Chapter 767: A Sudden Contact During the Assembly

“You guys keep an eye on things. I have something urgent to confirm!”

With that, he waved his hand and put away the Array Card, giving Guk Liancai and Gan Zili no chance to react. His figure flickered, and a solid illusion formed by an Array took his place while he himself disappeared into it.

This action once again drew the attention of several people nearby.

Sect Leader Dang Jun’an hesitated for a moment, looked at Gan Zili, and said, “Is something wrong on your Spirit Nurturing Peak? Should I send someone to take a look?”

Gan Zili and Guk Liancai looked down at Spirit Nurturing Peak, then turned to the crowd with a look of utter confusion. Gan Zili said, “Don’t ask me, I have no idea either. Every single one of them just says ‘something’s come up’ and bolts.”

Guk Liancai muttered, “What’s with this damn habit, running off without a word…”

Before he could finish speaking, both of them suddenly paused. They simultaneously pulled up a message on a Light Curtain, glanced at it, and then, without another word, both vanished from the Floating Island.

Their movements were strikingly similar to the one before them, as if their earlier complaints had come from someone else entirely.

Dang Jun’an: “…”

Everyone on the Floating Island: “…”

From his seat at the very front, Supreme Elder Dang Xiangjun frowned slightly. He lightly tapped a Light Curtain, and Fang Jixiang’s virtual image appeared before him.

As soon as Fang Jixiang materialized, he immediately bowed. “Master Dang, do you have any instructions?”

“Have there been any disturbances over at Spirit Nurturing Peak?” Dang Xiangjun asked, looking at Fang Jixiang.

Fang Jixiang was taken aback, and his expression shifted. “Master Dang, please wait a moment!”

With that, his virtual image seemed to tap randomly in the air a few times. In the main control room, his Main Body pulled up a Light Screen and took a look.

After checking the information for a moment, the virtual image on the Floating Island refocused. He looked at Dang Xiangjun, confused, and said, “I haven’t found anything unusual. Master Dang, why do you ask?”

“Then what in the world are they all doing?” Dang Xiangjun asked, pointing at the four virtual images, including Zhang Deming’s.

Fang Jixiang paused, once again waving his hand distractedly in the air. When he refocused, he said to Dang Xiangjun, “This Disciple isn’t too sure either. Senior Brother Yuee took Senior Brother Guk and Senior Brother Gan into the Geng Metal Secret Realm Core in a hurry. As for Junior Brother Zhang…

“This Disciple can’t check on Junior Brother Zhang. He should be in his Flying Spring Waterfall Tower, and this Disciple doesn’t have the authority for a forced intrusion. Perhaps Master Dang could grant this Disciple temporary permission to try?”

Dang Xiangjun paused briefly. “His security clearance is currently the same as mine. Only that old ghost from the Secret Group has the authority to force entry into the Flying Spring Waterfall Tower. Besides, doing so would cause a huge commotion. Checking on him discreetly is impossible.”

The surrounding people were all taken aback.

Dang Xiangjun continued, “So you’re saying they didn’t leave for the same reason? The Geng Metal Secret Realm Core? Are they going to use the Teleportation Gate? Do you know where they’re headed?”

Fang Jixiang shook his head. “I’m not sure. Should I instruct the Disciples in the Array Department?”

Dang Xiangjun nodded. “Yes. Have the Disciples stationed at the Teleportation Gates check which gate they used and its destination. I want a report immediately.

“Every single one of them… The Sect only has four Spirit Nurturing Masters. Don’t they understand their own importance? All of them doing as they please. And here I was, thinking it was just a quirk of that one kid.

“So it’s a classic case of the seniors setting a bad example. They all have this problem! It seems I really need to assign some people to follow them around the clock for a while, just to give each of them a little reminder.”

Everyone: “…”

‘So Spirit Nurturing Masters are so special, are they? They get all this attention? Aren’t we Peak Masters, too? When have you ever shown us this much concern, Master Dang?’

Sensing the strange, resentful atmosphere on the Floating Island, Fang Jixiang immediately said, “This Disciple understands. There’s a lot to handle in the main control room, and this Disciple really doesn’t have much time to spare. This Disciple will take his leave. Once there’s news, the juniors below will directly inform Master Dang and all you Senior Brothers.”

Dang Xiangjun nodded, and Fang Jixiang’s virtual form dissipated.

On the Floating Island, everyone wore varying expressions as they fell silent once more. The group no longer had the heart to pay attention to the now-tepid third round of events below.

…

Zhang Deming used an Array to return to the Flying Spring Waterfall Tower. He quickly went to the third floor, sat down cross-legged, and sent his Heart Spirit into the Spirit Nurturing Space.

The moment he entered, Zhang Deming was stunned. His connection to the Spirit Species was continuously weakening, and at a considerable rate. If it kept fading this fast, any further delay might cause him to lose the connection entirely.

‘Why is this happening?’

‘What on earth is going on over there?’

Though his mind raced with questions, Zhang Deming’s hands moved without the slightest hesitation.

Technique: Splitting Skill – Five Elements Flying Escape!

Technique: Splitting Skill – Hidden Breath Skill!

Technique: Splitting Skill – Reconnaissance Spiritual Eye!

Unsure of how safe it was, Zhang Deming adhered to a policy of utmost caution. Initially, he only split off the Dao related to reconnaissance and tracking.

Sensing the ever-weakening connection to the Spirit Species, Zhang Deming had no time for further thought; the link could be severed at any moment.

Zhang Deming hesitated no longer. He cast his consciousness toward the connection in the void, and along with the split-off Dao, it plunged into the place being pulled by the Dao Mark.

…

「In the Celestial Spirit Sect’s territory, the remote Luanzhou.」

The Celestial Spirit Sect’s sphere of influence radiated outward from the sect itself in an irregular semicircle. With the Hengduan Mountain Range at its back, it governed more than a dozen surrounding prefectures.