Published at 3rd of January 2026 11:36 am

Chapter 1974: Return to the Sect, Strict Defense? (Part 2)

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They held their magic artifacts, with Qingyun Sect identity tokens hanging on their waists, carefully searching along a small path.

Luo Qingchen gestured to Lin Wan’er and Su Xiaowan not to make any sudden moves.

He carefully observed the patrol disciples’ route and the distance between them.

Although these patrol disciples were vigilant, their coordination was slightly unfamiliar, clearly a temporarily assembled team.

"Wait for them to pass."

Luo Qingchen mouthed to the two women.

Forcing a confrontation was obviously not a wise choice; once engaged in battle, it could easily attract more enemies.

The patrol disciples gradually walked away, and the sounds of footsteps and conversation disappeared into the night.

Only then did Luo Qingchen breathe a sigh of relief, signaling the two women that they could come out.

"Looks like Fang Zhenxiong is determined to catch us."

Su Xiaowan pouted.

"They just mentioned the Heavenly Desperate Cliff, saying there have been disturbances there recently."

Lin Wan’er suddenly said, having concentrated and captured some overlooked details.

Luo Qingchen’s heart was stirred.

Heavenly Desperate Cliff?

That was exactly the next destination indicated by the Star Map fragment.

It seems that their destination was not unnoticed.

"We must be more cautious."

Luo Qingchen said gravely.

"Fang Zhenxiong’s arrangements are more meticulous than we imagined."

They continued forward, but their speed noticeably slowed down.

Along the way, they avoided several more waves of patrol disciples.

The number and strength of these patrol disciples were gradually increasing, and at some key junctions, Luo Qingchen even sensed the presence of simple warning formations.

Although these formations were rudimentary, once triggered, they would immediately expose their whereabouts.

"They’re trying to trap us on the outskirts."

Su Xiaowan was somewhat annoyed.

Luo Qingchen’s expression also turned serious.

Fang Zhenxiong’s tactics were harsher than he had anticipated.

This was no longer a mere interception but a planned encirclement, intending to "catch a turtle in a jar" with them.

The night grew deeper, and they were getting closer to the main peak of Qingyun Sect.

At a narrow valley entrance, Luo Qingchen stopped once again.

His divine sense detected that at least ten cultivators were lying in ambush ahead, including one Golden Core Intermediate Stage cultivator leading them.

Not only that, but on both sides of the valley cliffs, there were more exquisite warning formations faintly arranged. If anyone tried to pass through the valley entrance, they would undoubtedly be discovered.

"We can’t go through here."

Luo Qingchen said in a low voice, his brows tightly knitted.

This valley was one of the necessary routes back to the sect. If this path was blocked, they would have to choose a longer, more dangerous detour.

"What should we do? Should we force our way through?"

Su Xiaowan was slightly anxious.

Lin Wan’er looked at Luo Qingchen, waiting for his decision.

Luo Qingchen glanced around the terrain, quickly thinking of a solution.

The risk of forcing their way through was too high; once entangled in a battle and held up, the consequences would be dire.

He observed the cliffs on both sides of the valley and those faintly visible formation nodes.

"Wan’er, Xiaowan, use the Concealing Breath Talisman to hide your presence and stay here, don’t move."

Luo Qingchen instructed in a deep voice.

"Senior Brother, what are you going to do?"

Su Xiaowan seemed a bit worried.

"I’m going to take a look and entertain them a bit."

Luo Qingchen revealed a trace of an enigmatic smile at the corner of his mouth.

He took out a few ordinary stones from his storage bag, weighed them in his hand.

Then, he took a deep breath, and his figure disappeared like a ghost from the spot.

At the ambush point of the valley entrance, a Golden Core Intermediate Stage cultivator with a cold look, dressed in Qingyun Sect inner sect attire, was sitting cross-legged.

He was the team leader responsible for patrolling this area, one of Fang Zhenxiong’s trusted followers, Zhao Qian.

Zhao Qian’s eyes were half-closed, but his divine sense was highly concentrated, covering the entire valley entrance.

He had orders from Elder Fang to intercept Luo Qingchen and the others outside. Capturing them alive would be a great achievement.

Suddenly, his expression shifted, and he snapped his eyes open.

"Who goes there?"

He shouted sharply.

Almost simultaneously, a faint sound of pebbles rolling came from the left cliff of the valley.

"Over there!"

A Foundation Establishment Stage disciple immediately pointed to the direction of the sound.

Zhao Qian frowned, his divine sense instantly sweeping that direction.

However, that area was empty, with only a few pieces of falling rubble from the cliff.

"Could it be a wild animal?"

A disciple speculated.

Zhao Qian did not speak, but a sense of alertness arose in his heart.

At such times, any disturbance could not be taken lightly.

At that moment, from the right cliff of the valley, a more pronounced noise suddenly appeared, as if something swift passed through the forest.

"Over there! Chase!"

Zhao Qian decided swiftly, immediately leading most of his men toward the right.

He had to confirm personally and couldn’t overlook any suspicious target.

Only three Foundation Establishment Stage disciples were left guarding the original spot.

Watching Zhao Qian and the others’ figures receding, Luo Qingchen, hidden in the shadows, slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

Diversion tactics, the simplest yet most effective method.

He silently approached the three remaining Foundation Establishment Stage disciples.

The three disciples were nervously watching Zhao Qian and the others leave, completely unaware of the impending danger.

Luo Qingchen appeared behind them like a black flash of lightning.

The scabbard of the Black Dragon Sword silently protruded.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

Three muffled sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

The three Foundation Establishment Stage disciples didn’t even have time to grunt before they collapsed softly to the ground, each with a clear red dot on their foreheads, obviously knocked unconscious by a heavy blow.

Without a moment’s pause, Luo Qingchen’s figure flickered again, pursuing the direction Zhao Qian had taken.

He had to subdue Zhao Qian before he realized the ruse.

Zhao Qian led his men a certain distance out, only to find the right-side forest empty, with only a few broken branches as if some small beast had just passed through.

"Damn it! It’s a trap!"

Zhao Qian instantly realized, his face turning steel-grey.

He swung around, preparing to lead his men back to the valley entrance.

However, a figure like a spectral ghost blocked his path.

It was Luo Qingchen.

"Senior Brother Zhao, long time no see."

Luo Qingchen’s face bore a faint smile, but his eyes were icy as frost.

Zhao Qian’s heart jolted in shock; he hadn’t expected Luo Qingchen to have such audacity to appear on his own.

What unnerved him even more was that the aura emanating from Luo Qingchen’s body was somewhat more condensed than his own Golden Core Intermediate Stage.

"Luo Qingchen! You really came back!"

Zhao Qian shouted sharply, discreetly signaling to the disciples behind him to prepare for a combined attack.

"Heaven has a way, you refused to take it; Hell has no gate, yet you chose to barge in! Today is the day you die!"

"Oh, really?"

Luo Qingchen smiled nonchalantly.

"I, on the other hand, think today is your unlucky day."

Before the words were finished, Luo Qingchen’s figure already vanished from sight.

Zhao Qian only saw a flicker before a fierce gust was upon him.

Hurriedly, he summoned his magical treasure, a cyan long blade, to block in front of him.

"Clang!"

The loud sound of metal clashing.

Zhao Qian only felt a tremendous force transmitted through the blade, numbing his hand and leaving his arm limp with a dull ache.

In focus, he noticed Luo Qingchen was already in front of him, gripping a pitch-black scabbard, pressing against his cyan long blade.

That seemingly ordinary scabbard harbored an indescribable terrifying power.

"Chaotic Power!"

Zhao Qian was aghast.

He finally understood why Luo Qingchen’s aura was so condensed.

This guy had mastered the legendary Chaotic Power!

"Not a bad reflex."

Luo Qingchen said lightly, wrist flicked, the scabbard darted like a spirit snake out from its hole, circumventing Zhao Qian’s blade to pinpoint his chest.

Zhao Qian was alarmed, hurriedly retreating, simultaneously channeling his inner Golden Core power to fend off the strike.

However, Luo Qingchen’s speed was too swift.

His scabbard seemed to disregard spatial distance, unerringly striking at the Tanzhong acupoint on Zhao Qian’s chest.

"Poof!"

Zhao Qian felt an odd power surging within, instantly sealing his meridians, halting the flow of spiritual power inside him.

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