Translator: CinderTL
Song Wen and the other four couldn't help but exchange glances.
Had Yang Yu really left so easily?
Yang Yu's departure meant more than just one less person; it also signaled the collapse of the alliance between the six sects to jointly attack the Profound Yin Sect.
Lan Chen watched Yang Yu's retreating figure, lost in thought.
"Fellow Daoist Mo, let's go too."
Mo Yexue nodded in agreement. "Alright."
Song Wen suddenly clasped his hands in a gesture of gratitude toward Lan Chen. "Thank you, Immortal Maiden, for saving me just now."
Lan Chen replied, "You have quite a few titles. 'Ji Yin'—could that be another alias?"
Song Wen chuckled awkwardly. "Never! I've used this name since I began cultivating."
Lan Chen didn't press further. She and Mo Yexue followed Yang Yu's trail.
The three with the lowest cultivation—Song Wen, Xiao Chan, and Hao Kong—didn't dare linger either. They took to the skies together and flew away.
After they had flown ten thousand miles away from the Profound Yin Cave, the surroundings had become lush and verdant. Xiao Chan bid farewell and departed alone, leaving only Song Wen and Hao Kong.
"Yin Shuo... Ji Yin... Fellow Daoist, in your opinion, will the Profound Yin Sect continue its expansionist efforts and try to encroach upon our two sects?" Hao Kong asked.
Song Wen said, "I don't think so. After today's events, the Profound Yin Sect will likely lie dormant for a while, temporarily ceasing their overt expansion."
Hao Kong nodded, agreeing with Song Wen's assessment.
With Lan Chen, Yang Yu, and Mo Yexue—three Peak Nascent Soul cultivators—all present, Gui Ni knew he stood no chance against them. Leaving the Nine Palaces Sect and the Asura Sect behind was also a signal to the three: Gui Ni had no ambition to unify the Immortal Cultivation World.
"However, this peace is only temporary. We've merely borrowed the strength of others to delay this crisis. True stability can only be achieved through our own strength," Song Wen said, his words heartfelt.
Hao Kong replied, "Fellow Daoist, you speak wisely."
"Fellow Daoist Hao Kong, I have a matter where I require your assistance," Song Wen suddenly changed the subject.
Hao Kong said, "Please speak freely, Fellow Daoist. If it's within my power, I won't refuse."
Song Wen said, "I urgently need a few Seven Lives Mushrooms. Do you happen to have any?"
Hao Kong shook his head. "No. However, I know where they can be found."
"Where?" Song Wen asked.
Hao Kong replied, "The Evil Marsh Secret Realm."
Upon hearing this, Song Wen frowned slightly.
He had heard of the Evil Marsh Secret Realm.
Located within the former territory of the Crimson Blood Sect, this secret realm was jointly controlled by the Four Great Sects of the demonic path. It opened only once every thirty years, allowing entry only to cultivators at the Golden Core stage or below.
"The next opening of the Evil Marsh Secret Realm is less than a year away. If Fellow Daoist is interested, I can share the method for controlling the entrance," Hao Kong said.
Seeing Hao Kong's straightforwardness, Song Wen clasped his hands in a gesture of gratitude.
"Then I thank you, Fellow Daoist. May I ask how many disciples your sect plans to send to the Evil Marsh Secret Realm this time? Perhaps our two sects could cooperate then."
Hao Kong replied, "I'm afraid I must disappoint you, Fellow Daoist. We have no plans to send anyone to the Evil Marsh Secret Realm this time."
Song Wen nodded slightly, saying no more.
He understood that Hao Kong was afraid of the Profound Yin Sect, fearing that those sent would never return.
Meanwhile, after watching Song Wen and the others depart, Gui Ni turned to Xue Mei beside him and asked, "Xue Mei, with the Four Righteous Sects suddenly intervening, we'll have to put our plan to unify the demonic path on hold for now."
Xue Mei's eyes gleamed with a chilling light that pierced the soul.
"Our true goal isn't merely to unify the demonic path, but to conquer the entire Tianyuan Continent. Since Yang Yu, Lan Chen, and Mo Yexue have intervened early, we'll temporarily lie low. Once the Gold-Eating Ant Swarm grows to a sufficiently massive size, we'll launch a surprise attack on any one of the Beastmaster Sect, the He Huan Sect, or the Profound Heaven Sword Sect. As long as we can slaughter an entire sect, even if the remaining two join forces, they'll struggle to halt the Profound Yin Sect's advance. As for the Mixed Yuan Temple, the Asura Sect, and the Nine Palaces Sect, they pose no real threat. However, Ji Yin is a formidable opponent."
Gui Ni replied, "Ji Yin is indeed peculiar. His Spirit Sense cultivation and combat techniques far surpass those of ordinary Early-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators."
Xue Mei said, "He's not merely in the Early Stage; he's already reached the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm. But through some unknown method, he conceals his true cultivation, making it impossible to gauge his true strength."
Gui Ni asked with a hint of curiosity, "How did you see through his true cultivation?"
A series of images flashed through Xue Mei's mind.
That was her only experience of being reborn.
However, this experience lasted a full forty-nine days.
"I witnessed his breakthrough to the mid-Nascent Soul stage with my own eyes," Xue Mei said in a low voice, her tone tinged with complexity.
Noticing Xue Mei's slight displeasure, as if she didn't want to elaborate, Gui Ni changed the subject.
"Fellow Daoist Xue Mei, you once mentioned that the Blood of Fallen Immortal is a living entity hidden within a secret realm on the Tianyuan Continent. As things stand now, we've exhausted our minds trying to unify the Immortal Cultivation World of the Tianyuan Continent before systematically exploring each secret realm. This is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Could you tell me what the Blood of Fallen Immortal truly looks like? That would make it easier for me to send people to search for it."
Xue Mei replied, "Gui Ni, it's not that I'm holding back. I truly don't know the true appearance of the Blood of Fallen Immortal. We are now allies, bound together by mutual benefit and loss. There's no reason for me to hide anything from you. Besides, I'll eventually face the challenge of breaking through to the Divine Transformation stage. If you can find the Blood of Fallen Immortal, it would be a great fortune for me as well."
Gui Ni lowered his head, gazing into the bottomless depths of the Profound Yin Cave, and remained silent.
After obtaining the method to open the Evil Marsh Secret Realm from Hao Kong, Song Wen returned to Tiancang Mountain.
Upon seeing Yu Wen, Song Wen issued an order.
"Chief Yu, summon all Golden Core cultivators of the sect. I have an important matter to announce."
Two hours later, all Golden Core cultivators of the Asura Sect had gathered at Tiancang Mountain, except for two who were away and couldn't return in time.
There were seven in total, including Zhou Siyi, who rarely appeared at Tiancang Mountain.
Although she had withdrawn from the sect's management, she was still nominally a disciple of the Asura Sect. When Song Wen ordered Yu Wen to summon all Golden Core disciples, she naturally had to attend.
When Song Wen first established the Asura Sect, it had only six Golden Core cultivators. After a sixty-year period of cultivation, the number had increased to nine.
The three newly advanced cultivators were not from the sect's Foundation Establishment disciples but rogue Golden Core cultivators who had joined from outside.
"The Evil Marsh Secret Realm is about to open. Is there anyone among you willing to enter?" Song Wen, seated on the Sect Leader's throne, scanned the seven cultivators standing below and spoke.
The seven Golden Core cultivators fell silent.
Everyone knew that the Profound Yin Sect was currently powerful and wouldn't easily allow other sects to interfere with the Evil Marsh Secret Realm. Moreover, the realm itself was fraught with danger.
Seeing their hesitation, Song Wen continued.
"Within the secret realm, all treasures you find, except for the Seven Lives Mushroom, will be yours to keep without having to submit them to the sect. Furthermore, if you can obtain the Seven Lives Mushroom, I, the Sect Leader, will bestow a great reward. In addition, to ensure your success in obtaining the Seven Lives Mushroom, I will grant each of you a life-saving treasure."
(End of the Chapter)
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