Master Hurry Up and Bring Out the Elixir

The so-called demon kingdom of Origin Mountain.

In the eyes of most human cultivators, it’s nothing more than a gathering of weaklings and wild beasts seeking warmth in numbers.

The accumulation of trash can only form the ultimate shape of garbage—a garbage heap.

Though they may appear formidable, they lack culture and historical depth.

This war hadn’t even truly begun.

They had already stepped into a massive pit—establishing a council system with seven demon kings.

At a time when their very survival was at stake, they were playing such games.

It was utterly absurd, and they were bound to suffer dearly for their lack of wisdom.

In wartime, the best form of governance is having a single authority to make decisive calls.

Not seven demons with conflicting ideas voting on every move.

The battlefield is ever-changing, and decisions must be made in the shortest time possible.

Whether the decision is good or bad, it’s still far better than making no decision at all.

That said, the human cultivators who understood this logic weren’t much better.

Humans had their own problems—internal power struggles.

Without a dominant major sect, everyone was equally rotten, which made things interesting.

Before Chu Xingchen arrived, the two sides were already locked in a standoff, and the selection of an alliance leader for this demon-slaying campaign had begun.

Now, as the intensity of the frontline battles escalated, it took Chu Xingchen’s presence for the factions to reluctantly appoint an interim alliance leader.

The delay lasted at least two months.

This interim leader was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator from the Xuanwu Kingdom’s official ranks.

The Xuanwu Kingdom had to promise substantial subsidies before he reluctantly accepted the role.

The situation was already dire.

The Xuanwu Kingdom had lost vast stretches of land.

The demons had long since lost themselves to bloodlust—now, in these territories, it was either no humans or no demons left alive.

Wherever they passed, not a trace of human life remained.

And most frontlines were reduced to scorched earth after battles.

This was a price the Xuanwu Kingdom could ill afford.

Moreover, without a proper alliance leader, most sects were just going through the motions.

The Xuanwu Kingdom had to pay these sects for their participation.

In hindsight, much of that money had been wasted from the start.

Many battlefronts were being held together solely by the Xuanwu Kingdom’s own resources.

After calculating the costs, the kingdom realized it was better to suffer a major loss now than to pay an even greater price for reconstruction later.

After all, debts to sects could be delayed, but the people could not wait.

The hearts of the people must never be lost. Already, countless civilians near the warzone had begun fleeing toward the capital.

The roads were flooded with refugees, their numbers swelling uncontrollably, teetering on the brink of collapse.

Managing these refugees alone had drained the Xuanwu Kingdom’s strength.

They simply couldn’t afford to delay any longer.

With the interim alliance leader finally chosen, the war machine of the Xuanwu Kingdom’s great sects slowly began to stir.

The nearest major city to the frontline—Yunzhou City.

With the resolve to retreat no further, it was chosen as the site for the alliance gathering.

Of course, since it was an alliance, there were naturally smaller meetings as well.

But the alliance leader had the final say.

Any sect of significance was naturally invited to join the wartime alliance council.

Chu Xingchen’s sect was well-known near Yuzhou City, but across the entire Xuanwu Kingdom, it remained obscure.

Most sects had never even heard of Chu Xingchen’s sect in the Yuzhou region.

So many were curious—why was this unknown Chu Xingchen invited to the wartime alliance council, and even seated near the head of the table?

Naturally, when faced with the unknown, silence was the wisest choice.

After all, everything had its reasons.

Especially when everyone present was shrewd. So no foolhardy soul stepped forward to invite a humiliating rebuke from Chu Xingchen.

But while others didn’t know, Chu Xingchen understood—this was a deliberate arrangement by the Xuanwu Kingdom’s officials.

As for the arrangement, Chu Xingchen accepted it. This identity might prove useful when he needed someone to run errands. Though he rarely attended these so-called meetings.

He had his disciples to watch over.

In Yunzhou City, at the most refined teahouse—the ninth floor of the Listening Rain Pavilion.

"Master..." Chen Baiqing gently poured Chu Xingchen a cup of tea, her tone carrying a hint of complaint. "Why can my junior brother and sister go, but I can’t?"

Chu Xingchen gazed out the window. "You’re too young. Don’t expose yourself to such violent scenes—they could leave scars on your mind."

Outside, heavy rain fell in relentless sheets, the noise unsettling the heart.

Hearing this, Chen Baiqing could only silently return to her small chair.

The tea tasted awful—bitter and astringent. She couldn’t understand why her master liked it.

Wine, at least, had some charm.

But her master forbade her from drinking, saying children shouldn’t touch alcohol. Yet she was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator...

Chen Baiqing took another sip with a calm expression.

Still, it was best to listen to her master.

Chu Xingchen let out a soft sigh. Through the talisman he had left on his disciple, he had witnessed everything his eldest apprentice had seen.

Chen Baiqing was still a child, but was Li Yingling any different?

The world was vast—there were lantern festivals in Yuzhou City, the bustling grandeur of the capital.

Yet there were also blood-soaked struggles, schemes and betrayals, life-and-death conflicts.

Hadn’t Chu Xingchen himself tasted such bitterness during his travels to recruit disciples?

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be the man he was today.

But… these were trials one must face eventually.

No one’s path would remain smooth forever. Sooner or later, they would see what they feared most.

As a master, his duty was to teach her how to overcome each obstacle.

Chu Xingchen withdrew his gaze and turned to Chen Baiqing. "Your senior sister will return soon."

"Really?" Chen Baiqing’s eyes brightened. "Senior Sister is so strong—she must have slain many demons! She’ll have so many stories to tell."

Aside from their master, Li Yingling was the best storyteller. Back when they used to share a bed, she would often weave vivid and thrilling tales for Chen Baiqing.

The younger disciple adored them, clinging to every word even as her eyelids grew heavy with sleep.

This time, surely, her senior sister would bring back more captivating stories.

Heavy rain.

Li Yingling activated a protective barrier, steering the spirit treasure given by her master as she flew toward Yuzhou City with her junior disciples and the three captured demons in tow.

These fiends were stubborn. Untrained in interrogation, Li Yingling resorted to a rather crude method—stabbing them a few times.

Then she pressed them with questions, though such tactics yielded little.

The wounds covering the demons’ bodies were all inflicted this way.

Yet Li Yingling refused to let the matter rest. They couldn’t die too easily, either.

After some thought, she settled on the universal solution—ask the master!

So she gathered her juniors and hurried back.

The moment they entered Yuzhou City’s borders, she sensed a familiar ripple of spiritual energy.

Following the pulse, her gaze landed on a tall pavilion where her master stood, beckoning softly.

She guided her sword swiftly into his private chamber.

Her first words were:

"Master! Quick—give them some of your pills! Feed these beasts a few!"