The sea was calm and still.
In the large ship cutting through the waves, Yan Shouxia lay on the bed, her expression deep and somber.
Shen Zao looked down at her with some irritation.
After extracting the spiritual energy coursing through her flesh, she applied medicine to Yan Shouxia.
Her gaze swept over the whip-scarred, bloody back, and she reached out to pull up the covering clothes.
“You don’t need to say I’m acting on my own.
Is there anywhere else to go besides the North Sea?” Shen Zao spoke in a low voice.
After the two palace masters died, Spring and Autumn Heaven Palace would surely receive the news immediately.
Yan Shouxia and the demonic cultivator, how could they escape blame? Even if she had no connection with the demonic cultivator, she had attacked the palace masters and was one of the culprits.
Seeing Yan Shouxia not responding, Shen Zao crossed her arms and let out a light laugh, “Do you still want to stay in the academy to complete the Tai Shang plan?”
Yan Shouxia glanced at Shen Zao, her voice muffled, “I have no such intention.” After a pause, she furrowed her brows and asked, “What did she say to you?”
Shen Zao flicked her sleeve, speaking coldly, “Nothing.” She met Yan Shouxia’s picturesque eyes and added, “You don’t need to speak for me, nor take the blame for me.
These twenty lashes are what I owe you.”
Yan Shouxia pressed her lips together, and after a long while, she looked at Shen Zao and asked, “Then how will you repay it?”
Shen Zao had good relations with the Guxin Island Zhou Family and quickly secured a large ship to set sail, while Spring and Autumn Heaven Palace was in chaos.
The Confucian Sect upheld righteousness, and every time a disciple fell, it was a pollution of the righteous spirit.
The grand palace masters of the Primordial Spirit realm were busy with the “Tai Shang plan,” with no time to care for the Golden Core disciples’ situation, while the grand palace masters were in heated discussions, insisting on bringing back Yan Shouxia and Shen Zao .
In Gantang Dao Palace, Yue Gantang sat at the head, looking at Bai Qinglian standing in the hall, sighing repeatedly.
Although Shen Zao and Yan Shouxia were not her direct disciples, she had secretly paid attention to them and had high hopes for them.
But who would have thought these two would follow in Yun Chixin’s footsteps again?
“What do you plan to do?” Yue Gantang glanced at Bai Qinglian, asking in a low voice.
Bai Qinglian raised her eyes, answering indirectly, “Is there no more news from Pure Lotus Zen? Is Ling Mountain not planning to retrieve it from the Demon Sect, Path of Killing?”
Yue Gantang pondered, “Who knows about the matters at the top?”
Bai Qinglian smiled and continued, “Since the senior brothers and sisters don’t care, why should we? The road to the North Sea is difficult, and my disciples can’t afford the loss.” Her meaning was clear; she did not intend to pursue Shen Zao and Yan Shouxia’s culpability.
She had taught them for quite some time and did not believe they would truly fall.
After thinking for a while, Bai Qinglian looked at Yue Gantang and asked, “What do you plan to do, senior sister?”
Yue Gantang’s eyes flashed, feigning ignorance, “What do you mean?”
Bai Qinglian spoke directly, “The Tai Shang plan.” After a moment of thought, she added, “Perhaps it should be renamed the Tai Shang Primordial Embryo plan.”
Do they really want Tai Shang to return so much, even allowing the Demon Ancestor to appear?”
Yue Gantang replied, “The calamity of heaven and earth is approaching, you must know, the way of heaven lies in ‘balance.’ After the Demon Ancestor appears, it is highly likely to force the way of heaven to promote the ‘Tai Shang change.’ Eliminating the Demon Ancestor is certainly the best choice, but haven’t they run out of options?” She looked deeply at Bai Qinglian, lowering her voice, “The previous plan didn’t work, and after Brother Ran’s downfall, only a few people were willing to persist.
But at this time, the one from Wangqing Sect brought out the secret method of the ‘Tai Shang Primordial Embryo.’ You must know, that person achieved the celestial realm in Taishi Palace, once served as the head of Taishi Palace, and knows many secrets related to Tai Shang.
Yet, it’s unknown why they betrayed Taishi Palace and fell into the demonic path.
Speaking of which, that person also cultivates the Supreme Forgetfulness path, right?”
Bai Qinglian sighed at these words.
Perhaps because the calamity of heaven and earth was near, how many cultivators had fallen into the demonic path in the past century? Even the Three Supreme Palaces could not avoid it.
Shi Qingchen glanced at her and said, “The fate of the world is constantly changing.
I’m afraid their happiness won’t last long.” According to Li Jingyu’s plan, there would be a massacre in the Demon Sect, and when those demonic cultivators return to the earth, the turbid energy will rise continuously.
Coupled with what was taken by the Demon God’s twelve plans, the balance of the world will tilt towards the Demon Sect, weakening the Immortal Sect cultivators’ pure spiritual energy.
In the past, some powerful figures proposed such a self-harming method, using the lives of lower disciples to exchange for the lives of the Immortal Sect, but this ultimately went against the natural order, angering the Immortal Sect’s celestial realm cultivators, and had to be abandoned.
Above Extreme Heaven, Hong Ming manifested a white bone avatar, like a majestic and terrifying Demon God holding up the heavens and earth.
Huai Wanxiu stood before him, surrounded by flying flowers, also revealing a solemn celestial maiden form.
“If we fight to the death, it will only benefit the Immortal Sect,” Hong Ming’s anger subsided a bit.
He looked deeply at Huai Wanxiu, intending to dissuade her with words.
Seeing Huai Wanxiu’s serious expression, he continued, “We are of the same origin, why go to such lengths? With the Demon God’s return, we can glimpse creation, which benefits both of us.”
Huai Wanxiu was not swayed by Hong Ming’s words.
She gazed at him, smiling slightly, “It’s you who will die.”
Hong Ming frowned, unwilling to accept, “Do you really want to let the Immortal Sect dictate? The Immortal Sect hasn’t dared to destroy our Demon Sect because we are all here.”
Huai Wanxiu’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t respond to Hong Ming’s words.
In fact, what Hong Ming said made sense.
In the celestial realm, the Immortal Sect far surpassed the Demon Sect.
Besides the leaders of the Taishi and Taiyuan palaces, the Confucian sage of the Spring and Autumn Heaven Palace and the Zui Fo Zun of the Path of Killing were all celestial beings.
But so what?
Hong Ming said coldly, “Even though the Wangqing Sect member has fallen into our demonic path, it’s uncertain if she will appear when the time comes.
Don’t forget, she even gave the Tai Shang fetal secret method to the Three Supreme Palaces.” This was done to better bring forth the “Demon God,” but Hong Ming disagreed with this move.
Now that the Tai Shang plan has failed, it can’t catch up no matter what.
He would rather sacrifice some disciples to block the Immortal Sect cultivators than exchange with them, giving them a chance to recall “Tai Shang” and witness creation.
Unfortunately, the Wangqing Sect member’s actions were unpredictable, and he couldn’t stop her.
“If the Immortal Sect attacks, I will naturally appear.” A calm voice emerged, causing Hong Ming’s eyelids to twitch as he looked in shock at the figure walking slowly from Extreme Heaven.
Although both were celestial beings, when he looked forward, the other seemed like a concentrated star mist, impossible to discern.
This could only mean that the other’s aura had risen to a level about to transcend.
“You, you—” Hong Ming certainly didn’t think Cangzhen’s appearance was a good thing.
His gaze fell on Huai Wanxiu, who showed no surprise, and he immediately understood the key! Huai Wanxiu had allied with Cangzhen to suppress him! Hong Ming’s face was a mix of shock and anger.
He was confident against Huai Wanxiu alone, but with Cangzhen, it was uncertain.
After all, this person had already entered the celestial realm in the Taishi Palace and was once the top combat power of the Three Supreme Palaces! His heart tightened, and he instinctively tried to escape from Extreme Heaven, but after turning into a blood mist, no matter how he traversed, he couldn’t avoid Cangzhen and Huai Wanxiu’s figures.
The surrounding energy underwent violent changes, with black and white energies crisscrossing.
Hong Ming looked down and saw the chessboard beneath his feet and the falling chess piece.
“We are all pieces on the board.
Where do you plan to escape, friend?” Cangzhen said calmly.
Hong Ming glared at Cangzhen and Huai Wanxiu, letting out a cold laugh.
Knowing he couldn’t escape, he had to change his strategy.
The white bone avatar behind him grew larger, dyeing half the sky a ghastly white.
The giant demonic claw, with sharp bone spurs, struck down with fierce wind.
Huai Wanxiu glanced coldly, and with a turn of the jade flute in her hand, a clear, cloud-piercing flute sound emerged.
The battle between celestial realm cultivators stirred the already chaotic spiritual energy of the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, casting a gloomy shadow over the Jiuzhou sky.
In the Taiyuan Dao Palace, Yang Xizhou and several fellow cultivators were jointly refining a seal called the Yuan Decree Dutian Seal, which could suppress the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
The refining method wasn’t difficult, as all disciples of the Tai Shang lineage knew it, but to use it to suppress the Great Whirlpool long-term required celestial realm cultivators.
The seal’s treasure light flickered, gradually reaching perfection after two years of effort.
However, at this moment, Yang Xizhou and his group were startled by the spiritual energy upheaval from the Demon Sect.
They glanced over, not yet excited by the Demon Sect’s “internal strife,” when they were stunned by another star-like light.
“She’s out.”
Everyone’s hearts sank.
