Chapter 167: Master Qingxu

Ning Xianyu thought to herself that if the Star of Annihilation were to meet disaster and the entire world were destroyed, even Mount Qingxu would undoubtedly be unable to escape unscathed.

The System remarked: [Look at this mountain of theirs—it is so tall. Do you think they plan to fly off into outer space and stop mixing with this planet altogether?]

The reason it said this was because the defensive barrier here had been set up extremely thick, clearly having been prepared long in advance.

Ning Xianyu thought that was indeed a possibility, but if the entire planet ceased to exist, Mount Qingxu would stand alone as a solitary pillar and might not necessarily survive.

Following along as they flew, they soon arrived at the main peak.

The guards here were even more tightly stationed. All along both sides of the path stood numerous guards, every single one of whom possessed a cultivation base at the Golden Core stage or higher.

At the Jade Immortal Sect, individuals at the Golden Core stage were qualified to lecture outer disciples, yet here they could only serve as guards—this truly demonstrated profound wealth and resources.

Walking further ahead, one could even catch sight of Nascent Soul stage cultivators keeping watch in the midst of them.

Ning Xianyu muttered quietly, "Just how many wicked deeds has the master of this place committed?"

Her voice was not loud, but everyone present possessed high cultivation levels and heard her clearly.

Lu Qian turned back with an ugly expression and demanded, "What do you mean by that, Immortal?"

"Our Mountain Master is revered by the local people, and everyone holds him in the utmost respect. They all volunteer to protect the Mountain Master."

With a grim expression, he even released his aura to launch an intimidation attempt.

Xuanyuan Tunhan flicked his sleeve, shielding Ning Xianyu behind him, and cast a cold glance at Lu Qian.

Naturally aware that Xuanyuan Tunhan possessed the highest cultivation among this group and knowing it unwise to provoke him rashly, Lu Qian had no choice but to drop the matter.

"I hope the Immortal will refrain from making irresponsible remarks about the affairs of Mount Qingxu."

Ning Xianyu did not reply. She simply felt that this Mountain Master was no good person.

Although Mount Qingxu was considered large, it was not exceptionally vast, falling far short of the size of the Jade Immortal Sect.

Since they had lived in this place for tens of thousands of years, they must all be very familiar with one another. Given that familiarity, if he hadn't done wicked things out of fear of being killed, why would he deploy so many guards to stand watch?

The System chimed in: [When people stay in a small place for too long and get too used to being the master of the house, their vanity and desire for power swell dramatically. Having so many guards around might just be to show off their supreme glory.]

Ning Xianyu retorted: [If that really is the case, it only proves he is indeed no good person. When has a truly good person ever possessed such an intense desire for power?]

Neither the sect master of the Jade Immortal Sect nor the Arch-fiend had ever employed any guards. This Mountain Master's cultivation was surely very high, yet he still utilized so many guards, which could only mean that far too many people wanted him dead.

The System felt she made sense: [However, you are the most foolish one among your group. Even you could figure it out, so the Arch-fiend and the others must have seen through it as well. You're just the silliest one for blurting it out.]

The others all played dumb and kept quiet, yet she spoke her mind foolishly, completely lacking a filter, and still dared to claim she wasn't an idiot.

Comprehending this, Ning Xianyu instantly felt that she indeed was a fool.

She covered her mouth and did not dare speak recklessly ever again.

Xuanyuan Tunhan turned his head and shot her an amused look.

This woman and that system truly were a match made in heaven; one moment the one was acting foolish, and the next the other was being an idiot. At least there was always one somewhat reliable party.

Guided to the residence of the Mountain Master, they passed through layer upon layer of guards once more, witnessed the extravagant luxury of the Mountain Master's dwelling, and finally met the so-called Mountain Master.

A Mountain Master, living in a crystal-clear, shimmering palace surrounded entirely by spirit stones and precious artifacts, glaringly bright enough to hurt the eyes.

Not daring to vent any more cynical thoughts, Ning Xianyu simply followed silently behind.

The Mountain Master sat upon a towering, wide chair inlaid with various spiritual power gemstones, propping up his chin and glancing sideways at them.

His features were somewhat rugged, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and coarse facial contours. His build was also relatively broad and sturdy, and his gaze carried a fierce edge when he looked at people.

Yet the moment he laid eyes on Xuanyuan Tunhan, his expression shifted slightly.

Following that, his gaze shifted to Ning Xianyu, lingering on her Universe Sword for a moment.

Then, he swept past Yitian Ling and Xiahou Fang, though he lingered with a few extra glances at Su Yun'er.

"Who are you people? You come from Cloud Desolation, and for what purpose?"

As he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Su Yun'er, thoroughly looking her up and down.

His stare was so blatant that it sent a chill down Su Yun'er's spine, prompting her to glare fiercely back at him.

Ning Xianyu looked at him with disgust, humming internally: *A total pervert, completely shameless.*

With a cold face, Xuanyuan Tunhan stood silent, but the others proceeded to introduce themselves.

The Mountain Master also informed them that they could address him as the Sovereign of Qingxu.

Demanding to be called the Sovereign of Qingxu directly implied that the entirety of Mount Qingxu belonged to him, revealing his domineering nature in his very choice of words.

Xuanyuan Tunhan asked, "You have sequestered yourself in this place for many years—have you ever laid eyes on the Heaven-Mending Stone?"

Sovereign Qingxu's expression shifted once more before he bellowed in a rough voice, "Never seen it. Didn't that Heaven-Mending Stone vanish hundreds of thousands of years ago?"

Frowning, Xuanyuan Tunhan asked, "Truly never seen it?"

Sovereign Qingxu's face chilled, and he ceased speaking, merely casting a glance at Lu Qian beside him.

Lu Qian sneered derisively, "You arrived uninvited, and our Mountain Master chose not to hold you accountable for your discourtesy, already answering your question. Why must you aggressively press the matter further?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan completely ignored his attitude and stated indifferently, "Since you haven't seen it, this deity intends to take his people and search the place. What do you say?"

Lu Qian's expression grew even uglier as he retorted, "What do you take this place for?"

To barge in and search as they pleased—did they treat everyone here like dead men?

Xuanyuan Tunhan simply stared at Sovereign Qingxu. "If you refuse, we shall fight. This deity is determined to stay and search."

None of them could gauge the Mountain Master's cultivation level, nor could they tell who would win if the two of them fought.

However, all the guards in the grand hall sneered as they looked over, as if the Arch-fiend had just told some hilarious joke.

Sovereign Qingxu gazed coldly in their direction, a frigid pressure slowly emanating from his entire body and surging toward the group.

Having witnessed this routine before, Ning Xianyu immediately hid behind the Arch-fiend.

As for Yitian Ling, he proved worthy of being the male lead and a true man by pulling his girlfriend forward to weather the onslaught together.

Xiahou Fang, possessing no shame whatsoever, scrambled to hide behind Ning Xianyu.

With a mere wave of Xuanyuan Tunhan's hand, Sovereign Qingxu's newly gathering aura was instantly shattered, sending all the guards in the grand hall tumbling about in disarray as they crashed to the floor.

This display thoroughly embarrassed Sovereign Qingxu.

However, possessing a thick skin, he swiftly adjusted his mindset and laughed heartily, saying, "I never expected talent like yours to emerge from the Six Realms of Cloud Desolation. The Continent of Cloud Desolation is truly fortunate."

He declared that, in the name of their shared ancestral origins, he would permit them to search the premises for a single day, after which they must depart without fail.

Xuanyuan Tunhan replied bluntly, "When this deity says a few days, it means a few days. Whether we find it or not, this deity will not pester you further, nor will I seize your mountain."

As for this mountain, he didn't think much of it anyway.

Even someone as hypocritical as Sovereign Qingxu could no longer hold his composure at this moment.

"You push people too far! Do you take Mount Qingxu for a place with no defenders?"

With that, he raised his hand, intending to order the guards to block their path.

However, at that very moment, Lu Qian—who had guided them in—approached and exchanged a covert glance. Though it was unclear what information the two of them communicated, Sovereign Qingxu abruptly changed his mind.

"Very well, search if you must. But if you dare disrupt the peace of my mountain, all the people of my mountain will certainly refuse to let you go."