Chapter 513 - 256: Wen Wenyue of Youhuang City (Part 3)

"When we entered this city, we were already exposed under the gaze of Foundation Establishment cultivators from three sects."

Liou Yuan and Wei Miaomeng nodded slightly.

Lao Xiuyuan was warning them to mind their words after entering Youhuang City and not to reveal the mission.

"From now on, I’ll communicate through Divine Sense."

Liou Yuan responded to Lao Xiuyuan through Divine Sense.

Then the three followed the route pointed out by Heling before leaving the sect, delving deeper into Youhuang City, arriving at a shop specifically for refining Magical Artifacts.

This shop was an asset of the Five Extremes Mountain, also a station for intelligence in Youhuang State.

Each of the three major sects had Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed, and naturally, Five Extremes Mountain would not fall behind.

After Lao Xiuyuan presented the badge of the Disciplinary Hall steward.

The shopkeeper guided the three of them to the backyard of the shop surrounded by an Array.

There, they met the person responsible for aiding them in Youhuang State during this mission.

It was a hunched old man leaning on a dragon-headed cane with mottled paint, his long robe in rough grey-blue fabric stained with mud spots. Occasionally, when he raised his hand to brush away the drooping white hair, the skin revealed at the sleeve bore scars as if countless silver snakes lay dormant beneath the wrinkled skin.​

He sat by the campfire in the backyard, with blue smoke rising from a copper pipe swirling with the steam of boiling coarse tea.

Liou Yuan saw the old man and, of course, opened his Evil Eyes to probe his details.

This was a skilled cultivator at the late-stage Foundation Establishment, whose Qi Mansion rank had reached fifth grade.

However, his Qi Mansion gave Liou Yuan a sense of impending depletion, with the True Essence flowing within appearing soft and powerless.

"This indicates his lifespan is nearing its end; this old man must be over two hundred years old."

Liou Yuan saw through the old man’s details at a glance, looking at him with a touch of respect in his eyes.

Being dispatched to such a dangerous place at this age, just the scars on his sleeves showed that his days in Youhuang State had been fraught; he was an old soldier.

When Lao Xiuyuan saw the old man, he quickly stepped forward to the campfire, bowing respectfully: "Disciplinary Hall disciple Lao Xiuyuan greets Mr. Wen!"

"Mr. Wen?" Liou Yuan raised an eyebrow.

He had long heard that the Disciplinary Hall had two Hall Masters and five elders.

Besides Hall Master Chen Zeyang, there was another who stayed outside the sect year-round, named Wen Wenyue.

His seniority was even older than the five elders, once a reliable aid to the former Sect Leader Bo Qingchuan.

Later, due to severe injuries, his rank fell, coupled with his advanced age, rendering him unable to fulfill the duties of Hall Master and seeking to resign from the position.

Supreme Elder Xuanyi suppressed this desire.

Wen Wenyue reluctantly left Five Extremes Mountain, staying outside the sect year-round.

"Unexpectedly, he settled in Youhuang State."

Liou Yuan murmured under his breath, then approached alongside Wei Miaomeng with respect to greet the old warrior whom disciples of the Disciplinary Hall held in high regard.

"Disciplinary Hall disciple Liou Yuan."

"Inner Sect Disciple Wei Miaomeng."

"Greetings, Mr. Wen."

The old man glanced at the three, and his aged eyes were already cloudy, yet the imposing aura of that glance was far stronger than that of the other Hall Master, Chen Zeyang.

"Before his rank fell, he undoubtedly possessed the cultivation of the Peak of Foundation Establishment."

"Among the five elders of the Disciplinary Hall, they might not be a match for Mr. Wen," Liou Yuan mused silently.

The old man merely swept his gaze over the faces of Liou Yuan and the other two, then picked up a steaming teapot from the pot, drinking a mouthful, and replied to the three in a sickly voice.

"No need for such politeness, this old man is already halfway to the grave."

"Staying here is merely waiting for death."

Wen Wenyue’s words carried a tone of self-mockery.

Foundation Establishment cultivators had nearly three hundred years of lifespan, and those able to face death calmly were rare.

Lao Xiuyuan hurriedly said: "Mr. Wen, your auspicious deeds in the past are etched on the walls of the Disciplinary Hall, gleaming brilliantly. The Sect Leader once stated: On the merits and rewards within the Disciplinary Hall, surveying the wise, none surpass you."

"Hey, the little brat from the Lao Family speaks nicely." Wen Wenyue grinned, showing that most of his teeth had already fallen out.

Then Liou Yuan saw Wen Wenyue’s eyes turning towards himself, lingering on his face for a few extra moments before asking: "Liou Yuan, are you the younger brother of that Liou Zhen?"

"Mr. Wen, Liou Zhen is my elder brother," Liou Yuan responded respectfully.

"Rare, the Ice Vein has a pair of swords in blue and white."

Back then, Liou Zhen made a name for himself in Youhuang State by consecutively defeating three late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators in Linlang Domain. Naturally, Wen Wenyue, residing in Youhuang State, held much admiration for Liou Zhen.

Upon hearing Liou Yuan was Liou Zhen’s younger brother, and had reached Foundation Establishment in cultivation, his face showed endless sighs.

Only a moment later did it turn to regret.

"In the past, I had once petitioned the old Sect Leader saying that just because one generation of the Ice Vein Golden Core bloodline failed doesn’t mean all further generations will."

"The old Sect Leader only focused on the Golden Core potential of that Liou Hexuan lad, which turned out to be a foolish decision."

Upon hearing Wen Wenyue’s words, Liou Yuan, Lao Xiuyuan, and Wei Miaomeng all had changes in their expressions.

In the entire Five Extremes Mountain, who dared to presumptuously discuss Supreme Elder Bo Qingchuan?

Even as victims of the Ice Vein, no matter how much resentment Liou Yuan and Liou Zhen held, they dared not speak it aloud.

Wen Wenyue surprisingly showed no reservations at all.

And from his composed demeanor, it seemed he wasn’t concerned about the sect bringing blame.

Liou Yuan fell silent for a moment, then bowed again, murmuring: "Thank you, Mr. Wen."

He thanked Wen Wenyue for his righteous words back then and for speaking his truthful thoughts regarding the Ice Vein just now.

"Ah, it has been hard on you." Wen Wenyue sighed briefly, then turned to Wei Miaomeng.

His gaze carried an amused expression, merely scrutinizing her brows and eyes.

There wasn’t a hint of lewd thoughts in his eyes; instead, it felt more like he was searching for some traces on her face.

Ultimately, he found nothing and did not speak to Wei Miaomeng either.

Having drunk the last of the tea, he rose slowly, beckoning to the three, "Follow me, by the order of the Sect Leader, I will escort you to Linlang Domain."