Chapter 2282: The Prestige Within Prestige

"Huh?" This came as a surprise to He Lingchuan. "Demonic components—what does that refer to?"

"Body tissues, skin, blood, bones, teeth—all are called 'components.'" Dong Rui pointed to the soil sample he had brought. "This sample contains demonic material, but I haven't yet figured out what kind it is."

"There's demonic material in the soil?" He Lingchuan suddenly recalled. "Wait, just like Ashmona?"

Dong Rui snapped his fingers. "Very similar."

Ashmona was once the demonic puppet of Cao Wendao, owner of the Red Furnace; its true form was a earth spirit contaminated and transformed by demonic blood.

"In other words, that mountain peak is also contaminated with demonic components, causing this anomaly?" He Lingchuan stroked his chin. "Strange—Qixia Sect is a proper Xian Sect, so why would it resort to demonic methods?"

"Not only that." Dong Rui continued, "I analyzed this clump of soil, and its composition is far more perfect than Ashmona's. In other words, the demonic force affecting it is far stronger than the source that contaminated Ashmona."

"Ashmona's accidental mutation came from a dead infant demon." He Lingchuan remembered clearly. "That infant demon had just been born when True Person Guanghui Ju Yu killed it, and it wasn't particularly strong to begin with."

He thought for a moment and added: "Come to think of it, during the ancient war between immortals and demons, the Xian Sects had some demonic relics, and the demons had some immortal artifacts—nothing strange about that; perhaps they were all spoils of war. But we still need to find a way to neutralize it."

Shortly after, he summoned Liu Qingdao of the Bingyuan Office.

Liu Qingdao is now the supervisor of the Bingyuan Office and prefers to be called Elder Liu.

Another negative consequence of the Bingjiang blockade was not mentioned in the urgent message, but He Lingchuan would not overlook it.

When Liu Qingdao rushed over, the Nine Abysses Great Emperor transmitted the report to him and then said:

"Not only is Weian City in peril. Qixia Sect has forcibly diverted the Bingjiang River's flow, directly pouring it into the Lu River. At most six or seven days, the Lu River will overflow entirely; when the flood peak passes, seven or eight cities along the route may suffer water damage."

The Bingjiang's runoff is substantial, and the Lu River's channel is narrow—it cannot accommodate the entire Dajiang's water volume!

Flooding of the Lu River is an old problem; originally, Cangyan planned this year to undertake water conservancy projects on the Lu River, with plans and budget already prepared—but Qixia Sect moved in first and stuck a foot in.

If the Lu River issue isn't resolved, it won't just be Weian City suffering—it'll be several cities along the Lu River banks too!

By then, drought will kill those in drought, flood will kill those in flood.

"Again!" The Soul-Capturing Mirror in He Lingchuan's arms couldn't help but curse: "These newly emerged great immortals and demons—how do they all act as if they're the number one under heaven, thinking a flick of their finger can overturn Cangyan, then expect everyone to bow and scrape?"

They don't even do a strategy guide before pretending to be 13!

"Qixia Sect seems to still have some tricks—unlike certain great demons who, upon leaving the mountains, go around eating people, or certain Xian Sects who, upon leaving seclusion, immediately want to seize cities and occupy land." He Lingchuan said these things based on personal experience in Cangyan, especially in the years just after humanity entered the medieval period, when these beings began emerging one after another, slaughtering countries left and right in chaotic frenzy—this is what Emperor Mu once warned him to take extremely seriously: the "Awakening of Insects" period. Of course, later events proved even Emperor Mu underestimated the impact of this Awakening of Insects.

Many demon clans and Xian Sects, having grown accustomed to doing as they pleased during seclusion, pay no heed to changes in the world; upon emerging, starving and desperate, they immediately seek nourishment or resources, inevitably disrupting the existing order and clashing violently with local administrators.

The consequence of such conflict is often widespread suffering, and the bitter fruit is always borne by the local populace.

This is also what Cangyan most does not wish to see.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror snorted: "Qixia Sect doesn't shout about killing on the surface, appears somewhat refined, but in truth, diverting rivers and cutting off flow causes greater hidden harm—truly a refined scoundrel, a wolf with ambition!"

Other Xian Sects and demon clans bring disaster to one region; Qixia Sect, upon emerging, seeks to bring disaster to several cities and their people.

The Bingyuan Office was established by Cangyan specifically to handle immortal-demon afflictions, specializing in dealing with supernatural forces—able to negotiate, persuade, or absorb; if all else fails, then… go with the flow, hence often needing to coordinate with military forces.

Liu Qingdao was originally the third-ranking figure of the Huan Sect, his cultivation close to that of the former Huan Sect leader Xiao Wenchen; he excels at managing sect affairs, with a steady and unsly temperament—whether it was the former Thousand Illusions True Person or the current Nine Abysses Great Emperor, as long as a task was assigned by a superior, he could carry it out diligently, so He Lingchuan felt reassured letting him lead the Bingyuan Office.

Of course, as an ancient immortal surviving to the present day and a orthodox remnant of a great sect, Liu Qingdao also has a major advantage: his experience is extraordinarily rich, like a living dictionary from ancient times.

Coincidentally, the recent Tianwu incident revealed that the mastermind behind it was Qixia Sect; Liu Qingdao had already begun investigating, so when the Emperor mentioned it, Liu Qingdao immediately replied:

"Your Majesty, this Qixia Sect differs from the Xian Sects we usually deal with—do not underestimate it."

"How so?" He Lingchuan had heard of Qixia Sect before, but from ancient times to the present, so many sects have appeared—like cow hairs—and names are still very similar: Qixia, Yanxia, Chixia, Qiyun… so it's no wonder he can't be bothered to remember them.

These Xian Sects lack creativity in naming.

Liu Qingdao began: "Three thousand years ago, at the end of the Immortal-Demon War, before and after the Dragon God struck the Tianluo Star, the human world had already fragmented. The six great Xian Sects and demon sovereigns established three great sanctuaries, also called 'Oases.' They used supreme power to set up barriers, protecting the beings within the Oases from the external environment of heaven collapsing and earth splitting."

What became of the beings outside the Oases needs no further explanation.

"Many years later, the external environment gradually stabilized—no more fires everywhere, no poisonous smoke filling the skies—then the Xian Sects and demon sovereigns withdrew the barriers and released beings back into the human world." Liu Qingdao continued, "One of these six great Xian Sects was named 'Yuanshan,' because too many of its great cultivators had perished; by the early medieval period, it had already withered. Conversely, its branch, Qixia Sect, was able to inherit its mantle and has continued to the present day."

"A branch of one of the six great Xian Sects?" He Lingchuan hummed. "Then it does have some pedigree."

No wonder Qixia Sect is so arrogant—just emerging, it wants to give the landowners a taste of its colors.

"Therefore, against the backdrop of ancient sects where only one in a hundred remains, this Qixia Sect can be considered a great sect among great sects, a prestigious gate among prestigious gates—orthodox and pure." Liu Qingdao's statement presupposes that ancient supernatural forces were as numerous as cow hairs. During the peak of abundant spiritual energy, there might have been a Xian Sect or demon clan every dozen or so mountain peaks.

He Lingchuan smiled: "I'm not interested in which branch it is—what notable figures does this Xian Sect have, and what powerful techniques does it possess?"