Chapter 807: The Internal War of the Badaxian Sect

Qingmuxian Sect.

It was a world formed from a heaven-spanning giant tree beyond all imagining, upon which living beings multiplied, all manner of plants grew thick, and cultivators were born and died here.

Relying on this, the Qingmuxian Sect endured in perpetual prosperity, holding dominion over the realm for hundreds of thousands of years.

At this moment, at the center of the shade of the Taiyi Qingmu Divine Tree world, Taiyi Taiyi Qingmu qi dense to the extreme permeated the air.

Eight Gu Chen Zhong, auras as terrifying as planets, gradually revived; their injuries stabilized and ceased to worsen.

The Qingmuxian Sect was the most suitable place in the realm for healing wounds.

"We have failed."

"There was no miracle."

The aged voice from the Tianji Xiangong sighed: "People often focus on raw strength, while looking down on things as insubstantial as spirit and fighting will, believing that in desperate straits these can be roused to achieve transcendence."

"Now it seems that, insubstantial as these things are, there is still a chasm that cannot be crossed no matter what."

The other great powers fell silent.

Self-preservation in the face of life and death was pure instinct.

How could that be overcome?

If one spent tremendous effort and, through struggle, truly overcame instinct — and then truly died?

Would that not be sewing a wedding gown for another?

"Enough of that."

The great power of the Wan Shouxianzong said in a muffled voice: "If we couldn't win, we couldn't win. I fled first, I admit it, but none of you did any better.

In the face of life and death, I didn't see anyone risk falling to shield others from the crisis — all of you vanished in an instant, leaving a huge gap in the battle line."

"Aye."

The many great powers sighed.

Silence fell for a time.

"Let bygones be bygones."

"Fellow Daoist Wanshou speaks true."

"Regardless, the Dongji Demon Sect must be dealt with, no matter the cost."

The aged voice from the Tianji Xiangong sighed: "Next, there are still a few windows of opportunity. One is in twelve hundred years, when new Soul Transformation cultivators are born one after another and our strength recovers — such an opportunity arises once every twelve hundred years."

"However, such a window of opportunity is nothing remarkable."

"After the Dongji Demon Sect occupies twenty-four Minor Thousand Worlds, its rate of recovery will surpass that of any single immortal sect of ours, and the same goes for the birth rate of Soul Transformation cultivators."

"In twelve hundred years, the gap in strength between us and the Dongji Demon Sect will actually have narrowed."

"The greatest window of opportunity lies some sixty-seven hundred years from now."

"By then, you and I will be nearing the end of our lifespans; there will naturally be no more flinching — we're going to die anyway, with no choice. Fighting to the death, annihilating the Dongji Demon Sect will be no trouble at all."

"Even if a few old fellows manage to survive, they won't last much longer and may well be no match for our newly ascended Void Refining disciples. Even if the disciples truly cannot match them, evading their edge for several decades or a century will wear them down to death."

"The realm is so vast — where could one not hide?"

"This way, we need not fear anyone playing the fisherman's game and swallowing our sects."

"What say you all?"

The aged voice from the Tianji Xiangong inquired.

"If all agree, let us draw up a Heavenly Dao contract. Though it may have loopholes, it still carries binding force; breaking it is not so easy, and would certainly require paying a heavy price."

"Very well."

"Let it be so."

"..."

The great powers had no objections; after careful inspection, they one by one left their divine sense imprints upon the Heavenly Dao contract.

They agreed that in sixty-seven hundred years they would watch over and aid one another, and together annihilate the Dongji Demon Sect.

"If that is so, this old one takes his leave."

The great power of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace cupped his hands in salute toward the great power of the Qingmuxian Sect, transformed into a streak of Brother Xuanwu starlight, and flew off beyond the star domain.

The eight great powers had gathered to heal their wounds together; aside from the Qingmuxian Sect truly being a treasure land for healing, the more important reason was that in their gravely wounded state none could trust the others.

All eight had to remain together, watching one another, to prevent anyone from ambushing the heavily wounded.

Now that their injuries had initially recovered and no longer worsened, naturally they would return to their own sects to hold the fort.

In any case, within one's own sect, within the range of the great formation, one still felt more at ease.

"Hm?"

Having just flown past the boundary wall of the Qingmuxian Sect's mountain gate, the great power of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace suddenly paused in his steps and turned his head back.

He stared at what was behind him, expressionless.

A cold, murderous aura spread little by little.

Beneath the Taiyi Qingmu Divine Tree, the seven great powers stood stock-still, silently watching the retreating figure of his back, their steps in perfect unison — no way it was coincidence.

The sight sent an inexplicable chill through one's heart.

Even when the great power of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace turned back, still no one spoke; they merely watched him in silence.

No one knew how long passed.

"Hahaha..."

The great power of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace suddenly burst into loud laughter, his bold voice shaking the star domain: "Fellow Daoists, if you have something to say, speak it plainly. Our Badaxian Sect must watch over and aid one another for many years to come — we should be open with each other."

"The Heavenly Palace fears no Dongji Demon Sect without."

"Within, neither will it ill-treat its friends!"

He said, word by word.

An inexplicable pressure spread outward, freezing the river of stars in place, and an unknown force permeated the world; any single ripple expanding outward could shatter the star river and obliterate the divine souls of billions of cultivators.

The might was terrifying beyond compare.

Yet the seven great powers showed no sign of being cowed, merely watching in silence.

"Very well, then—"

"Let this old man take the lead. In any case, my reputation has never been anything to speak of."

From within a churning mass of pitch-black shadow came a hoarse, twisted voice: "Fellow Daoist Brother Xuanwu, forty-seven thousand two hundred years ago, there was a Minor Thousand World called the Black Water Realm. This realm originally belonged to my Shadow Demon Abyss, but was seized by the previous generation's Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace's Void Refinement cultivator through underhanded means—a regret we still harbor to this day."

"The previous generation's Shadow Demon Abyss Void Refinement cultivator, my master, on his deathbed instructed me that I must reclaim the realm-territory of our Shadow Demon Abyss, or he would never rest easy in death."

"My master also once said that although our Shadow Demon Abyss is vast, there is not a single inch of surplus realm-territory that can be given to others."

"And then, thirty-two thousand years ago, a Minor Thousand World called the Demon Iron Realm, and also the Abyss-Sinking Realm—my master also said…"

"Fellow Daoist Brother Xuanwu, a master's command cannot be defied. Please return them."

The hoarse voice within the shadow was exceedingly apologetic, exceedingly embarrassed, as though it had struggled and hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

"Absurd!"

"Baseless nonsense!"

"These three realms have been the territory of our Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace since antiquity; they have never fallen into another's hands!"

The great power of Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace's face darkened.

No further words emerged from within the shadow, nor any rebuttal.

"Fellow Daoist Brother Xuanwu—"

Immediately after, the great power of the Myriad Beasts Taiyi Qingmu Xianzong gave a simple, honest chuckle: "I have a disciple named Horned Jiao Wu, who is of the imperial noble lineage of the ancient native Horned Demon Race of this realm-domain. In ancient times, he could be called an Imperial Son."

Several hundred thousand years ago, his clan's territory comprised the three realms of Wasteland, Flourishing Flowers, and Thick Grass. He now wishes to entrust the sect with their administration on his behalf—how say you…"

"Ridiculous!"

"Where in this realm-domain is there any Imperial Son of the Horned Demon Race?"

The great power of Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace said angrily.

In his heart, the ominous premonition grew ever stronger.

This was clearly not the spontaneous whim of one or two immortal sects.

Sure enough, the next one appeared immediately.

"Fellow Daoist Brother Xuanwu, there are three realms that Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace claimed to administer on behalf of others two thousand two hundred years ago. We now ask that they be returned."

The great power of the Heavenly Mechanism Xiangong tossed out a pile of jade slips.

Compared to the great powers of Shadow Demon Abyss and Myriad Beasts Taiyi Qingmu Xianzong, he was far more meticulous—where there was evidence, he had evidence; where there were documents, he had documents; where there were witnesses, he had witnesses; even the images from that time were preserved, in exhaustive detail.

(End of this chapter)

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