Storm Clouds Gather over Qingping County

After saying goodbye to the various External Scenery.

Yu Tunzhou took a different route, deliberately passing through a county town called Qingping.

This place is also the hometown of the Great Hero Zhuang Yuan.

If nothing goes wrong, Zhuang Yuan should have already been sent back to Qingping County for burial by Yuan Mengzhou and others.

Before I knew it, almost half a year had passed since I left West Xuan Commandery.

It was already night when we entered the county town.

As night deepened, Yu Tunzhou strolled through the streets and discovered that this county town seemed to have little nightlife.

After finding a restaurant, Yu Tunzhou had just sat down and ordered a few dishes when he saw a large group of people walking quickly past outside. He asked, "Who were those people just now?"

"Young hero, those were Beggar Sect from the surrounding area," the waiter said, peeking out and lowering his voice. "I heard that a big shot from the Beggar Sect got into trouble nearby, and all the Beggar Sect' Sect members from the surrounding areas have come over!"

A big shot in the Beggar Sect ' Sect?

It couldn't be that gang leader, could it?

Yu Tunzhou glanced outside the shop again, then looked away. He wasn't going to interfere any further. If it really was that old gang leader who had gotten into trouble, well, he'd better run away as soon as possible.

He asked the waiter if a few months ago, a chivalrous man named Zhuang Yuan had been sent back to the county for burial by outsiders.

"Yes, yes, yes! That was quite a spectacle! Heavenly Yang Martial Arts School really made a name for itself." The waiter's face was full of nostalgia and longing, clearly still vivid in his memory of what happened that day.

Yu Tunzhou thought to himself, "It seems that Brother Yuan and his two companions are truly capable."

After inquiring about the location of the cemetery, he also asked about the Heavenly Yang Martial Arts School.

Zhuang Yuan has no relatives; the only place he cherishes and cares about is the Heavenly Yang Martial Arts School where he used to train.

Upon learning that Heavenly Yang Martial Arts School had a very good reputation in the area, and that the old master not only often helped the poor, but also that his disciples were well-trained and of excellent character.

It's true that different environments nurture different people.

After finishing his meal, Yu Tunzhou headed out of the city to pay homage to the Great Hero Zhuang.

As he stepped onto the path leading to the cemetery, he suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on several furtive figures.

By the moonlight, three figures could be seen squatting in front of a grave, dressed in rags, with disheveled hair and dirty faces, typical of the Beggar Sect.

One of them was leaning on a bamboo cane, the cane itself a deep green that gleamed faintly in the moonlight, clearly no ordinary object.

The other two, whose cultivation levels were slightly lower, were digging and excavating graves under the former's command.

After observing for a moment, Yu Tunzhou frowned.

It turns out that members of the Beggar Sect were digging up graves and robbing tombs.

The Beggar Sect' Sect is a mixed bag, full of all sorts of people, which isn't surprising. But the thought that Zhuang Yuan's tomb is also nearby...

As soon as he had a thought, a thunderclap suddenly boomed across the cloudless night sky.

The two beggars who were digging the grave were already uneasy, and when they were startled by the thunder, they dropped their shovels in fright.

The leader looked up in surprise, only to see a cloudless sky, wondering where the thunder was coming from.

He lowered his head and scolded, "What are you afraid of? You're not doing anything wrong, so hurry up!"

Left with no other option, the two beggars picked up their shovels again.

The next moment, a bolt of lightning struck not far from them, and the smell of burning filled the air. The overwhelming pressure of the divine punishment completely broke through the two beggars' mental defenses, causing their legs to buckle and them to collapse to the ground.

Could it be that I'm really getting my comeuppance?!

I told you you shouldn't have come in the middle of the night!

"Who's playing tricks!"

The lead beggar was also startled, and immediately became furious, shouting angrily as he scanned his surroundings.

But the next moment, he suddenly realized that the only ones who could summon the power of heavenly lightning were either those with External Scenery Divine Ability or those who were experts in the External Scenery!

He immediately felt a chill run down his spine and quickly introduced himself, "Friend, don't act rashly. I am Zhang Ping, the Seventh-Bag Leader of the Beggar Sect' Sect. I am here on the orders of the Dharma Protector to investigate the cult's harmful activities in Qingping County!"

Yu Tunzhou had some knowledge of the Beggar Sect ' Sect's structure.

The Seven-Bag Leader is a leader of a Divine Ability Realm. The Eight-Bag Principle a leader at the Late Divine Ability Stage to the Half-Step External Scenery. Above them are the Nine-Bag Elders of the Beggar Sect, a total of six, representing benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, courage, and trustworthiness.

As one of the most powerful sects in the world, the Beggar Sect' Sect actually doesn't have many experts in the External Scenery, with only eight: six elders and two deputy leaders. This is less than a third of the number of experts in major sects like the Nanhua Sect and Shaolin Temple.

However, the Beggar Sect' Sect boasts millions of members at the grassroots level, who are widely dispersed, and it also has the Dharma Aspect Image to maintain its authority, so it can barely be considered one of the largest sects in the world.

Thinking of this.

Yu Tunzhou no longer conceals its tracks and slowly walks out.

Zhang Ping's vision blurred, and he saw a young man in a green robe emerge from the woods. He had outstanding features, a heroic and powerful air about him, and an imposing presence that made Zhang Ping involuntarily feel inferior.

"Little brother----"

Zhang Ping was about to speak when he suddenly asked in surprise, "May I ask if it is the Young Hero Yu Tunzhou in person?"

The Beggar Sect' Sect has its own information channels, and the level of the masters of painting in the Gold-Wielding Guard. Compared with the freehand portraits accompanying the Dragon and Tiger Ranking List, the portraits of the Beggar Sect ' Sect members are more realistic in terms of facial features and eyebrows.

Although there are differences, this subtly overlapping face, coupled with his age and the ability to summon heavenly lightning—

.

There's no mistake!

"It is indeed I, Yu." Yu Tunzhou nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. "There is the grave of a friend of mine nearby. I came to pay my respects as I was passing by. What brings you all to dig up a grave in the dead of night?"

Zhang Ping hurriedly said, "Young Hero Yu, you misunderstand! We are here on the orders of Yan He to investigate Elder Zhu's attack near Qingping County!"

"Zhu Tianhe, the Divine Beggar of Great Benevolence '?"

Yu Tunzhou had at least heard of the six elders of the Beggar Sect.

This Divine Beggar of Great Benevolence was also Grandmaster on the Earth Ranking.

He was actually attacked near Qingping County?

"Exactly!" Zhang Ping said with a somber expression. "Elder Zhu is a kind and benevolent man with a compassionate heart. Not long ago, he was passing through Qingping County when he was attacked nearby. Although he fought his way out, he was seriously injured. The gang was furious when they heard about this and sent us to investigate ahead of time. Another elder is on his way."

Yu Tunzhou pondered to himself.

The Beggar Sect' Sect is a mixed bag, with many internal conflicts, but it is very united in its dealings with outsiders. Moreover, it is known for having the widest information network in the world. So, generally speaking, no one will deliberately provoke the Beggar Sect' Sect. Not only will it bring no benefit, but it is also easy to get into trouble.

Especially the attack on a Beggar Sect' Sect Grandmaster of the External Scenery ----

"What's the connection between the attack on the investigation and digging up graves late at night?" Yu Tunzhou asked.

"To be honest, Young Hero Yu!" Zhang Ping cupped his hands and said, "If nothing unexpected happens, this matter is related to the Incense-Smelling Cult, and it should be the work of those under the command of the Earth Mother."

"The Incense-Smelling Cult?"

Yu Tunzhou's expression hardened; he hadn't heard that name in a while.

"Those under the Earth Mother's command love to steal corpses. We've come here to check and confirm if it's them."

Yu Tunzhou asked, "Who is this Earth Mother?"

Zhang Ping explained, "Among the Twelve Incense-Smelling Twelve Mothers, there is one named Earth-Surging Mother. This Earth Mother is her agent in the Mortal Realm. Her strength is unknown, and she has never shown her face. However, she has two External Scenery who are outsiders. They used to have a grudge against our Beggar Sect Clan."

"Earth-Surging Mother— "Yu Tunzhou pondered, "The name Earth Surge does sound somewhat familiar."

He suddenly froze, then remembered.

In Journey to the West, there's a white-haired rat spirit with a golden nose who calls Tathagata Lady Earth Flow, steals incense, flowers, and candles from Buddha, and is later Tathagata instructed by Buddha to spare her life. She even becomes Li Jing's adopted son.

Thinking about this possibility, Yu Tunzhou couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

Is the Incense-Smelling Cult really that unorthodox?

Azure Clouds Primordial Sovereign is, after all, the Old Mother of Mount Tai.

But how could this rat spirit—be one of the Twelve Mothers?

Perhaps I guessed wrong, who knows?

After all, it's difficult to determine the other party's identity based solely on the name "Earth Surge".

Just in case, he asked the Great Sage.

Upon hearing the name, Huntian was stunned for a long time, then muttered, "You know what, I do have a vague impression of her—I remember now, it's her. One of my sworn brothers' masters has been harassed by her for a long time, repeatedly offering himself to her but being rejected each time, yet she remains infatuated."

Upon hearing this, Yu Tunzhou recalled the old version of Journey to the West that he had watched in his previous life.

When I was younger, I was only interested in watching the monkeys.

It was only later that I realized that none of the women who could seduce Tang Monk were bad-looking or had poor figures.

The rat spirit is said to be the number one in the series.

Huntian recalled, "This rat spirit was quite lucky. She wasn't particularly strong, but she had powerful connections and could do whatever she wanted. Rumor has it that she had a significant karmic connection with Buddha, which is why Buddha repeatedly ordered people to spare her life and even showed her considerable favor."

In the past, it would have scoffed at the behavior of the Earth Surge, who would mistake thieves for their fathers, but now—

"If I remember correctly, this guy eventually attained enlightenment and joined the ranks of immortals, even having a registration in Buddhist School," Huntian sighed. "Later, I heard that my sworn brother's master had an accident, and then this guy gradually disappeared from the public eye."

Yu Tunzhou asked curiously, "Did something happen to Golden Cicada?"

Huntian was taken aback.

And you still say you're not the reincarnation of Xuandu!

Jin Golden Cicada was the second disciple of Buddha. He had reincarnated many times and held a very high position. However, he suddenly disappeared not long after Buddha left. The Buddhist School made no move on this matter. In fact, the name gradually became a taboo in Buddhist School and was eventually lost to the world. Only a few powerful people like them still remembered the name.

This matter seemed particularly strange, and they gradually came to regard it as taboo, unwilling to be involved with it.

Finally, they even stopped uttering their names, fearing karmic entanglements.

Upon hearing Yu Tunzhou's speculation, Huntian shook his head and said, "Not necessarily. As far as I know, there is more than one person with the title ' Earth Surge,' but their strength is generally average."

The two communicated through their Primordial Spirit in an instant; in Zhang Ping's eyes, Yu Tunzhou only pondered for a few breaths.

Zhang Ping said, "As expected, the demons of the Incense-Smelling Cult should have already left. We're just here to confirm things; we have absolutely no intention of burying them alive. We hope Young Hero Yu won't take offense!"

Yu Tunzhou nodded, looked at the location of the cemetery, and used his Primordial Spirit to perceive the underground coffin through the soil. Then his gaze sharpened.

"You guessed right, the tomb is indeed empty," he said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping said with resentment, "These despicable fellows, I wonder if they're just passing through or if they have some other scheme in mind!"

Yu Tunzhou looked around, searching for Zhuang Yuan's tomb. He quickly located a newly erected, very grand tombstone. Only after confirming that the remains were still underground did his brow relax.

"What are these people doing stealing corpses?" Yu Tunzhou asked, turning around.

Zhang Ping hesitated slightly before saying, "I heard that the Earth-Surging Mother seems to be looking for someone—"

He himself found this statement absurd, but that's exactly what the rumor was.

Looking for someone?

Are you looking for dead people in the cemetery?

The idea of Yu Tunzhou seems utterly unbelievable.

Afterwards, Zhang Ping and the others seemed to have other matters to attend to. After confirming that it was indeed the work of the Earth Mother's subordinates, he hurriedly left with his men.

Yu Tunzhou paid his respects at Zhuang Yuan's tomb, then turned and walked back into the city.

Before long, he arrived at the location of the Heavenly Yang Martial Arts School in the city.

He entered through the main gate, visiting as a friend of Zhuang Yuan. The old owner personally greeted him, marveling that Zhuang Yuan had such loyal friends, and that his years had not been in vain.

A boy following behind the old shopkeeper peeked out and suddenly whispered, "Excuse me—Uncle Zhuang, did you offend someone outside?"

Yu Tunzhou looked at the old curator.

The latter smiled wryly and said, "A few months ago, several young heroes brought Zhuang Yuan's remains back and gave him a grand funeral. They said that Zhuang Yuan sacrificed himself to save many people and was a true chivalrous man. We are sincerely happy for him."

"But not long ago, someone returned from the county seat and said that Zhuang Yuan had offended the Jin Household there. So there were a lot of rumors in the county, saying that Zhuang Yuan had offended a big shot and deserved to die, but he had also dragged the entire Qingping County down with him and made them unpopular with the higher-ups. Some people even came to our door, implying that we should go to the county seat to kowtow to the Jin Household and admit our mistakes."

Yu Tunzhou immediately understood, smiled at the boy, and patted him on the shoulder. "No matter where you are in this world, there's no shortage of these sycophants who like to 'interpret' what others mean. Don't bother with such self-degrading people."

"If they come again, tell them to get lost and tell them that I, Yu, said those words."

"If anyone has any objections, let him come find me. I, Yu Tunzhou, will remain unchanged in name and surname, and will soon be heading south to meet with the talented young people of the world."

The boy blurted out, "You're ' Madman ' Yu Tunzhou, ranked fourth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking?!"

His mouth was half-open as he stared incredulously at the man who called himself Yu Tunzhou, wondering if he was hallucinating.

Yu Tunzhou looked at the old master and said slowly, "Great Hero Zhuang saved many people. In the end, he was forced to die voluntarily under the coercion of Jin Xiongfei of the Jin Household. Jin Xiongfei has already died at my hands. This matter ends here. The Jin Household will not implicate the martial arts school because of this, nor will it implicate Qingping County. The old master can rest assured."

77

The old curator, his expression excited, extended both hands. "So you are Young Hero Yu —I've already heard about this from Young Hero Yuan and the others. Thank you, Young Hero Yu, for—"

Yu Tunzhou shook his head and said, "No need for thanks. If anyone comes to cause trouble again in the future, you can go to the Gold-Wielding Guard and mention my name. They will uphold justice."

"The Gold-Wielding Guard's side—" The old curator hesitated.

Yu Tunzhou could roughly guess the man's doubts and smiled, "Before I leave, I will visit the local Gold-Wielding Guard. As long as Heavenly Yang Martial Arts School stays true to its original aspirations, they will handle things impartially."

Thank you----

Yu Tunzhou stopped him. "I've come today for two reasons: first, to pay respects to an old friend, and second, to see where my friend came from, that such a chivalrous person could have been raised here."

Before leaving, he looked at the boy whose eyes were full of admiration and longing, and smiled with narrowed eyes, "Kid, what's your name?"

The boy stammered, "I—my name is Zhuang Qingping— "

Another Qingping?

Yu Tunzhou was also somewhat speechless.

"Zhuang Qingping, I'll remember you." He grinned, revealing his teeth. "I hope one day I'll hear your name echoing throughout the martial world."

The boy's face flushed red. These words didn't just plant a seed in his heart, but ignited a raging fire. The hurtful words from others that had stung him in the past, like "You don't deserve it" and "Don't even think about it," were instantly burned away.

Because the person who had high hopes for him was Yu Tunzhou, who had risen from outside the rankings to fourth place on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking in just one year!

Not long ago, he even fought head-on against the newly External Scenery bandit leader, Great Hero Yu!

He raised his head, and in those once timid and bewildered eyes, a flame he had never seen before surged. He answered loudly, "Yes!"

The old curator watched this scene with satisfaction, and his gaze toward the young man held a newfound respect.

After Yu Tunzhou took his leave, he said softly, "Qingping, remember tonight, remember these words, and remember the expectations that Young Hero Yu has for you."

"Master, I will never forget!" the boy said firmly, "I will never forget!"

I left the martial arts school.

Yu Tunzhou then went directly to the Gold-Wielding Guard, revealed his identity, and handed over the matter.

He then inquired whether the Earth Mother of the Incense-Smelling Cult was aware of the matter.

The local head of the Gold-Wielding Guard, surnamed Wei and named Yang, said solemnly upon hearing this, "We have also investigated this matter. We discovered that the people from the Incense-Smelling Cult came here seemingly to search for a sword, but left after finding nothing."

"Sword? What sword?"

Wei Yang shook his head and said, "Those people don't seem to understand themselves; they only know they're looking for a sword."

77

Yu Tunzhou seemed to be deep in thought when suddenly he felt a jolt in his heart.

sword?

Qingping County ----

The Qingping Sword?!

impossible----

He quickly rejected the idea in his mind.

How could Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure's sword possibly be here!

Moreover, the lineage of Supreme Purity Lineage still exists, so if that sword were truly here, they couldn't possibly be completely unaware of it.

"The Qingping Sword?" Huntian shook his head. "That sword was shattered in a battle long ago. The foundation of the Supreme Purity Lineage still lies in those four immortal swords and the array diagram."

Yu Tunzhou nodded, then, just in case, sensed the Vajra Bracelet and channeled his Qi of Dao and Virtue into it, but received no response.

He figured that since they were all from the Three Pure Ones Lineage, if that sword were truly here, it should at least produce some kind of reaction, right?

Then, Yu Tunzhou asked Wei Yang if he had any information about the Eternal Dragon Gate.

He had been filming on location with various External Scenery the whole way, and he was traveling through the Gobi Desert, so he had no chance to contact Gold-Wielding Guard.

"Young Hero Yu would have to go to the county town to obtain such information."

Yu Tunzhou nodded.

Has anything major happened in the world recently?

"Yes!" Wei Yang hurriedly replied, "The biggest loss was the death of a Dharma Aspect Dragon Race on the Northern Dark Sea battlefield! There wasn't much else, mostly clashes between martial artists from different factions."

Yu Tunzhou remained silent for a moment, then asked, "What's the latest news on the top ten of the Dragon and Tiger Ranking?"

Wei Yang Spirit suddenly revealed a hint of fear. "Yes, breaking news! Half a month ago, Deng Canglan, ranked third on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, killed Yao Liang of Floating Hill Mountain, ranked tenth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, in the Eastern Wilderness!"

Yu Tunzhou, eyes narrowed.

Has it already begun before we even entered the Eternal Dragon Gate?

"Also----"

"A month ago, Wu Xuan of the Blood River Dao, ranked eighth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, attacked Lin Yueheng, ranked ninth. The latter was severely injured, but he also defeated Wu Xuan with a stunning sword strike in a desperate situation."

"Also a month ago, the True Martial Sect's Daoist Xuanfa, ranked seventh on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, challenged the Shaolin Temple 'Dharma Master Jiese, ranked sixth. The outcome is unknown."

"Meanwhile, news has it that Huang Tian of the Butian Mending Heaven Pavilion, the grand-disciple of the Martial Ancestor and currently ranked fifth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, is about to descend the mountain and roam the martial world! He has even made a statement—"

Wei Yang suddenly stopped, looked at Yu Tunzhou, and said in a low, tactful voice, "He will settle things with you, Young Hero Yu, and see where you got the courage to question the founder of the Fist Sect that day—"

Having said that, he secretly observed the man's expression, only to see Yu Tunzhou standing with his hands behind his back, still calm and composed, almost possessing the dignified and imposing air of Grandmaster, simply smiling and saying, "What a turbulent scene."

I just don't know----

Who will be the one standing at the very back?