility Talisman, and go to True Master Zhang. Remember, the wind and rain last only an hour, so you must go and return quickly to avoid detection by others."

Jiang Yue widened her bright eyes, saying, "Disciple has accompanied Master for a hundred years, and has never seen you use these talismans?"

Elder Shen chuckled and said, "Our Guangyuan Sect was once a Great Xuanmen Sect; it has some heritage, albeit unknown to outsiders. Even your Sect Leader probably doesn’t know about some matters."

Jiang Yue’s eyes showed determination, saying, "Master, your disciple certainly won’t fail in your task."

With a flick of her fingertip over the talisman, she cast it into the sky, where it transformed into smoke, silently drifting into the clouds.

After a quarter of an hour, just when they doubted the talisman’s effectiveness, suddenly dark clouds gathered, thunder rang, the world dimmed, and fierce winds arose. Within breaths, torrential rain poured down.

Elder Shen felt relieved. Ancestor Shen Chong, though possessing immense cultivation, had his talismans aged over the years, raising doubts of their usability.

Unexpectedly, the predecessor’s mana far exceeded his imagination; despite being centuries old, the talisman still summoned the wind and rain.

He listened to the situation outside, then spoke softly, "Disciple, go now, be very careful."

Jiang Yue responded crisply, then held the spell and activated the Invisibility Talisman, her figure disappearing in a blink.

Elder Shen squinted at the outside, having served as an elder in the Guangyuan Sect for hundreds of years, struggling in its gaps, how could he not know the conduct of the Xuanmen sects?