The Confucian and Taoist Sages of Mortal Cultivation

Ten days later, at dusk, in Jiang Kingdom, at Wulong Mountain.

Wulong Mountain is not very high, only a little over a hundred feet high, and the sect's market is located at its foot.

The mountainside and summit are where the Wulong Sect's gates are located, shrouded in mountain mist formed by the sect's protective formation year-round.

A golden flying boat descended from the sky and landed near the market at the foot of the mountain.

Lei family father and son, Yang Qingyuan, Nie Ying and their group of four stepped off the flying boat and looked out at the misty mountain peaks in front of them.

"The market town of the Wulong Sect is just ahead," the young master of the Lei family said, putting away the Golden Light Boat. "Let's go into the market town and take a look."

"If there are no clues, take Grandpa Wanhe's token to the Wulong Sect's mountain gate and ask to see Master Wulong."

Upon hearing this, Yang Qingyuan glanced at the market of the Wulong Sect from afar.

This market town is not large in scale and cannot be compared with the markets of Huangfeng Valley and Tianxing Sect. The entire market town consists of only one street and dozens of pavilions.

Yang Qingyuan frowned slightly and said, "There might be a formation in this market. It would be impulsive for us to just go in like this."

The young master of the Lei family, however, didn't take it seriously and mocked, "You're such a coward! If you're scared, you can always go back to Yue Kingdom alone."

Seeing this, Nie Ying pondered and said, "It's best to be careful, after all, the caravan and the clansmen in charge of the investigation both disappeared nearby."

The head of the Lei family, being of advanced age, was still quite composed and said, "Let's wait a bit."

"This market is where businesses open for business."

"There must be cultivators from the Jiang Kingdom entering and leaving the market. As long as they can go in and come out, it means that it is safe inside."

Upon hearing this, the young master of the Lei family was dissatisfied, but seeing that his father had also said so, he could only remain silent.

The four of them stood outside the market and watched for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

During this time, several streaks of light entered and exited the market, including Qi Refining stage cultivators and Foundation Establishment stage cultivators; everything was normal.

"Is this alright now?" Lei Hong, the young master of the Lei family, said to Yang Qingyuan with some impatience, "Since cultivators from the Jiang Kingdom can go in, then I, the young patriarch, can go in too."

After saying that, he strode ahead and headed towards the market.

"Junior Brother Yang, perhaps you are overthinking it," Nie Ying said softly. "Although the Wulong Sect is only a Core Formation sect, it is a well-known force in Jiang Kingdom. No one would dare to make a move in the market."

"Let's go in and find out more."

Upon hearing this, Yang Qingyuan put aside his concerns and followed Nie Ying and the head of the Lei family to the market.

As soon as the group arrived at the entrance of the market, they saw two guards at the street entrance.

Both market guards were at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, with blond hair, gray eyes, and dark green fingernails.

Upon seeing this, Yang Qingyuan couldn't help but take a few more glances.

"Junior Brother Yang, don't worry too much," Nie Ying explained. "The people of Jiang do look different from the people of Yue."

Although this was Yang Qingyuan's first time visiting the Jiang Kingdom, he had previously read about the customs and culture of the Jiang Kingdom in ancient books, so he was not surprised by the appearance of these people.

What truly puzzled him was that as soon as he approached the two guards, Yang Qingyuan sensed a change in the righteous energy within his body.

The last time I encountered this situation was when I met that ghost cultivator Wu Sangchong at the Yingchoujian Tomb.

Just then, Lei Hong, the young patriarch of the Lei family, stepped forward, took out a portrait from his storage bag, and asked the two guards, "Hey, you two, have you ever seen the person in this painting?"

"The person in this painting visited Wulongshan Market about three months ago."

On the drawing paper was a lifelike portrait of a woman, who was none other than the Foundation Establishment stage leader of the Lei family caravan.

When the two Qi Refining stage guards saw Lei Hong, a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, asking them a question, they acted indifferent and coldly replied, "We don't know. Three months ago, it wasn't just the two of us brothers guarding here."

"You should ask someone else."

When Lei Hong saw that a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator dared to speak to him like that, his face turned ugly, and he rebuked, "Have you all eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard? How dare you speak to me in such a tone?"

The two market guards seemed completely unconcerned, which made Yang Qingyuan increasingly suspicious.

"Fellow Daoists, please don't be angry. It was my negligence."

Just then, a young man dressed in a green robe came out from inside the market to greet them.

The young man appeared to be in his early twenties, with gray eyes and blond hair, a handsome face, fair skin and red lips, his hair tied up with a crown, wearing a green robe, and his fingernails were a ghastly green. His seemingly gentle expression revealed a hint of solemnity and majesty, and the aura emanating from him was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, even higher than Yang Qingyuan's.

Upon seeing this person, Yang Qingyuan sensed the restlessness within his body and his inner alarm bells rang, realizing that the demonic art cultivated by this green-robed youth was no ordinary matter.

"Huh?" The green-robed youth seemed to have also sensed the aura of righteousness. He looked at Yang Qingyuan with eyes full of fear and disgust.

"May I ask who this fellow Daoist is?" Upon seeing that the green-robed youth was at the same mid-Foundation Establishment stage as himself, the Lei family patriarch dared not be presumptuous and hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting, inquiring about the other party's background.

"My name is Wang Ping." The green-robed youth snapped out of his daze, smiled casually, and introduced himself, "I am a Foundation Establishment deacon of the Wulong Sect, and I happen to be working in the market."

"These two guards are my disciples. I have spoiled them. Please don't mind, fellow Daoists."

"So it's Fellow Daoist Wang Ping." Upon hearing this, the head of the Lei family introduced himself, "I am Lei Renjie, the head of the Lei family of Yangtianling in Yue Kingdom."

"This is my son Lei Hong, and these two fellow Daoists are Yang Qingyuan and Nie Ying, disciples of Huangfeng Valley, one of the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom."

"The four of us have come to your esteemed sect to search for a missing caravan."

"They passed through Wulong Mountain about three months ago. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Wang has seen them?"

"Oh?" Upon hearing the words "Yellow Maple Valley," Wang Ping's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He asked in surprise, "I have long heard of the great name of Yellow Maple Valley in Yue Kingdom."

"Unfortunately, Wang had only started working at the market a month ago."

"As for whether the person in the painting has been to the market, we'll have to go up the mountain tomorrow and ask the senior brother on duty at the time."

"It's getting late. Why don't you all rest for the night at the inn in the market?"

"When it's light tomorrow, I, Wang, will take you up the mountain to find the senior brother on duty and ask him in detail."

After pondering for a moment, the head of the Lei family nodded in agreement.

Lei Hong and Nie Ying had no objections.

Yang Qingyuan rolled his eyes and said, "I'm used to living a quiet life in the mountains. This market is too bustling, and I'm not used to it."

"Yang will stay overnight near the mountains and will meet up with the Lei family head at dawn tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Lei Hong sneered and said, "We're already at the entrance of the Wulong Sect, why are you still acting like you're on edge?"

"Isn't that a huge coward?"

Wang Ping looked at Yang Qingyuan with a meaningful gaze and said, "It's alright."

"This Fellow Daoist Yang is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, qualified to open a cave dwelling near the Wulong Mountains."

"We'll meet up tomorrow."

Seeing that the other party agreed so easily, Yang Qingyuan lowered his guard considerably.

Lei and his son, along with Nie Ying, followed Wang Ping to an inn in the market for a temporary rest.

Yang Qingyuan then left alone, carved out a cave in the nearby mountains, and then took out the array flags and array plate of the Inverted Five Elements Array to set it up, only then did he feel a little at ease.

Nothing happened that night, and nothing unusual occurred.

The next day at daybreak, Yang Qingyuan left his cave to find Lei and his son and reunite with Nie Ying...