Was a Dignified Golden Core Patriarch Really This Lousy?

Huh?

Was a dignified Golden Core patriarch really this lousy?

Li Ye wore a complicated expression, looking as though he wanted to say something but dared not.

Yet he could still clearly remember how, not long ago, the grand array had activated, winds and clouds surging through the mountain gates as it tried to intercept the streak of bloody light, only for it to escape in the end.

The words spoken afterward by that aged, furious voice that had resounded throughout the sect further confirmed it all.

Even now, the sect's grand array above Li Ye remained activated and on alert, wind and clouds howling as they blotted out the sky and sun.

"I heard it with my own ears while I was at the elder's side. How could it be false?!"

The boy before Li Ye, who stood only half his height, looked indignant, seemingly displeased that Li Ye would actually doubt the momentous news he had gone out of his way to share.

"Of course I believe you, fellow Daoist Xiangyang. It's just that this is truly too outrageous. I can't quite accept it yet..."

Li Ye hurried to explain, looking apprehensive.

"The patriarch is the true pillar holding up our sect. If anything happened to him, there are plenty of factions in the Huan Kingdom and the surrounding lands eyeing our Purple Profound Sect like tigers watching their prey!"

At that, Boy Xiangyang's little face creased, and worry and fear welled up in his eyes.

Elder Ji Qing had now gone to the sect's main hall to discuss matters. What the boy had told Li Ye was pieced together from the few words he had overheard when Elder Ji received the message earlier.

If the news hadn't shocked Boy Xiangyang so much that he had instinctively wanted to find someone to share the burden with, things would have been different.

Even though he and Li Ye had become fairly familiar over the past few months, he wouldn't have rashly come to tell Li Ye such important news.

"Surely it can't be that bad..."

Boy Xiangyang said hesitantly,

"I heard that villain Cai suddenly attacked while the patriarch was personally examining his physique and had almost no defenses up."

"But with the patriarch's Golden Core Divine Abilities, he was merely caught off guard, which let Cai land a blow and immediately flee far away. Even if he'd planned it for a long time, I doubt he could have truly hurt the patriarch..."

Li Ye listened silently, shaking his head inwardly.

High Person Purple Profound really couldn't complain about being caught out!

As the dignified patriarch of the sect, how could he have imagined that a rising star of considerable renown and distinguished battle achievements in his own sect would suddenly attack him during an audience, while he was examining the young man's aptitude as a gesture of goodwill?

Even leaving aside their respective positions as sect patriarch and junior disciple, the absolute advantage a Golden Core cultivator held over someone who had just entered Foundation Establishment meant he could hardly have been on guard.

Yet that was exactly what Cai Shiwei had done!

Looking back now at everything involving Cai Shiwei, Li Ye could see some clues.

The Devil Cultivators who had suddenly appeared earlier had probably all been part of a scheme to let Cai Shiwei distinguish himself in the Purple Profound Sect and attract the attention of its upper ranks...

And his subsequent efforts to keep increasing his renown and contributions to the sect through various means had most likely been aimed at securing a personal audience with High Person Purple Profound as soon as possible.

At that thought, Li Ye felt somewhat relieved.

Fortunately, he had realized early on that Cai Shiwei's behavior was strange and carried unknown dangers, and had wisely done his best to distance himself from the man.

Even when Cai Shiwei had personally come to invite him, attracting some attention, he had taken the opportunity to push Li Zongyin forward.

Otherwise, given that the sect would surely arrest and interrogate every disciple closely associated with Cai Shiwei as quickly as possible,

he certainly wouldn't have escaped being implicated!

"Even so, I'm afraid I'll still have some trouble. But if Elder Ji Qing's character is truly as he has always shown it to be, there shouldn't be much of a problem..."

But compared with that matter, for which he was already somewhat mentally prepared, Li Ye had a greater worry.

Judging by High Person Purple Profound's earlier tone, full of fury and brimming with killing intent, he hadn't sounded unhurt!

And Cai Shiwei, with a cultivation level only just into Foundation Establishment, had not only managed an assassination attempt on a Golden Core patriarch.

After causing such a huge commotion, he had even managed to escape the patriarch's furious strike and the blockade of a third-tier grand array!

That was a third-tier grand array!

It could wield the power of the void to a certain extent, and the space within it was practically a world unto itself. Sealing off and shifting the many things within the array was no challenge at all!

"That talisman he used then was probably either a third-tier Restriction-Breaking Talisman or a second-tier one reinforced by special means... Otherwise, there's no way he could have broken through the array's spatial blockade and escaped with his life!"

He had actually been able to produce something so precious!

It seemed Cai Shiwei's status within the faction backing him was special as well.

Otherwise, they could have simply arranged for a deathsworn to carry out the assassination. Why go to the trouble of preparing a means of escape for him?

A means of gravely injuring a Golden Core cultivator, a special Restriction-Breaking Talisman, the continual advancement of Cai Shiwei's renown and cultivation...

So much preparation and planning, all for a chance to grievously injure High Person Purple Profound... Just what faction was pulling the strings behind this?

And just how badly had High Person Purple Profound been hurt...?

News of the attack on the Golden Core patriarch would most likely be impossible to conceal.

If the Purple Profound Sect couldn't promptly put forth a powerful deterrent, the Huan Kingdom's immortal cultivation world would surely be thrown into panic, with numerous factions itching to make a move...

No! The faction behind this had now succeeded in its scheme and would most likely make more moves next.

Unless High Person Purple Profound was completely unscathed, whether the Huan Kingdom's cultivation world fell into chaos might no longer be for the Purple Profound Sect to decide!

When that time came, would his peaceful days of farming be able to continue?

Seeing that Li Ye had not replied for some time, Boy Xiangyang couldn't help nudging him.

"Li Ye, don't panic so much. With our sect's foundations, even if villains stir up trouble, we can easily suppress them. Why be so completely beside yourself?"

Looking at the boy's forced expression of calm and confidence, Li Ye shook his head and gave a bitter smile.

"Of course I believe the patriarch's divine might is beyond any villain's power to challenge! It's just that I was blind in the past and had some dealings with that villain Cai. Although I later took the initiative to sever ties with him, I'm afraid I'll still have to make a trip to the Law Enforcement Hall..."

"Don't panic!"

Boy Xiangyang, however, shook his head unconcernedly, bobbing his head like a little adult as he said,

"When the elder recruited you as a Spirit Plant disciple for the cave abode's spirit fields, he naturally had his subordinates look into your affairs..."

"What that lowly maid surnamed Xiong said about your relationship with Cai Shiwei naturally couldn't escape the elder's notice!"

"If you truly severed ties and stopped having contact with him, the elder naturally won't stand by and let the Law Enforcement Hall rashly punish and imprison you or treat you unfairly..."

He spoke as though he knew exactly what he was talking about, though it was hard to say where his confidence came from.

Li Ye was just about to play along, put on an excited expression, and say a few words of thanks when he saw the boy frown and pull out a token.

With a gentle wave, the clouds and mist shrouding the mountaintop parted a little, revealing a path.

A group of three law enforcement disciples immediately flew straight in, heading directly toward the two of them.

Their cultivation levels were all roughly at the middle-stage level.

Now, all of them stared coldly at Li Ye, each with a hand on the magic sword hanging at his waist, and asked,

"Are you Li Ye?"

"I am." Li Ye nodded, not at all flustered.

"The Law Enforcement Hall summons you. Come with us at once!"

The man in the lead spoke decisively. The two disciples behind him stared fixedly at Li Ye, as though they would immediately strike and kill him on the spot if he made any move to resist.

Li Ye blinked at Boy Xiangyang and said calmly,

"Then let's go."