Chapter 297 ·The Nascent Soul Old Monsters of the Righteous and Demonic Paths

More ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍cultivators from the Six Immortal Sects had arrived, and they were even led by a Core Formation cultivator.

Naturally, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ice-Fire Elder personally appeared to welcome them.

Only ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍after he opened the formation and invited the Water Dragon Sect’s Flying Ship into the main hall did everyone withdraw their gazes.

“I ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wonder which Martial Uncle is leading the group this time.”

Ji ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yuan asked Li Changhe, who was beside him.

“Martial ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Uncle Heavenly Chef. He has a fairly good temperament, so you can rest assured.”

Li Changhe explained.

“That’s good.”

Hearing this name, Ji Yuan felt relieved.

Real Person Heavenly Chef was a remarkably agile fat man. Just as Hua Yaoyue loved wine, Heavenly Chef genuinely loved food.

He had even refined his Life-Bound Magic Treasure into a cooking pot.

Not long after the Water Dragon Sect’s Flying Ship arrived.

Another carriage, pulled by a Third-Tier Demonic Beast known as the Azure-Feathered Eagle, flew in from the north and eventually stopped above the Pill Refining Room.

“People from the Spirit Taming Sect have arrived too.”

Li Changhe then said through Divine Sense Voice Transmission, “It seems the situation in the world is changing even faster than I anticipated.”

“What do you mean?”

Ji Yuan knew that certain information circulated exclusively among Nascent Soul families, and outsiders generally had no way of learning about it.

“The various families are beginning to shift their forces toward the market towns. That means the Demonic Path’s attacks on the Immortal Sects… are far more ferocious than we expected. I just wonder which Immortal Sect will be the first to fall.”

Li Changhe’s voice was noticeably somber as he spoke.

If the Water Dragon Sect fell, the Li Family would undoubtedly suffer catastrophic losses.

After all… how could any eggs remain intact beneath a collapsing nest?

“Let’s just hope it isn’t our Water Dragon Sect.”

After thinking for a moment, Ji Yuan asked through Divine Sense Voice Transmission, “If the Water Dragon Sect really is breached, what will we do? Surely our sect has some other contingency plan?”

Hearing this question, Li Changhe pondered for quite some time.

“Every sect should have its own escape route, but I don’t know what ours is. My father won’t tell me about matters concerning the survival of the entire sect.”

“Understood.”

Ji Yuan decided to ask Hua Yaoyue the next time he returned.

While the two were talking, Ji Yuan suddenly took a Communication Talisman from his Storage Pouch.

“Brother Ji, where are you? I’m here!”

Liu Yuan’s slightly delighted voice sounded from within.

“Liu Yuan is here?!”

Li Changhe’s eyes lit up when he heard it.

Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan were good friends, so naturally, Li Changhe was also friends with him.

After all, in Li Changhe’s opinion, anyone Ji Yuan acknowledged as a good friend was bound to have a decent personality.

“East city wall. Hurry over. We’ve been waiting for you for ages.”

Ji Yuan had barely finished speaking with a smile when a snow-white Sword Light streaked across the sky above the Pill Refining Room.

It finally landed before him, transforming into the figure of a swordsman dressed in green robes.

Before the newcomer could speak, Ji Yuan had already tossed him a jar of Spiritual Wine.

Liu Yuan caught it with one hand, knocked away the clay seal, and laughed heartily.

“Brother Ji really does understand me best! I’ve been craving a drink of this for ages.”

With that, he lifted the wine jar and drank half of it in one go. Only after letting out a satisfied burp did he greet Li Changhe.

“Brother Li is here too. Looks like I finally have some company.”

“Back at the sect, all my familiar friends had gone out. It was difficult even to find someone to talk to.”

As he spoke, he sat down beside the two of them.

“Brother Liu, how are things at the sect now?”

Although Li Changhe had obtained quite a bit of information, it had all passed through several hands.

And even if the information was accurate, it certainly could not compare with hearing the situation directly from Liu Yuan.

Upon hearing the question, Liu Yuan pondered briefly before replying:

“The fighting has been fierce. Basically, there’s a Demonic Path attack every two or three days. Before I left, I heard the elders were already discussing whether to reduce the area covered by the formation.”

Ji Yuan inwardly thought, ‘Just as expected.’

At the same time, he felt fortunate that Hua Yaoyue had already relocated his Wuyou Island.

“No Nascent Soul cultivators have made a move, have they?”

“No. Only Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators.”

As Liu Yuan spoke, he seemed to remember something.

“And there were actually traitors within the sect who had defected to the Demonic Path.”

“What? There are still more?”

Li Changhe sounded surprised.

“Didn’t they conduct several thorough investigations before? How are there still traitors?”

“Apparently, they only recently decided to defect. They hadn’t even established contact with the Demonic Path yet. They simply risked their lives to sneak into the location of the Guardian Sect Formation’s core, intending to shut down the formation and let the Demonic Cultivators inside.”

Liu Yuan’s expression darkened as he spoke.

“What ungrateful wretches! Others would rather die than surrender, but these people would rather die trying to surrender.”

“That’s actually quite normal. A large forest contains every kind of bird.”

Li Changhe seemed to have taken a more detached view of such matters.

“That’s roughly the situation at the sect. Even if the formation’s coverage is reduced, as long as no Nascent Soul cultivators intervene, nobody should be able to break through our Guardian Sect Formation. How are things on your side?”

Liu Yuan asked.

Ji Yuan and Li Changhe then gave him a general account of the situation at the Pill Refining Room.

Liu Yuan occasionally asked a few questions.

Once they had finished explaining everything, Ji Yuan looked at him and suddenly asked, “Have you joined the Demon-Hunting Squad?”

“How did you know? I haven’t even mentioned it yet.”

Liu Yuan said in surprise.

“So it really is you.”

Li Changhe had guessed it too.

“Be careful. Always remember that staying alive comes first. Everything else is secondary.”

Originally, Li Changhe had thought it a pity that Ji Yuan refused to join the Demon-Hunting Squad.

But after witnessing what had happened to the squad, he now felt that Ji Yuan had made the right decision.

“Don’t worry. I did return alive from Shang Mountain, after all.”

“……”

In the days that followed, the Pill Refining Room seemed to settle into a period of calm once again.

With even more Foundation Establishment cultivators arriving from the Six Immortal Sects, Ji Yuan’s guard rotation changed from once a month to once every month and a half.

Even when Demonic Cultivators attacked during his shifts, the defenders could handle them with ease.

After all, the Pill Refining Room now had more forces available for deployment.

As for the Demon-Hunting Squad that Liu Yuan had joined, its ranks were replenished once again.

However, this time, there was no representative from Medicine King Valley.

Corpse-Driving Mountain and the Spirit Taming Sect, both located farther north, each sent another Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The squad occasionally ventured outside. Perhaps because of their previous experience, its members became increasingly cautious in their actions.

In short, no further major incidents occurred over the next half year or so.

Yet it was precisely under these circumstances that Ji Yuan increasingly felt something was wrong.

Because the world had become… far too peaceful.

Yes, peaceful.

Eastern Shang had clearly abandoned Shang Mountain and deliberately allowed the Demonic Path to enter.

And what had happened?

The Demonic Path had indeed entered.

Nearly a year had passed since their arrival, yet Ji Yuan had not heard of them accomplishing anything significant.

They had not even captured a single market town, much less destroyed one of the Six Immortal Sects.

The entire Demonic Path of Western Shang seemed to be playing a childish game.

They had shown none of the ferocity they displayed when attacking Shang Mountain.

How could that make sense?

Ji Yuan had discussed the matter with Liu Yuan and Li Changhe. Ultimately, all three reached the same conclusion… the Demonic Path was preparing something big.

They were planning a major operation.

But what exactly that operation involved, none of them knew.

If even Ji Yuan and his two companions could realize this, how could the other cultivators of the world fail to notice?

Everyone was waiting, or rather… investigating.

They wanted to discover just how grand a scheme the Demonic Path was preparing.

……

On this day.

The sky was clear, and the air was refreshing.

Eastern Shang, the southern bank of the middle reaches of the Falling Star River, beside an ordinary little stream.

Lu Shi, who had arrived early, was already fishing.

Kong Xifeng, meanwhile, sat with a gloomy expression, saying nothing.

The representative from Sword Ruins was still Xu Sheng. The number one cultivator of Eastern Shang, One Sword Master, had never been able to leave Sword Ruins.

“Old woman, is your Water Dragon Sect doing all right? I keep feeling that the Demonic Path is probably going to target one of our Six Sects this time. I just don’t know which one they’ve set their sights on.”

Lu Shi had been fishing for a long time without catching a single fish. With nothing better to do, he turned his attention back to the others and started a conversation.

“Heh. Thanks to you, Lu Shi, everything is just fine.”

The moment Kong Xifeng opened her mouth, Lu Shi lost all desire to continue talking to her. He turned toward Xu Sheng, who was sitting cross-legged atop a large boulder with his eyes closed.

“Fellow Daoist Xu, how are things at Sword Ruins? I heard your sect has suffered the most attacks from the Demonic Path.”

Xu Sheng replied without opening his eyes.

“Sword Ruins has always been like this. We’re accustomed to it.”

Lu Shi nodded slightly.

“I wonder whether anyone notified Mei Zhuang this time. I don’t know what’s going on with their Shang Court, but there hasn’t been the slightest news from them lately. Surely they haven’t joined forces with those people from Western Shang?”

“Heh. Rest assured. Even if your Corpse-Driving Mountain joined forces with the Demonic Path of Western Shang, our Shang Court would never cooperate with them.”

A mocking voice came from beneath the water.

Lu Shi glared and shouted, “If you’re here, then get the hell out! Damn it, I’ve been fishing for ages, and you’ve scared away all the fish!”

Mei Zhuang’s figure materialized out of thin air. He clapped his hands.

“If I can’t catch any fish, don’t think you’ll catch any either.”

After saying this, he turned toward the north.

Ten Spirits Patriarch had arrived.

An utterly ordinary-looking man crossed the surface of the water and eventually landed before the others, smiling as he said:

“In the past few hundred years, we could hardly manage to meet even once. Yet now, we’ve met twice in three years.”

Another person soon approached from the south.

Joy Lady was dressed in her usual revealing attire. The moment she appeared, she rolled her eyes at Mei Zhuang.

“You heartless man. Couldn’t you have waited for me along the way?”

Mei Zhuang: “Heh, heh.”

“What is that old good-for-nothing Medicine King doing? He lives the closest, yet he’s the last to arrive.”

As always, Kong Xifeng launched straight into verbal attacks the moment she spoke.

“Don’t tell me he’s died in some forgotten corner?”

“The world is already in such chaos. Can’t you, old woman, show a little restraint with that mouth of yours?”

Ten Spirits Patriarch could not stand listening any longer and immediately retorted.

This made Kong Xifeng unable to remain seated quietly.

But before she could reply, Xu Sheng, who had been sitting on the boulder with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

“He’s here!”

As soon as he spoke, he hurriedly turned toward the south.

A streak of white light flickered several times in the sky. A figure that had initially been on the distant horizon arrived before them in the blink of an eye.

Medicine King… had arrived.

Everyone who saw him froze.

Even Kong Xifeng, who had been most eager to scold him, was now staring at the man before her in disbelief.

“You old dog, Medicine King? What… what happened to you?”

Kong Xifeng might have cursed him, but seeing Medicine King in his current condition still filled her with concern.

Lu Shi hurriedly asked:

“Could it be that Blood Luo King has entered Eastern Shang? Or was it White Bone Demon Lord? Did you fight one of them?”

Their astonishment was understandable, because Medicine King now looked… truly ancient.

Originally, the oldest-looking among them had been Kong Xifeng, who was already approaching the end of her lifespan.

But now, the oldest-looking person had become Medicine King.

His hair was completely white, the wrinkles on his face were as deep as ravines, and his body was hunched as he walked, as though he might collapse at any moment.

Compared to his previous appearance, when he had white hair, a youthful complexion, and a vigorous spirit, the difference was like heaven and earth.

Yet only a few years had passed between then and now.

For a Nascent Soul cultivator, a few years… were little more than the time needed for a nap.

Sensing everyone’s gazes, Medicine King slowly shook his head. He eventually walked to a patch of sand nearby and sat down.

“It’s nothing. Just carry on with your discussion.”

“Wait, could those fellows from Western Shang really have attacked you?”

Ten Spirits Patriarch seemed unable to believe it and hurriedly pressed him for an answer.

“No. It’s my own problem.”

Medicine King now had the distinct feeling that… his suffering was impossible to put into words.

“You…”

Ten Spirits Patriarch did not know what to say.

Mei Zhuang, who had barely spoken until now, studied Medicine King for a long time before finally opening his mouth.

“His heart meridians have been damaged, and someone has broken his backbone… I’m rather curious. Since when did such a formidable figure appear on Cangluo Continent?”

“What?!”

Joy Lady was the first to understand Mei Zhuang’s implication. She abruptly turned around, the seductive expression on her face vanishing, replaced by shock.

“You mean… Divine Transformation?”

Under everyone’s gaze, Mei Zhuang calmly nodded.

“Why don’t you ask him yourselves?”

Everyone turned toward Medicine King again.

The latter neither confirmed nor denied it. He merely waved his hand.

“Let’s discuss the important matters.”

Since he refused to speak, the others could hardly force him.

However, the atmosphere became considerably more subdued, and everyone began harboring their own thoughts.

Mei Zhuang, for example, was most curious about when another Divine Transformation cultivator had arrived on Cangluo Continent.

Could it be… that Big Brother and the others had returned?

No. Impossible.

If they had returned, Cangluo would have been pacified long ago. It was more likely a cultivator who happened to be passing through Cangluo.

“The intentions of Western Shang are already obvious. They’re definitely planning to pick one of our Six Sects… and destroy it first. We just don’t know which one.”

As Ten Spirits Patriarch spoke, his gaze swept across the others.

“In any case, it definitely won’t be Sword Ruins. They don’t have the ability to swallow Sword Ruins whole.”

Joy Lady agreed.

“Indeed.”

Xu Sheng, who rarely spoke voluntarily, took the initiative to acknowledge this.

“I’m beginning to suspect it might be Medicine King Valley.”

Kong Xifeng glanced at the motionless Medicine King.

Without even raising his head, he replied, “If it is, then so be it.”

“Wait, you old fool. Have you really resigned yourself to your fate?”

Looking at Medicine King’s current state, Kong Xifeng finally spoke in disbelief.

“That’s what happens when someone has their backbone broken in a single blow.”

Mei Zhuang folded his arms across his chest and said softly, “I won’t hide it from you. Back when I traveled overseas, someone broke my backbone too. I wandered around in a daze for over a hundred years before finally regaining my clarity of mind.”

Medicine King raised his head blankly and looked at him.

“There’s no use looking at me. Your Heart Demon has invaded your mind. Only when you overcome this trial of the heart will you truly be able to move on.”

Mei Zhuang did not elaborate. Or rather, matters involving one’s state of mind were inherently difficult to explain in detail.

Afterward, the discussion returned to how they should respond to the Demonic Path’s attacks.

However, even after exchanging information for some time, none of them could provide anything definite. Their answers remained vague and inconclusive.

“Forget it. It seems the Demonic Path has concealed its plans extremely well this time. I suspect only those few Nascent Soul old monsters know the answer.”

Seeing that their discussion was getting nowhere, Ten Spirits Patriarch waved his hand and stopped speaking.

“Indeed. In my opinion, why don’t we simply establish an alliance? No matter which sect the Demonic Path attacks, the other sects must provide assistance with all their strength. What do you think?”

After Lu Shi finished speaking, he looked at the others questioningly.

“Agreed.”

Xu Sheng nodded.

“I have no objections either,” Joy Lady replied.

The others also agreed one after another. This matter… had been the very purpose of their gathering.

After all, once the Three Demonic Sects of Western Shang chose to attack one sect, that sect would have almost no chance of resisting on its own.

They had to unite the strength of all six sects.

And so Mei Zhuang watched their discussion like an outsider.

He… said nothing.

Even though he had received information from Western Shang that one of Eastern Shang’s Six Immortal Sects had already defected to their side.

Mei Zhuang still said nothing.

Although the enemy of one’s enemy was a friend.

Mei Zhuang believed that the people present were also his enemies. Or rather, the entirety of Cangluo, as it currently existed, was his enemy.

……

At the same time.

On the summit of an unnamed snow-covered mountain in the Shang Mountain Range, another meeting was taking place.

However, there were far fewer people here.

Only three.

A tall man with black hair, red robes, and a pair of ox horns growing from his head.

A sinister-looking young man with red hair and black robes.

And a man whose bones were exposed on the surface of his body.

These three formed the small gathering.

The black-haired man in red robes was named Blood Luo King, the publicly acknowledged number one cultivator of Western Shang.

The red-haired young man in black robes was the Palace Master of Demon Flame Palace, known as True Lord Demon Flame.

The remaining man was White Bone Demon Lord of the White Bone Sect.

With that woman absent, these three stood at the very pinnacle of Western Shang.

“Well? Has your White Bone Sect finished opening the gate? Once it’s ready, we’ll make our move.”

True Lord Demon Flame grinned crookedly.

White Bone Demon Lord appeared much more composed. Even his sitting posture was perfectly upright and steady.

“Almost. It should be ready within the next few days. But let me make one thing clear beforehand: once we enter, everyone will compete according to their own abilities.”

“Of course.”

True Lord Demon Flame sat at an angle with one leg crossed over the other, his face still wearing that crooked grin.

However, once they had settled this matter, White Bone Demon Lord turned toward the silent Blood Luo King.

“Blood Luo, is it really worth exposing that sect now?”

“It is.”

Blood Luo King suddenly opened his eyes. A streak of blood-red light flashed through them, and for an instant, the entire mountaintop seemed to transform into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. Yet the terrifying vision vanished just as quickly.

“There are only six sects in total. If one is destroyed and another defects, two will be eliminated in an instant. Once the remaining Rogue Cultivators see that, they won’t dare resist. Besides…”

“Besides what?”

White Bone Demon Lord pressed him.

True Lord Demon Flame sneered upon hearing this.

“What else could it be? It’s that woman’s idea, of course. Otherwise, who else could possibly order around our great and noble Lord Blood Luo King?”

“If you continue speaking with that sarcastic tone, I will destroy your Demon Flame Palace!”

Blood Luo King’s icy voice rang out.

True Lord Demon Flame was so frightened that he fell straight out of his chair, even rolling several times across the ground.

“The great Blood Luo King has unleashed his divine might! The humble and feeble Demon Flame Palace can only heed your summons.”

After speaking, True Lord Demon Flame stood up and ceremoniously bowed toward Blood Luo King.

“Your loyal master, True Lord Demon Flame, presents himself!”

“Get lost!”

The veins on Blood Luo King’s forehead bulged with anger, but in the end, he could only force out those two words.

“As you command!”

True Lord Demon Flame burst into laughter, patted his backside, and left.

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