♂,
The man transporting the treasure was Chi Feng, Hu Qingya's most capable subordinate. His fate was unknown, but he was probably dead. This was a tremendous loss for Central Province's intelligence network and meant its operations would be paralyzed for a time.
This pendant was extraordinary, so it was no wonder Hu Qingya had sent him to deliver it. But whoever she had sent, the outcome probably would have been the same. The enemy must have set their sights on the World-Purifying Qinglian Leaf.
Who was collecting the World-Purifying Qinglian Leaves now? Perhaps Li Taichong of Yue Province, or perhaps Wan Songxiao. Both wanted to summon the Qingping Sword and use it to accomplish some secret purpose.
Including the leaf Wan Songxiao had tricked me out of earlier, we had now lost three in total. Only Zhao Qian's World-Purifying Qinglian Leaf book card remained intact. Given how important the leaves were, I immediately took out a communication talisman and warned Zhao Qian to watch out for anyone coveting her book card.
The reply, however, sent a chill through me. Zhao Qian had already used her book card. Fortunately, she had not lost the leaf.
But with my master, the Sword Demon, protecting her, how could Zhao Qian have needed to use the book card? Even if the World-Purifying Qinglian Leaf had not been lost, she must have been in terrible danger at the time. I hurriedly sent another communication talisman to ask about her situation.
Zhao Qian had plenty of my communication talismans, so she soon replied with a few words: "Encountered a powerful enemy on the road. Had no choice but to use it."
I understood. Zhao Qian was on her way to the Inner Immortal Sea to contact the Queen Mother of the West and the others.