Chapter 2290

Given the current rate of consumption, the gold core's energy supply may not last another twenty days, and that's assuming Cangyan does not continue to increase excavation work.

The efficiency with which Cangyan mobilizes and coordinates has come as a great surprise to the Qixia Sect.

The dilemma facing Sect Leader Yuan is very real:

What should we do next?

Although Wei'an City will undoubtedly suffer from being without water for over twenty days, it seems Cangyan can still help it endure; viewed this way, the Qixia Sect's bargaining chips appear less ample than before.

Could it be that we truly must negotiate with Cangyan?

……

The Phantom Sect possesses a special method of communication, and now that heavenly and earthly spiritual energy is abundant, many immortal techniques can be put to use once again.

Liu Qingdao soon received a reply from the Scripture Pavilion of Ju City:

According to the oral account of the Qianhuan True Person, from the end of the Immortal-Demon War through the early Middle Ages, a devourer did indeed appear.

This was also the devourer's first and only appearance on the historical stage, leaving behind a vivid and significant mark.

At that time, on the Lingzhou Plain—today's southwestern part of Beijiang—there was a city of nearly four hundred thousand people, occupying the advantageous terrain of Shanhe, and it had developed into a place of considerable prosperity. Even in an age of abundant spiritual energy, this was no small city.

Because several sect clans resided in the city, not only did the descendants of exalted immortals of the Xian Sect continue to multiply there, but legend also held that dragon eggs were kept within the city, so the city walls were built exceptionally thick, and the external spell formations were fully complete.

However, one day the devourer suddenly appeared.

The city's thick walls and spell formations proved utterly useless, for this disaster erupted directly from within the city!

The devourer and its eight offspring first crept through the city, silently killing dozens of people to nourish themselves. By the time the city realized something was wrong, the power of the Jin Du ghost spawn had already grown, and they began to slaughter on a large scale.

Though born of the same mother, the combined strength and man-eating efficiency of the eight Jin Du ghost spawn still fall short of even a fraction of the devourer's power.

In just two days, three to four hundred thousand people inside the city were devoured by the Jin Du ghost spawn, leaving only a few thousand to escape.

Of those, over ninety percent of all living beings were eaten by the devourer.

The major immortal sects, upon hearing the news, successively came to subdue the demon, but it was already too late—not even a dozen immortals were a match for it, and it even counter-killed six or seven of them.

At that time, no one knew it possessed a special talent: within ten days of birth, the more people it ate, the stronger it became; the stronger the prey it consumed, the more its power could increase.

After devouring those immortals, the devourer's ferocity surged even further, though it too was wounded, and it immediately went on to other cities to continue eating people.

Whether in the immortal sects or among the common folk, it caused immense panic.

Finally, a True Immortal stepped forward, and the immortals formed a battle array, before this calamity was truly destroyed!

But these immortal sects had already been severely wounded in the ancient great war, their vital energy not yet restored, and then they suffered the devourer's treacherous strike, causing several immortals to fall or be gravely injured, making continuation difficult, and they soon declined and perished.

The sect in charge was none other than Yuanshan.

The present Qixia Sect is merely a branch of the former Yuanshan Sect.

Dong Rui, upon hearing this, wore an expression of sudden realization:

"So the devourer recorded in the annals was the one destroyed by Yuanshan. No wonder—Qixia Sect inherited Yuanshan's mantle, and likely also inherited the spoils gained from the devourer."

He Lingchuan gazed at the two fragments on the table and blurted out:

"Brain core!"

"Huh?" Dong Rui didn't catch it, "What did you say?"

"This is the devourer's brain core! Just like a demon's inner elixir." No wonder it felt familiar—He Lingchuan also had one in the Panlong World.

The Heavenly Demon had once dumped Jin Du ghost spawn into Panlong City; after the Red General killed the devourer in the mine cave, he dug out its brain core and presented it to He Lingchuan as a reward.

The reason he didn't immediately recognize these two fragments was because their colors differed, and their sizes were worlds apart.

But after reading the devourer's history, he felt the uneven patterns on the fragments growing ever more familiar.

Isn't this just the folds of the brain?

"This devourer, personally slain by Yuanshan's True Immortal, was extraordinarily powerful. Based on it, the mountain could block the waters of the Bingjiang—excavate however much, and it would regrow that much. Moreover, it possessed sufficient divine abilities and self-preservation power." He Lingchuan mused, "But its power must surely have limits."

"Through the Tianwu, Qixia Sect has already obtained over a thousand catties of xuanjing." Liu Qingdao whispered, "If used to power this devourer's brain core……"

"It comes down to a race against time." He Lingchuan narrowed his eyes, "Qixia Sect is quite confident, believing Wei'an City's drought is more severe, that a million people will soon be without water, and that we will yield first."

Dong Rui reached out and flicked the fragments on the table: "Have you come up with a plan?"

"Either accelerate the attack on the underground brain core, or find the entrance to Qixia Sect's blessed cave. Or, do both." Before Dong Rui arrived, He Lingchuan had been discussing this with Liu Qingdao, "Liu Elder believes Qixia Sect's secluded blessed land is a small world, not merely a camouflage array set up on Mount Xunyang. If they remain hidden, outsiders cannot discover them, unless we find the entrance."

Liu Qingdao nodded beside him.

During the age of scarce spiritual energy, immortal sects and great demons that went into hiding mostly chose sealed spaces, so precious spiritual energy would not dissipate, and once the entrance or gate was sealed, enemies could neither find nor enter—for example, the Inverted Sea.

If Qixia Sect does not wish to confront Cangyan head-on, it need only act like a shrinking turtle, watching Wei'an City sink into water and fire.

This is a form of coercion, but the measure is well judged.

Though it appears bloodless, it actually endangers the lives of a million people—sinister and vicious.

"Truly a fine tactic. We've dealt with many newly emerged demons and immortals, and Qixia Sect is somewhat different." Liu Qingdao whispered, "But in my earlier talk with Sect Leader Yuan, he remained exceedingly arrogant, just as he was over a hundred years ago."

At that moment, a guard came running from outside, dropped to one knee, and held up a long arrow above his head:

"Report! A whistling arrow has flown from outside and is embedded in the great tree of the forest."

Liu Qingdao took it and asked casually, "Where is the archer?"

"Commander Weng has already led men in pursuit."

A letter was attached to the arrow, and Liu Qingdao, unafraid of poison on the note, unfolded it casually.

A token slipped out of the note, which he caught in his hand.

Upon seeing it, his eyebrows rose sharply, and he quickly walked back to hand over the note:

"Your Majesty, please look!"

He Lingchuan glanced at it and saw only a few lines written:

"Qixia Sect Elder Xu Qianqin led disciples to infiltrate Wei'an City to gather intelligence, now staying at the Yuefu Inn on Xiazoumalu in Chengnan."

"Xu Qianqin?" He Lingchuan stroked his chin, "The Tianwu did confess, and it is indeed true that Qixia Sect Elder Xu bears this name."