Chapter 912 - Heading to Mount Gaze City

Liu Wuxie and Liu Xiucheng finally embarked on their journey home late into the night. The Liu Clan was shrouded in darkness, with most people in deep slumber.

A shadowy figure had silently crept toward the patriarch's study, but a protective barrier prevented intruders from entering.

The intruder didn't know that grey powder was scattered on the ground, and it would cling to the sole of his shoe when he stepped on it. Just the slightest contact with the powder would leave behind a lingering scent.

The smell was usually undetectable, but those who consumed a particular fruit would be able to sense it.

The figure lingered around the study room and tried to enter several times, but failed. Ultimately, it could only leave with no other choice.

By the time Liu Wuxie and Liu Xiucheng returned to the Liu Clan, dawn had already arrived.

The servants had begun their morning duties, and they stopped to offer their greetings at the sight of their patriarch.

Liu Xiucheng and Liu Wuxie wasted no time and quickened their pace toward the study.

"There are footprints!" Liu Wuxie crouched down to examine the ground; sure enough, fresh footprints were left behind.

The patriarch's study room was off-limits unless summoned, and no one should've been there uninvited.

"There's really a traitor!" Liu Xiucheng said, clenching his fists with murderous intent boiling.

"Grandfather, we mustn't act rashly. Our goal is to uncover the mastermind, so we can't alert the traitor, or all our efforts will be for nothing," Liu Wuxie said. He needed his grandfather to stay composed at this moment.

Liu Xiucheng nodded. He naturally understood the gravity of the situation. With matters developing to this point, he had no choice but to proceed according to plan.

As daylight illuminated the sky, dozens of elders gathered. Today's affairs were crucial. They would determine the future of the Liu Clan's development.

Liu Xiucheng came out from the study room and swept his gaze around, his expression unreadable. There was a letter in his hand.

"Grand Elder, I'll entrust this mission to you. The safe delivery of the goods is paramount, and we can't afford any further losses," Liu Xiucheng said solemnly as he took out an interspatial ring filled with a trove of rare pills.

"Patriarch, please rest assured. I'll see that these pills are safely delivered to Mount Gaze City, even at the cost of my life," the Grand Elder said, accepting the ring along with the letter. The letter contained coded instructions for their contact, and they had to remain cautious once inside Mount Gaze City.

"Wuxie, this is a valuable opportunity for you. You will accompany the grand elder on this journey and seek his guidance if you have any questions," Liu Xiucheng said as Liu Wuxie walked out from behind the elders. No one had noticed his arrival.

"Patriarch, is it truly necessary? Just the two of us will suffice. More people will only draw unwanted attention. Not to mention, this mission is fraught with danger." The grand elder hesitated.

"I believe in the patriarch's decision. Wuxie has excellent potential, but he lacks experience. This trip will be invaluable to him," said the Eleventh Elder.

Everyone had witnessed Liu Wuxie's talent, but many still believed he needed more experience due to his young age. Yet, how would they react if they discovered the true extent of the Heavenly Dao Society's development?

To them, the Heavenly Dao Society established by Liu Wuxie was nothing more than child's play.

"Grand Elder, Fourth Elder, I'll be relying on your guidance. Do not hesitate to correct me if I make any mistakes along the way," Liu Wuxie said respectfully, giving the two elders a bow.

Having spoken humbly, refusing Liu Wuxie now would make them look suspicious.

"Very well!" The Fourth Elder had a good impression of Liu Wuxie and patted the latter's shoulder in approval.

The Grand Elder couldn't say anything else and agreed. Their safety would not be an issue if they knew about the mission. After obtaining the coded instructions, the three soon set off on their journey.

The morning had just begun. The streets were still quiet, with the doors closed.

"Grand Elder, which route will we be taking?" the Fourth Elder asked.

There were two possible paths to Mount Gaze City. The first path was to ride the teleportation array in Astral Glory City to reach their destination. Major cities were well connected with teleportation arrays to offer a quick and convenient travel option.

The second option was to travel on foot. Though slower, it offered far more discretion.

Given the existing tensions between the Liu and Wang Clans, taking the teleportation array would have been unwise. Arriving in Mount Gaze City that way would immediately alert the Wang Clan to their presence.

"We'll take the mountain path," the Grand Elder said after a moment of thought. Safety wasn't a concern with their cultivation levels, and this wasn't their first time taking that route.

"Alright!" The Fourth Elder had no objections, and neither did Liu Wuxie.

On the surface, Liu Wuxie's goal was to gain experience and familiarize himself with the Liu Clan's business. As a descendant of the Liu Clan and the patriarch's grandson, no one could find fault with the patriarch for sending Liu Wuxie out for training.

Meanwhile, the elders were still gathered outside the patriarch's study room and hadn't left.

"Patriarch, this doesn't feel right. It seems too reckless to carry so many pills to Mount Gaze City," the Seventeenth Elder said in a grave tone. He felt something was wrong, but he couldn't quite describe it.

"I agree. Mount Gaze City isn't our territory, and the Wang Clan will indeed interfere if they learn of it. We can't afford to suffer such major losses," the Seventh Elder joined in, agreeing with the Seventeenth Elder.

Such risks could be afforded in the past, but the Liu Clan couldn't afford any more losses after suffering repeated attacks.

"I believe it's feasible. Mount Gaze City is vast, and I believe the Wang Clan won't be able to find out as long as we're discreet enough," said the Third Elder. They had to take the risk since the Liu Clan had suffered such significant losses.

The opinions of the elders diverged, with no clear conclusion reached.

When the elders left, only Liu Xiucheng and Liu Dashan remained behind.

"Dashan, the family affairs will be in your hands for now. This is the patriarchal seal," Liu Xiucheng said with a grave expression as he handed the authority token to Liu Dashan.

"Father, you plan to handle this personally?" Liu Dashan instantly knew what his father was planning to do.

"I must find out the reason!" Liu Xiucheng said, his voice filled with anguish. In the morning, he had consumed the fruit to detect Thousand-Mile Fragrance and found out who the traitor was.

The Thousand-Mile Fragrance was derived from a colorless, odorless flower. Yet, once its fruit was consumed, the fragrance could be detected from a thousand miles away.

"Father, you have to be careful. Do you need protection?" Liu Dashan asked, concerned for his father's safety.

"There's no need. This matter doesn't require alerting the ancestors," Liu Xiucheng replied, waving his hand.

The Liu Clan had several ancestors who had lived for nearly five centuries. They were all-powerful and usually in seclusion. They would only appear if the Liu Clan were in a life-and-death situation.

Under normal circumstances, they would remain in seclusion to strive for a breakthrough to the higher levels.

Liu Xiucheng departed quietly, disguising himself as an old servant to avoid drawing attention.

Before leaving, he announced that he was experiencing enlightenment and had to seclude himself for a few days, entrusting the family's affairs to Liu Dashan.

......

Meanwhile, Liu Wuxie and the two elders continued navigating the mountain range without encountering any danger. Even if they ran into profound beasts, the grand elder could dispatch them with a single palm strike.

"Wuxie, how's the Heavenly Dao Society?" the Fourth Elder asked as the Grand Elder led the way.

"Thank you for your concern, Fourth Elder. The Heavenly Dao Society is developing well," Liu Wuxie replied humbly, maintaining a respectful tone.

"It's remarkable that you've established your force at such a young age," the Fourth Elder remarked with admiration, envious of Liu Wuxie's accomplishments at his young age.

"Fourth Elder, you're flattering me. Without the Liu Clan's support, it wouldn't have been able to develop so quickly," Liu Wuxie replied. His tone was casual, but every word was carefully measured to ensure no one could glean anything deeper from him.

As they journeyed, they finally left the Liu Clan's territory on the second day. They maintained a swift pace, pushing their speed to the limit throughout the journey.

"We will soon enter the Wang Clan's territory, and we must maintain caution. Travel on foot wherever possible. We will disguise ourselves after reaching Mount Gaze City before entering," the Grand Elder said, ensuring everyone maintained their vigilance.

"Grand Elder, I recall that there's a canyon up ahead. It's easy to defend and attack there, and I heard bandits ambush travelers there. I wonder if that's true?" Liu Wuxie asked, pointing toward the massive canyon.

The narrow canyon could barely fit a single carriage through the path. Above the canyon, violent winds howled like a sword hanging in mid-air, slicing anyone who tried to pass through the air.

Most cultivators who passed by here would only travel through the canyon itself.

"That's right. Bandits indeed infested this canyon in the past, but their numbers have dwindled in recent years. The local forces have pretty much eradicated them," the Grand Elder confirmed and explained the situation to Liu Wuxie.

"We have gotten rusty after being cooped up in the Liu Clan for so long. I do hope we run into bandits. I could use some exercise," the Fourth Elder said as he cracked his knuckles.

On the contrary, the Grand Elder was more cautious and looked sternly at the Fourth Elder.

They rested for fifteen minutes before continuing their journey to the canyon. The violent wind continued to howl above the canyon, accompanied by rumbling lightning.

The power of nature was overwhelming, far beyond the reach of ordinary humans. If one didn't want to be restrained by the laws of heaven and earth, one would have to escape the constraints of this world.

When they were a thousand meters away from the canyon, Liu Wuxie secretly activated Ghost Eye to peer into it before a cold smirk rose on his lips.