Chapter 788: Returning the Property to Its Original Owner
The Disciples of Cave Abyss Sect were no exception; led by Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators, they guided their Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, rushing about.
Yuwen Yao, Han Yuan, Senior Brother Kong You, and others undertook the tasks of perimeter security and area clearing.
Surprisingly, Gu Qingqing, a delicate girl, voluntarily joined the team searching for and collecting remains.
Perhaps she wanted to find Yang Yuerong’s remains.
However, with the collapse of the Formation on Dragon Pool Mountain, the destructive power was something ordinary Cultivators could not withstand.
The Yang Family had few Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators and reacted too slowly. Under that level of power, it was likely that countless individuals had no remains left.
For these Cultivators, clearing a ruin did not take too long, and soon the restoration efforts were nearing their end.
Outside the original site of the Yang Family, on a secluded high slope.
Song Yan bent down, Sword Qi flowing between his fingers, carving something into a bluestone slab.
Stone chips flew, and crushed stone powder fell in a rustle.
A moment later, a simple small monument was formed.
It had no lengthy epitaph, only three carved characters: Yang Yuerong.
Speaking of which, his interaction with this girl was not very deep.
Initially, he had just experienced the Jiran Valley incident, Cultivated the Cloud Piercing Sword, and met her in the Yanran Mountain Range by the Lingyuan Marsh.
He casually saved her and two companions, something Song Yan himself barely remembered.
It wasn’t until later, on New Year’s Eve, when they met again at the restaurant, that he recalled it.
A few days ago, he had seen her in Diequan Market, and heard Gu Qingqing mention her background and the Yang Family’s centennial grand sacrifice.
Even now, this ordinary young girl was just a blurry shadow in his memory.
Now, even her body could not be found.
However, at this moment, that shadow was exceptionally clear.
She was like his former self, struggling for a Spirit Stone or two.
Ordinary, unknown, striving to survive.
Enduring hardship, but no one was interested in them. From birth to death, they would not appear in any historical record.
The common people, countless individuals.
Ordinary people, unable to attain true freedom.
Perhaps separation by life and death is the norm in this Cultivation World... no, it should be said, in this human world.
Song Yan silently and squarely inserted the small stone monument into the earth.
The monument was small, appearing even more tiny and desolate before the vast ruins, but at this moment, in Song Yan’s eyes, it was exceptionally striking.
Just then, a figure slowly approached.
Before the tombstone, Gu Qingqing’s steps halted.
Looking at the name on the small tombstone, her entire being seemed to be drained of strength, in a trance.
Tears could no longer be held back, gushing out.
There was no loud wailing, only her body trembling, silently weeping, her vision blurred.
Song Yan did not turn back, remaining still.
Junior Sister Qingqing must be the most saddened and heartbroken person...
After a while, Gu Qingqing fiercely wiped away her tears with her sleeve, then walked to Song Yan’s side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, gazing at the stone monument and the ruins.
Song Yan turned around and gently patted her shoulder.
Without a word, he quietly left.
Leaving Gu Qingqing alone to face the small monument and the vast ruins, speaking softly.
Regarding separation by life and death, he was always taciturn.
Whether on Earth in his previous life or as Song Yan after Transmigration, he was a sunny and cheerful person.
It wasn’t until his grandfather passed away that he became somewhat silent.
Only in front of Xiao He or Sheng Nian and others could he open his heart and speak more.
For Gu Qingqing, Yang Yuerong was such a person, wasn’t she?
The two most severely damaged areas by the Demonic Cultivators were Dragon Pool Mountain and the Yang Family’s ancestral land.
Other places were basically unaffected.
After the restoration was completed, Song Yan returned to his Immortal Cave.
In the following days, the Disciples of the Six Major Sects continued to temporarily reside and Cultivate on Dragon Pool Mountain, awaiting instructions from their Sects.
During these days, a Loose Cultivator even came to visit.
This person wore an ordinary dark blue Daoist robe, with a plain appearance and a look of vigilance and apprehension in his eyes.
His Cultivation was roughly at the Late Stage of Qi Refining, and his aura was somewhat hurried and unstable.
Song Yan was in seclusion for Cultivation, so Xiao Ju naturally met him.
"Fellow Daoist, what brings you here?"
"May I ask, is this Senior Song Yan’s Immortal Cave?"
"Indeed, I am Ju Luyi." Xiao Ju nodded: "Master is in seclusion, is there something you need?"
Upon hearing this, the Loose Cultivator looked at Xiao Ju with a hint of envy and politely said: "Fellow Daoist, I am Chen Dongfeng, a local Loose Cultivator."
"I apologize for disturbing Senior Song Yan’s seclusion, but... I have an important item to return."
"Return?"
Xiao Ju was puzzled.
Since the Demonic Cultivator chaos, visitors to Master’s place had become fewer, but suddenly a strange Loose Cultivator appeared saying he wanted to "return" something, which was truly odd.
However, she dutifully asked: "What are you returning?"
Chen Dongfeng pulled a Storage Bag from his bosom and handed it to Xiao Ju.
"I dare not claim credit. Yesterday, by order of Senior Jiang, while clearing the outer perimeter of Dragon Pool Mountain, I stumbled upon this item a hundred miles away."
Chen Dongfeng spoke with a somewhat literary flair.
Perhaps he had read a few years of sage books before entering the Dao.
"On that day, at the ruins of the Yang Family, Senior Song Yan’s single Sword struck the world, slaying the Young Lord of the Yang Family who colluded with the Demonic Path. This is his Storage Bag."
Xiao Ju blinked; she remembered.
After Song Yan returned to his residence that day, he had briefly mentioned this to her, casually saying he encountered two Demonic Cultivators, and one escaped.
It wasn’t until later, from the mouths of visitors, that she roughly learned the full story, and her admiration for Song Yan grew even more boundless.
At that time, Song Yan was busy with the clearing and restoration of Dragon Pool Mountain, and did not retrieve the Storage Bag immediately, later forgetting about it.
Upon returning to the Immortal Cave, he mentioned it to her.
He said if anyone came to deliver the Storage Bag, she should just accept it on his behalf.
Actually, Xiao Ju herself had secretly searched the vicinity later, but did not find it, so it must have been picked up by the cleanup crew.
Master is truly brilliant, to have anticipated even this... wouldn’t someone who picked it up just embezzle it?
Her gaze fell on Chen Dongfeng. This person was clearly intimidated by Master’s reputation.
In fact, that was precisely the case.
Chen Dongfeng had originally picked up the item, thinking he had struck it rich, and intended to keep it.
However, upon opening the bag, many items inside indicated that the owner of this Storage Bag was "Yang Kaijun."
That is, the Demonic Cultivator who was slain by Song Yan’s Sword from a hundred miles away.
"It’s over!"
The sky had fallen!
Recalling the might of that Sword, Chen Dongfeng couldn’t help but shiver.
This Senior Song Yan was already infamous before reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Rumor had it that several years ago, in broad daylight, he repeatedly killed a Disciple of Profound Origin Sect.
The title of ’Killing Star’ was not just for show.
A few days ago, when that Sword was unleashed, with surging clouds and the terrifying sight of a Celestial City in the sky, he earned the moniker ’Cloud Piercing Sword Immortal.’
Chen Dongfeng rushed, delivering the goods to his door, fearing that a late delivery would lead to reckoning.
"Fellow Daoist Ju, uh..."
Chen Dongfeng’s expression was now somewhat uneasy.
"Please, Fellow Daoist Ju, you must explain to Senior Song on my behalf that I did not touch anything in this Storage Bag."
"I only removed the Restriction and opened it to confirm the identity."
"Oh... alright." Xiao Ju nodded: "Alright, I will report everything to Master in detail."
"Where do you live? In case Master needs to find you."
Chen Dongfeng felt as if he had been granted a great pardon, thinking that Senior Song Yan’s Disciple seemed easy to talk to.
He quickly reported his temporary lodging, then stealthily took out a heavy bag of Spirit Stones from his own Storage Bag and handed it to Xiao Ju.
"Ah?" Xiao Ju didn’t understand what this person was doing, and very puzzledly accepted it along with the Storage Bag... "A small token of my regard, not much but sincere."
With that, Chen Dongfeng bowed, then vanished into the rain as if fleeing, as if staying for another breath was torture.
"..."
Xiao Ju stared blankly at the two bags in her hands, lost in thought.
She closed the Immortal Cave’s Restriction, walked to the outside of Song Yan’s quiet room for Cultivation, and without disturbing him, placed both bags in the most conspicuous spot on the stone table outside, carefully covering them with a clean silk handkerchief.
Next to them, she left a small Jade Slip: "Master, please open upon exiting seclusion. Xiao Ju."
Inside the quiet room, Song Yan was still immersed in comprehending Sword Intent.
Mirror Flower, Water Moon, infinitely profound, ever-changing between reality and illusion, infinitely sharp.
When he unleashed his Sword that day, Song Yan truly felt the power of this Sword Intent for the first time.
This was truly worthy of the title of a Sword Cultivator, unrivaled among those of the same Realm.
If, when unleashing Sword Intent, he were to also use the Purple Qi Unification Truth... what kind of scene would that be?
Two days later, Song Yan temporarily exited seclusion.
Xiao Ju was also in seclusion for Cultivation, and Xiao He had run off somewhere.
His gaze fell on the Storage Bag and small cloth bag on the stone table, as well as the Jade Slip left by Xiao Ju.
Picking up the Jade Slip, his Divine Sense swept over it, and Xiao Ju’s tender voice sounded in his mind, briefly explaining the situation.
A local Loose Cultivator named Chen Dongfeng had found Yang Kaijun’s Storage Bag while clearing the outer ruins.
He dared not keep it privately and voluntarily returned it.
It also mentioned that this person had only opened the Storage Bag to confirm its identity, and had not dared to touch a single item inside.
The thirty Spirit Stones were given to him by the other party, Xiao Ju explained everything in detail.
Song Yan chuckled.
He knew in his heart that what truly frightened this Loose Cultivator was not the righteousness of returning what belonged.
Rather, it was Song Yan’s thunderous methods displayed when slaying the Demonic Cultivator, and the formidable might of the Cave Abyss Sect.
Well, it saved him a trip.
After a moment of thought, he temporarily accepted the Storage Bag.
He slowly walked out of the Immortal Cave, heading towards Elder Zhang Guangyuan’s residence.
Today, Elder Zhang had gathered all the Cultivators of Cave Abyss Sect, presumably to discuss important matters.
Perhaps, the matter of Dragon Pool Mountain was coming to an end.
When Song Yan arrived, Zhang Guangyuan and Yang Wenxuan were already in discussion.
There were also Xu Ziqing and four other True Disciples of the previous generation. He seemed to be the earliest of the new generation to arrive.
Yang Wenxuan slightly raised his head and glanced at Song Yan, a hint of coldness hidden in his eyes.
Song Yan sat down beside the three True Disciples, quietly awaiting the arrival of the other Disciples.
Soon after, everyone was present.
Elder Zhang Guangyuan slowly began: "This time, I’ve called everyone together mainly for the matters of the Dragon Pool Mountain Assembly. I’ll make it brief."
"The Dragon Pool Mountain Assembly will likely not be continued."
"According to the instructions of the Golden Core Immortal Masters from the other Sects, Mo Xu Cultivators have simultaneously invaded several countries in the Border Region."
"In the northwest border of our Chu Kingdom, many original small Sects and even several Loose Cultivator settlements have all become bases for the Demonic Ruins overnight."
Upon hearing this, the Disciples present all changed color.
For the vast majority of people in the Chu Kingdom’s Cultivation World, Mo Xu Cultivators still sounded like a distant matter.
In the history of the Chu Kingdom’s Cultivation World, similar events occurred every few hundred years.
Perhaps the few Golden Core Cultivators still alive today had even experienced the last Demonic Ruins invasion.
However, to this day, the Demonic Ruins had not been able to gain a foothold.
No one believed that the Demonic Path would succeed this time, but when one personally found themselves in such a major historical event, feelings of panic or surging emotions were inevitable.
Song Yan subtly glanced at Lin Qing, noticing that she was also looking at him.
"The Chu Kingdom’s territory is mainly home to Demonic Cultivators of the Seed Demon Path and Yellow Springs Path Dao lineages."
Zhang Guangyuan continued: "This time, we must immediately return to the Sect to report. Some of you may even be dispatched to the front lines to provide support and guard."
Everyone’s hearts tightened.
"These matters will be arranged by the Sect’s managing Elders upon our return. But besides that..."
Zhang Guangyuan pondered for a moment, his gaze lingering on Song Yan and Li Yi: "It has been investigated that the Hu Family of Dragon Pool Mountain colluded with Demonic Cultivators, leading to the tragic deaths of countless innocent Cultivators."
"The Nine Pulses Cultivators must leave at least two Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators and five Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivators to participate in the accountability."
Song Yan raised an eyebrow.
The Hu Family... nominally accountability, but in reality, a reckoning.
A Cultivation Family colluding with Demonic Cultivators, if subjected to reckoning, would likely be exterminated.
Righteous Path Cultivators had no tolerance for this.
"Regarding this matter, Elder Yang Wenxuan and I just discussed it."
Yang Wenxuan nodded: "Although the Grand Competition was interrupted, our Cave Abyss Sect Cultivators have also distinguished themselves in the Chu Kingdom’s Cultivation World this time."
He looked at Song Yan, his gaze kind, completely adopting the encouraging attitude of an Elder towards a Junior: "Especially Song Yan."
"Therefore, after consideration, I believe we should leave Elder Xu Ziqing and Song Yan to participate in the reckoning of the Hu Family."
"Xu Ziqing is both a Disciple and an Elder, making it convenient to dispatch other Disciples."
"Song Yan can take this opportunity to interact more with the outstanding talents of his generation from the other Sects, and also gain experience by following Elder Xu."
"As for the five Qi Refining Realm Cultivators, you can decide among yourselves."
Song Yan’s eyes flickered, wondering what scheme Yang Wenxuan was planning.
One could say that ever since the Sword Wiping Assembly had not yet ended, the Immortal Cave incident had already created a personal grudge between him and Yang Wenxuan.
His refusal to recommend him before this Grand Competition made Song Yan realize that this person was already irreconcilable with him.
Yang Wenxuan himself was leaving, yet he specifically asked Song Yan to stay.
To do what?
Looking into Yang Wenxuan’s eyes, Song Yan faintly sensed a hint of killing intent.
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