Chapter 134: How Ridiculous

"That goes without saying!"

Liu Changtian was quite confident in his performance. To put it bluntly, this matter had nothing to do with him; he was merely providing cover for Luo Tian. Thus, on the surface, he appeared entirely composed. "As for searching for Young Master Jiang, our Shenyang Sect is duty-bound!"

"I am indebted to Sect Master Liu!" Hua Xiangyang offered a formal salute. "I shall not disturb you any further. Please issue the orders as soon as possible! Anyone who can provide a clue shall be handsomely rewarded!"

*It seems I need to have a word with those two little rascals,* Liu Changtian thought, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Very well. Elder Liu, see our guests out!"

Listening to the previous exchange between Han Li and Hua Xiangyang, Liu Changtian had felt a wave of irritation. Even though the Shenyang Sect struggled with the issue of the Four Great Families and possessed fewer high-quality disciples compared to other sects, it was not for someone like Hua Xiangyang to point that out.

Even if the Hua family was powerful, that was due to their collective strength as a clan. By what right did Hua Xiangyang dare to be so presumptuous before a Sect Master? Even if he wanted to antagonize the Han family, he shouldn't be trampling on his dignity in the process.

Each of the Five Great Sects had a supervisor sent by Wanfeng City stationed in their library pavilion, tasked with the duty of education—though, in reality, they only provided advice to young cultivators. It was true that the Shenyang Sect failed to produce outstanding disciples, and blaming Han Li wasn't entirely unfounded, but to pin all the fault on him was equally incorrect.

Hua Xiangyang naturally had no right to question Liu Changtian on why the Shenyang Sect could not cultivate talent, but his persistent insinuations throughout his conversation with Han Li regarding the sect's lack of capable disciples—even if Liu knew they weren't aimed at him specifically—still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Liu Neng, too, was deeply dissatisfied with the Wind and Cloud Guard. These fellows, relying on their backing, had always looked down upon the ordinary elders within the Five Great Sects with unbridled arrogance.

*So what if I used pills to breakthrough?* At the very least, he was still a powerhouse of the Yuan Dan Realm; surely he deserved a modicum of respect?

*Hmph,* it was rumored that the Hua family once bore the surname Huang. For some unknown reason, they suddenly changed it, and after the change, they had risen like a comet, going from a small, destitute family to firmly establishing themselves in Wanfeng City within a few decades.

*What is there to be so proud of? They just got lucky!*

Filled with resentment toward the Hua family, Liu Neng gave a curt response and led Hua Xiangyang and his men down the mountain.

The three members of the Wind and Cloud Guard had exchanged few pleasantries and did not linger long on Mount Shenyang. Hua Xiangyang had not come to catch up or chat; rather, based on the direction Jiang Zhenglong had taken when he left, this area was closer to the Shenyang Sect. If luck were on their side, they might just stumble upon a clue.

As the captain of the Wind and Cloud Guard, having come to the Shenyang Sect, he naturally had to pay his respects to the Sect Master and conclude the official business. As for whether they would share a meal to foster relations, that would depend entirely on Hua Xiangyang’s mood.

Clearly, he had no such intention.

"Brother Zhang, what do you think our captain is thinking?"

"Who knows? But Brother Song, we just need to do as we're told. If you keep talking nonsense, you'll be assigned to clean the Thousand-Layer Stairs of Great Black Mountain again."

The two men accompanying Hua Xiangyang, Song Yu and Zhang Jinbao, were both Pulse Flow Realm cultivators. Their control over Yuan energy was quite decent, and they naturally used the "Sound Transmission" technique with great proficiency. In truth, while this technique sounded mysterious, its minimum requirement was merely reaching the Pulse Flow Realm, allowing one to project Yuan energy and attach sound to a fine thread of it to communicate with a specific person. It was a skill mastered naturally once one's strength reached that level.

Upon hearing the mention of the Thousand-Layer Stairs, Song Yu shuddered involuntarily. "Brother Zhang, please, spare me! Last time I climbed to the four hundred and sixty-second step and just couldn't go on; it’s truly inhuman! It’s been ten days, and my legs are still trembling."

Liu Neng cast a subtle glance at the two guards behind Hua Xiangyang. He could clearly see them using sound transmission to discuss something untoward.

*Hmph, they’re likely whispering bad things about the Shenyang Sect!*

At this thought, Liu Neng, as a sect elder, felt a surge of displeasure.

"Elder Liu, I believe this is my first time visiting your Shenyang Sect, isn't it?"

Perhaps sensing the stifling atmosphere and seeing his subordinates whispering, Hua Xiangyang felt that if he didn't speak up, it might make Liu Neng feel awkward. After all, he was a Yuan Dan Realm cultivator—even if he was a "low-level" one who relied on pills, he was still an elder of the Shenyang Sect. He had to be given a modicum of face.

"Captain Hua, the first time makes for strangers, the second for friends. We have plenty of time; you are welcome to visit more often. Are you worried that our Shenyang Sect is too small to host you?"

Liu Neng was advanced in years, and though a cultivator, he understood the basic ways of the world. His words were impeccable, leaving no room for offense. Even Hua Xiangyang, who was usually stern and rarely smiled, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. "Then many thanks, Elder Liu."

"Don't mention it!" Liu Neng replied with a beaming smile. "Captain Hua, where we are now is Mount Shenyang, primarily occupied by our Inner Sect disciples of the Pulse Flow Realm and us elders of the Yuan Dan Realm. Of course, when manpower is needed, we sometimes have Outer Sect disciples of the Condensing Qi Realm come to assist."

"That peak over there, I suppose that is where the Outer Sect disciples of the Condensing Qi Realm reside?" Hua Xiangyang asked naturally.

"Indeed, that is Mount Ziyang. There is also a servant area at the foot of the mountain. Some wealthy youths from commoner families who wish to cultivate will first temper their bodies in the servant area, and only after passing the Body Tempering Realm and becoming Condensing Qi cultivators can they formally touch upon the path of cultivation!"

Liu Neng explained the situation as concisely as possible. Building a good relationship with the Wind and Cloud Guard could only be beneficial. Although no one but the City Lord's Mansion could command them, sometimes a single word from the Guard could alter the outcome of certain matters.

"He talks as if it were all true, that old man," Song Yu transmitted to Zhang Jinbao with disdain, his words laced with sarcasm. "It’s been decades, maybe a century, and the disciples they raise are getting worse and worse. They are clearly a grade below the other four major sects!"

"Brother Song, you don't know the full story. Haven't you noticed that in recent years, those who emerge from the Shenyang Sect are basically all from the four families of Liu, Shen, Tang, and Chen? I heard they used some underhanded tactics to suppress commoner disciples so that the four families could continue to monopolize the entire sect." Zhang Jinbao gave a light chuckle.

"Brother Zhang, is that so? Do they have the gall to treat the City Lord's orders as nothing?" Song Yu’s expression turned somewhat excited. "Perhaps we'll have a chance to purge this Shenyang Sect soon!"

"Don't be so happy! It's just a suspicion for now; we haven't even sent anyone to investigate. Everything depends on the arrangements of the City Lord's Mansion!" Zhang Jinbao poured cold water on him. This fellow was always thinking about fighting and killing, never considering the risks involved in such a battle. If they truly were to purge the four families of the Shenyang Sect, the Wind and Cloud Guard might suffer significant casualties.

"Elder Liu, there seems to be some activity over there, doesn't there?" After chatting for a while, Hua Xiangyang suddenly pointed toward the foot of Mount Shenyang. "Could there be a problem?"

"Haha, that is a disciple of our sect explaining the path of cultivation to others. This disciple is named Luo Tian. Almost every Outer Sect disciple who has received his guidance has gained something, and some have even broken through on the spot!" Liu Changtian smiled proudly. The Shenyang Sect had its own standout talent; he wouldn't let the Wind and Cloud Guard look down on them.

"How hilarious, could it be a lie?" Hearing Liu Changtian boasting in an attempt to fool his captain, Song Yu remarked with unmasked derision, "Why not let him give me some pointers?"