Informing Them

Regarding the matter of the Execution Stone, the major powers in the South Spirit Domain and North Spirit Domain have all dispatched their own people to conduct investigations.

Because of the existence of the United Heroes Hall, it was much easier for them to exchange the information they had obtained.

The reason we didn't gather people together at the United Heroes Hall for the investigation was that gathering them together might actually hinder the investigation's progress.

Rather than having to reorganize and formulate order and plans after everyone gathers at the United Heroes Hall, it's better for each sect to operate independently according to its own situation and customs.

At that point, all they need to do is periodically exchange and summarize the information they each obtain.

This can reduce a lot of unnecessary conflicts and unnecessary effort.

The investigation into the Execution Stone is considered highly dangerous by all major sects, so they naturally wouldn't send cultivators at the Qi Refining Stage. At most, they would have Qi Refining Stage do some auxiliary work.

This is where the number of disciples becomes important.

For example, even now, although various sects have sent many people to investigate the matter of the Execution Stone, it has not delayed the continuation of the Talisman Master Assembly at all, as they have not mobilized any of the personnel here.

However, this does not mean that the sect members here are unaware of what is currently happening.

The fact that the Wu Household was wiped out means that the person behind the control of the Execution Stone already knows that they have discovered this matter, so it is obvious that the major sects will inevitably begin to investigate them.

Therefore, there is no need to hide it. On the contrary, informing the disciples about this matter will raise their awareness and ensure that they will not let go of any possible clues they happen to come across.

As long as they don't make their investigation progress public, it's fine.

Thus, with the major sects making no attempt to conceal the news and even condoning its release, it wasn't long before almost everyone in Banxiang City knew about it.

Many people are completely unaware of the existence of the Execution Stone.

But judging from the actions of the sects led by the Talisman Sect, it's clear that this thing is bad.

However, some people had no organization or connections, so even though they sensed something Banxiang City a few days later, they were still completely unaware of what had happened.

Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu are among these people.

Aside from Liu Chun and Yuan Qing, they didn't know anyone else in the city. For the past two days, Yuan Qing had been leaving early and returning late every day, and they didn't know what he was busy with.

Every time I went out to watch the Talisman Master Assembly, I would occasionally hear someone nearby ask another person in a veiled tone:

"Hey, have you heard about that?"

Then they started exchanging glances or whispers, leaving Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu, who were trying to eavesdrop on the gossip, empty-handed.

Until tonight, the eve of the competition to narrow down the 2,500 to 500 participants in the Talisman Master Assembly.

Today, Yuan Qing returned to their shared cave abode before nightfall, which was unusual for him.

Because Liu Chun's journey at the Talisman Master Assembly is going smoothly, Lin Xiao reluctantly spent several hundred Spirit Stone to extend his stay for another twenty days.

Yuan Qing returned to his cave abode and found Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu there. Thirsty, he picked up the teapot beside him, poured himself a cup of tea, drank it all in one gulp, and then said to the two of them:

Have you two heard about the major events that have recently occurred?

Upon hearing his question, Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu both thought of the various unspoken words they had been hearing from time to time recently.

Lin Xiao then said:

"Recently, we've sensed something strange about the atmosphere in the city, but we don't know why. From what Fellow Daoist Yuan is saying, it's..."

Yuan Qing returned this time to see if they knew about it. If they didn't, he would tell them to avoid being harmed by accident.

So he didn't keep them in suspense and immediately answered:

"I've heard that the Execution Stone,' which plagued our world ten thousand years ago, has reappeared!"

"This 'Execution Stone' is said to be able to eliminate Spiritual Qi. It is said that more than ten thousand years ago, its origin was sealed by many powerful figures in our Immortal Cultivation Realm. But for some reason, it has resurfaced after ten thousand years. Currently, the major sects of our South Spirit Domain and North Spirit Domain are working together to investigate this matter."

Lin Xiao was somewhat surprised to hear this.

Execution Stone?

This thing...

He kept a few in his private stash.

It seems I can't just take this thing out casually anymore; it wouldn't be good if people in the Immortal Cultivation Realm misunderstood me as one of the people behind the Execution Stone.

When Jiang Youfu heard the name Execution Stone, it sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before.

Lin Xiao and the others mentioned it briefly after returning to the sect, but they didn't go into much detail, so it's normal that he can't remember it now.

After a while, he connected this to Yuan Qing's description of the Execution Stone's ability to eliminate Spiritual Qi, and suddenly remembered that when Lin Xiao and the others returned and recounted their rescue of the mountain people, they seemed to have mentioned this very thing?

Jiang Youfu, realizing what was happening, glanced at Lin Xiao and, seeing that he hadn't said anything, also kept his mouth shut.

Yuan Qing didn't notice, and continued speaking to the two of them:

"You two should be careful lately. I've heard that this thing is extremely harmful. When it was rampant, it caused immense suffering and death throughout the world."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu nodded obediently and said that they would be careful and vigilant, and would go home immediately after watching the Talisman Master Assembly and not go anywhere else.

These were all messages Yuan Qing had recently received from his former fellow disciples.

Then he added:

"The matter of the Execution Stone' is recorded in the internal libraries of many sects and in some unofficial records passed down orally. If you two have ancient books at home, you can go back and look them up; you might find relevant records there."

Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu couldn't help but think of the corner of their own sect's training room, where only a few dozen mental Cultivation Method were kept.

Library...

Shouldn't we get some?

I don't expect to be able to match the profound heritage of these cultivation Aristocratic Clan or sects, but it would be good to at least know more about the major and minor events and development history of the Immortal Cultivation Realm.

So Lin Xiao asked Yuan Qing:

"Fellow Daoist Yuan, do you know if there are any places to buy books in Banxiang City? And in Yuanling City, are there any places where one can find a relatively large number of classic texts of this kind?"

Seemingly surprised that he would suddenly ask this, Yuan Qing paused for a moment, then nodded and said:

"If Fellow Daoist Lin wishes to go, I can take you there."

"No need, no need. We're quite familiar with Banxiang City now. Just point us to the location, and you can go about your business."

Lin Xiao quickly refused.

Since the purpose of purchasing books was for the sect, Lin Xiao was not keen on buying them in front of Yuan Qing.