Chapter Sixty-Two: Trapped in a Deadly Encirclement

Upon hearing the sharp command, countless eyes in the crowd turned toward the Maoshan Sect. Among the heads of the nine great sects, it was difficult to say who was the strongest, but without a doubt, the wealthiest was the Grandmaster Zhou Yuanyi of the Maoshan Sect.

The luxurious procession of the Maoshan Sect stirred envy in the hearts of disciples from other sects. The war chariot was impressive enough, but the eighteen winged heavenly steeds pulling it were priceless treasures, each a top-tier mount rarely seen or obtained elsewhere. Such a display naturally provoked many hidden thoughts among the onlookers, yet none dared to openly oppose the Maoshan Sect. At present, among the nine great sects, Maoshan and the Ten Thousand Demons Cult were the most powerful, with the other seven already far behind.

One by one, Maoshan disciples disembarked from the chariot, each radiating an extraordinary aura; even the lowest cultivation among them was at the early Nascent Soul stage. Leading them was Zhou Yuan, whose cultivation had reached the late Nascent Soul stage. As Zhou Yuan stepped down, a senior elder responsible for reception promptly approached to respectfully escort the Maoshan party into Kunlun. Shortly after Zhou Yuan entered Kunlun, a sword rainbow swiftly streaked through the air and landed before the assembled crowd.

The disciple in charge of reception scrutinized the newcomer and recognized him as a rugged-looking man wearing the attire of an inner disciple of the Maoshan Sect. He hurried forward and said respectfully, “Ah, a Daoist friend from Maoshan Sect! Why have you not entered alongside Grandmaster Yuanyi?”

The rugged man was none other than Zhang Xiao himself. Upon hearing this, Zhang’s eyes flickered with a smile. “Haha, friend, you are mistaken. I was delayed by some matters before arriving and could not accompany the Grandmaster. I hurried here as soon as I could, but I am unsure how long the Grandmaster has been inside.”

An anxious expression flashed across Zhang’s face. The reception disciple nodded without suspicion and smiled, “Grandmaster Yuanyi has been inside for some time. Allow me to show you around Kunlun.”

Zhang’s heart leapt with joy. Having been unfamiliar with Kunlun, this was like being handed a pillow when about to sleep. He gratefully accepted the offer. As they walked, the disciple introduced Kunlun’s scenery. Though Zhang’s mind was preoccupied with finding Lan Fang, he had no choice but to feign the enjoyment of a leisurely tour.

Unbeknownst to Zhang, within a grand hall in Kunlun, three elder Daoists observed his every move through a jade mirror. If Zhang were present, he would have recognized one of them as the former Kunlun Grandmaster, Jade Void Daoist. The elder with a ruddy face and large nose beside Jade Void pointed at Zhang’s image and asked, “Bai Yu, how shall we handle this matter?”

Jade Void’s expression was inscrutable as he stared silently at Zhang’s figure in the mirror. After a moment’s contemplation, he said, “Though I secretly ordered Zhang Xiao’s assassination, he has yet to cause any real harm to Kunlun’s foundation. If we act rashly, divine retribution may befall us. It’s better to remain still for now and see how our new Grandmaster, Zhang Yifan, manages this situation.”

Another elder nodded in agreement, “Indeed, this trouble was stirred up by our new Grandmaster. Let it serve as his final test. If he handles it well, we can rest easy and focus on cultivation. But if he fails, even if the Higher Realms issue an edict, we must remove Zhang Yifan from his position. We cannot allow Kunlun’s leadership to fall into the hands of a fool.” His disdain for Zhang Yifan was evident.

While the three elders casually monitored Zhang Xiao, nearby in Kunlun’s Hundred Herb Forest, a graceful figure sat silently by a lake, gazing at her reflection. Lan Fang’s heart was torn between tears and laughter—would he come? Had Aolan passed the message? Lost in such thoughts, a sharp laugh rang out not far away.

“Oh, the future Grandmaster’s wife isn’t dressing in her chamber but hiding here, pining for her lover?” Startled, Lan Fang turned to glare at the speaker. The woman, similar in age, wore a playful smirk. “Bai Cailing!” Lan Fang hissed, her eyes burning with hatred. Today’s calamities were all because of this woman—if she hadn’t gone to betray Zhang Yifan, Lan Fang wouldn’t be in such a predicament.

Bai Cailing, seeing Lan Fang’s furious glare, feigned fear and whimsy, “Ah, the future Grandmaster’s wife is angry! How terrifying!” But her expression swiftly shifted to a cold sneer. “Oh, I nearly forgot—the Grandmaster sealed your cultivation to prevent any foolish acts. Such a thrill to my heart, haha!”

Bai Cailing’s laughter rang out as Lan Fang, unable to contain her rage, charged to fight her. But with her cultivation sealed, Lan Fang was powerless; Bai Cailing caught her easily like a hawk snatching a chick. Coldly, Bai Cailing ordered, “Take this future Grandmaster’s wife back to her chamber for proper grooming. The auspicious hour approaches; we cannot let her disgrace Kunlun.”

At that moment, female disciples appeared and forcibly dragged Lan Fang away for cleansing and clothing changes.

Meanwhile, the reception disciple who had escorted Zhang Xiao to the grand viewing hall took his leave—his duty ended at the entrance. Watching the disciple depart, Zhang’s eyes gleamed sharply, and his figure vanished like a ghost.

Though his earlier walk through Kunlun was brief, Zhang Xiao’s mid-Nascent Soul cultivation granted him a spiritual perception rivaling early Divine Refiners. He quickly sensed Lan Fang’s aura and moved silently through corridors like a phantom.

The defensive formations along the route were mere trifles to Zhang Xiao. Although he was a latecomer to array formation arts, Xuancang Daoist of ancient times had left behind formidable formations. Zhang had not deeply studied them, but they were easily overcome compared to these common arrays.

Lan Fang was on a modest mountain peak, but Zhang’s scan revealed numerous female cultivators there. Although two had just broken into the early Nascent Soul stage, Zhang paid them no heed. What truly alarmed him was the absence of Zhang Yifan’s aura. If the new Grandmaster had truly set a trap, why was there no sign of him or any other experts nearby? This anomaly unsettled Zhang.

But the arrow was already on the bowstring. Zhang cared little for caution; once he found Lan Fang, he would use the Xuantian Talisman to escape with her. Unless some ancient Kunlun powerhouse intervened, no one could stop him. With that thought, his eyes flashed brightly as he sped toward Lan Fang’s location like a sharp blade.

“Who goes there? Stop—ah!” Zhang no longer hid his presence, slashing with pure Yang sword qi at every obstacle. The female cultivators were powerless to resist and were swiftly slain. With a crash, the door burst open, and before the maids could react, Zhang grabbed Lan Fang, who was still seated at her dressing table.

He intended to call upon Ziyan and activate the Great Displacement Array to leave, but when he summoned her, the spirit within the Xuantian Talisman remained silent. Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted in Zhang’s palm as a dagger thrust through Lan Fang’s bridal red garment and pierced his hand.

Despite Zhang’s resilient body, he could not withstand the dagger’s piercing strength. His eyes flashed fiercely, releasing a sword qi slash, but Lan Fang had already stepped aside. Eyeing the burning pain in his palm, Zhang coldly scanned the woman beside him and said, “You are not Lan Fang. Why do you carry her aura?”

“Heh heh heh, of course I am not Lan Fang. Take a closer look at who I am.” The woman’s face shifted, revealing a stunning visage—none other than Bai Cailing, whom Lan Fang loathed with clenched teeth.

“Hahaha, Daoist Zhang, we’ve been waiting for you a long time.” The surroundings suddenly shifted. Zhang’s heart jolted—this was all an illusion! He had fallen into a formation without realizing it.

Then Zhang Yifan strode out from the formation, followed by Zhou Yuan, Tian Long’er, Song Qing, and other direct disciples from the eight other great sects—all assembled. Seeing the nine gathered, Zhang smiled confidently, “Haha, you really take me seriously. Why didn’t you fight me properly during the Nine Sects Competition? Now, do you want another beating?”

Annoyance flared across the faces of the nine. The humiliation from the previous battle still lingered. Li Peng of the Five Poisons Sect sneered, “Hmph, let’s see your palm first. You were pierced by our Five Poisons’ Heart-Piercing Agony, yet you remain so arrogant.”

Indeed, Zhang’s palm began to blacken where the dagger had struck, causing his brow to furrow deeply.

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