Let's not talk about Qingshan Daoist Temple first. At Qingyun Sword Sect, when they learned that two direct disciples and several elite disciples were killed, the whole sect was shocked and started asking who killed them.
But the upper echelon kept silent about this, as if they didn't care about this matter at all.
Tang Xiaoxue had felt uneasy recently, always feeling something had happened, but couldn't think of anything that could have happened. When meditating at night, the bloody image of her brother kept appearing in her mind.
"Could something have happened to my brother? I need to go see him."
Before she set off, she heard Yudie say: Xiao Chenfeng and Duan Fei, as well as several elite disciples, were dead. No one knew exactly how they died and who killed them.
Tang Xiaoxue's heart skipped a beat. She immediately went down the mountain towards Tianxuan Sect.
Two days after she left, Ye Xuan also went towards Tianxuan Sect with some people.
His mission was: If Tang Xiaoxue already knew the truth, bring back her corpse. If not, bring her back.
Tang Xiaoxue didn't know where Yinming Sect was. She could only fly a distance before stopping in a city to ask around.
After asking around in several cities, she still hadn't heard of this sect.
With no other option, she could only go ask those sects about the situation.
"Excuse me, where is the nearest sect from here?"
Seeing Tang Xiaoxue, the youth's eyes immediately lit up. He quickly introduced, "I'm a disciple of Sanqing Sect. May I ask if Miss has some business?"
"I just want to ask where Yinming Sect is, and it'd be even better if you know where Qingshan Town is."
The youth thought for a moment, "Yinming Sect shouldn't be far from us, but I'm not sure exactly where it is. I'll have to ask our Grand Elder or Sect Leader about this."
"Then could you please take me to your sect? I'll ask your sect leader there." "Oh, I'm a disciple of Qingyun Sword Sect. This is my insignia."
As she spoke, Tang Xiaoxue took out her insignia.
The youth didn't know anything about Qingyun Sword Sect. He quickly said enthusiastically, "Please come with me to our sect."
Tang Xiaoxue soon arrived at the gate of Sanqing Sect with the youth.
"Please wait here. I'll go report this."
"Alright."
Shortly after, Tang Xiaoyan walked over.
Tang Xiaoxue bowed and said, "Qingyun Sword Sect disciple Tang Xiaoxue, paying respect to Sanqing Sect Leader."
Tang Xiaoyan was surprised, "Xiaoxue? Is your brother Tang Xiaoyu?"
Tang Xiaoxue was quite shocked, "That's my elder brother indeed."
Tang Xiaoyan happily said, "I'm your cousin, Tang Xiaoyan! Do you still remember me?"
Tang Xiaoxue thought back, but she wasn't very happy. She just said coldly, "Is that so? How have you been?"
Tang Xiaoyan knew why she was unhappy. She pulled Tang Xiaoxue along and walked inside, "Don't be angry first, let me explain to you slowly."
Ten-something minutes later: "Sis Xiaoyan, my brother was the sect leader here before? Why is he no longer the leader?"
Tang Xiaoyan hemmed and hawed for a long time, "Let's talk about this later. What brought you here this time?"
"I've been feeling restless lately, always feeling like something happened to my brother. So I came looking for him."
Tang Xiaoyan comforted her, "What could happen to your brother? He's a coward who fears trouble. Even if something came up he'd just slip away."
Tang Xiaoxue didn't care about this, "Let's not talk about that for now. Do you know where Qingshan Town is?"
"I do! It's only 700-800 li from us. Let me take you there!"
Tang Xiaoxue got up, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Sis Xiaoyan."
"We're family, what's with the formality?"
Just as the two were about to set off for Qingshan Town, Shi Tou, Gou Zi and some others walked over.
Gou Zi said, "Sect Leader, where are you going again?"
Tang Xiaoyan casually replied, "Taking my cousin to Qingshan Town."
"Cousin? Isn't she the sister of that useless Tang Xiaoyu?"
Before Tang Xiaoyan could scold him, Gou Zi's head was already separated from his body.
Tang Xiaoxue put away her sword and said indifferently, "Since you don't know how to speak properly, there's no need for you to speak anymore."
She looked at Shi Tou and the others, "Do you still have anything to say?"
They quickly shook their heads, not daring to speak.
"Oh! Then watch your mouth. Let's go, Sis Xiaoyan."
Seeing Tang Xiaoxue and Tang Xiaoyan fly away, they finally dared to breathe.
"What do we do now? We'll be oppressed by Tang Xiaoyan from now on."
Shi Tou said, "What can we do? Bury Gou Zi first. Behave from now on. When we gain strength, we'll see."
Tang Xiaoxue and Tang Xiaoyan stood amidst ruins. Tang Xiaoxue said, "This is Qingshan Town?"
Tang Xiaoyan said, "It should be right! This is Qingshan Town. Why has it become ruins?"
Just as they were puzzled, they saw someone rummaging through debris in the distance. They went up and asked,
"Brother, is this Qingshan Town?"
The middle-aged man didn't turn his head and just replied plainly, "Yes."
"Then which side is Qingshan Daoist Temple?"
The man pointed to a mountain and ignored them afterwards.
"Thank you."
Tang Xiaoxue already had a bad feeling, but still held a shred of hope.
In a moment, the two arrived at Qingshan Daoist Temple. Seeing the pitch-black signboard on the gate, Tang Xiaoxue walked inside in a daze.
Inside, apart from the broken walls and rubble, there was only the ashes left from the fire and half of a statue.
She wanted to search for her brother's belongings, but her brother didn't have anything on him.
Tang Xiaoyan also felt awful, but still comforted her, "Xiaoxue, maybe your cousin was saved by someone?"
"Saved? We killed them ourselves, who could've saved him?" An eerie voice came from behind.
Ye Xuan walked out with some people and continued, "Junior sister Xiaoxue, we've been waiting for you for a while."
"Since you already know the truth, I can only bring your corpse back now."
"After all, the sect would never allow such a hidden danger to remain in this world."
"Junior sister Xiaoxue, don't you think I'm right?"
Tang Xiaoxue turned around and looked at Ye Xuan calmly, "You want to kill me? Do you have that capability?"
"My brother told me to never let others know your true strength. That way enemies would make the wrong judgement."
"I can't kill you, but do you think you can kill me?"
Ye Xuan smiled faintly, "How do I know if I don't try?"
Tang Xiaoxue sneered disdainfully, "People like him just can't be allowed to rise abruptly to the heavens. Otherwise they'd easily forget their useless essence."
"Useless Ye Xuan, you think that just because some stinky old man is helping you, others are inferior to you in intelligence and ability?"
"From your conduct and deeds, you're still that useless person without any change, especially your pitiful self-esteem."
Ye Xuan raged, "I want you dead!"
Tang Xiaoxue ignored him and turned to Tang Xiaoyan, "Sis Xiaoyan, see this? People like him can only succeed relying on heavenly luck, not ability."
"Indeed. He can't even take a little provocation. It'd be quite questionable if he succeeded."
Just as Ye Xuan was about to erupt, Tang Xiaoxue suddenly sprayed out some powder. Ye Xuan and the others quickly retreated.
Ye Xuan shouted, "Don't let them get away!"
But Tang Xiaoxue didn't intend to run. She wanted to kill them.
This powder wasn't meant to blind them, but a slow-acting poison that quickly dissolved in air.
While verbally sparring with Ye Xuan earlier, Tang Xiaoxue had secretly passed Tang Xiaoyan a pill and said via Voice Transmission, "Take this secretly."
After spraying out the powder, Tang Xiaoxue pretended to run away. Ye Xuan flashed over to block their path.
This was exactly the effect Tang Xiaoxue wanted. Hearing Ye Xuan's "Don't let them get away!", she was even more delighted.