I Have A Dual World Seal-Chapter 766: The Current Situation of the Flower Cloud Sect
A mere ordinary disciple of the Flower Cloud Sect surely couldn't withstand the questioning from such experts like Lu Zheng and Lu Zhi.
Lu Zheng hadn't inquired before simply because he didn't bother to relay it to the Anomaly Suppression Bureau. Since he encountered Lu Zhi now, it was natural to interrogate this young man in blue.
One was proficient in Daoist Secret Techniques of the Golden Palace, the other adept in Buddhist Soul Crossing Spells; extracting information from him was quite easy.
"What is your name?"
"Deng Wen."
"What is your status in the Flower Cloud Sect? Who is your mentor?"
"An inner disciple of the Sect, mentored by Elder Mo Jueqi."
"Who taught you this cultivation technique?"
"The Sect Leader."
Lu Zheng and Lu Zhi exchanged a glance, the situation was even more severe than anticipated.
...
Soon, the truth was uncovered.
Half a year ago, the Sect Leader of the Flower Cloud Sect was defeated by a disciple of the Great Black Heaven Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor, then succumbed to demonic forces, planting Demon Seeds in all disciples, leading them into demonic cultivation.
However, these demonic skills were hidden beneath normal appearances; even the ordinary disciples were unaware. If not for the awakening of demon intent at critical moments, many might not realize it until they had delved too deeply into demonic cultivation.
At this point, it was likely they were long tainted by demon intent, spiritually fallen, and their temperaments greatly altered.
In other words, now the Flower Cloud Sect had become a Demon Cave, much like Jiming Temple in the past.
Back then, Jiming Temple fell due to a Relic of an evil Buddha; this time, it was the Sect Leader of the Flower Cloud Sect who directly fell.
"This Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor seems to have some capability." Lu Zhi said, "Back then, sects were directly destroyed, but now in the Southern Border and Central Plains, they've learned to develop in secret after suffering defeats."
Demon cultivation merely twists the spirit, turning one cruel and bloodthirsty with deep obsession, as one cultivates into a demon body, but it doesn't mean lacking intelligence.
Without intelligence, there wouldn't be Outer Heaven Demon Divine Thought reincarnations or Dream Transmission Technique; these are things only an immortal can achieve.
Or rather, those fallen to demonic forces become more cunning and ruthless, with no limits, and hard to guard against, such as the demons who ambushed Xin Yuniang disguised as civilians outside Dingfeng Mountain.
"Might as well let those sects in the Southern Border handle it." Lu Zhi laughed.
Lu Zheng looked at Lu Zhi, "Will the Court notify the Southern Border?"
Though many forces and people in the Southern Border resisted the Central Plains Dynasty's rule, apart from some evil sects and factions opposed to the Central Plains Dynasty, most were still cooperative.
For example, relations with Flying Bear Mountain were quite amicable with Great Jing.
"Of course," Lu Zhi said, "Demons are the common enemy of the world. Knowing of them, they must be exterminated. Back then, when the Demon Ancestor entered the Central Plains, the Southern Border was the first to send word."
Lu Zheng nodded, no longer needing to make a separate trip to Dingfeng Mountain since the Flower Cloud Sect's location was far from Dingfeng Mountain. As long as it's exposed, it wouldn't affect Dingfeng Mountain.
Lu Zhi ordered Deng Wen to be taken away, then personally escorted Lu Zheng and his two companions to the entrance of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau, bidding farewell with a cupped fist.
...
The next morning.
Lu Zheng, accompanied by Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying, strolled to the Shuntai Trading House, where they saw Xu Yihong and Qin Huilian waiting at the gate.
Upon seeing the three arrive, they quickly welcomed them into the shop.
"Immortal Lu, here are forty catties of February Fragrant Tea." Qin Huilian gestured, and two staff members came out carrying parcels, "In addition, the trading house has purchased two other types of good tea, fifty catties each, which we ask you to kindly accept as well."
"I don't need that much," Lu Zheng waved, "just give me ten catties each, and how much do the other teas cost? I'll pay you the original price, so you won't have to make excuses to your boss later."
Qin Huilian shook her head and smiled, "Immortal Master, you flatter Huilian. This Shuntai Trading House is actually my family's business. Out of curiosity, I came personally to make the purchases this year, and I'm fortunate to meet you immortals and fairies."
"I see."
Lu Zheng now understood why the shopkeeper was a young girl—it was a family business.
"Your family is quite bold; Yongzhou is near the Southern Border, filled with Southern Border's evil sects and Abnormal People, yet they dared to let you come." Liu Qingyan remarked.
Qin Huilian blushed and smiled embarrassedly, "The family sends a shopkeeper to purchase goods here every year, and the trading house also has a store in Yongzhou with twenty years of incident-free history; I did not expect..."
Looking at the eighteen-year-old Qin Huilian's delicate face and elegant features, Shen Ying shook her head, "How can you compare to those experienced shopkeepers who travel far and wide?"
Qin Huilian was speechless; after all, there hadn't been a war between the Central Plains and the Southern Border for a long time. While bandits and thieves still existed, as long as one was cautious and stayed on official paths and avoided secluded places, life for commoners was relatively peaceful.
Especially for a large trading house, encountering such issues was rare.
As for encountering demons or evil sects... that's something far beyond the common people's ability to avoid...
"Since it's your family's business, I won't be polite." Lu Zheng nodded, then waved his hand, collecting the three parcels into his gourd.
With over a hundred catties of tea, he couldn't possibly finish it. Some could be gifted to the White Cloud Temple, Liu Family, and Wang Family as gifts.
Lu Zheng accepted the gifts, and the happiest was Qin Huilian, "Huilian has reserved a private room at Baihua Building and invites Immortal Lu, Young Master Xu, and the two fairies to join her so that Huilian may express her gratitude."
...
After enjoying a meal, it transpired that Xu Yihong was still traveling widely and came to Yongzhou intending to venture into the Southern Border to seek suitable sword refining materials.
"Speaking of sword refining," Xu Yihong asked Lu Zheng, "Brother Lu, have you gone to Feiyu Mountain to obtain the sword refining technique?"
Lu Zheng blinked, pondered, and then nodded, "I've been there, and Fairy Han Jian generously shared the sword refining technique from the 'Feiyu Riding the Dawn Sword Scripture' with me."
"Oh?" Xu Yihong's eyes lit up, "So Brother Lu, having come to Yongzhou, are you also preparing to head to the Southern Border to seek sword refining materials?"
Lu Zheng blinked again, reluctant to dampen Xu Yihong's enthusiasm, but...
"No, we're visiting friends in the Southern Border; we've just returned from there." Lu Zheng said, "As for the flying sword, it's already been refined."
"Refined?" Xu Yihong was dumbfounded; was it that easy?
"Yes, refined," Lu Zheng nodded, patted the gourd, and the Silver Feather Cyan Mist Sword automatically flew out, circled the elegant room once, and returned to the gourd.
"Alright then..."
It was Xu Yihong who had told Lu Zheng the sword refining technique, yet, while he was still searching the world for sword refining spiritual materials, Lu Zheng had already refined the sword. And judging by the silvery gleam on the cyan flying sword, it was undoubtedly a fine sword.
Xu Yihong was at a loss for words and could only drink down a cup of wine, resolving that he'd also refine his flying sword as soon as possible.
...
After finishing the meal, Xu Yihong ventured into the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Southern Border, while Lu Zheng took to the skies, cloud-riding, with the two ladies, heading north.
