Chapter 225: Meeting an Online Friend

"You mean the Heartless Demon King is waiting for Qingyun the Great Sage to arrive?"

The square-faced youth answered quickly.

Or rather, caution is itself a form of fear of death.

"After all, the Immortal Sects are powerful, and we truly don't want to be the first to move—right now, the Great Zizai Demon Cult has almost no manpower left; it all falls on our demonic clans." He spoke honestly: "The Demon Cult has pressed us for a long time, but the Ancestor has kept delaying."

Zheng Fa and Master Pang and the others exchanged glances, all nodding.

This alliance between the demonic clans and the Demon Cult sounds like each side has its own agenda.

"Then why wait for Qingyun the Great Sage?"

"The Nascent Soul Demon Kings refuse, but the Great Sage ordered the alliance with the Demon Cult." The square-faced youth said: "On the other hand, after attacking your Jiushan Sect, we fear retaliation from the Hundred Immortal Alliance… so the Great Sage decided to come himself."

Zheng Fa summarized: "Overseeing the battle, and holding the line?"

"Yes."

Master Pang sighed: "They really do hold us in high regard."

His tone carried a hint of despair.

Zheng Fa also felt a heavy weight in his chest.

Previously, they had thought that with no Soul Transformation experts active, Jiushan Sect would only face a few Nascent Soul Demon Kings.

Yet now, Qingyun the Great Sage himself was coming…

"Great Sage" is the demonic clans' term for those beyond Soul Transformation.

That means Qingyun the Great Sage's power is at least Soul Transformation…

No wonder Master Pang's tone betrayed such despair.

Beside them, Master Yuan gently gripped Zhang Shijie's hand, her face filled with alarm.

"Then… when will you attack Jiushan Sect?"

The square-faced youth shook his head.

"Huh?" Master Pang, growing impatient, unleashed his Nascent Soul aura straight at the square-faced youth.

"We don't know." The youth's face was drenched in sweat; he hurried to say: "We're all waiting for Qingyun the Great Sage, but he hasn't arrived yet. The Ancestor says the Great Sage always needs time to prepare before each move."

Zheng Fa froze, glancing at Zhang Shijie—both saw the same suspicion in each other's eyes: the Soul Transformation state in Xuanyi Realm might be flawed.

"So you really know nothing at all?"

The square-faced youth hesitated, then whispered: "Before the Ancestor came, he instructed me to keep watch over your Lei Chi Market for a hundred days, and gather as much intelligence on Jiushan Sect as possible."

"A hundred days…"

The meaning was clear: major changes would come after a hundred days.

Zheng Fa glanced at the Golden Crow; according to the Golden Crow, they'd only been here for half a month.

…

Aside from these few words, the square-faced youth likely knew nothing else.

Zheng Fa didn't press him, only ordered someone to take him away and keep him under close watch.

"Three months." Master Pang sighed suddenly: "A Soul Transformation expert will attack Jiushan Sect."

"Master, can we seek aid from the Hundred Immortal Alliance?"

Zheng Fa asked directly.

Though the previous Nascent Soul experts of the Hundred Immortal Alliance had been unreliable, Jiushan Sect was still a member.

"I'll send a letter to Tongming the Immortal myself—no, I'll go find Tongming the Immortal in person!" Master Pang nodded firmly: "Some sects in the Hundred Immortal Alliance can't be trusted; I must go myself to ensure secrecy."

Zheng Fa now learned the rumored name of the Hundred Immortal Alliance's Soul Transformation expert.

He couldn't help asking: "Is Tongming the Immortal… trustworthy?"

He had no good feelings toward the Hundred Immortal Alliance anymore.

On the other hand, there was a traitor within the Hundred Immortal Alliance.

Tongming the Immortal's stance seemed ambiguous to Zheng Fa.

"Tongming the Immortal holds immense prestige in the Hundred Immortal Alliance; the chance he's colluding with the Demon Cult is slim." Master Pang frowned: "Besides, if he lets Jiushan Sect fall, the entire alliance will lose its cohesion."

Everyone nodded lightly after hearing this.

The Hundred Immortal Alliance had only banded together for mutual survival.

If Tongming the Immortal refuses to save Jiushan Sect, the alliance's reputation should be shattered outright.

Thinking of this, Zheng Fa noticed even Zhang Shijie seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Once Master Huang brings the other disciples, I'll set off for Tongming Mountain." Master Pang said: "No matter what Tongming the Immortal says, I won't return to Lei Chi—I'll go straight back to Jiushan Sect."

…

Master Huang arrived quickly.

Her face was grim; she entered the Five Dragon Celestial Palace at once and told Zheng Fa and the others: "I've brought all the elite disciples. As for their families and ordinary disciples, I couldn't take them—I feared alerting the enemy."

Master Pang nodded: "Has Master Yuan made arrangements?"

"Master Yuan said he'll arrange for them to evacuate nearby—if Jiushan Sect truly falls, it'll preserve at least some seeds for our sect."

The atmosphere inside the Five Dragon Celestial Palace was heavy.

Though unspoken, everyone understood the Sect Master was preparing for the worst.

"The spiritual energy here in Lei Chi Market is insufficient to sustain so many disciples—better they don't come." Master Pang sighed: "Sister Huang, I'm entrusting this market to you."

"Master Pang…" Master Huang pursed her lips: "Master Yuan told you not to return."

"…I've never accepted Yuan's authority as Sect Master!" Master Pang snorted: "Why should I obey him?"

Everyone fell silent, knowing Master Pang's mind was made up—no amount of persuasion could change it.

Master Pang then turned to Zhang Shijie: "I thought the chaos in Xuanyi Realm would take centuries or millennia to unfold—I planned to rest and recover—but now Jiushan Sect faces disaster so soon…"

"Master?"

"I won't stop you anymore." Master Pang suddenly said.

Zhang Shijie nodded lightly.

Zheng Fa understood: Master Pang was signaling his concession to Zhang Shijie, unifying Jiushan Sect's resolve.

"There's one thing you must remember."

"Master, please speak."

"You must protect his life." Master Pang pointed at Zheng Fa: "As long as he lives, even if Jiushan Sect is reduced to its last survivor, there's still hope for revival."

"Your disciple will remember."

Zheng Fa was about to speak when Master Pang looked at him and waved his hand: "Death is hard—but sometimes, living is harder."

"… Live well. I'm waiting for the day Jiushan Sect becomes Tianhe Sect."

"…"

Master Pang spoke only a few more words, then asked them to leave the Five Dragon Celestial Palace, saying he needed to give final instructions to his direct disciples.

He closed the palace doors tightly; no one knew what was said inside.

Yet when Zhou Gan and the others emerged, their eyes were red.

Master Pang refused to see anyone else. The Five Dragon Celestial Palace rose from the ground and flew into the sky, gradually vanishing as everyone watched in silent farewell.

Master Huang led the others to build new quarters, but Zhou Gan quietly sought out Zheng Fa.

"Senior Brother Zheng."

"Did Master Pang leave me a message?" Zheng Fa understood at once from his expression.

"Yes. Before he left, Master told us to follow your orders." Zhou Gan spoke honestly.

Zheng Fa realized: Master Pang had left this entire faction under his command.

"He also told me to tell you not to worry about the rift between the two factions," Zhou Gan whispered: "He said if he dies for Jiushan Sect, the disciples under Zhang Shijie should have no more resentment."

"… Master really thinks too much."

Honestly, under these circumstances, neither Zheng Fa nor Zhang Shijie would allow further infighting.

Master Pang's instructions…

Could only mean he cared too deeply for these disciples.

Thinking of how Master Pang's every word and action before leaving had been for Jiushan Sect—or for his own disciples.

Zheng Fa's heart grew bitter.

Zhou Gan spoke again: "Master also had one more message—told to me in secret, and only for you."

Zheng Fa immediately grew solemn.

"What message?"

"He said, if you can save him, you should try."

"Huh?"

"That is… if something like last time happens, you should warn him first…"

… No wonder he said it privately.

…

Modern era, nursing home.

Tang Lingwumin and the others sat in meditation.

Zheng Fa's cultivation had now reached Foundation Establishment, nearing the mid-stage.

The nursing home's spiritual energy grew richer by the day.

Tang Lingwumin and the others cultivated faster.

Among them, Tang Lingwumin was nearly at Qi Refining Level Three.

And the old white man was probably not far from Qi Refining Level Two.

Tian Zhong, who started cultivating latest, was also slowly accumulating at Qi Refining Level One.

Zheng Fa glanced at the three of them, nodded lightly, then walked toward the field.

The climate had already entered winter.

Yet the vegetables in Tian Zhong's field grew vigorously.

Crouching beside the field, Zheng Fa stared at the vegetables.

Red tomatoes, purple eggplants, lush green leaves, plump fruits.

They paid no heed to the ever-colder temperatures, growing freely—so much so that the procurement staff sent from the restaurant had marveled at them for a long time.

Before him lay a scene of vitality, yet he felt a pang of sorrow.

Of the three thunder arts on the Divine Edict, he had largely mastered Heavenly Tribulation Thunder.

He had also roughly understood the principle of Cloud and Rain Thunder—his problem was merely insufficient spiritual power and limited control, preventing full mastery.

Only Wood Thunder…

He had a feeling that mastering Wood Thunder was currently beyond his reach.

His control over thunder arts was already struggling with Cloud and Rain Thunder…

"What's wrong?"

Tang Lingwumin's voice came from behind; she walked over and crouched beside Zheng Fa.

Her profile, in the morning sunlight, was especially clean.

"I'm just thinking… it's too slow."

Zheng Fa couldn't explain, so he merely shook his head and sighed.

His cultivation base was advancing too slowly, and as a result, his mastery of the Heavenly Stele Realm was insufficient.

If he could master the Heavenly Stele Realm, Jiushan Sect's current problems would be solved effortlessly.

Tang Lingwumin glanced at him, her eyes filled with confusion: "What's too slow?"

"Mastering Wood Thunder is too slow."

Tang Lingwumin didn't understand why he was in such a hurry.

Seeing his furrowed brows, she pursed her lips, feeling a pang of discouragement—sometimes she felt Zheng Fa kept things from her.

Zheng Fa was still lost in thought, pondering how to master the Heavenly Stele Realm as quickly as possible.

Tang Lingwumin stood up unhappily, glanced behind, and realized only Tian Zhong remained in the courtyard.

The old white man had suddenly vanished.

What puzzled her more was—Tian Zhong's expression was even more hesitant than hers.

"Where's Teacher Bai?" she asked softly as she walked over. "What's wrong, Teacher Tian?"

"He went to meet an online friend."

"An online friend? Where did he get an online friend?" Tang Lingwumin blinked in surprise.

"From a same-sex dating app…" Tian Zhong glanced at her, his tone flat.

"..." Tang Lingwumin froze.

Though she knew she shouldn't, in that moment she genuinely felt—Zheng Fa's secrecy wasn't so bad after all…

As long as Zheng Fa didn't learn from Teacher Bai, this was nothing!

(End of Chapter)