Chapter 112: Empty Sect! Tang Yuechen’s Complaints!
Chen Xuan walked through the streets of the Jade Pure Sect, his gaze sweeping across his surroundings.
Desolate. That was the only word that came to mind.
The once-bustling sect had become eerily quiet.
The disciples who normally hurried from one mission to another were nowhere to be seen. The Elders who frequently gathered them to deliver lectures had also vanished.
Only the newly enrolled disciples, from the same batch as Huo Ling’er, remained within the sect.
Not because they wished to, but because of their lack of strength.
Chen Xuan understood the reason immediately.
The war between the righteous and demonic factions had clearly taken a heavy toll on the sects of the righteous path.
Combined with the increasingly strange movements of the demonic faction, it was only natural that nearly every capable cultivator had been dispatched to the front lines.
Chen Xuan let out a sigh.
People practiced cultivation in order to attain immortality, yet how many truly reached the end of their lifespan?
Even Nascent Soul and Soul Formation experts mostly died at the hands of their enemies.
Only the luckiest among them were granted a peaceful end.
As for those in the Core Formation Realm and below, their lives were even more precarious.
Countless thoughts drifted through Chen Xuan’s mind, as though he had entered a fleeting state of enlightenment.
However, his footsteps never slowed down.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he crossed the sect’s winding paths and towering peaks.
His destination was not Yin Yang Peak. Rather, he headed toward the central Peak, where the Sect Leader usually resided.
It didn’t take long.
Shortly afterward, a massive mountain entered his sight.
It towered above every other peak in both size and majesty.
This included his own Peak, too, as even the Battle Peak appeared insignificant in comparison.
Dense Spiritual Energy had condensed into swirling white mist around its slopes, while magnificent palaces floated near its summit like the palaces of immortals.
Compared to the other peaks, it had always housed relatively few cultivators.
Now, with the sect operating in a state of war, it seemed even more deserted than usual.
Even when Chen Xuan arrived, no one came to receive him.
Of course, this did not mean his presence had gone unnoticed.
At the very least, Chen Xuan felt a mysterious force descending from the heavens and sweeping across his body, probing his cultivation and verifying his identity.
Obviously, a hidden formation had been activated.
Chen Xuan sensed that he could easily block its inspection. However, he made no attempt to do so.
Allowing the formation to confirm his identity, he waited briefly before continuing up the mountain.
The picturesque scenery surrounding him could have captivated most visitors, but Chen Xuan barely spared it a glance.
Though no one guided him, he soon arrived before the grandest palace at the peak’s center.
Stopping outside, he urged his divine sense and extended it outward, intending to announce his arrival.
But before he could do so, a divine sense peeked from inside.
It fluctuated slightly, carrying a trace of excitement.
A familiar voice echoed in his ears.
"Junior Brother Chen, please come in."
The words lingered for a moment, accompanied by a tired sigh.
--
As Chen Xuan settled into his seat, he couldn’t help but glance across the desk at Tang Yuechen.
This was their first meeting since their previous "adventure."
Under normal circumstances, such a reunion would have been awkward, if not outright embarrassing.
Yet the dark circles beneath Tang Yuechen’s eyes and the absence of her usual eccentric behavior made it clear she had no intention of revisiting that topic for now.
Stacks of documents covered her desk. Talismans activated one after another, delivering messages before burning away into ash.
It was obvious that the position of acting Sect Leader did not only come with advantages. While Qian Lingxue was away, Tang Yuechen had to deal with the mess in her stead.
Chen Xuan remained silent and waited for her to finish, while Tang Yuechen continued sorting through reports and requests.
Only after nearly half an hour did the flow of messages finally subside.
She set down the final document and leaned back heavily in her chair.
The movement caused her proud chest to strain against her robes, nearly causing them to burst apart.
After rubbing her temples and letting out a long breath, she forced a weak smile and looked toward Chen Xuan.
"Junior Brother Chen, I’m sorry for summoning you so urgently."
She shook her head helplessly.
"I didn’t even have the chance to congratulate you on breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm."
"When all of this is over, I’ll personally forge a Spirit Weapon for you," she promised.
In the past, Chen Xuan might have seized the opportunity to tease her.
But recalling her earlier busy appearance, he merely smiled and shook his head.
"Senior Sister Tang, there is no need for that. If anything, I should be the one congratulating you."
His smile grew wider.
"Acting Sect Leader..."
"At this rate, you may not be far from becoming the actual Sect Leader. When that day comes, Senior Sister, don’t forget about me."
Tang Yuechen grumbled. She gritted her teeth.
"It’s all that witch Qian Lingxue’s fault! She must have plotted against me!"
She slammed her fist onto the desk, sending several papers flying.
"I refuse to believe there wasn’t anyone else in the entire sect capable of handling this position."
"She definitely did this on purpose!"
"If I ever get the chance... hmph!"
A dangerous glint flashed across her eyes.
It was obvious that the position of Sect Leader held no appeal for her whatsoever. If anything, she seemed to despise it.
Judging by her facial expressions and clenched fists, she looked ready to challenge Qian Lingxue to a duel the moment the latter returned.
To this, Chen Xuan did not comment aloud. He wisely kept his thoughts to himself.
Internally, however, he couldn’t help feeling that Tang Yuechen had become somewhat overconfident after advancing to the Middle Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm.
Even he wasn’t confident of suppressing Qian Lingxue, let alone Tang Yuechen, who had fallen behind him in strength.
More importantly, was Qian Lingxue still at the Nascent Soul Realm?
For now, that remained an unanswered question.
