Ringing the Bell for a Hundred Years, I Became the Sect’s Ancestor – Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Encounter

With a little girl who chattered non-stop and asked many questions, this escort mission wouldn’t be too boring.

Just like that, after traveling for more than ten days, they finally reached their destination.

It was a smooth journey.

Although they encountered a few groups of petty thieves, Li Qian easily dealt with them.

Xuan Province Smelting City.

Nearly a thousand miles away from Divine Sword Sect, it was still within the sect’s sphere of influence.

This place was famous for its smelting industry, with several large iron mines, renowned throughout Great Chang. The local forces that controlled these iron mines naturally had intricate connections with Divine Sword Sect.

The Lin Family, whose ancestors were once a prominent smelting family in Smelting City, specialized in forging weapons for Divine Sword Sect.

However, times had changed, and the Lin Family had declined. Their remaining assets consisted of only a smelting workshop, barely managing to stay afloat.

“Yun’er, it’s very chaotic outside now. Why did you come back instead of staying in Sword’s Edge City?”

In the backyard of the Lin Residence, Lin Yun was talking to her father.

“Father, I missed you. Besides, it’s mother’s death anniversary.”

Lin Yun said.

She usually returned once every two years.

In previous years, her husband accompanied her.

This time, her husband, Yun Xi, had a mission and couldn’t get away. He could only post an escort mission within the Inner Sect, requesting someone to escort her and their daughter back home to visit their relatives.

“Yun’er, after you return this time, try to stay in Sword’s Edge City. The Moon Worship Cult rebellion in the eight southeastern provinces won’t end anytime soon. Moreover, I’ve decided to move the Lin Family to Fuyang.”

Lin Wansheng said.

Lin Yun was surprised and delighted, “Father, you’ve finally come around?”

“Sigh, I can’t deny my age. Plus, your brother is incompetent. We definitely won’t be able to keep the workshop.”

Lin Wansheng sighed.

The Moon Worship Cult was currently rampant, and Smelting City was unstable. He was worried that the Lin Family would easily be affected.

Only by selling their property and moving the entire family to Fuyang to settle down could they possibly, with their son-in-law’s support, allow the Lin Family to recover.

Moreover, Fuyang was close to Divine Sword Sect.

It was within the sect’s core territory and much more stable than other places.

Li Qian stayed temporarily at the Lin Residence, enjoying good food and hospitality.

According to Lin Yun, they would stay at home for about two or three days before returning to Sword’s Edge City.

Just like that, three days passed.

Lin Yun suddenly approached him.

“Young Hero Li, there will be an extra carriage and a few more people when we return to Sword’s Edge City.”

“Madam Lin, my mission is to ensure the safety of you and your daughter. As for others, I cannot guarantee their safety.”

Li Qian said.

Lin Yun understood Li Qian’s meaning and didn’t say anything more.

She had learned something about Li Qian, this Inner Sect Disciple, from her husband, Yun Xi.

He had participated in the True Disciple Selection.

His strength was definitely not weak.

She was just puzzled as to why such a powerful True Disciple Seed would choose to do an escort mission?

The next day, when they set off, there was indeed an extra carriage. Three members of the Lin Family, one adult and two youngsters, were sitting in the carriage.

Moreover, the Lin Family also sent two house servants to escort them.

These two house servants weren’t even Ranked Martial Artists. They could only deal with ordinary thieves. If they encountered real martial artists, they would be easy targets.

Li Qian didn’t mind.

If danger really arose…

He only needed to protect Lin Yun and her daughter.

Immortal Forest Town.

As it was getting late, Li Qian and his group decided to stay at an inn here for the night.

They had stayed in Immortal Forest Town for a night on their way to Smelting City.

But this time, it was a little different.

Torches were planted everywhere along both sides of the street.

Many residents walking on the street were also holding torches.

The entire Immortal Forest Town was as bright as day.

“Mother, why are there torches everywhere?”

The little girl asked curiously from inside the carriage.

“It must be a special torch festival in Immortal Forest Town. They light torches before dark to dispel the darkness, and it lasts until dawn the next day.”

Lin Yun explained with a smile.

Suddenly, the road ahead was blocked.

A house servant went to inquire and learned that a procession of Fire Ritual Masters would be passing by soon. Only after they had passed could others go through.

Helpless, the group had to stop and wait.

After about fifteen minutes, the front suddenly became lively.

A large crowd of people holding torches surged forward. In the center of the procession was a huge throne with many torches planted on it. A red-haired elder in a crimson robe sat on the throne.

The huge throne was carried by dozens of strong, bare-chested men.

In front of and behind the procession, there were also people wearing ghost-faced masks, dancing in strange steps and occasionally spitting fire.

The whole scene was eerie and mysterious.

The residents holding torches seemed to have fallen into a hysterical frenzy, chanting strange slogans in unison.

As the Fire Ritual Master’s procession passed by, Li Qian couldn’t help but look at the red-haired elder. He vaguely sensed a strong, invisible aura emanating from him.

“Definitely a martial artist, and not a low-level one.”

Li Qian muttered to himself.

Not only that, but the people wearing ghost-faced masks also seemed to have some cultivation.

◈◈◈

This was a bit outrageous.

So many martial artists appearing in a town.

It was just a torch festival.

Thinking of this, Li Qian’s eyes scanned the surroundings.

Because torches were everywhere, the lighting was good. Plus, he was riding a horse, giving him a high vantage point to see everything clearly.

Suddenly, he saw someone in the crowd.

This person wasn’t holding a torch.

They also emitted an invisible aura, which in Li Qian’s perception was as bright as a candle.

Ever since the Time Bell had upgraded to a Law Instrument, Li Qian could not only disguise his own aura with the help of the bell but also his perception of the outside world had become very sensitive.

“Another strong martial artist?”

Li Qian’s heart stirred.

Then he discovered several more martial artists in the crowd, all seemingly with decent cultivation levels.

Although he didn’t know the situation or why so many martial artists had gathered in Immortal Forest Town for a torch festival, all signs indicated that this was definitely not simple.

Suddenly, Li Qian sensed a gaze directed towards him.

Their eyes met.

Li Qian was surprised.

Because he had seen this woman before. She was one of the nineteen participants in the True Disciple Selection.

As for her name, he didn’t know it.

He hadn’t noticed her before.

Obviously, she was also good at concealing her aura, which was why he had overlooked her.

“Why would elite Inner Sect Disciples of Divine Sword Sect appear here? Could it be that the other few are also Inner Sect Disciples of Divine Sword Sect?”

Li Qian’s heart skipped a beat. This Immortal Forest Town was afraid to have become a place of trouble.

Thinking of this, he went to the carriage and said to Lin Yun inside, “Madam Lin, it’s not suitable to stay in Immortal Forest Town tonight. We must leave immediately.”

“Young Hero Li, I’ll follow your arrangements.”

Lin Yun didn’t know what was happening, but since Li Qian suddenly said so, there must be a reason.

After the Fire Ritual Master’s procession passed, the roadblock was lifted.

Under Li Qian’s direction, the two carriages didn’t go to the inn but continued along the road leading out of town.

As they got further and further away from the town, the noise gradually faded, and Li Qian’s hanging heart gradually settled down.

Although traveling at night in the wilderness also had certain risks…

It was definitely much safer than staying in Immortal Forest Town.

Immortal Forest Town.

On the second floor of a roadside building, two figures leaned against the railing, watching the Fire Ritual Master’s procession in the distance.

“This Moon Worship Cult is truly pervasive. Even the local Fire Ritual Temple has been infiltrated. If we don’t nip it in the bud, I’m afraid it will lead to a disaster like the one in the eight southeastern provinces.”

A young man in white said worriedly.

“Why worry so much? We just need to complete our mission. As for such major matters, the higher-ups in the sect will handle them.”

A black-clothed, bald man standing next to him said.

It was Pang Bai.

At this moment, a woman in blue attire hurried over.

“Junior Sister Yuan, you observed the Fire Ritual Master up close. How is his cultivation?”

Pang Bai asked.

Due to the nature of the cultivation methods he and Chu Yuan practiced, they couldn’t get too close to the Fire Ritual Master, or they would easily alert him.

As the direct disciple of the Jade Screen Peak Master, Yuan Mingzhu cultivated the Jade Screen Peak’s Bright Jade Void Transformation Technique. This technique naturally had the effect of concealing aura.

“Senior Brother Pang, guess who I saw?”

Yuan Mingzhu didn’t answer Pang Bai’s question but asked instead.

“Who?”

Pang Bai asked.

“Senior Martial Uncle Zhou’s disciple, Li Qian. Didn’t you try to recruit him last time?”

Yuan Mingzhu said.

“Li Qian? Why is he here?”

Pang Bai was surprised.

Wasn’t Li Qian on an escort mission?

“I think he’s still on the escort mission. But after he saw me, he seemed to recognize me and ran towards the outskirts of town with his people.”

Yuan Mingzhu said.

“Don’t mind him, he’s a coward. Eliminating the people from the Fire Ritual Temple is more important.”

Pang Bai waved his hand dismissively.

“Senior Brother Pang, although he’s a bit cowardly, his strength is not weak. Why not bring him in? That way, it would be easier for us to besiege the Fire Ritual Temple.”

Chu Yuan, the young man in white, couldn’t help but say.

“The three of us combined, are we afraid we can’t kill that old guy? One more person means one more share of Contribution Points to split. Besides, aren’t you afraid he’ll hold us back?”

After the incident at the Mission Hall, Pang Bai’s impression of Li Qian had become very negative.

Chu Yuan, the young man in white, shrugged and said nothing more.

Yuan Mingzhu wouldn’t say anything either.

After all, her impression of Li Qian wasn’t too good either. Someone who didn’t even dare to take on a suppression mission didn’t deserve to be associated with them.