Chapter 59

Chapter 59 There was a slight unnatural look on Gao Chengxuan's face, while Zhou Yeran's eyes in the distance seemed like they were about to shoot fire. He gave a few instructions to the disciples around him before his expression returned to normal. Gao Chengxuan returned to his previous position and said to Zhou Yeran, "Recently, I have been busy with affairs in the palace. I wonder if I can take some time to practice here at the Sect Leader Zhou's place." Zhou Yeran smiled, "It is our entire Cold Mountain Sword Sect's honor for you to stay here. I will immediately have someone arrange it for you." Gao Chengxuan nodded, indicating for Zhou Yeran to lead the way, while he himself got on the carriage, with over a hundred soldiers following him for protection. Gao Chengxuan set up a barrier, whispered a few words to a person named Zuo Xuan, and then sat on the carriage with his eyes closed to rest. On the other side, Song Weizhi found a secluded place nearby and set up a barrier around themselves. Then she opened a small wooden box and yellow gas poured into her hands. She infused these gases with spiritual power and pushed them into Song Zhixia's body. The young girl was quite familiar with this process, but refining the spirit still required some time. So she started meditating on the spot, while Song Weizhi cautiously kept an eye on the surroundings. She knew that once she obtained this fragment of the spirit, she would be a target for everyone. It was better to be cautious. Sure enough, it didn't take half an hour before someone came to find her. The person leading them was Qi Yingzhe, the one she had just finished sparring with. He was followed by dozens of disciples. Song Weizhi walked out of the barrier nonchalantly. "Senior Brother Qi, is there something you need?" Qi Yingzhe glanced at Song Weizhi and then looked at Song Zhixia behind her. "Song Junior Sister, why don't you come back with me? Master wants to see you both." "What if we refuse?" Song Weizhi said, with the sword already in front of her chest. "In that case, I'll have to take action, and you will offend me, Song Junior Sister," Qi Yingzhe said, drawing out his own sword. Alone, Song Weizhi stood in front, protecting Song Zhixia who was still absorbing the spirit fragments. At this moment, she only wanted to buy more time for the young girl. She channeled her spiritual power into the Departing Arctic Sword and thrust it out without hesitation. Some of Qi Yingzhe's disciples were knocked back several meters, coughing up blood. Qi Yingzhe didn't expect Song Weizhi to strike. "Song Junior Sister, Master simply wants to have a conversation in the main hall. Why hurt people unnecessarily?" Song Weizhi sneered, "A conversation? I'm afraid it's a one-way trip for us." "Whether it is or not, you'll know when you get there. Song Weizhi, your actions are akin to betraying the Sect. Don't blame me for being ruthless," Qi Yingzhe said, launching an attack. Song Weizhi channeled her spiritual power into her palm, and a single slap made Qi Yingzhe fall backward, coughing up blood. At this point, Qi Yingzhe's reinforcements arrived—several elders from the Cold Mountain Sword Sect. Song Weizhi instantly felt that things were taking a bad turn as three elders, all at the combined-body stage with much higher cultivation than hers, had joined the fray. "Song Junior Sister, we are all on the same side. It's better for you to come back with us and meet the Sect Leader. Otherwise, you should know the strength of these three elders," Qi Yingzhe said. Song Weizhi glanced at Song Zhixia behind her and charged at the three elders with her sword. She couldn't afford a head-on confrontation, only dodging left and right to buy more time for Song Zhixia. However, the difference in strength was too great, and Song Weizhi was soon running out of spiritual power. She received several blows and was bleeding from her mouth, unable to do anything but shield herself in front of the barrier. The chief elder's palm came crashing toward Song Weizhi. With her spiritual power almost depleted, she didn't have time to react and was heavily struck to the ground. When she tried to get up, she realized she was too sore to move. Fortunately, at that moment, Song Zhixia completed the absorption of the spirit fragments and ran to shield Song Weizhi. But ultimately, Song Zhixia was only at the Golden Core stage, and the several elders paid her no heed. "Sister, are you okay? Why are you bleeding so much?" Song Zhixia supported Song Weizhi and held her in her arms. Song Weizhi felt as though she had been crushed all over and her ribs in the back seemed to be broken. She couldn't muster any strength. "I'm fine, Xiaxia. This time, we are really in deep trouble. But remember not to agree to anything they say. Remember my words," Song Weizhi said through gritted teeth, as if speaking those words had exhausted all her strength. "Alright, I will listen to you, sister. Everything will be fine. We will be fine," Song Zhixia held Song Weizhi, tears streaming down her face. "Enough, just come with us. You've made us go through a lot of trouble," the chief elder complained impatiently, and he produced a gleaming rope in his hand. With a wave of his hand, the rope immediately entwined around Song Weizhi and Song Zhixia. "If you want to tie someone up, tie me. Don't touch my sister. She's already seriously injured and can't run away. Why do this?" Song Zhixia pleaded urgently. "Oh, little girl, you can tell the Sect Leader yourself later. We won't take any risks. Just now, didn't you see how arrogant your sister was? She even hurt quite a few disciples. Come on, take them away," the chief elder said impatiently. Several disciples set up a sword formation to encircle the two women and flew them to the main hall of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect. Song Weizhi's heart sank at the sudden turn of events. After all, her strength was insufficient, and her lack of planning made her anxious. She wasn't concerned about herself, as she had already died once, but she didn't want the young girl to suffer the same fate. Thinking about the faces of those people in the main hall, Song Weizhi's stomach churned. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao learned that Zhou Yeran had sent people to look for Song Weizhi. He gradually realized that something was amiss. "Where are you going, Wei Zhao?" Zhou Qingxue was already upset because Wei Zhao had conceded without saying a word, and now he wanted to leave without a word. She was immediately anxious. "Why is your father looking for my master?" Wei Zhao turned to look at Zhou Qingxue with a scrutinizing gaze. Zhou Qingxue was furious at her tone. Her father had always doted on her. She couldn't believe that Wei Zhao would question him like this. "What could he want? My father is the leader of a sect. Is he capable of harming her? If you don't believe me, you can go see for yourself. My father should be around the main hall." Before Zhou Qingxue could finish, Wei Zhao had already soared away on his sword, leaving Zhou Qingxue shouting, "Are you really going? Wait for me!" When they arrived at the main hall, they saw several elders holding something in their hands. Wei Zhao hurriedly landed his sword and saw that Song Weizhi and Song Zhixia were barely alive, tied with the ropes. Wei Zhao's head seemed to be exploding. He immediately blocked the paths of those people, trying to wrest the rope tying Song Weizhi and Song Zhixia away from them. "What are you doing? Are you mad? Release my master," Wei Zhao said, as he swung his whip toward the chief elder. Unfortunately, before the whip could reach the chief elder, Wei Zhao was struck and sent flying into a pillar in the main hall. He only stopped after coughing up a mouthful of blood. Zhou Qingxue was stunned. Her father had always been so affectionate towards her. She had never seen this side of him. "Father, why did you use such force?" Zhou Yeran, frowning, glanced at Zhou Qingxue. "I have spoiled you too much. Now that you have grown up, you must remember not to be lenient with enemies." "But what have they done? Why treat them like this?" Zhou Qingxue questioned loudly. "What have they done? You should ask Song Weizhi. As long as you hand over the Phoenix's spirit fragment, I guarantee to release you and Song Zhixia. I will also give you other treasures as compensation. What do you think?" Zhou Yeran looked coldly at Song Weizhi. "Do you want the fragment? Hmph, I've already thrown it away. Don't even think about it," Song Weizhi gritted her teeth, but Zhou Yeran, in a fit of rage, unlocked the chains and delivered a heavy blow. The impact on Song Weizhi's face left her bloodied and even obscured her eyes with the flowing blood. "Sister, how are you? Come at me with whatever you have, but don't touch Sister," Song Zhixia's throat was already hoarse from shouting. Zhou Qingxue watched everything unfold, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could hardly believe that this was the same father who had always been loving and affectionate towards her. "Dad, I beg you, please don't do this. Let them go. The rewards of the martial arts competition rightfully belong to the winner. You have always taught me to be an upright person, but now, how are you any different from a bandit?" Her voice was murmuring, hoping that what she was seeing was not real. Zhou Yeran showed no mercy. He snorted coldly at Zhou Qingxue, "I have spoiled you. Some things require humility, but others must be in one's own hands. Obtaining these things inevitably involves shedding some blood. You and your brother have been corrupted by your mother. How can you inherit the Cold Mountain Sword Sect in the future?" Zhou Qingxue shook her head in disbelief and retreated to Wei Zhao’s side, whose eyelids were heavy, having fainted. During Zhou Yeran and Zhou Qingxue's conversation, Song Weizhi, ignoring the blood on her face, mustered the last of her strength to say to Song Zhixia, "Xiaxia, don't agree to anything. Even if we agree, we won't survive." Bound by the ropes, Song Zhixia could only nod in place, already exhausted from crying, but no one paid her any attention. Author's note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution between 2021-06-05 21:37:34~2021-06-06 20:38:26~ Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Awei - 5 bottles.