"What's going on?" Zhang Fan pressed.
"A master from the Wuwei Sect caused a huge commotion in Qilu City—a young expert nad Zhao Jie Xuan erged out of nowhere and dominated three High Skills from the Lao Mountain Sect; even Laojun Mountain's Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang were defeated by him."
"Seriously?" Zhang Fan's expression tightened, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
To defeat three High Skills single-handedly ans he's far from ordinary, and even the Qi Brothers from Laojun Mountain lost to him.
You have to know, Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang are the heirs of Laojun Mountain's current generation, famous for ages, ranked alongside Zhenwu Mountain's Xia Weisheng and Zhongnan Mountain's An Wuyang among young prodigies.
Bai Buran once said those two brothers are so talented, none before them could compare.
It's said their Primordial Spirits are innately compatible and can rge as one—they even developed a world-shaking Daoist Skill called Primordial Spirit Unification Technique, which makes their Primordial Spirit one and allows them to crush any of their peers.
Yet such monsters were taken down by that youth nad Zhao Jie Xuan.
"Wuwei Sect really is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers," Zhang Fan couldn't help but marvel.
The Thirteen Zodiacs are already among the top masters of today, each with strange, unfathomable abilities, but no one truly knows the depths within Wuwei Sect aside from them.
This young Zhao Jie Xuan suddenly stepping into the light is a shock to the whole Daoist Alliance.
If people like Xia Weisheng, Qi Delong, Qi Dongqiang, and An Wuyang are considered heirs of the Ten Great Taoist Sects' holy mountains...
…then Zhao Jie Xuan is the Wuwei Sect's heir, his fierce reputation enough to draw anyone's attention.
"This incident is massive—White Crane Temple in Shangjing City was apparently alerted," Liu Xingyu added.
"You two sure gather a lot of intelligence," Zhang Fan couldn't help but say.
Looks like bringing these two brothers to East Mountain Province was the right call.
Actually, he'd brought Shi Shougong and Su Shiyu too, but they took another train, moving separately—one openly, one in secret.
"Would the three of you please show your credentials?"
Just then, a lazy voice sounded beside them.
Zhang Fan looked up and saw a young man, about twenty or thirty, very tall—at least 1.8 ters, with a cold face and long, slender fingers.
Behind him was a girl with a ponytail, pretty and lively, but her eyes shone with a hidden light, full of caution as she stared at Zhang Fan's group.
"You're not train police, are you?" Zhang Fan glanced at their clothes, speaking casually.
The young man didn't respond, but pulled out a credential from his coat and flashed it in front of the trio.
"Wei Qingsong, East Mountain Province Daoist Alliance!?"
Zhang Fan paused, glancing the man and woman up and down—now that they'd reached East Mountain Province territory, they'd run into Daoist Alliance people right on the high-speed train.
Maybe their earlier conversation had attracted these two's attention.
Zhang Fan didn't say much, taking a letter from his bag and handing it over.
Wei Qingsong was a bit surprised, took it, suspiciously opened it, and pulled out a letter.
"A letter of introduction from Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance!?"
Sui Chunsheng had given this to him before departure—back then Zhang Fan wondered if there was any need for this sort of thing in this day and age.
"So you're fellow Daoists from Jiangnan Province. Never mind then."
The guard in Wei Qingsong's eyes vanished, and he visibly relaxed, returning the introduction letter to Zhang Fan.
"Daoist friend, are you coming to East Mountain Province on business, or…?" Wei Qingsong asked, sounding casual.
"Visiting friends."
"Well, do take care—things on the ground have been pretty turbulent lately."
Wei Qingsong nodded, then turned and left with the girl behind him.
"Senior brother…"
After walking a distance, the girl looked back at Zhang Fan's group, then caught up to Wei Qingsong, whispering, "Are they really from Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance?"
"That's what the introduction letter says—the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance talisman seal checks out too."
Wei Qingsong sat down, peering across the aisle at Zhang Fan's group not far away.
"Just now, they were talking about Zhao Jie Xuan…" Lin Xiaoke couldn't help but say.
"The chaos caused by Zhao Jie Xuan is huge—even the legendary Qi Brothers were beaten. I'm sure the whole Daoist world already knows," said Wei Qingsong, sighing.
Because of this, lately East Mountain Province has been on edge—extra scrutiny is given to Daoist Sect people from outside areas, with stricter review procedures, even placing agents at train stations and airports.
"Senior brother, can you tell how deep that guy's cultivation is?" Lin Xiaoke asked.
"Nope, but since he's with Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance, his level should be average," Wei Qingsong said offhandedly.
"Obviously… Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance can't compare to our East Mountain Province Daoist Alliance."
Lin Xiaoke's face flashed with pride—most Daoist Alliance mbers in East Mountain Province are disciples of Lao Mountain, the Profound Sect orthodoxy, whose secret techniques are broad and deep, so of course their strength is extraordinary.
But Jiangnan Province—though she'd never personally learned there—hadn't been peaceful lately. Wuwei Sect was acting fiercely, with the Thirteen Zodiacs making scenes one after another.
Just the other day, the Daoist Alliance Headquarters issued a direct reprimand, broadcasting it nationwide.
If Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance wasn't incompetent, how could Wuwei Sect run wild like that!?
Shows how diocre Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance's people are.
"Jiangnan Province breeds people well, Yujing City is the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties—glittering debauchery everywhere. Who still cares about cultivation there?" Wei Qingsong said blithely, clearly not seeing Zhang Fan's group as a threat.
"They're just visiting friends, nothing to worry about."
"Senior brother, let go challenge that guy—let him see what East Mountain Province Daoist Alliance can do. Then he'll spread our reputation when he goes back." Lin Xiaoke just stood up, but Wei Qingsong yanked her back.
"Stop ssing around! Is cultivation and mastering technique about showing off?" Wei Qingsong glared at her fiercely.
"They're fellow Daoists, only passing through. If you beat him, where's his dignity? And if we ever go to Jiangnan Province on business, how do we face them then?" Wei Qingsong lectured, tapping Lin Xiaoke's head.
"You're always so rash, never think things through."
"Senior brother, I get it now…" Lin Xiaoke pouted, bowing her head, not daring to ntion sparring again.
"I know your talent isn't weak and your Daoist Skill is solid, but don't bully the weak just because you're strong."
Wei Qingsong whispered seriously, subconsciously glancing in Zhang Fan's direction—thinking that his few words had saved out-of-province Daoists from unnecessary trouble.
Rumble rumble…
The silvery high-speed train, like a giant dragon, rushed into a pitch-black tunnel. The light outside vanished.
"Old Daoist, take along, I wanna learn to be immortal! Old Daoist, take along, I want longevity! Co to for immortality, after longevity the benefits are plenty, ah li li, ah li li, ah li ah li li…"
Right then, a pleasant, lodic cellphone ring drifted out. Amid the roar of the train, it was faint—but to Wei Qingsong and Lin Xiaoke, it sounded grating.
"Huh!?"
They instinctively turned—the next carriage's lights were flickering, and inside was empty; monts ago it had been full of passengers, but they were all gone, except for a single figure lounging by the corridor window…
Under the flickering lights, that person's outline was hazy—you couldn't see their face clearly. One hand rested on the armrest, propping up their chin, while the other held a phone, head bowed, looking completely carefree and lazy.
"Interesting!"
At that mont, the person gazed down the long carriage, looking right toward Zhang Fan's group. Their lips curled slightly, voice almost lazy—yet when heard by Wei Qingsong and Lin Xiaoke, it smashed through their ears like thunder, shaking them to the core.
In less than a heartbeat, their Primordial Spirits were forcibly blasted out of their bodies.
"Wh-what kind of cultivation is that?" Wei Qingsong scread silently—sitting there motionless, but rely a few words had forced his Primordial Spirit out of his body. Such technique was even stranger than Wuwei Sect's God Capturing art.
"Brother Fan…"
Just then, the Liu Brothers also spotted sothing strange in the other carriage, faces blanching at the eerie figure beneath the flickering lights, drenched in cold sweat, instantly on guard.
It was beyond their wildest dreams that as soon as they entered East Mountain Province, they'd run into a master right on the high-speed train.
"You finally arrived."
At that mont, the fuzzy figure straightened up, a Primordial Spirit shot skyward from their Celestial Spirit—an overwhelming pressure instantly enveloped the entire train, a terrifying force like a sunless day, endless darkness.
That aura made Zhang Fan's expression instantly change.
"Evil Gods!"
Zhang Fan shouted in alarm, sprang to his feet, slapped his forehead, and launched his Primordial Spirit out of his body.
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