Chapter 2250 — The Grand Protector's Sect

Sun Jingyan instinctively quickened her pace and ran over. "Wei Zhao..."

"Jingyi, you're here?" Wei Zhao nodded to her. "It's all right now. We're both hurt, but I can heal us!"

"Good!" Sun Jingyan breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to ask where that Grand Protector had gone, but on second thought decided it was better not to disturb Wei Zhao just now. He was concentrating on healing, after all, so she sat down nearby and waited quietly.

Once Wei Zhao had repaired the Heaven-Rank Madman's internal organs and major bones, he let out a breath of relief. There was no longer any problem; at the very least, the Heaven-Rank Madman would not die. He had clawed back a life!

Wei Zhao then began dividing his true qi, sending part of it to heal his own injuries and another part into the Heaven-Rank Madman, so that his own recovery would not be delayed—only somewhat slower. But Wei Zhao was in no hurry. The Grand Protector was dead, and there was nothing left to worry about... Inside a majestic hall, an old man in a robe embroidered with the Eight Trigrams, who had been sitting in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes and said mildly, "Did I not say it plainly? While I am contemplating the heavenly way, do not disturb me."

"Master, something terrible has happened. Old Thirteen's soul jade tablet has shattered..." The newcomer also wore an Eight Trigrams robe, his face tense with grief.

"What? Little Thirteen's soul jade tablet has shattered?" A piercing, soul-seizing light flashed in the old man's eyes, so fierce that the newcomer did not dare meet his gaze.

"Yes... I was on duty today when a disciple who cleans the Jade Tablet Hall came to report that just moments ago, Old Thirteen's soul jade tablet shattered..." the newcomer said cautiously.

"Little Thirteen... how could he meet with disaster in that place? With his skill, he could hold his own even against a mid-Heaven-Rank expert. Unless..." The old man in the Eight Trigrams robe rose abruptly to his feet and said to the newcomer, "Send Little Twelve to Ruileida Town at once... No, have Little Six go as well, to investigate what happened. If there is an enemy, let Little Six deal with them personally. Tell him not to be reckless! And have Little Twelve go protect Tagan Long!"

"Yes, Master!" Though the newcomer was the old man's eldest disciple, before his master he was cautious and dared not show the slightest disobedience. He might already be an expert at the very peak of late Heaven-Rank, yet in this master's presence he still felt utterly suppressed.

They were both experts at the peak of late Heaven-Rank, but there were still gaps in their strength. Some had only just set foot on that path; others were infinitely close to that legendary heavenly way...

Little Six was likewise an expert at the peak of late Heaven-Rank, and one of the old man's disciples.

The old man in the Eight Trigrams robe had thirteen disciples. The former Grand Protector was the one he called Little Thirteen.

Even the youngest disciple already possessed early Heaven-Rank strength. The old man had meant to send him out to temper himself, never expecting that calamity would strike instead!

Little Six was Little Thirteen's own elder brother, so sending him to avenge his younger brother was only natural. Little Twelve, meanwhile, would take over Little Thirteen's former post as Grand Protector and become the Grand Protector of the Tagan family.

"Tell Little Six to be careful and not let hatred cloud his judgment..." Though the pain in the old man's heart was immense, his strength was such that joy and anger had long since ceased to show on his face. "If my guess is right, this has something to do with the remnants of that sect from years ago..."

"Yes, Master. I will instruct Old Six," the eldest disciple said with a respectful cupped-hand salute.

"Go." The old man in the Eight Trigrams robe waved his hand, dismissing his eldest disciple... Then he gave a faint sigh. Whether he himself could set foot in that realm in this life, whether the sect could return to that level—it all depended on the great undertaking to come...

This matter could not be allowed to fail, even at the cost of several disciples' lives...

At least Tagan Long was safe. Otherwise, he did not know how much his heart would have ached... At last, Wei Zhao finished healing both himself and the Heaven-Rank Madman, and his own true qi had been replenished as well. What remained now was to restore the Thunder Pig's strength.

Wei Zhao gathered the Thunder Pig into his arms, circulated his internal cultivation method, and without pausing for rest set about restoring its power.

The Thunder Pig was, in effect, his mobile life-saving treasure; it had to be kept brimming with true qi at all times.

"Li'er, I never imagined you were this formidable!" Once healed, the Heaven-Rank Madman went in person to the edge of the great crater to inspect the Grand Protector's fate. Seeing that the man had been blasted beyond all semblance of a human being, he was astonished beyond measure. "Li'er, that move of yours was tremendous—and how is it you can heal people, just like Yue'er?"

Wei Zhao had not yet had a chance to think carefully about what the Heaven-Rank Madman had said, but now that he did, Uncle Qing's original name was Fu Li—was that not Li'er? And Granny Sun's name was Sun Luoyue—was that not Yue'er?

Combined with what he had surmised earlier, Wei Zhao could now be certain that the Heaven-Rank Madman was Uncle Qing's master.

At the thought, Wei Zhao could not help a wry smile. He and Uncle Qing were both disciples of the Heaven-Rank Madman—did that not throw the generational hierarchy into utter confusion?

But the Heaven-Rank Madman's mind was not entirely clear at present, so let it be confused. So long as he himself understood, that was enough.

"Yes, Master, I have learned quite a lot," Wei Zhao said. "But how is it that you happened to appear here?"

"I gave you the map before... After that, I don't remember. Then I lost track of you. I figured that with the map in hand, you would surely piece it together and come back searching for that precious treasure, so I returned to the Wulonghaote Mountains to wait for you!" the Heaven-Rank Madman said. "Who would have guessed the enemy still would not give up? They actually posted men to guard this place. Thank goodness master and disciple worked in such harmony—we finished off the old villain!"

"Yes... but that precious treasure..." Wei Zhao was about to ask what exactly the treasure was and what use it had, but the Heaven-Rank Madman cut him off.

"Shh... don't mention that treasure again. When you go back, cultivate diligently and strive to break through as soon as you can! Your master still has a more important task to carry out. I mean to steal the enemy's cultivation method, and I have already made some headway..." the Heaven-Rank Madman went on, speaking to himself. "But your master is tired now and needs a little sleep. You and Yue'er come back to the cave with me!"

With that, the Heaven-Rank Madman took the lead and set off toward the cave. (To be continued) RQ

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