Chapter 727: Chapter 727
Decades ago, the great battle between disciples of the Hidden Sect and the secular Martial Artists was still talked about with relish by members of the Secular Ancient Martial World.
Before that great battle, no one had imagined that the secular world would be a hiding place for dragons and crouching tigers, concealing so many strong individuals.
Since then, the major Hidden Sects have come to view the Secular Ancient Martial World with new respect, and they started to restrain their disciples, warning them not to enter the secular world lightly, and even if they did come into the world for experience, they were cautioned not to stir up trouble to avoid provoking the strong ones among the secular.
"If I’m not wrong, Brother Long must have discovered the trail of a ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ disciple and is tracking it down!"
Fang Bai’s gaze shifted towards the direction of the Kunlun Mountains, as he spoke with a look of concern on his face.
The ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ Deputy Valley Master Feng Jiang, who he had killed before, had the strength of Earth Level Perfection, and from this one could surmise that the ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ Valley Master’s strength was at least at the Heaven Level Realm.
Although Long Jingtian was also a Heaven Level Expert, he was alone after all. If he were to encounter a strong individual like the ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ Valley Master while tracking alone in the mountains, the danger would be great.
Fang Bai said to Long Da and Long Er, "These eight ’Dragon Guard’ members were all killed by a palm technique called ’Soul-Compelling Palm.’ I have killed ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ disciples in the past, and one of them had used this technique, which is why I conclude that the one who killed these eight ’Dragon Guard’ members was a ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ disciple!"
"Then... could the leader be in danger?"
Upon hearing that these matters truly involved the Hidden Sect, and that the leader Long Jingtian might have gone to track down a Hidden Sect disciple, Long Da and Long Er couldn’t help feeling tense, worried that something might happen to Long Jingtian.
"With Brother Long’s strength, as long as he doesn’t meet a strong individual like the ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ Valley Master, he should be fine!"
Fang Bai said this, but he was also somewhat worried in his heart, because before this, the Sect Leader of the ’Yunnv Sect’ had personally entered the secular world, so it was not impossible for the ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ Valley Master to appear in the secular world as well.
The appearance of these two major Hidden Sect experts in the secular world, needless to say, was due to the disappearances of disciples and elders in the secular world one after another.
If the ’Ghost Doctor Valley’ Valley Master indeed entered the secular world, and he was accompanied by elders, then the outcome might not be optimistic if Long Jingtian encountered them.
"Where did Brother Long enter the mountains from? Take me to have a look!"
Fang Bai knew what he had to do now, which was to find Long Jingtian as soon as possible, so that the two of them could join forces, and then there would be nothing to fear.
Long Da and Long Er immediately led Fang Bai back into the Kunlun Mountains.
The three of them crossed over peak after peak, ridge after ridge, deep gullies and ravines, venturing more than a hundred li deep into the mountain range, and stopped in front of a narrow crevice.
Long Da pointed at the narrow crevice and said to Fang Bai, "The leader parted ways with us at this spot! Long Er and I initially wanted to follow, but the leader stopped us! The leader probably wasn’t confident about handling people from ’Ghost Doctor Valley,’ which is why we asked Instructor Fang to come and offer assistance."
Fang Bai nodded and took a turn around the area, surprisingly capturing a few strands of Long Jingtian’s aura.
Heaven Level Martial Artists can condense their aura at a certain place and maintain it for a long time without dissipating. Fang Bai thought to himself that Long Jingtian might have deliberately left a trail for him to follow, so he could find him as quickly as possible.
"I’m going to enter the mountain to look for Brother Long now. You two wait outside the mountain. I will either return in three to five days or at most half a month with Brother Long. If I exceed this time limit, you go back to Yanjing and don’t wait any longer!"
After leaving this message, Fang Bai used his movement technique and swept into the mountain crevice that only had room for two or three people to pass through, vanishing in an instant.
Long Da and Long Er watched Fang Bai disappear, and although they were filled with worry, they knew that even if they followed him, they wouldn’t be of any help. They exchanged a glance, sighed, and left together.
Fang Bai moved like the wind, soaring over the rugged terrain of the deep mountains. He climbed over mountains and crossed streams; with his strength, there were no perils that could block his path.
Every few miles along the way, Fang Bai could sense a thread of Long Jingtian’s Martial Artist aura. Following these traces, he did not lose the right direction.
After crossing a lifeless swamp and passing through a dark, primordial forest, Fang Bai arrived in a lush, fertile valley strewn with the bones of humans and beasts. There, he spotted a familiar figure.
Seeing that figure, Fang Bai breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and approached at a measured pace. From a distance, he called out, "Brother Long, you sure made me look for you!"
The figure was wandering in front of a pile of huge shattered stones. Hearing Fang Bai’s voice, he turned around abruptly. Upon seeing Fang Bai, his surprise turned to delight as he laughed heartily and came forward, saying, "Brother Fang, you sure got here fast! I knew you would find this place!"
Fang Bai said, "After receiving a message from the Dragon Maiden, I rushed over immediately. Thankfully, Brother Long, you’re safe and sound!"
The figure was indeed the leader of the Dragon Guards, Long Jingtian. Upon seeing Fang Bai, as if seeing a savior, he pulled Fang Bai to the piles of shattered stones that amassed like small hills in front of them and said, "You’ve come at the right time, Brother Fang! Come, come, help me look at these piles of shattered stones..."
Fang Bai’s gaze fell on the piles of shattered stones. He only glanced at them a few times before frowning.
"These shattered stone piles are very strange. They seem ordinary from the outside, but once you enter, you get lost... I just took a turn inside and nearly got trapped, barely making it out, only to realize I’ve returned to the same place... From the surrounding terrain, there should be a mountain path continuing forward behind these shattered stone piles. But without getting past these piles, there’s no way forward! Strange... there’s something odd about these shattered stones!"
Long Jingtian talked to himself but then noticed that Fang Bai’s expression was growing increasingly odd.
"If I’m not mistaken, this should be an entrance to the Hidden Sect World. These seemingly disorganized piles of shattered stones actually form a concealed Formation, obscuring the path to the Hidden Sect World!"
Fang Bai pointed to the piles of shattered stones in front of him and said with a smile.
He had previously learned the location of an entrance to the Hidden Sect World through the "Soul Capture Technique" from Ji Chao, an elder from Ghost Doctor Valley. Now, checking the terrain against his prior knowledge, he confirmed that the disciples of Ghost Doctor Valley entered and exited the Hidden Sect World through this Shattered Stone Array.
In Fang Bai’s eyes, this Shattered Stone Array was just a common Concealment Formation. But for ordinary people, this Formation was like an insurmountable chasm, separating the Secular Ancient Martial World from the Hidden Sect.
If an ordinary person or a typical Martial Artist entered the Shattered Stone Array, they would get lost, and the likely outcome would be death from being trapped within.
Because Long Jingtian had some rudimentary knowledge of Formations, he managed to escape after being trapped for a long time but dared not enter it lightly again.