CHAPTER 404: 222, THIS CHILD CHANG KUN, MUST NOT BE KEPT (5K4 LARGE CHAPTER, REQUESTING SUBSCRIPTION)

Xi Yunling is dead. The next target is Wu Yue, who guards the Yunlan Mine.

Xu Xing rose, gathered the defensive Array Banners scattered throughout the cave into his Storage Bag, and concealed his aura. Then, with a swift movement, he vanished from the spot.

Not a moment was wasted.

Speed is the essence of war.

Before leaving the Immeasurable Sect, he had formulated a plan to assassinate three cultivators from the Silver Ring Zhai: Wu Yue, Xi Yunling, and Xue Chu.

Although these three held high positions within the Silver Ring Zhai, they had no direct master-disciple or blood relationship with the Silver Ring Zhai’s Nascent Soul Daoist Lord. Therefore, even if the Silver Ring Zhai was furious about their assassinations, the probability of the Nascent Soul Daoist Lord personally coming to kill him was still low.

In simple terms, Xi Yunling and the others were considered "powerless" within the Silver Ring Zhai. They weren’t privileged second-generation scions. While alive, the Silver Ring Zhai afforded them corresponding status and treatment, but once dead, they were simply dead.

Xue Chu is traveling abroad, making his whereabouts difficult to trace. Unlike Xi Yunling, for whom Princess Chi Yang served as an anchor, there’s no way to lure him out... His last known appearance was on the coast of the South Yue Nation. So, the most accessible target now is Wu Yue, that tough nut guarding the Yunlan Mine.

As Xu Xing hurried on his way, he reviewed the information on the jade slip concerning Wu Yue, his mind racing.

The Silver Ring Zhai’s Yunlan Mine was two provinces away from Zhaozhou, where the Cloud Capital was located.

At his speed, he estimated it would take about two days to reach it.

「Four days later.」

North Yue Country.

Li Zhou, Silver Ring Zhai.

"News arrived from the Yunlan Mine yesterday. Senior Brother Wu Yue was attacked by a mysterious assailant. His life hangs by a thread..."

"...And this timing aligns perfectly with the time it would have taken for Chang Kun of the Immeasurable Sect to use the Difficult Victory Technique to kill Junior Xi, then leave the Cloud Capital and rush to the Yunlan Mine."

Inside a magnificent great hall, a middle-aged cultivator with a resolute expression stood on a high platform. He looked at the assembled fellow sect members, his face etched with sorrow, and said in a solemn voice.

In less than five days, the Silver Ring Zhai had lost a peak Returning Core True Man on the verge of advancing to Dao Lord, and was about to lose a veteran True Monarch at the Seventh Stage of Dao Pill.

This loss was undeniably severe.

"Senior Brother Qiu, can’t we save Senior Brother Wu Yue even if it means expending the Sect’s foundational resources?" a cultivator in a tall headdress standing below the platform asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

Yesterday, upon receiving news of the attack on the Yunlan Mine and Wu Yue’s critical injuries, Daoist Jiang Yue from within the Sect had personally come out of seclusion to attempt a rescue. The Sect possessed thirty-six types of healing pills for True Monarchs. They even had two "Gold Rhino Pills," Treasure Pills from the Chu State’s Pill Cauldron Sect, reputed to bring a True Monarch back from the brink of death.

Although the Gold Rhino Pills were precious, the cultivator in the tall headdress didn’t believe the Sect would be so miserly as to withhold them and abandon Wu Yue’s life. After all, he was a veteran True Monarch. None of the Six Major Sects of the North Yue Country had many True Monarchs—some had fewer than ten, while others had little more than a dozen.

"It’s no use. Senior Brother Wu Yue’s Dao Pill was split open by that sword qi, and deathly energy is now entwined within his Dantian. It seems to be the work of the Difficult Victory Technique... There’s no way to reverse it."

The Silver Ring Zhai’s Sect Master, addressed as Senior Brother Qiu, shook his head. "We’ve already administered one Gold Rhino Pill to Senior Brother Wu Yue, but its effects were limited. Chang Kun’s magic power is different from the magic power cultivated through any of the Immeasurable Sect’s cultivation methods; it’s exceedingly tenacious and difficult to dispel."

"Then, Sect Master, what is your intention?" a middle-aged beautiful woman among those seated asked, her gaze directed towards the high platform. She had vaguely sensed an aura from the rear of the hall. This aura is far stronger than that of a True Monarch. If I’m not mistaken, it must be one of the Sect’s Dao Lords.

For even the Sect’s Ancestor, who had been in long seclusion, to attend this high-level meeting meant that the discussion would extend far beyond merely Wu Yue’s life or death.

"Junior Sister Hui, do not be anxious," the Silver Ring Zhai Sect Master said, waving his hand to signal the assembled True Monarchs to be quiet. He paused, then continued, "The Ze Sheng Ancestor of the Immeasurable Sect is about to pass away, and the Immeasurable Sect has no new Dao Lord. This presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Silver Ring Zhai to annihilate the Immeasurable Sect.

"Chang Kun cursed Junior Xi to death and assassinated Senior Brother Wu Yue, all to force our Sect to make the first move. His aim was to allow the Ze Sheng Ancestor, before dying, to drag down one of our Sect’s Dao Lords with him." As he spoke, he sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm for the Immeasurable Sect’s despicable tactics. "Therefore, for the next one hundred years, I ask everyone to please exercise patience, focus on your cultivation, and heighten your vigilance. We must not fall for the Immeasurable Sect’s insidious schemes.

"As for Chang Kun, Daoist Jiang Yue will personally come out of seclusion to hunt him down."

Chang Kun’s ability to defeat Wu Yue indicated he possessed strength at least equivalent to the Late Stage of Dao Pill. Yet, Chang Kun had only condensed his Dao Pill a few decades ago.

His instruction for the True Monarchs to endure for now and focus on Seclusion Cultivation was merely a euphemism. He couldn’t very well state outright that everyone present was inferior in cultivation to a new Dao Lord from the Immeasurable Sect, could he?

"Daoist Jiang Yue personally hunting him down? Isn’t that... overkill? Chang Kun is merely a True Monarch..."

"If a Dao Lord hunts a True Monarch, and word gets out, wouldn’t that only enhance the Immeasurable Sect’s prestige? What would become of the Silver Ring Zhai’s reputation?"

Hearing this, several True Monarchs were visibly shocked, their faces etched with disbelief.

Reputation, though intangible, was exceedingly important for a sect. A good reputation was crucial. Cultivator families within their territory would willingly send their promising Immortal Geniuses to the Sect for training. Conversely, if their reputation soured, these families would rather send their Immortal Geniuses across borders to other sects, shunning those within their own territory.

"A minor loss of face is of no concern," the Sect Master stated. "This Chang Kun has an incredibly deep foundation. At the Early Stage of Dao Pill, he could already defeat those at the Late Stage. He absolutely must not be allowed to live!"