After the River of Martial Arts disappeared, the world returned to peace once more.
All members of the True Demon Sect looked towards the Sect Master's main hall with increasing reverence in their eyes.
...
The True Demon Sect Master's main hall.
In the wind and snow.
Chen Jiuyang, clad in a nine-dragon imperial robe, gradually withdrew his thoughts from his state of enlightenment, maintaining a state of unity between man and nature.
"It's about time..."
"I have reached the seventh city on the path of the Human King. In the time to come, as long as I conquer two more sects and obtain the origins and laws of wood, water, and earth, I will smoothly advance to the late stage of the Venerable Realm. At that time, I can attack the final sect."
"I can no longer hide my meeting with Zixuan from them, especially from Mom and Dad..."
When he had previously visited the Small Immortal Realm, he had met Zixuan once, a matter he had kept hidden.
He had also kept the trips to the Small Immortal Realm and the events at Kunlun secret from his loved ones.
However, he now felt that the time was right.
"First, I will deal with the matter of the Saint Path contention."
Currently, at the sixth level of the Venerable Realm, he could comprehend the 'Heavenly Saber' and kill those at the half-step Emperor Realm.
Once his cultivation advanced to the Immortal Path's Integration Realm or reached the Emperor Realm, he would have to enter the Chongming Sea.
Moreover, the Dragon Country had been sealed for so many years. Each sect had its own ancestor, but they were not of the current generation and could not inherit the destiny of the land. At most, they could borrow the land's destiny to walk the world.
He asked himself, within the same generation of the Demonic Path, how many could be his match?
He could dedicate all his energy to the 'Saint Path contention'.
Chen Jiuyang's imperial robe vibrated slightly, and then his voice spread out:
"Summon the patriarchs of the fifty-four lineages of the Sacred Sect, summon the Grand Elders of each hall, summon the Supreme Elders of the Sacred Sect."
"Within half an incense stick's time, convene in my hall for deliberation."
Afterward, Chen Jiuyang flickered and sat on the Sect Master's dragon throne.
Inside and outside the hall were members of his guard. There were also charming and tender maids.
As time passed, powerful individuals clad in magnificent robes arrived at the Sect Master's main hall.
Everyone's thoughts stirred. Their Sect Master, who had just comprehended a divine ability that could be incorporated into the River of Martial Arts, had immediately ordered them to convene in the main hall for deliberation.
This piqued their curiosity.
Chen Jiuyang's right hand was led by his confidantes, including Qiu Yihan, Fang Bahua, Deng Zun, Granny Han, and Han Peiling.
His left hand was led by the captain of the guard, 'Bie Huan', the Grand Elder of the Punishment Hall, and the elders of the Cultivation Techniques Hall, the Dark Hall, and the Logistics Hall.
Below the imperial steps were the Supreme Elders of the True Demon Sect's current six lineages, and further back were the patriarchs of the Sacred Sect's fifty-four lineages.
Chen Jiuyang's gaze slowly swept over each person. These hundreds of people were the core powerhouses he could command.
If this force were to be unleashed entirely, it could certainly annihilate a major power, but it could not destroy the Five Great Sacred Lands...
Each of the Five Great Sacred Lands had an Emperor Realm expert guarding it.
To truly annihilate the Five Great Sacred Lands, he would have to first advance to the Emperor Realm, then lead the powerhouses before him to attack the forbidden lands, and at the final critical moment, summon the ancestors of the Demonic Path who were slumbering in the Chongming Sea.
He tapped his fingers on the armrest, his expression calm, his tone gentle, and asked:
"In the Saint Path contention, there are currently Wushang, Taixuan, and Dameng remaining."
"However, I usually remain in seclusion and do not have a particularly deep understanding of their information. I only know that these three sects possess mysterious and powerful strength. Which elder is willing to enlighten me?"
Everyone's eyes lit up. Their Sect Master intended to continue the Saint Path contention and take the initiative to attack, but these three sects had always been the hardest to crack.
In the past, not a few people had initiated the Saint Path contention, but most had been defeated by these three sects.
A Supreme Elder, with snow-white hair and failing vital energy, who was in the Void Return stage, stepped forward. He bowed respectfully to Chen Jiuyang, and his aged voice sounded:
"Then, it is this elder who will answer the Sect Master's doubts."
"First, the Wushang Sacred Sect."
"The Wushang Sacred Sect is different from other lineages of our Saint Path, and also different from the Immortal Path. Both the Immortal Path and the Martial Path require one to reach the Integration Realm or the Emperor Realm to master origins and laws. However, the Wushang Sacred Sect can master origins and laws upon joining."
"Therefore, their strength is extremely formidable. But due to their origins and laws, they all consider themselves as immortals from the Immortal Realm, Immortal Kings, and Immortal Emperors, making it difficult to discern the truth. They merely feel that this mortal world is but a dream and are not very interested in external conflicts."
"In their words, if we immortals strike at ants, it would tarnish our dignity."
"Furthermore, the Wushang Sacred Sect is extremely strict in accepting disciples, and their numbers are not large."
"The combat power of the Wushang Sacred Sect is unknown. They become stronger when facing stronger opponents and weaker when facing weaker ones, depending on the individual."
"They can be said to be extremely troublesome."
After listening to the intelligence analysis and explanation of the Wushang Demonic Sect, Chen Jiuyang immediately frowned.
This Wushang Demonic Sect was indeed strange and peculiar. Putting aside other matters, the ability to master origins and laws upon joining was simply breaking worldly conventions and was incomprehensible.
Did that not mean that every person in the Wushang Demonic Sect possessed origins and laws...
Chen Jiuyang said, "Gather intelligence on the current Sect Master of the Wushang Sacred Sect, and then report it to me."
"Next, tell me about Taixuan and Dameng."
"Yes, Sect Master." Elder Jianyan continued:
"Everyone in the Taixuan Sacred Sect is like a sage. This sect is also different from other sects. Everyone in this sect does not focus on cultivation or combat power, but only on the profound theories of the Great Dao."
"In their actions, they are similar to Wushang, disliking conflict."
"The Taixuan Sacred Sect only engages in verbal debates, discussing Daoist theories and profound meanings with others..."
"Lightly, their cultivation will stagnate, and their Great Dao will be damaged. Heavily, they will be afflicted by inner demons and face the danger of annihilation..."
What kind of verbal debate and discussion of Dao could cause one's cultivation to stagnate, damage the Great Dao, and even induce inner demons? It seemed even more peculiar than the Wushang Demonic Sect.
Chen Jiuyang's eyelids twitched, and he said, "I understand. Continue with the Dameng Sacred Sect."
"The Dameng Sacred Sect..."
When Elder Jianyan reached this point, his brow also furrowed deeply, and he mused:
"The Dameng Sacred Sect is also the most mysterious and peculiar sect within our Saint Path."
"The people of this sect are ever-changing. They never recruit disciples from outside. Our Sacred Sect usually interacts with the Dameng Sacred Sect, but they never reveal their true forms, always sending avatars. Even interacting with avatars can easily influence one. Their rhetoric is extremely strange, and all their actions are the opposite of ours. The actions of this sect are 'abnormal'. To this day, there is not much intelligence regarding the Dameng Sacred Sect."
After listening to Elder Jianyan's words, Chen Jiuyang's brows furrowed into the shape of a '川' character. The remaining three sects were indeed the hardest to crack, each being bizarre and different from the norm.
"Madam, please write a letter to the Wushang Sacred Sect on my behalf. Within ten days, I will head to the Wushang Sacred Sect to commence the Saint Path contention."
"Alright, Husband," Qiu Yihan replied with a smile.
Chen Jiuyang then instructed, "From now on, you shall all collect intelligence."
"Disperse."
Following the orders, everyone retreated.
Chen Jiuyang fell into contemplation. Currently, within the Demonic Sect, no one knew how to deal with the Dameng Sacred Sect. Therefore, the ancestor in the Chongming Sea must know...