Episode 63 – Gathering of the Southern Sects
Recap
After destroying the Demon Seed and ending the curse of the South Road, Faizi Tian uncovered a deeper and more dangerous truth. The shattered shard revealed that the quarry nest was only one branch of a much larger demonic network. A distant and powerful presence had sensed its destruction, confirming that a greater storm was approaching. Escorting the survivors to safety, Faizi Tian learned that demonic activity was rising across the southern territories. In response, the sects had called for an emergency gathering. Knowing what was at stake, Faizi Tian chose to attend, fully aware that the path ahead would shape the fate of the entire region.
Episode 63 – Gathering of the Southern Sects
The Southern Assembly Hall stood atop a vast stone plateau, surrounded by jagged mountains that pierced the clouds like spears. By the time Faizi Tian arrived, the air was already heavy with tension. Cultivators from countless sects filled the open grounds, their robes marked with different emblems, their expressions ranging from wary to openly hostile.
This was not a place of unity. It was a battlefield waiting to ignite.
Faizi Tian walked forward alone, his presence calm yet unmistakable. Whispers rippled through the crowd as eyes turned toward him. News of the South Road incident had traveled faster than expected.
"That's him…"
"The one who killed a Demon General."
"Or so he claims."
At the center of the plateau rose the Assembly Hall, a massive structure carved from ancient stone. High above its entrance hung a bell said to have rung during the last great demon war. Today, it remained silent — but the unease in the air suggested it would not stay that way for long.
Inside the hall, elders from the major southern sects sat in a wide circle. Their auras clashed subtly, pressing against one another in an invisible struggle for dominance. Faizi Tian stepped into the center without bowing, his gaze steady.
An elderly cultivator in crimson robes spoke first.
"You are Faizi Tian," he said slowly. "The one who claims to have destroyed a Demon Seed."
Faizi Tian nodded once. "Not a claim. A fact."
Murmurs erupted instantly. Some elders frowned, others sneered.
"A lone cultivator killing a Demon General?" another elder scoffed. "Do you expect us to believe such a tale without proof?"
Faizi Tian reached into his robe and placed the sealed shard onto the stone floor. The moment it touched the ground, dark ripples spread outward, and several elders' expressions changed instantly.
The hall fell silent.
"This is a fragment of a Demon Seed," Faizi Tian said. "And it was not the only one. The South Road nest was part of a larger network. More exist. Far more."
The crimson-robed elder's eyes narrowed. "If what you say is true, then this is no longer a local crisis."
"It never was," Faizi Tian replied coldly. "Demons are preparing. And when they move, borders and sect rivalries will mean nothing."
A sharp voice cut in from the side.
"And why should we trust you?"
A young man stepped forward, his robes bearing the emblem of a powerful southern sect. His aura was sharp, aggressive, clearly cultivated through countless battles.
"Perhaps you destroyed that nest for your own reasons," the youth continued. "Perhaps you wish to stir panic to raise your own status."
Faizi Tian turned to face him. His eyes were calm, but the pressure behind them was suffocating.
"If I wanted status," he said quietly, "I would have let the South Road burn."
The young man stiffened, sweat forming on his brow.
Before the tension could explode, the great bell above the hall suddenly rang.
Once.
The deep sound echoed across the mountains, sending chills through every cultivator present.
An elder stood abruptly, his face pale.
"The warning bell… This means—"
A scout burst into the hall, bloodied and shaking.
"Report!" the crimson-robed elder demanded.
The scout fell to one knee.
"Demonic forces have appeared at the southern border. Entire towns are under attack."
Silence.
Faizi Tian slowly closed his eyes.
The gathering had not come a moment too early.
When he opened them again, his voice was steady, resolute.
"Arguing time is over," he said. "Choose. Stand together… or fall one by one."
The fate of the southern territories now hung on the decision made within this hall.
To be continued in Episode 64 – The First Battle Line