Chapter 289: Cold and Hot

Seeing the three suddenly speed up, Qian Changjian was terrified and didn’t dare hesitate. Spiritual energy surged from his dantian to his legs, pushing their already maximal speed even higher slightly.
As Yun Lan slowed down, the distance between the two sides gradually narrowed again.
“Has the effect of the spirit pill worn off?” With less than ten meters left, Qian Changjian sneered. His spiritual sword emitted a faint silver glow, clearly ready for attack.
Yun Lan released a bit of spiritual energy, and the three’s speed increased once more. This made Qian Changjian stagger; had he not been agile, he might have fallen.
After running less than three kilometers, the distance between them widened to over a hundred meters. Just when Qian Changjian and his two companions thought they couldn’t catch up, Lin Dong and his two companions slowed down again.
All three almost simultaneously prayed to heaven that these treasure thieves had run out of the spirit pills that could boost their speed.
Finally, the distance narrowed to ten meters again. Qian Changjian didn’t dare delay. He bent his legs slightly and dashed forward, his spiritual sword slicing through the air as it was thrust at Xiao Tianchi, who held a seventh-tier spiritual sword.
“Lie down!”
With the swift sword wind, Lin Dong and his two companions sped away once more.
“Damn it, damn it!”
Again and again, Qian Changjian, who could only catch their backs with his sword, was furious.
“Master, could you please stop talking?” an elder running swiftly couldn’t help but say.
Qian Changjian froze, not understanding the meaning of these words.
Another elder agreed. Every time he spoke, they would run away, as if they had made a deal. If it weren’t for Qian Changjian, he would have suspected they were deliberately shouting to remind him to use spirit pills to speed up.
The six of them split into two groups, chasing and fleeing, with the distance widening and narrowing repeatedly. That ever-so-slightly insufficient distance left Qian Changjian and his companions extremely frustrated. What surprised them even more was that their disciples behind them had already been left far behind.
Meanwhile, the three of them were almost at the mountain waist during their pursuit.
Noticing a small grove not far away, Xiao Tianchi suddenly said, “Miss Yun, we’re almost there.”
Yun Lan nodded and flew with the two of them into the grove. Soon after, they circled around it at the fastest speed and headed toward the Xingli Sect.
When the three returned to the Xingli Sect, it was already in chaos. Huo Yuan and the other elders were relentlessly attacking the sect’s remaining disciples with overwhelming force.
“Thank you, Miss Yun, for handling the spirit array.” Seeing many disciples of the Guhuan Sect injured, Xiao Tianchi stopped at the entrance and quickly said, “I wonder if Miss Yun has any other instructions?”

Yun Lan shook her head, her figure flashing as she moved swiftly through the already damaged spiritual array.
“Shopkeeper Lin, you…” Xiao Tianchi couldn’t help but look at Lin Dong.
“Of course I’m staying to assist Yun Lan,” Lin Dong replied without hesitation. Though fighting was exhilarating, it still paled in comparison to watching Yun Lan.
Xiao Tianchi nodded and said nothing more. He raised his seventh-tier spiritual sword and chased after the main forces of the Gu Huan Sect.
A fourth-tier spiritual array was easy to break, and modifying it wasn’t a difficult task for Yun Lan either. Lin Dong moved quickly along the inner side of the Xing Li Sect’s walls, with Yun Lan’s figure following at a comparable speed.
It took just over an hour to complete one round. Seeing that the Gu Huan Sect had only sent a few disciples to stay behind and that their main forces hadn’t arrived, Lin Dong turned to Yun Lan with a smile and asked, “Shall we go take a look?”
Yun Lan nodded smilingly. “With the Gu Huan Sect’s strength, they should be able to handle the Xing Li Sect disciples left behind. If they haven’t come yet, it must be because there’s a spiritual array set up at the place where You Beide is imprisoned. If it’s a fourth-tier spiritual array, it should be broken by the time we get there.”
“I hope not so soon!”
Lin Dong twisted his neck. He needed to find a Xing Li Sect disciple of similar strength to fight against.
The two rushed toward the Xing Li Sect. Along the way, they asked the Gu Huan Sect disciples in charge of taking care of the wounded for directions, turning left and right before finally arriving outside a small bamboo forest deep inside.
The forest was lush, with a pleasant green glow.
As they ventured deeper into the bamboo forest to a central open area, they finally saw the main forces of the Gu Huan Sect.
“It’s broken! The spiritual array is broken!”
Shouts rang out outside a small bamboo building in the center. Hearing this, Lin Dong quickened his pace.
Upon reaching the center of the crowd, Lin Dong saw Xiao Tianchi standing with his sword sheathed. Two disciples stepped forward quickly, placing their spiritual swords on the necks of a Xing Li Sect disciple in front of him.
Turning his head, Huo Yuan punched one of the Xing Li Sect disciples in the chest. With a scream, the disciple flew several meters backward and crashed to the ground. He lost consciousness after shaking his head, and two more Gu Huan Sect disciples stepped forward to control him.
Looking around, Lin Dong sighed. Just as Yun Lan had predicted, they had come all this way only to handle the aftermath.
“Miss Yun, is the spiritual array ready?”
Upon seeing Yun Lan, Xiao Tianchi and the elders rushed over. At the entrance of the bamboo building, You Qinxang and Xia Fan rushed in as well.
Yun Lan nodded. “Judging from the strength of the Xing Li Sect disciples who were sent in pursuit, with a little defense, it will be difficult for them to break in.”

“Thank you, Miss Yun!”
Xiao Tianchi was overjoyed—this meant his goal had been fully achieved. Qian Changjian must have already been discovered by Ning Jizong; unable to attack, and given the hatred between the two sides, even if they knew that uniting would strengthen their forces, they would never do so.
Qian Changjian had no way to escape. All he could do was either fight to the death against Ning Jizong or force his way into the Spirit Array.
By then, even if Qian Changjian chose to attack the Spirit Array, as long as You Beide showed up, it was certain he would fear that his disciples would turn against him if the situation turned unfavorable, and he would surely lead them to fight to the death against Ning Jizong in an attempt to capture Qingmei Mountain.
Once both sides were exhausted, it would be the time for Gu Huanzong to sweep through Ning Jizong with overwhelming force, avenging the near-destruction of his sect.
As they were talking, from the bamboo hut, You Qinxang led out a burly middle-aged man with a haggard face but still bearing a calm and dignified air. Behind him, Xia Fan followed slowly, accompanied by a group of elders aged between forty and sixty, also looking weary.
Further behind, hundreds of Xingli Sect disciples, pale but filled with excitement and enthusiasm, followed closely. Together with Gu Huanzong’s disciples, the entire clearing soon became crowded.
“Father, this is Brother Lin. It was he who took me and Xia Fan in and helped us contact Sect Master Xiao,” You Qinxang said as she guided You Beide forward. “Brother Lin, this is my father.”
“Sect Master You!” Lin Dong bowed slightly.
You Beide nodded slightly and said, “Thank you, Young Master Lin, for saving my daughter’s life.”
“You’re too kind, Sect Master You,” Lin Dong replied with a smile and a shake of his head.
You Beide smiled politely and turned his gaze to Xiao Tianchi, bowing and saying, “This must be Sect Master Xiao, right?”
“That’s me,” Xiao Tianchi replied with a bow and a smile. “I’ve long heard of Sect Master You’s reputation. It’s my fortune to meet you today.”
“You’re too kind, Sect Master Xiao,” You Beide said, waving his hands. “If not for your rescue, I might have died, but if Xingli Sect perished because of me, I would have no face to face the ancestors again.”
“The weak-willed disciples have been eliminated. If Xingli Sect unites in the future, it will surely rise again and achieve even greater success,” Xiao Tianchi said as he handed the seventh-tier Spirit Sword to You Beide. “It’s time to return it to its rightful owner—consider it a gift to help Xingli Sect regain its strength.”
You Beide became serious, took the seventh-tier Spirit Sword in both hands, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, “Thank you, Sect Master Xiao, for protecting our sect’s sacred weapon for me. Regarding the alliance, my daughter has already discussed it with me, and I’ve consulted the elders. In the future, I hope Gu Huanzong will continue to support us.”

“How could that be? The Xingli Sect has thrived for hundreds of years, a legacy far beyond what our small sect in a remote corner can compare to. From now on, it should be me who asks the Xingli Sect for their support.” Xiao Tianchi’s gaunt face lit up with a bright smile. At that moment, in the Xingli Sect’s treasure hall, the hundred disciples of the Guhuan Sect were likely on the fourth floor, frantically copying the Xingli Sect’s crafting methods and spiritual techniques.

After today, although the Guhuan Sect still couldn’t be considered a mid-tier sect, with more disciples recruited, it wouldn’t be long before it reached that level.

“Sect Master Xiao, with such a formidable enemy at hand, there’s no need for further formalities,” said You Beide. Though his spiritual energy was still suppressed and not fully restored, his aura as sect master had gradually returned. Waving his hand invitingly, he said, “Sect Master Xiao, please come to the council hall to discuss this!”

Xiao Tianchi smiled and replied, “Sect Master You, please lead the way!”

“Sect Master Xiao, please!” The two sect masters exchanged polite words as they led the way.

In You Beide’s mind, Lin Dong was merely a merchant from a secular inn with some strength and connections to sects—his status was nowhere near that of Xiao Tianchi. Yet in You Qinxang’s heart, things were clearly different.

As everyone headed toward the council hall, seeing that You Beide no longer needed support, You Qinxang slowed down a bit. After Lin Dong and Yun Lan stepped forward, she asked, “Brother Lin, are you unharmed?”

“I wish I were…” Lin Dong smiled bitterly. “So far, I haven’t even had a chance to fight.”

A strange glint appeared in You Qinxang’s eyes. If someone had said this to her before, she would have definitely considered them a brawler. But Lin Dong’s seemingly helpless expression and annoyed tone made her subconsciously not want to disappoint him. She replied, “If Brother Lin likes spiritual techniques, how about I accompany you to the training ground to practice later?”

“You?” Lin Dong hesitated slightly. You Qinxang was at the fourth level of the Mental Energy stage, one level above him—perfect for stretching his muscles. But sending a girl flying with a bench seemed unreasonable.

Yet if he didn’t try seriously, he’d just end up frustrated.

“Never mind. I’ll look for a chance to practice with the disciples of the Ningji Sect instead!” After much hesitation, Lin Dong shook his head.

“Then how about I show Brother Lin around?” You Qinxang said excitedly. “Our Xingli Sect has a vast area, and the scenery is quite nice.”

Lin Dong glanced at Yun Lan beside him. Wasting cultivation time on sightseeing was acceptable if Yun Lan was around.

Yun Lan pretended not to hear their conversation and continued walking steadily, as if unaware of their talk.