Chapter 196: Chapter 194: Where is the Breakthrough?
’So they’ve come after all...’
When Bai Zichen heard that this Nine-Child Yin Demon was a Demon Cultivator under Blood God True Man, he sighed inwardly, knowing he still hadn’t managed to escape it.
He had learned from the Soul Search on Mo Changzhi that the Ghost Spirit Sect had pledged allegiance to Blood God True Man. Of course, a figure of that stature wouldn’t focus his attention on Black Mountain County; he still had to be wary of the Righteous Alliance and the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.
But Blood God True Man’s eldest disciple, Zhong Ge, intended to bring several Core Formation Guest Elders over to help the Ghost Spirit Sect sweep through the Qingfeng Sect.
Bai Zichen had reported this news long ago.
But to avoid causing unnecessary panic, this matter was only circulated among the Sect’s upper echelon, and ordinary Elders did not know about it.
"Although the Nine-Child Yin Demon is only at Early-Stage Core Formation, he’s incredibly powerful. He fought a major battle against a Mid-Stage Core Formation Cultivator from the Righteous Alliance and was only at a slight disadvantage, which is how he managed to flee all the way to the Blood Demon Sect."
Patriarch Liu’s mood turned bleak. If the Blood Demon Sect was behind the Ghost Spirit Sect’s invasion of Black Mountain County, then any resistance was truly useless.
Within the Blood Demon Sect, besides Blood God True Man—the number one cultivator of the Demon Path—of his disciples, not counting those who had died for various reasons, the thirty-plus who remained were all Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
His first disciple, Zhong Ge, was even a Core Formation True Man, who managed all the affairs of the Blood Demon Sect.
Blood God True Man also had two junior brothers at the Core Formation Realm. In addition, four other Demon Path titans, who were also Core Formation True Men, had come from various provinces and even from outside Liang Country to join him.
The entire Blood Demon Sect had a total of eight Core Formation True Men and hundreds of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
It was with such power that they could lead the Demon Path Sects in completely suppressing the Righteous Dao, which was headed by the Righteous Alliance.
"As for this Jiang Yuhua, he seems to be a Demon Cultivator from Beiyuan... He has rarely taken action since joining the Blood Demon Sect, so his true strength and preferred Cultivation Techniques are a mystery."
Patriarch Liu said everything he knew in one breath, let out a long sigh, and slumped back into his chair.
"What are we going to do?"
Another Foundation Establishment Cultivator from one of the clans looked panicked. These people held little loyalty to the Qingfeng Sect; what they cared about most was their own safety and the continuation of their clans.
If it weren’t for the Ghost Spirit Sect’s abysmal reputation, had any other Sect attacked, they would have long since found an excuse to surrender with their entire clans.
If the situation worsened and they saw no glimmer of hope, even knowing that life under the Ghost Spirit Sect’s rule would be precarious and they would be exploited to the extreme, these clans might still choose to surrender to the enemy just to survive.
"Everyone, there’s no need to panic. Senior Brother Dai Hui has already come out of seclusion and successfully advanced to Foundation Establishment Perfection... With Senior Brother Wei and Senior Brother Dai Hui, plus the assistance of several Tier Two Array Masters in the Mountain Gate, the Duality Illusion Moon Array can unleash at least seventy percent of its power."
Zhou Suqing raised her voice, bolstering everyone’s morale.
"The Sect has already decided to pull back our defensive lines completely and defend the Mountain Gate to the death... Relying on the Duality Illusion Moon Array, holding out until Ancestor Ge Cang returns to the Sect shouldn’t be a problem!"
’Senior Brother Dai has reached Foundation Establishment Perfection?’
Bai Zichen recalled the last time Dai Hui had helped him with Sword Refinement. Dai Hui had said his own accumulation was still insufficient; although his skill as an Artifact Refiner had broken through to Tier Three, his personal Cultivation would have to wait.
’Given the short amount of time, he most likely skipped the Pill Discussion, forgoing the chance to clarify his own path during the Foundation Establishment Stage just to take this next step first.’
"Then what about us here at Feiyue Lake..."
The same clan cultivator pressed for an answer, causing an uproar among the others.
Indeed, if the main mountain was impregnable, then Feiyue Lake would become the only weak point.
If the Ghost Spirit Sect were to shift its main assault, how could Zhou Suqing possibly stop three Core Formation True Men by herself while controlling the Grand Array?
"It’s alright. The Five Elements Sect and our Sect are close allies. The reinforcements this time are the Peak Masters of Qingmu and Hei Shui Peaks... Senior Brother Wei has already contacted the two seniors, and they are rushing towards Feiyue Lake."
As she spoke, Zhou Suqing was full of confidence, her usually kind and elderly-looking face filled with authority.
"So during this time, all of you had better pull yourselves together and prepare to welcome the two seniors from the Five Elements Sect... If I catch anyone neglecting their duties, I don’t care whose disciple you are or which family you’re from, you will be severely punished without mercy!"
"What Senior Sister Zhou said goes for me, too."
Bai Zichen’s gaze was cold as he swept it across all the Foundation Establishment Cultivators present.
Struck by his sharp, sword-like gaze, everyone seemed to jolt awake from a dream and hastily agreed.
"Alright, everyone is dismissed. Return to your posts and make thorough preparations."
Zhou Suqing waved her hand and said, "Junior Brother Bai, stay behind. I have something to discuss with you."
After everyone had left, she flicked her finger, and a restriction formed in the hall, shimmering with iridescent light.
"This is a Tier Three Restriction set up by Ancestor Yang. Cultivators below Core Formation can’t possibly hear our conversation, and their Divine Sense can’t penetrate it either..."
With only the two of them left, an unconcealable exhaustion and despair surfaced on Zhou Suqing’s face.
"Junior Brother Bai, while the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Core Formation True Men haven’t turned their attention to Feiyue Lake yet, leave immediately! With me controlling the Grand Array to cover your tracks, no one will be able to discover where you’ve gone. Go deep into Black Mountain, find any Low-Tier Demon Beast lair to hide in for a few years, and only come out after the Ghost Spirit Sect’s army has withdrawn!"
"Senior Sister Zhou, has the situation really reached this point? Was everything you just said a lie, just to fool them and stabilize morale at Feiyue Lake?"
Bai Zichen’s heart sank, a bad feeling washing over him.
"Half true, half false. Senior Brother Dai Hui has indeed reached Foundation Establishment Perfection. With him and Senior Brother Wei, two Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivators, plus various Exotic Treasures from the Secret Hall and a large amount of Top-Grade Spirit Stones, forget three Core Formation True Men, even if three more Core Formation Cultivators came, holding out for several years would be no problem at all."
Zhou Suqing shook her head, her tone heavy.
"But the two seniors from the Five Elements Sect aren’t coming. White Bone True Man coordinated with Jiang Yuhua and heavily injured the Hei Shui Peak Master, and the Qingmu Peak Master was also wounded. The two Peak Masters couldn’t break through the defensive line to enter Black Mountain. They’ve already retreated a thousand li and have gone to find a Spirit Land to heal their wounds first."
"This..."
Bai Zichen hadn’t expected the reinforcements to be the ones to run into trouble. He didn’t know if the two seniors from the Five Elements Sect were simply not strong enough, or if the newcomer Jiang Yuhua’s Divine Techniques were just that astounding.
Otherwise, even if they were outmatched, as long as they remained at full combat strength and lingered on the outskirts of the battle, the Ghost Spirit Sect would at least have to divert some of their energy to guard against them.
"So we aren’t just facing three Core Formation Cultivators, but also White Bone True Man, who now has his hands free..."
Zhou Suqing wearily closed her eyes and spoke in a soft whisper.
"Junior Brother Bai, you have great prospects on the path of the Great Dao. Among all of us, you have the greatest hope of reaching Core Formation. What’s more, you’re a Sword Cultivator. As long as you reach Core Formation, you’ll be just like Ancestor Ge Cang, able to single-handedly sweep away several of your peers."
"You can’t die here. You have to stay alive... This isn’t just what I think; it’s what Senior Brother Wei and the others believe as well."
"I should flee alone?"
Bai Zichen gave a bitter smile and looked at Zhou Suqing. "Senior Sister Zhou, you’re already at Late-Stage Foundation Establishment and also have a good chance of reaching Core Formation. Why don’t you go?"
"I have to stay and maintain the array. With me here, I can keep the Three Thousand Six Hundred Rings Water Smoke Array running for ten days to half a month, which is enough time for you to escape to a safe place... If we both go, it’s possible neither of us will get away."
Zhou Suqing’s eyes snapped open, her tone fast and loud.
"Besides, even if someone like me successfully reaches Core Formation, I could only guard the Sect. How could I possibly compare to you, Junior Brother Bai."
"Junior Brother Bai, don’t be so indecisive... You don’t understand arrays. It makes no difference to Feiyue Lake’s defense whether you’re here or not. If the array doesn’t break, everyone is safe. If the array does break, the most you could do is slay a few of the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators, which won’t change the outcome."
"If you feel guilty, then pour that guilt into your Cultivation! Reach Core Formation as soon as possible, destroy the Ghost Spirit Sect, avenge the dead Sect Disciples, and get justice for the countless lives that have tragically died at their hands!"
Bai Zichen fell silent, a war raging within him.
Running away would be simple, of course. He’d had plenty of opportunities to leave Feiyue Lake before.
Even if Zhou Suqing hadn’t mentioned it, if he truly wanted to, with his Flying Sword’s speed, he could take another path through Black Mountain in a single day and bypass the Ghost Spirit Sect’s territory.
’But that would go against my conscience. If my thoughts aren’t clear and my will isn’t smooth, can I really advance to a higher realm in the future?’
The Nascent Soul Stage, after all, involves a Heart Demon trial.
"Another way, another way... Senior Sister Zhou, did the message from the Sect include the location of the two seniors from the Five Elements Sect, or a method to contact them?"
Bai Zichen shot to his feet and asked excitedly.
"Yes, there is... Senior Brother Wei sent their location. He said if we’re pursued by Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators, we can escape to them, and the two Core Formation seniors from the Five Elements Sect will certainly lend a hand. Even injured, they should have no problem helping us escape with our lives."
Zhou Suqing was startled by his sudden, agitated demeanor and accidentally blurted out the truth.
The message from Wei Dao was that the two of them, the Core Formation Seeds, should leave together.
As for the other Sect Disciples, it was a matter of saving whoever could be saved. But as long as Bai Zichen and Zhou Suqing did not die, even if everyone else was wiped out, new blood would replenish their ranks in a few decades.
As for Feiyue Lake being occupied, it didn’t matter. When Ancestor Ge Cang returned, he could naturally reclaim everything that was lost.
It was just that Zhou Suqing felt her combat power was weak, and at this critical juncture in a sect war, she couldn’t be of much help. So she decided not to leave, figuring it would be better to operate the array to provide Junior Brother Bai with the best conditions for escape.
"Ancestor Yang once took me to the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. We took a path that leaves Black Mountain County from deep within Black Mountain... The Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators couldn’t possibly know about it. I’ll go find the two seniors from the Five Elements Sect and bring them back. Then we’ll enter the array to join you. As long as we have Core Formation Cultivators holding down the fort, Feiyue Lake will be as impregnable as the main mountain!"
"There’s really a path like that?"
A look of joy appeared on Zhou Suqing’s face. Even though she had already resigned herself to death, who would refuse the chance to live if they could?
"The two Five Elements Sect seniors are healing at a place called Xiaoyu Mountain, fifteen hundred li east of Black Mountain County... This is the contact Magic Formula. As long as you get there and cast it once, the two seniors will immediately sense it."
Bai Zichen looked at the map in the void, at the location Zhou Suqing had pointed out, his heart wild with joy.
’It’s not far from the exit of the Black Mountain Range. Taking the hidden route, the distance between them is about fifteen thousand li.’
"My maximum speed using Sword Control can exceed twenty-five hundred li, it just can’t be sustained for long... But I can find the two seniors in half a day at most."
Bai Zichen turned to Zhou Suqing and said with great solemnity.
"Senior Sister Zhou, guard the array well and wait for my return. Don’t make me regret this for the rest of my life. If my spirit can’t reach Perfection and I fail to break through to Nascent Soul, you will be the Qingfeng Sect’s greatest sinner for all time..."
"Haha, just for that big talk of yours, Junior Brother Bai, I’ll definitely hold out until you get back!"
When Zhou Suqing heard Bai Zichen suddenly mention the distant and unreachable Nascent Soul, she thought he was just trying to liven up the atmosphere.
But sensing his sincerity, she also replied with equal gravity.
