Suddenly, Linggui Town only allowed people in and out was forbidden, plunging the small town under the cover of night into a commotion.
As more and more prominent immortal sects and factions poured in, it filled the original residents and regular visitors of the town with panic.
The Demon-Slaying Team could no longer sit still and once again came to Li Wangyi's room.
"Brother Li, more and more immortal factions are arriving, and the small town has suddenly forbidden anyone from leaving while allowing people in. Do you have any idea what is actually going on?" Guo Hengbei asked.
He was a rough martial artist who only knew how to fight and kill, but Li Wangyi was different. Coming from the Upper Courtyard of Hanshan Academy as a disciple of a prestigious lineage, he might know some inside information.
Guo Nanjun and Wei Lun also looked at him expectantly.
Linggui Town was becoming increasingly complicated, and the sudden closure of the town carried an eerie mystery that deeply worried them.
Li Wangyi gently shook his folding fan and smiled faintly. "Regarding this sudden change in the town, I do have some guesses, but whether they are correct or not remains to be observed."
Guo Nanjun asked, "What guesses?"
"Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed."
"Huh?"
"To be specific, knowing now would only bring you disadvantages, not advantages. But one thing I can tell you in advance: if you can stay in the town until the very end, you just might witness a great opportunity."
The three members of the Demon-Slaying Team looked at each other. They felt that Li Wangyi had said a lot, yet they understood nothing at all, leaving them even more confused.
However, there was one thing they believed: since Li Wangyi put it this way, it was indeed inappropriate to tell them everything just yet, or else it truly would bring only harm and no benefit.
"Then what should we do right now?" Guo Hengbei asked.
"Over the next three days, the town will surely welcome even more immortal factions, and the situation within the town will become even more tense and dangerous. We had better stay in this inn as much as possible to avoid unnecessary conflicts."
The three members of the Demon-Slaying Team deeply agreed and decided to stay in the inn for now, watching how things unfolded.
The night grew deep.
The three members of the Demon-Slaying Team returned to their rooms, while Li Wangyi began to read.
Little Qianjun turned back into her true form, planted in a white porcelain vase filled with Shanhan spiritual water, and went to sleep quietly like a potted plant.
...
At the entrance of the small town, wave after wave of immortal faction teams continued to march in, leaving the already tense townspeople even more flustered and terrified.
Many people gathered at the exit.
However, the main gate had long since vanished, leaving only a misty haze in its place. Some people walked into it, only to be violently repelled shortly after.
Leaving was simply impossible.
Slaughter suddenly erupted in the small town under the quiet night.
It wasn't just in one place, but nearly dozens of outbreaks occurring almost simultaneously, scattered across every street and alley of the town.
The panicked and restless people of the town turned this night into a night of blood.
The town's original garrison bailiffs were utterly incapable of suppressing so many simultaneous outbreaks of bloodshed. Fortunately, earlier in the afternoon, a squad from the imperial court's Demon-Suppressing Bureau had entered.
The leading eight-star blade-wielder took personal charge: personal vendettas were ignored, but anyone who dared to damage town property or harm the innocent would be executed without mercy.
Soon, the riots and slaughter were suppressed, and the small town returned to peace.
Peaceful Ward was unaffected, only faintly hearing some commotion.
Guo Nanjun was startled awake and pushed open the window to check.
Because the town was not entirely safe, Guo Nanjun had not changed out of her clothes when she went to sleep, still wearing her capable martial attire from the daytime.
Under the moonlight, dressed in red, she looked a fraction softer.
Seeing that the slaughter had been quickly suppressed, she prepared to close the window and return to rest.
However, the moment she turned sideways, she caught sight of the neighboring room: a serene and leisurely scholar in cyan robes was quietly reading a book.
The distant slaughter and her own close proximity had not caused the slightest disturbance to him.
The night breeze drifted through the window, stirring his sideburns and sleeves, yet he remained completely oblivious.
She couldn't help but take an extra glance.
...
In the night sky of Linggui Town, there were only clouds and a few stars occasionally peeking through the gaps.
In contrast, the sky above Hanshan Mountain hung with a bright, full moon, illuminating the entire Hanshan Academy with a clear and tranquil light.
Zhou Lengxi, Dong Xieyang, and Liu Buming, the three Vice Hill Masters, gathered once again at the Frost-Red Pavilion on the peak of Hanshan.
"I never expected that old turtle to suddenly migrate back. Just as recorded in 'Old Steed Discusses the Mysterious,' it happened without any warning at all. I originally thought this migration wouldn't happen for another hundred and fifty years."
Liu Buming, sporting a goatee, looked in the direction of Linggui Town with deep emotion.
Zhou Lengxi took over the conversation. "It is indeed very unexpected, beyond everyone's anticipation. With such suddenness, I'm afraid even the Great Wei imperial court cannot make many preparations."
Dong Xieyang was tall and robust, looking less like a scholar and more like a martial artist.
Hearing this, he laughed heartily. "The old stone turtle slumbering within Great Wei's borders this time was originally a great opportunity for the Cao family. If managed well, it could have boosted the nation's fortune for decades. Who could have imagined it would migrate back so suddenly? Man proposes, heaven disposes."
"However, the people of that small town have been subjects of Great Wei for two hundred years. No matter where the old turtle's next slumbering spot falls, they will still cherish a shred of Great Wei's lingering affection. It can still be considered somewhat beneficial."
In front of the other two Vice Hill Masters, Zhou Lengxi did not wear the cold expression he had before his inner-circle disciple Li Wangyi, appearing very gentle.
He spoke up, "Great Wei has always stationed a powerful Demon-Suppressing Bureau squad near Linggui Town year-round. Even with the sudden migration, they are certainly among the first batch of people to enter and will not be later than any other faction."
"Furthermore, because of the Heaven and Earth Conferment, the Wei Emperor has dispatched an emissary mission out of the capital. The members of the imperial family within the mission should be able to make it into the town in time."
"The Great Wei imperial court will ultimately still be one of the biggest winners."
Dong Xieyang nodded in agreement. "True. As for our Hanshan Academy, speaking of which, we are one of the immortal sects closest to Linggui Town, yet this time..."
Liu Buming stroked his beard and said with a peculiar expression, "Old Dong, your prized disciple was sent by you to the southern border and missed this migration, but old Zhou's Li Gengxin has just left the mountain and is heading east."
"Calculating the time, should he be right in the vicinity of Linggui Town? Perhaps he will happen to cross paths with it?"
Dong Xieyang was slightly startled, recalling old Zhou's eldest disciple, Li Wangyi—who was just as renowned as his own prized disciple, Xie Jiashu—seemed to have indeed just descended the mountain and headed east.
He couldn't help laughing, "That being said, our Hanshan can also catch up to this migration feast and get a share of the spoils? Old Zhou, confess honestly, did you calculate this all along, which is why Li Gengxin descended the mountain eastward so coincidentally?"
Zhou Lengxi shook his head.
Dong Xieyang and Liu Buming didn't believe it, but seeing that he wouldn't admit it, they didn't press the matter further.
As long as Li Wangyi could enter Linggui Town, that was all that mattered.
Whether it was Xie Jiashu or Li Wangyi, they were both Hanshan Academy's most outstanding disciples, and whichever one obtained this opportunity would be wonderful.
...
Early the next morning, outside Linggui Town.
A tall, powerfully built young man with an imposing and awe-inspiring presence walked in from afar.
His posture was very casual, yet his speed was extremely fast, covering miles with a single step.
This was the unique bearing of the martial art divine power [Shrinking the Earth into an Inch].
If Li Wangyi and Little Qianjun were here, they would certainly recognize at a glance that this imposing and awe-inspiring tall man was none of other than the martial arts powerhouse who had made the immortal gazettes alongside the half-demon youth and the Hidden Lake sword cultivator Pei He, single-handedly crushing nine major sects overnight.
...
Shortly after, a blue-clad blade-wielder, riding a cloud-treading golden-eyed lion, landed at the stone turtle entrance.
He glanced around and, seeing no one else, seemed somewhat disappointed.
Tucked at his waist were two broken blades—one long, one short.
After waiting for a long while and seeing that still no one else had arrived, he patted the broken blades at his waist, a sneer curling the corner of his mouth, and rode the cloud-treading golden-eyed lion into the small town.
...
Soon, coming from the south, a plump, roly-poly young Daoist priest arrived.
This fat Daoist arrived riding a paper horse.
A naive smile hung on his face, making him look innocent and kind-hearted.
Seeing the stone turtle at the entrance of the small town, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with his small eyes gleaming, "Finally made it. Not easy, not easy. I hope the people in the town are all nice to this humble Daoist; I really can't bear the sight of strangers!"