"Three thousand years have passed since ancient times!
"The human race of our Eastern Desolation braved thorns and brambles, opening territories and conquering thirty-six domains to lay the bedrock of today's flourishing Eastern Desolation cultivation world.
"Yet the beasts remain wild and untamable, taking the initiative to shatter the ancient covenant..."
Once the Nascent Soul cultivators had all assembled, Castellan Lingtian launched into a grand, sweeping speech.
It sounded stirring and noble on the surface, but everyone present understood the reality clearly: this was merely fulfilling the formality of establishing a righteous pretext before going to war!
Each person appeared to listen attentively, yet in truth, they were all waiting for the real meat of the matter.
Castellan Lingtian did not keep them waiting long. Pausing briefly, he declared in a heavy voice:
"You should all see the demon race's wolfish ambitions plainly. They do not merely crave a single city or parcel of land, nor do they seek only one or ten domains. What they desire is to swallow the Eastern Desolation whole and drive our human race to total annihilation!
"Hence, led by our Mingyuan Sect, Lingtian Pass was erected here to halt the vanguard of the demon armies.
"As the saying goes: the first drumbeat arouses spirit, the second weakens it, and the third exhausts it. So long as we hold them at bay, the millions upon millions of low-tier demon beasts—lacking intelligence and governed by wild instincts—cannot possibly be driven by even the mightiest Demon Emperors for long. When that moment comes, it will be our time to launch a counteroffensive!
"Clearly, the demon race possesses capable figures as well. They regard Lingtian Pass as a thorn in their side, an eye-piercing needle they are desperate to pluck out.
"The encirclement two months ago was merely a probe!
"Had they truly succeeded, Lingtian Pass would have been reduced to an isolated stronghold. Cut off and without aid, our fall would have been a matter of time.
"We cannot simply sit and wait for death!
"Therefore, this castellan intends to launch a surprise raid—to strike them until they understand true pain! At the same time, we shall carve out a strategic buffer zone for Lingtian Pass."
A surprise raid!
The moment those words left his lips, everyone's focus sharpened.
Someone asked, "Since it is a surprise raid, must we penetrate deep behind enemy lines?"
Castellan Lingtian glanced at the speaker and gave a crisp reply: "Yes! Furthermore, the tactical objective is straightforward: slaughter Great Demon Emperor Qixi's host and leave his army thoroughly broken!"
The demon race had nine great commanders, each possessing extraordinary might and leading an army of their own.
Among these nine, Commander Qixi commanded the greatest number of demon beasts, making his host the most ferocious, at one point surging ahead of all others.
Under other commanders, there might only be five, six, or seven Demon Emperors acting as lieutenants.
Only Commander Qixi's side had possessed ten Demon Emperors at its peak!
However, through several fierce battles, his casualties had been severe.
Around Lingtian Pass alone, four Demon Emperors had already fallen.
Castellan Lingtian's reasoning was blatantly direct: better to sever one finger than injure ten.
Before all nine commanders could converge upon Lingtian Pass, cutting off Qixi's branch army would yield the greatest possible spoils of war.
This was precisely what he meant by "striking them until they understand pain!"
The cultivators' expressions shifted as they weighed the feasibility of the plan.
Jiuling Yuanjun spoke up abruptly: "Wiping out an entire army will inevitably cause a massive commotion. Will Commander Huangman's forces simply stand idly by?"
Obviously not!
And nestled within that point was the single most crucial question.
"Once the operation begins, who will hold off two commander-level Great Demon Emperors? Could the Sifang Profound Sword of Lingtian Pass cross ten thousand li to strike the enemy?"
At these words, everyone's expressions changed drastically!
The deterrent radius of the Sifang Profound Sword was strictly confined to within a thousand li of Lingtian Pass.
Yet the battlefield of this raid would inevitably extend into lands already occupied by the demon armies, such as the Blade Dominance Domain.
Without someone capable of checking those two commanders, ordinary Nascent Soul Zhenren marching in would simply be throwing their lives away.
Regarding this issue, Castellan Lingtian glanced at the black-robed figure to his right and spoke slowly: "In this battle, this castellan will march in person! Can your minds be set at ease now?"
What!
Castellan Lingtian was going to battle personally?
Everyone was stunned.
"Not only that, but Fellow Daoist Shenyuan of the Five Elements Divine Sect will accompany us as well," Castellan Lingtian added, pointing his hand toward the cloaked figure beside him.
Perfected Shenyuan swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke in a raspy voice:
"Castellan Lingtian will personally spearhead this raid to crush Qixi's army.
"Meanwhile, this old man will lead a force to intercept any Demon Emperor reinforcements from Huangman's side, preventing the main battlefield of the raid from being disrupted.
"Even should Huangman himself intervene, this old man will hold him back!"
With the two of them playing off each other, the Nascent Soul Zhenren had no ground left to object.
After all, these were two Great Cultivators: one representing the sacred ground of the Mingyuan Sect, and the other a figure of longstanding renown and towering prestige in the Eastern Desolation.
If anyone shrank back now, they would never be able to hold their head high among their peers again.
Moreover, seeing several unfamiliar Nascent Soul cultivators in the hall from the rear sixteen domains, it was evident that Castellan Lingtian was determined to see this battle through.
He had planned this long in advance, which was why this meeting had been convened in the first place!
Seeing that no one raised an objection, Castellan Lingtian smiled.
"Very well. Since there are no objections, we shall proceed to selecting those who will march.
"First, the primary assault force!"
His eyes roved across the crowd as he rattled off several names with practiced familiarity:
"Jiuling Yuanjun, Pavilion Master Li, True Person Jinling, Daoist Tieguan, Old Mr. Fu, and Lingfengzi."
As these six names were spoken, everyone caught the underlying rationale.
Among the six, with the sole exception of Lingfengzi, there was scarcely a weak hand!
Jiuling Yuanjun was said to possess mana comparable to a Great Cultivator, and word had it that with the aid of the Grandmaster of Alchemy, he had recently mastered a formidable technique, rising to an even higher level.
Pavilion Master Li of Wan Jian Pavilion was a mid Nascent Soul cultivator and an orthodox sword cultivator whose combat strength was unmatched.
True Person Jinling hailed from the Five Elements Divine Sect and cultivated their foremost lethal technique, the Life-Claiming Three Golden Plumes. When the Five Elements Divine Sect was overrun years ago and two Nascent Soul cultivators fell in battle, True Person Linmu had nearly perished as well; it was Jinling who had fought fiercely against a formidable Demon Emperor to preserve Linmu's Nascent Soul.
Daoist Tieguan was equally renowned, originating from White Deer Cave in the rear sixteen domains. That sect had very few cultivators, but every one of them was exceptionally skilled, and Tieguan was among their finest.
The remaining two were the only early Nascent Soul cultivators on the roster.
Yet Old Fu had presided over the Divine Talisman Domain for centuries and possessed staggering wealth alongside countless tricks up his sleeve; ordinary mid Nascent Soul cultivators dared not underestimate him.
Only Lingfengzi was somewhat weaker.
However, everyone knew to some extent that Lingfengzi had spent years gathering intelligence for Lingtian Pass. When it came to familiarity with the demon armies, no one could rival him!
From this six-man composition, one could clearly see Castellan Lingtian's unyielding determination to secure victory.
An ordinary Demon Emperor was merely equivalent to an early Nascent Soul cultivator.
For Castellan Lingtian to pick six such formidable figures at once showed he was resolute on wiping out the enemy in a single strike!
"Do you have any objections?" Castellan Lingtian asked with a light laugh after reading the raid roster.
Among the six, aside from a bitter smile on Lingfengzi's face, no one raised any major complaints.
"Then next, Fellow Daoist Shenyuan, pick the companions who will join you in intercepting reinforcements!"
Perfected Shenyuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Huangman originally had eight Demon Emperors under his command, but the Nether Phantom Python died at Taihu Palace, leaving only seven.
"Therefore, this old man shall select seven individuals.
"You need not worry; our objective is merely to delay and entangle them, not to engage in life-and-death struggle. We only need to buy sufficient time for the raid's battlefield.
"Shenhuo!"
The first name he called was True Person Shenhuo from his own sect.
Adding True Person Jinling, who had already joined the raid team, the top combat strength of the Five Elements Divine Sect was practically being deployed in full.
With this gesture, anyone else selected would have even less reason to refuse.
"Lin Qingxuan!"
"Qin Baixiang!"
"Cold-Faced Mister!"
"Daoist Pili!"
"Fellow Daoist Chu Sheng!"
In the blink of an eye, six names were called out.
The latter three were Nascent Soul cultivators hailing from the sects of the rear sixteen domains.
Only one spot remained.
Shenyuan's chilled gaze settled upon the white-robed man standing composedly within the hall.
"I have heard that the Grandmaster of Alchemy achieved the feat of slaying a Demon Emperor in battle. If you join us, you will surely become a copper wall and iron bastion that no one can breach!"
In an instant, all eyes converged on the white-robed cultivator.
Grandmaster of Alchemy Luo Chen had slain a Demon Emperor in battle!
Such a proud record of achievement was rare even among Nascent Soul Zhenren.
Cultivators at their level, during times of peace, rarely engaged in conflict after forming their Nascent Souls, and their battles against experts of the same tier were few and far between.
To say nothing of any achievements worth boasting about.
When people spoke of someone being formidable, it typically stemmed from friendly exchanges and sparring among peers, never true life-and-death struggles.
Yet Luo Chen had risen swiftly like a blazing sun. What he had accomplished, even amidst these troubled times, remained eye-catching.
Several figures had made names for themselves throughout the major battles of Lingtian Pass.
For instance, Lin Qingxuan, known as the Soaring Swan of the Sword World, held the commendable feat of forcing a Demon Emperor to retreat.
Yet compared to Luo Chen, that was nothing.
For Perfected Shenyuan to name him now was entirely reasonable.
Under the scrutiny of the crowd, Luo Chen looked up and blinked.
"Exerting oneself for the survival of the human race is indeed our bounden duty.
"However, since you know I possess the power to slay demons, why not assign me to the raid team?
"Fellow Daoist Lingfengzi, I am willing to trade places with you. Would you agree?"
Rather than seeking the safer interception assignment, he was taking the initiative to join the raid team, where life-and-death struggle was guaranteed?
Luo Chen's action left everyone flabbergasted.
Lingfengzi was the first to react, looking at Luo Chen with deep gratitude.
"My abilities pale far beneath those of the Grandmaster of Alchemy. This battle brooks no margin for error, and the capable should take the front. I am willing to trade with you!"
Luo Chen smiled and nodded, turning his gaze toward the man seated at the center above.
"Castellan, what do you think?"
Castellan Lingtian's expression remained calm. "Since Fellow Daoist Luo is willing to step into danger, I naturally will not refuse. Fellow Daoist Shenyuan, let us arrange it thus!"
Perfected Shenyuan fell silent for a moment.
His black cowl completely concealed his face, revealing nothing of his shifting expression.
Yet as everyone waited, he finally gave his answer.
"Acceptable!"
"Good!"
Castellan Lingtian clapped his hands in approval. "The roster for battle is settled. As for the precise timing, I shall notify you all. The remaining fellow Daoists shall remain on high alert within Lingtian Pass to prevent the enemy from staging a reverse raid against an empty pass."
Tianduzi, who had remained quiet throughout, gave a soft chuckle: "With this old man here, Lingtian Pass will hardly be empty!"
"Haha, quite right, this Ye was overthinking things.
"Then this old man wishes all of you immediate success and a safe return!"
The previously tense atmosphere softened.
The Nascent Soul Zhenren who had not been selected voiced pleasantries, offering well-wishes for the safe return of Luo Chen and the others.
Luo Chen and his companions responded in their own ways, mostly with smiling faces that betrayed no fear.
What they truly thought inside, however, remained their own secret.
***
Leaving the Castellan's estate, Luo Chen could sense the gaze fixed on his back.
He knew it belonged to that old scoundrel Shenyuan.
A prudent man did not stand beneath a crumbling wall. Even though he had measured his own strength and possessed the confidence not to fear a Great Cultivator, he had no desire to take orders from that man in the heat of battle.
That was why he had proactively requested the more perilous assignment.
Even so, a lingering disgust permeated his heart.
*Old dog, pressing me step by step like this—do you truly take me for a soft persimmon to be squeezed?*
*Just wait until I catch an opportunity!*
***
Under Castellan Lingtian's strict order, the matter of the raid on the demon beast base camp was forbidden from being leaked.
Consequently, Lingtian Pass carried on as usual.
No one knew that in the near future, a battle that could potentially reshape the encirclement of Lingtian Pass was about to erupt.
Upon returning, Luo Chen seized every moment to cultivate in seclusion.
He only lamented the lack of time; had he possessed mid Nascent Soul cultivation, everything he did would be far more composed.
War had always been like this!
In major conflicts, the consumption of mana was immense. Aside from body cultivators who grew fiercer through battle and relied on combat to hone themselves, such turmoil often hindered one's cultivation progress.
Speaking of which, this was one of the reasons for the decline of body cultivation.
After ancient times, the human and demon races had declared peace. Because the lower realms of body cultivation could not extend lifespan, the path had naturally waned.
Now, with the war between humans and demons persisting for over a century in the Eastern Desolation and demon beast flesh beneficial to body cultivation appearing on a massive scale, the path of body refinement was gradually re-emerging.
Yet if other Nascent Soul cultivators heard Luo Chen's complaint, they would likely curse him for being insatiable.
He had at least high-grade Hongyuan Pills and a Tier 4 mid-grade cave abode to sustain his cultivation. His pace might be somewhat slow, but he was still climbing upward step by step.
Did anyone else enjoy such conditions?
Merely preventing their realm from slipping was already a blessing.
While waiting for the summons, the Luotian Sect sent another group of people from Baili Qingchuan.
They had been conscripted.
This time, Wang Yuan led the contingent, assisted by Gu Caiyi and Qin Yuanjiang.
Luo Chen made time to meet with them.
"The body-refining manuals from the Misty Sect's collection that you gave me indeed helped patch up my Wind Legs, but there are still a few things missing. I heard that several decent body-refining methods have cropped up in Lingtian Pass recently, so I came personally to gather a few," Wang Yuan explained.
As Luo Chen scrutinized him, he noticed Wang Yuan's vitality was noticeably more vigorous than before.
It seemed the Demon Emperor flesh sent back had indeed served as a potent tonic for him!
"Don't worry about sect affairs. With Li Yingzhang managing things and the Black King holding the fort in secret, nothing major will go wrong."
Luo Chen shook his head. "Naturally, I am not worried about the rear. So long as Lingtian Pass does not fall, the demon armies will not dare charge rashly toward the back."
After chatting with Wang Yuan for a while, he spoke with Gu Caiyi in private.
"Why did you come as well? Didn't I tell you to cultivate properly in seclusion to consolidate your realm?"
"I've already been in seclusion for six years, and my realm has long stabilized!" Gu Caiyi replied with an unhappy pout. "Besides, with both you and Huiniang at Lingtian Pass, how could I cultivate with peace of mind in the rear?"
Luo Chen felt helpless, though he understood she merely wished to share his burdens.
He handed over the whip treasure he had crafted earlier and explained its general properties in detail.
"Does it have a name?"
Gu Caiyi cracked the whip a few times, her face brimming with delight; she was clearly thoroughly pleased with the weapon.
"It is your Natal Treasure. Name it yourself!"
Gu Caiyi pondered for a moment. "Since it was crafted from the main sinew of the Nether Phantom Python, let us name it after the beast! How about the Nether Python Whip?"
Luo Chen smiled, almost tempted to say it sounded uninspired.
Yet recalling that his own Natal Treasure, the Hunyuan Cauldron, had not even received a name change and merely followed Azure Pill Valley's naming convention, the words stayed swallowed in his throat.
"You've gifted me such a wonderful treasure, so how should I repay you?"
"We are an old couple, what talk of repayment is there..."
Before he could finish speaking, the woman's voluptuous body coiled around Luo Chen like a great serpent, filling his senses with a heady fragrance and an alluring spring warmth.
Luo Chen did not hold himself back, leaning in and kissing her at once.
***
"Fellow Daoist Luo, you seem to be in quite a good mood today!"
"Oh? How could you tell, elder?"
"A springtime breeze on your face, a smile touching your brows—anyone could see you are in high spirits! Did your realm break through, or did you develop some new pill formula?"
"Haha..."
Luo Chen chuckled evasively, choosing not to elaborate to Old Fu.
Still, it had to be said that certain primal exercises were truly effective at easing the mind.
Days of exhaustion and continuous scheming had unwittingly burdened Luo Chen with tangled thoughts and furrowed brows.
Caiyi was indeed an understanding and considerate woman.
Savoring the lingering trace of feminine fragrance in his mind, he walked alongside Old Fu into a massive mountain within Lingtian Pass.
Early this morning, the summons from Castellan Lingtian had arrived.
The march was to take place today.
Following a deep, secluded tunnel, the two eventually stopped inside a cavern covered in formation runes.
With just a single glance, Luo Chen recognized the nature of the array resting right at the cavern's center.
*Who was it that told me there was no teleportation formation inside Lingtian Pass?*
Chapter 817