Clearly, not many in the hall knew about the Hall Master being attacked; everything proceeded as usual.
Only, Zhu Zhao had remained unconscious since that night.
Several elders also stayed in the back mountain to reinforce the barrier of the forbidden grounds.
Song Yao, the victim whose bed had been occupied, spent every day pouting behind Sixth Elder, urging her to find an antidote.
Sixth Elder didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “If I had a way, I would have used it on Ah Zhao long ago. This dark poison is far too bizarre; I can only barely preserve her soul and keep her alive.”
Song Yao thought about it. “Then let's call Sixteenth Elder back to try. Is traveling really more important than Second Senior Sister?”
Sixth Elder fell silent for a moment, then sighed. “You are a personal disciple, so there is no harm in telling you. Sixteenth Elder is actually in the hall, but...”
Song Yao asked, “But what?”
Sixth Elder whispered in her ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear, “A few months ago, someone tried to break into the forbidden grounds. The fluctuation in the barrier caused the Hall Master to fail his breakthrough and get injured. Sixteenth Elder is in the forbidden grounds protecting his law and healing him, so he cannot come out for the time being.”
Song Yao was shocked. “Master is injured? Then isn't our Nine Saints Hall finished?”
Both Taiqing Pavilion and Beiyao Sect were watching like tigers stalking their prey. If they learned of this news, they would definitely intensify their pressure on Nine Saints Hall.
They might even directly take action and seize Nine Saints Hall's territory.
No, wait.
Apart from Fifth Junior Sister, many of the Wen family's younger generation had been sent to Taiqing Pavilion to cultivate.
Perhaps their attack on Master was orchestrated by Taiqing Pavilion.
She spoke so seriously that Sixth Elder found it amusing. “Don't let your mind wander; we won't be finished. They never broke into the tower, so they don't know about the Hall Master's injury. They shouldn't act rashly in the short term. Besides, we have already sent someone to the Wen family to demand an explanation. Regardless of anything else, we must get the antidote back first and cure your Second Senior Sister.”
...
Sure enough, just as Song Yao expected, two days later, Twelfth Elder, who had gone to the Wen family, returned in a towering rage and smashed the discussion hall to pieces.
“They claim the Wen family is in deep mourning, the entire clan is grieving, and they temporarily aren't receiving guests! This 'deep mourning' has been going on for over half a year! And they stubbornly insist they could never have acted against Nine Saints Hall, calling it a massive misunderstanding! Bah!”
“That was clearly their Wen family's dark poison, and the techniques that person used were also of the Wen family! If not them, who else could it be?!”
Her usually bright, soul-stirring phoenix eyes were now blazing with monstrous rage.
She stomped her foot onto the shattered tea table. “They said that if it really is dark poison, we should send Zhu Zhao to the Wen family, and they will definitely find a way to cure her.”
“If we send her in, will she even have a chance to live? They probably want to destroy the evidence!”
Third Elder knit his brows and asked in a deep voice, “Did you fight?”
“Of course!” Twelfth Elder said angrily. “This old lady smashed their entire front hall! But what use is that? I couldn't exactly slaughter my way through the entire Wen family, could I?”
She let out a heavy breath and pulled out a chair to sit down.
The atmosphere in the hall instantly became oppressive.
Song Yao sat in a corner holding her pill manual.
Though she didn't know why she and Jiang Jin were qualified to be here, the current situation seemed highly unfavorable for her to reclaim her single room.
Amidst the silence, she suddenly spoke up, “What about Fifth Senior Sister? Isn't Fifth Senior Sister the young mistress of the Wen family? She must know how to neutralize the poison.”
Twelfth Elder massaged her temples, the fatigue from her travels evident on her face. “I didn't see Tangtang. I asked everyone in the front hall, and they all said Tangtang was too grief-stricken over the family head's passing and was refusing all guests. I had someone release a Nine Saints Hall contact talisman on the Wen family's back mountain amidst the chaos, but we waited for half a day and got no response.”
Sixth Elder pursed her lips, her expression grave. “I know Tangtang. If she knew Ah Zhao was injured, she would never sit idly by. It's highly likely she's also in a position where she can't act of her own free will right now...”
Jiang Jin stood up abruptly, gripping his sword. “No matter what, we must rescue Fifth Senior Sister from the Wen family!”
“Forcing our way in won't work.” Third Elder looked at him and Song Yao. “But there is another way, and only you two can do it.”
Jiang Jin eagerly asked, “What way?”
“The Myriad Bones Forest secret realm is about to open. This secret realm opens once every five years, and only disciples at the Golden Core Rank and below can enter. Most sects in the Tianshu Realm will send disciples to participate; it serves as a minor competition between the various sects.”
Third Elder sighed softly. “Once you enter, find a way to contact the Wen family's people and see if you can learn about Tangtang's situation.”
Song Yao: “......”
Not only could she not leave Nine Saints Hall, but now she even had to go to battle for them.
She hesitated. “But I'm a pill cultivator. Aren't pill cultivators barred from entering secret realms?”
Generally speaking, except for specialized competitions, pill cultivators, medicine cultivators, and medical cultivators were rarely invited to enter at other times.
This was also why she had insisted on becoming a pill cultivator.
It was peaceful, and she wouldn't have to get dragged into various vortexes.
The room fell into dead silence, and even the corner of Jiang Jin's mouth twitched.
She had never lost a fight, only knew how to refine Qi-Replenishing Pills, yet she still shamelessly claimed to be a pill cultivator.
The elders paused, clearly understanding her intention.
This young girl didn't want to stay in Nine Saints Hall, didn't want to be a sword cultivator, and naturally didn't want to go out and take risks for Nine Saints Hall.
It seemed quite reasonable.
After a moment of silence, Sixth Elder added, “This matter carries a certain level of danger. You two have just entered the sect and are still young, so we won't force you to participate. It is entirely voluntary.”
Jiang Jin had long heard of the Myriad Bones Forest secret realm and had already been yearning for it. Since he could also earn merit through this, he agreed without a second thought. “Rest assured, Elders. This disciple will go all out.”
Song Yao's rejection got stuck in her throat as she weighed the pros and cons in her mind.
Leaving everything else aside, the Myriad Bones Forest secret realm was filled with natural treasures. If she could obtain one or two treasures or rare herbs, she could strike it rich instantly, no longer having to worry about her debts and her life after leaving the sect.
Furthermore...
Fifth Junior Sister had treated her extremely well in the past. If she were to truly ignore everything, she really couldn't bring herself to do it.
Forget it.
She was only going to gather some information.
Just gathering information, nothing else.
Besides, since she couldn't leave Nine Saints Hall anyway, if Nine Saints Hall collapsed and was besieged, she, as a personal disciple, would definitely not have a good time. It was better to do what needed to be done.
She had the illusion of being forced onto a roasting spit, yet she had no choice but to go with the flow.
She raised her head and, under the expectant gazes of the elders, nodded. “I'll participate too. But I'm a pill cultivator. Will Jiang Jin alone be unable to protect me well?”
Jiang Jin: “......”
The elders: “......”
Who exactly was the one who needed protection?
Third Elder said, “Each sect can send at most five people. There are still over two months left, so we will do further screening...”
He paused, then added, “We will definitely find someone to protect you well.”
Rate on N.U.
