IVYSCP - Chapter 124

Chapter 124

One month later—Ling Qingyue, as Piaomiao Sect's guest elder, led the group to Shangtianqiong Sect for the Ranking Tournament.

"Senior, is something on your mind?" Lu Yao saw Ling Qingyue sitting alone at the front of the skyship and came over to sit beside her.

Since returning to Piaomiao Sect, Ling Qingyue had gone into secluded cultivation with Pei Yin, only emerging today. She and Lu Yao had not seen each other for a month and a half.

Ling Qingyue observed the spiritual energy circulating through Lu Yao's body and nodded approvingly. "Not bad at all. You've improved a great deal. You must have been working very diligently during this time."

Delighted by the praise, Lu Yao raised a hand and scratched her head sheepishly. "If I weren't a little more diligent, how could I possibly follow Senior to Shangtianqiong?"

Ling Qingyue gazed toward the distant horizon and said softly, "This Ranking Tournament won't be so simple."

Lu Yao did not catch the deeper meaning in her words. She assumed Ling Qingyue meant the tournament would feature outstanding disciples from every immortal sect. Not discouraged in the least, she smiled brightly. "I know I can't compare to those peers with extraordinary natural talent, but I'll do my best not to bring shame to Piaomiao Sect or to you, Senior!"

She had even learned a few moves from Senior before.

Ling Qingyue looked at her clear, bright, dark eyes and smiled. "Alright."

Pei Yin, as Immortal Venerable, had already gone ahead to Shangtianqiong. Besides the ten Piaomiao Sect disciples participating in the tournament, the skyship also carried Qiu Feng and Yu Liuli with disguised identities, as well as Chu Qianshan and Pei Congyi. Pei Xi and Xue Zizai were along as well.

When they passed through the Nanyu mountain range, Ling Qingyue sensed two other skyships approaching. She extended her divine sense outward and discovered two people heading toward them with clear intent.

Once she confirmed it was Ying Ying and Chi Que, Ling Qingyue did not stop them.

The moment Ying Ying landed, she looked Ling Qingyue over from head to toe. Seeing that she had not changed at all since over a month ago, her expression turned puzzled.

Ling Qingyue had originally planned to arrange a meeting with the two of them after arriving at Shangtianqiong. She had not expected them to seek her out on their own.

On this journey she intended to take back Jiuge. Disturbances were certain to arise during the Ranking Tournament. If her half-demon identity were exposed, she would need Lingxu Immortal Palace and Wushi Sect to suppress the other immortal sects in order to prevent interference from the Hundred Immortal Sects.

"You two, come with me."

Ling Qingyue led them into the skyship's main inner chamber. Inside, Chu Qianshan was playing chess against Pei Congyi. Chu Qianshan was a terrible player who kept trying to take back moves. Pei Congyi never got angry with her, just wiped her off the board step by step until not a single piece remained.

On the other side, Qiu Feng and Yu Liuli sat cross-legged at a low table, their brows heavy with worry.

When Ling Qingyue brought the two in, Chu Qianshan and Pei Congyi paid no attention. Yu Liuli heard movement and raised her eyes to look. Her expression shifted slightly, and she nearly knocked over the teacup beside her hand.

Both Yu Liuli and Qiu Feng had disguised themselves to conceal their identities, their bodies covered by Cangshan formations. As long as they did not release their own auras, others would find them difficult to detect.

So when Ying Ying saw Yu Liuli staring fixedly at her, she found it somewhat puzzling. Still, she nodded politely and asked, puzzled, "Why does this immortal friend look at me like that?"

Yu Liuli glanced at Ling Qingyue. Seeing no reaction from her, she raised a hand and removed her disguise.

As the disguised features slowly shifted, Ying Ying's eyes widened.

"Liu... Cousin Liuli!"

Yu Liuli nodded and said to her, "Ying Ying, it's been a long time."

Ying Ying knew that Ling Qingyue and Pei Yin had gone to the Great Wilderness. She had wondered whether the two of them might have found traces of Yu Liuli. She had originally been about to ask, but she never imagined that these two had actually brought her out of the Great Wilderness!

Her gaze shifted and Ying Ying looked at the person beside Yu Liuli. This one couldn't be...

No! Impossible! The Immortal Venerable could bring Cousin Liuli out, probably because her spiritual energy remained pure, but Qiu Feng was a half-demon. How could the Immortal Venerable release a half-demon without authorization?

Ying Ying's mind had just spun through this thought when she heard Yu Liuli introduce the person. "This is Qiu Feng."

Ying Ying choked on a breath. She staggered two steps backward and would have fallen if Chi Que had not caught her by the lower back to steady her.

She took two deep breaths to calm herself, then turned her head to look at Ling Qingyue. "You're bringing her... to Shangtianqiong?"

The Ranking Tournament gathered the Hundred Immortal Sects, and they were brazenly sneaking a half-demon in. Did they have a death wish?

"Senior Chu, would you mind setting up a barrier?" Ling Qingyue called out to the two playing chess over there.

Without even raising her head, Chu Qianshan let a barrier descend over them.

After emerging from secluded cultivation, Ling Qingyue had noticed that Senior Chu's temper had improved considerably. She no longer glared at her or found her an eyesore.

That was a good thing!

Looking at the barrier enclosing them on all sides, Ying Ying felt as if she had boarded a pirate ship. She wanted to run.

"Please, sit." Ling Qingyue's manner was exceedingly attentive.

Ying Ying grew even more suspicious. She shot Chi Que a look.

What does she want?

Chi Que returned the look.

Nothing good.

The two reached a consensus through their silent speculation and discussed with their eyes whether they should flee. But this barrier had been set up by Chu Qianshan, so escape would probably not be easy.

Just as the two were exchanging glances, a head appeared between their lines of sight.

Ling Qingyue blinked. "Don't just look at each other. Tell me what you want to say."

Ying Ying: "..."

Chi Que: "..."

Ying Ying sighed and looked straight at her. "What are you planning to do?"

Ling Qingyue raised an eyebrow. "This Ranking Tournament will not proceed as expected."

Ying Ying and Chi Que exchanged a glance.

To declare with such certainty that the tournament would not proceed normally before it had even begun—this was not fate but human design. Ling Qingyue was going to stir up trouble.

Over a month ago, after Ling Qingyue and Pei Yin entered the Great Wilderness, Ying Ying had analyzed the situation with Chi Que. Ling Qingyue had been revived yet concealed her identity and did not return to Shangtianqiong, and she opposed Shangtianqiong at every turn. There had to be something suspicious behind it.

And several months ago, word had spread that the top prize of this tournament would be the divine weapon Jiuge. Jiuge was Ling Qingyue's lifebound sword. No matter how you looked at it, it could not be given away like this.

They had concluded that Ling Qingyue likely had a rift with Shangtianqiong.

So the disruption to the tournament...

Ying Ying formed a guess and asked, "You want to seize the sword?"

But she felt it could not be just about seizing the sword. If it were only about seizing the sword, Ling Qingyue would not look at her and Chi Que like she needed a favor. Could it be...

Ying Ying's heart jolted in alarm. Unable to control her voice, she exclaimed, "You want Chi Que and me to help you seize the sword?!"

It all fit, it all fit!

Ling Qingyue: "..."

If she really wanted to seize the sword, she had Pei Yin. Why would she need them? Although of course she did need to take Jiuge back.

"I'm going to make a move against Lou Wudu. When the time comes, I want to borrow the influence of Lingxu Immortal Palace and Wushi Sect to keep the other immortal sects in check."

Ying Ying and Chi Que both frowned.

They truly were dissatisfied with Shangtianqiong under Lou Wudu's rule. They also hoped that Ling Qingyue's resurrection could change the current state of Shangtianqiong. But they had never imagined that Ling Qingyue would say she wanted to make a move against Lou Wudu.

Ying Ying asked cautiously, "Make a move... meaning?"

Ling Qingyue pressed her lips together. Her expression was calm, but her eyes were exceptionally resolute. "Kill her."

The two across from her both drew in a breath at the same time. Neither could control her expression.

Ying Ying slammed a hand on the table and asked in disbelief, "What did you say?!"

Ling Qingyue looked at her. "Lou Wudu must die."

Ying Ying could not quite process this.

The bond between Ling Qingyue and Lou Wudu, as martial sisters, was said to be deep. How had Ling Qingyue's return from revival turned into an irreconcilable death feud?

Ling Qingyue naturally understood the confusion and bewilderment in their eyes. Since she was asking the two of them for help, there was no longer any need to keep Lou Wudu's secrets.

"A few months ago, the Immortal Alliance brought back a batch of immortal cultivator corpses from Linshui Town in the Mortal Realm. Among those bones were disciples of many immortal sects. The Immortal Alliance concealed this and did not report it. Liu Qingtang of Piaomiao Sect was framed a hundred years ago. Gu vines were used to control her mind and spirit while she was held beneath the Back Mountain of Linshui Town, suppressing the souls of immortal cultivators. On the day I traveled from Linshui Town to Piaomiao Sect, the entire town of Linshui Town in the Mortal Realm suffered soul-searching unto death, and the town was burned to ashes. A hundred years ago, the annihilation of the Liuyun Immortal Sect was the work of a single person, who afterward framed the Demon Race and successfully set off the Immortal-Demon War. The previous Hidden Moon Lord of the Yue Family was not murdered by the Demon Race, but silenced by someone else. My own death back then was also murder. And my master, Shangtianqiong's Sword Venerable Wang Changming, has now been refined into a Gu Vine, tormented day after day."

Ling Qingyue listed them one by one, matter by matter. A bloody hue slowly crept into her eyes, and killing intent surged up.

Ying Ying and Chi Que had long since been shocked into silence. Any single one of these was beyond what they could have imagined, yet all of these things were actually...

"She did all of it. Tell me, does she deserve to die?" Ling Qingyue closed her eyes and drew a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in her heart.

She could now use demonic qi freely.

"She deserves to die!" Ying Ying and Chi Que said in unison.

After speaking, Ying Ying frowned and looked worriedly at Ling Qingyue. "Lou Wudu's cultivation is exceedingly high. Back then, she even surpassed the two seniors of Lingxu Immortal Palace and Wushi Sect. Now, no one knows what level her cultivation has reached. You..."

Her words faltered. She did not know how to put it delicately. In her eyes, Ling Qingyue was still only at Core Formation. Even with the Immortal Venerable's help, it would probably be difficult to deal with her.

"We can help you." Chi Que spoke up.

Ying Ying turned her head to look at her, utterly shocked.

Did I agree to that? Since when is it "we"? Who's "we" with you? Although she really did want to help, did Chi Que even know who they would be up against? Lou Wudu?!

Chi Que did not look at her and refused to accept her silent protest.

Ying Ying: "..."

Ling Qingyue smiled, genuinely moved. "Thank you, but I don't want to drag you two into this matter. When the time comes, you only need to help me keep those immortal sects in check."

Ying Ying nodded.

That was true. Lou Wudu was still the Immortal Alliance Leader now. Although many immortal sects were dissatisfied with Shangtianqiong's way of doing things, quite a few still supported her.

It seemed this Ranking Tournament truly would be a gathering storm. Ying Ying turned her gaze to Yu Liuli. "Cousin Liuli... do you want to return to Lingxu Immortal Palace first? Mother has also missed you greatly all these years."

At this time, Shangtianqiong had become a dangerous place.

Yu Liuli shook her head and held Qiu Feng's hand tightly.

Seeing this, Ying Ying hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "You can bring Qiu Feng back with you."

Yu Liuli was slightly startled, hardly able to believe that Ying Ying would concede to this extent. She had to know that Qiu Feng was a half-demon.

"Thank you." Yu Liuli still refused. "Qiu Feng also has a blood debt of deep hatred against Lou Wudu. I want to stay with her."

Ying Ying pressed her lips together and said nothing more.

"We've arrived." Chu Qianshan suddenly spoke up to alert them.

They were already within Shangtianqiong's territory.

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