Feng Yi landed beside Yu Mi and Bao Gu, asking, “What’s going on? What happened over at the Ten Thousand Demons Cave to cause such a commotion?”
Bao Gu pursed her lips and said quietly, “I killed the flood dragon.”
Feng Yi exclaimed in shock, “What! You… wasn’t he bound to you by a blood oath contract, how could you…”
Bao Gu said, “Martial Uncle, let’s first check on the situation at the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, we’ll discuss the rest later.”
With that, she summoned her flying sword and headed towards the Ten Thousand Demons Cave.
In no time, Bao Gu arrived outside the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, and the scene before her made her frown deeply.
The land within a hundred miles of the Ten Thousand Demons Cave was barren, the vegetation withered, turned to rotten wood, broken or collapsed, animal bones scattered everywhere, and even the ground seemed to be covered with a layer of black-brown slime, emitting a stench like that of a rotting corpse.
Clearly, the flood dragon’s death was too sudden, catching everyone off guard, and the creatures within this hundred-mile radius had no time to escape, destroyed by the energy released upon the flood dragon’s death.
Zi Tianjun and Nanshan Yijian were investigating not far away.
Zi Tianjun sent a message to Bao Gu, “Come over here!”
As Bao Gu flew to Zi Tianjun’s side, she suddenly felt a strange sensation.
She turned her head to look behind her but saw nothing.
While she was puzzled, she suddenly saw a three-foot-long, crystal-clear qilin hovering about ten zhang away.
Despite its small size, the qilin exuded an aura of immense power.
Bao Gu never imagined that the jade qilin, which could make Nanshan Yijian cough up blood, would be so small!
She thought it was a fierce beast!
The small qilin glared with its large, copper-bell-like eyes, surveying the surroundings, then fixed its gaze on them.
Its eyes were filled with majesty and wisdom, more like a sage who had attained enlightenment than a fierce beast.
Groups of various demon cultivators and evil paths were arriving, gathering outside the Ten Thousand Demons Cave to observe.
Bao Gu frowned and muttered softly, “Did I accidentally stir up a storm in the Two Realms Mountain again?”
Zi Tianjun, Nanshan Yijian, and Feng Yi all turned to look at Bao Gu.
Yu Mi, accustomed to Bao Gu’s antics, acted as if she hadn’t heard anything.
Zi Tianjun secretly asked Bao Gu, “Weren’t you going to take over the Ten Thousand Demons Cave? How did it end up like this?”
His eyes scanned Bao Gu up and down.
He knew well how many protective treasures Bao Gu had, and now, except for her intact clothing, all her protective treasures were gone, indicating she barely escaped with her life.
He said, “We’ll talk about it later!”
More and more demon cultivators and evil paths were gathering here, and even the jade qilin was nearby, making it dangerous to stay long.
Bao Gu’s gaze fell into the depths of the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, lost in thought.
At this moment, the cave was shrouded in black clouds, making it impossible to see inside.
From the outside, it seemed to have turned into a wasteland with the flood dragon’s death.
But she knew the flood dragon possessed a treasure—the Ancient Relic.
Such a treasure could not be tainted by the flood dragon.
If the Ancient Relic were destroyed, whether the world within it would be destroyed or reappear would surely manifest some anomaly, but whether this anomaly was hidden within the black clouds or if the Ancient Relic remained intact was uncertain.
Bao Gu sighed inwardly.
The Xuantian Sect originally sought a secluded place to cultivate and recover, but where in this vast world is there a truly peaceful place?
Even the seemingly remote Two Realms Mountain is full of hidden dangers, now further stirred by the flood dragon’s death.
She glanced at the jade qilin, then turned to follow Zi Tianjun back to Xuantian Peak.
Zi Tianjun, Feng Yi, Nanshan Yijian, Bao Gu, and Yu Mi entered the Xuantian Hall.
Zi Tianjun entered the hall, sighed heavily, and said with some urgency, “Bao Gu, killing the flood dragon was reckless! The demon alliance was already troublesome, and if the Ten Thousand Demons Cave could have been used to counterbalance it, the Xuantian Sect might have had a foothold. Now that the flood dragon is dead by your hand, the remnants of the Ten Thousand Demons Cave must join the demon alliance, uniting all the demon cultivators and evil paths in the Two Realms Mountain against us. The Xuantian Sect is in grave danger. How could you act so rashly without considering the consequences?”
Bao Gu sat calmly on a meditation cushion and said softly, “I did weigh the options. Would Grandmaster like to hear my reasons for killing the flood dragon?”
Nanshan Yijian found a place to sit.
Feng Yi also turned and sat on a meditation cushion.
Yu Mi sat beside Bao Gu.
Bao Gu said, “When I entered the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, I saw a Heavenly Demon Array formed by thirty-six Heavenly Demon Banners made from countless vengeful spirits and ghosts. This shows that the flood dragon was evil and had no compassion for living beings, something I had already witnessed in the Ancient Relic’s Corpse City. He knew I was from the orthodox sect, yet he still displayed these banners, showing he had no regard for me or the Xuantian Sect, and didn’t bother to hide it. It was also a hint that he wouldn’t follow the sect’s rules. When I followed him into the flood dragon’s hall, I found it empty. He knew I was there to take over the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, yet he deliberately dismissed all his followers, clearly refusing to be taken over. When I turned to leave, he stopped me, threatening my life and my senior sister’s, forcing me to hand over the Nascent Soul Pill and Nirvana Pill. He then suggested we each take a step back, but if I did, the takeover would fail, and neither he nor the cave would follow the sect’s rules. At most, he would help us counter the demon alliance, but I would have to guard against his betrayal day and night. If I agreed, it would plant the seeds of disaster, and even if the flood dragon didn’t turn on us, he would become another Mountain Guardian Granny.”
She sighed softly and said, “I know killing the flood dragon now puts the Xuantian Sect in danger. With his death, all the demon cultivators and evil paths in the Two Realms Mountain will join the demon alliance, and the sect is too weak to contend with them. But we are the orthodox sect, and allowing the Ten Thousand Demons Cave to do evil would be self-destructive. In the current situation, letting the flood dragon go would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains, a greater threat, so I had to kill him.”
Zi Tianjun asked, “Couldn’t you have stabilized him first, then dealt with the jade qilin later?”
Bao Gu said, “Grandmaster, the flood dragon isn’t foolish! With the jade qilin threatening the Xuantian Sect, he dared to challenge me today, so how could he possibly help us get rid of the qilin? At most, he would help us contain it, but once he got what he wanted, he would surely turn on us.”
Zi Tianjun asked gravely, “Then how do we deal with the demon alliance now?”
Another potential disaster loomed!
Bao Gu said quietly, “I haven’t figured it out yet. The flood dragon’s death has set us against the demon cultivators and evil paths in the Two Realms Mountain, leaving no room for reconciliation. We can only fight to the end.”
Feng Yi said, “The demon alliance is strong now, and with the flood dragon’s death, they likely see the Xuantian Sect as a mortal enemy, determined to drive us out of the Two Realms Mountain, or even eradicate us completely.”
Yu Mi turned to Bao Gu and said, “Junior sister, you’re not planning to ask the Soul Chasing Pavilion for help again, are you?”
Bao Gu shook her head and said, “Asking the Soul Chasing Pavilion for help would risk exposing the sect’s location. The Xuantian Sect, the demon domain, and the Ancient Relic in the Ten Thousand Demons Cave would all attract the forces of the Xuan Yue Ancient City, and with our current strength, we couldn’t withstand their pressure. That would leave us with no way out.”
Yu Mi asked, “Then what should we do now?”
Bao Gu was momentarily at a loss, frowning as she tried to think of a solution.
Yu Mi looked at Bao Gu and asked, “Junior sister, do you also have times when you’re out of ideas?”
Bao Gu glanced at Yu Mi and said, “Senior sister, I’m not a deity.”
She said quietly, “For now, we must strengthen our defenses and find a way to monitor the demon alliance’s movements.”
A thought crossed her mind, and she said, “There’s an old man in the Two Realms Mountain named Sun Dilong, known as the all-knowing.”
She looked at Feng Yi and said, “Martial Uncle Feng, I want to meet this person!”
Feng Yi asked, “When do you want to meet him?”
Bao Gu said, “As soon as possible.”
Feng Yi said, “Alright, I’ll go find him now.”
Zi Tianjun, hearing Bao Gu’s words, felt a glimmer of hope and asked, “Bao Gu, do you have a plan to deal with this?”
Bao Gu said, “Sun Dilong is known as the all-knowing, so he must be well-informed. We can gather information about the demon alliance from him to understand their situation and respond accordingly. The demon alliance is a coalition of various chaotic forces united against a common enemy, and there may be rifts and opportunities to exploit among them. If we can’t defeat them openly, we might try to undermine them from within.”
She continued, “Grandmaster, I believe there are a few urgent matters we need to address.”
Zi Tianjun gestured for Bao Gu to continue.
Bao Gu said, “Any external help is only temporary; true strength comes from within. Right now, it’s crucial to enhance the strength of our senior brothers and sisters. Cultivation levels can’t be rushed, so we should focus on enhancing their power through artifacts. We need to mass-produce offensive, defensive, and life-saving artifacts, along with sufficient pills and spirit wine, to arm them from head to toe. This will give us more strength when the time comes.”
Zi Tianjun acknowledged with a nod, indicating for Bao Gu to proceed to the second matter.
This was something he had already arranged when Bao Gu was too drunk to be aware.
Bao Gu continued, “We need to quickly help Martial Uncle Chen restore his spiritual body and reforge the flood dragon’s bones for future use. There are two options: one, forge them into a powerful weapon to deter the demon alliance; two, turn them into a vehicle to enter the Ten Thousand Demons Cave and seek the flood dragon’s Ancient Relic. The use of the flood dragon’s bones is for Grandmaster to decide.”
Zi Tianjun nodded and asked, “What else needs to be done?”
Bao Gu said, “The third matter is to prepare an escape route. If the demon alliance attacks and we can’t hold them off, we must retreat entirely, even if it means finding a new base. We cannot let the disciples of the Xuantian Sect be buried here. These are the three things I can think of for now. If there’s anything I’ve overlooked, I hope Grandmaster will guide me.”
Zi Tianjun said, “Let’s proceed with these plans for now. Bao Gu, the Xuantian Sect is in a turbulent time, and you must remain vigilant.”
Bao Gu nodded and replied, “Yes!”
Seeing that there were no other instructions, she stood up and said, “If there are no other orders, Bao Gu will take her leave.”
Zi Tianjun said, “Go ahead.”
Yu Mi stood up, bowed, and said, “Yu Mi takes her leave.”
She followed Bao Gu out of the Xuantian Hall, walking slowly by her side, lost in thought.
Bao Gu curiously turned to Yu Mi and asked, “Senior sister, what are you thinking about?”
Yu Mi took a deep breath, looked at Bao Gu, and said, “I think you were a bit impulsive in killing the flood dragon.”
She spoke with a hint of helplessness and self-mockery, “You had the blood oath token, you could have killed him anytime. At least keep him around for a few more days to help contain the demon alliance, giving the Xuantian Sect some breathing room and time for the disciples to grow stronger. By killing him now, haven’t you pushed the sect to the forefront of the Two Realms Mountain’s evil paths? Besides, if the flood dragon truly meant harm to me, he wouldn’t have just said it; he would have captured me the moment I stepped into the Ten Thousand Demons Cave. Don’t you think so? Bao Gu, you’re smarter than me, I can see that, so how could you not see it? The flood dragon, a grand demon, naturally has some arrogance, and you’re only at the second stage of Foundation Establishment, so he naturally feels defiant. It’s reasonable for him to seize the opportunity to ask for more benefits. Wasn’t it a bit excessive to kill him at this critical moment? What exactly drove you to risk your life and put the sect in danger to kill him?”
Bao Gu remained silent, her expression cold.
Yu Mi called softly, “Bao Gu!”
She spoke gently, “Let me know your true thoughts.”
Hearing Yu Mi’s soft tone, Bao Gu’s heart softened.
She sighed lightly, “Hesitation leads to disaster! The flood dragon crossed my bottom line and principles, and I wouldn’t spare him even if it meant mutual destruction! Also, if the Xuantian Sect relies on external forces to stand, can it have a future? The demon alliance is strong, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be dealt with.”
Seeing Yu Mi staring at her, Bao Gu thought she might have said something wrong and quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”
Yu Mi snapped out of her daze and said, “Nothing, I just noticed you have a bit of a decisive, commanding aura now.”
She then chuckled, “But in a moment of panic, that aura vanished.”
Bao Gu’s face turned bitter, “A commanding aura? I feel like I’m living day to day, struggling.”
Yu Mi was amused by Bao Gu, smiling warmly, but as she laughed, she remembered the precarious state of the Xuantian Sect, and her smile was replaced by a look of melancholy and worry.
She sighed, “Yes, living day to day, in a storm.”
Bao Gu couldn’t bear to see Yu Mi like this and quickly said, “Senior sister, don’t worry, as long as I’m here, I won’t let you be without a home.”
“Silly!”
Yu Mi gently patted Bao Gu’s head and said, “In the face of absolute power, any strategy is futile. Right now, the demon alliance is suppressing the Xuantian Sect with absolute power.”
With that, she turned and left.
