Chapter 408: Chapter 188: The Curtain Rises
That evening, Chen Qing was cultivating.
A voice called out from outside the courtyard, "Chief Chen, the Sect Leader summons you! It’s of the utmost urgency!"
"Alright, I’m coming."
Chen Qing quickly finished his practice and hurried toward the Council Hall.
’Of the utmost urgency!?’
’What in the world happened?’
When Chen Qing arrived, He Yuzhou was already seated at the head of the hall, his expression grim.
Peng Zhen, Tan Yang, Hong Yuandong, along with several Elders and the Marshal of the Wutai Army who were stationed at the Sect, were all present. Every face was solemn as they wondered why the Sect Leader had called such an urgent meeting.
He Yuzhou’s sharp gaze swept across the room, and his brow furrowed. "Where are Junior Sister Chu and Shen Xiuyong?"
His voice held a hint of urgency.
Sang Yanping quickly stood up and replied, "Sect Leader, for the past few days, there has been frequent unrest among the Exotic Beasts near our Fishery on a tributary of Qianchuan Marsh, and they’ve been attacking our assets. Junior Sister Chu was worried it might be a feint from the Demon Sect, so to be safe, she and Shen Xiuyong went to investigate this morning. They have not yet returned."
"A disturbance at the Fishery?"
A sharp glint flashed in He Yuzhou’s eyes as a cold sneer formed in his mind.
’Just as I thought!’
He had just received a secret message, and its contents had sent shockwaves through his heart.
The message was extremely brief, but its contents were earth-shattering: the main force of the Demon Sect was on the move, and their target was very likely the Xuanjia Sect!
Now, hearing that Chu Jinyun had left because of the Fishery, he was almost certain that the so-called disturbance was nothing more than a meticulously planned diversion by the Demon Sect to lure the tiger from its mountain!
Their goal was to lure away one of the Wutai Sect’s strongest fighters!
He Yuzhou took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions. This was no time for hesitation.
He shot to his feet, his gaze like lightning as it swept over Chen Qing, Peng Zhen, and Tan Yang.
"The Demon Sect villains have shown themselves! According to reliable intelligence, their main force is descending upon the Xuanjia Sect! It’s highly likely the Heart-devouring Old Demon himself is leading the charge!"
"What?!"
"The Heart Devourer has appeared? And he’s attacking the Xuanjia Sect?!"
A collective gasp echoed through the hall. Shock and horror were written on everyone’s faces.
The Demon Sect had been quiet for so long, yet their first move was a direct assault on the Xuanjia Sect, one of the Four Sects Alliance?
And Altar Master Heart Devourer was leading it himself?
He Yuzhou gave them no time to process the news, issuing orders with extreme speed. "Junior Brother Peng! Junior Brother Tan! Chen Qing! The three of you will immediately follow me to reinforce the Xuanjia Sect at full speed! This is a golden opportunity. We must eradicate the Heart-devouring Old Demon and his minions in one fell swoop and eliminate this threat for good!"
His gaze shifted to Sang Yanping and the others remaining behind. "Junior Brother Sang, Junior Brother Hong, you and the Elders and the Marshal will defend the Sect. Be on high alert for any other Demon Sect schemes or sneak attacks on our Wutai Sect! Remember, no matter what happens outside, protecting our gates is the highest priority!"
"As you command!"
Though they were all deeply shaken, they knew the situation was critical and there was no time to hesitate. They cupped their fists in unison and accepted their orders.
Chen Qing’s heart went cold as he thought to himself, ’The Sect Leader’s spy within the Demon Sect must hold an incredibly high position. Otherwise, it would be impossible to obtain such core intelligence so quickly and accurately.’
"There’s no time to waste. Let’s go!"
He Yuzhou gave a low shout, and his figure flickered, darting out of the Council Hall like a wisp of green smoke.
Chen Qing, Peng Zhen, and Tan Yang dared not delay for even a moment and immediately followed.
Just outside the Council Hall, He Yuzhou glanced back and said urgently, "The Xuanjia Sect is hundreds of miles from here, and the situation is dire. I’ll go on ahead! You all gather reinforcements and follow as quickly as you can. You must get there at top speed!"
Before his voice had even faded, the aura around him exploded outward. A pressure far exceeding mere might spread out, revealing his Cultivation at the Outer Astral Realm.
With a light stomp of his foot, he shot off like an arrow loosed from a bow, heading toward the Xuanjia Sect at a speed the naked eye could barely follow. In the blink of an eye, he vanished over the distant horizon.
Chen Qing, Tan Yang, and Peng Zhen had received the Sect Leader’s strict orders and knew the situation was too urgent to delay.
Tan Yang’s expression was grim as iron. He spoke quickly to Chen Qing and Peng Zhen, "There’s no time to waste. Let’s split up, gather our most capable people as fast as possible, and meet at the sect gates!"
They quickly gathered disciples from their respective institutes, with Yan Yaoyang and Li Lei taking the lead.
"All disciples at the Embracing Pill Force or higher, with me!"
Chen Qing also mobilized all disciples from the Cyan Wood Institute who were at or above the Embracing Pill Force.
Soon, the forces from all three institutes had gathered at the sect gates.
"There’s no time to lose. Let’s move out now!" Peng Zhen shouted.
He was the most anxious of all, as his close friend, Du Lingchuan, was an Elder of the Xuanjia Sect.
The group surged through the sect gates like a bolt of lightning. They followed the main road toward the Prefecture City, pushing their speed to the absolute limit as they desperately raced toward the Xuanjia Sect, hundreds of miles away.
...
Outside the Xuanjia Sect, the night was as black as ink, and the killing intent was thick enough to form frost.
The Heart Devourer, clad in a black robe that seemed to merge with the darkness, held a map of the Xuanjia Sect.
His skeletal finger slowly traced over every marked point on the map: visible sentries, hidden posts, patrol routes, the Elders’ residences, and even the Sect Leader’s personal courtyard... No detail was omitted; it was utterly comprehensive.
"Follow the map, eliminate them one by one. After tonight, not a single soul among the Xuanjia Sect’s upper echelons will be left alive."
The Heart Devourer’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying a chill that seeped into one’s very bones.
The Xuanjia Sect’s investigation into the Yunlin Sub-Pavilion had never ceased, and it had become a constant thorn in his side, leaving him no peace.
Crushing the Xuanjia Sect was the key to breaking this stalemate. It would sever an arm from the Four Sects Alliance and, at the same time, serve as an opportunity to advance his own Cultivation.
For reasons both public and private, the Xuanjia Sect was the primary target!
Behind him, the eyes of Zuo Feng, Blood Rakshasa, the Poison Elder, and the other Demon Sect masters gleamed with bloodlust.
To them, the abundant Essence Blood and True Qi of the Xuanjia Sect’s masters were the finest nourishment for enhancing their Demon Skills and strengthening themselves!
