Chapter 1797 to Chapter 1804

Chapter 1797: Settling Down and Decisions

The Vermilion Bird and Long Xiaoxuan were pleased for Jiang Chen that the Warmspring empyrean cultivators had submitted to him. However, the young man had no intention of bringing them along just yet.

"Lu Che," he said, "since you've joined me, I'll make things simple. If you aid me wholeheartedly, you will be blessed beyond comprehension in the future. If you betray me though… I'm sure I don't need to go there."

Lu Che hastily pointed toward the sky to swear, "Don't worry, master. Now that we've surrendered to you, we have no intention of treachery. Moreover, it may have been our fortune to fall into your hands. It would've been easy for you to kill us all."

These men were most skilled at judging their situation. As they said before, they knew when to cut their losses.

Jiang Chen had taken them in as slaves due to other considerations. He had little foundations in Myriad Abyss, save for some reputation thanks to his affiliation with the Eternal Sacred Land, and certainly almost nothing in terms of manpower.

The sacred land made for a superb patron. It had the venerated forefather, the three primes, and countless experts. Unfortunately, its current position meant that there was little Jiang Chen could rely on.

In fact, the sacred land may very well need to rely on him in the future.

Therefore, forming his own faction to strengthen the forces at his command was worthy of consideration.

Originally, he'd wanted them to go to Winterdraw, but abandoned that prospect after a moment of thought. These people added together were roughly equivalent to Yan Wanjun, and the old man wouldn't necessarily be able to keep them in line. He didn't imagine they would listen in the first place. They followed his orders, but no one else's.

It was better to let them move about freely for now.

"You lot, go to Miracle City for now. Make yourselves comfortable there and be ready to answer my summons. Remember, you may do what you like in that city, but make sure to keep yourselves in good shape. You are my servants – if I do not allow you to die, then you should not die!"

"Understood!" The cultivators heaved an internal sigh of relief after hearing Jiang Chen wouldn't bring them along. They had their freedom… for now.

They definitely couldn't return to Warmspring Island. Miracle City wasn't a bad place to stay for awhile. It was certainly a much more bustling city.

"Alright, all of you can leave." Jiang Chen dismissed his crew with a final declaration. His consciousness seal ensured that they had nowhere to escape to. As long as they lived, he could call them to him with a single thought.

The Vermilion Bird suddenly laughed after Lu Che and his friends departed. "It's been awhile, young master Chen. Both your cultivation and your style have improved in that time. You toy with even empyrean experts easily, with minimal resistance."

"Hahaha, you played a big part in helping me intimidate them, Senior Vermilion." Jiang Chen had indeed used the bird's strength to his advantage.

"No need to call me 'senior' anymore. Otherwise, Xiaoxuan will be upset. 'Old brother Vermilion' is fine. I'm much older than both of you, but my heart is still young." The sacred fowl was quite pleased after its rebirth.

Jiang Chen tossed a pill casually toward his draconic friend. "Brother Dragon, this is a Crowning Empyrean Pill. It will give you a free level in the empyrean realm."

Long Xiaoxuan's eyes brightened as he caught the pill.

The Vermilion Bird sighed. "Humanity's most remarkable aspect is your wisdom. The human bloodline is weak by itself, but you have several advantages. An affinity to fuse other races' bloodlines into their own and an all-encompassing wisdom difficult for other races to comprehend are just two of them. That intellect shines through especially in the area of pill dao."

Jiang Chen wasn't proud. To his knowledge, there were races more adept at pill dao than humanity. Their only detriment was that their reproductive ability was far inferior in return.

Man and beasts chatted about what had transpired in the time they were apart. Jiang Chen was sincerely pleased to hear that the Vermilion Bird was now a demigod, a half-step divine.

Long Xiaoxuan, on the other hand, was fourth level empyrean – just like Jiang Chen. The young man was secretly gratified by this; he'd thought the dragon was already fifth or sixth level at first. It seemed he'd been mistaken. Still, the dragon carried astonishing power for fourth level empyrean.

"I worked very hard and had a Crowning Empyrean Pill to get me to fourth level empyrean, Brother Dragon. I'm a bit envious that you got there so easily."

Long Xiaoxuan wasn't particularly proud of its own achievement. He admired that Jiang Chen had gotten to fourth level empyrean as well. After all, the young man had only been a great emperor when they'd separated.

It had been only a few years since then. The speed at which Jiang Chen had cultivated was nothing short of miraculous for a human.

"Don't be dissatisfied, young master Chen," the Vermilion Bird intoned. "I've never seen anyone cultivate as quickly as you, even in the ancient times. I have the odd feeling that you have no limit when it comes to cultivation. You can break through whenever you want! I've seen plenty of human geniuses and greats, but you're one-of-a-kind. You defy my understanding of your race."

This was high praise indeed from the sacred beast. Long Xiaoxuan followed up with some applause of his own. "Young master Chen's talent is very rare among humans. I'm not familiar with Myriad Abyss Island, but he's on a different level from anyone in the human domain."

"Alright, you two have given me more than enough compliments. I may need your help this time."

"Just say the word, young master Chen." The Vermilion Bird was in a good mood. Jiang Chen had saved its life, so it had a duty to help with anything he asked.

"Do you need help getting your girl? The one named Huang'er, yes? Let's go to Eternal Divine Nation right now and grab her." The Vermilion Bird spoke with great bravado.

"No, no, please don't misunderstand. I have Huang'er already, and have sent her back to the human domain. Right now, we have a different issue…" Jiang Chen elaborated upon his experiences in the Eternal Sacred Land as well as their current plight.

"Without the Eternal Sacred Land," he emphasized, "I wouldn't have been able to save Huang'er nearly as easily. I owe them one for that. Plus, I have a promise with the sacred land's venerated forefather. I can't just abandon them."

The Vermilion Bird nodded. "You're as responsible and principled as always, young master. That's what I appreciate the most about you. So not everyone here in Myriad Abyss is terrible then! The ten sacred lands have managed an admirable effort so far. They must've made countless sacrifices to defend Divine Abyss' gates from then 'til now. There are many bad humans, but also some whose selfless exploits deserve to be immortalized."

The sacred fowl had a very particular sense of duty. Its relationship since ancient times with humanity entitled it to a degree of authority. "What do you think, Xiaoxuan?"

"Sure, I'll come. I have to do it for young master Chen's sake." There was a passionate heart beneath Long Xiaoxuan's flippant exterior. In truth, he possessed greater affection for Jiang Chen than perhaps even the Vermilion Bird.

He had weathered many storms in life with the young man. Jiang Chen had taken perfect care of him all the while, which made it difficult to be anything other than grateful.

"Alright, we'll go together." The Vermilion Bird was overjoyed.

"Right, where's Little White? How's it doing?" Long Xiaoxuan suddenly remembered the Astral White Tiger which'd always been his rival.

Both beasts wanted to surpass the other, which had sparked a fierce rivalry that was still ongoing. That didn't mean they were on bad terms though. Quite the opposite: they admired each other in a way.

Thus, Long Xiaoxuan's missing the tiger it hadn't seen was understandable.

"Little White has found a fortuitous opportunity somewhere recently," Jiang Chen smiled. "It speeds up the tiger's cultivation an incredible amount. I feel that the opportunity is immensely valuable – likely more meaningful than even Hell King Island was for you, old brother Vermilion."

"Oh? You would go that far to describe it?" The Vermilion Bird's eyes lit up.

"Mhm," Jiang Chen inclined his head. "You'll know when you get there. That tiger found an ore vein that has great affinity for his attribute. He took to the place like fish to water. I wager that in a few years, he'll become a completely different beast."

The Vermilion Bird roared with laughter. "Looks like you have to start working hard yourself, Xiaoxuan! Little White's fortune far excels anything we have here."

Long Xiaoxuan nodded, his expression becoming somber. Clearly, the dragon's inborn pride didn't want it to lose in him competition against Little White. Moreover, he had begun cultivating earlier than the tiger.

Though Little White was still a bit behind, that was no longer a guarantee with the ore vein in play. After all, he was an Astral White Tiger. He could fast-track its cultivation to a concerning speed as well.

"When it comes to cultivation, everyone has his own path," Jiang Chen laughed. "Maybe you'll find a similar blessing one day that propels you into divinity?"

In the world of martial dao, opportunities were the hardest thing to pin down. There were surprises everywhere. Something that might seem to be initially insignificant might lead to a motherlode in the end.

"Look at me now," the Vermilion Bird consoled. "I lived in Divine Abyss Continent in the ancient times, but I'm still only a demigod. Why? Because it wasn't time for my fortunes to turn yet. My life was up without an opportunity for rebirth. Thankfully, I came to know young master Chen. Without him, perhaps the ruins of the Primosanct Sect would've been my gravesite as well."

Chapter 1798: Returning to Eternal Divine Nation

The Vermilion Bird and Long Xiaoxuan's companionship immensely bolstered Jiang Chen's mentality. He found the same feeling of camaraderie he'd had in his days on the run all those years ago.

"Old brother Vermilion, Brother Dragon. Let's make the most of our time here and really go all out. Old brother's cultivation is at a bottleneck right now, and needs a new opportunity to break through to divine realm. Hell King Island isn't enough anymore. I think you need to fight and absorb as much spirit energy as possible. Only then will you understand divinity and become a divine yourself!" Jiang Chen was in high spirits.

"You're right. Battle will nurture me and feed me the power I need to break through. Many geniuses did this in the ancient times on their path of continuous self-improvement." The Vermilion Bird sighed. "In terms of bloodline purity, perhaps mine isn't as wholesome as Xiaoxuan's true dragon blood.

"Our good dragon here might be able to reach divinity through natural cultivation, but I need to experience all kinds of trial and difficulties. I've weathered countless ordeals since ancient times for this one opportunity. I suppose my greatest fortune was having met you in my life, young master Chen."

The young man was rather embarrassed. "How can I accept that kind of praise, old brother Vermilion?"

"Hahaha, no need for that kind of humility. From the first day I met you, I knew you were destined for great things. I think our time adventuring with you will be very exciting! Don't you think so, Xiaoxuan?"

The dragon nodded, but was evidently still deep in thought. The newest information about the Astral White Tiger had put a bit of pressure on Long Xiaoxuan. He was trying to figure out how to maintain its current advantage.

After leaving that patch of ocean, Long Xiaoxuan and the Vermilion Bird both transformed into human forms. The dragon took on his customary appearance of a lanky youth, while the Vermilion Bird took on the shape of a burly young man in a red robe. His hair was rather unorthodox: bald on both sides with a red snake-like flattened mohawk in the middle.

This, coupled with his remarkably unique crimson robes, made him stand out quite a bit.

The Vermilion Bird touched his nearly smooth head, chuckling. "I just finished my rite of rebirth, so I feel quite young again. You don't mind this, do you?"

Jiang Chen laughed as well. "Quite the opposite of what I imagined. Your human form is adorable in its own way, old brother, haha!"

The bird-man scratched his head again, a bit embarrassed. He was rather pleased with this look, even though he didn't consider it entirely fitting for his age.

"Don't call me Vermilion Bird from now on. My name is Zhu Que, don't get it wrong now!"

The two names were almost homophones in Chinese.

Taking human form allowed the Vermilion Bird and Long Xiaoxuan to hide their identities. Outsiders wouldn't be able to perceive a single thing.

After they returned to Miracle City, Jiang Chen secretly monitored Lu Che and the others. They had remained trustworthy enough by staying rather than fleeing.

If they'd tried to escape, he wouldn't have minded killing them with his consciousness.

Because they'd been reasonably honest, he saw no reason to disturb them. The young man and his two spirit creatures stayed a night in Miracle City. Jiang Chen tried to gather some regular information while he was here, but none of it was related to a rebellion in Eternal Divine Nation.

He still found this rather incredible. Wasn't the uprising supposed to occur soon after he'd left the sacred land? The Cloudwave Sect adherents he'd killed had given him that information.

It had been more than two months since then. Shouldn't the rebellion have begun already? Why was there was no gossip about it?

The young man couldn't understand it, but that wasn't cause for letting down his guard. In his opinion, there was surely hidden information he wasn't privy to.

He spurred Starfate on, though not as quickly as he had come. A bit of time now wouldn't make much of a difference, since the conflict would've begun long ago if it was going to.

The deaths of the cultivators from the Cloudwave Sect meant that the rebel alliance would suspect something was up. They would've also noticed the absence of Jiang Chen, Yan Qingsang, and Huang'er from the Eternal Sacred Land's ranks after the fight had begun.

A little guesswork was enough to come to the conclusion that Jiang Chen was the one who'd killed the elders from the Cloudwave Sect. If that were the case, he might already be a target without knowing it.

Jiang Chen needed to be wary of such a possibility.

After reaching an area only a few thousand miles out from Eternal Divine Nation, Jiang Chen decided to dispense with airboat travel.

He was attract far too much attention if he steered his airboat in. That wasn't conducive to success under the present circumstances.

The young man and the two sacred creatures passed themselves as ordinary wandering cultivators when they entered the nation's borders. The atmosphere within was clearly drastically different.

On the surface, nothing looked exactly awry,

but closer scrutiny revealed that things here were on the brink of great change. The amount of hidden tension was hard to describe. Anywhere they went, it felt like many eyes watched them from the darkness.

In fact, all of the wandering cultivators were being closely watched.

"Is this Eternal Divine Nation, young master Chen? Looks like something is indeed going on here." The Vermilion Bird's storied past provided it with incredible intuition.

Jiang Chen had perceived the oddities as well. "Yes," he nodded, "something is definitely afoot. Something must've happened here. Has the rebellion occurred already?"

"I think so," the Vermilion Bird nodded.

"It's more interesting this way," Long Xiaoxuan declared. "If nothing had happened, what would've we come all this way for?"

As they approached the capital, Jiang Chen could feel the additional security added in the city. The imperial guard uniform patrolled everywhere in the streets, meticulously examining all cultivators who crossed their path.

"No wonder no news has gotten out. The borders are so tight that they couldn't possibly have." Jiang Chen sighed internally when he saw the drastically increased surveillance. It wasn't going to be easy to make their way into the capital undetected.

Right now, they were three thousand miles from the capital. It was a usually bustling place that featured more activity in recent months.

The amount of traffic through here was absurd. Evidently, many cultivators who wanted to go to the capital were stuck in this city too. It was called Grandeagle City, and overloaded with two or three times the mobile population it was accustomed to. The city's hospitality abilities were being tested to its limits.

Jiang Chen and his two companions stayed in Grandeagle City too. It was nearly impossible to pass the stringent checkpoints required for entrance into the capital.

"What are you planning to do, young master? We'll support you unconditionally," the Vermilion Bird smiled.

"We could always just charge in," Long Xiaoxuan interjected. "Can those checkpoints really stop us?"

"You want to pit the three of us against the entire Eternal Divine Nation?" Jiang Chen smiled wryly. "They would welcome our reckless action with open arms."

Such a thoughtless gesture was the realm of simpletons. He wasn't about to take the advice anytime soon.

Even if the Vermilion Bird was extremely powerful, there were divine cultivators that lived in Eternal Divine Nation. This wasn't a place where raw strength alone would suffice. A nation without gods would be an entirely different matter, but that was unfortunately not the case here.

The sacred spirit creature shrugged. It felt no particular inclination to resort to brute force either. As a veteran of the ancient demon-sealing war, it was much more experienced. It knew the human penchant for trickery. There were enough traps to avoid even without taking the most direct route.

To force their way in was to toss caution to the wind. If the Vermilion Bird had ascended to divinity, it would have the courage to mount a frontal assault. Even if the assault failed, They were guaranteed of being able to extricate themselves at any time.

As they conversed, a group of people quickly walked through the street. Jiang Chen's mind noted them when he saw their dress.

They wore outfits he was all too familiar with – the cultivators were from the Starlight Sect. Jiang Chen was no stranger to this sect either.

The first time he'd come to Eternal Divine Nation with House Yan's entourage, the Starlight Sect had cut them off and forced them to pay a toll.

They'd left a poor impression on him back then.

Among the cultivators Jiang Chen had killed in his last trip, their leader had mentioned all three great sects were participating in the anti-sacred-land alliance. The three sects were the Cloudwave Sect, the Starlight Sect, and the Jade Lake Sect. Several houses had pledged themselves to the cause as well. All these factions were first-rate in the divine nation.

These Starlight Sect disciples seemed to be on a hurry, almost like they had a mission of sorts.

"Old brother Vermilion, let's keep a close tab on these guys. Maybe we'll get a chance to sneak into the capital." Jiang Chen believed the destination very likely for the men he saw, which gave him a rather daring idea.

The trio here was far stronger than the four Starlight Sect disciples. The man leading the latter group was mid empyrean realm, while the other three were only initial. They were probably of reasonable importance within their own sect: elders seemed likely.

Jiang Chen knew the power structures of the nation's great factions to a certain extent. Anyone who entered empyrean realm was entitled to become an elder. An exception to that rule was unique to the Eternal Sacred Land. As the sovereign faction, it was far more powerful than the first-rate factions.

In the sacred land, even becoming a lesser elder had steep requirements. Becoming a greater elder was far more difficult.

Chapter 1799: The Quartet from the Starlight Sect

The four from the Starlight Sect headed straight into a classier tavern, their expressions clouded. Jiang Chen and his two companions didn't follow too closely, staying outside for a brief moment before entering.

Once inside, they swept the place with their consciousness and located the four from the Starlight Sect. They were in a booth near the window opening to the inner courtyard, a quiet corner away from the crowd.

Jiang Chen requested a booth near the four men. It was close enough that his party's powerful consciousness could overhear the conversation in the other booth. After ordering some wine, they pretended to be regular patrons while eavesdropping without hesitation.

The disciples didn't realize that they'd been targeted. They chugged down wine without a word.

After a moment of silence, the younger of the group slammed his cup down on the table and cursed, "Fucking hell, we're so damned unlucky! Only four out of ten of us survived the mission, and those bastards from the Cloudwave Sect stole the credit. Screw them!"

"Enough, Ah Hong, stop complaining," a deep voice chastised. "Someone might hear you."

"Brother Ninth, why discipline us even now? We played the obedient sheep and made compromise after compromise. What have we gotten for it? The credit we're due always gets stolen from us. The Starlight Sect has become nothing but their tool without receiving any of the benefits. Why did we get involved in the first place? We could've stayed out of this whole thing."

Before Brother Ninth could respond, a hoarse voice spoke up. "Don't blame Ah Hong for complaining, Brother Ninth. Those people have gone overboard. They played noble when we first formed an alliance, saying that the gains would be equally split between factions, and that we should work together and not be selfish. But in the end, it's every man for himself. Our Starlight Sect has been played for fools."

Brother Ninth sighed. "Alright, I get how you feel, brothers, but we can't back out now. There's no use complaining. If the imperial family and House Xiahou hear, they'll misunderstand and think that we're rebelling. Then we won't be able to prove our innocence no matter what.

"We have to fight in this war even if it kills us. The imperial family has taken over the reigns, and they're in a honeymoon phase with House Xiahou right now, issuing orders as a united front. The Cloudwave Sect is close to House Xiahou and knows how to suck up to them. Naturally it'll receive a little more benefit."

"A little more? If it were only a little more, we'd suck it up, but they're getting a lot more than we are. Their greed knows no bounds." Ah Hong didn't even try to lower his voice. He was furious.

"Alright, let's drink. We need to report back to the capital tomorrow morning." Brother Ninth knew it'd be difficult to pacify their anger, so he changed the subject and told his companions to drink and talk about other things.

"Stop trying to make the problem go away, Brother Ninth. We're all brothers at this table. Why can't we speak our mind? The imperial family and House Xiahou aren't interested in eavesdropping on us. They're surfing their high and too busy splitting their gains to spare a glance at us nobodies."

"True. I have to admit I'm regretful. If only I was in charge of the Starlight Sect. I want the sect to be what it was before. I have a feeling that things will only get worse after House Xiahou and the imperial family conquers the nation, both for the nation and for the Starlight Sect. I know you may not believe me, but I'm sure time will prove me right." The fellow gulped down his wine.

"Brother Ninth, do you think Ole Zhao makes sense?" Ah Hong piped up. "When the Eternal Sacred Land held power, they at least maintained fairness on the surface. House Xiahou doesn't even try. They favor whichever faction is closer or more obedient to them. In my opinion, House Xiahou makes a poor boss. There's a reason why the sacred land was in charge."

The man who'd been quiet spoke up, "Brother Ninth, is the sacred land doomed for real?"

Brother Ninth was silent for a long time before he responded softly, "I can't say for sure. Elites from all factions have surrounded the sacred land. Most of the experts who fled have been killed. Those who stand their ground are barely hanging on with the help of their great formation."

"But I hear that the most powerful cultivators in the sacred land aren't the three primes; it's their venerated forefather, a divine cultivator. He can easily rebuild the sacred land and make it rise again. How are we supposed to fight a god?"

"It's said that House Xiahou's forefather is a full-fledged god as well."

"Really? Ours is only a demigod. Are you telling the truth about House Xiahou's?"

"Yes. And I hear the imperial family has a divine cultivator as well. The two of them are working together to keep the sacred land's forefather sealed. It'll be next to impossible for him to escape within the next three thousand years. During this time, the alliance can freely attack the sacred land without worrying about retribution."

"Three thousand years… tsk, the sacred land is in big trouble."

"It is."

"That's why you should keep your grumbling to yourselves, lest the words reach the imperial family and House Xiahou. If they hear and make our lives difficult, we'll only have ourselves to blame."

"Huh, what a strange world this is. Our life before the uprising was better than our life now. I can't help but wonder if House Xiahou and the imperial family are deliberately weakening the top factions in order to rule over us all. Do you think that's a possibility?"

"It's not just a possibility, it's a fact. We've suffered great casualties as we fought the sacred land head-on. We're going to be significantly crippled in the end. We've done all the dirty work, but they're the ones who are going to reap the benefits without so much as a scratch on them."

After a few rounds of drinks, the four men stopped masking their discontent. Even Brother Ninth didn't stop his companions from speaking up. He only urged them to drink every now and then.

Jiang Chen sighed inwardly as he listened in. An uprising had happened, but the news hadn't even gotten out.

Actually, why hadn't the usurpers allowed the news to spread?

The four men soon talked about that.

"Brother Ninth, isn't it weird that the imperial family and House Xiahou are still suppressing the news after all this time?" asked Ah Hong. "The outside world has no idea what's going on. Why are they still trying to hide it?"

"You've overlooked something." Brother Ninth smiled slightly. "First, the sacred land has many supporters within the nation. If word spread, those factions will come to the capital to aid the sacred land. They may not be strong enough to resist the alliance, but they will hinder our efforts significantly. If our power is spread thin, our control over the sacred land will waver. The alliance already suffers from a shortage of manpower. We can't afford to attract the attention of the sacred land's supporters.

"That's just one of the reasons. Most importantly, the imperial family wants to keep the uprising a secret while it waits for the other divine nations to rebel as well. This is a joint mutiny against all the sacred lands initiated by various factions within the Ten Divine Nations. The Eternal Sacred Land isn't the only one under attack. The others are in danger of being toppled as well. Afterwards, it's possible that the entire order of the Myriad Abyss Island will be disrupted. We all have to be prepared."

"Ah, so that's how it is," Hong said in a conflicted tone. "Is the rule of the ten sacred lands over Myriad Abyss going to be nothing but a mark in history from now on?"

"Well, we are entering a new era, but there's no telling how many divine nations will be able to topple their sacred lands."

Ah Hong grimaced. "Sigh, we're part of the rebellion, but why don't I want it to succeed?"

"Alright, Hong, enough of that," Brother Ninth warned in a harsh tone. "Keep your thoughts to yourself, or you're going to get yourself in trouble."

"I understand, Brother Ninth," Hong responded weakly.

"Come on, let's drink. Although credit for our accomplishment was stolen, we killed a mighty foe from the sacred land and acquired his token. The imperial family can't deny that. We have evidence backing us up when the reward is given out. My only regret is that we'll never recover the comrades we've lost."

"That's why I call them evil. So many of us have died, but House Xiahou hasn't even deployed any of their members. Most of them are stationed around the sacred land instead of fighting on the frontlines. They're a cunning bunch! They send us to our deaths while they preserve their strength. We won't be able to maintain an equal status with their house then, let alone fight them for anything."

"Alright, this isn't helping. I believe the sect head has a better grasp of the situation than we do. As followers, we shouldn't care about who we're serving. I hear that the Cloudwave Sect has issued a mission with great reward."

"Is it the bounty on Shao Yuan?"

"You know about that as well? I hear Shao Yuan was the first to leave. He left early on with the genius and girl from House Yan. At that time, no one knew it was them. The Cloudwave Sect sent a team to track them down, but the team never reported back. According to news from within the sacred land, Shao Yuan has long since gone missing. The imperial family and House Xiahou are sure he was part of the small group that left the sacred land that night."

"House Xiahou must want nothing more than to capture Shao Yuan. Haha, they've got to be furious with him for killing Xiahou Zong. He's completed a remarkable feat! No one can deny that the sacred land is second to none in raising and finding geniuses."

Chapter 1800: Making a Move

The conversation between the group had gradually touched upon Jiang Chen himself.

The Vermilion Bird smiled ponderously in the young man's direction. The youth himself had a heavy heart. From what they'd overheard, rebellion had broken out quite a while ago. It just hadn't managed to fully take down the Eternal Sacred Land yet.

Though the sacred land had lost a few battles and partially fallen – some of its people fled, captured, and slain in the process – there was a group that used the sacred land's great formation to resist the rebel alliance still.

That was mixed news at best.

It seemed from the tone of the conversation that the imperial family and House Xiahou didn't want word to get out. They still feared repercussions, despite how far they'd come.

Jiang Chen had his work cut out for him: he would do the opposite by spreading the news as far and wide as he could. It was easy enough to understand the wisdom of bringing an enemy's greatest nightmare to fruition.

"Brother Dragon, I have a task for you. Find a place with as many people as possible and broadcast the news of the rebellion. Try to sound as authentic and believable as you can. There are countless wandering cultivators in Grandeagle City. Word will spread very quickly.

"Oh, and add this bit to it: there are similar rebellions brewing in secret in all of the other divine nations. They plan on overturning the ten sacred lands' authority to rule."

The Vermilion Bird gave a big thumbs-up. "Very good. That will put the other sacred lands on high alert. Even if their respective rebellions have already begun, those sympathetic to the sacred lands will congregate towards their capitals. It will expend additional energy, if not outright turn the tide."

Long Xiaoxuan thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, I'll go right now."

"Wait, one more thing. Tell your audience that since the cat's out of the bag, there are rumors that the imperial family and House Xiahou are going to kill all those who know by slaughtering all the wandering cultivators in the nearby cities. If they don't get out now, it'll be too late…"

"Sowing chaos, not bad!" the Vermilion Bird remarked. "When people are panicky, many will attempt to escape. News will get out even faster then."

Long Xiaoxuan stood to carry out the command right away.

"Wait, there's no need to hurry," Jiang Chen said. "Let's listen to anything else these guys have to say. We can spread the news when we figure out a way to leave. Doing that now would unnecessarily alert our enemy."

The young man was staying rational. Without a way further into the capital, he wasn't about to ruin the current place they were at.

The disciples of the Starlight Sect were both envious and begrudging when it came to the Cloudwave Sect, but most of all, hateful.

Clearly, it rankled that a faction, once their equal, was now lording its delegated superiority over them. Moreover, their own accomplishments were being stolen rather than recognized.

"Those Cloudwave guys are pretty useless. House Xiahou and the imperial family coddle them, but they still end up losing people. They've barely managed to catch anyone from the sacred land, either. The team that pursued Shao Yuan that night was a reasonably elite one, but it was wiped out entirely at who knows where. Useless idiots, the lot of them."

"Yep they're useless. Still, Shao Yuan's strength can't be understated. Even House Xiahou couldn't do anything to him, much less the Cloudwave Sect."

"House Xiahou hasn't made a serious effort yet, right? If it sends out its elites, I'm sure Shao Yuan will be caught sooner or later. How can they possibly bear the shame of Xiahou Zong's death? It'll last as long as Shao Yuan lives. I'm guessing that when things calm down here, House Xiahou might issue a joint bounty in the entirety of Myriad Abyss on Shao Yuan's head."

"Hard to say. The imperial family leans towards soliciting Shao Yuan's services. It believes that Shao Yuan is an invaluable talent that can blossom into something amazing. His pill dao and martial dao talent are both splendid. If the imperial family can get him on its side, he would no doubt become a future pillar of the nation."

"House Xiahou would never agree to something like that. Shao Yuan, a pillar of the nation? That would be a perpetual insult to every member of the house."

"Shao Yuan has other places to go. What divine nation among the ten wouldn't welcome a man with his talents? What about House Xiahou? There are factions even stronger than that in the Ten Divine Nations. As long as one of them accepts Shao Yuan, what can House Xiahou do?"

"I suppose you're right. Shao Yuan is really good at jumping ship, though. He hopped from House Yan to the sacred land, then left as soon as the latter seemed risky. There's no loyalty there at all. The sacred land probably regrets it, does it not?"

"People naturally head for greater things in life. That's nothing to fault him for. How long has it been since he joined the sacred land? He repaid his debt in full by defeating Xiahou Zong. Even if he did leave, that's understandable. You can't expect a newcomer to be willing to lay down his life, can you? We wouldn't be able to do so either."

"True, true. He hasn't been there long, so he doesn't feel much of a sense of belonging. Also, why do I feel that Shao Yuan didn't actually get much from the sacred land in the first place? His talent and strength are entirely his own, aren't they? The shortness of his stay and all…"

"Not necessarily. Rumor has it that Shao Yuan entered the sacred land as a great emperor."

"Impossible! That must be crazy rumors or a smokescreen to conceal the truth. If he was a great emperor only a few years ago and mid empyrean realm now… have you heard of anyone cultivating that quickly?"

"Ah, Shao Yuan is pretty much a walking mystery. Legendary, for sure. I believe that the slayer of Xiahou Zong will shock the entirety of Myriad Abyss one day. It may not be wise for House Xiahou to make such an enemy!"

"There's another circulating rumor that the sacred land raised Shao Yuan up to be the counter to Xiahou Zong in the first place. If that's the case, then the sacred land's resourcefulness is terrifying. Even if the sacred land suffers a total defeat here, such geniuses scattered abroad may one day band together to stage a new rise."

The others nodded at this suggestion. The explanation was much more plausible, and seemed almost close to the truth.

"Alright, that's enough. It's not our place to worry about these things. I just hope that the Starlight Sect doesn't become cannon fodder. Even if we don't end up getting much benefit from this rebellion, we shouldn't have to make too many painful sacrifices."

"Hmph. We've sacrificed quite a bit already. I reckon we're going to keep on losing out in the future." The cultivator named Ah Hong still couldn't get over things.

The talkative cultivators didn't have much to say after that. Though Jiang Chen and company wanted to hear more, there was no longer anything useful to listen to.

The four people opposite them drank and chatted about inconsequential things. Evidently, they were largely done complaining.

Jiang Chen finished off his own cup. "We move tonight," he transmitted. "Kill three and leave the brash Ah Hong. We will use their identities to sneak into the capital."

"Can we really do that?" the Vermilion Bird couldn't resist asking. As a sacred beast, it was easily revealed when it fought.

"I think so. Didn't they say they didn't have much left to do? They're already preparing to return to the capital to report in. Plus, we have a lot of things we can do once we actually enter the capital. If we need to change our identities again, that's fine. Getting into the capital is the most important part. After that, the city's completely open to us."

The Vermilion Bird had no problem with it. It had heard that not many divine cultivators lived in Eternal Divine Nation. A handful perhaps, but hardly numerous.

House Xiahou's and the imperial family's were both busy facing off against the sacred land's venerated forefather. They had no time or energy to devote elsewhere.

This made the capital exponentially safer. In fact, Jiang Chen may very well have the perfect opportunity to break the sacred land's besiegement.

The quartet from the Starlight Sect hadn't expected to be observed and followed. After drinking, they found an inn and lodged there to prepare returning to the capital the next day.

That night, Jiang Chen and his two divine creature friends performed an operation without notice.

It was trivial for someone as strong as the Vermilion Bird to kill a few initial empyrean experts. No one was alerted by their silent deaths, and the kills were clean and untraceable. Afterwards, they unceremoniously pushed open the door to Ah Hong's room.

The room's resident was lying down in a daze, lost between sleep and wakefulness. The disturbance he heard woke him instantly. "Who?"

"Haha." A sinister laugh was his only reply.

The malice in the laugh caused his hairs to stand on end. Ah Hong began to shout. "Brother Ninth, Ole Zhao, Brother Kai, enemy attack!"

However, his voice couldn't penetrate the chamber's walls no matter how loudly he shouted.

"Don't waste your energy. The room is sealed off. No amount of shouting will make you audible outside." The cool, relaxed voice came from none other than Jiang Chen.

He waved a hand to fill the room with candlelight.

Ah Hong leaned on his bed, weapon drawn and expression alert. His eyes darted about wildly, as if scheming how best to leave.

"You're Ah Hong, yes? An executive of the Starlight Sect." Jiang Chen's smile was kindly on the surface, but Ah Hong's hairs stood on end.

The sweeter the smile was under these circumstances, the stranger things were.

"Who… who are you? Get out, or I'll call for others."

"Don't bother. I already helped your three companions succumb to the gentle embrace of death. You should be grateful that you're the one I let live."

"What did you say? You killed them? I don't believe it!" Ah Hong's pupils dilated as he shrieked hoarsely, as if attempting to rouse his comrades. Alas, his plans were doomed to fail. The room they were in had been completely sealed off to sound.

"If you want to struggle more, we don't mind you sending to the next world. So, would you like to accompany the others or cooperate?"

Chapter 1801: The Divine Nation Boils Over

Ah Hong was clearly a feisty one. He grit his teeth and brandished his weapon, then made a mad charge at Jiang Chen. The difference in strength between his enemy and himself was completely ignored.

Harrumphing softly, Jiang Chen shot a ray from his Evil Golden Eye at the remaining cultivator. Ah Hong's body shook; he was restricted by an invisible force he couldn't struggle free from, regardless of what he did.

"You… you…" Ah Hong's tongue trembled. He glared angrily at Jiang Chen.

The young man had no desire to kill. Otherwise, Ah Hong would've become a golden statue in a hot second. What chance would he have had to speak?

"My magnanimity has a limit. I respect your authenticity and passion, Ah Hong. That's why I left you alive. Do you want to die? If so, I can fulfill that request." Jiang Chen also had another reason for leaving Ah Hong alive.

His Evil Golden Eye released its grip on the cultivator from the Starlight Sect. Ah Hong seemed to know the strength difference between Jiang Chen and himself. They were competing on completely different levels.

He deflated by sitting down in resignation. His tone was as equally hopeless as his demeanor. "Who are you, really? Did you really kill my companions?"

"Yes," Jiang Chen readily confirmed. "As for who we are, that's not for you to know."

"If you killed my companions, why not me as well?" Ah Hong sounded mildly self-destructive.

"I'm only keeping you alive because I think you're useful. You're man enough to not need to die. Are you really so submissive and servile to House Xiahou? To the imperial family?"

"You… what are you saying?" Ah Hong's eyes glared piercingly at Jiang Chen, his curiosity plain for all to see. Frankly, he was astounded. "Who are you, really?" he rasped.

"I'm not from House Xiahou or the imperial family."

"An expert from the sacred land then?" Ah Hong's tone became conflicted. "I suppose it was fitting my peers would die at your hand. So vengeance comes for me as well? Come on then, kill me. I won't resist."

His fighting spirit was obviously gone.

"That's easy enough. If you don't fear death though, why do you fear living on? Do you want to be released from this mortal coil? Don't you want to see what the future holds for Eternal Divine Nation?"

"How can the future possibly be different? You think you still have a chance to turn the tables? House Xiahou and the imperial family control most of the nation's important facilities. Over seventy percent of factions have sworn their allegiance. I don't know what your position is in the sacred land, but it's best for you to leave now. If someone ends up paying attention to you, you won't have a chance to escape."

Ah Hong seemed apologetic to the sacred land to a certain degree. His altruistic reminder was evidence enough of that.

"Leave? Why would I leave?" Jiang Chen smiled coolly. "It took me quite a bit of effort to get here in the first place. I'm about to get into the capital!"

"Into the capital? You… you're not scared of dying?" Ah Hong gasped.

"Dying? The person capable of killing me in this world hasn't been born yet. Enough small talk: do you know why we've left only you alive?"

"You want to use our identities to sneak into the capital." Despite his candor, Ah Hong was no simpleton.

"Yes. So, will you cooperate?"

"Hmph. Aren't you worried that I'll call for help as soon as we enter the capital? You won't have a way out then." Ah Hong snorted.

"That's not your concern. We have our ways of making you submit, but we'd prefer if you willingly assisted us. We can see that you don't want to help House Xiahou's dirty deeds. The Starlight Sect doesn't stand to profit much from this insurrection, and in fact, it very well might be the next target after House Xiahou and the imperial family solidify their authority."

Ah Hong stayed quiet. He could see a hint of that already. There was nothing to deny about it.

"I'm not making it up, am I?" Jiang Chen chuckled. "The Eternal Sacred Land never bothered to strike at any of the first-rate factions in the nation, because all of you lack some way in strength and resources compared to it. The sacred land would never do something so unnecessary. House Xiahou and the imperial family? Not so much. They're not intrinsically much better than the rest of you. To prevent you from threatening their new position, they will inevitably cut you down to size. I'm sure you see that as well as I can."

"Hmm, so what? You should talk to the head of the Starlight Sect about it. I'm just a probational elder without much authority. You're wasting your time talking to me." Though Ah Hong agreed with the analysis, he didn't want to actually admit it.

"You can't change much in the grand scheme of things, but you can at least follow your own heart." Jiang Chen's searching eyes penetrated Ah Hong's consciousness, laying all in his heart bare.

Ah Hong hesitated a long while before muttering, "What do you want me to do?"

"Easy. Help us get into the capital and cover for us when needed. You can leave the rest up to us."

"That's it?" Ah Hong was incredulous.

"That's it." Jiang Chen nodded.

"After you get into the capital and disappear, what am I supposed to tell the sect head?"

"We all died," Jiang Chen supplied readily.

"If you die so suddenly like that, won't people figure out there's something fishy easily?"

"Here's your solution: we can join the war effort against the Eternal Sacred Land. On the battlefield, any of us could die at any time. There's not much for you to explain then."

"...that works," Ah Hong mused. "We'll probably be sent there after returning anyway."

"There you go, right?" Jiang Chen nodded again. "It's just that simple."

Ah Hong's eyes suddenly glinted with a keen light. "Was this your original plan?" he asked in a low voice. "You wanted to get into the battlefield to resolve the siege? I advise you not to bother. The barricade around the sacred land is watertight. You'd only be throwing your lives away."

"Oh, lives will be thrown away, alright," Jiang Chen snickered. "But not ours. You're in for a big surprise."

Ah Hong sank into silence for a time once more. His deliberation finished, he sighed. "Alright, I'll do it."

"I know you're not scared of dying. Still, for the sake of safety, I'm going to put a seal on your consciousness to oversee and control your actions."

Ah Hong was completely unperturbed about this. "If you weren't going to do that, I would think the worse of you for it," he harrumphed. "Maybe you're not committing suicide after all."

"I'm glad you think so," Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "I hope our cooperation works out for the both of us. If you can, feel free to rescue a few of your peers from the Starlight Sect. I won't mind. Just don't be too obvious about it."

Ah Hong sneered. "I don't have many friends in the sect. I don't know anyone worth saving. They want to enter the fray and risk their lives so they can win a share of honor and glory. They want to sell their lives to House Xiahou and the imperial family? Consider that transaction done. What can they complain about the expected outcome occurring? Do I look like I care about the other guys with me that you killed?"

This man was certainly a bit of an oddball.

Jiang Chen roared with laughter. "Sure, sure. Every man is the master of his own destiny. If that's really what you think, then you're more broad-minded than you know. If your cover really works out, then I'll owe you a big favor."

"Forget about that. Think about your own hide first, and work on those disguises. I'm not worried about being dragged into this, but you better actually execute your meticulous plan. It'd be idiotic if you were caught before anything happens."

"Heh, you can be sure that we will. Just tell me any habits or verbal tics your comrades had, as well as any other special traits I should know of. The relationships between three of them would be useful as well. And if the time comes that we need your mediation, do help us through any tricky situations."

"No problem."

Jiang Chen nodded. "Excuse this next bit, then. Relax your consciousness and don't resist. I'm about to make that seal. I'll remove it as soon as possible after all is said and done."

"Okay." Ah Hong wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it, but he was at least straightforward.

His astonishment was no less than Lu Che and the rest during the process of the seal implantation. He was just as shocked by the strength of Jiang Chen's consciousness.

His disbelief in their success was slightly shaken by what he'd witnessed.

The procedure itself was smooth enough. "There we are," Jiang Chen smiled after it was finished.

Long Xiaoxuan was swiftly sent out to spread the aforementioned rumors. Though the dragon liked to play it quiet and cool most of the time, gossip and misinformation was his forte.

He made up all kinds of fantastic allegations with a sincerity that gripped the hearts of his listeners. The hearsay spread fast like a plague through Grandeagle City.

The more stupid of the wandering cultivators were scared into flight overnight by the report of an extermination order. Moreover, they spread the falsehood on their outbound trips. Their logic was simple enough: the more people that knew about this, the less likely they themselves would be pursued.

This was risk mitigation at its finest.

Grandeagle City boiled over, as did all the metropolises surrounding it. Almost the entire Eternal Divine Nation knew about the siege in a single night.

The nation was up in arms; riots were everywhere. Loyalists everywhere gathered their men upon hearing the sacred land was under attack, ready to fly to its aid.

The divine nation was like a barrel of gunpowder that'd been set aflame. Smoke and chaos roiled over its demesne.

Chapter 1802: Entering the Sacred Land

The news spread with astounding, crazy speed; first within Eternal Divine Nation, then quickly transcending the border and reaching everywhere in the Ten Divine Nations. The entire Myriad Abyss was caught in a storm. A bomb had been set off with the status quo.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen snuck into the capital with Ah Hong's help. It went more smoothly than he'd expected. The Starlight member was very cooperative and gave them a lot of cover smuggling them in.

The capital was in a city-wide hysteria. The imperial family had become the official ruler, and factions from all parts of the nation had banded under the royal banner to form an anti-sacred land alliance.

In the beginning, there were only six first-tier factions within the alliance. It continued to expand and bring many second-tier factions into its fold.

The alliance was far from a tightly-knit group. Many had actually been forced to join. The Starlight Sect, for example, was now stuck between a rock and a hard place.

It was in an enormous dilemma. They hadn't anticipated the state they'd be in when they first joined. They'd simply wanted to topple the sacred land's rule and capitalize on the new political order.

But it and two other aristocratic families made up the bulk of the vanguard. The casualties they'd suffered were unimaginable. In the end, it was all about profit.

However, they hadn't gained anything so far and had suffered great losses instead.

The sect scrambled to find a solution. They wanted to pull out, but given the circumstances, the other factions would most likely cast stones at them if they did.

If they stayed in the alliance, however, given the rate at which they were losing members, this uprising would end up doing them far more harm than good...

The worst case scenario was that their power would be greatly diminished while they gained nothing, resulting in their fall from a first-tier faction to a second-tier one.

That'd be a harsh result, and one most likely to happen at the moment.

The sect head had been getting antsy lately. He'd sought out the emperor and Duke Xiaoyao to voice his complaints. Both men welcomed him with a smile and commended with faux politeness the Starlight Sect's dedication and contribution, urging the sect to focus on the big picture.

The sect head's words didn't have an impact at all.

There had been a lot of dissenting voices within the sect lately. Its members were tired of their losses, especially since some of the factions within the alliance had suffered almost no casualties, while the Starlight Sect had lost twenty to thirty percent of their elites. That was enough to undermine their foundation.

If things went on, they would no longer be a first-tier faction.

As a result, Ah Hong and his three companions were largely ignored. After Ah Hong volunteered to join the fight, the four of them were assigned to the front line. Their post was at one of the sacred land's exits, where many of its experts left through.

Ah Hong had done what Jiang Chen had asked him to do.

Jiang Chen smiled slightly. "You've done well. I can tell that you still have a conscience. I'm afraid you'll have to stick with us for the time being. But don't worry, we'll make sure you get out safe after things settle."

"It's not my conscience," Ah Hong said responded impassively. "I just want to see what miracles you sacred land loyalists can create."

The four of them were in charge of an egress passage and its surrounding area. They'd be held responsible if even a fly escaped.

They also had to follow orders issued by a commander from the imperial family rather than be an independent group. The imperial family had the final say in the assault. Even House Xiahou was nominally supposed to listen to them.

The commander-in-chief was a forefather of the imperial family, and under him were three more in charge.

Jiang Chen and his companions were assigned to one of them, the emperor's uncle who happened to be an imperial prince. He held an important position in the family and oversaw all of military operations in the area. He was known as Imperial Prince Shang.

Every day, Jiang Chen and his friends reported to the imperial prince for a briefing on their achievements of the day. There was no denying that the besiegement had certainly been well organized.

On this day, Imperial Prince Shang summoned Jiang Chen and his companions.

"The four of you were assigned to this area a couple days ago. Why haven't you achieved anything since then? Is the Starlight Sect just humoring the imperial family?" Imperial Prince Shang made a serious accusation without preamble.

No one had passed through their jurisdiction over the past couple of days. Naturally they wouldn't have achieved anything. Besides, even if someone had passed through, Jiang Chen wasn't about to take them down.

He was staying put for the moment because he didn't have a good enough grasp on the situation. He needed some time to get the full picture of the operation.

He might not be able to make any game-changing moves such as freeing the venerated forefather, but there was a chance he could change the outcome of the assault since there was no divine cultivators stationed here.

Jiang Chen responded pitifully to Imperial Prince Shang's accusation. "Your Highness, we can't be blamed for being complacent. No one has set foot into this area. It's simply not where most of the action is! We can't fudge the number by killing innocent people, can we?"

He meant he wouldn't claim innocent people as those from the sacred land in order to get rewards.

Imperial Prince Shang scoffed, making his discontent with the Starlight Sect clear.

"I'll cut you some slack since you've just returned. If you keep this up, I can only send you to the very front where your lives will be on the line." The imperial prince reprimanded them in a harsh voice, an action he seemed to find joy in.

"Your Highness, the siege is getting close to its conclusion, isn't it? My brothers and I have been fighting outside the city. We returned to the capital because we wanted our chance to earn glory on the front lines. Will Your Highness give us the opportunity to?"

Imperial Prince Shang paused. His criticism hadn't been aimed at the four of them, but at the Starlight Sect as a whole. The sect had been growing complacent lately as a show of their dissatisfaction with the imperial family. These four were merely an easy target.

Never had he anticipated that they'd volunteer to fight on the front lines.

He cackled. "You volunteered! Your sect head has been whining about the great sacrifice your sect has made and the great casualties you've suffered because you're always in the fray of the battle. Are you truly going to volunteer yourselves?"

"Yes. My brothers and I are eager to achieve something. Please grant us our wish, Your Highness."

The imperial prince broke into laughter. "Oh, it's rare for the Starlight Sect to be this enthusiastic! Alright, I'll grant you your wish."

"Go. You're in charge of the sixteenth defense post from now on. Take this writ to the post and swap out the guards."

He wrote them a writ without hesitation. He couldn't be happier about the turn of events. The sixteenth defense post covered the most dangerous region. Experts from the sacred land often showed up there to attack the alliance. Many of their own experts had died there. The defense was held up by piles and piles of corpses.

That post was now synonymous with danger. Many factions and cultivators refused to even get close. The leaders had no choice but to force the job on some hapless folk.

Those stationed in the area had heavily bribed Imperial Prince Shang earlier today, asking him to put someone else in their place. He'd been agonizing over who he should pick, but then these fools had come knocking. He'd be idiotic not to take advantage of their offer.

He quickly finished writing the writ and stamped it with his official seal before handing it to Jiang Chen. "Go. If you are victorious in the sixteenth defense post, I'll reward you generously and recommend you to the emperor. You'll enjoy a lifetime of great fortune!"

"Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness," Jiang Chen said with great enthusiasm.

As beaming Jiang Chen left merrily, Imperial Prince Shang gazed at the departing young man mockingly. He snorted and silently called the young man a fool.

Jiang Chen made his way to the sixteenth defense post. Many senior executives from the sacred land had come to this area and countless intense battles had broke out, leaving the area a tattered living purgatory shrouded in the shadow of death and violence.

"Is this Elder Xun from House Beigong? Here's a written writ from the imperial prince. We'll be taking over this post. Let's finish the handoff."

Five cultivators remained in the area, three of whom had been seriously injured. They all perked up when they saw Jiang Chen. They couldn't be happier that they'd be relieved of their duty. Their eyes lit up with the joy of escaping death.

They exchanged their writ for defending the post. Elder Xun gave Jiang Chen careful consideration before his lips curved into a meaningful smile. "The Starlight Sect is indeed courageous. No wonder you're the vanguards of the assault. I wish you a great success in killing those villains from the sacred land and accomplishing great deeds for the new order!"

Elder Xun cackled and motioned at his men to leave.

Jiang Chen grabbed him with a shameless smile. "Don't be in such a rush, Elder Xun. We've relieved you of a big trouble, haven't we? I'm not asking for anything in return, but you wouldn't mind explaining the current situation to me, would you? My brothers and I just returned from outside and don't know a lot about the situation here."

Chapter 1803: On Death's Door

Jiang Chen's words sounded completely reasonable.

Elder Xun suspected nothing awry. "The current situation isn't too optimistic. Though the sacred land has lost a lot of territory and suffered many casualties, its main force is still largely intact. Moreover, the defense of its great formation is difficult to break through. If we try to force our way through, we'll be trading a lot of men for just a little damage."

"So, our offensive is all talk and no action?" Jiang Chen ventured.

"Not quite. Our alliance's biggest advantage is our numbers. We're gaining in size every day, while the sacred land can't replenish its own ranks. We're completely fine for the long haul. The sacred land is slowly eating away at its stockpile of resources. Despite the resistance, it'll fall sooner or later."

When he got to this point, Elder Xun clapped Jiang Chen's shoulder. "Work hard, my friend. I know you want to earn riches and glory, and I guarantee this is a good place for that."

Jiang Chen nodded, then smiled simperingly. "One more thing, Elder Xun, if I may. Will headquarters look after us while we're defending here? If we're in danger, will we get help right away?"

Elder Xun couldn't help but laugh. "You're thinking too much, friend. There are over a hundred of these posts. How would we have nearly enough people to man them all if we were that meticulous with every single one?"

"So… if we die here, the people outside won't know?"

"If you fail to make contact for a long time, then we'll know you've died! Plus, you'll send out signals for help if you're in danger, won't you?" Elder Xun chortled. In his opinion, these Starlight guys clearly had brain damage. Was such an obvious question even necessary?

Jiang Chen sighed softly. "No one will know when we do fall here, then."

"Oh, we'll find out eventually. If you die, the enemy will obviously break through this area. That's evidence enough, isn't it?" Elder Xun thought less and less of Jiang Chen and company.

"Not necessarily. What if the opposition from the sacred land retreats after they're done killing? They won't do as we expect every time, would they?" Jiang Chen retorted.

"Stop worrying, friend. Are you worried no one will collect your corpse after you die? Rest easy on that front. There are patrols at dawn and dusk to see how all the areas are doing. Plus, the commander does a roll call and gives a speech every day for those who are responsible for an area. If you're not there for it, that's explanation enough in itself. Understood?"

Elder Xun shook his head as he said this. Clearly, these Starlight people were all just straight up idiots. How dare they hold the sixteenth post with their intelligence?

The elder wasn't up for further conversation with Jiang Chen. "Alright," he smiled coolly, "I've said all I have to say. I pass this position onto you. Good luck out there. Don't let the commander or our allies down."

Jiang Chen grinned. "Why're you in such a hurry, Elder Xun?"

"Why wouldn't I be? The guard has passed, hasn't it?" Elder Xun darkened. "I have to go inspect my new area. What, are you regretting it now? I'm telling you right now that once the guard is changed, nothing can reverse that action. There's no room for playing around in war."

The young man laughed heartily. "Regretting it? Hardly. I simply mean to correct you. You all died in battle in area sixteen, no? I'll report that to the imperial prince right away. House Beigong's experts, all dead in action! There were barely any bodies to find when we arrived."

Elder Xun and his companions all colored at this. "You're mad, kid!" they rebuked.

"The Starlight Sect's gone crazy."

"Did you hit your head on a door somewhere?" They were clearly angered. They'd awaited the change of the guard for quite a while, and had no patience whatsoever for idle chatter.

"Get outta my way," a burly man called out. "Don't think that this place belongs to you now. It only takes a hot minute for your old man here to teach you a lesson!"

Jiang Chen frowned. He hated when people called themselves his father.

"Old brother Zhu Que, this man dares call himself my old man. Doesn't that mean he thinks he's a generation above you? What do you say to that?"

The Vermilion Bird chuckled, then nodded. "This."

He raised his arm to produce a fiery chain in the center of his palm. It was composed of blue runes that glowed faintly without much furor.

The burly man snickered. "What? That's a candle women carry to the outhouse. You trying to scare me with that pathetic thing?"

His laughter stopped creaked to a halt in the next moment. The bluish chain of fire had gusted into his vicinity in the blink of an eye. His pupils dilated violently as soon as it reached him.

In the next moment, it expanded all around him in a flash.

Then the strangest of sights occurred. The cultivator's flesh and blood were siphoned away in a fraction of a second; he spontaneously became a skeleton.

His arrogant expression hadn't the time to transform into shock and horror before disappearing entirely into nothingness. A bleached, off-white frame was all that remained.

The spectacle scared Elder Xun and company witless. What had just happened? A real live person had been turned into bone just by that chain's slightest touch? That was too terrifying to believe!

They'd all heard of powerful abilities before, but seeing such a domineering one was a definite first.

The man who'd just died had been quite capable defensively. Alas, the opponent's attack had torn his vaunted, steadfast defenses to shreds with no resistance whatsoever. The chain had burned him away as easily as a piece of paper or wood.

Elder Xun and his peers were paralyzed. Technically speaking, they were more numerous than Jiang Chen's group, but which of them could possibly live after being attacked by the Vermilion Bird's inner flame? Distractions aside, even a fully focused cultivator would've died instantly.

The Vermilion Bird was already a demigod!

A casual attack was enough to inflict enormous damage to the average empyrean cultivator.

"You… you…" Elder Xun was yellow in the face. He stuttered, his prior expression of mockery and confidence gone. Unfathomable fear replaced it.

"What about us?" Jiang Chen smiled. "Elder Xun, you're as good as dead. Why resist, right? Just kill yourselves to wrap things up nicely. What do you say?"

Elder Xun colored. "You're a spy, kid!" he cried out. "Are you from the sacred land?"

Jiang Chen chuckled. "Wrong. I simply couldn't stand your ugly mug, so I thought I'd take you out. It's nothing to do with the sacred land."

"You… ridiculous! I was perfectly polite…"

"Perfectly polite? How many times did you internally call me stupid? I can't read your mind, but I hardly need to when it's written all over your face. You didn't even bother to hide your emotions. Plus, your deaths will show off our superior skill in comparison. How would we prove our stellar contribution otherwise?"

Jiang Chen's logic nearly made Elder Xun cough up blood. "Since you're already at it, old brother Zhu Que, I'll leave these guys to you."

The Vermilion Bird licked his lips. "All of them?" he chortled.

"Don't leave a single one," Jiang Chen declared cruelly.

Elder Xun and his comrades were white with terror. The others began to beg. "Don't kill us! Don't kill us! We're innocent, we did nothing wrong… it's all because…"

The young man wasn't interested in hearing their empty excuses. "Go ahead, old brother."

The Vermilion Bird cackled once before propelling himself airborne with his toes.

"Run, everyone! We have to make it back to the patriarch and the imperial prince. Make this guy pay!" Elder Xun was infuriated.

However, the Vermilion Bird didn't give them the ghost of a chance. Three were caught within moments and consumed without reservation.

Only Elder Xun remained in futile defiance of his fate.

Unfortunately, he couldn't do much more than flop uselessly about. The Vermilion Bird was many times stronger than he, and a gout of flame destroyed the elder's defenses outright.

"Die!" The sacred bird pounced upon the old man, a huge talon slashing Elder Xun's head right open. Blood streamed out from the gash.

The elder's soul tried to escape, but the Vermilion Bird wouldn't let him. It picked the intangible thing out of the air and brought it to its beak.

Elder Xun had no time to express his despair before being swallowed whole.

Because the Vermilion Bird was on the verge of breaking through to divine realm, it was more than happy to make use of such wonderful sources of nutrition. In ancient times, such primitive methods were unnecessary thanks to the abundance of resources, but drastic times called for drastic measures.

Chapter 1804: An Acquaintance Barges In

The change of the guard had given the Vermilion Bird an opportunity to feed. Elder Xun and his lackeys were eaten wholesale in less than fifteen minutes.

"Not bad, not bad," the bird remarked appreciatively.

"Old brother, there will be enough to eat for the both of you on the battlefield. I think you'll have a much better shot at comprehending the divine realm after all's said and done." Jiang Chen could tell that the Vermillion Bird quite liked the situation.

"I think you're right. I quite like things this way." The Vermilion Bird was exuberant.

Jiang Chen got back his documents very quickly, then destroyed the rest of the dead's effects. He did so in order to prove that the four of them hadn't made any contact with Elder Xun at all. Dead men told no tales, thankfully, so their claims weren't likely to be disputed.

The news was carried back very quickly.

Imperial Prince Shang was one of the first to hear. "What? Elder Xun and his men have all died? What about the Starlight who went to change them out? Are they dead, too?"

"No. They were the ones to notice the death of Elder Xun's men and brought back the news. Apparently, they're requesting reinforcements because of the danger."

The imperial prince was livid. "They'll defend it themselves or die trying. Reinforcements? Where am I supposed to get the men from? If I had that many men, what would I need them for?"

Area sixteen was not a high-risk zone that practically no one wanted to go to into. The likelihood of dying there was too high.

Since the beginning of the invasion, the mortality rate in that area had stayed at an incredible level. Thus, there were never enough men to defend it. No one with half a brain was willing to brave such a minefield.

The imperial prince considered people who were ignorant of the current state of affairs the only source of volunteers. These fresh cultivators who'd just come back from the outside, for example.

Asking for reinforcements now? Impossible!

"Send someone to reprimand and encourage them. They should fight with courage and make a good effort. Even if they can't kill many enemies, they must ensure the area is not lost. The grander battle must not be affected."

"Yes, Your Highness."

An emissary from the imperial prince came to Jiang Chen's area in no time at all. The emissary first applauded their bravery, then warned them of his master's requirements.

Jiang Chen agreed readily, of course.

This area was so far away and unwatched that the outside world knew practically nothing about it. He had easily dispatched Elder Xun and the rest without drawing any attention.

The emissary verbally employed both the carrot and the stick before departing.

Jiang Chen snickered after he did. "Imperial Prince Shang really does take us for fools."

"Heheh, shall I go kill him?" The Vermilion Bird licked his lips. He was raring for a fight. The brink of divinity caused its fighting spirit and initiative to rise a hundredfold.

"No rush. The imperial prince isn't a clever man. It would be worse to have a wiser replacement."

Jiang Chen wasn't in a hurry to act yet. He had his own ideas, but lacked sufficient control over the entire situation. Plus, an assassination had to be clean and swift. Any high-profile killing like this had to be decisive for a victory.

Small-scale exterminations, on the other hand, could be performed casually out of sight and without raising suspicion. He had gotten rid of Elder Xun and his men today because they'd been easy prey.

As they conversed, a neighboring area suddenly fired an emergency signal to call for help. The blue light meant that the alert level was correspondingly high.

"Area eighteen, yeah? The area right of us. According to the rules, those in neighboring areas have a duty to help each other."

Jiang Chen began to brood. This sudden development was outside of his expectation. However, he quickly calmed down and decided to observe instead.

If Imperial Prince Shang were to blame him, he could easily find enough excuse to deflect the accusations. Saying that there had been sacred land operatives nearby his own area was one good reason. He had stayed in order to hold the line.

Though Jiang Chen stayed put, trouble charged in his direction before long.

There was a message from afar. "Daoists in area sixteen, on your guard. Sacred land remnants have fled into your area. Beware, beware."

It came from area seventeen. Evidently, all the cultivators on this battlefield were equally sly. They let a hot potato slip into Jiang Chen's area rather than fend it off themselves.

A problem that no one wanted to face was a hard one to handle. Rather than get upset at the politics between areas, Jiang Chen laughed.

"If the alliance regularly engages in this kind of cloak-and-dagger behavior, it will fall apart sooner or later. There are no conflicts of interest as of yet, but when there are… its members will turn on each other."

Suddenly, he felt a powerful presence approach at top speed.

"Everyone, prepare to keep him here. Don't let him past us. There are many more areas beyond sixteen. How can he possibly escape from the rest of the encirclement?"

Ah Hong was very excited to watch Jiang Chen and his sacred beast friends rampage as they wished. All of a sudden, he began to feel that accompanying these guys in their work was much more enjoyable than what he'd done for the Starlight Sect before.

These guys killed almost unscrupulously. His own blood began to burn as he watched.

The person from the sacred land who had penetrated two defense areas was rather skilled. When Jiang Chen saw who it was, he almost jumped in surprise. It was none other than the man in charge of the Eternal Sacred Land's Hall of Merit – Gu Yunjin!

Elder Gu wore a white robe today. His hair was a bit disheveled, which contributed to a rather ragged appearance. Clearly, it'd cost him somewhat to get through as many areas as he had.

Though he didn't think much of area sixteen upon entering initially, he quickly realized that there was something different about it compared to the ones before.

"Hmph. I got past the two areas before this. I don't believe there are literal walls of metal here to stop me!" Gu Yunjin's own temper was riled up. He glared coldly at Jiang Chen's quartet.

"You four are from the Starlight Sect? I don't know how much the imperial family is paying you. I've killed so many expendables from your sect that I've lost count! And still, you pawns keep on coming. Do you not care about the losses you're sustaining, the sacrifices you're making? You're throwing away your lives on the imperial family and House Xiahou's behalf. Well, you better not cry when your sect is left bereft of men and resources. You'll be gotten rid of soon after that."

Clearly, Gu Yunjin was a man on a mission. His speech had been well-rehearsed and hit several critical notes.

The sacred land wanted to sow distrust and division in the ranks of its opponents. If the alliance dissolved itself out of fear, an opportunity to break out of the sacred land's current predicament might very well arise.

In fact, the sacred land was in such a passive position because of a multitude of reasons. The suddenness of the betrayal had been one of them; the lack of exceling geniuses was another.

Most importantly, the coalition's compounded strength was simply superior to the sacred land's on a raw numbers level. Thus, dividing and conquering was a necessity.

Jiang Chen chuckled when Gu Yunjin finished his exhortation. "The Starlight Sect is certainly crying. You don't look like you're having a good time either though, Elder Gu."

"You know me?" Gu Yunjin blinked.

"You're one of the great elders of the sacred land. How would anyone not?" Jiang Chen smiled a little. "Hallmaster Gu, don't you think we have some shared destiny with each other since you've barged into my area?"

Gu Yunjin spat angrily. "Bull. I am a true loyalist of the sacred land. How could I have anything to do with you? Enough with the swagger, kid. I'm going to send you to hell."

Jiang Chen chortled. "No need for all the murderous thunder, Hallmaster Gu. How have you been since our last meeting in the Hall of Merit?"

"What?" Gu Yunjin gazed at Jiang Chen with widened eyes.

"Hallmaster Gu, is my pill slave Shi Xuan still with the sacred land?" Jiang Chen asked once more.

"Who… who are you?" Gu Yunjin was shocked. He looked at Jiang Chen incredulously, confusion plain on his face.

"It's me," Jiang Chen nodded slightly. "Shao Yuan. Hallmaster Gu, chaos has spread outside. What're your plans on this outing?"

Gu Yunjin remained somewhat skeptical still. "What proof do you have?" He repeatedly sized Jiang Chen up and down.

There was nothing else for it; Jiang Chen brought out a few tokens as proof of his identity. A more in-depth description of their meetings in the Hall of Merit finally eliminated Gu Yunjin's doubt.

"So, you really are Shao Yuan! Fantastic! You haven't died or run off?" Gu Yunjin was overjoyed. "There are two versions of your whereabouts in the sacred land: one says you died in battle, the other says you fled very early on. Which is it?"

"Neither," Jiang Chen shook his head. "I took a trip just before the rebellion began and have been busy carving a path back. I just killed the guys in area sixteen moments ago."

"You killed House Beigong's Elder Xun and his men?" Gu Yunjin's amazement intensified.

"Yes."

"Good, good!" Gu Yunjin praised. "Good kid! I certainly wouldn't have expected you to sneak into our enemy's ranks! Haha, well done indeed! I'm sure the primes and Daoist Ziju will be happy to hear the news!"

"Was there anything specifically you came out to do, Hallmaster Gu?"

"On the first prime's orders, I'm supposed to slip out and distribute tactical information and misinformation to break apart the rebel alliance. A call to action needs to be sent out as well to the factions still loyal to us, so they can defend the sacred land!"

"I've done both of those things. The news should've spread to every corner of the sacred land by now. As for the rebel alliance, cracks have already appeared in its armor!"