Chapter 488: This Is Reputation!
Soon after, the Heaven’s Will Demon Subduing Temple, perhaps acting too hastily, saw their first attempt at a breakthrough end in failure. The monk’s divine soul dissipated, leaving only his physical body, its orifices empty, to be enshrined in the ancestor hall.
Having learned from this initial failure, the second attempt was far more cautious. Ultimately, a senior monk of the “Ming” generation successfully broke through, becoming the second sage after Xu Sanyan.
Earth Qi Spirit Essence was not uncommon in the world; with diligent searching, it could always be found. Consequently, members of the five great sects of the central region began to break through in succession. The most astonishing breakthrough, however, came from the Zuoqiu Clan Ancestor of Huai Lake, who also succeeded!
From this day forward, the power dynamics of the world’s five great forces would be reshaped. The Zuoqiu Clan would replace the Harmonious Mountain Praying Dao Sect, becoming a newly ascended top-tier power.
As for the Harmonious Mountain Praying Dao Sect, they had been lost in the Mist Sea without a trace, with only Dang Yunshu escaping to the Source Worship Sect.
The four remaining sages, still alive, found themselves in an awkward position. They seemed like relics abandoned by the times. Though still called sages, they were utterly incomparable to the newly ascended ones.
Soon, the Mad Daoist proclaimed to the world that the Crimson Heart Faction would secede from the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect, establishing itself as an independent sect known as the Crimson Heart Sage Sect, no longer subject to the demonic sect’s authority.
This move dealt a severe blow to the demonic sect’s prestige, but the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect was powerless to retaliate, as the Crimson Heart Faction openly boasted two sages.
In the eyes of the world, Xu Sanyan remained affiliated with the Crimson Heart Faction, and as its pioneering founder, his status held particular significance.
In truth, the Crimson Heart Sage Sect had always been an independent sect. However, due to external pressures, it had been forced to merge with Blood Refinement Mountain, Joyous Union Sect, and One Heart Sect, forming the Harmonious Heart Holy Sect.
Previously, both Blood Refinement Mountain and Joyous Union Sect had attempted to reestablish their own sects, but their efforts had failed. The Mad Daoist had long harbored similar plans, but he was wiser and more patient. He waited for the opportune moment to strike, and when it came, he succeeded decisively.
The Mad Daoist established the Crimson Heart Sage Sect’s mountain gate on an immortal mountain in the southeastern Central Region, adjacent to Shangyin Mountain—a reasonably favorable location.
After several months of relative calm, the world’s attention once again turned to the Mist Sea Calamity.
The Heaven’s Will Demon Subduing Temple, which had always styled itself as the leader of the righteous path, naturally took the lead in summoning the Great Sects and noble clans to convene, determined to resolve the matter once and for all.
At the edge of the Mist Sea, over a thousand figures stood with solemn expressions, their gazes fixed on the crimson pavilion that flickered in and out of view within the swirling mist. For a moment, no one spoke.
Among these thousand cultivators, the lowest cultivation level was Perfected Soul Refinement, with hundreds having reached void harmony, over a dozen at Perfected Void Harmony, and five newly ascended sages!
These included the sages from the Heaven’s Will Demon Subduing Temple, Great Masters Mingliao and Ming Hui, as well as the Dragon-Taming Daoist from Shangyin Mountain, now known as Sage Dragon-Taming.
The newly ascended sage from the Source Worship Sect, Daoist Qing Xin, and finally, the Zuoqiu Clan Ancestor completed the group.
Daoist Qing Xin stroked his beard gravely and said, “Dang Yunshu previously mentioned a crimson pavilion within the Mist Sea, inhabited by a woman of sinister nature. Not only could she control the flesh giant, but even the ghost beasts obeyed her every command. I suspect she may be the cause of this calamity.”
Sage Dragon-Taming remained silent, his eyes fixed on the pavilion floating within the mist, a heavy weight settling in his heart.
Mingliao was about to speak when he suddenly turned his head, his expression shifting to surprise. “The Mad Daoist?”
To everyone’s astonishment, the Mad Daoist, a figure associated with the Demonic Path, had actually come.
Though he had withdrawn from the demonic sect, the stigma of the Demonic Path clung to him. The Righteous Path cultivators never expected him to accept their invitation.
The demonic sect typically avoided such thankless tasks. Could the Mad Daoist be planning to lead the Crimson Heart Sage Sect toward the light?
Mingliao and Ming Hui exchanged a glance and nodded subtly. Another sage was always a welcome addition, increasing their chances of success.
“Daoist, I trust you’ve been well,” Mingliao greeted first, bowing respectfully.
“This daoist is in good health, thank you for your concern, Great Master,” the Mad Daoist returned the bow, then addressed the group, “The Mist Sea is perilous. Your willingness to risk life and limb for the sake of the world is truly admirable. Though my abilities are meager, I wish to contribute my humble efforts. I hope you won’t find my presence unwelcome.”
The Mad Daoist’s tone was remarkably polite. In truth, he had never been a bloodthirsty killer; his birth into a demonic sect had left him with no choice. Now, he yearned to guide his sect onto a righteous path. Having cultivated the Dao since childhood, he firmly believed in the principle that “those who recklessly shed blood will inevitably face divine retribution.”
Before Mingliao could respond, a woman’s voice echoed from the depths of the mist: “Have you finished your pleasantries? Shall I grant you more time to compose your final words?”
“Hmph, arrogant!”
The Dragon-Taming Daoist, known for his fiery temper, couldn’t help but snort coldly. “The Yaotian Holy Sect has been extinct for thirty thousand years, yet your demonic soul still lingers, poisoning the world. Truly detestable!”
Yu Anwei ignored him, instead smiling into the distance. “Little Brother Xu, since you’ve come, why not show yourself? Why hide in the shadows?”
“Hmm?”
Mingliao, Ming Hui, and the other sages felt a sudden tremor in their hearts. Xu Sanyan had arrived? And she was calling him “Little Brother”?
Could these two have joined forces?
A young man in the crowd stirred, lifting his head to scan the surroundings as if searching for Xu Sanyan’s figure.
The young lady possessed striking features: crimson lips, pearly white teeth, eyes like stars, and hair neatly gathered behind her head with a jade hairpin. Clad in a long purple robe, she presented an exceptionally beautiful and valiant appearance.
Had Xu Sanyan noticed her he would have recognized this person as Zuoqiu Zhen, the Sixth Sibling of the Huai Lake Seven Heroes, who had vanished long ago. For reasons unknown, she had disguised herself and infiltrated the crowd, her cultivation level having inexplicably advanced to the Initial Stage of Void Harmony.
Seeing no one emerge after a long silence, Ming Hui called out loudly, “Benefactor Xu, since you’ve come, why not show yourself?”
Even if Xu Sanyan had allied with the Demoness, the sages remained confident in their superior strength.
Their true fear lay in Xu Sanyan’s potential for a hidden ambush. A single misstep could allow him to strike, resulting in catastrophic losses, as each sage was of paramount importance.
While six or seven sages had recently emerged in rapid succession, this was due to millennia of suppressed accumulation finally erupting. Such a phenomenon was unlikely to recur; future breakthroughs might remain elusive for a very long time.
“Ah…”
A sigh filled with resignation drifted through the air as Xu Sanyan slowly emerged, accompanied by a young nun clad in simple robes.
He had merely come to observe the commotion, never expecting to be singled out by Yu Anwei.
“Greetings, everyone,” Xu Sanyan said with a broad smile.
The Dragon-Taming Daoist ignored him, pointing an accusing finger at Yu Anwei. “Are you here to aid that demoness in plunging the world into chaos?”
“Hmm?” Xu Sanyan blinked, then quickly realized their misunderstanding. He launched into a righteous tirade: “As a member of this world myself, how could I stand by and watch her bring ruin upon all living beings? I came to lend you my aid in vanquishing this demon and purging evil!”
Hearing this, Mingliao breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for your kind offer, Benefactor Xu, but we have this well in hand. Remain on the sidelines and watch our backs.”
It wasn’t that Mingliao refused Xu Sanyan’s help outright, but he had long heard tales of the man’s treacherous nature. He feared that Xu Sanyan might suddenly turn on them mid-battle, so keeping him at a distance under observation seemed the safer course.
Xu Sanyan saw through Mingliao’s distrust and could only purse his lips in resignation.
If he had claimed to be helping Yu Anwei, Mingliao and the others would have believed him without question. But since he claimed to be helping them, Mingliao remained wary.
Such was the power of reputation!
(End of the Chapter)