Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

Chapter 445: Chapter 199: Enemies (3)

At these words, the members of the Wutai Sect and Xuanjia Sect were all startled. The way they looked at the silent Puppets changed instantly.

A single Puppet could actually rival an Early-stage Astral Force master?

The Puppet Sect’s methods were truly as bizarre as they were powerful!

Even Shen Xiuyong couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, "Your esteemed sect’s Puppet Technique is truly mysterious and extraordinary."

Chen Qing also couldn’t help but study the "Iron Guard" a few more times.

But his mind raced, knowing full well that the matter was not so simple.

’Such a powerful Puppet must consume an immense amount of energy to operate. Furthermore, its movements can’t possibly be as flexible or adaptable as a real person with a Human Spirit. There have to be drawbacks.’

However, these matters involved the Puppet Sect’s secrets and would obviously not be revealed so easily.

The group then walked into Guiyun Inn, the largest inn in Fengye County.

They handed their Bi Yuncong steeds over to an inn attendant to be led to the back courtyard for careful tending.

As soon as they stepped into the inn’s main hall, a wave of clamorous noise washed over them.

However, Sang Yanping and Chu Jinyun’s gazes were almost instantly drawn to a group of people in a corner of the hall, and their steps faltered slightly.

Seated there were more than ten people from the Jianghu, all wearing uniform reddish-yellow Martial Attire. Embroidered on their collars was a pattern of a rising sun emerging from a sea of clouds—the symbol of the Chaoyang Sect, the hegemon of Celestial Balance Prefecture!

The leader was a middle-aged man of about forty or fifty. His aura was as heavy and stable as a mountain, and an invisible force field seemed to surround him, making the air nearby feel somewhat stagnant.

He was slowly and deliberately sipping his tea, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding din.

"It’s Ruan Wenju of the Chaoyang Sect!" Sang Yanping’s pupils contracted. He lowered his voice to a whisper, his brows knitting together tightly.

Chu Jinyun’s heart also tightened.

The Chaoyang Sect and the Wutai Sect had been on bad terms for decades. Their old grudges ran deep. Although they had maintained a superficial peace through the mediation of various parties, everyone knew that the animosity was too deep-rooted to be truly resolved.

And this Ruan Wenju was a renowned Outer Astral Realm master within the Chaoyang Sect. His strength was unfathomable, and he was by no means an easy person to deal with.

To think the two sects would run into each other in Fengye County—it was true that enemies were bound to cross paths.

The disciples of the Wutai Sect naturally recognized the other party as well. Sensing the heavy atmosphere, their mood, which had relaxed upon arriving at the inn, instantly tensed up again.

Chen Qing was no exception. His gaze swept over the group of Chaoyang Sect disciples before finally landing on Ruan Wenju, a chill running through his heart.

He had also heard about the Chaoyang Sect and its long-standing feud with the Wutai Sect. Master Li, in particular, had killed quite a few of the Chaoyang Sect’s young talents back in the day and had even been personally hunted by their Sect Leader.

’The Chaoyang Sect... they won’t hold a junior like me accountable for the debts of the older generation, will they?’

Chen Qing muttered to himself, but his expression remained impassive. He merely grew a bit more vigilant.

On the other side, the people from the Chaoyang Sect had also clearly noticed the two newly arrived groups.

When their gazes fell upon the members of the Wutai Sect, they all froze in unison, their eyes instantly turning sharp.

A few of the younger, more hot-headed Chaoyang Sect disciples even subconsciously gripped the Weapons by their sides.

The temperature in the originally lively and peaceful inn hall seemed to drop by several degrees. The air became charged with tension, the atmosphere subtle and strained.

The Puppet Sect’s Elder, Fang Hongtao, had clearly not expected to run into the Chaoyang Sect here, much less that the atmosphere between them and the Wutai Sect would be so frosty.

The feud between the Chaoyang Sect and the Wutai Sect had been a major affair back in the day, so Fang Hongtao had naturally heard about it.

The Chaoyang Sect’s power in Celestial Balance Prefecture was immense, far beyond what his Puppet Sect could compare to.

A flicker of awkwardness and calculation crossed his face. He then turned to Sang Yanping with a slightly apologetic smile and said in a low voice, "Elder Sang, this..."

His meaning was self-evident.

If he were truly forced to choose between the Wutai Sect and the Chaoyang Sect, he would undoubtedly side with the latter, the more powerful of the two.

Sang Yanping nodded in understanding, saying nothing more.

Such were the realities of the Jianghu.

Fang Hongtao then led the Puppet Sect disciples, deliberately putting some distance between them and the Wutai Sect group. He then plastered a smile on his face, clasped his hands toward Ruan Wenju, and said, "Elder Ruan, I trust you’ve been well? I never expected to have the good fortune of running into you here."

Only then did Ruan Wenju slowly set down his teacup. He glanced at Fang Hongtao and said flatly, "So it’s Elder Fang. We have finished and were just about to go upstairs to rest."

With that, he stood up. Ignoring the group from the Puppet Sect and without sparing another glance in the Wutai Sect’s direction, he led the Chaoyang Sect disciples and turned to ascend the stairs.

As those Chaoyang Sect disciples passed by the Wutai Sect members, most of them cast cold, even hostile, gazes.

As the Chaoyang Sect party disappeared at the top of the stairs, the suffocating pressure in the hall abruptly dissipated. Many of the other patrons and the Wutai Sect disciples secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Honored guests, right this way for your rooms."

The inn attendant, who had been holding his breath and watching from the side, finally dared to approach, calling out cautiously.

Fang Hongtao and his group, looking slightly awkward, followed the attendant upstairs.

As for the matter of traveling to Celestial Treasure City together, it was naturally abandoned.

Sang Yanping took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He said to the disciples behind him in a low voice, "First, go to your rooms and get settled. Tidy yourselves up and come back down in one hour for dinner."

"Yes!"

The group responded in unison.

.....