Chapter 369: Enemies Everywhere

After approximately half an hour.

Hua Xinfeng returned, a hint of joy evident in her eyebrows as she said, "Young Master, we've come at the right time. Tonight, there will be a grand banquet at the 'Tianshui Villa,' located three miles outside the city."

"This banquet is hosted by Qin Dongxu, the second elder of the Wolong Mountain in Great Qin. It has invited prominent figures from the Shanglin Temple, Hua Yue Pavilion, and Donghua Sword Sect, the three major forces."

"In addition, there are formidable individuals from the six major sword mansions within Great Qin, including renowned senior cultivators who have established their dominance in their respective regions."

As she spoke, she turned her palm over, revealing a golden-stamped invitation, proudly saying, "And I managed to obtain the invitation to tonight's banquet."

Su Yi raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you going to attend the banquet?"

"Not just me, we're going together," Hua Xinfeng said. "It is said that at this banquet, Qin Dongxu will reveal some secrets related to the remnants of the Immortal Sword Tower. At the same time, he will also announce a major event."

She paused for a moment and smiled, saying, "Of course, more importantly, we can take this opportunity to see who our competitors are. It will be convenient for us to make targeted moves and reap the spoils of war when we reach the Chaotic Spirit Sea."

Su Yi pondered for a moment and said, "Alright."

After all, he had nothing better to do, and it would be good to appreciate the prowess of the cultivators of Great Qin.

Hua Xinfeng's eyes narrowed with a smile as she happily said, "Young Master, before attending the banquet, you should disguise yourself a bit. Otherwise, if your identity is exposed, it won't be good, considering both the Shanglin Temple and the Hua Yue Pavilion hold deep grudges against you."

Su Yi frowned slightly, then nodded and said, "Very well."

As he spoke, a series of intense crackling sounds erupted from his bones, visible to the naked eye. His tall figure suddenly became much taller, and his handsome face became plain and unremarkable.

In the blink of an eye, he transformed into an ordinary teenager, and even his ethereal and extraordinary temperament disappeared.

Hua Xinfeng's bright eyes shone as she exclaimed, "This disguise technique is amazing!"

"Yours is not bad either," Su Yi casually replied.

Hua Xinfeng was momentarily stunned, not responding, but instead smiled and said, "Change into a matching set of clothes, and even those astute cultivators won't recognize you, Young Master."

Su Yi smiled.

What he displayed now was the "Thousand Transformations Art" of the Demon Sect. It not only changed his appearance but also his aura and temperament!

Unless someone had cultivated the "Divine Soul Lingtai" and condensed their spiritual consciousness, other people would never be able to see through this "disguise."

...

Dusk.

The Tianshui Villa was brightly lit, with numerous servants and maids weaving through the crowd like butterflies fluttering, creating a constant stream of activity.

When Su Yi and Hua Xinfeng arrived in their white robes, the villa, which spanned dozens of acres, was already filled with many distinguished guests.

Not only were there important figures from the Shanglin Temple, Hua Yue Pavilion, and Donghua Sword Sect, but also members of the Great Qin royal family, the six major sword mansions, and renowned seniors from all over the world.

Among these guests were also martial artists, with even the weakest cultivation being at the level of Innate Martial Masters. Most of them were formidable individuals who had stepped onto the path of Yuan Dynasty.

This spectacle could be called a grand gathering of cultivation.

Central to the Tianshui Villa was a huge open-air jade platform, adorned with many scrolls and seats.

The banquet had not yet begun, and the guests who had come to attend were gathered in small groups, engaging in conversation.

At first glance, Su Yi saw Lan Suo and her master, Yun Lang, seated prominently at the front seats.

Lan Suo was wearing a water-green gown today, with her hair elegantly styled in a high bun. Her slender and graceful neck was as white as snow, and her exquisitely beautiful face seemed to have been carved by a knife, emitting a soft glow under the evening sun.

Her naturally tall figure exuded a cold and noble temperament, captivating the attention of countless onlookers.

Yun Lang, wearing an elegant headdress and a Confucian robe, held a position of great importance as the elder of the Donghua Sword Sect in Great Qin.

"It makes sense. They are members of the Donghua Sword Sect, so it's not surprising to see them here," Su Yi thought to himself.

Today, there were many prominent figures participating in the banquet, each with their own unique charm.

Su Yi quickly noticed Shang Luo Yu and Lin Yu Bei, who had confronted each other in the skies above Dongfu County earlier today. Both of them were present, attracting considerable attention. Shang Luo Yu was the young leader of the Donghua Sword Sect's younger generation, while Lin Yu Bei was the master of the Honglian Sword Mansion and a highly anticipated figure at the gathering.

As for the others, Su Yi didn't recognize them.

"Young Master, our seats are over here," Hua Xinfeng said, leading Su Yi to a secluded corner of the jade platform. The people sitting here were of slightly lower status, such as renowned individuals from various regions of Great Qin, who paled in comparison to the figures from the three major forces.

"This place is not eye-catching, but it's the most comfortable," Hua Xinfeng said with a smile.

Su Yi nodded and poured himself a drink from the jug, sipping it leisurely.

"Look, Young Master, that's Cheng Zhen, the Grand Elder of the Hidden Scriptures Tower in the Shanglin Temple. He is an old monster who has cultivated for three hundred years," Hua Xinfeng suddenly transmitted her voice, looking towards a distance.

At the front row of seats on the jade platform, three monks were seated.

The one leading them was an elderly monk with thin, white eyebrows and flowing beard. His figure was as thin as a withered branch, and his face was covered in wrinkles. He sat there motionless, like a rock.

Cheng Zhen.

A cultivator at the Yuan Foundation Realm.

One of the three senior figures in the Shanglin Temple, known for his cultivation of the "Withered Prosperity Zen" and the "Lotus Sutra Golden Body." Every move he made was enough to influence the Buddhist community in Great Qin.

"He's a body cultivator," Su Yi glanced at him briefly before retracting his gaze.

Three hundred years of cultivation to reach the Yuan Foundation Realm was nothing remarkable, even if his strength was formidable.

On the contrary, young land immortals like Shang Luo Yu and Lin Yu Bei had even greater potential and a longer path ahead of them.

Of course, the precondition was that they wouldn't die prematurely.

Hua Xinfeng reminded him via voice transmission, "Young Master, you'd better pay attention to this old guy. The Chief Elder of the Luo Han Hall in the Shanglin Temple, Ji He, who died at your hands in Yu Jing City, was his closed-door disciple."

Su Yi was intrigued and asked, "Tell me, among the people here, who else could be my enemies?"

Hua Xinfeng, hailing from the Ten Directions Pavilion, possessed information and intelligence far beyond the ordinary.

And this is one of the reasons why Su Yi was willing to participate in this operation with the Ten Directions Pavilion.

Hua Xinfeng smiled lightly and said, "Speaking of which, there are quite a few individuals in this gathering who consider you as their enemy."

As she spoke, she subtly glanced towards the other side and transmitted her voice, "Young Master, take a look. That's Elder Gu Qingdu of the Profound Moon Sect. The 'Huayue Floating Pavilion' we saw before entering the city is under his control."

On the front seats of the jade platform, a group of cultivators from the Profound Moon Sect were surrounded by a multitude of stars.

The person Hua Xinfeng was referring to was a tall figure exuding a powerful and imposing aura. He had a bronze complexion, and when his eyes opened and closed, electric sparks flickered, resembling a sharp blade, making him extremely intimidating.

Gu Qingdu.

A cultivator at the Perfected Viscera Realm, the senior brother of You Tianhong. He had practiced the Dao of the Blade since a young age and had gained a reputation as the "Blazing Origin Blade Lord" in Great Qin, having cultivated for one hundred and thirty years.

It was said that under his blade, the whole world would be scorched and turned to ashes.

Su Yi nodded and asked, "Anyone else?"

Hua Xinfeng immediately transmitted her voice to introduce another person.

This person was also seated in the front row, with ink-black hair and wearing a black robe. He had an elegant and refined demeanor and was engaged in conversation with the people beside him.

You Changkong.

One of the two Yuan Foundation Realm elders of the prominent You Clan, he was the uncle of You Yuandu, the head of the You Clan in terms of seniority. His status was extremely high, enough to sit on an equal footing with the elders of the three major forces.

Upon hearing that he was a cultivator from the You Clan, Su Yi naturally understood that he was another potential enemy.

While they were discussing, Hua Xinfeng suddenly exclaimed softly and looked towards a distance.

They saw a middle-aged man with a sturdy build, wearing a coarse robe and messy long hair, striding onto the jade platform. Two swords were slanted behind his back, and he walked with a powerful momentum, exuding an oppressive and mountain-like force.

"The Grand Master of the Qianlong Sword Sect, Nie Xingkong!"

"He's such a prominent figure, and he actually came in person..."

A commotion arose in the gathering.

"Nie Fellow Daoist, please join us for a chat," the withered Elder Cheng Zhen from the Shanglin Temple quietly opened his eyes and extended an invitation to Nie Xingkong.

Nie Xingkong immediately walked over in large strides and sat on the ground.

"Young Master, another formidable enemy has arrived."

Hua Xinfeng's expression turned strange. "Nie Xingkong is not ordinary. Nineteen years ago, he was already one of the few Perfected Viscera Realm cultivators in Da Zhou. And during these nineteen years, he secluded himself in the sect, indifferent to worldly affairs, supposedly preparing for a breakthrough to the Yuan Foundation Realm."

"But Young Master, you should be cautious. According to the information we gathered at the Ten Directions Pavilion, nineteen years ago, Nie Xingkong and Shi Fengliu went deep into the Qingteng Demon Mountain. After returning from the mountain, Nie Xingkong chose to seclude himself."

Upon hearing this, Su Yi nodded, showing a confirming expression, and said, "No wonder I sensed something unusual in his aura before. So, he's also a body-possessor."

Hua Xinfeng was taken aback, seemingly surprised. After a moment, she said, "Young Master, you... could see it at a glance?"

All her previous words were meant to inform Su Yi that the Ten Directions Pavilion suspected that Nie Xingkong, the Grand Master of the Qianlong Sword Sect, had also been possessed, based on various intelligence analyses.

Unexpectedly, Su Yi had already sensed it!

Su Yi casually replied, "True cultivation forces possess secret techniques and treasures to identify body possessors, thus preventing enemies from infiltrating their sects without detection. For me, it is not difficult to discern the aura of a body possessor at a glance."

Although he said that, Su Yi still felt surprised when he thought that the master of Da Zhou's top cultivation holy land had been possessed.

According to Hua Xinfeng, Nie Xingkong was highly likely to have been taken over during the operation nineteen years ago when he went to the Qingteng Demon Mountain with Shi Fengliu.

After all, Shi Fengliu himself was a body possessor who had entered the Qingteng Demon Mountain. If he intentionally plotted against Nie Xingkong, it would be difficult for the latter to escape such a fate.

Hua Xinfeng's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked, "Can you tell if there are any other body possessors in this banquet tonight?"