Chapter 71

How come Lin Shenzong has a portrait of Gu Liang?

After hearing the conversation between Zhou Qingzi and the sect leader through the monitor, this question flooded everyone's mind.

Gu Liangyi clutched the quilt tightly beneath him, and his face turned visibly pale.

Yi Yan, who had been paying attention to his situation, immediately noticed that something was wrong with him. After a brief thought, he understood why Gu Liangyi was in this situation.

As an orphan, Gu Liangyi grew up in an orphanage. Because of his special experience, he lacked a sense of security, so he subconsciously sought recognition from the outside world. Since the mutation, it was Mo Da and the command center who gave him the greatest support, which gradually changed his people-pleasing personality.

But if someone suddenly told him at this time that he was not a human being at all, let alone a person on Earth, even Gu Liangyi himself would probably not be able to accept this fact.

"Don't think too much." Yi Yan stretched out his hand and covered his five fingers that had turned white due to excessive force. He looked into Gu Liangyi's eyes and said softly, "A similar portrait doesn't mean anything. It may just be a coincidence."

"Besides, I know exactly what kind of person you are. And so do the other students."

Perhaps it was Yi Yan's confident tone that gave Gu Liang strength. After a few deep breaths, the black-haired young man's complexion gradually returned to normal.

He lowered his eyes, and when his gaze fell on Yi Yan's and his own clasped hands, his eyelashes trembled slightly, but he did not withdraw his hand. He just pressed the earphone and continued to listen to the conversation coming from the monitor.

"Call that Gu Liang... here alone."

The leader of the Linshen Sect ordered in a hoarse voice. The second elder did not doubt him and agreed immediately: "Okay, I will ask my disciples to pass on the message right away."

But perhaps it was his disciple Zhou Ming's experience that made Zhou Qingzi more cautious. He hesitated for a moment, but still asked: "Master, have you finished your retreat now? This is clearly a critical period, why did you suddenly end your retreat to meet a junior?"

He was obviously asking this question on behalf of Gu Liangyi.

But the clan leader did not give a direct answer, but said ambiguously: "You call him, don't worry about anything else."

It was obvious that he had bad intentions when he said this. The moment he finished speaking, Yi Yan immediately stood up and loaded the gun he was carrying with a click.

Almost at the same time, their door was pushed open from the outside, and all the members of the special task force who came this time were already standing at the door ready to go.

Across a room, Jin Xuan and Yi Yan, who were in the lead, exchanged glances silently.

They were all waiting for Yi Yan to give orders.

"Go find Principal Zong first." Yi Yan said coldly.

They haven't yet fallen out with Lin Shenzong, but this situation is basically the same.

"You, do you think we should go?" Gu Liangyi asked in his mind as he walked.

"You want to go, right?" Gu Liangyou could sense the main personality's desire to know about his own life experience. "That's normal. I'm also very curious about that portrait."

Gu Liangyi said nothing.

Because in addition to desire, he was also afraid of the unknown truth.

The moment it comes to light, his world will most likely be turned upside down once again, and he is afraid that everything he has worked so hard to obtain might be taken away from him again.

But when everyone looked at him, Gu Liangyi blurted out:

"I want to meet the leader."

"No!" Zong Qinyuan was the first to object. "It's too dangerous. Who knows what the sect leader is planning? He specifically asked to meet alone. He must have evil intentions!"

From Yi Yan's eyes, Gu Liangyi could also tell that he did not agree with his idea, but Yi Yan did not speak out at the first time. Instead, he looked at him quietly and listened to him explain the reasons why he wanted to do so.

Gu Liangyi's mood suddenly became calm.

He gave a short laugh and explained to Zong Qinyuan, who was worried, "Principal Zong, I understand your concerns. But first of all, I am confident that I can protect myself. Do you remember the confrontation between Zhou Qingzi and I at school before?"

Seeing Zong Qinyuan nod, he continued, "I can say with certainty that I am stronger than Zhou Qingzi, who is at the Spiritualization Stage. Currently, the highest-level cultivator in the Linshen Sect is the Sect Master who is at the Tribulation Stage. Although I have never met him, according to Zhou Qingzi, that Sect Master is currently going through the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, and is at his weakest. Therefore, even if he is at the Tribulation Stage, I may not be much weaker than him."

"There is one more thing I hope everyone can understand... I want to find out who the person in the portrait is more than anyone else."

Gu Liangyi clenched his fist and said.

He rarely reveals his true feelings in front of so many people, so his expression seemed a little awkward, but he still mustered up the courage to say:

"That person's identity is likely related to the truth behind the desert crossing. The similarities between the two worlds may also help us find the answer. I am a representative of Earth's civilization, but until now, the headquarters has not been able to find out who my parents are. I have been an orphan since I was a child. Over the years, I have long been accustomed to living alone, but if possible, I still..."

He spoke haltingly, but under Zong Qinyuan's gaze, his voice became lower and lower.

"I'm sorry, Principal Zong," Gu Liangyi's mind gradually calmed down. He felt a little guilty about his selfish thoughts, "I was willful."

Jin Xuan couldn't bear to see him like this, so she turned to Zong Qinyuan and said, "Principal Zong, we brought a lot of equipment this time. Even if we really have a conflict with the Lin Shen Sect, we may not be powerless to fight, right? Otherwise, we should listen to Gu Liang this time--"

"This is not Moda," Yi Yan interrupted her, "You think too simply."

Hearing his words, Gu Liangyi pursed his lips.

As expected, even Yi Yan doesn't support me...

"Principal Zong, I have a suggestion."

But after rejecting Jin Xuan's argument, Yi Yan took the initiative to say to Zong Qinyuan: "Principal Zong, they will send someone here soon. If we don't agree, there will be a conflict, which will be difficult to resolve. But if we agree, we can't guarantee Gu Liang's safety, because judging from the noise from the monitor, the place where the sect leader is in seclusion is most likely a closed environment like a cave, which is not conducive to the follow-up support of the special action team."

Zong Qinyuan: "What do you think?"

"If we still want to obtain information about the portrait, it is best not to completely break up with Lin Shenzong," Yi Yan analyzed calmly, "My idea is that the two sides can meet, but it must be in an open area, and other people must be on standby nearby at all times."

Time was running out and there was no time to discuss the decision with the headquarters. Zong Qinyuan thought for a moment and nodded.

"Let's do it this way."

When leaving, Gu Liangyi whispered a thank you to Yi Yan.

If it weren't for Yi Yan's words, perhaps he wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet with the leader of the Linshen Sect today.

"Be careful," Yi Yan said to him, "If you find something wrong, evacuate immediately, understand?"

When Gu Liang saw him turn around and go back to the house to pick up the sniper rifle backpack, he hesitated and said, "I know. But if that clan leader is the representative of civilization..."

"You decide the timing, I'm only responsible for pulling the trigger." Yi Yan said without looking up as he assembled the gun, "But don't worry, I'll take responsibility for all the consequences."

Gu Liang looked at the calm expression on his profile and couldn't help but curl his lips.

"good."

Next, they argued with the sword cultivator who was sent to deliver the message several times. As Yi Yan had imagined, the leader of the Linshen Sect insisted that the two sides meet alone, and no one within a radius of 300 meters could be present to listen, but he readily agreed to meet with Gu Liang in the open space of Danfeng.

During this process, the Mo Da team's vigilance reached its peak.

"What do you mean by 'I hope that young friend is prepared'?" Jin Xuan stepped forward and questioned the swordsman aggressively, "Tell me, what preparations are you making? We are here as guests, but on the first day you left us here for half a day and even asked us to meet your sect leader alone. Tell me, is there something fishy going on?"

The sword cultivator blushed at the question. He had already run back and forth several times and was quite confused about the sect master's vague request. However, as a disciple of the Linshen Sect, he also followed orders, so he could only bite the bullet and answer: "I am really sorry, it is our poor hospitality... The second elder said that we will treat you well tonight."

"Where is your great elder?" Zong Qinyuan asked pointedly, "Didn't they say that during the period when the sect master is in seclusion, the great elder will be in charge of the sect?"

"The Great Elder...he..."

The swordsman hesitated for a long time before squeezing out a sentence: "He is not feeling well and is resting in bed."

"Oh, really?" Zong Qinyuan chuckled with an ambiguous tone, "Why are you feeling unwell?"

“…I really don’t know.”

The swordsman looked like he was about to cry, and seeing this, Mo Da and his men reluctantly let him go.

On the other hand, Zhou Qingzi also expressed doubts about the sect leader's unusual insistence on meeting Gu Liangyi.

"The Sect Master seems to be in good spirits today?" When pushing the Sect Master out of the cave in a wheelchair, Zhou Qingzi still felt something was wrong. He asked tentatively, "Is the thunder tribulation coming soon?"

"Yes," Lin Zhang, who usually had difficulty speaking a complete sentence, now looked particularly energetic, with a strange smile on his wrinkled and old face, "My fate has come."

"Soon, everything will be over."

The second elder was still happy for the sect master: "It seems that our Lin Shen Sect will soon have another great master who will ascend to heaven."

wrong!

Zhou Qingzi looked at the sect master's appearance and suddenly felt a chill all over his body.

"What's wrong, Elder Zhou?" After the wheelchair stopped, Lin Zhang turned his head and looked at him, still with a smile on his face that was too bright for a calm old man who had practiced hard for many years. "Aren't you happy for me?"

"…Of course I am happy."

Zhou Qingzi swallowed his saliva. He had just discovered something horrifying - when the sect leader spoke, his mouth shape and voice did not match. But because he was too old, if you didn't look closely, you couldn't tell that his mouth was moving.

The sound came from the sect leader's belly!

"What's wrong, Third Elder?" The Second Elder looked at Zhou Qingzi strangely as he stood there. He looked pale and shaky. He couldn't help but worry, "You are not out of Qingxin Pills, are you going to get some more from me?"

"No need," Zhou Qingzi calmed himself down and said to the sect master as if nothing had happened, "I just remembered that my disciple has something else to do, sect master, I will take my leave first."

Lin Zhang looked at him steadily for a few seconds.

Zhou Qingzi's entire body tensed up. After what seemed like a century had passed, he finally heard a reply that sounded like a sigh:

"Go ahead, two brothers."

This time, it was Lin Zhang who spoke to him with his mouth.

Looking at the sect leader's cloudy eyes and tired and old appearance, Zhou Qingzi suddenly felt like crying for some reason.

He suppressed this ominous premonition, and after pushing the wheelchair to the open space, he took a last deep look at his junior brother who had been with him for a hundred years, then turned around and forcefully pulled the confused Second Elder away on his sword.

He wanted to find someone from Mo Da and Gu Liangyi.

Zhou Qingzi knew the master's character very well. He knew that his junior fellow apprentice was trying his best to hint them to leave. Combining what he said before and the portrait of unknown origin, perhaps the breakthrough point lies in that young friend Gu Liang.

Now, he is the only one who has the chance to save the sect master!