Drawing near the Demon Flame Sect, he felt a wave of scorching heat.
The location Daoist Jiupao had meticulously chosen had too much earth fire for other sects, but was ideal for the disciples of the Demon Flame Sect to cultivate the Seven Yang Art.
Qin Sang appeared at the foot of the mountain, gazing up at the Demon Flame Sect's mountain-protecting grand array.
The scenery on Earth Fire Mountain differed little from when Qin Sang had visited years ago.
Red-leafed spiritual trees covered the slopes and valleys, with lodges and pavilions nestled among them, while the mountain-protecting grand array gathered crimson mists that drifted slowly through the void.
Under the blazing sun, colors glistened and flowed.
After observing it for a moment, Qin Sang determined that the grand array had not been altered.
This array was a heritage left behind by Patriarch Kuiyin, meticulously laid down by Daoist Jiupao. The earth fire could augment the array, making it more powerful the longer it stood. Moreover, its variations were countless and exceptionally intricate; the disciples of the Demon Flame Sect lacked the capability to modify it.
Carrying the command talisman and intimately familiar with every variation of the grand array, Qin Sang could easily slip inside with his current cultivation without alerting anyone.
He arrived before a red-leaf grove. With a flicker of his figure, he vanished into the woods. The crimson mist drifting above rippled faintly before returning to calm.
A few low-stage disciples were cultivating in the woods.
Shortly after, several patrolling disciples passed by, none noticing anything amiss.
Qin Sang moved quietly through the woods; not a single word or deed of the disciples escaped his ears and eyes.
In an herb garden.
Two disciples were channeling magic tools to summon clouds and rain, watering the spiritual herbs.
"Senior Brother, I heard Martial Uncle Zhao just returned from the Yinquan Sect with an awful expression on his face. When you went to the Sect Master Hall earlier, did you run into Martial Uncle Zhao? Did you hear anything?"
The younger one was a petite, pretty girl, whispering to the young man beside her.
The young man glanced at her. "What wild guesses are you girls whispering about together now?"
"Does it even take wild guesses?"
Pouting, the girl retorted indignantly, "All the sects attached to the Qingyang Sect have to take turns participating in the front-line defenses, and everyone knows it's our turn next. Among all the sects nearby, big or small, the Yinquan Sect is the most powerful. They convey the orders of the Qingyang Demonic Sect, and we have no choice but to follow. Martial Uncle Zhao's trip to the Yinquan Sect was definitely for this. If his expression was bad, it means the mission is probably dangerous. Are we wrong to care about our sect?"
The young man shook his head with a chuckle. "You girl, still as sharp-tongued as ever! With our meager cultivation, even if we knew the reason, what could we do? We'd do better to concentrate on tending the spiritual herbs properly and do our part for the sect."
Though he said so, deep worry surfaced in the depths of his eyes.
Qin Sang strolled leisurely past the spiritual fields.
Along the way, he overheard several similar conversations; most disciples cared deeply about their sect and bore little hostility or malevolence.
He had not expected the tentacles of the Qingyang Demonic Sect to have reached this far, integrating even the demonic forces near the Demon Flame Sect.
The Qingyang Demonic Sect could be considered an anomaly in the demonic path. Due to their cultivation methods and geographic location, they were shunned by the righteous path and forced to join the demonic path, yet in truth, their conduct remained relatively upright.
Of course, that did not mean the Qingyang Demonic Sect was easy to deal with.
The essence of the cultivation world was still the survival of the fittest; even righteous sects engaged in scheming and intrigue, but at least certain boundaries were observed.
Qin Sang had no desire to see Qingyang Temple degenerate into a demonic sect. If the Demon Flame Sect were populated by cruel and bloodthirsty people, he would never consider absorbing them into Qingyang Temple, lest its foundation be corrupted.
From the looks of it now, Meigu had governed the sect well.
This was also related to the surrounding environment. With the Qingyang Demonic Sect keeping order, this place had not devolved into a purely dog-eat-dog world like other demonic territories.
Having learned from these disciples that Meigu was currently on the mountain, Qin Sang quickened his pace and swept toward the mountain summit.
Inside the Sect Master Hall.
A woman in court dress was discussing something with an old man, both of them wearing expressions tinged with anger.
The woman in court dress was none other than Meigu. She had already reached the Core Formation stage, and her appearance had changed little since Qin Sang had seen her years ago, appearing like a frail woman.
Yet it was precisely those frail shoulders that had borne the heavy burden of the sect, guiding it through the tribulation of war to survive in the cracks.
Not only had the Demon Flame Sect avoided decline, it had steadily gained momentum, and what was even more commendable was that she had not neglected her own cultivation either.
The old man was Zhao Shanran, one of the Demon Flame Sect's four original Foundation Establishment cultivators.
His cultivation was a tier below Meigu's, having only reached the False Core stage.
The once spirited youth was now in his twilight years, decrepit and frail.
"Did Junior Brother Lu truly show up at the Yinquan Sect?"
Meigu knitted her dark brows tightly, as though confronting a knotty problem.
"Senior Sister, you once helped Elder Qi; he would never deceive us in a matter like this. Elder Qi only discovered the tracks of that man Lu by chance. At the time, the Yinquan Sect was bustling with many loose tongues, and he likely colluded with the Yinquan Sect's Sect Master."
Zhao Shanran felt lingering dread. "Had Elder Qi not warned me in time so that I took a detour along another path, I might have already been intercepted and slain by that man Lu! The heavens are truly blind—for a despicable villain like Lu to achieve Core Formation!"
Meigu sighed. "Back then, we obtained four Zanpo Pills, and each of us happened to receive one. Junior Brother Lu's innate talent was originally the best among the four of us, so it is hardly surprising that he could form a core."
"He didn't have one Zanpo Pill in his hands—he had two!"
Zhao Shanran was closest to Layman Hongye, and whenever he thought of this, his teeth clenched in hatred, infuriated that he could not personally put his enemy to the sword.
Meigu shook her head. "The battlefield is inherently perilous and unpredictable. As for Junior Brother Hongye's death, there was no solid proof back then..."
"Junior Brother Hongye was definitely murdered by that man Lu! Senior Sister, you are simply too benevolent! You should have listened to me back then and killed him immediately! I suspect that Lu's ability to escape had the Yinquan Sect's shadow behind it. This time, the Yinquan Sect might be falsifying orders from above, scheming to catch all of us in one net and then swallow the Demon Flame Sect under Lu's name!" Zhao Shanran said indignantly.
"Junior Brother, do not be rash. Whether Junior Brother Lu lives or dies is secondary; what matters most right now is how we deal with the Yinquan Sect."
Meigu remained calm as she consoled Zhao Shanran, glancing outside the door. "The Yinquan Sect demanding that we provide one Core Formation cultivator is a normal request; I shall simply make the trip myself. However, the additional number of personnel they demand is too great. A batch was already transferred away earlier; if we take away so many more disciples, our Demon Flame Sect will be completely emptied."
Pausing, Meigu said in a grave voice, "Their primary objective is certainly to draw me away. The other terms can be negotiated. Once at the front lines, I have my own arrangements; there is no need to worry about my safety, as the Yinquan Sect cannot simply do as they please. However, as you remain behind to guard the sect, Junior Brother, be careful in everything... Do you still remember how we used to handle things?"
Meigu's eyes shone brightly.
"One word: Endure!"
Zhao Shanran let out a slow breath. "I only have myself to blame for my dull aptitude and failed core formation, unable to share Senior Sister's burdens! Fret not, Senior Sister. Once you leave, I will seal the mountain immediately. Fortunately, you did not hand over the array command talisman and diagram to that man Lu back then. I would like to see how capable he truly is, to see if he can breach the grand array that the Reverend Sect Master personally laid down!"
Chapter 1161