Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 575 - 270. Under a Famous Name, the Reality Struggles to Match (Two Chapters Combined)_2

Chapter 575: 270. Under a Famous Name, the Reality Struggles to Match (Two Chapters Combined)_2

After a short while, a young Taoist, dressed in coarse cloth and straw sandals, arrived in this area.

He looked around, scanning back and forth, searching meticulously.

But he found nothing.

The expression on the young Taoist’s face grew doubtful as he began to search thoroughly around each stone pillar.

Suddenly, he paused his movements and quickly concealed himself. In the next moment, another person arrived.

This person, Mo Chen, wore the standard Taoist robe of a Pure Yang Palace disciple—black on the outside and white on the inside—yet he was, in fact, a cultivator who had defected from their ranks.

The young Taoist in coarse cloth and straw sandals possessed a higher cultivation than Mo Chen. Furthermore, as an heir of the Mount Shu Sect, which specialized in sensitive Spiritual Soul induction, he was the first to notice Mo Chen. "Where is that Chen Yi?" he asked.

Mo Chen, unafraid of the Mount Shu cultivator before him but not lacking in manners, swung his horsetail whisk and greeted the other with a Taoist bow, "Taoist Liao."

After exchanging greetings, Mo Chen said, "I haven’t been able to contact our fellow Taoist Chen either. However, I was thinking that his escape direction was completely opposite to that of the treasure. Considering the rarity of the treasure, it shouldn’t be abandoned. So, I took his place to come here and look."

Lei Jun stood to the side, silently watching the two men converse. Lei Jun might not have been familiar with Mo Chen’s counterpart, but he still recognized him as Liao Jie, the young and promising talent of the Mount Shu Sect who had recently advanced to the Seventh Heavenly Layer. Now it seemed that he, just like Zhou Peng and Gu Han—or rather, like Liu Dongzhuo from the Mount Shu Sect, who had faked his death—was on the same side. But why? Liao Jie was one of the most valued and cultivated young cultivators of the Mount Shu Sect, with boundless prospects. Why would he associate with Liu Dongzhuo?

At this point, Liao Jie was staring at Mo Chen. "You’re here to take it for him? So you’re saying, you already have the item?"

Mo Chen shook his head. "I’ve just arrived here, how could I possibly have the treasure?"

Without waiting for him to continue, Liao Jie directly interrupted, "You don’t need to look at me; I haven’t found it either."

Mo Chen narrowed his eyes. "Taoist Liao hasn’t found anything either? It should definitely be in this direction."

Liao Jie responded, "I’ve been searching in this way; the direction is certainly correct, but I just can’t find the item."

Mo Chen said, "From what I’ve seen earlier, it might not be the doing of Taoist Chen. Perhaps someone else has gotten there first. I’ll try to contact Taoist Chen later to inquire."

Liao Jie continued to scan the Stone Forest in front of him. After a long while, he suddenly asked again, "It’s really not you? Or are you covering for that Chen Yi?"

Mo Chen’s expression grew a few shades more serious. "In the past, it is true that our sects were different, but now, we are all striving for a world of Great Unity, needing each other’s trust and seamless coordination..."

Liao Jie interrupted, "Anyone can say empty words. Give me something solid. Tell me, what is the deal with that Chen Yi?"

Mo Chen explained, "The treasure that Taoist Chen possesses, as I’m sure Taoist Liao knows, originates from Ancient Times. It is a precious item with which one could beseech the heavens and establish communication with the Heavenly Palace. Although the Heavenly Palace has long vanished, it still holds great significance for our collaborative effort!"

Liao Jie nodded, his eyes brimming with light. "Indeed. First, establish the Mortal Tao Country, then the Heavenly Dynasty, and finally, we can revitalize the ancient glory!"

As he spoke, he suddenly changed the subject. "If the treasure is so important, why keep it in Chen Yi’s hands all the time?"

Mo Chen replied, "The treasure is incomplete; we only have half of it. The other half is still in the Longhu Mountain Celestial Master Mansion. Keeping Chen Yi in the forefront actually gives us a better chance of obtaining the other half, more so than if we were to act ourselves and awaken their vigilance."

Liao Jie mused, "What just happened then?"

Mo Chen’s gaze sharpened. "It turns out the other half of the treasure is in the hands of Zhang Jingzhen from the Celestial Master Mansion!"

"Zhang Jingzhen?" Liao Jie’s eyebrows relaxed. "Had I known this earlier, this would have been a golden opportunity. But it’s fine; there are other ways."

As he spoke, his eyebrows quickly furrowed once more. "The half with Chen Yi, is it really not with you, or did Chen Yi somehow get it back himself? What is this mess? We have the chance to get the other half from Zhang Jingzhen, but now the initial half seems to have vanished?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Chen also sighed. "Having something is better than nothing."

With a worried look, he added, "With the Yellow Sky Sect’s Overseas Ancestral Altar on Jiu Fang Island destroyed, many of Our Sect’s members have had their whereabouts exposed. The same happened to Taoist Liu from your sect, attracting the Tang Court’s investigation towards Mount Shu. To suffer such losses before the grand endeavor has even begun is truly not a good omen!"

Upon this mention, Liao Jie’s face also grew taut. "Worst comes to worst, we accelerate our plans and establish the Mortal Tao Country right away!"

Mo Chen couldn’t help but sigh again. "For a matter so significant, haste makes waste... Sigh. Although there were ripples before, the overall situation was still manageable. Unluckily, Vajra Temple and the Yellow Sky Sect, one in the west and the other in the east, both suffered upheavals, which has drastically worsened the situation."

After a long silence, Liao Jie turned and looked seriously at Mo Chen.

"Mount Shu and the issues in the Southwest, Our Sect will handle it. We’ll soon dispatch the Tang Court’s people and put an end to this matter.

You all must not harbor ulterior motives or engage in any secret schemes!

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt this time, but you all must find that Chen Yi quickly.

As for Zhang Jingzhen, I’ll take care of it myself and acquire her half of the treasure."

Mo Chen solemnly assured, "Taoist Liao, please rest assured. As I said before, your sect and mine, and even including the Yellow Sky Sect—our three branches of the Taoist Sect must join forces for the grand cause. It is a time for sincere cooperation, and we will absolutely not harbor any personal agendas."

Liao Jie remarked, "That would be best."

Lei Jun quietly listened from the side, his thoughts somewhat strange. He took a glance at Mo Chen. In this world, since Ancient Times, among the three sacred lands of the Taoist Sect, it has always been the Talisman Sect’s holy land, the Longhu Mountain Celestial Master Mansion, that was more closely aligned with the Human Realm Dynasty.