Immortal Sect.
A sacred land reserved for saints to cultivate.
Suddenly—
An incomparably brilliant eye opened.
The middle-aged man standing within the void broke into a rare, relaxed smile.
"A huge gain. Truly a huge gain."
This trip to Donglin Holy Land had more than one purpose. One of them was to disturb Xia Yang, who was in seclusion. A saint whose lifespan was nearing its end could not endure such interference lightly.
What he had not expected, however, was that not only did the Donglin Sect's saint fail to remain still—he actually revived, reached out with one hand, and crushed the Dharma paper incarnation on the spot.
A blood profit.
It was only a piece of Dharma paper.
To those below the saint realm, such an object was priceless. But to someone of his level, while still valuable, it was far from irreplaceable. Trading a single Dharma paper to force Xia Yang out of seclusion was, by any measure, a tremendous bargain.
"I wonder," the Immortal Sect saint narrowed his eyes slightly, "will you continue hiding in your shell, or will you come out and die?"
If Xia Yang chose to endure and retreat again, then so be it. This forced revival would likely not last more than a month. And within that single month, it was absolutely impossible for Chu Xun of the Donglin Sect to break through into the Saint Realm.
Thinking this far, his heart finally settled.
As for Xia Yang coming in person?
That would simply be courting death.
An old relic on the verge of decay.
He could no longer stir up any real storm.
Especially now.
---
Tianji Sect.
Within the great hall, Old Man Tianji held the Tianji Disk, his brows knit tightly as he gazed toward the direction of the Donglin Sect.
"Master," the sect leader said gravely, "the Donglin Sect's saint will not live long after this revival."
"Their crisis is already decided."
"The Immortal Sect."
"The Zhenwu Sect."
"Both are watching like hawks."
"The outcome seems inevitable."
"Should we… take a share of the spoils?"
The Donglin Sect was the oldest force in the Eastern Region. Unlike the Jiang family, whose heritage was deep but limited in scope, Donglin Sect possessed countless disciples, immeasurable goodwill, and untold hidden foundations. Even taking a small portion would be enough to gorge an entire sect.
"No."
Old Man Tianji shook his head slowly, confusion lingering in his ancient eyes.
"I divined several times earlier. The fortune of the Donglin Sect is overwhelmingly prosperous."
"When fortune reaches such extremes, it does not mean imminent decline. It means it has already fallen to its lowest point… and rebounded."
"At this moment, its luck surpasses that of any other sect in the Eastern Region."
"Hiss—!"
The Tianji Sect leader's eyes widened. He knew his master would never speak lightly. Yet this conclusion felt impossible. With two great sects pressing down simultaneously, how could Donglin Sect still have a path to survival?
"I find it strange as well," Old Man Tianji sighed softly. "Divining the fate of a sect comes at a tremendous cost. I only dared attempt it a few times using the Tianji Disk, yet each result was the same."
"It is as though Donglin Sect is fated to survive—unless Heaven itself wishes them dead."
"Do not get involved," he said after a long pause. "No matter who ultimately devours this piece of meat, Tianji Sect will stay out of it."
"…Understood."
The sect leader nodded, though disappointment flickered briefly in his eyes.
---
Donglin Sect.
A twilight-aged old man slowly arrived before the Scripture Pavilion. He looked up at the nine-story structure adorned with carved dragons and painted phoenixes, his cloudy eyes filled with nostalgia.
That single glance seemed to pull him back through time—to the days when he had first entered Donglin Sect as a disciple.
He stepped inside.
First floor.
Second floor.
Fifth floor.
Eighth floor.
On the eighth floor, he stopped.
There sat a young man with closed eyes, surrounded by a profound and mysterious aura.
"I did not wish to disturb you," the old man said softly, "but time is running out. Some matters must be arranged."
Chu Xun slowly opened his eyes.
At the very moment the saint's incarnation had descended upon Donglin Sect earlier, he had already been prepared to send out his avatar. Only when Xia Yang revived did he suppress that impulse.
Now, seeing the twilight old man before him, emotions churned quietly in his heart. This was a senior who had already been a saint when Chu Xun first joined the sect—yet one whose life had been nearing its end even then.
Today, that final afterglow had arrived.
"Senior Xia."
Chu Xun stood and bowed respectfully.
Xia Yang nodded, his expression calm, but unmistakable admiration shone in his eyes.
"Your foundation is solid. Continuous breakthroughs, yet no hidden repercussions. Those sixty years spent tempering your heart were not wasted."
"Suffering early lets one walk farther in the future. My faith in you was not misplaced."
Chu Xun smiled and listened quietly. No words of thanks were necessary. Though not master and disciple, Xia Yang had long acted as his guardian, silently sheltering him whenever he had yet to rise.
"Come," Xia Yang said gently. "Walk with me."
"Where to?" Chu Xun asked.
"The Eastern Region," Xia Yang replied, a smile tugging at his wrinkled cheeks.
"A corner of the seaside."
He wanted to see for himself what the Immortal Sect saint had used to threaten Chu Xun there—and whether any hidden ambush remained.
"Alright."
Chu Xun nodded, anticipation flickering in his eyes. If it was a semi-saint lying in wait, all the better.
Along the way, Xia Yang murmured, almost to himself, "A semi-saint would be ideal. Wipe them out in one stroke, buy you more time to cultivate… and give Donglin Sect a chance to breathe."
---
A corner of the seaside.
Also known as the Great Bend of the Demon Sect.
The Green Ox Demon Lord was rumored to be hiding here.
The two arrived openly, without concealment. Even if they encountered the Green Ox Demon Lord, he would not dare provoke them.
A saint nearing death.
A final strike.
Still terrifying.
Even if the Green Ox Demon Lord possessed the strength to slay a saint, he would never choose to do so—only to end up grievously injured while his enemy faded away naturally.
---
Within the void.
Several figures lay hidden, undetectable to ordinary cultivators. Even a Human Emperor passing through would sense nothing but emptiness.
"There's no need to call him a saint," one of them scoffed softly. "Donglin Sect won't send Chu Xun here. This is the Demon Sect's territory—obviously an ambush. Anyone with half a brain would stay away."
The others nodded in agreement, about to echo his words—
When suddenly, the void rippled.
An old man in a green robe stepped forward calmly.
"…Chu Xun?"
"…Huh?"
"…What?"
"…What?!"
The hidden half-saints froze on the spot, utterly stunned.