Chapter 121: Chapter 120: The Mountain Rain is Coming (Subscribe Requested) Chapter 121: Chapter 120: The Mountain Rain is Coming (Subscribe Requested) Mirror Moon Lake.
In the dreamlike Spirit Fog, a bright moon shone with brilliance, a clear sign that the Water Moon Array was fully activated.
Inside the council hall.
Fang Xi entered to find that many had already arrived.
Mu Zhong, Feng Man Building, and others were present, nodding and exchanging greetings with him.
“Even Hua is here, what a rare sight!”
He was surprised to see the somewhat aged Hua Chanjuan in attendance, silently astonished.
The fall of the Mo Family on Black Sand Island had delivered a great shock to the various powers on Peach Blossom Island.
Even Hua Chanjuan, who always stayed reclusive and was even more of a homebody than he, had broken precedent to come and discuss countermeasures.
“Everyone…”
Ruan Dan, in a fiery red dress, stood in front of the seat once occupied by Ruan Xingling, looking down, “Now that we’re all here, let’s discuss how to respond…”
“Young Island Master, I beg you to seek justice for my family.”
A middle-aged man in green Taoist robe knelt on the ground, his face streaked with tears.
His name was ‘Mo Qinghe,’ a member of the Mo Family’s Qing generation. After the Mo Family took over the Mu Family’s Spirit Land, he was appointed as the local head of the Mo Family’s branch on Gemini East Peak, his Cultivation at the fifth level of Qi Refining.
Although the main lineage of the Mo Family had been extinguished, many of its members out in the world had survived.
While crying, he recounted the events that occurred on Black Sand Island.
Just two days ago, a group of cultivation-robbers easily broke through Black Sand Island’s protective Array, led by none other than the notorious ‘Silver Armored Demon’!
The Mo Family’s head, at the later stages of Qi Refining, was killed on the spot!
Many family members were slaughtered!
Only a few members of the family managed to escape by luck, bringing the news…
Some Mo Family members were even too scared to return; they didn’t stay long on Peach Blossom Island, instead fleeing to even more distant islands.
“What can be done now?”
Feng Man Building, looking middle-aged, was so anxious that he broke out in a cold sweat. White Feather Island was not much stronger than Black Sand Island; if the Silver Armored Demon attacked again, the Feng Family would surely not be spared.
Even… Peach Blossom Island was now weaker! Without a single Qi Refining cultivator in sight!
“Report to the alliance at once!”
“Someone has already done that. Why not contact White Feather Island, Golden Flame Island, and form mutual protection among the three islands? Old Gold Teeth Weirdo… no, the ancestor Old Gold Teeth has already turned from enemy to friend with us…”
…
A group of middle-stage Qi Refining cultivators was spinning in circles with anxiety.
“Hmph, short-sighted!”
Hua Chanjuan scoffed with a cold laugh, “Inviting the wolf into the house!”
She turned to Ruan Dan, “Where is the Island Master? Even though she is out seeking her chance, with such a big incident occurring… you, her disciple, must surely have a way to contact her, right?”
Fang Xi noticed that several of the older cultivators, previously buzzing like headless flies, revealed relieved expressions, and he was at a loss for words.
‘These cultivators probably wanted to call Ruan Xingling back all along but none of them wanted to take the responsibility for it… Disturbing her Foundation Establishment would surely lead to resentment.’
‘Hua is inherently a loner; if she were her old self, she would have considered this and not ended up as the scapegoat.’
Upon hearing this, Ruan Dan’s expression didn’t change, “I don’t have a way to contact my master either!”
Of course, that was a lie, but in her view, the safety of everyone on Peach Blossom Island could not compare to the importance of her master’s Foundation Establishment!
After all, Spiritual Veins are hard to destroy, and what Black Sand Island is now is just a mess. Once the cultivation-robbers kill the people, steal the valuables, and harvest all precious Spirit Medicine, they will retreat on their own, not waiting for the joint law enforcement team to come and encircle them.
If some bolder Mo Family cultivators wished, they could now go back and announce the rebuilding of their family…
“What?”
“How could this be?”
Even Feng Man Building was astounded and panicked when he heard Ruan Dan admit that even she could not contact her master.
“Do not worry, everyone!”
Seeing this reaction, Ruan Dan’s lips curled into a slight cold smile, “The cultivation-robber took what he wanted from Black Sand Island and left; he won’t stay near other islands… I have also reported to the Thirty Six Island Alliance as acting island master. The law enforcement team will arrive soon, so everybody need not worry!”
…
Fang Xi left the council hall, feeling it was a mistake to come today.
The crowd bickered endlessly, and in the end, no conclusion was reached.
And seeing how Ruan Dan acted, she seemed determined not to disturb Ruan Xingling’s Foundation Establishment, even if it meant sacrificing Peach Blossom Island…
In fact, if he put himself in her shoes, Fang Xi would think she did the right thing!
As long as the master’s Foundation Establishment was successful, what was a mere Peach Blossom Island?
Unfortunately, he was part of those who would be abandoned!
‘Maybe the situation isn’t so dire, the cultivation-robbers looted Black Sand Island and indeed might flee a great distance… but there are two points that are unclear.’
‘First, is the Silver Armored Demon a hound raised by the Zhong Family, and was this action directed by them or a spontaneous decision?’
‘Second, if any island would do for robbery, Peach Blossom Island would be a better choice than Black Sand Island, so why not choose Peach Blossom Island?’
‘Perhaps, their true intention is not what it seems?’
…
“Uncle World? Let me accompany you for a walk!”
Not long after, someone caught up to him from behind – it was Mu Zhong!
“Hmm, then let’s walk together.”
Fang Xi walked with Mu Zhong to Gemini East Peak, looking at the white banners displayed by the Mo Family branch in the distance, both fell into silence for a while.
“It’s so hard to predict these times…”
As Mu Zhong walked through the Spiritual Fields, he suddenly sighed, “The Mo Family once forceful in claiming land, and now they’ve met with such a fate… Heh, truly what goes around comes around.”
In the Cultivation World, there actually is no such thing as karmic retribution, it’s all just self-comfort.
“This is my family’s two acres of land, where we’ve grown Spirit Rice for more than ten years, where the spiritual energy is abundant, and perhaps next year we can cultivate herbs…”
“In this place, our Mu Family clings to this sole root, and even if cultivation-robbers come, this old man will fight them to the end!”
As the evening sun set, Mu Zhong picked up a handful of soil, gripped it tightly in his hand, and sat on the ridge of the field: “What a pity… the young nephew no longer has the strength.”
No sooner had he spoken than his eyes slowly closed and the soil in his hand scattered to the ground.
This old cultivator of the Mu Family had ultimately died before the calamity arrived.
“Rest in peace…”
Fang Xi had recently become extremely sensitive to the sensation of life force, and he knew this man was genuinely dead, his life reaching its natural end, which in the Cultivation World was considered a decent way to go.
As for why Mu Zhong spoke so many incomprehensible words to him?
It was nothing more than an attempt to establish a connection, hoping that Fang Xi would remember past affinities between their families and protect this last lineage when trouble came.
…
The enforcement team from the Thirty Six Island Alliance arrived quickly, their flying boats patrolling the area for a while before announcing that the cultivation-robbers had fled and that everyone should continue living and working in peace.
Then they left the region without taking a single cloud with them.
This course of action caused many cultivators to feel a sense of foreboding.
…
Two months later.
Jadeite Cliff.
Fang Xi was sipping tea under the Peach Blossom Tree, with Hai Dagui and Wang Xiaohu standing beside him.
Before long, Lu Guo walked in, holding a letter in his hand.
“My lord, I’ve asked a few acquaintances in the enforcement team to investigate, and I have obtained definitive news,” Lu Guo said, bowing.
“Give me the conclusion!” Fang Xi said as he sipped his tea, his expression unchanging, but the air around Wang Xiaohu and Hai Dagui grew inexplicably tense.
“The combined enforcement team’s patrol this time was indeed perfunctory!”
Lu Guo took a deep breath before answering, “And, most of them have already withdrawn to Ling Kong Market… this is indeed unusual and doesn’t follow the usual protocols.”
“As expected…”
Fang Xi let out a sigh, a wry smile hidden in his heart:
‘To be jointly targeted by two major powers, Ruan Xingling is truly worthy of the name Fairy Taoling…’
Ruan Xingling had been out searching for a chance to achieve Foundation Establishment for five years, a secret that could no longer be hidden, known to those who should know.
The Dragon Fish Zhong Family naturally did not want another Foundation Establishment cultivator to emerge from the Thirty Six Islands.
As for others within the Thirty Six Islands, there are likely those who wouldn’t want to see this happen either.
Thus the attack on Black Sand Island by the ‘Silver Armored Demon’!
It was meant to force Ruan Xingling to return, to delay or even destroy her chances of achieving Foundation Establishment!
Even the assassination attempt on Ruan Dan might not be unrelated to this!
As for why they didn’t just slaughter Peach Blossom Island?
‘Ruan Xingling is a clever girl who is also forbearing, there was a case in the past where her entire family was killed, yet she still cultivated in silence outside and only came back for revenge after reaching the later stages of Qi Refining.’
‘To annihilate Peach Blossom Island would only leave her without any concerns, possibly accelerating her Foundation Establishment…’
‘To first destroy Black Sand Island and then pressure Peach Blossom Island is different.’
‘What I didn’t expect was for Ruan Dan to actually withstand the pressure, preferring death over calling Ruan Xingling back…’
Fang Xi felt that he was gradually grasping the thread of the recent events.
And once he had the main thread, the rest would be easier to manage.
‘This affair is likely controlled by a few high-level cultivators who have perfected Qi Refining…’
If there were Foundation Establishment cultivators lurking in secret, even infiltrating Peach Blossom Island and watching Jadeite Cliff, Fang Xi would sense it!
Because he had mastered Divine Consciousness!
Moreover, within the reach of the Monster Tree, his senses were even keener!
‘And undoubtedly, the main target is Mirror Moon Lake! The priority is Ruan Dan!’
If it were ordinary cultivation-robbers, they would choose the path of least resistance, first attacking the weakly defended Jadeite Cliff, far from Mirror Moon Lake, to grab what they could before taking on more challenging targets.
But if there is a plan and aim, they would need to target Mirror Moon Lake!
After all, Fang Xi was only an acquaintance with a shallow relationship, whereas Ruan Dan was a beloved disciple!
‘In this matter, the Zhong Family is the main force, with certain high-level members of the Thirty Six Island Alliance dragging their feet, like deliberately creating patrol loopholes for the ‘Silver Armored Demon’ to wreak havoc! Both sides have an unspoken understanding!’
‘What’s my position then?’
‘I’ll save them if I can, but if it’s beyond hope, I will withdraw immediately!’
‘Why, why must there always be so many who disturb my tree planting?’
‘I’ll remember this time… those who disturb my tree planting, must die!!!’
A flash of murderous intent passed over Fang Xi’s face, sending a chill through the three people around him.
He looked at Wang Xiaohu and the others, speaking in a grave voice: “The current situation is unstable, and I must revoke your daily access privileges to the Little Cloud Rain Array; from now on, the array needs to be at full strength at all times! You should practice life-preserving spells and skills more diligently, because if chaos breaks out, regret will be too late.”
“Thank you for the warning, my lord,” Lu Guo responded, his expression growing stern, as he seemed to understand something.
As for Wang Xiaohu and Hai Dagui, they remained oblivious.
Sometimes, ignorance can indeed be bliss.
Fang Xi planned to mention this to Widow Wang when the time came, as this female cultivator could be unexpectedly dependable in crucial moments.