I Can Extract Divine Power-Chapter 100 - 88: Arrival at Fenglin State, Various Factions Stir

Chapter 100: Chapter 88: Arrival at Fenglin State, Various Factions Stir

Inside the pawnshop.

Qin Shuang stared at the dim oil lamp, waiting for Shen Bai to return.

CREAK...

The wooden door opened, and Shen Bai stepped inside.

"So, did you find out what happened?" Qin Shuang asked, leaping to her feet.

Shen Bai nodded and explained what had happened with Zhou Qing.

Qin Shuang’s eyes darted about thoughtfully. "When should we set off? How about tomorrow?" she asked.

Although Shen Bai had agreed to join the Observatory, nothing was official yet, which left Qin Shuang feeling a little on edge.

Shen Bai nodded. "Tomorrow. I’ll go pay my respects at Granny Zhang’s grave, and then we’ll leave."

Shen Bai and Zhou Qing had given Granny Zhang a proper burial recently. Now that he was leaving Shengyun County, Shen Bai wanted to pay his respects at her grave first.

Zhou Qing had already paid his respects before leaving, so of course, Shen Bai had to go as well.

Qin Shuang said, "Then you should get some rest. We’ll go together tomorrow."

"You go on to bed. I’m going to train for a while," Shen Bai said.

’The grind can’t stop,’ he thought. ’Short rests are fine, but taking a long break is out of the question.’

’The difference between this and a pointless rat race is that grinding actually yields results.’

Qin Shuang nodded softly and, without another word, turned and went back to her room.

Shen Bai looked out at the pitch-black night, then went into the rear courtyard and began practicing the Vajra Demon Subduing Fist.

...

「Fenglin State, Qingyun Cloud Temple.」

Inside the main hall, which was filled with the distinctive style of the Daoist School, Changbai, the current Temple Master of Qingyun Cloud Temple, sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, holding his Floating Dust.

With his white beard and white hair, Changbai Temple Master possessed an otherworldly, ethereal air, like an old Immortal who had already attained the Dao.

The sound of footsteps suddenly rang out, interrupting the Changbai Temple Master’s meditation.

A young man in a Daoist Robe appeared at the entrance. He walked in and bowed respectfully.

"Temple Master, I’ve questioned many of the Jianghu People who explored the great tomb. They all say Master Xuanqing was killed by a Mechanical Technique."

"Every one of them tells the same story."

"Should I continue to question more Jianghu People?"

The Changbai Temple Master opened his eyes, his gaze as placid as still water. "What does the Observatory have to say?"

The young Daoist replied, "A State Governor has sent word, telling us not to take things too far. He said that if we can’t find any information or evidence, we should stand down for now. In the great tomb, strength is what matters most. If you die, you die. There’s no one else to blame."

The Changbai Temple Master’s expression remained placid. "I’m an old man. To finally find such a beloved disciple, the great hope for the revival of Qingyun Cloud Temple... and for him to die. How is this any different from a father losing his son in his old age? I cannot remain calm."

The young Daoist said nothing, merely lowering his head with his hands at his sides.

The Changbai Temple Master continued, "I hear there’s someone in Shengyun County named Shen Bai who’s been making quite a name for himself. He was also in the great tomb."

The young Daoist nodded. "There are rumors that he’s coming to Fenglin State, but we don’t know why."

The Changbai Temple Master said, "When he arrives in Fenglin State, question him. I must know how Master Xuanqing died so I can avenge my beloved disciple."

The young Daoist hastily agreed, then turned and left the main hall.

Once the young man was gone, the Changbai Temple Master loosened his grip on the Floating Dust he was holding.

The handle of the Floating Dust had been crushed to powder.

HFFF...

The Changbai Temple Master blew softly, and the dust that was once the handle dissipated into a thin wisp of smoke.

Silence returned to the main hall.

...

「A remote, hidden mountain.」

At this time, a middle-aged man in ordinary clothes was carefully examining a book.

The man was ordinary-looking, save for a striking red mole between his eyebrows that was emitting a faint, crimson glow.

Before him stood seven figures in black robes, their faces obscured.

No one spoke. They all waited in silence for the man to finish reading.

After a moment, the middle-aged man closed the book.

"Sect Leader, not one of the twelve Venerable Envoys survived. All of them were killed by Shen Bai."

One of the black-robed figures below spoke, his hands clasped in a salute.

The Sect Leader nodded, his expression impassive. "I am aware."

The black-robed figure hesitated for a moment. "The Upper Evil Sect has never suffered such a loss since its founding. Sect Leader, we must kill Shen Bai."

The Sect Leader idly flipped through the book’s pages. "You go to kill someone, and they kill you instead. That’s just how it is."

The black-robed figure was left speechless.

"Elder Huo, you don’t actually believe that we’re the only ones allowed to do the killing, do you?"

An awkward expression crossed Elder Huo’s face. "But..."

The Sect Leader waved his hand dismissively. "I won’t spare Shen Bai. I just dislike it when you people spout nonsense about the Upper Evil Sect being invincible. Don’t forget our ultimate goal."

A solemn look came over Elder Huo’s face. "Rest assured, Sect Leader. I understand perfectly. It’s all for the sake of establishing a connection with the Wild Taoist Sect."

"Therefore, Shen Bai is our stepping stone. Just imagine: if we can kill someone that powerful, how could the Wild Taoist Sect possibly refuse to ally with us?"

The Sect Leader put on an expression of profound compassion. "I actually admire Shen Bai’s ruthlessness. What a pity... he has to die."

Those words, combined with his compassionate facade, sent a shiver down the spine of everyone present.

The Sect Leader went back to flipping through his book, the red mole between his brows growing ever more conspicuous.

The remote mountain fell silent as the seven elders vanished without a trace.

...

「The next day.」

Fenglin State was one of the territories of the Great Zhou Country, overseeing many counties.

Its travel routes were open year-round, and it saw a great number of travelers passing through.

At this moment, by the already bustling city gate, an unusual group of people was waiting.

They were all dressed in Daoist Robes, yet their faces lacked the slightest hint of an ethereal air. Instead, they stared expressionlessly at the city gate.

The crowds of townspeople were puzzled, wondering why so many Daoists were standing guard.

Many curious onlookers watched from a distance, quietly forming a crowd.

Outside the city gates, pedestrians streamed past and carriages rolled by.

But the group of Daoists seemed not to notice any of it.

After watching for a while and growing bored, many of the townspeople quietly dispersed.

A smaller portion remained, however, finding spots to continue their observation.

About the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, a rather large carriage entered the city gate.