From Fanwu to Xinghai

Chapter 20 Visitors from the Qingyun Sect

Lin Chen stared at the black-robed man in front of him, his body tense, ready to use his time ability again at any moment.

But he knew that his attack had consumed too much spiritual power, and he could only activate time slowdown once more, and the effect would be greatly reduced.

"Who are you?" His voice was hoarse, but his tone was firm. "From the Qingyun Sect?"

The man in black robes did not answer.

His gaze shifted from Lin Chen to Chen Xuanfeng behind him, his expression complex.

"Senior brother."

He spoke, his voice soft, yet carrying an indescribable emotion.

"You've suffered."

Lin Chen's body stiffened.

Senior brother?

Chen Xuanfeng leaned on Lin Chen's shoulder, his cloudy eyes slowly opening as he looked at the man in black robes. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice sounding as if squeezed from the depths of his throat.

"...It's you."

"It's me." The man in black robes nodded. "Lu Qinghe."

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of Chen Xuanfeng's mouth.

"You're...too late."

Lu Qinghe… Lu Qinghe, the envoy of the Qingyun Sect, remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

"When I arrived, Cloud City had already been sealed off by the Dark Blade Pavilion," he said. "My men could only wait outside."

"Then how did you get in?"

"I am Lu Qinghe." Lu Qinghe's tone was calm, as if stating a simple fact, "The Dark Blade Pavilion's formation cannot stop me."

As Lin Chen listened to their conversation, his mind raced.

Lu Qinghe. Envoy of the Qingyun Sect.

Before Chen Bo was taken to Cloud City, Lu Qinghe had visited Willow River Town and invited Lin Chen to participate in the Qingyun Sect's centennial ascension trial. At that time, Lin Chen requested a postponement, citing the need to investigate the truth behind his parents' deaths.

And now, Lu Qinghe has appeared here, in the interrogation room of the Dark Blade Pavilion, and in front of Chen Xuanfeng...

"What are you doing here?" Lin Chen asked, his voice cold and hard. "Uncle Chen is your senior brother. Is your Qingyun Sect just going to stand by and watch the Dark Blade Pavilion torture him?"

Lu Qinghe looked at him, his gaze calm.

"I'm here because of one thing."

"What is it?"

"I will tell you when you come to the Qingyun Sect."

Lin Chen frowned.

Why should I believe you?

Lu Qinghe did not answer the question. He simply took out a token from his sleeve and handed it to Lin Chen.

The token was cyan, engraved with a long sword, its blade swirling with clouds and mist. It was the sect token of the Qingyun Sect, but it was different from the ones Lin Chen had seen before. This one was more ancient and heavier, and the clouds and mist on it seemed to be slowly flowing, as if they were alive.

"This is my token," Lu Qinghe said. "With this token, you can directly enter the core area of ​​the Qingyun Sect and pay homage to the Sect Master."

"Why are you giving it to me?"

"Because the sect leader told me to give it to you."

Lin Chen fell silent.

Lu Qinghe spoke very little, but every word he uttered was incredibly informative. Why would the Qingyun Sect Master give such a high-level token to a complete stranger? The sect leader had instructed him to give it.

He considered many possibilities.

But what bothered him most was Lu Qinghe's way of addressing Chen Xuanfeng: Senior Brother.

Chen Xuanfeng is Lu Qinghe's senior brother. What does this mean?

He turned his head and looked at Chen Xuanfeng.

Chen Xuanfeng's expression was complex. Relief, bitterness, guilt, and a deep weariness were all mixed together, making his aged face look even more haggard.

"Chen'er," he said softly, "accept this token."

"Uncle Chen?"

"Qingyun Sect..." Chen Xuanfeng paused, as if choosing his words carefully, "...there you will find everything you want to know. About your parents, about the river of time, about...yourself."

He raised his head, and a glint of light suddenly flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"But before that, we have to get out of here."

Before Lin Chen could respond, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

"Fire! Fire!"

"An attack is underway outside the East Gate!"

"Go and provide support immediately!"

It's Murong Xue.

Lin Chen was certain.

She received the signal and was creating chaos to buy him time to evacuate.

Lu Qinghe had obviously heard those sounds as well; a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Your companion is very clever," he said. "The chaos at the East Gate will attract most of the attention, but it won't last long."

"Let's go." Lin Chen didn't hesitate, putting the token into his pocket, then steadied Chen Xuanfeng. "Which way?"

"Come with me."

Lu Qinghe turned around and lifted a tattered cloth behind him, revealing another exit—a hidden passage leading to an unknown destination.

Lin Chen didn't think much of it and helped Chen Xuanfeng follow.

The passage was long and dark.

But Lu Qinghe was clearly very familiar with this place. He walked ahead with steady steps, each step landing in the right place, as if he had walked here countless times.

Lin Chen helped Chen Xuanfeng follow behind, but his mind was racing.

Lu Qinghe is an envoy of the Qingyun Sect.

Chen Xuanfeng was once the number one genius of the Qingyun Sect thirty years ago.

They are fellow disciples.

So, Lu Qinghe entered the Dark Blade Pavilion's interrogation room as if it were empty. Was it because of his strength... or because the Dark Blade Pavilion simply didn't want to be enemies with the Azure Cloud Sect?

"I know what you're thinking," Lu Qinghe's voice came from ahead, calm and indifferent.

Lin Chen did not speak.

"The Dark Blade Pavilion is an assassin organization; their goal is profit," Lu Qinghe continued. "The bargaining chips the Qingyun Sect gave them weren't enough for them to make an enemy of the entire Qingyun Sect. Therefore, they will release them at the appropriate time."

"But you didn't wait for that opportunity."

"Because you don't have time to wait." Lu Qinghe stopped and turned to look at Lin Chen. "The hatred of your parents, the secrets of your parents, and... the origin of that mark on your body?"

He paused, his gaze falling on Lin Chen's brow.

"Can you afford to wait?"

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat.

The imprint of time.

He knew this thing was not simple, but judging from Lu Qinghe's tone, the Qingyun Sect seemed to know more.

"Do you know what this mark is?" Lin Chen asked, his voice somewhat hurried.

Lu Qinghe did not answer directly.

"The exit is just ahead," he said. "After you get out, there's a rendezvous point three miles to the east. You guys go first, I'll cover your retreat."

"I'm asking you?"

"Qingyun Sect." Lu Qinghe interrupted him, his voice still calm, but carrying an undeniable power, "Some things can only be said there."

He turned around and continued walking forward.

Lin Chen stood there, watching his back, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

He knew Lu Qinghe was right. Some things could only be discussed within the Qingyun Sect.

But he also knew that going there meant entering the territory of the Qingyun Sect.

There, another game is being played.

"Chen'er." Chen Xuanfeng's voice came from behind, weak but clear.

Lin Chen turned to look at him.

Chen Xuanfeng looked terrible, but his eyes remained calm.

"Go," he said. "The Qingyun Sect... is something I owe you."

"Uncle Chen, you..."

"When you return from Qingyun Sect, I will tell you everything." Chen Xuanfeng's voice was soft, yet it carried a certain firmness. "About your parents, about your background, about... why I waited for you in Liuhe Town for sixteen years."

Sixteen years.

Lin Chen is sixteen years old this year.

He suddenly looked at Chen Xuanfeng.

A bitter smile appeared on Chen Xuanfeng's lips.

"Let's talk outside," he said. "Now is not the time."

Lin Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his many questions, and helped Chen Xuanfeng continue forward.

The exit is in a grove of trees in the east of the city.

Just as Lin Chen helped Chen Xuanfeng crawl out of the cave, they saw three figures emerging from the bushes to greet them.

Two men and one woman, all dressed in blue robes, with swords at their waists, exuded an otherworldly air.

"Senior Brother Lu!" One of them quickly stepped forward, and upon seeing Chen Xuanfeng's condition, his expression changed slightly. "Uncle Chen, he..."

"The injury is severe, but not fatal." Lu Qinghe emerged from the cave, his tone calm. "Prepare the spirit boat; we're leaving immediately."

"yes!"

The disciple turned around, took out a jade talisman from his sleeve, and gently squeezed it.

A moment later, a streak of azure light streaked across the sky and landed steadily at the edge of the forest. It was a small flying boat, entirely azure, its hull covered with intricate spiritual runes that gleamed faintly in the moonlight.

Spirit Boat.

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat.

This is a flying artifact used by cultivators, and only core disciples of a sect are qualified to use it. The fact that Lu Qinghe can use it at will indicates that his status in the Qingyun Sect is even higher than Lin Chen had imagined.

"Get on the boat," Lu Qinghe said.

Without hesitation, Lin Chen helped Chen Xuanfeng board the spirit boat.

The interior of the spirit boat was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside, divided into three levels. The bottom level was a spirit stone storage room, the middle level was a rest area, and the top level was the cockpit. The interior was simply furnished, but every detail exuded exquisite craftsmanship.

"Lin Chen".

Lu Qinghe's voice came from behind.

Lin Chen turned his head and saw Lu Qinghe standing at the cabin door, his expression calm.

There's something I need to tell you in advance.

"What?"

"Your parents' situation... is more complicated than you think," Lu Qinghe said. "Your father was a disciple of the Qingyun Sect, but your mother... wasn't."

Lin Chen's heart tightened suddenly.

"Your mother's identity is the biggest taboo in the entire Qingyun Sect." Lu Qinghe's voice was soft, but it was like a knife, piercing Lin Chen's heart word by word.

"If you stay in the Qingyun Sect, you will find out the truth sooner or later."

"But I must warn you..."

He paused, then looked directly into Lin Chen's eyes.

"That truth might be unacceptable to you."

Lin Chen fell silent.

He remembered his father's dying gaze, the jade pendant his mother had left behind, and the letter that had been burned to ashes...

"I have the right to know the truth," he said, his voice hoarse but firm, "whatever the truth may be."

Lu Qinghe looked at him for a long time, then nodded.

"it is good."

He said that, and then turned and walked toward the cockpit.

"take off."

The spirit boat slowly rose, passed through the treetops, and flew into the night sky.

Lin Chen stood on the ship's railing, watching the Cloud City gradually disappear into the distance, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

Uncle Chen was saved.

But this is only the beginning.

The Azure Cloud Sect, the secrets of parents, the truth of the river of time...

And that "truth that may be unacceptable"!

Waiting for Lin Chen.

at the same time.

Outside the east gate of Yunzhong City.

Murong Xue put away her flying needles, glanced at the chaotic guards on the city wall, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"It's all done," she said softly. "Lin Chen, you'd better be out by now."

She turned around, ready to leave.

But just then, a cold voice came from behind.

"The last surviving member of the Murong family, it's been three years, and you still love meddling in other people's business as much as ever."

Murong Xue's body suddenly stiffened.

She slowly turned around and saw a man in black standing in the shadows of a tree not far away, his face hidden by a hood, but his eyes...

Those cold, amused eyes!

She will never forget it.

"Shadow Six..."

Her voice was squeezed out from between her teeth, filled with suppressed hatred.

"Finally, they've shown up."

Shadow Six chuckled softly.

"I've been waiting," he said, "waiting for an opportunity to collect all the debts I owe you."

"Tonight... is that opportunity."