Northern Jambu Continent, Cangxi Kingdom.
Chu Xingchen held a jade token in his hand, his eyes half-closed, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Bai Xuanling walked beside him, also scanning the streets to see if anything caught his interest.
As for the jade token in Chu Xingchen's hand, Bai Xuanling had already read it.
When the conflict between the Incense Gods and the Heretic Cult reached a full-blown fever pitch, traces of demons appeared in Western Ox-Continent. At the same time, many monsters recorded in ancient texts awakened and began sweeping across the land.
It was a significant move, but the Buddhist school responded swiftly, and for now, the situation was under control.
Still, there had to be a reason for such an unprovoked attack. It couldn't be that these long-hidden monsters simply decided to come out and die for no reason.
This was surely to cover up something else.
Either the events in Western Ox-Continent were meant to conceal developments in Northern Jambu Continent.
Or the chaos in Northern Jambu Continent was the diversion, and Western Ox-Continent itself was the demons' ultimate trump card.
The demons likely intended to use this to pull some tricks.
Running back and forth between two fronts was hardly a good strategy. Most of the Buddhist forces from Southern Jambu Continent had returned, and even Runan had gone back to Western Ox-Continent.
After all, Western Ox-Continent was the foundation of the Buddhist school. Whether the threat was real or fake, Runan could not afford to gamble on it.
Chu Xingchen's method was simple: find Zhao Xuan directly. This leader of the Heretic Cult would surely know some inside information and could corroborate the situation.
Since the situation in Northern Jambu Continent had heated up, Zhao Xuan had sent back very few useful reports.
Chu Xingchen walked through the crowd and entered the most fervent Incense God shrine in this small town. With a sweep of his gaze, he locked onto Zhao Xuan, who was already waiting by the main gate, draped in a black cloak.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Chu Xingchen said, approaching with Bai Xuanling, his eyes also scanning the surroundings.
Zhao Xuan eagerly stepped forward: “It’s been a long time, senior.”
“Well done,” Chu Xingchen said with a slight nod, then asked, “The commotion in Western Ox-Continent is quite impressive too. I thought you might have given up. Is the final move coming soon?”
Zhao Xuan smiled but didn’t answer directly:
“Winning the battle isn’t the only thing that matters. The arrangements and how to clean up and withdraw afterward are the real issues. Now is the time for you, senior, to give us some details.”
“How do you plan to proceed? What do you need? Where should the final location be?”
“With this information, we can make the necessary preparations. Once there’s a clear direction, people will be willing to follow through.”
Bai Xuanling knew this was his cue to step in. He moved forward, looking at Zhao Xuan with disdain, and spoke in a sharp tone:
“We have news. Cloud Dream Pavilion has already started investigating this place. Your operation wasn’t clean—news about the Heretic Cult has leaked. Xuanqing Heavenly Sect is now exchanging intel with Cloud Dream Pavilion.”
“Both major immortal sects are watching us closely. What preparations do you expect us to make?”
“Didn’t you claim earlier that you’d handle this quietly and perfectly? ”
“Extend your divine sense outward—look at the mess outside.”
“The undead wraiths of Beimang shall never leave their homeland.”
“Does that saying sound familiar? Who knows how many spies from the Eighteen Sects are lurking here now.”
“What, do we look stupid to you?”
Zhao Xuan’s expression stiffened, then he replied:
“If you, senior, thought it was inappropriate, you should have spoken up earlier. Now that the great matter is about to succeed, saying this—are you trying to call it all off?”
“You should also know, senior, that now is your only chance to succeed.”
“Even if you ignore how much we’ve sacrificed, you must realize this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity.”
“If this falls through, you will never find anyone willing to carry out this plan again.”
Chu Xingchen sighed softly, his gaze shifting to the worshippers nearby.
“I’m willing to take the risk to meet you in person, not to tell you it’s over.”
“But moving forward without a clear plan will truly lead to chaos.”
“So I want to ask you—can the disturbance in Western Ox-Continent be made even bigger? Enough to temporarily divert the attention of all Eighteen Sects?”
Zhao Xuan froze for a moment, then laughed dryly:
“Does senior think the demon outbreak in Western Ox-Continent is the Heretic Cult’s doing?”
“Not your doing, but you must know whose work it is,” Chu Xingchen said calmly. “I’m willing to hand over the formation arrangements first, and you can proceed.”
“But in the end, I have no guarantee, and you’ve turned what should have been a quiet matter into such a loud affair—”
Zhao Xuan suddenly interrupted:
“Then senior must lend a hand as well. Since you’re aware of the situation, if you truly care, you shouldn’t just be pushing us.”
Zhao Xuan’s tone turned grave. His right hand was already gripping a life-saving artifact, as if he would retreat immediately, abandoning everything here if the negotiation collapsed.
Before the matter began, Zhao Xuan had to be bound by Chu Xingchen’s interests, since he was the one making requests.
But now that the plan had reached this point, with enormous costs already paid and possibly a one-time opportunity at stake, it was Chu Xingchen—who wanted the goal achieved—who should be bound by Zhao Xuan’s terms.
Unless Chu Xingchen didn’t actually care whether the plan succeeded. In that case, the whole thing was likely a trap.
Then Zhao Xuan would definitely turn and leave without further greed.
The situation had reversed, so the leverage had to change hands too.
Having reached his current position, Zhao Xuan knew when to bend and when to stand tall. Now was the time to stand his ground.
Chu Xingchen stood silent for a moment, staring at Zhao Xuan, then let out a light laugh before asking:
“So, what do you want me to do?”
“Senior, can you do something about the Incense Gods in Northern Jambu Continent? Handling an entire continent on our own is a bit much.”
“The Incense Gods are easy enough—I can handle that. But can you bear the pressure from Cloud Dream Pavilion?”
“What do you mean by that, senior?”
Chu Xingchen chuckled again, then reached into his sleeve and pulled out a Cloud Dream Pavilion elder token.
Zhao Xuan’s eyes widened as he stared at the nearby token.
To be honest, when he saw that Cloud Dream Pavilion elder token, his heart nearly stopped, and the artifact in his hand almost activated.
The phrase “caught like a rat in a trap” practically flashed in his mind.
But the background check on Chu Xingchen conducted by the deputy cult leader made Zhao Xuan hold back, trusting that their intel couldn’t be wrong.
Chu Xingchen said calmly:
“I’ve done far more for you than you think. There are some things I believed you were better off not knowing.”
Zhao Xuan asked, stunned: “Senior, are you an elder of Cloud Dream Pavilion?!”
“Are you stupid?” Chu Xingchen said disdainfully. “My blood energy is so pure. Cloud Dream Pavilion isn’t blind.”
“Anyway, I have connections. I can hold off Cloud Dream Pavilion’s pressure for you.”
“Now, the only thing that matters is whether Western Ox-Continent can draw the attention of the other immortal sects.”
Zhao Xuan immediately nodded: “Certainly. Please rest assured, senior.”
Chu Xingchen instantly understood the situation. This last remark from Zhao Xuan was pure nonsense.
The clues made it clear that Zhao Xuan was not under the control of the Celestial Demon. Zhao Xuan’s plan to reestablish a righteous sect and cultivate a good reputation was likely for future purposes.
Since Zhao Xuan was not one of the Celestial Demon’s people, his straightforward agreement was probably an attempt to appease me.
The fact that he immediately offered reassurance meant he understood that the Western Ox-Continent was currently the limit.
Otherwise, he would have at least consulted or sought guidance before giving me an answer.
So…
Was the move in the Western Ox-Continent just a diversion?
And the Celestial Demon’s cooperation—was it meant to shift my focus?
Chu Xingchen said nothing more and turned to leave.
Cui Hao’s actions had also exceeded Chu Xingchen’s expectations; he hadn’t anticipated such a lively outcome.
Chu Xingchen had originally thought Cui Hao would handle things quietly, but instead, Cui Hao wanted to bring the Incense Fire God into the open.
It could only be said that this was typical of Cui Hao—full of surprises.
Chu Xingchen had never imagined things would develop this way. If the Celestial Demon were sharp, he should have sensed that something was wrong, that the Heretic Faith was already a rotting mess waiting to be buried.
But now, the Celestial Demon was willing to sacrifice the entire foundation of the Western Ox-Continent for this rotting mess.
Looking back, even Xu Linglong had not received such treatment.
Thus, the Celestial Demon’s true goal was likely aimed at something else.
Since things had reached this point, helpers had already been secured for Cui Hao. News had also arrived that Chen Baiqing had reached the Cloud Dream Marsh and met with Cui Hao.
It seemed there were no further issues here.
It was time to step back and leave matters here to Cui Hao.
Staying any longer would serve no purpose.
The rest depended on how well Cui Hao could handle it.
e school belle recognized by the whole school, a genius girl from the kendo club. She also has a hidden identity, the youngest legendary demon hunter. Chen Shuo just transmigrated and found himself turned into a weak, helpless little vampire. He was caught by Su Xiyen and taken home at the very beginning. Since then, Chen Shuo's life creed only had two items. "First, classmate Su Xiyen is always right." "Second, if classmate Su Xiyen is wrong, please refer back to item one." Many years later, Chen Shuo, who had turned back into a human, led a pair of twins to appear in front of all the vampires to share the secret of how he turned back into a human. "It's simple, I tricked a female demon hunter into becoming my wife!"
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
