Chapter 370: Sweep, News Spreads
Boom!
In West State, within a large city, a huge Buddha statue under construction collapsed with a thunderous crash.
A group of craftsmen looked up at the figure in the sky, filled with awe.
They had never seen anyone who could actually fly in the sky.
Could this be an immortal descending to the mortal world?
For a moment, some civilians who worshipped gods and Buddhas started to bow down in prayer.
A young monk, whose breath was at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, stared at Lu Qing in the sky, standing on a Golden Small Boat and wearing a Ghost Face Mask, his face filled with shock.
"Which secret land's senior might you be, to jest with our Suspended Mountain in this manner?" he asked.
"Suspended Mountain, my target is exactly Suspended Mountain!"
Lu Qing's eyes condensed, a refined Sword Qi descended from the heavens, slashing towards the young monk.
The speed was swift, and the power immense, directly causing the young monk's face to turn pale with fright.
He intended to dodge, but it was already too late, so he had to muster his Spiritual Power, forming a wall of energy to protect himself, hoping to block the terrifying Sword Qi.
However, with a soft sound, his body stiffened and his eyes gradually lost focus.
A line of blood emerged on his forehead, slowly spreading until his entire body was bisected, crashing to the ground amidst countless screams of terror.
After killing the Suspended Mountain disciple, Lu Qing did not even turn his head but steered the Golden Flying Boat, turning into a stream of light, and flew into the distance.
Yet on the way, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.
It had been two days since his battle with the Grey Robed Old Monk.
He had been Cultivating in a cave for two days, and this morning, he came out, starting to execute his plan with the Golden Small Boat.
He razed many cities in West State, destroying many of Suspended Mountain's under-construction temples and Buddha statues. If he encountered any resisting Suspended Mountain disciples, he showed no mercy and directly killed them.
The city he had just attacked was already the fourth city Lu Qing had assaulted today.
The Flying Artifact was indeed extraordinary; after the Refinement of the Golden Small Boat, his mobility had taken a qualitative leap.
Crossing the entire West State would not even take a day.
Attacking several large cities that were Suspended Mountain strongholds in a single morning, if it had been the old him, even if he could achieve it, the physical and Spiritual Power spent would certainly not be small.
But now, he was merely piloting the Golden Small Boat, achieving this with ease.
Compared to before, he didn't know how much effort and time he had saved.
Everything went so smoothly, Lu Qing should be happy.
However, his heart instinctively felt something was amiss.
He realized that the few cities he attacked, the Suspended Mountain disciples stationed within them, seemed unaware of him.
Seeing the Golden Small Boat he piloted, besides shock, they showed not any other reaction, as if they were completely ignorant of its origin.
This was rather strange.
You see, not long ago, he had killed several high-ranking elders of Suspended Mountain, including a Supreme Elder like the Grey Robed Old Monk.
Such a major commotion, by all logic, should have shaken the whole Suspended Mountain.
But now, the various Suspended Mountain strongholds he attacked, the disciples there, seemed to be oblivious to him.
Clearly, the news of him killing the Grey Robed Old Monk had been concealed by the upper echelons of Suspended Mountain; they did not inform the outside disciples.
But what was the purpose of Suspended Mountain in doing so?
Did they think with his status as an "eminent senior," he wouldn't harm ordinary disciples, so there was no need to warn them?
Or were they concerned about affecting the prestige of Suspended Mountain, hence the concealment?
Or was there another conspiracy involved?
Many thoughts revolved in Lu Qing's mind.
But his actions were not altered by these considerations; instead, he drove the Golden Small Boat even faster.
A trace of determination also showed on his face.
Regardless of Suspended Mountain's motives, the current him need not be overly wary.
"If there really is a conspiracy awaitng me up ahead, then it's no big deal—I'll just bring out my trump card and blast them with a Spiritual Artifact."
Lu Qing believed that when that moment arrived, the folks at Suspended Mountain would surely be even more "surprised" than him.
With this in mind, Lu Qing continued to sweep through the strongholds of Suspended Mountain.
As soon as he saw a temple or a Buddha statue under construction, without a second word, he would destroy it.
Any Suspended Mountain disciple who tried to resist would be mercilessly beheaded by Lu Qing.
Now that he had declared all-out war with Suspended Mountain, Lu Qing would certainly not show any womanly kindness.
An enemy should be slain!
With that, in just one day, Lu Qing swept through nearly all of Suspended Mountain's strongholds in West State.
And under his undisguised, overtly brazen methods of destruction,
the news could no longer be concealed.
Thus, rumors of a mysterious, strong man riding a Golden Small Boat and wearing a Ghost Face Mask began to spread throughout West State, destroying Suspended Mountain's strongholds and killing its disciples rapidly, even reaching the other major states.
"Is what you said really true?"
In the Lingshan Mountain Range, an Old Monk dressed in grey robes, but with a ruddy complexion, watched the red-robed monk in front of him without any expression.
"It's absolutely true, Supreme Elder. That Ghost-faced Man is out there slaughtering our Suspended Mountain disciples.
Most of the disciples we sent out have perished.
The news has spread across West State, and even the other states are likely to have received word by now."
The red-robed monk reported with great caution.
"I understand, you may go now."
The ruddy-faced Old Monk said indifferently.
"Yes." The red-robed monk did not dare to say more and carefully withdrew.
The ruddy-faced Old Monk stood still, his expression wooden as he thought for a while before finally taking out a Jade Token and triggering it with his Heart and Spirit.
A glimmer of light emerged from the Jade Token.
A Divine Soul Fluctuation transmitted from it: "Elder Chi Xin, what's the situation?"
"Just as we speculated before, that Ghost-faced Man is indeed targeting our Suspended Mountain.
Today he reappeared, destroying many of our newly established strongholds in West State.
He didn't even spare ordinary disciples, executing them all mercilessly."
The ruddy-faced Old Monk replied.
"Not even sparing the ordinary disciples, that means he bears a mortal grudge against our Suspended Mountain. When did we provoke such a formidable foe?"
Another Divine Soul Fluctuation, different from before, appeared.
Clearly, the Jade Token in the Old Monk's hand was capable of contacting more than one person.
"I don't know either." The ruddy-faced Old Monk shook his head, "Ku Rong died too thoroughly, leaving no information.
Moreover, the site of the battle is mired in chaos, and it's impossible to calculate anything.
To be honest, I'm not even sure whether that Ghost-faced Man is male or female yet."
"No need to wonder, anyone capable of killing Ku Rong in such a short span of time must also be an old antique like us.
Apart from the few old timers from the other Great Secret Lands, and the three oddities from Holy Mountain, it's impossible for anyone else to exist!"
The voice in the Jade Token said with certainty.
"That's right, especially those noses at Qingyang Temple—they've always been at odds with us and harbor the greatest enmity towards Suspended Mountain!"
"But the other Great Secret Lands have also just emerged, managing their own territories. They shouldn't have the time to trouble us."
"Then it must be Holy Mountain, those three oddities have always been inscrutable and suspicious!"
For a time, several Divine Soul Fluctuations within the Jade Token began to argue.