"Pass down the order, in half a month, this seat will ascend to the Joyful Union Sacred Sect to continue the struggle for the Sacred Path."
"Yes."
The left and right protectors of the True Demon Sect responded with fervent eyes.
This Sect Master truly possessed the aura of a formidable leader.
After a month's interval, the struggle for the Sacred Path would resume, and perhaps within this year, they could unify the Nine Sacred Sects!
At that time, he would be the true co-lord of the Sacred Path, the venerable Demon Emperor!
"You may withdraw."
Chen Jiuyang's expression was calm, and then the left and right protectors of the True Demon Sect vanished.
With a single step, Chen Jiuyang gazed at the tranquil Green Bamboo River.
Beneath the river lay his hidden trump card, the遗迹洞府 (yíjì dòngfǔ - relic cave dwelling) of the Pure Yang Medical Immortal, containing countless treasures.
However, he had no immediate need for them.
After smelting the Fire Origin and Fire Laws, Chen Jiuyang felt a sense of Dao rhythm. Within his heart's divine treasury, a Dao palace had formed, continuously erupting with fiery light, as if true scriptures were being recited.
The divine ability "Zhu Rong" had only become complete under the assault of the metal battle armor puppet.
He tapped his fingers lightly, contemplating that he had never witnessed combat beyond the Venerable realm.
However, since the origin and laws had caused the divine ability "Zhu Rong" and his physical body to evolve, the method of "Zhu Rong" represented the direction all his subsequent moves and divine abilities should be improved.
Upon reflection, inherited divine abilities like 'Fá Xiān' (伐仙 - Slay Immortal) and 'Hóng Chén Wàn Zú, Wèi Wǒ Rú Tiān' (红尘万族，畏我如天 - All races in the mortal world fear me as they fear heaven), lacked grand scale and spectacle, instead embodying a return to simplicity.
His thoughts were gradually becoming clear.
In the days that followed, his family lived in the Green Bamboo Spiritual Domain, while Chen Jiuyang focused on refining the Yuan Dao and all his moves and divine abilities.
Time flowed leisurely. Chen Jiuyang was twenty-eight years old, and Chen Nianxuan was four.
In the interim, Chen Jiuyang met with Hu Qijie. Hu Qijie had begun to grow a beard, exuding the authority of a powerful businessman.
Chen Jiuyang made an effort not to disturb Hu Qijie's life, to avoid drawing attention to himself and causing any unfortunate disasters.
Feng Province, located inland, remained peaceful.
However, in other regions, the situation was already in turmoil, with dragons and snakes rising.
Within a mere month, dozens of Human Kings and Sword Bearers had fallen in the Dragon Country.
Yet, the Yan Emperor and the Jixia Academy intended to let the Five Great Sacred Lands take the lead, so ordinary people did not witness the relevant news, and life continued as usual.
Chen Jiuyang sensed a subtle unease.
However, at present, he could not intervene further.
Conquering the remaining six sects of the Demonic Path and becoming the Demon Emperor was his primary objective.
The fourteen days passed in the blink of an eye.
Outside the Green Bamboo Forest.
The True Demon Sect's Supreme Elders and elders from all halls stood in attendance, a vast assembly of over a hundred individuals. This force alone was enough to sweep through some smaller nations.
Each of them was a powerful cultivator, quietly waiting for Chen Jiuyang outside the bamboo forest.
In the courtyard, the family sat around a large round table, eating.
Chen Jiuyang slowly ate the porridge meticulously prepared by his mother, Zhang Xiuzhen. Everyone, young and old, was eating and chatting happily.
He did not mention his encounter with Yao Zixuan in the Small Immortal Realm, fearing it would unsettle his family.
After the meal, Chen Jiuyang slowly put down his chopsticks and said, "I have something to attend to today, so I'll be leaving now."
"Daddy, be careful on your way," Chen Nianxuan said.
The other three children were less than a year old and immediately fell asleep after eating.
Chen Jiuyang smiled, patted Chen Nianxuan's little head, and said, "Alright, Dad will be careful."
Then, Chen Jiuyang slowly stepped out of the courtyard. As he walked, his attire began to transform, and the Sect Master's ceremonial robes of the True Demon Sect gradually appeared.
Chen Jiuyang looked calmly at the hundred-plus elders of the True Demon Sect before him and said faintly, "Let's depart."
...
The Joyful Union Sect.
A fragrant mist permeated the air. At a glance, one could see exquisite pavilions and corridors, filled everywhere with beautiful female cultivators.
In the Sect Master's Hall.
The five Supreme Elders, each possessing distinct beauty and temperament, were already on high alert.
"Today, the Sect Master of the True Sacred Sect, Gan Yang, will arrive at our Joyful Union Sacred Sect. All sisters, accompany me to welcome him, lest we become a laughingstock to other Sacred Sects," said Sect Master Bie Huan.
"We respectfully obey the Sect Master's sacred decree!"
Immediately, tens of thousands of disciples from the Joyful Union Sect gathered at the sect entrance, silently awaiting Chen Jiuyang's arrival.
Sect Master Bie Huan and the five Supreme Elders were all clad in Phoenix Feather Battle Armor. Although they were the Joyful Union Sect, if their strength were not considerable, they would have long been eliminated from the Nine Demonic Sects.
Not to mention that the women of the Joyful Union Sect were notoriously ruthless.
Not long after.
A hundred streams of light shot from the horizon.
An invisible, oppressive atmosphere began to form.
Moments later, Chen Jiuyang, leading a hundred elders of the True Demon Sect, arrived outside the gates of the Joyful Union Sect.
Seeing that the Joyful Union Sect was ready, Chen Jiuyang took a step in the air, cupped his fists, and addressed the Sect Master of the Joyful Union Sect, whose appearance was unclear:
"This seat is Gan Yang, and I have come today to continue the struggle for the Great Dao."
Sect Master Bie Huan's voice was clear and melodious, possessing a unique charm. "Your intention, Sect Master Gan Yang, has long been known to the entire Sacred Sect. Please present the Sacred Artifact!"
"Swish!"
Space tore open, and the Joyful Union Sect's Sacred Artifact was revealed: an ancient jade hairpin.
Chen Jiuyang also produced his Sacred Artifact.
After a brief exchange between the two Sacred Artifacts,
The jade hairpin emitted a childlike voice: "All preparations are complete. Let us begin."
As the voice faded, Chen Jiuyang unleashed a world-shattering aura.
"Boom!!"
In an instant, half the sky was dyed red. Traces of Fire Law aura coiled around Chen Jiuyang's body, and an overbearing presence spread outwards.
Chen Jiuyang calmly said, "May I know which Sacred Friend from the Joyful Union Sacred Sect will be fighting."
Sect Master Bie Huan stepped forward with graceful movements and said to Chen Jiuyang, "This seat."
"If Sect Master Gan Yang can defeat this seat, then the True Sacred Sect will win this round of the Sacred Path struggle."
Chen Jiuyang frowned slightly. Was Sect Master Bie Huan so confident?
He pondered for a moment and said, "Agreed."
As his voice fell,
"Sisters, united as one."
The five Supreme Elders standing behind Sect Master Bie Huan shouted in unison.
Then, Sect Master Bie Huan's aura began to climb sharply. A wispy white mist emerged from her body, and in a short span of time, her aura surpassed Chen Jiuyang's.
"The secret technique of the Joyful Union Sect, perhaps."
Chen Jiuyang looked at 'Bie Huan,' whose aura was now almost half a step into the Dao Integration realm, and his expression became solemn. He felt a sense of pressure.
"Funeral Joy Melody."
Sect Master Bie Huan's voice rang out. She then rapidly executed complex hand seals, conjuring the phantom of an ancient zither. A melodious tune began to play.
"Swish, swish, swish!!!"
Chen Jiuyang instantly felt an overwhelming surge of grief, powerlessness, despair, and hopelessness welling up from within his heart, draining him of all energy and motivation.
This technique contained a trace of rule power, and the technique itself was born of primordial creation.
Previously, when Chen Jiuyang dealt with the Origin Demonic Sect and the Truth Demonic Sect, their Sect Masters were missing, and the Supreme Elders had stepped forward. He had never directly faced a Demonic Sect Master.
Just as Chen Jiuyang had become Sect Master, he had also mastered some moves that only a Sect Master could execute.
This is troublesome.