CHAPTER 877: CHAPTER 873: THE GREATEST HERMIT LIVES IN THE CITY

Shen Biancheng carefully examined Zhou Xianyang’s injuries, trying to find the root cause of his fatal wound. After a long time, he said sorrowfully, "The Golden Core that Senior Brother had formed within him has completely collapsed. Even if several Nascent Soul Stage experts attacked together, it shouldn’t be like this, unless it was by someone at or above the Transformation Stage."

Ye Fan was also a bit surprised. Zhuo Junwu had said that once sect practitioners reached the Nascent Soul Stage and above, they rarely fought with others because, in their eyes, cultivation was the top priority. There were no benefits even if they killed others.

Unless they were like Bai He, Independent Practitioners who relied on seizing others’ cultivation to advance their own. But destroying the Golden Core is akin to dispersing all the spiritual energy, something Independent Practitioners would certainly find unwise.

Ye Fan asked, "Who would be so cruel and ruthless?"

Shen Biancheng shook his head. In addition to feeling sad about Zhou Xianyang’s death, he was also worried about Zhuo Junwu and Luo Jianxiong. Zhuo Junwu and Zhou Xianyang had come to find Luo Jianxiong, and if Zhou Xianyang had met with misfortune, Zhuo Junwu might also be in danger.

"We must quickly find the whereabouts of Master and Second Senior Brother."

Ye Fan and Shen Biancheng searched the entire Xuanyue Palace, with even Bai He helping, but unfortunately, they found no trace despite searching everywhere. Instead, they discovered many signs of battles.

Shen Biancheng said, "Before Senior Brother died, he must have had a fierce battle with someone, and Master must have joined the fight too. But why are there no traces of Second Senior Brother?"

Ye Fan was alert. He had occasionally heard Zhuo Junwu lamenting that Luo Jianxiong would "take an unusual path" in his actions, and it was clear that Zhuo Junwu was not very satisfied with this disciple. Could it be that Luo Jianxiong’s message to Zhuo Junwu and Zhou Xianyang to come to Xuanyue Palace involved some conspiracy?

"I investigated and found that those who fought with Master and Senior Brother were quite a few, including experts from the Golden Core Stage and above, Nascent Soul Stage, and Transformation Stage. Besides the Seven Great Sects, no other sects could gather so many experts." Shen Biancheng said indignantly.

Ye Fan said, "Have we offended the Seven Great Sects before?"

Shen Biancheng shook his head, "We at the Lihuo Sect have always coexisted peacefully with others. By Master’s generation, even our talents have declined, and we have even less conflict with others. Now we must quickly investigate who could be doing harm to our Lihuo Sect... and in the process, help you find your beloved. It’s likely those same people destroyed Xuanyue Palace."

Ye Fan nodded, pondering in his heart. Even if Li Zhaojun and her master entered the Pan Gu Secret Realm early, based on the Earth’s time versus the Secret Realm’s time, it has already been a year. However, Xuanyue Palace was destroyed two to three years ago.

By the time of Qing Lian at Xuanyue Palace, she was the only disciple left. In such a situation where no one was in the sect, why was the sect burned down? What kind of enmity was this?

When Qing Lian returned to Xuanyue Palace with Li Zhaojun and saw the destroyed sect, they didn’t stay to rebuild. Where could they have gone now?

A series of questions rose in his mind. Ye Fan initially thought that reaching Xuanyue Palace would allow him to meet Li Zhaojun. However, due to Xuanyue Palace’s incidents, his mood became downcast.

Shen Biancheng said, "We might need to go to the mortal world. Master once instructed that if there’s anything unclear, just go to Zhangzhou City in the northern border of the Great Sadness Domain and find a person named No Shadow. This person knows matters of both the Great Sadness Domain and the Jialuo Domain very well."

"Okay," Ye Fan responded, simultaneously glancing at Bai He, intending to send Bai He to the mortal world.

Before leaving, they needed to temporarily lay Zhou Xianyang to rest, although most cultivators do not have burial grounds.

According to the custom, the body should be left where it was, allowing the wind and rain to eventually merge it with the earth bit by bit.

But this is the Xuanyue Palace’s main hall, and based on the psychological beliefs of Earth people, the deceased cannot be left exposed in the wilderness; they should be buried for peace.

After the simple burial, Shen Biancheng and Ye Fan went up to pay their respects.

Handling the flying sword, they were ready to embark on the journey again.

The thunder in the sky continued without interruption. From Shen Biancheng, it was known that this kind of thunder could be seen throughout the Pan Gu Secret Realm, and humans refer to this thunder as the Disaster Tribulation, regarded as the consequence of a ruler not practicing benevolence. But in fact, it is due to experts at or above the Transcendance Tribulation Stage attempting to enter the secret realm.

"Zhangzhou is the largest city for humans in the northern borders of the Great Sadness Domain, with a population of tens of thousands. Once in the city, we must not reveal our identities and prioritize finding No Shadow. Master has some acquaintance with him, and he should be willing to meet us."

Ye Fan thought, since No Shadow is a cultivator, yet hiding among humans, living obscurely in the city, he is likely avoiding some enemy.

The further they progressed into the northern borders of the Great Sadness Domain, the darker the sky became. Initially, Ye Fan thought the world only had shades of gray and black, but now he understood that the Pan Gu Secret Realm also had day and night, yin and yang.

It was now nighttime in the Pan Gu Secret Realm.

"Unlike the Earth, in the secret realm, there’s no planetary rotation. Day and night rise and fall together. A day is still 24 hours long, with no differentiation between the four seasons of winter and summer, yet it is like spring all year round, making it suitable for habitation. Unfortunately, too many cultivators here make it not necessarily a good thing for humans." Shen Biancheng sighed again, "And the Pan Gu Secret Realm is so vast, it’s an endless journey for mortals."

After the thunder persisted for 24 hours, it finally stopped, allowing the flying sword to move higher and faster. By the time they reached Zhangzhou City, it was still nighttime. In ancient societies, there were hardly any lights at night. Shen Biancheng retrieved a map of Zhangzhou City from the storage bracelet previously given by Zhuo Junwu, making it easy to find No Shadow’s residence in the city.

"Cough, cough, who is disturbing someone’s sleep in the middle of the night?" Before the two could knock on the door, a frail voice came from inside.

Shen Biancheng respectfully said, "I am Shen Biancheng, the third disciple of the Lihuo Sect, here with my junior brother to seek our teacher, paying our respects to Senior No Shadow."

A deep voice came from inside, "Oh, it turns out you are disciples of little Zhuo, making you friends of this old man. Come in."

With that, the door swung open with a "whoosh," revealing a faint candlelight, a wooden table, wooden chairs, and a simple wooden bed. An elderly man with a stooped figure was coming down from the bed, putting on his shoes.

Ye Fan tested the spiritual energy within the old man’s body but felt nothing. Bai He was able to hide her spiritual energy due to the Tranquil Flame Banner. Thus, he could determine that either No Shadow’s cultivation level was very high, allowing him to control his spiritual energy freely, or No Shadow possessed a powerful magic artifact to conceal his spiritual energy.

"What is it you wish to ask?" No Shadow leaned on his cane, studying the three in front of him.

Shen Biancheng hurriedly said, "Our master had just returned and went with my two senior brothers to Xuanyue Palace to find Master Qinglian, but then..."

After Shen Biancheng explained, No Shadow shook his head, "I do not yet know this matter, but I do know the whereabouts of that girl Qinglian."