When Daoist Gong heard Li Yan's words, he was first taken aback, then his heart filled with joy. This matter was of the utmost urgency. He quickly said, "Please, Senior, take action. Our humble temple will be eternally grateful." As he spoke, a pleading look appeared on his face.
"You don't have to call me Senior, just call me Fellow Daoist Li. Although I have some deductions and speculations about what happened in the temple, there are still some things I'm not clear about. You will tell me about the death of that Fellow Daoist Luo in the hall just now and the relationships between the main personnel in the temple," Li Yan slowly paced to the table and sat down directly in the chair.
Daoist Gong was startled at first, then a look of astonishment appeared in his eyes. Although he couldn't guess Li Yan's cultivation, from Li Yan's own words, although he didn't say it directly, he had denied the identity of a senior. Just now, he really thought he had misjudged the other party's age, thinking that Li Yan must have cultivated a top-level appearance-preserving technique. But after Li Yan's denial, Daoist Gong was even more surprised. To be even closer to condensing a Golden Core than himself at such an age, how could he not be shocked?
But he didn't dare to ask and just ignored the matter in his heart.
About half an hour later, Li Yan was looking down, seemingly lost in deep thought. Daoist Gong, sitting opposite him, had a solemn expression and made no sound, afraid of disturbing Li Yan's thoughts.
During Daoist Gong's narration, Li Yan would occasionally ask a few questions, especially about the interpersonal relationships, living habits, and so on of the three deceased, as well as the information recorded about the visiting cultivators like himself when they entered the mountain gate. Finally, he asked in detail about all the clues Daoist Gong had found.
After about the time it takes for half a stick of incense to burn, Li Yan sorted through his speculations and what he had just heard in his mind again before finally looking up at Daoist Gong. Seeing Li Yan look up at him, Daoist Gong couldn't help but feel a surge of energy.
"Fellow Daoist Gong, your introduction just now has already solved several of my previous doubts. But there are still two main doubts that I need to confirm. But before that, I want to ask you, fellow Daoist, do you already have a suspect? Can you tell me?"
Hearing Li Yan say that most of his doubts were already solved, Daoist Gong couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. But then, hearing Li Yan's follow-up question, he couldn't help but hesitate for a moment, but it was only for a moment. He immediately said, "I do have one, it should be two people..." At this point, Daoist Gong actually started to use voice transmission. It was clear that he took this matter very seriously.
After hearing this, Li Yan couldn't help but nod. He didn't expect that Daoist Gong was not as clueless as he appeared on the outside. Many points coincided with his own. He figured that some of his previous actions were probably deliberately to confuse outsiders. He thought to himself, 'As expected of someone who has cultivated for hundreds of years, old and cunning. Without any evidence, he has already narrowed the scope to a very small one. I, on the other hand, had the advantage of knowing some things, which led to my later judgment.' He then said, "Then let's go and solve the last two doubts." With that, he stood up.
In the early morning at Xuanqing Temple, things inside and out began to operate. After everyone knew that the Ancestor would be returning this evening, their hearts had settled down a lot. Daoist Gong, with a grim face, made the arrangements. Apart from him and Hall Master Ji leading fifty people to guard the main hall, the other junior brothers and sister, led by Kong Nantai, each led fifty people to patrol the entire sect in rotation. This way, on the one hand, the security of every corner of the sect was strengthened, and at the same time, the cultivators who came to the mountain gate today for teleportation were told that they could only teleport tomorrow. On the other hand, he and Hall Master Ji guarded the main hall. Although the two black-robed figures and the hunchbacked elder were all experts, under these numerous formations, Daoist Gong believed they would not move rashly and would just wait for the Xuanqing Temple's Ancestor to return in the evening.
As the sun gradually rose, the vast Xuanqing Temple, apart from the occasional patrol of a few dozen people flying by, was silent everywhere. The prosperous scene of the past was gone, replaced by a murderous atmosphere.
At this time, in the rear mountain halls and pavilions of Xuanqing Temple, there was a quaint four-story pavilion. With upturned eaves and hanging bells, a plaque hung on the second floor in the front, with three vigorous characters written on it: "Dàojīng Diàn" (Daojing Hall). At this time, it was quiet everywhere, with no one around.
In the past, although disciples were not allowed to enter and exit freely here, there would still be occasional visitors. Today, however, it was deathly silent. Even in the morning sun, it seemed secluded and empty.
Just then, a figure suddenly appeared at the bottom of the steps in front of the Daojing Hall like a ghost. It came so stealthily that it didn't make a sound. The person stopped ten zhang away from the steps of the Daojing Hall. He first looked around, then closed his eyes and released his Divine Sense. After confirming again that there was no one around, he suddenly opened his eyes.
He looked at the pavilion in front of him and sneered in his heart. He knew that four zhang and five chi from the steps in front, there was a set of protective formations. If someone rashly stepped into it without knowing, the formation would activate instantly, and all kinds of scalp-numbing attacks would come at once. At the same time, the wind chimes on the eaves of the pavilion would ring loudly, and in a short while, everyone in the temple would rush over.
This place was where Xuanqing Temple treasured its most valuable treasures, so the power of the protective formation here was not much inferior to the sect's mountain-protecting grand formation. Even if a Golden Core cultivator came here, without a method to break the restriction, they would be helpless and not dare to advance rashly.
This person stood motionless on the spot, his expression at ease. After observing the surroundings as if he were on patrol here, he once again confirmed that there was no one around, then walked forward. It was just that each step was taken with extreme caution. Even so, he quickly arrived at a place four zhang and five chi away from the steps. Looking at the flat bluestone ground in front of him, he looked up at the wind chimes on the eaves. He knew that these so-called wind chimes would not ring even in a strong wind on a normal day.
This person stood on the spot, releasing his Divine Sense to be alert of the surroundings. At the same time, he slapped his waist, and two golden, shining things flew out of his storage pouch. He caught them and opened his palm. In his palm were two halves of a wind chime that seemed to have been cut open by a sharp blade. This wind chime was very similar to the one on the eaves, but the one on the eaves was silver, while the two halves in his hand were golden. Looking at the golden wind chime in his hand, he thought to himself, 'After this mission is completed, I can leave this place. At that time, I will be rewarded with a large amount of cultivation resources, and my cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds.' Thinking of this, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
This all seemed to take a long time, but it was only in an instant. After this person took out the two halves of the wind chime, he threw them at the space in front of him. The two halves of the wind chime turned into two streaks of golden light and shot forward. In a blink of an eye, they reached the space above the open ground in front of the steps. The open ground rippled and distorted, as if the ground itself had become illusory and unreal. Then, a low humming sound was heard. Hearing this sound, the person's face couldn't help but show a look of nervousness, and he became even more alert. He knew this was the prelude to the opening of the formation passage, and it was also the most dangerous time. Although this sound was low, it could still be detected by anyone nearby.
He felt his mouth was dry and his heart was racing. Fortunately, this sound was very brief, lasting only for one or two breaths, before it disappeared without a trace. The distorted open ground and space also returned to normal, and the two halves of the golden wind chime flew back to him silently and rapidly. At the same time, with a light "click," a crack appeared in the vermilion main gate on the first floor of the steps.
After putting the wind chime into his storage pouch, this person knew that he could not delay for a moment, lest there be any unforeseen complications. His figure flickered and flashed up the steps. The distance of a few zhang was just a thought for him. Looking at the gradually enlarging vermilion main gate in front of him, his heart raced. But just as he stepped on the ground in front of the gate and was about to push it open and slip in, his expression suddenly changed drastically. He only felt his foot go soft, and then a sharp pain rose from the sole of his foot.
In his haste, his whole body flashed with spiritual light, and he quickly flew up a chi or so. As he flew up, he looked down and saw a huge sand pit slowly flowing under his feet, and his boots were emitting wisps of black smoke. The sole of his foot was already exposed. Although his reaction was fast, the sole of his foot was already a bloody mess. What made his blood run cold was that he clearly felt that even though he had protected his whole body with spiritual power, there was still something unknown on the sole of his foot that was about to spread up his meridians and drill in.
He was so shocked that he couldn't help but exclaim, "Quicksand Art..." But he had no time to think more at this moment. Just as he was protecting himself with spiritual power and about to fly away, a strong suction force came from the sand pit. This was the attack of the Quicksand Art. If this had happened on a normal day, even if he were sucked in, he still had many divine abilities he could use, such as "Earth Evasion Art," "Wall-Passing Art," and so on. But this Quicksand Art was clearly different from all the Quicksand Arts he had ever seen. The suction force was extremely fierce. With his tenth-layer Qi Condensation cultivation, in this short moment, his spiritual power had already been consumed by thirty to forty percent. And the most terrifying thing was that he had never seen or heard of the potent poison hidden in this sand pit. His reaction just now did not even exceed half a breath, and the pair of boots that could be considered spirit artifact-grade did not even resist or delay for a moment before turning into fly ash. This made him even more afraid.
He was even more shocked and puzzled. He had found out about all the various formations and mechanisms here through various means. How could there be a sudden change? For a moment, he was both shocked and angry. 'So there wasn't just one formation here, but a series of interconnected formations. After such a long time of investigation, I didn't get any news at all. Xuanqing Temple's concealment is so deep. It seems this mission has failed. I have to leave the temple as soon as possible.'
This sudden turn of events terrified him. There was already movement here, and someone could come over at any time.
He couldn't help but frantically circulate his spiritual power. But to his despair, the suction force under his feet was getting stronger and stronger, and his body was still sinking bit by bit. He looked around. At this moment, the surroundings were still quiet, which made him feel a little better. Looking around, he suddenly raised a hand, and a strand of spiritual power shot out from his hand like a rope, wrapping around the railing on the steps. As long as this spiritual power rope wrapped around the railing, he would have a point of leverage and could quickly escape.
But just as his spiritual power rope was less than a foot away from his body, it seemed to hit a wall and directly exploded into a ball of dazzling light. The next moment, it turned into specks of crystal light and scattered in the air. This made his mind tremble, and he became even more panicked for a moment.
In his panic, he hurriedly slapped his waist, and a flying sword fell at his feet. Under the control of his Divine Sense, the flying sword actually carried him up a few inches. Just as he was overjoyed, the suction force from the sand pit under his feet increased again. The flying sword was instantly pulled into the pit, and his body was also pulled down a bit. This made him both shocked and angry. He hurriedly slapped his storage pouch again, and a white jade ruler appeared at his feet again. Under his frantic control of his spiritual power, the white jade ruler carried him up a few inches again. But just as he rose a few inches, the white jade ruler was also sucked into the sand pit. Just like that, in this person's heartache and fury, one by one, spirit artifacts and spirit treasures were all sacrificed by him, and then they were all sucked into and swallowed by the sand pit one by one. Although his heart ached, after this ordeal, he had gradually moved away from the sand pit.
He silently calculated the time in his heart. Six breaths had passed since the beginning. He had to escape this place within ten breaths.
Looking at another pitch-black inkstone being sucked into the sand pit under his feet, his heart was bleeding. This was a magical treasure, and its power was comparable to a blow from an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. There were protective formation shields all around him, firmly trapping him above the sand pit. He could only fly upwards and could not borrow any force from the surroundings. Not only did he fail the mission this time, but he also lost five or six spirit treasures and magical treasures. Of course, most of them were spirit treasures before. There was only one pitch-black inkstone magical treasure. He had just discovered that a magical treasure could make him fly a greater distance, while a spirit treasure was much shorter, only able to rise two to three inches. Just now, this pitch-black inkstone magical treasure had actually made him rise nearly a foot. As his body rose, the suction force under his feet was gradually weakening, which was a good sign.
At this moment, there were less than two breaths left before ten breaths were up.