The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 176 Five people at Liuquan Inn discuss countermeasures

"After we arrived at the secluded valley and met Senior Qingming, I vaguely sensed a powerful pressure watching us from behind. When the cultivators from the Illusion Pavilion appeared, I knew it was a complete trap. So I immediately sent a distress signal to the sect using a communication talisman. But I didn't know if any of the sect's cultivators were still on the Illusionary Star Continent. Perhaps they had already gone to another world via the Heavenly Ladder. So I gave the Xuantian Sword the order that if anything happened to me, any one of you four could use it." Su An's words revealed an undisguised determination and trust in her companions as she explained her decision to the four of them.

"So, the fact that I can use the Xuan Tian Sword is entirely at your behest. I thought I was some kind of chosen one, but it turns out it was all a misunderstanding." Upon hearing this, Luo Yifei's face showed an awkward yet relieved smile, his words carrying a hint of self-deprecation and gratitude.

"I don't understand, why don't you use your own Blazing Sun Sword?" Qi Yuan asked Luo Yifei.

“Qi Yuan, I’ve also had many guesses about the Blazing Sun Sword you mentioned. But after this verification, it’s probably just a name that’s the same as the legendary divine sword of the Tang Clan, with no real connection. That day, I had a sudden thought and wanted to summon my sword with the words ‘Sword, come!’ I thought it would be the Blazing Sun Sword that responded, but I didn’t expect the Mysterious Heaven Sword to appear out of nowhere. If it weren’t for Su An’s previous instructions, we would probably be dead by now.” Luo Yifei’s explanation left everyone present with lingering fear.

“The overall strength of cultivators in this world far surpasses ours. Without the support of advanced equipment, Xiaoxing's capabilities are very limited. Besides, our application deadline is fast approaching. Therefore, I think we really should go back.” Nantian's words revealed an undisguised worry and determination.

“I feel the same way. The cultivators in this world are far too powerful, and there is indeed only so much we can do. I think I should return to the Floating Life Continent as well, but before that, I vow to find out the true cause of Tang Xiao’s death. As for the spirit of your flying magic artifact, if it cannot possess another object, perhaps we can try to find other ways to allow it to continue to function.” Qi Yuan’s suggestion showed his concern for his companion and his desire to explore the unknown.

“A spirit? Your understanding is not wrong, but Xiao Xing is different from the spirits of this world and cannot possess other magical artifacts.” Nan Tian did not explain that Xiao Xing was just a super artificial intelligence.

“Right now, the only way for us to survive on this continent is to rely on our own strength. Perhaps Elder Wanshun of the Xuantian Sect can provide us with some useful clues, at least to help us understand why they are targeting Song Han and the others.” Shen Lixi’s suggestion brought everyone’s attention back to the path of finding the truth.

“I have a feeling that the conspiracy behind this is far more complex than we imagine. The fame of the Xuan Tian Sect and the Wuji Sect in the Illusionary Star Continent seems to have been artificially amplified. This deliberate publicity must be hiding some ulterior motive. That day in Qingluan Valley, it wasn't just the people from the Illusionary Shadow Pavilion who attacked us, but also the people from the Star Palace.” Su An’s words revealed a deep sense of worry and vigilance.

"Xuantian Sect, Wuji Sect, Tang Sect, Illusion Pavilion, Star Palace, Heavenly Ladder, Teleportation Array, Xuantian Stone, Illusionary Star Pearl, Heavenly Dao Power, Path to Immortality. I've tried many possibilities, but each deduction seems to have hit a dead end, with some parts always failing to make sense. We seem to have a long way to go before we reach the truth." Shen Lixi continued, "That cultivator from the Illusion Pavilion seemed certain that the Illusionary Star Pearl was on us, and I also felt that the Illusionary Star Pearl should be on us, but I feel like my memories are missing something. When he was searching our memories, I recalled many things, but there was no memory of the Illusionary Star Pearl."

“Our memories may have been tampered with, whether deleted or hidden, it’s not a good sign.” Su An’s words revealed an undisguised anger and resentment. “And I can’t think of anyone else who could do that besides Senior Yun Yi.”

"Senior Yun Yi, is he our friend or our enemy? Although I'm willing to believe he's the guardian of the Illusionary Star Pearl, his mysterious and unpredictable actions make me wonder if he has a far more profound scheme. The city lord of Shangwan City might just be a pawn in his grand plan." Qi Yuan's analysis made everyone have more questions and speculations about Senior Yun Yi's identity and motives.

“There’s too little useful information, so thinking about it is pointless. We should consider the current situation. The cultivators we’ve encountered recently are all far stronger than us. I think Nantian is right; peace between humans and demons is not something we should be thinking about, at least not right now. For us, survival is the most important thing right now.” Luo Yifei finally spoke, his words revealing a sense of rationality and calmness, clearly demonstrating a clear understanding of the current situation.

Luo Yifei knew that without the Xuan Tian Sword, if the Illusion Pavilion hadn't had ulterior motives, and if the five of them hadn't joined forces, he would have been dead a hundred times over. The demon race on Mars was something Captain Zhang was concerned with, not something they could get involved in. At this moment, Luo Yifei secretly laughed at his own naiveté.

"Yes, survival is paramount. Even a powerful figure like Senior Qingming couldn't escape this fate. Compared to that, our strength seems so insignificant," Nan Tian echoed, his tone tinged with helplessness and heaviness, clearly deeply saddened by Senior Qingming's sacrifice.

"If the people from the Phantom Pavilion hadn't been nearby at the time, we should have given Senior Qingming the respect and proper burial he deserved, allowing him to rest in peace," Shen Lixi said softly, her words revealing regret for failing to fulfill this responsibility.

"Wait, I almost forgot, Nantian, how did you know about what happened in Qingqing Luan Valley? I remember that after Senior Qingming led us through the space-time rift, we lost contact." Su An changed the subject; now was not the time for grief.

“Yes, Su An, the question you raised is crucial. I do know what happened in Qingluan Valley, but it's not just speculation. This is thanks to Xiaoxing's historical deduction function, which can deduce possible events based on existing information. More importantly, although the miniature camera that Luo Yifei lost in the ruins of Qingluan Valley was damaged, the video data stored inside was successfully received by the Sparrow aircraft at a critical moment. This precious video data is the key for me to understand the whole story.” Nan Tian said as he took out the seemingly inconspicuous miniature camera that carried important information from his pocket.