Chapter 2302: Empty Mural

They just walked in? Yuan Xilin instinctively looked back at the city gate. They had prepared many backup plans in case they were stopped… But the city guards hadn't even lifted a hand. Was Weian City's defense really that lax?

However, he had recently observed Weian City through a water mirror. This large city had bustling commerce, and its gates saw a constant flow of people day and night. Even a slight delay would cause long queues to form. If the gate inspections were too strict, it would significantly hinder passage efficiency. Moreover, it was the middle of the night, so the patrolling guards were probably lax. He had just seen two guards slacking off and dozing in a corner, their hats nearly falling off. Never mind, perhaps Weian City had enjoyed peace for a long time, and without any incidents, its defenses had grown slack. Let Qixia Sect teach them a good lesson.

Inside the city, lights glowed brightly; spore lamps emitted a constant light, illuminating every street and alley. Yet, there were few people walking on the streets. The few groups that entered through the city gates seemed to vanish instantly, like water absorbed by a sponge. The entire city appeared to be asleep, exceptionally quiet.

Yuan Xilin had already assigned tasks on the leaf boat. Now, he instructed, “Disperse and proceed separately.” The Qixia Sect members immediately split into two groups, heading in different directions. Yuan Xilin, leading a few disciples, headed towards Weian City's tallest spire.

The tower was seven stories high, thirty-three zhang tall, with its body painted dark red, appearing magnificent and robust. It was said that the tower housed over two hundred white jade murals, depicting the story of the Dragon God leading various immortals in resistance against heavenly devils. Ha, from the celestial palace to the human realm, everyone loved to sing praises. If this landmark building were to collapse, it would crush the nearby Dragon God Temple, which was why Yuan Xilin had come.

Almost all the buildings they passed were lit, but there were no pedestrians on the main road. In the depths of the alleys, shadows flickered, but Yuan Xilin expanded his divine sense to check and found them to be nothing more than cats, dogs, bats, or foxes. Soon, they arrived at the base of the red tower. This tower was not an official stronghold, so it required no guards and was naturally open to anyone. Upon reaching it, Yuan Xilin should have simply summoned his illusory spirit and toppled it. But, as if by some strange impulse, he stepped inside the red tower instead.

Inside the tower, it was pitch black, with no light. A disciple beside him was quick-witted, igniting a wisp of true flame in his hand to provide light for the sect master. From its exterior, the tower appeared incredibly thick and sturdy, clearly built with robust materials and craftsmanship. But as soon as the true flame ignited and everyone's gaze fell upon the murals inside, they all let out a surprised 'Eh?'

The mural directly opposite the entrance was blank. There was nothing inside the frame. Yuan Xilin frowned, and his disciples automatically spread out to examine the other murals. “This one isn’t painted either!” “This is also blank!” “The murals on the second and third floors are all empty too.” The murals were all made of white jade, each neatly square and set into the wall, presenting a clean and grand appearance. But the biggest problem was—they were all blank! Where were the murals that should have been painted on them? Yuan Xilin was certain that Weian City’s officials wouldn't have placed entirely blank panels here! There was something amiss with this tower.

Yuan Xilin's eyes flashed, and he thrust his long sword directly at a mural. "Chii-lah," came the sound of tearing cloth. A large gash appeared in the mural. Yuan Xilin's pupils contracted sharply, and his flying sword pierced two more murals. "Chii-chii," came two more sounds. Yuan Xilin made an immediate decision: "Everyone out, quickly!" No jade could withstand his sword, but the problem was, the feeling from those thrusts was clearly that of tearing paper! There was not even a hint of the dull resistance one would feel when cutting jade. After a few such thrusts, how could he not realize he had fallen into a trap? This red tower, made of paper, was not a real building in Weian City at all!

The group hurried out of the tower, expecting the tower gate to suddenly close, but it did not. They exited smoothly, and the street remained exceptionally quiet. The only difference was that sometime, over a dozen figures had appeared in the open space in front of the tower. The one at the forefront was Liu Qingdao. Behind him were powerful cultivators, both human and demonic. Liu Qingdao said with a chuckle, “Sect Master Yuan, we finally meet.” During their previous meeting by the stream, Liu Qingdao had only seen Yuan Xilin's illusory image; this time, it was the man himself.

“A clever trick. This tower is made of paper,” Yuan Xilin said, looking back up at the red tower. From outside, it still appeared so real; who would have guessed it was all paper inside? “You dare to confront me here? Is this entire street block also made of paper?” This was a trap, and they had walked right into it. Liu Qingdao smiled and said, “Not quite, but not far off.” He raised his hand, pressing two fingers forward, and commanded, “Attack!” The powerful cultivators of Bingyuan Division immediately advanced without a word, ready to fight. Now that Qixia Sect had fallen into the trap and Weian City was safe, they could act without restraint! Liu Qingdao understood perfectly the tempers and arrogance of these immortals who had just emerged from secluded cultivation. If he were to negotiate gently with them, they would only see him as weak and easily bullied, for the tradition of the cultivation world for thousands of years had always been that the strong rule. Since that was the case, they might as well have a good, decisive fight and see whose fists are harder!

No sooner had he spoken than a sudden explosion echoed in the distance. Something had detonated, and the vibration reached everyone's feet. They turned their heads to see thick smoke billowing into the sky from the south of the city. Unlike Yuan Xilin, who chose the red tower, Elder Chu's priority target was nearly a hundred residential houses by the river. Most of these houses were lit, clearly indicating they were inhabited. He directly summoned his illusory spirits: over a dozen fiery apes. Their method of attack was simple, brutal, yet effective: they charged through the residences, engulfed in flames, triggering explosions whenever they collided with heavy or solid objects. Walls, beams, pillars, and doors were all ignited and blown apart. Elder Chu had deliberately chosen this large residential area to attack, intending to teach Weian City a bloody lesson. An eye for an eye, blood for blood!

Liu Qingdao watched the chaos in the city's south from a distance, his expression neither surprised nor angry. He merely commented, “It’s been many years, and Elder Chu's temper is still as volatile as ever.” Elder Chu's illusory spirits had previously left a deep impression on Liu Qingdao; they were essentially oversized, ape-shaped incendiary bombs that had once torn a heavenly devil to pieces right before Liu Qingdao's eyes. Now, however, he was using this powerful weapon to bomb mortals. Liu Qingdao's attitude made Yuan Xilin secretly frown. The people of Weian City were, after all, citizens of Cangyan. For Liu Qingdao to calmly watch them being blown to death, and to speak of it so lightly—even if, in the eyes of immortals, mortals were mere ants, didn't the powerful cultivators of Bingyuan Division have a duty to protect the city's inhabitants? Could it be… Liu Qingdao’s next word, “Otherwise,” followed immediately: “Elder Chu didn’t step foot into those residences at all, did he? Otherwise, he wouldn’t be bombing them so indiscriminately.” Yuan Xilin's face darkened like water. “What do you mean?”