You Longzi Hides a Silk Letter and Writes to the Enemy; Kang Dabao Accepts Surrenders and Is Summoned Back

----In the council hall of Joyful Sight Mountain

The hall was so quiet that one could hear the rustling of dust falling from the dark wooden beams, and the spirit lamps hanging between the beams flickered on and off.

In the dim light, the tea on the table had long since cooled, a thin layer of frost covering the surface of the tea soup, and even the rising steam had dissipated without a trace.

Several figures sat stiffly in the hall, their robes hanging down without swaying in the slightest. Only the occasional leakage of spiritual energy collided in the air, stirring up a faint buzzing sound, which was quickly suppressed by the deathly silence.

Someone placed their hand on the edge of the table, their fingertips unconsciously tracing the wood grain, the force so heavy it seemed they wanted to carve marks into the Hardness, spirit wood;

Some people gripped the Law Treasure at their waists, their knuckles turning white, and even the patterns on the Law Treasure's sheath glowed slightly due to unstable spiritual energy, yet they dared not make any further moves.

Occasionally, low voices would rise, only to be swallowed by an even deeper silence, leaving a few broken echoes floating in the air, mingling with the faint sound of drums coming from outside the window, adding to the anxiety.

The shouts were like the wind, and the pebbles that were kicked up slammed against the door with soft "bang" sounds, but no one turned to look.

All eyes were fixed on the tall cultivator who had spoken in the hall; half were wary and fearful, while the other half were encouraged by him.

At this moment, most of the Golden Core cultivators began to breathe very softly, as if even the slightest increase in volume would disrupt this delicate balance.

After Wu Yin, the eldest disciple of True Person Cloud Trust, died at the hands of Fei Tianqin, his second disciple Hou Jin, was immediately ordered by the True Person to temporarily take over the affairs of the sect.

Hou Jin was squinting at You Longzi, who was pointing a halberd at him and cursing him. True Person Tiger Spring.

In terms of skill, he was no less capable than Hou Jin, the senior brother who had passed away. He was still at the Golden Core Peak stage and carried considerable weight in his words and deeds among his fellow disciples.

At this point, his public questioning clearly showed that he was no longer willing to cover up the conflict between the two factions of Joyful Sight Mountain.

If Hou Jin handles the situation improperly, it would be entirely reasonable for a full-blown brawl to erupt right here in the hall in an instant.

Hou Jin felt anxious, but his expression remained unchanged after hearing the stern shout. He gently tapped his blackened pipe, shaking off a few specks of ash, before responding in a low voice:

"With a formidable enemy at hand, the various tribes are incompetent, and the Fei Household is arrogant, even daring to march upon the Joyful Sight Mountain to challenge us. This is precisely the time for me and my fellow disciples to hold a military meeting. For my junior brother to launch such an unprovoked attack, is he not harboring malicious intentions?!"

"Hou Jin, I'll ask you one more time: Where is my master True Person Tiger Spring?!"

You Longzi's tone became even more forceful, Hou Jin's expression hardened. He didn't respond at first, but instead just squeezed the dark pipe stem.

He brought the pipe to his nose and smelled it, then pursed his lower lip slightly and gently placed the pipe between his lips.

The lower lip pressed against the cool rim of the pot, while the upper lip gently covered the pipe stem, forming a shallow arc, as if the lips were "wrapping" the pipe bowl with a soft pad.

With the pipe stem pressed between his lips and teeth, he tilted his head slightly and gently bit the stem near the corner of his mouth with his teeth. The force was light, but just enough to hold the pipe in place and prevent it from swaying with his movements.

After a "smack" sound, Hou Jin's lips slightly closed, forming a small airflow channel.

As he inhaled, his cheeks slowly sank in, as if gently pinched by an invisible hand. Sparks flew from the tobacco in the pipe, and his lips trembled slightly.

Then, with a soft exhale, three streams of purple qi seeped out of her nostrils and mouth.

This pipe had been with the old man for hundreds of years, and to onlookers, his movements even seemed to possess a unique beauty. However, You Longzi, standing nearby, couldn't wait a moment longer. His brow furrowed, and he pointed his finger, ready to unleash another angry rebuke, only to be calmly rebuked by Hou Jin:

"What, are you saying that Master made false statements?! Master told all of us in front of our fellow disciples that Uncle went to sea to seek his destiny. How can you not believe it?"

"Our master has vanished without a trace. Are we, his disciples, not even allowed to inquire about him?!"

"How dare you!" After this stern shout, Hou Jin Jinshang's prized pipe instantly shattered in his hand, scattering fragments everywhere. His face darkened considerably, becoming even blacker than the pipe itself, and he demanded an answer in a serious tone:

"What? Just because your junior brother is your master's disciple doesn't mean my master isn't your master and junior brother, and we aren't members of the Joyful Sight Mountain?! The whereabouts of Nascent Soul True Person cultivator are elusive; it's only natural that we haven't heard from him for one or two decades."

The spirit lamp of my master is always lit in the Lingguang Hall; there is not a trace of anything unusual about it! Why are you You Longzi, making unfounded accusations?!

While our master is away on a pilgrimage and our teacher is away, some petty scoundrels have overestimated themselves and dared to offend our sect. Instead of offering advice and assistance, you've undermined morale at this crucial time. Junior brother, are you truly a disciple of Joyful Sight Mountain? What are your true intentions? Are you even afraid of being questioned by our sect's elders?!

Hou Jin spoke with a very heavy tone, and his words immediately chilled the room even more. All the cultivators inside fell silent, unaware of how many years it had been since Joyful Sight Mountain, which dominated the Ancient Mysterious Circuit, had witnessed such a scene.

"Senior Brother Hou, your silver tongue is something I, your junior brother, am ashamed to admit." After saying this in You Longzi, perhaps realizing he had nothing more to say, turned and left.

A few breaths later, several more people followed them. Hou Jin's expression changed for a moment. Although he was still indignant, he did not stop them when they arrived.

After all, his prestige and cultivation were far inferior to the late Wu Yin Shang Xiu, so Fei Tianqin became the culprit who caused discord among the cultivators of Joyful Sight Mountain.

The recent disputes and conflicts between the disciples of True Person Tiger Spring and Cloud Trust are indeed somewhat related to Hou Jin's lack of prestige.

Hou Jin glanced at the seats in the hall, which were now mostly empty, and frowned in annoyance.

"Hmm, these dull-witted people are used to being swayed by outsiders! They don't believe their own words!"

As he finished speaking, he subconsciously clenched his fingers, only to realize that his pipe, which had been with him for hundreds of years, had turned to ashes. Instantly, he felt an emptiness in his heart and lost a great deal of interest.

Then, this resentment burst forth as a cold snort, before he turned to the remaining Golden Core cultivators who were close to the Cloud Trust and said in a deep voice:

"You Longzi and the others have shown no sense of propriety and made irresponsible remarks about their teachers, I will certainly report this matter to my master. Let's set aside these clowns for now; the Fei Household's army is approaching, and we must act quickly."

After emerging from the council hall You Longzi led his fellow disciples to their own cave abode. Once the cave abode was closed and all magical restrictions were lifted, he then spoke:

"There must be something strange about Hou Jin and Uncle Cloud Trust! My master told me a few years ago that when he was serving in the army in Liangxi, he had already made connections with many high-ranking officials in the current court."

However, my master disliked the harsh methods of the Imperial Guard, and it was only after several hundred years that my master had little contact with his old friends. But after my master's passing, the relationship had warmed up considerably.

Several years ago, my master received a letter from the Marquis of Fengcheng, expressing his intention to respond to the Duke of Qin to attack Star-Picking Pavilion from the side. However, his Uncle-Master Cloud Trust repeatedly obstructed him.

Afterwards, my Uncle-Master Cloud Trust said that our master had already gone on a voyage to the sea, but our master had not left behind even a single word of explanation, which was unprecedented. This aroused my suspicion.

Then, when my Uncle-Master Cloud Trust was about to join the Star-Picking Pavilion in plotting a rebellion in the Mountain North, I became even more suspicious.

Now, my master's magical Mysterious Message Mirror has not sent any messages back for several years. His current situation is unprecedented, so it's no wonder that I have doubts.

If it were just one incident, it could be considered a coincidence, but all these things combined make it impossible for me not to worry about my master's safety.

Everyone in the cave abode knew about the situation described by the You Longzi, but after hearing him explain it in detail, the doubt on their faces deepened.

A tall, elegantly dressed man in feathered robes sighed, rose from his seat, and said, "Senior Brother You, then according to your opinion..."

"I don't know either," You Longzi frowned even more deeply, and said frankly, "I only know that if we just let Hou Jin gang manipulate us like this, then Master's situation will become even more difficult."

"Ever since Senior Brother Wu Yin's death, this Hou Jin has become a scoundrel!"

"Absolutely, absolutely! Every time that old bird comes out, he always sends Senior Brother to lead us to intercept him. If it weren't for Senior Brother's quick wit and far superiority over Wu Yin, one of us might have already lost our lives."

"Among them was a burly, thuggish man whose halberd skills were equally formidable. In my opinion, he might even rival the head of the General Affairs Department at the Star-Picking Pavilion. Adding to his woes, he had small eyes that could gleam with Golden Light. If it weren't for my substitute puppet still alive, I might have been killed on the spot!"

"That fellow was born into the Fei Household and rose through the ranks by virtue of his skills in bed. He's notorious for bullying women. It's no wonder my senior brother was no match for him. Rumor has it that he's involved with the Hehuan Sect from the Hehuan Jiangxue."

"Ahem," You Longzi said, having heard that no one in the hall had a disagreement. He then spoke to quell the noise, and only after the hall had fallen silent again did he begin to speak:

"The mountain gate is protected by Fourth Tier grand formation. Even if we don't act in a hurry, there's no need to worry about its safety. It just means that Hou Jin and the others will have to put in a little more effort."

"What Senior Brother said is not wrong, but if it is indeed Uncle-Master Cloud Trust who knows the news, he will come to question us."

It was the same cultivator in the feathered robe who stepped forward to ask the question. All the other cultivators were also interested in this matter, and they all pricked up their ears and cast their gazes.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable under the intense gaze of the You Longzi, but having already prepared his response, he wasn't worried about being speechless. He then recited in a deep voice:

"There are currently twenty-one Golden Core disciples in the mountains. Half of them are my master's disciples, five of my fellow disciples inherited the lineage of other senior uncles, and three Golden Core guest elders have no master. The remaining three are the disciples of Senior Uncle Cloud Trust."

Those people are now obeying Hou Jin's orders only because of Uncle Cloud Trust's personal instruction. But if the mountain gate is truly in danger, Uncle Cloud Trust will lead his troops back to resolve the crisis.

When the time comes, and we confront each other in the hall, if Uncle Cloud Trust can truly produce irrefutable evidence of Master's voyage to seek his destiny, thus silencing the gossip, then I will volunteer to go to Heavenly Punishment Cliff for a hundred years! Otherwise, I refuse to believe that he only keeps those mediocre disciples under his wing to do the work!

The cultivators listened with varying expressions, but finally, the cultivator in the feathered robes spoke with difficulty and a troubled look, "Senior Brother's method is perhaps a bit too forceful."

The cultivator in feathered robes spoke, revealing the thoughts of everyone in the hall. After all, he was a sect leader and Nascent Soul True Person; if True Person Cloud Trust were to return and truly seek punishment, who in the hall wouldn't be afraid?!

You Longzi was not surprised to hear this. He stroked the jade pendant hanging at his waist, a gift from the True Person Tiger Spring, and a resolute look appeared in his eyes again.

"Junior Brother's words are quite right, but if not this way, I can't think of any other way to save Master from this danger."

Upon reading this, he noticed a gentle light in the eyes of his fellow disciples, drawn by the You Longzi couldn't help but let out a long sigh, a sense of relief appearing on his face.

"Fellow disciples, please rest assured. If Uncle Cloud Trust truly intends to punish us in the future, then I You Longzi, will bear the consequences. For now, let's just sit back and watch that Hou Jin make a mistake."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

Suddenly, the flame of a spirit lamp crackled and fell, sparks landing on the spirit jade on the ground before quickly going out.

This subtle sound was like a pebble thrown into the dead silence. Several figures moved slightly at the same time, and the fluctuations of spiritual energy suddenly intensified, only to subside in an instant, leaving behind an even thicker sense of stagnation in the air.

No one was willing to speak first, nor was anyone willing to back down. The heavy atmosphere in the hall grew thicker and thicker like a tide, almost crushing the entire cave abode.

"Fellow disciples, please rest assured. If Uncle Cloud Trust truly wishes to punish me in the future, then I, You Longzi, will bear the consequences."

You Longzi solemnly reiterated his promise, the cultivators in the cave abode felt as if they had been influenced by You Longzi's heroic spirit. They all bowed in respect before leaving the cave abode one by one after their host offered them tea, and then scattered to various Joyful Sight Mountain.

After the spiritual barrier of the cave abode was opened wide, it was immediately closed again. A hint of caution appeared on the You Longzi's face. After dismissing those around him, he dared to slowly unfold a bright yellow spiritual silk.

If someone else were to see this at this moment, and if they were knowledgeable enough, they might be able to discern the lotus swastika symbol reflected in the corner of the silk scroll, which seems to be exclusive to the Original Buddha Sect.

The You Longzi had read this silk scroll countless times, as if every stroke was etched into his heart. Yet, as he looked at it again, he remained completely focused, pondering the words for a long time before slowly rolling it up and tucking it into his sleeve.

He was clearly facing a difficult situation, as his full beard seemed to be filled with worry, and his dark face showed a complex and unreadable expression.

After an unknown amount of time, a long sigh suddenly echoed through the empty cave abode, seemingly casting a shadow of melancholy over the white calamus leaves in the spirit pool below, dimming their spiritual light.

But then, You Longzi wrote on the table, " To Fei Household: Since our parting, several years have passed. Previously..."

The Sect Leader Kang Da, was unaware of the commotion in Joyful Sight Mountain. He seemed to have completely forgotten about Pu Honggu's invasion. Following Fei Tianqin's orders, he personally led his men to search all directions.

It was ostensibly a search, but in reality, it was nothing more than a recruitment drive to surrender and accept traitors.

Compared to others, he was known for more than just the striking reputation of "bullying women".

His title of Marquis of Martial Peace was barely considered valuable in the eyes of ordinary people, and his record of killing Preceptor Huang Mi and Li Yun in battle was quite impressive. Moreover, he could be considered to be close to "upholding sincerity and truth" and thus a suitable person for this mission.

In Kang Dabao's view, this task was not difficult. Most of the elites from the sects Aristocratic Clan that were very close to Joyful Sight Mountain had been taken away by True Person Cloud Trust. The rest were either too weak, wanted to protect themselves, or were forced to be dispatched by Joyful Sight Mountain. It was impossible to generalize.

Kang Dabao dispatched several troops, searching along the branches Ancient Mysterious Circuit. Wherever he went, small sects and Rogue Cultivator flocked to him. After all, Nascent Soul True Person and thousand-year-old sect leaders were far away and could not compare to Sect Leader Kang Da, who was currently in charge.

First, the leader of the "Qingxia Sect" personally came out of the mountain gate with spirit crystals in his pocket, saying that after the sect's elites were transferred away by Cloud Trust, they no longer had the strength to resist;

Later, the Rogue Cultivator of "Falling Cloud Fort" gathered a large amount of spiritual materials and stood by the roadside, bowing in welcome, hoping to receive the protection of the Chongming Sect and be spared the turmoil of war.

Kang Dabao didn't put on airs. He had Yuan Jin write down the names of all those who genuinely submitted, promising them that they would "temporarily be under the Chongming Sect, and their fate will be discussed after the war."

If anyone hesitates or seems to have ulterior motives, he will not force them. He will only instruct the cultivators to leave a "waiting list" outside their residence, stating that "if no decision is made within three days, they will be regarded as accomplices of Joyful Sight Mountain," and there will be follow-up personnel to deal with them.

After a month or so, having reaped considerable gains, he was about to write to his master when he received another letter from Fei Tianqin.

The old bird only had two words written on it, "Return quickly."

(I forgot to wish the gentlemen a happy holiday yesterday! I wonder if anyone else got two days off like Lao Bai.)

Because of the sharp drop in new additions last month, almost halved; but because of the patronage of readers, the number of readers has remained stable at around a thousand, not much worse than some excellent works.

The editor reviewed it and realized it might have been due to intelligent inference. They also felt there was still a chance to salvage the situation and asked Lao Bai to try changing the book title again.

So, Lao Bai 'm trying to make a move. I know many gentlemen care about these fancy tricks, but please bear with me. Lao Bai also want to stick to my original, straightforward approach to writing and avoid gimmicks. But I still need to make a living, so thank you again.

P. S.: The word count in parentheses is the number written after publication and is free of charge, so please rest assured.