Chapter 254 - 245: Not So Fast---!!
Disciples from both sides, spurred on by the empty promises of their leaders and their own righteous or demonic ideals, fought to protect or to plunder. On the battlefield, they beat each other bloody in a fight to the death.
Each side viewed the other as a sworn enemy, an irreconcilable foe in the great conflict between right and wrong.
Yet the great powers who made the rules were likely in some immortal palace, hidden deep within the clouds, calmly sipping immortal tea and negotiating the terms of a ceasefire.
One day, a vassal sect might be severely reprimanded by its overlord for poor performance in battle. The entire sect would be seething with anger, preparing to fight the demonic cultivators to the death the very next day.
The next, they would receive orders to stand down. The great powers on both sides had reached a consensus on the ownership of a newly discovered ancient mystic realm and decided to develop it peacefully.
And just like that, the war would abruptly end.
And what of the disciples who died? They died, and that was all.
Their names might appear in the records of merit. If they left behind lovers or family, their deaths might even fetch some compensation.
Their deaths never threatened even a sliver of the interests of the higher-ups on either side.
Blood and life were merely an insignificant exchange on the chessboard.
As for Qingxu Temple, it was too weak to even qualify as a pawn or cannon fodder. It was only by a stroke of luck that it could eke out an existence in a remote corner, paying taxes for the privilege of catching its breath.
Xuanyuan once asked his master if this was something to be thankful for or to lament.
His master had only patted his head and sighed. "Xuanyuan, you must remember that Qingxu Temple’s lineage is more important than anything. As long as the lineage survives, we still have hope."
Later, his master’s lifespan reached its end. Before he died, he passed the position of Sect Leader to him.
He could feel that what was passed from his master’s withered hands was not just the token of the Sect Leader, but also the weight of expectation for the future. His master had placed all his hopes on him.
"Xuanyuan... promise me... let Qingxu Temple... survive..."
Those were his master’s last words to him, the deepest desire of his master’s life.
From that moment on, the so-called distinction between righteous and evil no longer mattered in his eyes. As long as he could ensure the continuation of Qingxu Temple’s lineage, he would resort to any means necessary.
’But now... is Qingxu Temple... going to fall at my own hands?’
’No! Absolutely not! I cannot fail my master’s final wish! I absolutely cannot let Qingxu Temple’s lineage be severed by my own hands!’
’Even if I have to give my life, even if I have to flee to the ends of the earth with the remaining disciples of Qingxu Temple, I must ensure this lineage is passed down!’
A surge of desperate resolve erupted from within him, and he roared into the empty air!
"Mr. Huohua! We are both of the righteous path! Are you truly going to stand by and watch as my Qingxu Temple’s lineage is severed here?!!!"
As if his roar had flipped a switch, ripples spread through the clouds above the canyon. The surrounding mist parted, making way for a newcomer.
A light chuckle echoed in everyone’s ears. "Heh heh... Xuanyuan, you’ve really taken a tumble this time. However, we are fellow disciples of the righteous path; we should stick together. Naturally, I won’t just sit by and do nothing."
Before his words had even faded, an immense pressure came crashing down!
The pressure far surpassed that of anyone at the Great Perfection of Core Formation. It was just a hair’s breadth away from the Mid-stage Nascent Soul!
Under this pressure, everyone’s bodies buckled, their expressions turning grim. In the void, a figure holding a beast bone slowly materialized.
It was none other than Mr. Huohua of the Celestial Furnace Sect!
He didn’t spare Xuanyuan a glance on the ground, his gaze locking directly onto Lin Qingfeng. "Young friend, could you, on my account, spare the life of this fellow righteous disciple under your palm?"
"We are all fellow disciples of the righteous path. We should stick together. If he has wronged you in any way, just have him apologize, and we can let this matter be over. What do you say?"
Hearing this, Lin Qingfeng raised his head and narrowed his eyes, deciding to feel the man out first. "Oh? And may I ask which sect you belong to? Where does all this talk of ’sticking together’ come from?"
He applied a bit more pressure with his hand, and Xuanyuan let out another muffled groan.
"Besides, if we are all fellow disciples of the righteous path, what should be the crime for him hunting down a disciple of my Guixi Sect without reason?"
Mr. Huohua stroked his beard, an expression of impartial justice on his face. "It is true that Xuanyuan was in the wrong first. How about this: I’ll make the decision. I’ll let you kill a few of his Inner Sect Disciples, a life for a life. Then we’ll call it even. How does that sound?"
"Furthermore, I am Huohua, an elder of the Celestial Furnace Sect. My Celestial Furnace Sect is a pillar among the righteous sects. If you run into any trouble in the future, you can report to my sect. Acting under the banner of the Celestial Furnace Sect can save you a lot of trouble."
Lin Qingfeng almost scoffed out loud at those words.
’I’m playing a fucking game, and I’m supposed to be a lackey for you NPC sects? Are you crazy, or am I?’
He quickly glanced at the explorable areas on the sect map but didn’t find any marker for the "Celestial Furnace Sect."
’You can’t be serious. Don’t tell me you’re a million miles away? That would make things difficult.’
He immediately started an emergency meeting in the Sect Channel.
[Sect Channel]
[Lin Qingfeng]: Bros, get in here! Does our sect have anyone at the Nascent Soul Stage right now?
[Shi Gandang]: Holy shit! We just got strong enough to leave the sect, and we’re already running into guys who can call in a Nascent Soul? That’s busted! Is this the caliber of a level-two sect? No wonder Yin Yuan Pavilion got wiped out!
[Shen Nong]: This is intolerable! My aunt wouldn’t stand for this!
[Jì]: If she would, my uncle wouldn’t!
[Lu Wu]: And if he would, my grandma wouldn’t!