Who is in favor and who is against

Some time had passed since the Heavenly Demon Sect's defeat in the north. The Left Envoy and other top members of the sect had returned, though their expressions were far from pleased.

This failure had been utterly crushing.

Looking back on the entire northern campaign, it seemed they had gained nothing at all.

This only deepened the gloom hanging over the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Even now, with the Demon Lord’s return, the sect’s morale remained low—largely because the Demon Lord had been inactive during that time.

The Left Envoy no longer bothered to hide his disdain for the Demon Lord. He had already begun considering whether to seize power while the sect still had some life left in it.

For now, the Heavenly Demon Sect was shrouded in silence, but beneath the surface, a storm was brewing.

Of course, Jiang Ningshu paid no mind to any of this. The second phase of her plan was nearly complete, and once finished, she would have a means to ensure her survival.

Even if she couldn’t win a fight, escaping wouldn’t be an issue.

Early in the morning, Su Luo locked herself in her room and opened her diary.

[At this point in time, the Emperor Heaven Sect has triumphed over both the beast army and the Heavenly Demon Sect, leaving the entire north in a festive mood.]

[However, Lin Xuan won’t stop here. He still has unfinished business in the north.]

[He encounters three notorious villains of the north—rogue cultivators who have long plagued the region, evading justice.]

[Unfortunately for them, they crossed paths with Lin Xuan. After a fierce battle, he slew them all, then claimed their treasures to strengthen himself.]

[His reputation continues to grow, with the entire north now praising him as a model to follow.]

[But this isn’t the end. His next actions will elevate his prestige even further.]

[His next target is to venture deeper into the north, into the beast army’s territory—the Savage Wilds.]

[Not to challenge the Beast Lord, but to gather intelligence on the beast army’s movements.]

[The Emperor Heaven Sect has sent scouts before, but they either perished or returned with nothing useful—a frustrating dilemma.]

[Lin Xuan, however, won’t meet the same fate. Despite the dangers, he will overcome every trial and return with valuable gains.]

[The first crisis comes in the form of a swarm of Violet Glow Birds, fearless and relentless in their attacks.]

[...]

[Lin Xuan narrowly defeats the birds, though he suffers severe injuries. Soon after, he discovers a rare spiritual herb—the Phoenix Snow Pear.]

[Using the herb, not only are his wounds healed, but his cultivation also advances.]

[The Savage Wilds are rich in spiritual herbs compared to human lands, though most are guarded by beasts. But this is no obstacle for Lin Xuan, who always finds a way.]

[Despite the constant battles, he never loses sight of his mission, steadily gathering intelligence on the beast army.]

[...]

[Eventually, Lin Xuan’s movements draw the attention of powerful beast warriors, forcing him into a rare retreat back to the North Heaven Gate in disarray.]

[The pursuing beast warriors, intent on killing him, are met with the might of a Mahayana expert stationed at the gate—sealing their doom.]

[In the end, the beast warrior is slain, and the credit naturally falls to Lin Xuan.]

[Though the scouting mission is declared a failure, Lin Xuan doesn’t return empty-handed. He has harvested countless rare herbs, slain many beast warriors, and uncovered crucial information.]

[He discovers the presence of totem altars scattered throughout the Savage Wilds—far more than expected.]

[These altars inflict slow harm on nearby beasts, but given the vastness of the wilds, the beast army remains largely unaffected.]

[Moreover, the beast army hasn’t given up. After recuperating, they will attack again.]

[This intelligence alone ensures Lin Xuan’s reputation soars even higher.]

[Meanwhile, the Emperor Heaven Sect begins strategizing how to counter the beast army’s next move.]

[With this, Lin Xuan’s northern journey comes to an end. Soon, he will return to the south—and that’s when I make my entrance.]

[So, I must use this time to prepare for Lin Xuan.]

[The place I’ve chosen for my cultivation breakthrough is one of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s most perilous locations—the Decaying Labyrinth.]

[There’s not much to say about it. Learn forbidden techniques, lose some lifespan, endure a bit of pain—that’s all.]

[Once I emerge, my cultivation will reach the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. Not everyone survives the Decaying Labyrinth, but those who do emerge far stronger.]

Su Luo closed her diary.

[Diary entry completed. Reward: Constitution +2, Strength +2.]

[Special ability upgraded: Tiny Shield → Small Shield.]

[Summon a shield capable of blocking one instance of any damage. Cooldown: One day.]

The effect remains the same, but the shield’s size has increased, now covering the upper body.

This means even wide-range attacks can be blocked, and crouching will provide full-body coverage—far safer than before.

Not bad.

After finishing her diary, Su Luo stepped out of her room.

Little Yu was still training diligently, pushing her cultivation further.

Yun, as usual, was lazing about, utterly unconcerned about the future.

"I’m heading somewhere. Want to come?"

The Decaying Labyrinth would be good training for them.

"Sure."

"I’m in."

And so, Su Luo led them toward the Decaying Labyrinth.

Meanwhile…

The Left Envoy convened another meeting of the sect’s high-ranking members—the Right Envoy and the three Demon Lords.

"Everyone, I have something important to say," the Left Envoy declared with unusual gravity.

North End Demon Lord asked, "What is it?"

West Extreme Demon Lord smirked. "Not another operation, I hope? This time, make sure your plan is flawless. Another failure could doom the Heavenly Demon Sect."

"No. This concerns the Demon Lord," the Left Envoy cut straight to the point. "The Demon Lord has lost his cultivation."

A bombshell. Though everyone present already knew, they feigned shock.

Right Envoy: "What? Is this true?"

South End Demon Lord: "Left Envoy, mind your words. You’re playing with your life."

North End Demon Lord: "Indeed. We’ll pretend we didn’t hear this. Don’t bring it up again."

The Left Envoy sneered. "Stop pretending. You all knew already."

Today, he was done hiding his intentions.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," North End Demon Lord insisted. He preferred a useless Demon Lord over the Left Envoy in power.

"So, Left Envoy, what are you implying? Even without cultivation, the Demon Lord is still our leader," South End Demon Lord added, equally opposed to the Left Envoy’s ambitions.

"If true, this is… unfortunate," West Extreme Demon Lord remarked indifferently. To him, it made no difference.

The Right Envoy remained silent.

Finally, all four turned to the Left Envoy, waiting to see his next move—though they could already guess.

The Left Envoy no longer hid his ambition. "Curious what I’ll do? It’s simple. Kill the Demon Lord. I’ll take his place."

"Who agrees? Who objects?"