Chapter 659 - 266: Dongji

Chen Qing recalled how Luo Ziming had tested him after the disturbance at the Celestial Treasure Tower, and everything suddenly became clear.

It seemed it wasn’t just these True Disciples who were searching for that ethereal ancestral inheritance. The Sect’s upper echelons, even figures at the Vein Master and Elder Level, had never given up the search either.

At this thought, alarm bells screamed in Chen Qing’s mind. ’I have to be far more careful from now on,’ he decided. ’Until I’m strong enough to protect myself, I absolutely cannot let even a hint of Purple Light’s secret get out.’

Just then, Ji Yunliang steered the conversation away from the Grotto Heaven’s disturbance. He turned to Nan Zhuoran and said, "Brother Nan, your expedition to purge the Demon Thieves must have been fraught with peril. I heard that outside Soul-Breaking Gorge, you personally slew a long-renowned True Essence Realm Elder from the Infinite Demon Sect?"

At these words, everyone froze.

Slaying a True Essence Realm expert, especially an Elder of the Demon Sect, was no simple feat.

It was not just a testament to one’s power, but a major event, enough to cause a stir in the region.

Ji Yunliang’s question was partly flattery, but it also carried a hint of probing the depths of Nan Zhuoran’s current power.

Nan Zhuoran’s expression remained unchanged, as if discussing a trivial matter. "Junior Brother Ji, you’re well-informed. Indeed, it’s true. It was merely the eighth-ranked of the Ten Great Elders of the Demon Sect. That fiend had been entrenched in Soul-Breaking Gorge for years, preying on passing merchants and sect affiliates. His crimes were mountainous. I was ordered to purge the area, happened to run into him, and dealt with him."

His tone was flat, betraying no emotion.

"Dealt with him..."

Someone at the feast subconsciously whispered the words, their tone filled with disbelief.

The Ten Great Elders of the Demon Sect were the ten core Elders who led the Infinite Demon Sect’s external campaigns. Each one was a master with ruthless methods, full of cunning and tricks.

Moreover, every last one of them was a shrewd, calculating schemer, not someone who could be killed easily.

Yet Nan Zhuoran spoke of it so casually.

Chen Qing thought, ’For Nan Zhuoran to be able to "deal with" a veteran True Essence Elder of the Demon Sect so casually, his power must be far deeper than I ever imagined.’

’This head brother’s rank as the number one True Disciple is well-deserved.’

A chill went down Ji Yunliang’s spine. He then said, "Brother Nan, your strength is truly astonishing."

He knew in his heart that the head brother’s power had likely seen another breakthrough recently.

"This purge of the Demon Sect..."

Nan Zhuoran waved his hand. "There were casualties on both sides. The situation is rather complex. The Infinite Demon Sect has been dormant for too long, and the hidden strength they’ve revealed this time cannot be underestimated. What’s more, their Demon Skills are bizarre and formidable. While most of them have unstable foundations, relying on plunder for rapid advancement, their power grows incredibly fast, and their methods are vicious and treacherous. Completely eradicating them will be no simple task."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "We’ve returned this time for a temporary reprieve, to prepare for the more intense conflicts to come. I expect... the batch of disciples from the Xu Wang Mountain Hundred Sects selection will soon be dispatched to various regions for tempering and to assist in their defense."

Hearing this, many of those present were inwardly stirred.

The Infinite Demon Sect could be considered the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s most pressing threat. Ever since the Sect suffered Li Qingyu’s treason and the ensuing internal strife, its Primordial Qi was greatly wounded, giving the Infinite Demon Sect a chance to catch its breath and grow.

Now, after lying dormant for several years, they had revealed their fangs once more. This time, despite top True Disciples like Nan Zhuoran and Yanchi leading the charge—and with rumors that the Vein Master of the Jade Celestial Lineage had even personally taken action—the situation was still not optimistic. It was a clear sign of how swiftly the Demon Sect’s power had rebounded.

Chen Qing, however, gleaned something different from Nan Zhuoran’s words.

’The prodigies from the Hundred Sects selection are about to be deployed...’ he mused.

One of the main reasons the Hundred Sects prodigy selection was held in the first place was to bring in new blood to counter the increasingly rampant Infinite Demon Sect.

Now that their group had been cultivating on Xu Wang Mountain for nearly three years, it seemed the time had finally come.

After several rounds of drinks and courses, the atmosphere seemed convivial, but in reality, there was an undercurrent of tension.

Nan Zhuoran seemed to recall something. He casually raised his cup, his gaze turning to Chen Qing. He smiled and said, "Speaking of which, I haven’t yet had the chance to formally congratulate you, Junior Brother Chen. I heard you’ve been accepted as Elder Luo’s disciple to study the Spear Path. That’s wonderful news. Though Elder Luo has a detached nature, his Spear Dao Cultivation is second to none in the Sect. Receiving his guidance is a tremendous opportunity. Besides, Elder Luo hails from the Nine Heavens Lineage, so it stands to reason that we should become better acquainted."

In an instant, every eye in the room locked onto Chen Qing.

’Elder Luo?’

’Which Elder Luo?’

After a moment’s thought, everyone present realized Nan Zhuoran could only be referring to that eccentric Peak Master of Ten Thousand Laws Peak, the man hailed as the Spear Path Grandmaster—Luo Zhixian!

’He actually took Chen Qing as a disciple?’

The hand Zhang Baicheng was using to hold his wine cup suddenly tightened. He stared at Chen Qing, his gaze burning, his heart a turmoil of complicated emotions, as if a jar of mixed spices had been overturned within him.

He was obsessed with the Spear Path and had sincerely sought Luo Zhixian’s guidance on several occasions, even hoping to be accepted as his disciple, but had been flatly rejected every time.

And now, Luo Zhixian had accepted Chen Qing, who had joined the Sect later and was even younger!

’Doesn’t this mean that in Luo Zhixian’s eyes, Chen Qing’s aptitude for the Spear Path is far greater than mine?’

Even though Zhang Baicheng was normally broad-minded and not one to dwell on trifles, his heart now felt as if it were being crushed by a boulder, filled with a sense of loss and resentment.

Even Huo Qiushui couldn’t help but steal a few more glances at Chen Qing.

She knew full well how high that Elder Luo’s standards were and how stubborn his disposition. ’To be noticed by him and accepted as his disciple... Chen Qing’s talent for the Spear Path must be far greater than anyone has estimated.’