Where Immortals Once Walked

“Mount Xu erupted, and the Star-Plucking Tower was destroyed. Lingxu City suffered devastation, with casualties lying one upon another. The Lingxu incident shocked the entire world...” Elder Dao said slowly. “Do the three of you know who was behind it?”

He was knowingly asking, and He Lingchuan answered without hesitation, “Lingxu City was destroyed by Fang Canran.”

Elder Dao nodded, inwardly startled.

Of course, Elder Dao knew very well what role Fang Canran had played in this incident. And these people had come from Beijia, carrying a token Fang Canran had given them.[1]

In terms of timing, it matched the Lingxu incident perfectly.

When listening to speech, one had to listen beyond the words themselves. The young man before him had stated the crucial point outright: what Fang Canran had thrown into chaos was only Lingxu City, not Mount Xu.

The Mount Xu incident had another true instigator.

Who could know a detail like that? The Heavenly Palace did not know. The people within Elder Dao’s organization did not know either.

Only those who had actually participated would be clear on it.

Elder Dao murmured, “The Grand Spirit-Gathering Array?”

Lingxu City’s sudden overnight upheaval had begun with Mount Xu’s volcanic eruption. Elder Dao also had his own channels and understood more clearly than most that the breaking of Mount Xu’s Grand Spirit-Gathering Array and the great fire spirit Juju regaining its freedom had been the true beginning of everything.

If Mount Xu had not met with trouble, how would Fang Canran have dared to unleash chaos upon Lingxu City?

They had plotted in Lingxu City for many years, but this was the opportunity they had long been waiting for.

He Lingchuan smiled. “What does the elder mean?”

Beside him, Zhu Daniang and Dong Rui remained silent, letting him handle the talking.

Elder Dao wanted to speak, then stopped.

Is this young man admitting it or not?

Elder Dao was also an old hand of the jianghu. After thinking it over briefly, he understood.

To Lingxu City, this was one of the highest crimes in the world. Once they knew who the perpetrator was, they would certainly hunt him to the ends of the world.

With that being the case, it was only natural for them not to admit it.

Then had they been the ones who destroyed the Grand Spirit-Gathering Array or not? There might never be a definite answer to that.

Elder Dao only knew that their side had laid plans and operated in Lingxu City for so many years, yet had never found an opening to break the array.

The Heavenly Palace’s arrangement and protection of the Grand Spirit-Gathering Array had truly been extremely tight. The organization had put in so much effort, even made major sacrifices, yet still had never succeeded.

If these people do not possess real ability, Fang Canran wouldn’t have given them such a high evaluation. He composed himself. “May I ask which organization you belong to?”

He could tell that the spider monster had formidable cultivation, that the young man had inner reserves of spirit and energy, and that the third was the owner of the ghost ape. None of the three was easy to deal with, but even if they had wanted to overturn Lingxu City, they were still not quite qualified.

He firmly believed that they should have had other assistance.

An operation of such heaven-overturning scale involved countless details and countless variables. It could not possibly be accomplished by a mere handful of people.

He Lingchuan coughed. “We’re all independent wanderers, idle clouds and wild cranes.”

Elder Dao immediately smiled and said, “No matter, no matter. There is no need to say.”

He did not believe it at all and only assumed that the other party had to keep it confidential.

After all, this was only the first time the two sides had met. Who would dare bare their whole heart at once?

Anyone capable of accomplishing such a thing in Lingxu City had probably long since written the word “caution” as their personal motto.

He Lingchuan did not explain either. Pointing at the iron ring, he said, “After the incident, Old Fang sent a bird monster to deliver me this ring and the passphrase. He also said there were people here who could be used by me.”

In truth, Fang Canran’s note had contained the contact methods for quite a few people. He Lingchuan had gone west out of the State of Xuluo and conveniently picked the one closest to him.

That was Rongshan’s Elder Dao.

Fang Canran was meticulous in his work. Elder Dao knew that very clearly; otherwise, Fang Canran could not have gone undercover in Lingxu City for so many years without giving himself away.

Could the iron ring have been stolen and misused?

Well, there was, of course, a possibility of that happening, but the possibility was extremely low. Within the organization, there were many different kinds of tokens. Only when the correct token was delivered to the correct person, along with the passphrase, would the match be valid.

There were also many types of passphrases.

If the token or passphrase He Lingchuan showed at this moment had been wrong, Elder Dao would have turned hostile on the spot.

He casually asked, “What kind of bird monster?”

“A big parrot, gaudy with color.”

Elder Dao nodded. Mm, Fang Canran’s family bird is indeed a large, brilliantly colored parrot.

He Lingchuan then said, “We left early, so we don’t know what happened to Old Fang afterward.”

When Lingxu City fell into chaos, the three of them had ridden the snail toad and fled the scene of the crime almost immediately. But Fang Canran had been the mastermind behind the series of changes that followed. He Lingchuan had spent the past few months in the wilderness and did not know where he had gone.

“He has already left Lingxu City. I have not received further news yet.” Lingxu City was far too distant from here. It was not easy to pass information from east to west.

He Lingchuan nodded, unsurprised.

From what he understood of the heavenly gods and the Monster Emperor, after suffering such a profound humiliation, they were certain to retaliate madly.

All of Lingxu City was the center of the storm. If Fang Canran continued staying there, the risk would be too great.

A smart man does not stand beneath a wall about to collapse.

Besides, he had organized people to carry out sabotage. Judging by the scale of it, there must have been quite a few participants. If one or two of them were captured, would they not give up Fang Canran?

Elder Dao waved a hand and said, “He knows how to act according to the situation. There’s no need for us to worry.”

At the moment, all his attention was on He Lingchuan’s words: “used by me.”

So not only does Fang Canran trust this young man, but he’s even been told that he can seek me to satisfy his need for “people”?

If these three had indeed set off the changes in Lingxu City and Mount Xu with their own hands, then their contribution is undoubtedly extraordinary. In that case, they’re indeed worthy of such regard from Fang Canran and from the organization.

Taking into account the fact that He Lingchuan was an outsider to the organization, Fang Canran’s meaning in giving the countersign “first grade in all the world” was that this person was extremely valuable and stood on the same side as them. In other words, he, Elder Dao, had to do everything he could to win the other party over!

The organization did not lack people. What it lacked were talents and rare geniuses.

So if the other party wanted people, give him people. If he wanted money, give him money. If he wanted convenience, give him every convenience.

Thus, only after mulling it over for a moment did Elder Dao ask, “Where is Young Master He headed?”

“I’ll be heading south first. After that, I need to make a trip to Yuan.”

“And the people you need are for?” His tone had already become respectful.

He Lingchuan smiled. “To make my traveling party look more impressive.”

“...”

“Just a little joke. Please don’t take offense, Elder.” He Lingchuan put away his smile. “I still have quite a few actions to take afterward, but I lack manpower. I need all sorts of talents.”

Elder Dao nodded. “The moon has passed mid-sky. Honored guests, please rest first. Tomorrow, shall we discuss this in further detail?”

He Lingchuan knew Elder Dao also needed time to consider everything carefully, so he stood and took his leave.

Elder Dao grabbed a handful of peanuts and handed them to the ghost ape.

The little monkey very naturally received them with both hands and began gnawing happily.

Elder Dao asked Dong Rui, “So this monkey was originally yours?”

“That’s right. This fellow didn’t listen to me and went running around everywhere.” Dong Rui glared fiercely at the ghost ape, and the latter lowered its head guiltily.

On the way here, the ghost ape had already communicated with him.

Then the Rongshan disciples led the group to a quiet residence to rest.

When one was exhausted, a hot bath was enough to make the entire body feel comfortable. The weariness from days of travel through the wild was driven away all at once. As long as the sudden heavy rain outside the window did not fall on one’s own body, it became a lovely scene of pattering beauty.

1. The token should be the black iron ring. ☜

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!