Chapter 397
The issue regarding Zheng Fa is merely a minor detail.
What truly troubles Cheng Kong is the Qingjing Bamboo.
“Shangshi, this Qingjing Bamboo…”
“It can’t be delayed any longer…” Cheng Kong sighed, his tone heavy with resignation. “I can only hope for a successful battle…”
Tong Ming remained silent, fully aware of what he meant.
The condition of the Qingjing Bamboo had worsened significantly. Despite being a spiritual root of heaven and earth, the yellowing leaves grew more pronounced by the day—subtle yet excruciating.
The various sects of the Bai Xian Alliance, including the Baicao Sect.
Other spiritual farmers outside the alliance.
Cheng Kong had consulted them all, but to no avail.
Now, the meaning of a successful battle was clear: if the Qingjing Bamboo continued in this state, it would likely only have the strength for one last fight.
Tong Ming sensed that Cheng Kong had anticipated this—if even the Taishang Dao could not heal the Qingjing Bamboo, they were left with nothing but a dead horse treated as a live one, waiting for a miracle.
Clearly, there was no miracle in sight.
Even Cheng Kong himself had given up hope.
“Let’s go!”
Cheng Kong called out lightly, the Qingjing Bamboo vanishing from his hand. The worry on his face lifted, and he stood up, heading toward the door.
Tong Ming’s expression turned serious as he followed him into the grandest hall atop Tong Ming Mountain.
Inside the hall were five low tables. Cheng Kong sat at the main table, while Tong Ming, the true master, stood respectfully behind him.
Yet he bore no resentment, his gaze fixed outside the hall, filled with anticipation.
Moments later, Xie Qingxue entered slowly, accompanied by Yan Wushuang, who was looking around curiously. They walked into the hall at a leisurely pace, bowed to Cheng Kong, and then took their seats at the first low table on the left without hesitation.
After a while, a shadow, not particularly tall but broad-shouldered, appeared at the threshold.
“Did we arrive late?”
A man’s voice, tinged with the sound of clashing weapons, echoed as he stepped into the hall.
He appeared to be a middle-aged man, dressed in simple earth-toned robes, yet he carried a magnificent longbow on his back, its body adorned with gems, radiating a visible aura of spiritual energy, fierce as a wolf and boar.
Tong Ming recognized him immediately; this was Luoxingzi, the transformation master from Haori Mountain who had arrived just a few days prior.
“Not late.”
Cheng Kong smiled, watching as he sat beside Xie Qingxue, then glanced at the two empty seats on his right.
“Those two, now they’re late.”
“After all, they’re coming from the West Continent…”
Luoxingzi chuckled softly, clearly not on good terms with the two.
Tong Ming pretended not to hear, his expression carefully neutral—after all, the Xuanwei Five Sects from the West Continent were still the Xuanwei Five Sects, regardless of their origins.
It was worth noting that the Xuanwei realm was divided into two continents, separated by a vast ocean, with great demons lurking in the waters, making it extremely difficult for ordinary cultivators to cross.
Thus, he had never encountered disciples from those two sects, and he felt a sense of novelty.
After a cup of tea’s time, two figures finally arrived together.
On the left was a young monk, his complexion as pale as jade, exuding an ethereal aura. With each step he took, golden lotus flowers bloomed beneath his feet.
“Such pretentiousness!”
Luoxingzi muttered again.
Though his voice was low, most present were transformation masters—who wouldn’t hear him?
Even the two who had yet to enter the hall wouldn’t miss this mocking remark.
However, the young monk seemed oblivious, his expression softening with compassion, while his companion, a regal woman, cast a glance into the hall, her gaze cold and indifferent, instilling a sense of dread.
Tong Ming silently counted in his mind:
Tianhe Sect, Haori Mountain, Taishang Dao—these were the leaders of the East Continent.
Leiyin Temple and Yaochi were the dominant forces of the West Continent.
These five sects collectively formed the Xuanwei Five Sects, ruling over the Xuanwei realm for an entire era, and today they had gathered in the small Tong Ming Mountain.
Thinking of this, he felt a mix of pride and misfortune—surely, this gathering would etch his name in history?
As for the misfortune, it was mainly due to the sheer number of attendees, including some who shouldn’t have come, like the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor…
With the arrival of the two newcomers, the most elite five forces of the Xuanwei Immortal Gate were now assembled.
Not only was Tong Ming intrigued, but even the five of them exchanged glances, momentarily speechless, as if they had never experienced such a scene.
The hall fell into a brief silence.
After a moment, Luoxingzi, growing impatient, spoke up: “What are we waiting for? We’re all here for the matter of Chen Jun, right? How are we supposed to discuss it if we just sit here in silence?”
Cheng Kong nodded gently. “Luoxing Daoist is right. The Great Freedom Demon Ancestor should not be underestimated. We need a plan to unite our efforts and eradicate the Great Freedom Demon Sect.”
The Yaochi transformation master, the regal woman, seemed reluctant. “This is ultimately your East Continent’s affair…”
Tong Ming couldn’t help but be taken aback. He knew that communication between the East and West Continents was rare, but hearing the Yaochi transformation master dismiss the matter of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor as not their concern was surprising.
“The Demon Ancestor’s emergence disrupts the Xuanwei realm—what does it matter whether it’s the East or West Continent?”
Xie Qingxue spoke up.
“Disrupting the Xuanwei realm?” The woman seemed skeptical, her gaze sweeping over Xie Qingxue’s face. She scoffed, “Has your Tianhe Sect fallen so low? A newly revived Demon Ancestor, relying on the Blood Slaughter Great Formation, how much strength can he really claim to disrupt the Xuanwei realm?”
“…”
The five in the hall fell silent.
After a moment, the young monk spoke: “The five sects’ joint effort to eradicate the Demon Sect is an agreement made by our elders. We cannot disregard it.”
“Moreover, we five sects are not afraid of the Demon Ancestor,” the young monk pressed his palms together, his tone increasingly compassionate. “But what about the innocent people of the East Continent?”
“This Blood Slaughter Great Formation… I can’t imagine how much mortal blood it has consumed.”
Upon hearing this, Tong Ming felt a pang of sorrow:
One or two mortals didn’t concern him.
To be fair, he had witnessed the lives and deaths of hundreds of thousands of mortals and regarded them as inconsequential.
But the Blood Slaughter Great Formation was different…
To summon the Demon Ancestor, this formation required an immense amount of blood. Chen Jun was one of the most populous regions under the Bai Xian Alliance, with a total population in the tens of millions, possibly even hundreds of millions.
But…
How many living souls remained now?
The words of the monk from Leiyin Temple struck a chord in his heart.
Surprisingly, as soon as the young monk spoke, the previously indifferent woman seemed to lose her complaints, adopting a posture of eager anticipation.
Seeing this, Cheng Kong added:
“While waiting for everyone to arrive, the Bai Xian Alliance has gathered quite a bit of intelligence regarding Chen Jun.”
He waved his hand, and a water curtain appeared in the hall, revealing a map. The map depicted cities, with swirling clouds of demonic energy hovering above them.
“Chen Jun’s twelve counties have now been occupied by the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor, and within the county cities, at least five transformation masters from the Great Freedom Demon Sect have gathered.”
“At least?”
Luoxingzi asked, puzzled.
“Yes, I discovered five transformation masters when I entered Chen Jun. In recent days, it seems the Great Freedom Demon Sect has been converging on Chen Jun, but I can’t discern the truth of the situation.”
Everyone nodded.
The intelligence was somewhat vague, but the Bai Xian Alliance’s strength was undeniable…
Tong Ming’s expression darkened. The Bai Xian Alliance had paid dearly for this information—often sending ten disciples into Chen Jun, only for two or three to return.
Within the sect, cries of mourning echoed daily.
“A single Great Freedom Demon Sect can actually have so many transformation masters…” The Yaochi transformation master’s tone was complex. “The Demon Sect has been secretly developing over the years… their strength cannot be underestimated.”
The young monk lowered his gaze, appearing unconcerned. “Though the Demon Sect’s transformation masters are numerous, the path to the Dharma Body is fraught with difficulty… it’s not comparable to our Xuanwei Five Sects, which have built up their strength over time.”
Upon hearing this, Cheng Kong and the others nodded in agreement.
Luoxingzi laughed heartily: “No matter how many transformation masters the Great Freedom Demon Sect has, with all five of our sects joining forces, do we have to fear them?”
Clearly, he had enough confidence to take on more with less.
The other four listened to his words, their expressions unchanged, clearly sharing the same confidence.
“Above the transformation masters, with the five of us, plus Tong Ming and others who come to lend a hand, we need not fear…” Cheng Kong said slowly, “The trouble lies with the disciples of the Great Freedom Demon Sect; their numbers are overwhelming…”
Luoxingzi paused, suddenly asking, “Does the Blood Slaughter Great Formation have no requirements for cultivation level?”
“There are requirements during its creation, but once it’s completed, it’s not so strict. Anyone above the Golden Core stage can wield the Blood Slaughter Flag.”
Everyone’s faces turned grim.
Tong Ming understood the intricacies of the situation—they were attacking Chen Jun to prevent the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor from descending.
The emergence of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor relied on the Blood Slaughter Great Formation.
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