Peng Shiquan and Chen Tang had a brief conversation, then arranged for the sect’s disciples to lead them to their accommodation.
Once everything was settled, right before that disciple left, Chen Tang casually asked, "Are i Zhenyu and Zhu Lingxue of your sect doing well?"
"Huh?"
The swordsman disciple was visibly startled, clearly not expecting such a question from Chen Tang, his face changed slightly, and then he stamred, "I, I’m not quite sure."
Chen Tang looked at him with a half-smile and asked, "You’re a disciple of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect, aren’t you familiar with them?"
"Familiar, yes."
The swordsman disciple forced a laugh and said, "I haven’t seen Senior Brother i and the others recently, so I’m not sure. Let ask the master later."
"No need to trouble yourself."
Chen Tang waved his hand and said, "Just asking casually."
"Alright, alright. My na is Wu Ming. If the two esteed guests need anything, just call for ."
The swordsman disciple slightly bowed, a bit flustered as he exited the guest room.
After he left, Chen Tang fell into thought.
Earlier, during the conversation with Peng Shiquan, he hadn’t asked about i Zhenyu.
First, Peng Shiquan is experienced in Jianghu; even if asked, nothing would likely be revealed.
Second, it could easily alert the enemy to their presence.
Capturing this young disciple, Chen Tang rely asked casually, but it already revealed a flaw!
Although it’s unclear about the whereabouts of i Zhenyu and Zhu Lingxue, their situation seems unfavorable.
Not long after, the disciple nad ’Wu Ming’ returned.
This ti, Wu Ming looked composed, evidently more settled, and said with a smile, "Young Hero Shen, I just asked my master, and he said Senior Brother i and the others are traveling outside and haven’t returned yet."
"Got it."
Chen Tang smiled.
Wu Ming didn’t leave and asked again, "Is Young Hero Shen friends with Senior Brother i?"
"Not exactly."
Chen Tang smiled and said, "Just had a brief encounter. Since I’m visiting your sect today, I just asked in passing. If they’re not here, forget it."
"Oh, oh."
Wu Ming nodded and left after probing a few more questions but couldn’t get anything from Chen Tang.
Clearly, he was sent by Peng Shiquan to gather information about Chen Tang.
Chen Tang, being seasoned, handled such people effortlessly, without revealing anything, dismissing him in a few words.
His question had likely already aroused Peng Shiquan’s suspicion.
However, Chen Tang’s strength is not what it used to be, reaching Great Success in the Fourth Grade Awakening Realm, and with Ah Li by his side, unless a Grandmaster or Innate Expert appears, others are not to be feared.
Even if facing an Innate Expert, Chen Tang and his companion, even if they couldn’t win, still have a great chance to escape.
-----------------
"Master."
Wu Ming returned to Peng Shiquan and recounted the conversation with Chen Tang word by word, saying, "Master, you worried too much. From what he said, he only had a brief encounter with Senior Brother i, no real connection."
Peng Shiquan touched his chin, his eyes darting a few tis, and he snorted lightly, "That may not be the case."
"Then what should we do?"
Wu Ming held out his hand, made a throat-cutting gesture, and asked, "Shall we..."
"Are you crazy?"
Peng Shiquan looked at Wu Ming as if looking at an idiot and said, "If these two are really from Langya Pavilion, killing them just on suspicion, how would we explain to Langya Pavilion?"
Reprimanded, Wu Ming dared not speak again.
Peng Shiquan pondered, "Assign more people to keep an eye on their room, day and night, without any laxity! Report to imdiately if anything unusual happens."
"In a few days, I officially take on the role of Sect Leader; during this period, not a single mistake is allowed!"
"Understood!"
Wu Ming bowed and retreated.
-----------------
At night, the full moon hung high.
Wu Ming led a few people to relieve the disciples previously on lookout.
"How is it? Any movent?"
"No, they’ve been in the room the whole ti and haven’t co out."
"Hmm, do not be complacent; Master said there must be no mistake!"
Just then, the room’s door suddenly opened, and Shen Tang stepped out, holding a long sword.
Wu Ming and the others imdiately fell silent, watching secretly.
They saw Shen Tang draw the long sword, dancing in the courtyard, the moonlight falling on the sword, like a shimring autumn water, rippling silently, creating waves.
In Shen Tang’s hands, the long sword seed to transform into a giant brush, wantonly wielded in the air, free and unfettered.
Though the few sect disciples on lookout were not highly cultivated, they couldn’t help but be captivated by the exquisite swordsmanship.
No one noticed a ghostly figure flashing past the door, rging almost with the moonlight, slipping away right under the noses of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect’s disciples.
Ah Li left the area, her figure rising and falling in the night, without a sound.
In about an hour, she thoroughly explored the inside and outside of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect.
Apart from so of the known patrolling disciples of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect, so hermits were hiding in dark corners, shadows.
If she weren’t born a hermit, possessing mastery in Ghost Concealnt, it would have been challenging to discover these hermits!
Ah Li didn’t alert them.
Under her observation, she quickly locked on to her target.
In the back hills, concealed by an ancient path, she found a prison made from ancient blue stones, surrounded by sturdy old plum trees, seemingly abandoned for years.
The entrance to the prison was hidden at the end of a winding plum grove path, easily overlooked unless specifically sought.
Ah Li discovered the place because the number of patrolling disciples clearly increased here, with many hidden hermit sentinels.
Ah Li avoided the sentinels’ sight and gradually approached the prison.
The prison interior was dim, with only a few weak beams of light filtering through the cracks at the top, barely lighting the damp stone walls and floor. The air was thick with the mixed sll of mildew and rust.
Dozens of sect disciples, garbed in tattered training clothes, were curled up in their cramped cells, their hands and feet shackled with chains, their faces gaunt.
i Zhenyu and Zhu Lingxue were among them, covered in wounds, blood seeping through their ragged training clothes, evidently tortured.
In the deepest cell, an elderly man quietly sat, bound by multiple chains, his back lonely yet extraordinarily upright.
Everyone was staring at a person in the middle of the prison, with discontented expressions, their eyes filled with unconcealed rage.
"In three more days, it’s my joyous day to assu the position of Sect Leader."
Peng Shiquan glanced around, a faint mockery appearing on his face, "Thirty years east, thirty years west, Old i, even you couldn’t have anticipated that the abandoned disciple you expelled from the sect would return today to replace you!"
"What arrogance in a traitor!"
"Despicable scoundrel!"
Many disciples shouted loudly in contempt.
i Zhenyu gritted his teeth and said, "Peng Shiquan, you shaless rat, if not for your despicable ans, poisoning Master, how could you surpass him, and you dare to beco the Plum Blossom Sword Sect’s Sect Leader!"
"You conspired with the hermits of the Dongyi race, killing so many fellow brothers, you deserve a thousand deaths!"
Zhu Lingxue also cursed, though her voice was tinged with a sob.
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