Chapter 836: You Can Die More Quietly

Chapter 836: Chapter 836: You Can Die More Quietly

These past few days, Zhao Xuan — the nominal sect master of the Evil Spirit Sect — had found his head throbbing with headaches.

When things were difficult to handle, Zhao Xuan always adopted the attitude of "if it’s hard, don’t do it." After all, things could be done later, but one’s life couldn’t be borrowed from the future.

But now the matter at hand didn’t allow for that approach. The entire Evil Spirit Sect had been mobilized, and even the deputy sect master, that demon, had brought his backing forces to join.

The good news was naturally that the demon’s contribution was massive — large enough to mobilize half the Evil Spirit Sect. The forces that arrived left even Zhao Xuan somewhat stunned, and made him realize that half the Evil Spirit Sect had actually been under the Celestial Demon’s control all along.

If the original Zhao Xuan had known this, he would have been furious. But now Zhao Xuan actually felt a secret thrill. After all, he’d already been considering stepping down from the Evil Spirit Sect. If the Celestial Demon wanted to take over, let him have it. All Zhao Xuan wanted was the secret technique that could reverse the fate of blood-qi evil cultivators.

Good news naturally came with bad news.

Relations with the Incense Gods could be described as anything but smooth — more like enemies meeting face to face.

Every gesture of goodwill from the Evil Spirit Sect, even some rather cowardly ones, had been graciously accepted by the other side, only to be met with a harsh slap in the face.

The spirit stone benefits those Incense Gods took without hesitation. After taking them, you couldn’t expect those Incense Gods to help — as long as they didn’t cause trouble, that would be enough. But after taking the benefits, those Incense Gods actually continued to stir up trouble.

Even clay figures have three parts of fire in them, let alone a group of evil cultivators who killed without blinking.

Aside from those with unusual perversions, probably no one would have their left cheek slapped for three minutes, then offer their right cheek while asking the other side — "Brother, are you satisfied?"

While evil cultivators themselves had bottomless moral standards, their moral requirements for others generally held to the Sub-Sage level.

Anything below a saint was garbage — the kind you’d feel uncomfortable not cheating.

Obviously, the Incense Gods’ current performance wasn’t even close to Sub-Sage level. In the eyes of the Evil Spirit Sect, they were now just a bunch of talking beasts getting in the way.

All the nice face had been given. The only remaining move was fists.

Zhao Xuan couldn’t hide the frustration in his eyes. After all, taking action meant exposing flaws, and flaws could easily be seized upon by the Eighteen Immortal Sects, leading to a relentless pursuit. If things went wrong, he might really end up dead.

But the Incense Gods’ reaction had been too excessive. Everyone’s anger was hard to calm right now, otherwise Zhao Xuan could have tried proposing a plan to play along.

At worst, he could acknowledge those Incense Gods as big brothers. Whatever the big brothers wanted them to do, they’d do — as long as the big brothers gave them food to eat.

It was just that the current situation made it hard to bring up.

Outside an Incense God shrine in a certain part of Northern Julu Continent, Zhao Xuan, draped in a azure dharma robe, stood at a small stall, gazing from afar at a shrine where incense burned continuously.

A moment later, the Evil Spirit Sect’s deputy sect master, Evil Spirit, settled into the seat opposite Zhao Xuan, his tone gentle:

"Sect Master, everything is ready. Do you want to notify Xu Si?"

Hearing this, Zhao Xuan felt even more stifled. But after a moment, he still took out a jade token and carved the information from this place into it.

The jade token transformed into an imperceptible glow and vanished.

This was a top-grade jade token, and its price wasn’t cheap. Zhao Xuan’s biggest complaint when using it wasn’t that it was discreet and efficient, but that — this thing was damn expensive.

What made him even angrier was that using this jade token felt like waste. After sending a message, he received absolutely no reply, as if communication had been cut off, completely wasting the jade token’s value.

Zhao Xuan said with some dissatisfaction:

"How convenient for him. Not coming to take a look, not helping, and not even replying to messages. I really don’t know if he’s toying with us."

Evil Spirit chuckled lightly at this: "That’s normal. We do the life-threatening work, and he gets to harvest the fruits in the end. If it could be that easy, I’d want it too."

Zhao Xuan glanced at Evil Spirit. The way this deputy sect master spoke — he really didn’t seem like a demon at all. Basically no different from a human.

No wonder these demons could quietly survive with remnants from the past, even secretly developing to such a large scale.

Zhao Xuan exhaled softly, then spoke seriously:

"When we act, pay attention to the scale. Don’t do things that are difficult to handle. Try not to let any information leak out."

"We can be slow, but absolutely must not have problems."

"Don’t worry, I’ve received instructions from above," Evil Spirit said easily, "They’ll coordinate with our actions, creating some small disturbances outside to attract the attention of the Eighteen Immortal Sects."

"In this game, we have plenty of pieces to play. If we fail, for me it’s not just about getting nothing."

"When it comes down to it, you’re the one who should be nervous. So why have you been the one looking worried all along?"

Zhao Xuan raised his eyes to look at Evil Spirit’s lower face, which revealed a hint of a smile.

His expression didn’t show tension, and his tone was perfectly normal.

This kind of confident statement, combined with cooperation, must mean it was true. It seemed the Celestial Demon was full of confidence, which meant they had plenty of information.

He himself might lack intelligence, but those Celestial Demons shouldn’t be mistaken.

"Then that’s good," Zhao Xuan said with a light laugh, secretly encouraging himself. "Since that’s the case, it’s time to teach those blind beasts a lesson. Let them understand that the hidden rules of Northern Julu Continent exist because we allow them. Only then can they continue."

"If we don’t agree, even if they want to eat or defecate, they’ll need our nod of approval."

Evil Spirit nodded with satisfaction at these words:

"I’ll personally lead the first batch of operations. Although we’ve received assurances from above, we can’t be sure the Eighteen Immortal Sects don’t have other means. So I’ll trouble the Sect Master to watch for us — see if anyone has their eye on us."

Zhao Xuan nodded slightly: "Leave this matter to me."

Evil Spirit rose and cupped his hands, then his figure dissipated into thin air.

Zhao Xuan didn’t linger either. After glancing at the thriving shrine, he walked away. In just a moment, his figure completely melted into the crowd and vanished.

Everyone around them remained oblivious to the two’s conversation and faces, as if they couldn’t see or hear them.

Chanshan, Great Bear King’s Cave Dwelling.

As an early Nascent Soul Incense Bear Demon, the Great Bear Demon King — Xiong Hou.

He was one of the few Incense Gods who had reached the Nascent Soul realm and possessed the authority to accept surrounding demons, opening a fief to take them in.

The cleaned and decorated cave dwelling had a unique, rough charm. The smell of alcohol drifted out from within.

Cursing and fawning voices rose and fell.

"Big Brother is right. That bunch of little bastards from who-knows-what continent, using spirit stones earned from selling their own kind to try to make a living in Northern Julu Continent. A thousand-year rice bowl can’t be obtained with just a few spirit stones!"

"Northern Julu Continent is our Northern Julu Continent. If those little bastards want to take root, they need our Great Bear Demon King’s approval!"

Xiong Hou’s human form was sturdy with abundant body hair. Hearing the flattery, he naturally felt extremely comfortable, but he still pretended to appear indifferent.

The subordinate Incense Gods below cheered one after another, openly praising Xiong Hou.

The most extravagant flattery came from a rat demon with a weasel’s head and rat’s eyes. He raised his wine cup and shouted:

"We take the money and still cause trouble. Everyone does this. Our thousand-year-old rules — what do those little demons from other continents understand? They’re all blind."

As the words fell, a piercing sound cut through the air.

It was extremely harsh, instantly clearing the noisy chatter within the cave dwelling.

"Understanding that you little demons are blind, so today... I’m here to open your eyes for you."

At the entrance, a small figure draped in a black cloak swayed with the candlelight as it walked forward, but its powerful divine sense locked onto the entire space.

The rat demon with the weasel’s head and rat’s eyes instinctively looked in terror toward Xiong Hou, who sat in the main seat.

But all he saw was —

A proper Nascent Soul Incense God who could open a fief, his chest blasted into a bloody mess, pierced through. His eyes were wide, trying to open his mouth to say something but unable to produce a single word.

This was a Nascent Soul Incense God!

He could move mountains and drain seas — how could he be pierced through by a single attack with no strong spiritual fluctuation?

What was this visitor’s cultivation?!

"The commotion can’t be too loud, so you’re lucky — you can die more quietly."

Evil Spirit stepped inside.

Under the flickering candlelight.

The small figure now looked like a devil about to swallow a group of terrified demons whole.