When we arrived at Tsingtao, it was already late at night. I took the evil sacrificial spirit to a hotel not far from Mount Lao. I planned to go to the mountain early the next morning.
It was a quiet night. When we arrived at the foot of Mount Lao the next day, we saw a notice saying that some facilities in Mount Lao's scenic area were being repaired and would be closed for one month.
It was a common thing for scenic areas to be repaired, so I kept it in mind. Moreover, we weren't here for a vacation, so we wouldn't go to the scenic area.
I took the evil sacrificial spirit and followed the path that Liu Zongcheng had taken us to the Supreme Purity Palace.
Along the way, we didn't meet anyone from Mount Lao, which made me a little puzzled.
Although most of the people on Mount Lao were reclusive cultivators, we were close to the hinterland. Why didn't I see anyone?
We were about to reach the Supreme Purity Palace. I remembered that the last time I came here, there were many Daoist priests in blue clothes working in the fields. This time, I didn't see them, and there were no guards at the foot of the mountain. It was strange.
With doubts in my heart, I went to the Supreme Purity Palace. This time, I finally saw people from Mount Lao.
The gate of the Supreme Purity Palace was still closed, and two Daoists in blue clothes stood at the gate. They looked familiar, as if they were the two from last time.
I walked forward and cupped my hands to greet them. "Daoist Elders, I'm here to visit the Sect Master of your sect. Please inform him of my arrival."
After listening to me, the two Daoists were shaken. They looked at each other, their faces dark. One of them said coldly, "Wait a minute. We'll go in and inform him."
This Daoist's behavior was strange, and I didn't know why.
The last time I came, this Daoist was very respectful to me. Why was he so cold this time?
I couldn't figure out the reason.
A moment later, the gate of the Supreme Purity Palace opened, and a Daoist priest in his fifties walked out. He was dressed in white and looked hale and hearty, with the demeanor of an immortal.
I had never seen this person before. I recalled the conversation I had with Liu Zongcheng. From his age, he should have a high position in Mount Lao.
The most important thing was that this person exuded a strong aura that I couldn't see through his cultivation base.
However, I was sure that this person wasn't the Sect Master I had talked to last time. I could tell the difference between them.
However, since it wasn't the sect master, it had to be an elder of Mount Lao.
It seemed that this person should be one of the two Yang God Heavenly Master Realm senior brothers that Liu Zongcheng had mentioned.
Since he was an elder of Mount Lao, he had to show basic courtesy to him.
I cupped my hands towards him and said, "I am Zhou Yi. Today, I have specially come to pay a visit to your sect's Sect Master."
After hearing my name, the man's eyes narrowed and he asked, "You are Zhou Yi?
How bold of you to actually take the initiative to deliver yourself to our doorstep. "
His words made me feel a little incredulous. I was obviously here to deliver the Eastern Emperor Bell, so why did he treat me so coldly?
Listening to his words, it was as if I had done something wrong on Mount Lao.
I was puzzled and immediately asked, "I don't know why Elder would say such a thing. I have come here today to complete the task that your Sect Master has entrusted me with."
Hearing this, the man snorted lightly, his expression darkening as he replied, "You still dare to mention my master?
Since you've come today, then leave your life behind. "
As soon as he finished speaking, his Dao Qi surged, displaying the might of a Yang Divine Celestial Master.
Before I could react, he had already grabbed my neck with one hand and lifted me up.
The Yang Divine Celestial Master's methods were indeed powerful, but he had only captured me when I was unprepared. If we were to fight, I would still be able to put up a fight.
Under the Yang Divine Celestial Master's methods, the Dao Qi in my Heavenly Veins could not be used at all, and my body was completely powerless.
The man's strength in his hand increased, and I could no longer breathe.
At this moment, the Sacrificial Evil Spirit beside me suddenly moved. His hand was wrapped in shaman qi, and he slapped the man's body.
Perhaps the Daoist priest did not expect that the Sacrificial Evil Spirit would suddenly make a move, nor did he expect that he would have such strength. He was actually sent flying by the slap and fell heavily on the ground. He spat out a mouthful of blood and his face turned pale.
The two Daoists standing behind him quickly helped him up and looked at the Sacrificial Evil Spirit together, their eyes filled with astonishment.
They did not expect that as an elder of Mount Lao, a Yang Divine Celestial Master, he would be sent flying by the Sacrificial Evil Spirit with one slap.
Not to mention them, even I did not expect that the Sacrificial Evil Spirit would be so strong.
Previously, in the Spirit Lock Pagoda, he killed Monk Miao Jue with one move. At that time, I thought that the Sacrificial Evil Spirit's cultivation was at the Yin God Realm, which was the Yang Divine Celestial Master's realm.
After all, there was an insurmountable gap between the Yang Divine Celestial Master and the Seal Heavenly Master. It was not strange that the Sacrificial Evil Spirit could kill Monk Miao Jue with one move.
However, I did not expect that he could injure the Yang Divine Celestial Master with one move. His strength was terrifying.
I crouched in the distance and took deep breaths. The Sacrificial Evil Spirit slowly walked toward the Daoist priest and coldly said, "You want to kill him? You're really daring."
The Daoist priest knew the Sacrificial Evil Spirit's strength and knew that he was not its match. He retreated and stammered, "You … Don't come here."
The aura of death was getting closer to him. Perhaps he knew that he could not escape today, so he wanted to risk his life to fight the Sacrificial Evil Spirit.
However, the gap between their strengths was too big. Before he could attack, the Sacrificial Evil Spirit had already arrived in front of him, grabbed his neck, and lifted him up.
I immediately called the Sacrificial Evil Spirit and asked him to put the Daoist priest down.
If I didn't stop him in time, the Daoist priest would have died in the next second.
Normally, it was not a big deal to kill him since he had treated me that way.
However, I just came here to return the Eastern Emperor Bell. I didn't want to cause any trouble.
Moreover, we were currently on Mount Lao, which was a holy land for cultivators. It had existed for thousands of years and had a profound foundation. It should have a protective formation like Mount Longhu.
If the Sacrificial Evil Spirit killed him, Mount Lao would launch a crazy counterattack. At that time, it would be a desperate situation.
Although the Sacrificial Evil Spirit was strong and I could fight against the Yang Divine Celestial Master, if he activated the protective formation, I was afraid it would be a different situation.
Moreover, what he had said earlier was a little unimaginable, and I wanted to find out the reason from his mouth.
After hearing my words, the Sacrificial Evil Spirit didn't hesitate. He loosened his grip and threw the Daoist priest to the ground.
I slowly walked toward him. The Sacrificial Evil Spirit quietly retreated to my side and stared at the flustered Daoist priest.
I didn't want to talk nonsense with him and directly asked him what he meant.
This time, he wasn't arrogant anymore and told me the reason.
It turned out that when the Laoshan Sect Master was in seclusion, his disciples were guarding outside his door to prevent anyone from disturbing him.
Besides talking to me, the Sect Master didn't talk to anyone else.
Not long after I left Mount Lao, the Sect Master's aura disappeared.
The disciples were worried about the Sect Master, so they went to check. Unexpectedly, the Sect Master was dead and his three souls were gone.
They thought that the Sect Master had died at the critical moment of his seclusion. However, there were obvious wounds on his body, which meant that someone had killed him.
It was obvious that I was the first person they thought of because I was the only one who had come in contact with the Sect Master.
Thus, they sent their disciples everywhere to search for me.
Later on, they found out that I had appeared at the Langya Platform, so they hurried there.
However, they didn't find me there.
Speaking of this, I recalled that when I was preparing to go out to sea at the Langya Platform, I had sensed the fluctuation of Daoist energy there.
I thought that the Metaphysics Society had found out about the changes in the underground palace and sent people to investigate. I didn't expect that it was the people from Mount Lao.
After their fruitless search, they didn't want to give up. They searched the entire Qingdao but couldn't find any traces of me. In the end, they could only return resentfully.
They didn't expect that I would return to Mount Lao after a month.
That was why the incident just now happened.
After listening to him, I was silent for a while as I started to ponder.
It was obvious that someone wanted to frame me.
I had made too many enemies in the Xuan and Daoist sects, so I couldn't determine who the murderer was.
However, since he could kill the Sect Master of Mount Lao without attracting the attention of the people from Mount Lao, that person's power was terrifying.
However, I didn't know what his intentions were. Did he want to use Mount Lao to eliminate me?
Since he could easily kill the Sect Master of Mount Lao, why did he need to do so?
After thinking for a long time, I couldn't figure out the reason.
I had to explain this matter. I didn't kill him, so I naturally wouldn't admit it.
However, since I was involved in this matter, I had to investigate this matter to clear the name of the Sect Master of Mount Lao and also give myself justice.
Moreover, if I didn't explain this matter clearly today, I was afraid that even if I found the murderer in the future, they wouldn't believe me.
I stood in front of the Daoist priest and faintly said, "This matter wasn't done by me. I didn't want to kill the Sect Master, nor do I have the power to do so."
He clearly didn't believe me. He pointed at the evil sacrificial spirit and looked at me. "You don't have the power, but he does."
I shook my head and replied, "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, this matter wasn't done by us.
However, don't worry, I will investigate the death of the Sect Master. "
Then, I let the evil sacrificial spirit carry him into the Tai Qing Palace.
Once we entered the palace, many Daoist priests rushed out of the courtyard and surrounded us. It seemed that the two young Daoist priests that had escaped earlier had come back to report.
A few people wearing white Daoist robes walked out of the crowd. I also saw Liu Zongcheng among them. They must be the Elders of Mount Lao.
However, Liu Zongcheng just glanced at me and then looked elsewhere, which made me feel strange.
At this moment, a white-clothed Daoist priest said, "Evildoer, you killed my Master and injured my Junior Brother. Today, my Mount Lao will not rest until you are dead."
Then, the Daoist priest disappeared from his spot.
With the evil sacrificial spirit here, I naturally didn't need to do anything.
I retreated a few steps and heard a muffled groan. Before the Daoist priest could reach me, he was hit by something the evil sacrificial spirit had thrown out. The force of the blow pushed the Daoist priest back.