After observing outside the pit for a while, Tian Buyi's expression grew increasingly grim. He even leaped straight into the pit, telling the other two to wait outside.
Lin Jingyu and Qi Hao waited for quite some time before Tian Buyi finally jumped back out, his face heavy with concern.
"Martial Uncle Tian, did you find anything?"
The two asked Tian Buyi anxiously.
"There is nothing else inside the pit, but there are many lingering traces of sword qi. Other than that, there is only scorched earth struck by lightning, and the spiritual energy within is unusually violent."
"This..."
Tian Buyi's gaze sharpened, but he remained silent for a long while.
"This what? Martial Uncle Tian, don't keep us in suspense at a time like this."
The two had been waiting to hear Tian Buyi's analysis, yet he unexpectedly stopped speaking. It left their curiosity thoroughly aroused.
"This means that this pit is where the Heavenly Treasure descended. Moreover, it is very likely a sword-type treasure, imbued with the Lightning Attribute."
Tian Buyi spoke to the two with utmost seriousness.
The moment those words were spoken, Lin Jingyu and Qi Hao fell silent in shock.
It was actually a Sword Dao Treasure!
One had to know that nine out of every ten Qingyun Sect disciples were sword cultivators. Tian Buyi, Qi Hao, and Lin Jingyu were all sword cultivators, making them especially sensitive to Sword Dao Treasures. The Zhu Xian Sword passed down by Qingyun Sect's forebears was an innate supreme spiritual treasure. With Zhu Xian Sword in hand, their founding patriarch had created Qingyun's era of prosperity.
For a sword cultivator, obtaining a fine sword was like adding wings to a tiger. Furthermore, this Heavenly Treasure possessed the Lightning Attribute, one of the most violent attributes, with exceptional power and lethality.
One could imagine just how precious this Heavenly Treasure was.
Yet its place of descent was clearly Nine Yin Mountain, only dozens of miles from Qingyun Sect, but the Demonic Cult had seized it first. This was absolutely intolerable!
Lin Jingyu in particular was gnashing his teeth in fury.
Before coming here, he had thought that this Heavenly Treasure might recognize him, a heaven-blessed prodigy, as its master. He had even imagined the envious looks everyone would give him when he obtained it.
But now, they had figured out the nature of the Heavenly Treasure. It was actually a Sword Dao Treasure, and a Lightning Attribute one at that. Its compatibility with him could be called perfect. It had clearly been prepared for him.
And now they were telling him that the destined supreme treasure of Lin Jingyu had been snatched away first by those Demonic Cult people?
How could he not be furious?
"No, this matter is of great importance. Notify all disciples to gather at once, then go find those Demonic Cult scum who only know how to sneak around and take back the treasure!"
Tian Buyi made his decision immediately. This training expedition was over; recovering the treasure was now the most urgent matter.
Otherwise, if those Demonic Cult members acquired a Sword Dao Treasure like the Zhu Xian Sword, it would deal an enormous blow to the righteous path.
"Alright!"
The two also understood the gravity of the matter and hurriedly summoned back all the disciples who had gone out training.
Shuiyue and Lu Xueqi had not gone far when they received Tian Buyi's voice transmission. Shuiyue stopped, and Lu Xueqi asked in confusion, "Master, what is it?"
"Your Martial Uncle Tian sent me a voice transmission. He says the Heavenly Treasure has been found, but the Demonic Cult took it first. He wants me to return and discuss a solution with him."
Shuiyue said with a frown.
"Then what do we do now?"
Ahead, their little junior brother's whereabouts remained unknown, and every moment meant greater danger. Behind them, they had learned of the Heavenly Treasure's location, only for it to have been stolen by the Demonic Cult. Both matters were extremely important. How were they to choose?
"Let's go back first."
Although Shuiyue was worried for Su Changqing's safety, she understood even more clearly the importance of the sect and the treasure. After weighing both sides, she chose to deal with the treasure first.
The two then retraced their route and rejoined the others.
Tian Buyi looked at the Qingyun Sect group gathered once more and explained the treasure matter to everyone in detail. Like Lin Jingyu and Qi Hao, they were all deeply shocked.
Shuiyue was somewhat doubtful. She stepped forward to inspect the pit, silently releasing a strand of spiritual energy to investigate. The result she obtained was roughly the same as Tian Buyi's.
Seeing Tian Buyi's questioning gaze, Shuiyue nodded at him.
This further confirmed the identity of the Heavenly Treasure.
A lightning-element Sword Dao Treasure capable of triggering heavenly lightning upon its descent?!
What kind of supreme treasure was that?!
Little Bamboo Peak possessed a top-tier lightning-compatible Sword Dao cultivation technique called the Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique. It was undoubtedly one of the most terrifyingly powerful Sword Dao techniques in the world today.
Shuiyue glanced sideways at her disciple Lu Xueqi. Lu Xueqi cultivated this technique and was already one of the most outstanding disciples of Qingyun Sect's younger generation. If she could obtain this supreme treasure, then with sword and technique perfectly matched, the power it unleashed could increase severalfold or even dozens of times over.
"Martial Uncle Tian, Martial Uncle Shuiyue, and fellow disciples, we cannot allow the Demonic Cult to take such a treasure. We must find them quickly and reclaim it!"
While everyone was still reeling in astonishment, Lin Jingyu had already put on a solemn expression and earnestly rallied the others.
Tian Buyi and Shuiyue both frowned slightly. Before either of them had spoken, Lin Jingyu had already begun making decisions. Still, his words were reasonable, so there was no need to contradict him.
Looking at the other disciples, they were all stirred up by Lin Jingyu's words.
"That's right! Junior Brother Lin is right! We absolutely cannot let the Demonic Cult take such a supreme treasure!"
"That's right! Nine Yin Mountain is only dozens of miles from Qingyun Sect. It is clearly within our sect's territory, yet those hateful Demonic Cult members came to our land and stole it! We cannot let this matter end here!"
"Take it back! Take it back!"
The disciples were all fired up by Lin Jingyu, loudly condemning the Demonic Cult's actions. The cries of "Take it back" grew louder and louder!
Seeing that they had all been stirred up by him, Lin Jingyu was inwardly thrilled.
This was the influence of Lin Jingyu. This was the charm of a heaven-blessed prodigy. Who else but Lin Jingyu could be the foremost disciple among the younger generation?
"Alright, stop shouting for now. If you alert the Demonic Cult, it will only become harder to find them."
Tian Buyi waved his hand, signaling the disciples to stop shouting. He then said to them, "This time, no one will act alone. I will lead everyone into the mountains to search for the Demonic Cult's whereabouts."
Afterward, the group advanced in a grand procession toward the depths of Nine Yin Mountain.
At the same time, the Demonic Cult was also searching for the whereabouts of the "murderer."
"Sect Leader Qiu, a disciple reports that a group is heading this way in search of us. Judging by their clothing, they appear to be from Qingyun Sect."
A Demonic Cult disciple hurriedly reported to Qiu Buping.
"People from Qingyun Sect? Why would they come here? Our information has never been leaked. Could the person from earlier have been sent by them to investigate?"
When Qiu Buping heard that Qingyun Sect had come, he was afraid from the bottom of his heart. Qingyun Sect was currently the Leading Sect of the Righteous Path, and its strength could not be underestimated. It was not something a minor sect leader like him could handle.
But as members of the Demonic Cult, fearing neither heaven nor earth had always been their way of doing things.
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