jdhmnovel Chapter 160 Visit
Chapter 160 Visit
After the banquet, Huangcheng City Lord Beitang Xing, along with three elders from the Huitian Sect, leaders from other sects, Jiang Jingzhi, Mu Zhusheng, Xu Xiaoxiao, Su Miaoyin, Yang Qingfeng, and others, arrived at the City Lord's Mansion's council hall. The hall was brightly lit with candles, and everyone sat around a huge mahogany round table.
Beitang Xing spoke first, his expression worried: "Fellow immortal masters, we hope that you can all help us find a solution to the difficult breakthrough that the disciples of Dongzhou are facing today."
The Grand Elder nodded slightly, his gaze steady: "City Lord, there is no need to worry. Now that we have decided to intervene in this matter, we will do our best. However, we still need to understand the situation below the Cold Abyss. Does the City Lord have any other clues about the sealed land?"
Beitang Xing shook his head helplessly: "To be honest, I have already told all the immortal masters what I know. The Cold Abyss is extremely dangerous, and almost no one who goes in has ever returned, so I don't know the specifics."
The Second Elder stroked his beard and said slowly, "In my opinion, we should first find out whether this evil power really exists and its connection with the difficulties that the disciples of Dongzhou are having in breaking through. Perhaps we can send some disciples who are good at investigation to conduct a reconnaissance near the Cold Abyss and see if we can find any clues."
The Third Elder nodded in agreement: "The Second Elder is absolutely right. However, since the Cold Abyss is so dangerous, the disciples we send out must act with caution and not venture in rashly."
After pondering for a moment, Jiang Jingzhi said, "I think we can start with the ancient books and documents of Dongzhou to see if there are any detailed records about this Cold Abyss and the evil seal. Maybe we can find some key information from them."
Mu Zhusheng agreed, "Senior Brother is right. Perhaps we can find a solution in historical records. In addition, we can also inquire among the cultivation families in Dongzhou to see if they know any unknown secrets."
Xu Xiaoxiao frowned slightly: "Even if we find the location of the evil power, how to completely eliminate it is also a problem. We need to prepare countermeasures in advance to avoid being put on the defensive."
Yang Qingfeng chimed in, "Junior Sister Xu is right. We need to be fully prepared. We can first research some spells and magical artifacts to suppress evil spirits, and at the same time strengthen our own defense and recovery capabilities."
Listening to the discussion, Beitang Xing was filled with gratitude: "With all of you immortal masters here, the predicament of Dongzhou will surely be resolved. If there is anything I can do to help, the City Lord's Mansion will do its best to cooperate."
The Grand Elder stood up and looked at everyone with a firm gaze: "There is no time to lose. We will make arrangements as soon as we get back. I believe that as long as we work together, we will be able to resolve the crisis in Dongzhou and restore its former prosperity."
Everyone nodded, their eyes filled with confidence and determination. A plan to address the crisis of evil spirits in Dongzhou was quietly unfolding in the council hall.
The Grand Elder's gaze swept over everyone, his expression solemn yet resolute. He said, "In that case, we shall split into two groups to gather information as quickly as possible. One group will head to the major libraries in Dongzhou to consult ancient books and documents; the other group will visit the cultivation families in Dongzhou to see if we can obtain any useful clues from them. Does anyone have any ideas?"
Jiang Jingzhi volunteered, his tone firm: "Elder, I am willing to lead the team to consult the ancient books. I am quite familiar with all kinds of documents and materials, and perhaps we can find key clues from the vast sea of ancient books."
Not to be outdone, a disciple from some unknown sect chimed in, "Elder, I'll go with Fellow Daoist Jiang. I'm quite familiar with the distribution of some of the library pavilions in Dongzhou, and I can be of great help."
The elder nodded slightly, his eyes full of approval: "Good, then you two will be in charge of searching the ancient books. Remember, you must search carefully and not let any clues slip by."
Su Miaoyin spoke softly, her voice clear yet steady: "Elder, I am willing to lead a team to the cultivation families to gather information. I have some dealings with the disciples of some families, so communication might be easier."
Yang Qingfeng immediately responded: "I will go with Fairy Su. I am good at communicating with people, and I may be able to extract valuable information from their words."
The Grand Elder nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. You must be extra careful on this trip. The situation of cultivation families is complicated, so you must not be careless."
Xu Xiaoxiao was a little anxious and quickly said, "Elder, what about me? I also want to do something."
The elder looked at Xu Xiaoxiao with a hint of affection in his eyes: "Xiaoxiao, you should go with Fairy Su and Yang Qingfeng. You are quick-witted and may be able to discover details that others have overlooked."
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "Great! I definitely won't let everyone down."
Beitang Xing listened attentively and couldn't help but speak up: "Fellow immortal masters, if you need anything, I can arrange for people from the City Lord's Mansion to assist you. They are more familiar with the situation in Dongzhou and can provide you with a lot of convenience."
The First Elder looked at Beitang Xing gratefully: "Then thank you very much, City Lord. With the assistance of the City Lord's Mansion, our operation will definitely go more smoothly."
Jiang Jingzhi turned to look at Mu Zhusheng and several other disciples from other sects, his expression serious: "Junior brother, and these fellow Daoists, our mission along the way has been arduous. After we return, we will begin to compile a list of the libraries we need to consult, and we will set off early tomorrow morning."
Mu Zhusheng nodded and replied, "Okay, I'll go prepare right away. I hope we can find useful clues soon."
Su Miaoyin then said to Yang Qingfeng and Xu Xiaoxiao, "We can't slack off either. Tonight I will contact some familiar family members to make arrangements in advance so that it will be easier for us to carry out our actions tomorrow."
Yang Qingfeng and Xu Xiaoxiao responded in unison, "Okay!"
The Grand Elder looked at everyone and said earnestly, "This mission concerns the future of Dongzhou. Everyone must act with caution. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we must communicate in a timely manner. I believe that as long as we work together, we will be able to resolve the crisis in Dongzhou."
Their eyes were filled with determination and resolve; in the candlelight, their figures appeared exceptionally resolute.
As night deepened, the candlelight flickered in the council hall of the city lord's mansion. After everyone dispersed, Xu Xiaoxiao, Su Miaoyin, and Yang Qingfeng did not rest immediately, but instead discussed the action plan for the next day in Su Miaoyin's room.
Su Miaoyin sat by the window, holding a communication talisman in her hand. With a focused expression, she gently closed her eyes, poured her spiritual power into it, and the images of the disciples from the cultivation families she had interacted with appeared in her mind. She contacted them one by one.
Xu Xiaoxiao watched curiously from the side, occasionally leaning forward to ask, "Sister Su, are these people you contacted reliable? Will they be willing to help us?"
Su Miaoyin opened her eyes, a gentle smile on her face, and said, "Don't worry, these people have a pretty good relationship with me and have received some help from me in the past. Moreover, this matter concerns the safety of Dongzhou, so I believe they will not stand idly by."
Yang Qingfeng paced around the room, pondering, and said, "Even so, we cannot let our guard down. The relationships within cultivation families are intricate and complex. When we ask questions, we must be careful with our words and manner to avoid causing unnecessary trouble."
Xu Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously and said, "I know, I'll be careful. But how can we ask them to get useful information? Wouldn't it be too abrupt to just ask them if they know about the Cold Abyss and the evil spirit seal?"
Su Miaoyin pondered for a moment and said, "Sister Xu is right. We can't be too direct. Tomorrow, we'll start with some everyday topics to build rapport with them, and then gradually introduce the issues we care about."
At this moment, a communication talisman suddenly flashed. Su Miaoyin reached out and caught it, infusing it with her spiritual power. A moment later, a relieved smile appeared on her face, and she said, "That's great! The young master of the Li family, Li Yifeng, is willing to help. He said he will introduce us to some elders in the family tomorrow so that we can ask them questions."
Xu Xiaoxiao jumped up excitedly and said, "Great! This gives us a breakthrough."
Yang Qingfeng smiled and said, "This is good news, but we can't rely on information from just one family. Tomorrow we still need to visit several more families and gather as many clues as possible."
The three then discussed the possible situations they might encounter the next day and devised several contingency plans. It wasn't until late at night that they went back to their rooms to rest.
The next morning, sunlight streamed into the courtyard of the city lord's mansion. Xu Xiaoxiao got up early and arrived at the door of Su Miaoyin and Yang Qingfeng's room, full of energy, waiting to depart.
After having a simple breakfast, the three of them headed towards the Li family, the largest cultivation family in Dongzhou, led by a guide arranged by the city lord's mansion.
Along the way, Xu Xiaoxiao looked around curiously, her heart filled with anticipation. Before long, they arrived at the Li family's mansion. The Li family's mansion was magnificent, and the two stone lions at the gate were imposing, showing the extraordinary strength of this family.
Li Yifeng was already waiting at the door. When he saw Su Miaoyin and the others arrive, he quickly went forward and said with a smile, "Fairy Su, it's been a long time. How have you been?"
Su Miaoyin bowed slightly and said with a smile, "Young Master Li, thank you for your help. We have come here for important matters in Dongzhou, and we hope that the Li family members will not hesitate to offer their guidance."
Li Yifeng nodded and said, "You're too kind, Fairy Su. The matter of Dongzhou is a matter for all of us. I have already spoken with several elders in the family, and they are waiting in the hall."
As he spoke, Li Yifeng led everyone into the Li family mansion. Inside the hall, several elderly men with white hair were sitting in the main seats. When they saw Su Miaoyin and the others enter, they all stood up and warmly invited them to sit down.
Su Miaoyin spoke first, expressing her gratitude for the help from the Li family members. Then she skillfully steered the conversation, gradually moving from the recent changes in Dongzhou to the matter of the Cold Abyss and the sealing of evil spirits.
Upon hearing this, the elders' expressions turned solemn. One of them slowly said, "Our family does have some records about the Cold Abyss and the sealing of the evil spirit, but due to the passage of time, these records are somewhat blurred. It is said that an extremely powerful evil spirit is sealed beneath the Cold Abyss, and many predecessors have sacrificed themselves to seal it."
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up, and she quickly asked, "Do you know if this evil power is related to the difficulty that Dongzhou disciples have in breaking through?"
The old man pondered for a moment and said, "Well... we can't be sure either. However, the spiritual energy environment in Dongzhou has indeed changed in the last hundred years, which may be related to that seal."
Yang Qingfeng then asked, "Do you know of any way to break this seal, or at least weaken its effects?"
The old man shook his head helplessly and said, "There is no record of this in our family's ancient books. However, I have heard that there is an ancient ruin in a hidden place in Dongzhou. It may hold the secrets about the Cold Abyss and the seal of evil spirits. But the ruin is fraught with danger, and no one has dared to explore it to this day."
Upon hearing this news, Su Miaoyin and the others felt both excited and worried. They were excited because they finally had a new clue, but worried because the danger level of the ruins was unknown.
After bidding farewell to the Li family members, Su Miaoyin and the others immediately set off for other cultivation families. In the following days, they traveled around, visiting one family after another and collecting a lot of scattered information.
Some families said they had heard of the legends of the Cold Abyss, but did not know the specifics; some families mentioned some characteristics and possible weaknesses of the evil power; and some families provided some clues about ancient ruins. Although they were different, they all provided valuable references for their investigation.
As the investigation deepened, Xu Xiaoxiao and the others gradually realized that this evil force was far more complex and powerful than they had imagined.
But they did not back down; instead, they became even more determined to resolve the crisis in Dongzhou. They organized and analyzed the information they had gathered, trying to find a clue to unravel the mystery...
Xu Xiaoxiao looked at the clues she had recorded in her hand, frowned and said, "Although these families provide a lot of information, it feels very scattered and difficult to connect."
Su Miaoyin nodded gently, and after careful consideration, said, "I've noticed that several families have mentioned that the power of evil spirits seems to be affected by some kind of special spiritual energy fluctuation, but they can't explain exactly what kind of spiritual energy fluctuation it is. Could this be the key?"
Yang Qingfeng paced to the side and chimed in, "Also, regarding that ancient ruin, although the location clues given by different families differ, they all generally point to the northern region of Dongzhou. This should not be a coincidence."
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up: "That's right! Maybe we overlooked the connection between regions before. Also, I remember a family mentioned that an ancestor once sensed a strange magnetic field near the Cold Abyss. Could it be related to the ruins?"
Su Miaoyin frowned slightly: "It's very possible. Perhaps the ruins contain some kind of special formation or restriction that generates such a magnetic field, which in turn affects the power of the Cold Abyss and the evil spirits."
Yang Qingfeng nodded in agreement: "It seems that we should focus on the situation in the northern part of Dongzhou, as well as this special spiritual energy fluctuation and magnetic field. This may be an important breakthrough in solving the mystery of the evil spirit's seal."
Jiang Jingzhi and his team spent day and night searching through ancient books and documents in various libraries, and finally made a major discovery.