Chapter 486 - 9: A Warning

Chapter 486: Chapter 9: A Warning

In less than ten years, he broke through from the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer to the Soul Emergence Fifth Layer.

Such a Cultivation speed was definitely considered top level among the Thirty-Six Domains, enough to make a name for oneself far and wide!

Even compared to Shen Changchuan’s own achievement of breaking through from the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer to the Seventh Layer in ten years, it was only slightly inferior.

After all,

such a rate of Cultivation improvement still left other Cultivators in the dust!

However,

in the past ten-plus years, Shen Changchuan had never heard of such a peerless prodigy from the younger generation rising within the Tian Nan Domain’s Immortal Cultivation Realm.

The only explanation, then,

was that Nangong City was not a Cultivator native to the Tian Nan Domain.

Or perhaps he hadn’t remained in the Tian Nan Domain these past ten years,

but had gone elsewhere.

But Shen Changchuan had no intention of digging into the specific reasons.

His old friend had achieved so much,

and he was naturally happy for him.

There was no need to get to the bottom of it.

"Someone, go to the Back Mountain and prepare a banquet!"

"Brother Nangong, we haven’t seen each other in years. This time, you must let me fulfill my duties as a host."

Shen Changchuan took Nangong City by the hand, ready to lead him to the courtyard on the Back Mountain for a proper reunion.

But at that moment,

Nangong City’s expression became troubled, and his tone was apologetic:

"Brother Shen, I appreciate your kind intentions."

"It’s just that I am on urgent business and truly cannot stay long. Please forgive me, Brother Shen."

"Oh? Are you in that much of a hurry?"

Shen Changchuan was a little surprised.

"Indeed."

Nangong City nodded with a wry smile.

"The matter is confidential, so forgive me for not being able to go into detail."

"Actually, the main reason I came was because I heard some troubling news about you. I rushed here to warn you, and I have to leave as soon as I’ve said my piece."

As soon as he finished speaking, Nangong City wasted no more time and directly stated the purpose of his visit.

The story had to begin three hundred years ago.

Over three hundred years ago,

a great figure at the Saint Ancestor Realm from the Celestial Demon Sect unexpectedly perished.

And so,

their sworn enemy, the Yuqing Immortal Sect, seized the opportunity. They mobilized the full strength of their sect, rallying manpower and resources from countless subordinate sects, families, and other forces within the Thirty-Six Domains to launch an all-out offensive against the Celestial Demon Sect’s territory in the Western Celestial Domain.

At that time, the supreme experts from the Yuqing Immortal Sect’s upper echelons used their numerical superiority to win a key battle. Afterward, they led their vast subordinate forces on a triumphant advance, crushing all resistance. They swept across nearly the entire Western Celestial Domain and pushed right to the Celestial Demon Sect’s Mountain Gate, on the verge of annihilating them completely!

However,

at that critical moment,

the Xiangshan Sect—which had been stationed in the Tian Nan Domain to guard the rear and hold the line against the Netherworld Sect in the Nanyue Territory—suddenly rebelled for unknown reasons.

The Xiangshan Sect and the Netherworld Sect, once sworn enemies, joined forces and launched a surprise attack from the rear, striking the Major Sects and prominent families in the domains adjacent to the Tian Nan Domain.

In the Southern Great Domain’s Thirty-Six Small Domains, a total of six Small Domains, the likes of the Tian Nan Domain, were hit by the betrayal, compromising the home front that supported more than one-sixth of the Cultivators on the front lines!

In an instant,

the army’s morale was shaken,

and their fighting spirit plummeted!

The once-unstoppable offensive rapidly weakened!

And that,

became the turning point of the great war!

Seizing the opportunity while the offensive from the Yuqing Immortal Sect’s Righteous Alliance was greatly weakened, the Celestial Demon Sect bought themselves three months of time.

Within those three months, a Saint Son from the Celestial Demon Sect successfully ascended to the level of Saint Ancestor!

Although the Yuqing Immortal Sect and its subordinate Immortal Cultivation Forces still held the advantage at the time,

the Celestial Demon Sect was able to stabilize its position, relying on their home-field advantage, an ancient super Grand Array passed down through generations, and a newly ascended Saint Ancestor.

With that, the Yuqing Immortal Sect’s advantage was no longer so significant.

Unless, that is,

the Yuqing Immortal Sect was willing to disregard all casualties, gamble everything, and suffer devastating losses to have a chance at destroying the Celestial Demon Sect.

But that would have been meaningless.

If both sides were grievously wounded, a third party would just swoop in and reap the rewards.

And so,

that great war from all those years ago

ultimately ended with the Yuqing Immortal Sect’s retreat.

It ended unceremoniously.

The consequences of the Xiangshan Sect’s betrayal were so severe that not long after the Yuqing Immortal Sect withdrew from the Western Celestial Domain, the Immortal Sect’s enraged leadership came to the Tian Nan Domain and erased the Xiangshan Sect from existence.

"Why the Xiangshan Sect suddenly joined forces with their sworn enemy, the Netherworld Sect of the Nanyue Kingdom, has been a source of great confusion for many."

"To this day, there is still no definitive answer."

"Some speculate that it had to do with the Xiangshan Sect’s old ancestor facing the end of his lifespan and wanting to make a desperate gamble."

"But when the great figures from the Yuqing Immortal Sect came to destroy the Xiangshan Sect, the sect resisted to the death. The battle shattered the very spiritual spine of the Tian Nan Domain’s Immortal Cultivation Realm, causing the spiritual energy in the entire domain to plummet."

"At the same time, the Grotto Secret Realm where their Mountain Gate was located was cast adrift into the void, disappearing into the boundless chaos."

’So that’s how it was...’

Shen Changchuan nodded thoughtfully.

In fact,

Shen Changchuan already knew a thing or two about the Xiangshan Sect.

After all,

he had cultivated the Xiangshan Qi Cultivation Technique in the past and had also obtained the legacy of a Xiangshan Sect disciple who was at the Soul Emergence Realm.

Because of this, he had later collected some information and gained some understanding of the Xiangshan Sect’s history.

"So, the ruins of the Xiangshan Sect have been discovered, attracting Cultivators who want to seize the treasures left behind by the old Xiangshan Sect ancestor. And those people suspect that I might have obtained a fortuitous encounter related to the Xiangshan Sect?"

In the space of just a few breaths,

Shen Changchuan had grasped the key points.

He was well aware of how incredible his Cultivation Realm and the improvement of his strength seemed to outsiders.

Combined with his rise from obscurity without any significant backing,

if he claimed not to have some great secret,

likely no one would believe him!

Naturally,

some would connect his situation to the legacy of the former Xiangshan Sect Mountain Gate...

In that case,

he, Shen Changchuan, had naturally become the prime suspect!

"Yes, and no."

Nangong City shook his head at Shen Changchuan’s guess.

"Even the supreme experts of the Yuqing Immortal Sect back then couldn’t find the Grotto Secret Realm where the Xiangshan Sect was located. Although others think you have a secret, and that it might even be related to the former Xiangshan Sect, they don’t believe you have the ability to obtain the legacy of the entire Xiangshan Sect Mountain Gate."

"And your real trouble, naturally, doesn’t come from those who are coveting the benefits you might have."

Nangong City didn’t waste words,

and directly told him what he knew.

"The Xiangshan Sect’s betrayal back then caused the major sects and great powers in the surrounding domains to suffer heavy losses. Several major forces even lost their core inheritances."

"Now, there’s news that the long-lost Xiangshan Sect Grotto Heaven Ruins are about to reappear. Those major forces who had their core inheritances stolen have sent their sects’ geniuses over in advance to scout things out."

"And those top-tier prodigies are very interested in you—a Demon who defies all logic and is a rare sight even in a thousand years..."