Chapter 901: Dying at the Foot of the Mountain

What could be at the foot of the mountain that would make Liu Mu cry out like that?

People gradually noticed that Liu Mu's expression was very unusual. His eyes were red-rimmed, welling up with tears.

Feng Feiyang knew Liu Mu's character very well. Having experienced many hardships in his childhood, Liu Mu had developed a temperament that was both sensitive and very stubborn.

He remembered an incident during their training when Liu Mu accidentally fell off a cliff and ended up bedridden for half a month before he could get out of bed.

Even then, Liu Mu hadn't cried out in pain.

Feng Feiyang turned his head to look, and sure enough, he saw a figure walking up the mountain path.

The old man and the cultivators brought by Feng Feiyang couldn't help but inwardly admire the approaching figure's grace at first sight.

The newcomer's skin was fairer than snow. He appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old and moved with an ethereal grace, seeming almost like a celestial being detached from the world. At a casual glance, he seemed to blend in with the surrounding scenery, yet upon closer inspection, he seemed not of this world and more suited to living in the heavens.

Feng Feiyang frowned slightly, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. "Who is this?"

As the figure drew nearer, everyone suddenly heard a dull thump. They turned their heads and saw that Liu Mu had knelt down, his face pressed firmly against the ground, motionless.

Feng Feiyang felt increasingly uneasy. "Brother Liu Mu, what's going on?!"

Naturally, Liu Mu did not respond.

In the blink of an eye, the figure had reached them and bent over to gently pat Liu Mu's head a few times.

"Get up," said Fang Chen with a smile.

Only then did Liu Mu stand up, trembling, with tears streaming down his face.

Fang Chen looked at him fondly. The mute boy covered in boils from back then had grown into a proper cultivator.

With a cultivation at the twelfth stage of the Qi Refining Realm, he was powerful enough to be highly regarded in the Grand Xia of the past, enough to make the common folk look up to him in admiration.

The old man and others had already sensed something was amiss. He exchanged glances with Feng Feiyang and then took a deep breath before bowing with clasped hands. "May I know who your excellency is...?"

"I am Fang Chen, the former patriarch of Qingzhou Sword Sect," Fang Chen said, bowing in return.

Feng Feiyang's legs went weak, nearly kneeling on the spot. However, as a Foundation Building Realm cultivator, he managed to keep his composure.

Suppressing his shock, Feng Feiyang eyed Fang Chen while subtly moving backward.

However, the elder facing Fang Chen stiffened completely, not taking a step from his place. It took him several moments to recover from the shock. He said with feigned joy, "So it's Elder Fang! I'm indeed fortunate to visit today!"

"Since our meeting is destined, come with me to the mountain," Fang Chen said with a smile.

With that, he continued walking up the mountain, with Liu Mu following closely behind, wiping his tears, his numb eyes now showing a glint of joy.

The elder and Feng Feiyang exchanged glances, hesitating whether to flee or follow up the mountain.

After a few moments of hesitation, the elder sighed helplessly and lowered his head to follow uphill.

Feng Feiyang felt restless, struggling internally when he suddenly ordered one of his men, "Go and inform the young prince."

"Yes...."

The man was eager to leave and turned to sweep down the mountain. However, as soon as he turned, he fell to the ground, lifeless.

Seeing this scene, Feng Feiyang shuddered; this was a cultivator of the ninth stage of the Qi Refining Realm, a master in the cultivation world who wouldn't easily fall to anyone below the Foundation Building Realm.

He hadn't even seen who had attacked, but it didn't take a genius to realize who had.

Taking a deep breath, Feng Feiyang dared not hesitate any longer and led his men to run up the mountain.

Death lay downhill, but there might be a chance of survival uphill!

As Fang Chen walked, he surveyed the surroundings, absorbing the stark signs of the Qingzhou Sword Sect's decline.

This was a sect on the brink of extinction.

The once bustling site was now nearly devoid of cultivators' presence, with former disciples either gone or dead, and without new blood to fill the ranks, this was the inevitable outcome.

Fang Chen felt a slight regret but had no deep feelings about the ultimate fate of the Qingzhou Sword Sect. After all, this place had no significant karmic ties with him, except perhaps for Ye Wenxiu and Liu Mu.

The group quickly entered the gate of the Qingzhou Sword Sect and passed a spiritual field where a middle-aged man was working barefoot.

Hearing the noise, he looked up and saw Liu Mu, exclaiming with joy, "Brother Liu Mu, you're back!"

But then, seeing Feng Feiyang and others, his expression turned into one of shock and anger. "Feng Feiyang, you dare to return to the Qingzhou Sword Sect!"

Under normal circumstances, Feng Feiyang would have retorted or attacked, but now he just bowed his head, not daring to speak or even meet his gaze.

Thinking Liu Mu had been kidnapped, the man in the field immediately crushed a jade talisman, sending a streak of blue light to shoot into the sky.

Soon, cultivators began rushing towards them, in groups of two or three, totaling about twenty. Their cultivation ranged from the third to the tenth stage of the Qi Refining Realm.

Seeing Liu Mu, they were initially overjoyed, but upon seeing Feng Feiyang and others, their expressions turned to surprise and anger, becoming very solemn.

Soon, a man appearing to be in his sixties arrived, hands behind his back. Although at the twelfth level of Qi Refining, he looked somewhat haggard.

Dozens of remaining Qingzhou Sword Sect disciples bowed and saluted the old man. "Patriarch."

Ye Wenxiu didn't speak but stared solemnly at Feng Feiyang. "Feng Feiyang, having already betrayed the Qingzhou Sword Sect, why do you still press those who were once your brethren?"

Feng Feiyang could no longer remain silent, quickly forcing a smile. "Brother Ye, you misunderstand. I've come today to apologize...."

Ye Wenxiu was stunned.

Apologize?

He then looked at Liu Mu, thinking he had been kidnapped. Suddenly, his gaze stopped on Fang Chen, and he trembled with excitement.

As everyone wondered, Ye Wenxiu quickly stepped forward, raised his robes, and knelt. "Greetings, Master!"

The patriarch's master?

The Qingzhou Sword Sect disciples exchanged glances, their eyes gradually filling with astonishment.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Could this young man be the legendary Fang Chen, who had been missing for decades?

They dared not delay and knelt in respect.

Feng Feiyang and his accompanying cultivators also knelt down.

The elder hesitated only briefly before kneeling as well.

He understood all too well that the young man had seen and heard everything.

Ye Wenxiu kept kowtowing. "Master, I have failed.... The Qingzhou Sword Sect has declined under my watch, and I have not preserved this legacy for you..."

Fang Chen waved his hand, and a force gently lifted Ye Wenxiu.

"The Qingzhou Sword Sect is not my legacy; you have managed to maintain it until now, which shows that your years of trials were sufficient. From now on, you young ones have other places to be."