Chapter 267 – Gaining Trust, Deepening Chaos, and Relocating to Cloudpeak Province - Part 1

By the next morning, cold sunlight fell across the barren cliffs and open plains.

The surviving disciples of the Holy Tree Temple regrouped, their faces still etched with lingering terror. All around them lay gruesome remains on the dusty earth—flayed and dismembered corpses of every sort. Their stomachs churned at the sight, and with undisguised fear, they hurried to withdraw.

Only when they caught up with Jing Banfeng, Cui Wuji, and Li Yuan did they finally let out a shaky breath of relief.

Jing Banfeng’s expression was grim. He glanced warily into the distance, too frightened to extend his senses. After a brief pause, he addressed the remaining disciples in a low voice, “We’ll leave this place first and then figure out exactly what happened.”

Although Cui Wuji’s face was pale, he spoke up, “Wait, Clan Head Jing. Maybe we should examine the bodies and see how they died. We might glean some useful clues. Otherwise, this entire trip will have been for nothing.”

Jing Banfeng hesitated. “What if we provoke another attack? Cui Wuji, you should know we still have no idea what caused that ambush.”

“We survived once already,” Cui Wuji countered. “Even if it happens again, we’ll be better prepared. Abandoning our investigation now would be a waste. The bodies are still fresh. Wait too long, and they’ll be worthless.”

Jing Banfeng glanced at the traumatized disciples. “Look at them. Who would even want to do this?”

Cui Wuji’s voice was firm. “Most necessary tasks are ones no one wants to do.”

At that, Jing Banfeng turned to Li Yuan. “What about you, Master Li? What do you think?”

Li Yuan said calmly, “I’m fine with whatever you decide.”

Cui Wuji then suggested, “All right, let’s split up. If you don’t want to take the risk, why not escort Master Li back while I stay behind to investigate further? I’m convinced we’ll find valuable information hidden in this attack.”

Jing Banfeng snorted. “You really have a death wish, Patriarch Cui. Fine, investigate all you want. I’ll retreat with Master Li. But remember, the flower wall has already collapsed, and the eternal demon bloom has withered. Outside forces, be they undying husks or agents of the Black Lotus Cult, could show up at any moment. If you insist on staying, you’ll need Master Li to restore the barrier.”

Cui Wuji waved a dismissive hand. “Speed is everything. They won’t be here so soon. Take Master Li with you. I’ll handle the investigations.”

Although Jing Banfeng was exasperated by the stark difference in style between the Gu faction and his own, he could not say Cui Wuji was wrong. Eventually, he led Li Yuan to a safer spot, while Cui Wuji resolutely commanded the remaining disciples to carry out a final analysis.

They worked for quite some time.

Eventually, they gathered two distinct sets of corpses and laid them out on the rocky ground. The first group was made up of the many bodies that had been skinned and dismembered—prisoners, bandits, lowlives dragged from the county, and numerous the Holy Tree Temple disciples. In short, anyone who died seemed to meet this horrible fate.

Only one corpse stood apart—a burly man, his entire body slick with blood. His left chest was caved in, as though his heart had been scooped out, but the rest of his organs remained intact.

Cui Wuji studied them closely, speaking aloud as he analyzed.

“The first group seems to have fallen victim to that hide-and-seek predator, probably linked to that ungodly screeching we heard earlier. If you heard her and got caught, you were finished. But if you managed to hide properly, you survived.

“That single man likely died because he picked up that gold ingot. The fact that he was the only one who died that way suggests it only happens if you actually touch the gold and hold onto it for a while.

“Given that, I want to set some puppets on this ingot. Have them carry it to a nearby town, then use convicts to see if it triggers anything. Oddly, we can’t find any trace of the crying woman’s body, which is a clue that there may be yet another hidden factor at play.

“Lastly, that spider left ordinary people alone but went after a sixth rank martial artist. It wasn’t in a hurry to kill anyone either; it seemed to be baiting the Gu elder.”

His words left everyone unsettled. Simply venturing close to this place had nearly led to a total wipeout, and it was all tangled in an ever more alarming web of dangers. Worse yet, what they had uncovered still felt like only the tip of the iceberg.

Li Yuan listened to Cui Wuji’s methodical deductions, quietly acknowledging that none of these old foxes were easy to deal with. This was the Holy Tree Temple’s territory, so they quickly began pushing forward with the investigation, following Cui Wuji’s plan.

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A few days later.

A sixth rank puppet returned to the site, mechanically scooped up the gold ingot, and stored it in a small chest built into its torso.

By that time, Li Yuan had already retreated behind the third gate of the Holy Tree Temple. His wives, having heard how perilous the recent expedition had been, were waiting anxiously at home.

As soon as Li Yuan stepped through the door, they flocked around him at once. Even the usually aloof Cui Huayin was all warmth and concern.

Jing Shuixiang was especially distraught, clinging to his hand and murmuring pitifully, “Husband, I can’t bear to lose you. Please, don’t get hurt. Don’t do anything so dangerous. I beg you... I’m sorry—I’m so sorry.”

Cui Huayin glanced at Jing Shuixiang’s tearful display, couldn’t help rolling her eyes, and said, “Since he’s fine, I’m going back to cultivate.”

Li Yuan nodded. He knew Cui Huayin was completely different from Yan Yu or Xue Ning; she was a genius in her own right and had her own ambitions. Compared to a typical husband-and-wife relationship, theirs was more like a partnership focused on the Dao. If Yan Yu and Xue Ning were vines relying on Li Yuan, then she was another tree growing by his side.

As for Jing Shuixiang, Li Yuan cast a quick glance at the odd bit of information floating above her head—220~225, with it being 950~1,000 at peak condition—and his expression grew a little serious. It seemed his petite wife’s powers were recovering.

He was still mulling this over when Jing Shuixiang whispered softly, “You’ve been through a lot. Let me take care of you...”

She immediately ordered wine to be brought in, dismissed everyone else, then slipped out of her own clothes. Changing into a red, gauzy dress, she began dancing in front of Li Yuan. Her graceful moves were light as a startled swan, her body curving and twisting like a swimming dragon. The wide sleeves of her rosy silk robe drifted like clouds, revealing glimpses of alabaster arms and the occasional, tantalizing flash of a long, shapely leg.

Once Li Yuan had finished his wine, she moved toward him, like a small crimson cloud floating into his arms. Sliding a leg across his lap, her delicate hands busied themselves undoing his clothes. She used every skill she had to please him, to make him happy and help him forget the lingering fear from his near-death brush.

By the time dawn arrived, Li Yuan awoke in a haven of soft warmth. Stepping outside under the white clouds, he raised a bamboo flute to his lips and began to play, the gentle notes drifting out into a morning that felt almost peaceful again.