This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 139 Immortal Floor 2

“Young man, I cannot answer your question directly. Sacrifice is like a mysterious mist, or a binding rope. From the day we came into contact with sacrifice, we are forbidden to speak of sacrifice. The consequence of speaking wildly is death and annihilation. So I will allow you to ask another question.”

The man in the black robe spoke with a sorrowful tone, which made Xiao Xingchen frown. It seemed that there were indeed many secrets to be uncovered in this ritual.

"Okay, then let me ask you a different question. Do you know who killed Chen Haoran?"

"I can tell you this: in fact, Chen Haoran's death is not a secret in the eyes of many people. The person who killed him was a royal retainer, that is, one of those inhuman and ghostly things in the Immortal Pavilion. How sincere am I?"

Why kill him?

The man in the black robe shook his head helplessly.

"You're really stupid. Why? Because this is a warning from the Martial Emperor. As for what the warning is about, that's up to your own understanding. I'm not your father, so I have no obligation to explain these things to you. Is that alright now? Take me to find the secret of the Sword Immortal Xiao."

Xiao Xingchen breathed a sigh of relief. It really was a case of gods fighting and he getting caught in the crossfire. The black-robed figure had absolutely no connection to the Immortal Pavilion; his previous guesses were all wrong. The matter wasn't as complicated as it seemed.

The Immortal Pavilion was originally a tool used by Emperor Wu to eliminate dissidents; however, he himself had mistakenly entered Emperor Wu's chessboard, which led to this calamity.

Many in the imperial court probably guessed that this was the work of the Immortal Pavilion, but they couldn't say it aloud, since there was no evidence.

As for the black-robed figure before him, his mysterious methods, and the sorrowful expression on his face as he spoke, Xiao Xingchen realized that Ji was seriously problematic.

But none of this diminished his determination to kill the man in black. Perhaps only by killing him would he expose the person behind him.

Since it wasn't the Martial Emperor's Immortal Pavilion, what organization was the Black Robe? Why had he never heard of it in his previous life? The power to traverse obstacles always terrified him whenever he thought about it. If he could obtain that power, what place in the world wouldn't he be able to go?

"Alright, I'll take you there, but it will take a long time to get into Cangshan. Are you sure you can handle things at the Heavenly Prison?"

"Naturally, there will be no movement from the Heavenly Prison. Once you lead me to the place, I will let you leave. As for you, the Heavenly Prison will remove you from the list of criminals by death, and all your crimes will be wiped clean."

"Who exactly are you people, that you have managed to infiltrate to such an extent?"

"That's not your concern. Let's go. Which direction should we enter Cangshan?"

Xiao Xingchen pointed to the Silent Temple.

"Let's set off then, you give the directions."

The black-robed figure grabbed him and flew directly into the sky, speeding towards Cangshan Mountain.

Following his memory of his first entry into Cangshan, Xiao Xingchen could only point out a general direction. The royal family's ancestral lands were entered by the White Tiger; at that time, he hadn't bothered to determine the direction, only vaguely remembering the east-west orientation of the Shiwuyu Temple.

"I'm warning you first, the royal family has discovered Xiaojianxian's secret. If you try to break in, you may be attacked by them."

Soaring through the air, Xiao Xingchen began to prepare himself, indicating that this was the direction to the royal family's ancestral land. He intended to use the royal family's power to severely injure or even kill this black-robed man.

"Hmph, the Huangfu clan is indeed treacherous. No wonder they forbid anyone from entering Cangshan; it turns out they were plotting to seize all the wealth left behind by Xiao Jianxian. Unfortunately for them, they've run into me."

"So I'm reminding you, if all else fails, go and call more people over."

"Don't be so meddlesome. Are you sure this direction is okay?"

The man in black robes replied impatiently, brimming with confidence.

"Yes, Cangshan is very big. Last time it took me a long time to get there. We'll arrive when you see a large canyon."

Just as they sped towards them,

Inside the ancestral home of the royal family, within the nine-tiered palace, a reception is currently underway.

Seated in the main seat was the law enforcement elder representing the royal family, who resembled a majestic mountain, exuding an aura of awe.

Sitting below them was a group of oddly-looking fellows, like monsters from different worlds, varying in size and stature.

The only thing they had in common was the strong smell of blood that surrounded them, much like the porky smell that emanated from a butcher who slaughtered pigs.

The bodies of these people seemed to be shrouded in a layer of bright red that was difficult for ordinary people to detect. This was a peculiar aura produced by the qualitative change resulting from countless killings and bloodshed.

"Heaven is the Jade Palace, Earth is the Immortal Pavilion. Greetings, everyone. I am Huangfu Tianshan, the Third Elder of the Royal Family. May I ask how you all address me?"

Huangfu Tianshan's voice, like a resounding bell, echoed in the air.

"The Twelve Immortal Towers, each with its own name. I am Tower One, and these are my brothers, referred to by numbers: Tower Two... Tower Twelve."

Lou Yi responded; he was an elderly man, bald as a light bulb, with a square face like a bronze plate, and a burly figure like a moving iron tower, exuding explosive power. He was easily two meters tall, like a reincarnation of Lu Zhishen. He sat steadily at the very front, conversing with Huangfu Tianshan.

As for the others, they were observing their surroundings as if no one else was there, seemingly indifferent to their conversation.

"Does the Third Elder think the Immortal Pavilion was an accident?" Lou Yi's gaze was piercing, as if it could penetrate Huangfu Tianshan's heart.

Lou Yi suddenly replied,

"Is not it?"

"Of course, when the Immortal Pavilion collapsed, we happened to be holding a new round of sacrifices downstairs. At that time, we felt a huge impact suddenly erupt from the ground. Although we don't know what kind of power it was, it was definitely not the power of the earth dragon. It must have been the work of a peerless master who collapsed the Immortal Pavilion."

"How could this be? When did such a powerful expert, capable of shattering the Immortal Pavilion, arrive in Yong'an City? I've never heard of him before,"

Huangfu Tianshan looked suspicious.

"Yes, we were completely unaware of the existence of such a master. Therefore, to avoid any unforeseen complications, Emperor Wu sent us here. The Third Elder should know that this was not to help us avoid disaster, but rather for another reason,"

"Sigh, after all these years, has he still not given up on the path of ghost sacrifice?"

The Third Elder couldn't help but sigh.

"Elders, to be honest, we have already found the key to the ritual. Through repeated failures, we have mastered the ritual to a great extent. With just a few more attempts, the Great Qian will surely be able to obtain the power of the ritual,"

"Especially with this live sacrifice of Chen Haoran, we have come to realize the reason for our past failures: the sacrifices were all wrong. Ordinary people cannot open the path of sacrifice. Only those with good fortune, fortuitous encounters, or special individuals like sword immortals can obtain the corresponding sacrificial power. Therefore, we are preparing to launch a new round of live sacrifices in order to find the most suitable ritual before the Poet Immortal Gathering."

Lou Yi spoke eloquently, occasionally glancing up at Huangfu Tianshan.

"So you mean you're looking for offerings here?"

“Indeed, I wish to obtain seven young men surnamed Huangfu from the ancestral land of the royal family. These youths possess the destiny of the Great Qian Dynasty, making them the most suitable sacrificial offerings. If I can use them for our experimentation, I am certain I will find the true path to sacrifice at the Poetry Immortal Gathering,”

Lou Yi's words were like a fire, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the other landlords who were originally indifferent. They all looked up, their eyes revealing a hungry desire, as if they could see the wonderful scene of personally sacrificing the royal family. This was the opportunity they had been dreaming of!

"Haha, the host is truly humorous. How could our ancestral land of the royal family have so many young men? I see that Emperor Wu has a multitude of princes and princesses under his wing. It shouldn't be difficult for you to ask him for a few. The ancestral land is lacking in talent, so it is really difficult to grant the host's request."

Huangfu Tian's lips curled slightly as he picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip. In the instant he lowered his head, a cold glint flashed across his eyes like lightning in the tea, but he concealed it perfectly, instantly replacing it with a smile.

"Third Elder, please don't be in such a hurry to refuse. This is His Majesty the Martial Emperor's decree."

"Emperor Wu controls the Great Qian Dynasty, but the ancestral land is not under his control. The ancestral temple is towering into the clouds, with an elder stationed on each of the nine heavens. The nine elders jointly preside over many affairs of the ancestral land. Not only would I not agree, but the other elders would as well."

A ruthless glint flashed in the eyes of each of the twelve tower masters, which only elicited a soft chuckle from Huangfu Tianshan.

"Gentlemen, you must be tired from your journey. I have already arranged rooms for you. Please rest for a while, and we can discuss this matter another day."

"Third Elder..."

“First Master, this is the ancestral land. You may be able to do whatever you want in Yong'an, but don’t forget that here, even if all twelve of you join forces, the ancestral temple can easily suppress you. You should think carefully about the consequences.”

Huangfu Tianshan snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and strode away.

"Big brother, should we take care of him?"

Lou San, like a butcher, made a throat-slitting gesture, but Lou Yi shook his head.

"Don't rush, wait for the right opportunity!"