Read Daily Updated Light Novel, Web Novel, Chinese Novel, Japanese And Korean Novel Online.
Immortal Patriarch: Strength in the Family's Vitality (Web Novel) - Chapter 1953: Deathly Stillness in Qingyun Square
Chapter 1953: Deathly Stillness in Qingyun Square
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
He didn’t immediately reveal his identity as a disciple of the Qingyun Sect. It was wiser to be cautious before understanding the situation.The head guard scrutinized them suspiciously, his gaze lingering on Lin Wan’er and Su Xiaowan for a moment, with a barely noticeable strange glint in his eyes.
"You can enter the marketplace, but you must pay an entrance fee of ten Low-grade Spirit Stones per person. Moreover, fighting is prohibited within the marketplace, and violators will be severely punished!" the head guard said coldly.
"Ten Low-grade Spirit Stones?" Su Xiaowan almost exclaimed. Qingyun Square never used to charge any entrance fee, and now it was ten Spirit Stones per person. This was outright robbery!
Luo Qingchen quietly tugged Su Xiaowan, signaling her not to say more. He took out thirty Low-grade Spirit Stones and handed them over. Now, he was no longer the impoverished youth he once was, and he didn’t care about such a small amount of Spirit Stones.
The head guard took the Spirit Stones, waved his hand, and signaled them to pass.
As they entered the marketplace, the sight on the streets made Luo Qingchen and his companions feel a heavy weight on their hearts. The once bustling streets now appeared rather desolate, with many shops tightly closed and those open mostly empty of customers. The hurried cultivators wore expressions of caution and unease, and an oppressive atmosphere engulfed the entire marketplace.
"How strange, why has the marketplace become like this?" Su Xiaowan whispered to Lin Wan’er while pulling her arm, "It feels so lifeless."
"It seems that during our absence, something significant must have happened in the Sect or nearby," Lin Wan’er responded softly, her brows furrowed tightly.
Luo Qingchen didn’t speak. As he walked, he carefully observed the surroundings. He noticed that the number of patrolling cultivators in the marketplace had increased several times compared to before, and those cultivators in standard armor were more numerous, whereas the figures of Qingyun Sect disciples were rarely seen.
"Let’s find an inn to settle down first, then go out to gather some information," Luo Qingchen pondered aloud.
The three of them found an inn that still seemed fairly clean and checked in. After settling in, Luo Qingchen instructed the two women not to go out temporarily. He changed into unobtrusive clothes, applied a simple disguise, and left the inn.
Instead of heading to the more well-known taverns or teahouses where news was often exchanged—places often bustling with people and prone to exposure—he chose to wander through the inconspicuous alleys and street stalls of the marketplace, listening to the idle chatter of the bottom-tier loose cultivators.
Soon, bits and pieces of information reached his ears.
"Have you heard? The Qingyun Mountain Range has been quite unstable recently; several affiliated families have suffered..."
"It’s more than unstable—it’s sheer terror! It’s said that demonic cultivators are stirring trouble, targeting small sects and families like ours..."
"Demonic cultivators? I heard it’s an internal problem within the Qingyun Sect. Apparently, they’re fighting over some treasure, causing a huge uproar..."
"Shh! Keep your voice down! You can’t just talk about Qingyun Sect matters openly!"
Various versions of rumors circulated, some about demonic invasions, others about demonic beast uprisings, and even talk of internal strife within the Qingyun Sect. But regardless of the explanation, they all pointed to one thing—the Qingyun Sect, or rather the entire Qingyun Mountain Range region, was in a state of turmoil and unrest.
The more Luo Qingchen listened, the heavier his heart grew. What worried him the most were the rumors about the internal strife in Qingyun Sect. If the Sect indeed faced internal issues, the situation would be dire.
He continued to gather information without revealing his concern, gradually forming a relatively clear picture in his mind.
Several months ago, a group of mysterious Black-clothed Cultivators suddenly appeared near the Qingyun Mountain Range. Their actions were bizarre and ruthless, specifically targeting small affiliated families and Spirit Ore mines under Qingyun Sect’s jurisdiction to plunder resources. Initially, Qingyun Sect didn’t pay much attention, considering them just some roaming demonic loose cultivators. But as the situation escalated and more families and outposts were attacked—some even mysteriously vanishing on their way to pay homage to Qingyun Sect—the Sect realized the seriousness of the issue.
The Sect leadership was furious, dispatching Elders and elite disciples to eliminate the threat. However, those black-clothed individuals were so elusive that they often disappeared without a trace after a successful strike, making it difficult to capture them. Several large-scale sieges yielded little success and cost many lives.
Complicating matters further, while Qingyun Sect was fully focused on addressing external threats, internal friction emerged due to the allocation of certain resources and power struggles, with some long-standing conflicts surfacing amidst the chaos.
As for why the marketplace had become like this, it was because those mysterious black-clothed individuals had audaciously attacked a Spiritual Medicine Garden on the outskirts of Qingyun Square not long ago. They not only stole a large quantity of rare Spiritual Medicine but also injured dozens of Qingyun Sect disciples guarding the herb garden. After this incident, Qingyun Sect intensified the marketplace’s defense and entrusted several large affiliated families closely related to the Sect to deploy private guards to assist in the defense.
"Black-clothed Cultivators... internal and external threats..." Luo Qingchen rubbed his temples, feeling a throbbing headache. He hadn’t expected so many changes to occur within the Sect during his absence.
As he pondered, some commotion ahead caught his attention.
At the end of the street, a group of cultivators clad in Inner Sect disciple attire from Qingyun Sect was escorting a young man in luxurious clothing, walking with arrogant pride. The young man had a handsome face, but there was a persistent arrogance and hostility between his brows, and his cultivation was roughly at the late Foundation Establishment stage.
