Somewhere in the Forbidden Barren Wasteland.
Chu Kuangren strolled around the mountain paths. With his Treasure Locating Skills activated, he would immediately grab any treasures he detected in the vicinity.
Be it the Forbidden Barren Wasteland or the Enchanted Forest Realm, these were prime locations for Chu Kuangren to unearth some treasures.
Suddenly, his communication compass began to vibrate.
As Chu Kuangren flipped his compass open, a mischievous grin was etched on his face. "It looks like the Sword Daoist isn't so dumb. He has noticed Jian Changfeng's peculiar behavior."
Chu Kuangren did not find the revelation surprising.
Never mind Jian Changfeng, he would not feel a pinch even if Swordsman Mei was exposed.
They were Sword Tribe members after all. The Sword Tribe had lost them the moment these members betrayed their orthodoxy.
To Chu Kuangren, they were just minor characters in a game he was playing.
"Sword Daoist, I shall count on you to find me the Sword Emperor's Opportunity of Fortune."
Chu Kuangren chuckled lightly.
…
In another location.
The Sword Daoist led a group of Sword Tribe members before a mountain range.
"At the end of this trail lies the resting place of Sword Emperor Qingxuan. Legend has it that the Sword Emperor passed during meditation and could not live a second life. However, the Water and Fire Sword Emblems rest in his hands. Once I'm able to refine them, my Four Mystical Sword Dao shall be perfected."
The Sword Daoist said in excitement.
The Four Mystical Sword Dao was the Dao he had chosen to embark on. It was a path that he had discovered from an ancient inheritance.
The Sword Daoist had learned from an ancient archive that the Sword Emblem of Four Mystical Elements was once a singular item that contained the power of four distinct forms of Sword Dao. However, the item was broken into four pieces during one of the great wars in the archaic period. He had managed to inherit the part that contained the Wind Sword Emblem.
After years of searching, he even managed to find the Earth Sword Emblem. As such, the Sword Daoist had isolated himself behind closed doors a while back just to refine the sword emblem.
The remaining Water Sword Emblem and Fire Sword Emblem were said to rest within the possessions of Sword Emperor Qingxuan.
This was why the Sword Daoist was obsessed with getting the Divine Emerald Lamp as it was crucial in locating Sword Emperor Qingxuan.
Jian Changfeng was taking notes of the Sword Daoist's remarks.
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As the party marched forward, Jian Changfeng positioned himself at the back and informed Chu Kuangren about the whereabouts of Sword Emperor Qingxuan.
Nevertheless, it did not take long for Jian Changfeng to notice that something was off.
The group did not stop at the end of the mountain range but instead continued marching into the distance.
Contrary to what the Sword Daoist suggested, Sword Emperor Qingxuan was not in the mountain range.
Jian Changfeng wanted to report his findings to Chu Kuangren but could not find a chance to do so because Swordsman Yin had his eyes on him.
This made Jian Changfeng feel anxious and helpless.
He knew that the Sword Daoist had caught on to him.
In fact, he had fallen into a trap. The Sword Daoist had used him to pass false intel to Chu Kuangren.
Swordsman Yin was keeping a close watch on Jian Changfeng throughout the journey. It did not take long before the group arrived before a creepy forest that was engulfed in a thick cloud of black fog.
The black fog was a form of seal that covered the entire area.
It was not a natural seal that existed in the Forbidden Barren Wasteland. Rather, this seal was conjured by a cultivator.
"I've found it! The true location of Sword Emperor Qingxuan!"
"Master Daoist, this black fog looks strange."
Swordsman Mei frowned as she stared into the black fog.
"Let that traitor test the waters."
The Sword Daoist uttered calmly. Of course, the traitor he referred to was Jian Changfeng.
Soon, Jian Changfeng was dragged to the front by Swordsman Yin.
"I'm curious. How much did Chu Kuangren offer for you to betray the Sword Tribe so willingly?"
Sword Daoist said coldly.
Just like that, Jian Changfeng's betrayal was made known to the entire party, and the cultivators gasped in shock.
Jian Changfeng merely smiled and said, "Sword Daoist, you're no match for my master."
"Master?!"
The Sword Daoist's face sunk. "Did you call him your master?!"
Acknowledging Chu Kuangren as a master was a far more worrying issue for the Sword Tribe compared to merely being bribed by him.
Jian Changfeng was a remarkable sky-pride of the Sword Tribe. Imagine the cost to the Sword Tribe's reputation if word spread that Jian Changfeng had called Chu Kuangren, the enemy of his tribe, his master!
"Dump him into the fog!"
With the Sword Daoist's command, Swordsman Yin landed a tight slap on Jian Changfeng's body and pushed him into the fog.
The sudden arrival of an outsider provoked a reaction within the fog.
The fog swirled in response as it somewhat sentiently formed into rays of dark sword qi that swopped towards Jian Changfeng.
The precise sword qi dashed and rained over Jian Changfeng.
Although Jian Changfeng was a decent cultivator, he still succumbed quickly after being surrounded by the sword qi.
With a loud tear, the sword qi severed Jian Changfeng's limbs.
It did not take long for Jian Changfeng to be sliced apart by the sword qi and perish immediately.
Meanwhile, the Sword Daoist was indifferent to it.
There was nothing to grief about the death of a traitor.
However, the black fog before him did present a tricky situation to maneuver around.
"These sword qi are too powerful. It won't be easy to infiltrate the fog."
The Sword Daoist frowned. Then, he looked at the Divine Emerald Lamp in his hand and thought of something.
With the activation of his spiritual power, the lamp emitted a faint glow.
Wherever there was light, the black fog would avoid.
"I knew it. The Divine Emerald Lamp is key in separating ourselves from the black fog."
The Sword Daoist said in excitement and carried the Divine Emerald Lamp as he slowly scaled his steps into the black fog. With each step the Sword Daoist took, the black fog would separate itself into two sides.
The remaining Sword Tribe members followed closely behind.
All that was left at the spot was Jian Changfeng's body.
However, after a while, a wooden figurine with the size of a palm emerged from his body.
"Thank the heavens I've managed to acquire a Soul Transference Technique before this. If I hadn't transferred my soul into this figurine, I'd truly be a dead corpse."
Jian Changfeng, now a figurine, uttered gravely.
However, the black fog soon twirled again and was about to close in on Jian Changfeng.
"Are you kidding me? I'm already a figurine. Why is the black fog sword qi still trying to kill me?!"
Figurine Jian Changfeng was petrified.
If this figurine was shattered, it would truly mark the end of him.
The sword qi swarmed towards Jian Changfeng.
Since his body was destroyed, the figurine possessed virtually zero combat strength. There was no way Jian Changfeng could defend himself.
Just before the sword qi could shatter the wooden figurine, a new surge of sword qi dashed through from the horizon and formed a protective barrier around Jian Changfeng that destroyed the fog sword qi.
"I recognize this sword qi. Master's here!"
Jian Changfeng rejoiced and looked into the distance.
Chu Kuangren glided across the air and landed just before Jian Changfeng. Chu Kuangren teased cheekily, "How did you become a garage kit figure?"
A garage kit figure?
What was that?!
Jian Changfeng had never heard of that phrase before.
However, he did not give too much thought to it and knelt on the ground. "Greetings, Master. Unfortunately, my identity has been exposed."
Jian Changfeng narrated the entire incident.
"Hmm, alright."
Chu Kuangren did not find Jian Changfeng's story surprising.
Ironically, this surprised Jian Changfeng.
After all, Jian Changfeng had given him the wrong intel. How did Chu Kuangren manage to find his way here?
Could it be…
Jiang Changfeng somehow managed to connect the dots and exclaimed, "Master, do you have another spy within the Sword Tribe?!"
"Yep." Chu Kuangren nodded.