"It's been eaten."
Shen Qi stared blankly at his surroundings. For some reason, he had a very strange feeling. When Chen Qing said that, he felt as if he could be eaten at any moment.
This feeling was so intense that he couldn't help but tense up all over.
Just as his body was reflexively releasing energy, a heavy pressure came from his shoulder. Shen Qi snapped back to reality and looked at the person pressing on his shoulder, slightly taken aback. "Master?"
"Calm down," Chen Qing said, looking at him. "Don't use any power, and always keep a peaceful mind."
"Hmm?" Shen Qi was taken aback again upon hearing this, and a guess suddenly came to mind.
Could it be...?
"Thank you for your assistance, Madam." Chen Qing said to the stunned Beiyu Family beside him.
"You're too kind, sir." The old lady quickly returned the greeting. Having been in charge of the Beiyu Family for many years, although she was shocked by the scene before her, she managed to remain calm and did not panic immediately.
"My lord, what... what exactly happened? My master..."
Chen Qing glanced at the skeletons scattered throughout the courtyard and said in a low voice, " Old Master Beiyu is a smart man; he shouldn't have met with such an accident so quickly. However, Madam, you must not be careless. If you trust me, please answer some questions for me."
"Your Excellency is too kind," the old lady quickly replied. "Now that Northern Yan has submitted to Jiangnan, Your Highness Prince King of Qin is the de facto ruler of Northern Yan. This old lady will obey Your Highness's orders."
This statement was quite decisive. Chen Qing nodded slightly; the old lady of the Beiyu Family was quite sensible.
"May I ask you, Madam, how many aristocratic families in the entire Northern Wolf City were recruited by those sects back then? Do you know an approximate number of the families involved in this conflict?"
The old lady was taken aback. Did His Highness Prince King of Qin really not know about such a thing?
With such intelligence control, how did he manage to get the emperor to openly declare his allegiance? And how did he manage to prevent the major aristocratic families from opposing him?
This is really strange.
Despite their doubts, they dared not be negligent. Their master had mysteriously disappeared, and the secluded chamber was now filled with such a chilling scene. This person in front of them might have a way to save their master!
"This sect's activities started last year. The members of that sect seem to have some connection with those giant serpents outside. They're clearly not from the same group, but each one seems to be able to make those giant pythons obey and not invade the Northern Wasteland. Most importantly, they can provide cultivation techniques that allow First Rank sorcerers to advance further."
"This kind of temptation is simply irresistible to any aristocratic family."
Shen Qi nodded in agreement. First Rank is the pinnacle of all sorcerers in the world. The so-called "Above First Rank" is actually just a pseudo-concept. Everyone knows that once a sorcerer reaches First Rank, there is no way forward. The only difference is the quality of their spells and their killing power. But in terms of realm, no one can actually be much higher than anyone else.
For any cultivator who has reached the First Rank, a cultivation technique that surpasses the First Rank is the ultimate temptation.
"These so-called sects are giving away their cultivation techniques like they're free. They haven't even finalized the terms yet, but as long as a powerful family is willing to support their sect, they'll just give them away. They don't discriminate based on the size of the family; any family with even a little bit of sorcery knowledge is a target for their recruitment."
"In this situation, which family would fall behind? So basically, everyone was afraid of being left behind, and within just a few days, the family was divided up by various sects. Among them, the Nether Moon Sect had the greatest power, but our Beiyu Family took a slightly more conservative approach and ultimately chose the Radiant Sun Sect."
"Which are the most powerful companies?" Chen Qing asked again.
"Most sorcerer families choose between the Nether Moon and the Radiant Sun, while those with military bloodlines tend to choose the same sect as the Murong Family. That sect is relatively low-key, but it has the support of almost all families with military bloodlines."
Chen Qing nodded upon hearing this. He had considered this situation. Different cultivation methods attract different people. Bloodline families would certainly not be very interested in spiritual cultivation, but the method of infinitely compressing the physical body was the fastest way for many First Rank martial artists to improve, and it was also the most effective. As long as they practiced it a little, they could make progress, so it would definitely be sought after.
The Nether Moon Sect suffered setbacks in several other places, but they managed to establish a foothold here, so they are unlikely to admit defeat easily.
The Radiant Sun Sect has already controlled three cities. Judging from the terrain, Northern Wolf City is the last entrance to the Arctic. If the Radiant Sun Sect were to occupy it as well, the entire northern region would be dominated by one power. It is unlikely that the other forces would allow such a thing to happen.
Therefore, as Chen Qing had anticipated, the battle for Northern Wolf City would be exceptionally fierce this time.
Judging from the words of the old lady of the Beiyu Family, it seems that only three families are mainly vying for this place.
Three
Chen Qing pondered the information that Mr. Heavenly Secrets had once given him: the Four Great Guilds possessed the most ancient power and almost monopolized this world!
If there are three religious factions, then who is the last one?
Nether Moon is affiliated with the Divine Martial Guild, while the identities of the other two are currently unknown. Could it be that the third guild has abandoned the North?
Are the forces behind the Dragon Mother in the Central Plains just going to stand by and watch this lucrative prize in the north go untouched?
Although the Ghost Temple's methods could keep up with the Heavenly Python Palace, Chen Qing felt that completely abandoning the North was not quite right, and the current situation might be the reason.
"Please ask the old lady to go out for a walk." Chen Qing immediately came to his senses and said, "Inquire about the families you are on good terms with, and whether their masters who are in seclusion are still in their secret chambers."
"This..." The old lady asked cautiously, "Your Highness, are you guessing that all the heads of the noble families who went into seclusion have disappeared, just like our Beiyu Family?"
"Yes"
"Won't that old woman's blatant inquiries alert the enemy?"
"No." Chen Qing gave a wry smile. "If I'm not mistaken, the thing that caused all this poses no threat to you, Madam, or anyone else who hasn't hidden themselves. You can go and inquire without worry."
"This..." The old lady was taken aback. After all, it concerned her husband's safety, so she couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, are you saying that all of this was caused by one thing?"
She gazed at the endless white bones in the secret chamber and whispered, "Are they demons?"
"I guess so," Chen Qing said with a wry smile, unsure of what to say.
"It seems this old woman is not qualified to know what it is," the old woman said with a wry smile.
"For your safety, and for the safety of the Beiyu Family, I cannot tell you for now," Chen Qing said in a low voice. "But please rest assured, old woman, if Old Master Beiyu is still alive, I will do my utmost to save him."
"Then, Your Highness, I'll leave it to you."
--
"My lord, have you determined what it is?"
After leaving Beiyu Family, Shen Qi couldn't help but ask, and while asking, he couldn't help but look around.
"I shouldn't have brought you along," Chen Qing sighed.
"What do you mean by that, my lord?" Shen Qi was taken aback.
"Your feeling just now was right." Chen Qing looked at Shen Qi: "Did you just have a feeling that something was next to you, like it might eat you at any moment?"
Shen Qi felt a chill run down his spine. He had felt the same way just now; he could even feel that thing sniffing him.
"I was wrong from the start," Chen Qing sighed. "I was outmaneuvered!"
"Were we set up?" Shen Qi looked at Chen Qing, it was the first time he had ever heard Chen Qing say that he had been set up.
"Who plotted against us?"
"That big, seemingly honest-looking creature outside the city."