The reason for not using flying artifacts upon arrival was primarily to conceal their tracks.
After all, Fengming County had been occupied by rebels, and flying openly in the air with artifacts felt rather like parading oneself in broad daylight.
Once their whereabouts were discovered, they might well attract cultivators from the Wangsheng Tower, and by then, not only would they be unable to find Zhao Yuansong and the others, but they would also find themselves in a situation of being hunted.
During this process, one could not predict what level of cultivators might appear. For safety's sake, it was better to be low-key and cautious.
Now that they had found several people, their concerns were somewhat lessened. Even if they were discovered, they could simply escape at the fastest speed.
Thus, after several days, relying on the speed of their flying artifacts, Ji Yuan and his party smoothly arrived at a remote small town in the central region of Fengming County.
However, Xue Yang, who had already received the message, along with the other eight inner disciples, had not arrived at the town in a timely manner.
Logically, it should not have taken more than two or three days for them to travel from their original location to this place.
"Could they have encountered some trouble?"
Zhao Yuansong asked thoughtfully.
After all, this was rebel territory, and encountering unexpected events was not entirely out of the question.
"You all wait here. I will go and check the surrounding situation."
Ji Yuan pondered for a moment and then spoke.
He left the few of them in the agreed-upon inn and then left the town alone, searching the vicinity.
Although they possessed a special artifact that allowed for communication between parties, such items were, after all, single-use and could not be used again once depleted.
Therefore, Ji Yuan could no longer send messages to Xue Yang and the others. He could only resort to the most rudimentary method, exploring the area around the town.
Fortunately, his luck was quite good. In just over half a day, he learned of Xue Yang and the others' whereabouts from a merchant caravan.
"They really did run into trouble!"
Ji Yuan's eyes flickered, a trace of coldness flashing through them.
According to the caravan, a group of cultivators had been engaged in a fierce battle about a hundred miles away a couple of days prior, but for some unknown reason, they had all stopped fighting and did not continue.
The caravan happened to pass by and had personally witnessed the cultivators, who were initially fighting each other, eventually head towards a distant cultivation sect together.
Based on the description of the fight from the caravan members, the techniques and methods employed by one of the parties bore a striking resemblance to the traditions of the Jiu Xuan Sect.
"Let's go and take a look first."
Ji Yuan quickly made his decision and rushed towards the cultivation sect over a hundred miles away at the fastest possible speed.
According to the caravan, this sect had been in existence for over two hundred years and possessed some capabilities. After aligning themselves with the rebels, they had rapidly expanded.
Currently, the sect had as many as twelve or thirteen cultivators at the second realm, and one expert at the early stage of the third realm was stationed there.
The disciples under their tutelage had developed rapidly in recent years, growing from the original dozens to no less than one hundred and seventy or eighty individuals.
Such a force, no matter where it was placed, could be considered extremely formidable.
Upon arriving outside the sect, Ji Yuan immediately noticed its extraordinary nature. The mountain-protecting array it employed, as well as the abundant spiritual energy contained within the mountain gate, were not consistent with the specifications that a sect with only two to three hundred years of history could possess.
If his guess was correct, the sect that originally resided here was at least a major sect with six to seven hundred years of history.
Clearly, the original masters of this place had either been annihilated by the Wangsheng Tower and the rebels, or they had migrated elsewhere. The sect currently occupying it was merely a case of "the magpie occupying the dove's nest."
Ji Yuan cast a spell, concealing his presence, and moved rapidly through the void, arriving at the edge of the sect's mountain-protecting array.
From his Purple Palace in the center of his forehead, he summoned his Natal Flying Sword. With its divine ability, it silently and noiselessly passed through the array.
This white jade flying sword was likely not renowned for its sharpness. Its greatest strengths lay in its ability to traverse the void and break through arrays and restrictions.
As soon as he infiltrated the sect, Ji Yuan silently made his way to a residential area for disciples and then stealthily entered a room.
At that moment, a young man was sitting cross-legged inside, cultivating. He had no inkling of the figure who had suddenly appeared before him.
Ji Yuan wasted no time and directly pointed a finger, landing it on the young man's forehead.
The next moment, powerful divine sense flowed into the young man's unawakened Sea of Consciousness through his fingertip, and then enveloped his soul.
Using the power of illusion, he quickly began to scan the young man's memories, and within a short period, he found the information he desired.
After he withdrew his divine sense, the young man before him remained completely unaware, continuing his meditation and breathing exercises.
Ji Yuan, however, quietly departed, employing an illusionary technique and heading directly towards the core area of the sect.
From the memories of the young man, he learned that a few days prior, the sect's elders had indeed brought back several external cultivators and had hosted a grand banquet for them.
However, in the past few days, he had not seen those visiting cultivators leave, nor had he heard any news about them.
"The numbers and appearances match."
As he walked through the sect, Ji Yuan muttered to himself.
The cultivators who had been treated to a banquet a few days ago perfectly matched the number of Xue Yang and the nine inner disciples, as well as the young boy he had captured some time ago.
As for whether it was indeed them, there was little doubt left.
Upon reaching the sect's core area, which was a rather substantial mountain peak, Ji Yuan immediately applied several more spells to himself.
Then, he quietly released his divine sense, operating his powerful spiritual perception to its utmost, observing the surrounding arrays and restrictions.
Finally, he used his Natal Flying Sword to create silent openings in the array on this mountain peak.
Without alerting anyone, Ji Yuan quietly ascended the main peak of the sect, leaving no trace of his passage.
He found an opportunity and, using illusion, controlled an ordinary maidservant, quickly inquiring about the precise location of the cultivators who had been hosted at the banquet a few days prior.
He then commanded the maidservant to fall into a deep sleep, ensuring she would not wake for at least a day. Afterward, he made his way to a courtyard on the mountainside.
However, as soon as he approached the area, Ji Yuan could not help but frown. The scene before him did not seem like a place of hospitality.
He saw that there were over twenty people guarding the courtyard not far away, including as many as five cultivators at the second realm.
Furthermore, the entire courtyard was enveloped by an array, the origin of which was connected to the entire mountain-protecting array.
If one were to attempt a violent breakthrough, ordinary second-realm cultivators would be incapable of doing so, unless dozens or even hundreds of them joined forces, and even then, there would only be a slight possibility.