Chapter 663
Zheng Fa pondered for a moment before asking, “Senior Sister, can you calculate for me the chances of survival if I were to wield a true immortal treasure against two true immortals?”
This question was much simpler than the previous one.
Especially if the innate Bagua (Eight Trigrams) had data corresponding to the strength of true immortals, the calculations would not be too difficult.
Sister Zhang calculated again, her expression growing increasingly pale, but she remained silent.
Zheng Fa understood:
Last time, she couldn’t come up with an answer.
This time, she had calculated it but didn’t want to reveal the result.
However, two true immortals had already made a concerted effort to underestimate Haori Mountain. The other side likely had two true immortals and one scattered immortal.
Sister Zhang pointed at the Bagua diagram in front of her and quickly began to calculate:
“If you face one true immortal, your chances of winning are no more than twenty percent, but your risk of losing your life is also no more than ten percent.”
“If you are at the transformation stage and face two true immortals, the likelihood of death… rises to eighty percent.”
“If…”
Sister Zhang exhausted her spiritual energy, calculating seven or eight possible scenarios, only to despairingly conclude—if relying solely on Jiushan Sect, even if Zheng Fa rapidly achieved the transformation stage, they would still be unable to contend with more than one true immortal.
“In other words, even if I wield the Xianjian (Immortal Sword) against a true immortal, I might only be able to protect myself. Against more than one true immortal… even with my three divine abilities, the probability of death is still very high?”
“Even if I reach the transformation stage, there won’t be a qualitative change?”
Sister Zhang nodded and added, “But calculations only indicate possibilities; they can’t be said to be completely accurate. We don’t even know the true power of the Xianjian.”
This was mostly a consolation.
The innate Bagua, as a gifted divine ability, might not be one hundred percent accurate, but it wouldn’t be wildly off either.
Given Sister Zhang’s understanding of him, the innate Bagua’s assessment of his strength would likely not be far from the truth.
“So, even if I wait ten years, even if I reach the transformation stage, Jiushan Sect still won’t have much chance against Haori Mountain…” Zheng Fa furrowed his brow.
Sister Zhang fell silent, but her silence was the answer.
Elder Yuan, listening nearby, also wore a look of despair.
After a long moment of contemplation, Zheng Fa asked, “Sister Zhang, can you calculate when the Jiu You Demon Ancestor and Master Yan will make their move?”
Both of them perked up, understanding Zheng Fa’s intent.
The innate Bagua stirred slightly, and Sister Zhang’s face turned pale, blood spilling from her mouth.
The Bagua diagram in the air exploded, dissipating into countless specks of light.
“Sister?”
“I can’t calculate it. When I tried to assess Haori Mountain, I just couldn’t find a result.” Sister Zhang wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and forced a bitter smile. “But once I began to calculate these two, the innate Bagua backfired…”
Zheng Fa remained silent, gripping Sister Zhang’s wrist. He probed her spiritual energy and found that she was not seriously harmed, just a bit drained and her spirit weakened, which eased his worry somewhat.
“From this, it seems the Jiu You Demon Ancestor is stronger than we imagined.”
Elder Yuan nodded in agreement, “He’s probably stronger than an average true immortal.”
It was easy to understand; Sister Zhang didn’t have such a strong reaction when calculating Haori Mountain, but the moment she tried to assess the Jiu You Demon Ancestor, she was met with backlash, indicating the latter’s greater strength.
“I was hoping that if we could figure out the plans of the Jiu You Demon Ancestor and Master Yan, we could leverage the situation…”
Zheng Fa sighed.
Since Jiushan Sect couldn’t bear the burden alone, they would have to let Master Yan and the Jiu You Demon Ancestor take the brunt.
The Jiu You Demon Ancestor’s formidable strength was naturally a good thing for him—an unspoken alliance of sorts.
But there was a significant problem:
“Master Yan seems to want to use us as a shield…” Elder Yuan frowned. “With such a disparity in strength, are we not just lambs to the slaughter?”
Hearing this, Zheng Fa felt a weight in his heart.
Indeed, with such a vast difference in power, it would be hard to coexist equally, especially since both sides were contemplating ways to undermine each other.
Just as the three were in distress, a spiritual message suddenly came through the Zao Hua Yu Die (Book of Creation).
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing Zheng Fa’s unusual expression, Sister Zhang and Elder Yuan both asked.
“The Jiu You Demon Ancestor sent word that Master Yan has decided to take action in three months. By then, Haori Mountain will surely deal with the Xianjian separately…”
“If we can get our hands on the Xianjian, we should seize the opportunity.”
“If we can’t, the Xianjian will be used against Tianhe Sect, and we won’t be threatened.”
Elder Yuan’s eyes widened in surprise, “This… is this really true?”
Zheng Fa was also puzzled; Master Yan seemed like a mine-clearer, clearing all the mines ahead.
Was he really so eager to contribute?
…
“Have you made up your mind?”
The Jiu You Demon Ancestor looked at Master Yan, his tone carrying a hint of surprise.
“I have.”
“I never knew… you had such selfless intentions.”
Master Yan stood at the entrance of the Hall of the Sect Leader, not turning around, simply saying:
“Once the formation diagram is revealed, all four sects will likely besiege my Tianhe Sect.” Master Yan said softly, “What difference does it make if there’s one more Jiushan Sect or one less?”
“Previously, I said I would wait for Zheng Fa to act; it was merely an excuse because I was hesitant and afraid of death.”
The Jiu You Demon Ancestor smiled slightly, “So now you’re not afraid of death?”
“When Wushuang was just born, I had already cultivated the ‘Zhu Xian Jian Dian’ (Sword Classic of Slaying Immortals). Though I had consciousness, I could no longer act independently.”
“…”
“His mother seemed to have discovered something and entered the Sword Pavilion one day, never to return.”
“Later, when I went in to look for her, all that was left was a letter asking me to take good care of Wushuang.”
The Jiu You Demon Ancestor listened in silence.
“I’m afraid he’ll stay inside and seek out the truth behind his mother’s death. So I let him run around, thinking it’s better if he’s a bit foolish.”
“After all, his mother died because of me, and it’s only natural for him to resent me as his father.”
The Jiu You Demon Ancestor looked at Master Yan and asked, “So you want to help Zheng Fa?”
Master Yan smiled, “If he can even learn the ‘Huang Ting Jing’ (Scripture of the Yellow Court), I can consider it fulfilling his mother’s wishes, and there’s nothing to worry about.”
(End of this chapter)
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Chapter 467: The Changing Tides, Development of the Sea Region
Zheng Fa put away the Zao Hua Yu Die and turned to Elder Yuan and Sister Zhang, asking:
“Master, do you think the Demon Ancestor’s words are trustworthy?”
He was unaware of Master Yan’s intentions and naturally felt a bit cautious.
Elder Yuan and Sister Zhang exchanged glances, remaining silent, unsure how to decide.
Sister Zhang took out the Fei Xian Bi (Flying Immortal Brush) and drew the innate Bagua diagram. After three breaths, she nodded, “Calculating only for Master Yan, the credibility of this statement is over seventy percent.”
That’s right!
Calculating the Jiu You Demon Ancestor was beyond Sister Zhang’s capabilities, but Master Yan wasn’t that strong.
“In that case, it’s better to believe it than not.” Zheng Fa thought for a moment and then asked, “What should we do about the Xianjian?”
The Jiu You Demon Ancestor had made it clear: if there were any changes in Tianhe Sect, Haori Mountain wouldn’t feel safe leaving the Xianjian out in the open—they might even take the Xianjian to attack Tianhe Sect.
Feigning indifference and allowing Haori Mountain to take the Xianjian would give Jiushan Sect a period of stability.
But to be honest, Zheng Fa was reluctant on an emotional level:
It felt a bit too easy for Haori Mountain to just toss the Xianjian around as they pleased.
Moreover, he had developed a deep bond with the Xianjian; how could he allow Haori Mountain, this ugly brute, to snatch away his love?
Elder Yuan furrowed his brow tightly, “Hiding for a moment is not the same as hiding for a lifetime.”
Aside from emotional factors, this was the crux of the issue:
The Xianjian was a true immortal treasure. If Haori Mountain took it back, not to mention whether the sword spirit would expose the clues about Li Hao, revealing Zheng Fa’s trump card, if they found a way to refine the Xianjian again, their strength would grow once more.
In contrast, Jiushan Sect, without the Xianjian, would effectively lose a true immortal’s combat power, with little hope of compensation in the short term.
With the balance of power shifting, if disputes arose again, the situation would be even worse than what Sister Zhang had calculated.
It was a temporary respite, but the future would be a complete loss.
The Xianjian might disappear from the Hundred Immortals Alliance, but Haori Mountain’s hostility would not vanish.
“We can only act according to the situation.” Zheng Fa thought it over and finally made a decision, “Master, I’ll need to focus my energy on Chong Xuan Sect during this time. The matters of Jiushan Realm will have to be entrusted to you and Sister Zhang.”
Elder Yuan nodded, understanding Zheng Fa’s choice—acting according to the situation, though it was a dilemma, still leaned towards securing the Xianjian. But as the leader of Jiushan Sect, Zheng Fa naturally couldn’t act impulsively; he needed to stay at Chong Xuan Sect, assess the risks, and seek a foolproof plan.
As for the affairs of Jiushan Realm, they would naturally need someone to manage them.
He and Sister Zhang were one the former leader of Jiushan Sect and the other Zheng Fa’s partner.
Now they had both reached the transformation stage.
In terms of identity, strength, and prestige, they were the most suitable.
He knew Zheng Fa’s choice was correct; avoiding now would lead to a worse outcome in the future.
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