Chapter 641 - 137: The Initial Chaos Ends

With a dark expression, Dang Xiangjun nodded and said, "Countless Mortal Martial Artists have appeared out of nowhere. They’re like demons, preying on people, and disaster is spreading everywhere.

"Especially some of the minor sects and Noble Families... it’s just... *Sigh*... We of the Celestial Spirit Sect have been negligent in our duties..."

From those few short sentences, Zhang Deming could clearly picture the tragedy being described.

For Dang Xiangjun, who was at least a thousand years old, to speak with such self-blame meant that the scenes they had witnessed on their journey must have truly been rivers of blood.

Zhang Deming and Song Huidong exchanged a look. All their previous doubts vanished in that moment, and they instantly understood why the enemy had gone to such great lengths to destroy the Sect’s Communication Control Room.

This was all meant to delay the Sect’s response time. If Dang Xiangjun hadn’t come out personally, then with the array communications disabled and across such a vast territory, the Sect might not have received news for several days if the perpetrators had handled things well.

By then... the area around the Celestial Spirit Sect would probably have become a true river of blood, suffused with resentful energy!

...

"Reporting to Martial Uncle, the injuries of most disciples have been stabilized. We can depart now." Wei Jikang, who had left just a short while ago, returned and reported quickly.

Dang Xiangjun didn’t speak, instead turning to the person who had returned with him. Zhang Deming had seen this man once before. Back during the Tai Chi ceremony, he had been the one responsible for opening the entrance to the Cyan Wood Secret Realm. It was Fang Qing of the Array Department.

Fang Qing also reported, "Reporting to Martial Grand-Uncle, the Cyan Feather Green Ship is severely damaged."

Dang Xiangjun asked, "So you’re saying we can’t fly it back now?"

Fang Qing paused slightly. Knowing that Dang Xiangjun was not versed in the Array Artifact Dao, he replied bluntly and directly, "The ship’s hull is on the verge of disintegrating. It can’t be repaired in a short amount of time, let alone be flown."

"Then let’s not wait. Leave a few disciples to stand guard. The rest of us will head back first," Dang Xiangjun said.

The others looked at each other, but no one interjected.

Song Huidong immediately went to confer with the people from Xuande Temple and the Bai Shu Sect. A moment later, with Dang Xiangjun making the decision, no one from either the Bai Shu Sect or Xuande Temple raised any objections.

The group boarded another Three-Star Magical Artifact that Dang Xiangjun had brought out—a non-Ritual Artifact with great speed. The Sect’s only professional Ritual Artifact was the Cyan Feather Green Ship.

Although this was also a large Flying Artifact, its speed was completely different because its focus was different.

With Dang Xiangjun at the helm, the Three-Star Magical Artifact flew at a speed that surpassed even a Three Talents Great Cultivator traveling at full tilt. In comparison, its speed could only be described as lightning-fast.

...

After they set off, because of the situation Dang Xiangjun had described, no one went inside the artifact. Instead, they all stood on its deck as the Array Department projected a giant Light Screen, showing the ground below.

The artifact had only been flying for a moment when everyone’s expression turned grim. They now understood why Dang Xiangjun and his group looked so terrible.

Everywhere they passed, smoke and fire rose into the sky. Among the Immortal Sects and Noble Families, incidents of gates being breached and entire families being wiped out were commonplace. The Martial Artists were like a plague, like demons, truly devouring people.

The Mortal World was no better. Bandits and Martial Artist Families everywhere were burning, killing, and looting. Zhang Deming even saw some people raising banners in open rebellion.

The entire journey was a string of tragedies. There wasn’t a single peaceful place. The entire territory of the Celestial Spirit Sect seemed to be filled with a murderous aura, suffusing the clear sky and earth with a faint, deadly Karma.

As they watched these scenes unfold from the sky, the group fell into a long silence.

The people from Xuande Temple were silent for a moment. Then, led by Huixin, they suddenly approached Dang Xiangjun. Bowing to him, Huixin said, "Greetings, Elder Dang!"

Dang Xiangjun frowned slightly as he looked at the group from Xuande Temple and asked, "What is it?"

Huixin said, "We juniors would like to ask you, Elder, to let us off here!"

Dang Xiangjun paused, raised his head to sense the surroundings, and asked in confusion, "Has a Bodhisattva from Xuande Temple arrived? Why not come out and greet this old man? We could return to Celestial Spirit together."

Huixin shook his head and said, "Elder, you misunderstand. The World Honored One has not arrived yet, but he will soon. I meant, please drop us juniors off down below, into the Mortal World."

Dang Xiangjun was slightly stunned for a moment, then said, "You want to undergo Red Dust Heart Cultivation to open your Original Vow?"

Huixin replied, "As a Buddhist Disciple, I simply cannot bear to watch the fires of war and disaster consume this land."

Dang Xiangjun paused. He gave Huixin a cold look and said flatly, "That won’t be necessary. After I escort you back, this old man will mobilize the full power of the Celestial Spirit Sect to provide disaster relief. We will save both the Immortal Sects and the Mortal world; a short delay won’t make a difference. Besides, the karmic debt of my Celestial Spirit Sect is not for you to worry about."

Huixin froze. Dang Xiangjun stared at him with a cold expression. He was already in a foul mood, and the difference in their status was immense. Even for a Traveler of the World from a Blessed Land, he wasn’t going to give any face right now.

Huixin’s eyes flickered. Being astute, he instantly knew he had miscalculated. Seeing his current approach had failed, he immediately said, "Yes. I do indeed intend to open my Original Vow."

His tone was calm and his expression serene. Watched by everyone, he remained completely unfazed. As expected of a Wish Cultivation Monk; at least he had the thick skin for it.

"Are you aware of the situation in the Mortal World right now? Even I don’t know the full extent of it, but I can guess this is the work of the Five Elements Remnants.

"Under these circumstances, the level of danger is unknown, and this old man doesn’t have the spare time to be distracted with protecting you. And the Five Elements Remnants and your Buddhist Sect... you’ve always been greedily eyeing each other."