HSSB526: Searching
Continuing to watch the images of light, Yan Zhaoge saw an Elder of Changli Mountain say in a heavy tone, “It only showed the two of them leaving together, rather than the causes and consequences of the matter. What can it prove?”
A Blood Dragon Sect Elder raged, “Our Chief’s daughter was kidnapped by someone of your Changli Mountain, her current status unknown, and you still dare to stand here saying things like this?”
Another Changli Mountain Elder who looked middle-aged snorted impatiently, “Having jumped into the oceanic whirlpool, they have indeed gone missing. Still, who knows what happened before and after the incident? Perhaps he has already fallen into your hands, with you instead coming to our Changli Mountain to stir things up, looking for trouble for no good reason!”
“Instead, I would ask this of you-where are they now?”
The Blood Dragon Sect Elder was furious, “Good, and now you want to malign us instead? Having performed such a major travesty, where could that little beast surnamed Shi have run to other than returning to seek your protection?”
That Changli Mountain Elder said coldly, “The reasons behind this are still yet unknown. For now, assuming that those words of yours are true, with Shi Jun and Chief Shen’s daughter both not here, how can your one-sided words be believed?”
A middle-aged woman of the Blood Dragon Sect raised her hand to stop the Elder who was exploding in rage before saying, “What you say makes sense. Since that is so, you should hand over Shi Jun and Ying’er to let them be questioned simultaneously.”
The Changli Mountain Elder snorted, “I’ve said long ago that Shi Jun has yet to return.”
He stared at the Blood Dragon Sect people opposite him, “We would very much like to know where they currently are as well.”
A Blood Dragon Sect Elder raged, “We are of no mind to go around in circles with you here like this. Every second that drags on is every additional second that Ying’er is in danger.”
“It is indeed true that there have been many conflicts between our sects in the past. Our disciples having been defeated by that Shi Jun, it can easily be attributed to their lack of proficiency, fine. However, two of our disciples have died to Shi Jun’s sword, with Ying’er having been kidnapped as well. With things as they are, you have to give us a satisfactory resolution of things!”
That Blood Dragon Sect female Elder’s gaze swept past the people of Changli Mountain before her before she slowly said, “You say that Shi Jun is not with you. What about his Master then? You won’t say that he too is not present, right?”
The images of light from the jade talisman that Bai Jingkang had brought along ended here.
He sighed, looking at Xu Fei, “Our Chief would like to invite you, Senior Brother Xu, to make a trip to the great hall. I hope that you can understand our reasons for this.”
Xu Fei said, “You are too polite, Elder Bai. Whether the words of the Blood Dragon Sect are true or not, it is still only right that I appear there personally.”
Bai Jingkang looked at Yan Zhaoge before saying, “Young Master Yan, I feel that it would be better for you not to make an appearance right now. Instead, you could try looking for Nephew Shi Jun in private.”
“If we find Nephew Shi Jun before the people of the Blood Dragon Sect do, the situation will definitely be much more beneficial to us. If you act independently, news of this will be unlikely to spread.”
Yan Zhaoge glanced at Bai Jingkang, understanding the hidden meaning in his words.
While Shi Jun was a rather trustworthy person, this current matter was an extremely awkward one.
If the real slightest of possibilities had truly come to pass and Shi Jun had really abducted Shen Ying, they would then likely no longer be able to voice reason to things.
Changli Mountain would definitely not act weak before the Blood Dragon Sect; whether or not reason stood on their side, they would still retain a tough stance.
However, if the fault truly lay with Shi Jun, if Changli Mountain was not on the side of reason, it would not be proper for Water Crystal Palace and the Spirit Returning Sect to interfere in the matter then.
Due to the threat of the Six Evil Sects, while there were many tensions amongst the Seven Pillars of Good as well, they still generally managed to get along okay.
When Hai Zhengjie and the others had been pursuing Bai Jingkang and his wife that year, it was only having no bystanders around to witness the deed that they had tried to kill the two of them in the foreign Floating Life World.
After Hai Zhengjie and the other Blood Dragon Sect disciples had been slain by Yan Zhaoge, they had been eventually just classified as missing over in the Vast Ocean World. Bai Jingkang and his wife had not leaked the news, only having reported it to the upper echelons of their Changli Mountain.
With this being killing again as well as a kidnapping, with many eyewitnesses additionally having been present, the matter seemed like it would only blow up more and more over time.
Also, the one who had been abducted being a young, beautiful female disciple, this would be even worse as the listener would be more inclined to thinking in that certain way.
It was due to embarrassment from this that the Blood Dragon Sect had been so enraged.
Especially when the one who had been abducted was the daughter of their Chief, which was like a real slap to the entire Blood Dragon Sect’s face.
Yan Zhaoge said noncommittally, “Senior apprentice-brother Xu, you go take a look first.”
As Xu Fei and Bai Jingkang left together, Yan Zhaoge closed his eyes and thought silently for a while, murmuring to himself, “Looking so anxious and enraged over this, it doesn’t seem like the Blood Dragon Sect is pretending….”
In Changli Mountain’s administrative great hall, Xu Fei cupped his hands together, greeting all those present.
The people of the Blood Dragon Sect stared at him like they wanted to gobble him up.
Xu Fei’s expression did not change as he said calmly, “While my disciple is stubborn and also a little rash, he is definitely not an immoral person, much less one who would commit crimes like those you speak of.”
That Blood Dragon Sect female Elder said slowly, “What you mean is that we are maligning you?”
Xu Fei was neither subservient nor overbearing, “This Xu evaluates his disciple as righteous and upright, yet you cannot believe it. When you say that my disciple kidnapped someone, it is similarly just a one-sided thing. How can you convince everyone of this?”
“To learn the truth of the matter, we can only first find the people in question themselves.”
“My disciple is currently indeed not in Changli Mountain, not on Directionless Island, not even on the Directionless Sea where we have heard no news of him at all.”
Xu Fei said in a heavy tone, “You are concerned about the safety of your disciple, and I am similarly worried about that of mine. After this, I will be attempting to search for him. If you want to, you can dispatch people to come along as well.”
A Blood Dragon Sect Elder snorted clearly, “You indeed clarify things quickly. He is not just charged of abduction. Two of my sect’s disciples died by his hands as well.”
Xu Fei frowned, “While this would offend your sect, if someone of your sect came to kill this Xu, this Xu would first fend them of before thinking of what to do next, rather than just standing foolishly there taking a beating and not retaliating at all.”
That Blood Dragon Sect Elder stared, “You…”
The middle-aged woman beside him waved her hand before looking straight at Xu Fei, “Fine. Whatever the case, we should first locate them. Do you have any clues regarding this?”
Xu Fei said in a neutral tone, “If your sect’s words are true and that oceanic vortex is indeed where the two of them were last seen before they vanished, we might then be able to find them there.”
That Blood Dragon Sect female Elder immediately stood up, “When do we leave?”
Xu Fei turned to look at those of Changli Mountain, their Chief Gao Tianzhong saying, “Our sect will not ignore this matter. We will dispatch people in travelling together with you and those of the Blood Dragon Sect.”
“That being so, thank you, Chief Gao,” Xu Fei nodded, inhaling deeply, “I have a bit of preparations to take care of, and will be ready to leave in an hour.”
Xu Fei returned to the Ocean Scorching Spring where Yan Zhaoge was and quickly surmised what had happened, the latter replying, “Whatever the case, let us first find Jun’er.”
“Right. Still, there is something that you must know, Zhaoge. While the Vast Ocean World is suited for qi cultivators as well, its spiritual qi flow, at the end of the day, is still different somewhat. Some occult arts that we use over at the Eight Extremities World will not be able to take effect here.”
Xu Fei quietly warned via sound transmission, “For example, the Blood Soul Recollection Ceremony cannot be used here. Therefore, even after having found Little Jun’er and the daughter of the Chief of the Blood Dragon Sect, things would still not have been resolved then. There would still be much arguing over this matter.”
Yan Zhaoge chortled, “It will be fine as long as Jun’er is okay. As for the rest, I mind not whether it is arguing or battling.”
“Senior apprentice-brother Xu, do you have any method of locating Jun’er?”
“I’m not too confident of this, but it’s still worth a try,” Having said thus, Xu Fei handed Yan Zhaoge a jade sword.