"Luo Chen!"
A chilling gaze, an indifferent voice.
Yet beneath both simmered pure fury!
The newcomer was none other than the Supreme Elder of the Five Elements Divine Sect—Perfected Shenyuan!
Luo Chen met his gaze calmly.
"Shenyuan, do you have some guidance to offer?"
Beneath the black conical hat, Shenyuan's face remained hidden. Only the faint outline of his mouth curved into a stern sneer. He thrust an open palm toward Luo Chen.
"Return the remains of my sect's Jinling to me!"
Luo Chen shook his head, his tone laced with feigned innocence. "The whole world knows Fellow Daoist Jinling perished in the battle to relieve the Tiandu Sect, obliterated in both body and soul. Where would any remains come from? Only one intrinsic golden plume survived, and Demon Emperor Qian Suo took it. You should seek out Qian Suo, not come looking for me."
Perfected Shenyuan laughed out of sheer fury. "'The whole world knows'—what fine words! Do you truly take this old man for..."
His words came to an abrupt halt, cut short by a heavy cough.
"*Cough, cough!*"
A pale, gaunt old man slowly walked into the great hall.
In a voice laden with sorrow, he said, "Fellow Daoist Shenyuan, this old man knows you bear the agony of losing a fellow disciple, but this matter has nothing to do with the Alchemy Grandmaster. Why vent your wrath upon him?"
"Tianduzi, easy words for you to speak. Jinling fell precisely to break the siege on your Tiandu Sect!"
Perfected Shenyuan whirled around, glaring fixedly at the old man.
Tianduzi sighed. "I will engrave that kindness in my heart. Yet my sect's elders have already sent word that not a shred of Jinling's bones or body remained. Stop making a scene."
*A scene?*
Perfected Shenyuan looked as though he had just heard something utterly absurd. For a moment, he could not even react.
Then he watched as Tianduzi walked over to Luo Chen's side, lips moving as the two began chatting.
In an instant, Shenyuan understood what this scene signified.
Watching him out of the corner of his eye, Luo Chen felt a slight wave of relief.
Reinforcing the Tiandu Sect had been an assigned task. Even if kindness had been shown, Luo Chen's own service to them was not a shred less than Jinling's.
And how could the value of a dead man compare to that of the living?
Above all, he was an Alchemy Grandmaster!
Now, out of the Tiandu Sect's five great Nascent Souls, only two remained. Their strength had plummeted precipitously.
Under such circumstances, Tianduzi had made the most pragmatic choice. Even at the risk of offending Shenyuan, he was determined to shield Luo Chen.
In fact, it was not merely Tianduzi!
The moment Shenyuan had moved to make trouble, Sovereign Jiuling, Deng Taiyue, Lingfengzi, and the others near Luo Chen had instinctively taken a step toward his side.
This was what it meant to hold influence and sway!
"My condolences for your loss," Luo Chen consoled softly.
"Though your noble sect has lost three elders, you at least managed to preserve your mountain gate and spiritual grounds, and the majority of your disciples at the Core Formation stage and below survived.
"Once the great war concludes and you recuperate for a century or so, you will surely regain your vigor."
Tianduzi smiled wryly. "I thank you for your kind words. Let us hope so!"
Returning the favor, Luo Chen offered a generous promise on the spot.
"After the war, should you have any need for pills, Elder, you need only come to me. I will not shirk my duty!"
Tianduzi gave Luo Chen a profound look. He knew his stance just now had indeed earned Luo Chen's favor.
Two men whose ties had not been particularly deep were bound into an alliance at this very moment.
Such was the way of the world.
You showed kindness to my Tiandu Sect, so I covered for you concealing Jinling's remains; back and forth it went, until it became what people called friendship.
However...
"After the war... I fear that remains distantly out of reach!"
Tianduzi sighed with emotion and turned toward the raised dais.
Unlike before, five grand chairs were arranged there today.
Tianduzi took one.
After casting a sinister glare at Luo Chen, Perfected Shenyuan also seated himself in one of the armchairs.
The remaining three chairs were, without question, reserved for the three Great Cultivators of the Mingyuan Sect.
Sure enough!
Once most of the attendees were present, the powerhouses of the Mingyuan Sect began making their entrance.
Thirteen individuals in total!
Aside from the familiar Castellan Lingtian, the other twelve were completely unfamiliar faces.
Yet the formidable auras radiating from each of them commanded respect.
Some were at early Nascent Soul, others at mid Nascent Soul, and every face wore an air of pride and self-assurance.
Such were the disciples of the sacred land—the cultivators of Mingyuan!
Luo Chen sat relatively near the front, with Sovereign Jiuling right beside him. This alone showed that Luo Chen's standing in the Eastern Desolation now rivaled powerhouses comparable to ordinary Great Cultivators, like Sovereign Jiuling.
If one factored in his title as an "Alchemy Grandmaster," his standing was likely a notch higher still.
Yet as Luo Chen scrutinized those unfamiliar Mingyuan Sect cultivators, doubts surfaced in his mind.
"What is the matter?" Perhaps noticing the puzzled look on his face, Sovereign Jiuling spoke up.
With a flick of his sleeve, Luo Chen laid down a sound-isolation barrier and transmitted his voice: "The numbers are wrong!"
"The numbers?"
"Yes. I previously heard that Lingtian Pass alone had around ten Mingyuan Perfected Persons. Later, there were eleven assisting the Tiandu Sect in the rear. Presumably, the numbers of Mingyuan Perfected Persons on the other two routes were not small either."
"Indeed. On my side, six Mingyuan Perfected Persons came to assist, including one Great Cultivator."
"Then that confirms it. The Mingyuan Perfected Persons accompanying Hermit Shouyang's route should have been just as numerous. Why haven't those people arrived at Lingtian Pass yet?"
"It seems they have a different task."
"Hm?"
Luo Chen was baffled. With the Mingyuan Sect stepping in, the crisis had eased.
Should they not be gathering at Lingtian Pass to regroup and launch a counteroffensive against the demon race?
What kind of task could keep powerhouses like Lei Daozi from showing up even now?
Hunting down those Demon Emperors?
Doubts arose naturally. Looking at the many absent, familiar faces in the hall, Luo Chen found it impossible to raise his spirits.
Beside him, Deng Taiyue was in high spirits, constantly asking if Luo Chen was injured.
He was likely worried that if something happened to Luo Chen, there would be no one to help him research the recipe for the Empowerment Pill!
"Speaking of which, where is Hermit Shouyang?" Luo Chen asked curiously. He had heard no news of his demise, yet saw no sign of him.
Deng Taiyue shook his head. "Him? While we were battling at the Xuhuang Sect, his physical body was destroyed. Only his Nascent Soul narrowly survived. By now, he has probably returned to the Dongyang Sect. Didn't you notice that a different Nascent Soul elder came to represent the Dongyang Sect today?"
Luo Chen parted his lips, but found nothing to say in the end.
He still remembered that when they departed Lingtian Pass, Hermit Shouyang had hoped everyone would return safe and sound, so they could gather on Shouyang Mountain to exchange insights and discuss the Dao.
Yet now, of the nine who had set out, four returned, two were severely injured, and three had fallen outright!
None of those three had been nameless figures!
Jinling, Celestial Master Hua, Pavilion Master Li...
While Luo Chen was lost in melancholy, the people above appeared to have reached a consensus.
With the sharp rap of Castellan Lingtian's knuckles against the table, the noisy hall instantly fell silent. Everyone's attention converged as one.
"*Cough, cough!*"
"First, this castellan expresses his condolences and apologies to all the fellow daoists who fell in this battle."
Castellan Lingtian stood up and bowed deeply before the assembly.
This sight came as quite a surprise.
Given Castellan Lingtian's cultivation and station, for him to adopt such a posture was truly unexpected.
The Dongyang Sect's new representative was the first to speak: "Lord Castellan, you need not blame yourself. Life and death are up to fate for our kind; it is not your fault."
Castellan Lingtian said remorsefully, "In the end, it was my negligence that led to this great catastrophe."
His words sounded deeply sincere, ringing straight from the heart.
Everyone seemed somewhat moved.
Yet what each person truly thought inside was anyone's guess.
"Second, now that Lingtian Pass has been breached, its reconstruction must be placed on the agenda immediately to guard against another assault by the demon army!"
After mourning the past came the utmost priority of the present.
This was within everyone's expectations.
Castellan Lingtian declared with righteous grandeur, "For the reconstruction of Lingtian Pass this time, all resources will be provided by my Mingyuan Sect! Fellow daoists, you need not spend a single spirit stone."
Hearing this, Luo Chen and the others exchanged glances. *Such a good deal?*
Yet they quickly realized what this actually meant.
Back when Lingtian Pass was built, the resources had come from the accumulated savings of every sect and faction, and the land itself had been carved out of the five domains of Fenghua Palace and the Mu Prefecture.
In name, ownership of the city of Lingtian Pass belonged to all the forces of the Eastern Desolation.
The only reason it had been named "Lingtian" was to give face to the Mingyuan Sect, combined with the fact that they had provided the complete blueprints and the city defense formation.
Now, if the Mingyuan Sect funded the reconstruction of Lingtian Pass entirely on their own, on top of its existing name, who would Lingtian Pass belong to in the future?
Would it belong to all the Eastern Desolation forces, or to the Mingyuan Sect?
Luo Chen felt a chill in his heart. *Has it already begun?*
Castellan Lingtian continued speaking.
"Naturally, though your sects need not supply materials or resources, you must still lend a hand when it comes to manpower.
"Furthermore!"
Suddenly, his tone sharpened!
"Judging by the plot behind the demon race's sneak attack on our rear, what they seek is by no means a single city or domain, but the entire Eastern Desolation—the very soil upon which our human race survives!
"If we cannot thoroughly rout the demon army and reclaim our lost lands, we will no longer have any place to stand. Your sects and clans will not be able to carry on their lineages for generations to come.
"Therefore, this castellan proposes here and now that all rear sects send manpower to replenish Lingtian Pass and the surrounding five domains. At the same time, all Core Formation grand sects with intact organizational structures shall be conscripted to participate in the ensuing war!
"This battle is not the affair of a single clan or sect. It is a matter of paramount importance concerning the rise, fall, and very survival of the entire Eastern Desolation's human race!"
***
For the first time, Luo Chen found the frank and magnanimous Castellan Lingtian so hypocritical.
Perhaps those words truly came from Castellan Lingtian's own heart.
Yet these Nascent Soul True Persons, having lived for centuries, knew all too well just how many sect interests were woven into them!
And yet, beneath that grand and righteous rhetoric lay an irresistible general trend that none could oppose. It was the weight of righteousness bearing down; no one could utter a word of dissent.
Even after leaving the Castellan's Manor, Luo Chen still felt a suffocating pressure weighing on his chest.
This was the first time he had felt this way since reaching the Nascent Soul realm!
"For the survival of the Eastern Desolation's human race?"
"Heh!"
"I fear that once the demon race is truly driven off, the great sects will have either withered or declined. After a massive reshuffling, the strongest among them, the Mingyuan Sacred Land, can follow the example of the Tianyuan Dao Sect and seize complete control of the Eastern Desolation for themselves."
Reflecting on the contents of the meeting, Luo Chen smiled bitterly.
To dispel that stifling gloom, once the assembly adjourned, he took the initiative to visit the gravely injured Old Fu, accompanied by Ye Lan.
***
Under the deliberate dissemination of interested parties, the details of the meeting at the Castellan's Manor soon spread to every ear.
It spoke not only of righteousness and perilous stakes, but also of manifold attached benefits.
Rebuilding Lingtian Pass, regrouping forces, exhausting the strength of the Eastern Desolation's human race to mount a counterattack.
Once the demon race was repelled, those unowned spiritual grounds would be the finest rewards of all!
That point alone was enough to sway many hearts.
Coupled with the cautionary tale of the Demon Emperors wreaking havoc in the rear earlier, the factions in the sixteen rear domains that had previously stood by idly could no longer sit still.
After plummeting sharply, the number of cultivators at Lingtian Pass began surging once more.
Not only that, but powerhouses in the neighboring Five Lingtian Domains multiplied by the day.
Luo Chen kept an eye on these developments, but did not dwell on them. Instead, using the excuse of injuries from previous battles, he shut his doors and refused visitors.
It was not until a certain friend returned that he finally opened his doors.
"Was Gao Chang captured?"
The moment he saw Fenghua Fairy, Luo Chen asked without preamble.
"No!"
Fenghua Fairy shook her head decisively, her expression solemn. "That creature is far from simple!"
Luo Chen was not surprised. "Naturally he isn't. Though that demon attacks frequently, his threat to our Nascent Soul cultivators is rare in this world. His origins must be extraordinary."
"It is more than just that!"
Fenghua Fairy took a deep breath and began recounting everything she had encountered.
"After leaving the Tiandu Domain back then, I pursued Jinxiuxian and the other Demon Emperors alongside the Mingyuan Sect cultivators.
"Throughout the process, we held the absolute upper hand. With the help of the Mingyuan Sect cultivators, I even destroyed Huangfengke's physical body.
"Lei Daozi also demonstrated supreme prowess worthy of his renowned name; even a powerhouse like Jinxiuxian was completely helpless against him. But..."
At this point, a flicker of dread surfaced in her eyes.
"Yet when facing Gao Chang, against whom he held a complete counter, he relentlessly pursued without moving in for the kill.
"At first, I thought he harbored some misgivings. Later, when other commander-level Demon Emperors came to the rescue, it seemed to confirm my suspicion.
"It wasn't until Gao Chang, cornered in an encirclement, unleashed an attack of terrifying power—a lethal move no Nascent Soul cultivator could possibly possess—that I realized something was terribly amiss.
"With that single strike, he slaughtered five Nascent Soul True Persons of the Mingyuan Sect!"
Luo Chen's expression shifted drastically!
Gao Chang possessed such means—capable of instantly killing five Nascent Soul True Persons?
And they were Nascent Soul powerhouses from a sacred land, no less?
"Right then, I began to think of backing out, unwilling to continue participating in the hunt. I thought the Mingyuan Sect cultivators would do the same, but..."
Fenghua Fairy emphasized each word heavily: "Yet even after suffering such catastrophic casualties, Lei Daozi still did not give up. He even summoned more Nascent Soul powerhouses to encircle and eliminate Gao Chang.
"I realized they were determined to capture him. Moreover, with their repeated probing, pursuing without killing, piling up human lives... it seemed as though they were trying to draw someone out."
Luo Chen ventured, "Besieging a target to ambush reinforcements?"
"Yes, that was the feeling." Fenghua Fairy nodded, though doubt filled her eyes. "Yet Gao Chang's threat was already immense, and the commander-level Demon Emperors he drew in included supreme powerhouses like Huang Man and Niugui. Even so, they did not seem to be Lei Daozi's primary target. Who else could there be?"
Stronger than Huang Man and Niugui... there were indeed such figures among the demon race of the Eastern Desolation.
Such as Ao Kuang, or Qingshuang!
Yet instinctively, both Luo Chen and Fenghua Fairy dismissed that possibility.
"You say that at a critical juncture between life and death, Gao Chang unleashed a lethal move far beyond what a Nascent Soul cultivator could wield? Wouldn't that mean... it was the means of a Soul Formation grandmaster, a supreme ability?"
Facing Luo Chen's inquiry, Fenghua Fairy nodded subconsciously, and then her eyes widened.
"You suspect Lei Daozi and the others want to use Gao Chang to draw out the ancient demon Di Tian?"
Luo Chen hummed in affirmation and drew a deep breath. "Rumor has it that the ancient demon Di Tian attained the Dao as a white tiger of the Eastern Desolation. He pacified the Million Mountains, ruled over myriad demons, and took the title of Lord Pingshan. Beneath him are his favored consort Jinxiuxian, his general Huang Man, and even veteran powerhouses like Ao Kuang were subdued by him. Perhaps Gao Chang is also someone he values deeply; otherwise, there is no explaining why he carries Soul Formation means on him.
"You might not know, but to breach Lingtian Pass, Huang Man also deployed a Soul Formation means once!
"For Gao Chang to receive the same treatment as Huang Man demonstrates his importance.
"With how the Mingyuan cultivators led by Lei Daozi behaved, their intention is already glaringly obvious!"
Fenghua Fairy looked puzzled. "Even if they draw out the ancient demon Di Tian, what can they do?"
"If they kill him, wouldn't the current predicament of the Eastern Desolation be resolved?" Luo Chen countered.
Fenghua Fairy shook her head. "An ancient demon shares the realm of Soul Formation; how could he be slain so easily? What is more, do not the rumors say that Soul Formation grandmasters cannot take action in battle?"
*Cannot take action in battle?*
Scenes seemed to flash through Luo Chen's mind, and he could not help but let out a soft sneer.
Chapter 842