Chapter 848: It Can Be Handled Now

Chapter 848: Chapter 848: It Can Be Handled Now

Northern Julu Continent. Yunmeng Marsh.

Cui Hao stood at the cliff’s edge atop the mountain, his gaze calm as he watched the famed incense gods of Northern Julu Continent stream in one after another, seeking an audience with Yunze to discuss matters of great importance.

In truth, this so-called "great importance" amounted to nothing more than pressuring Yunmeng Marsh for greater support.

After all, the alliance between Yunmeng Marsh and Yunmeng Pavilion was an open secret across Northern Julu Continent. With the backing of a Heavenly-level power, sometimes a single word from Yunmeng Marsh was enough to repel the covetous ambitions of all evildoers.

The Evil Spirit Sect certainly lacked the ability to mobilize every incense god in Northern Julu Continent, but when it came to sheer unpleasantness, they were truly without limit.

With matters pushed to the brink of open war, every faction’s identity had been laid bare.

Now that the Evil Spirit Sect’s affiliation was public knowledge, their movements carried fewer scruples and allowed for more aggressive measures.

A united Northern Julu Continent was naturally something the Evil Spirit Sect could not resist, but sowing discord from within was their specialty.

Win over, frame, sow suspicion, betray.

If the incense gods had first rallied together because of Cui Hao’s rallying cry, then it was precisely that same suspicion now that would tear them apart.

The incense gods of Northern Julu Continent had a thousand-year history, their relationships intertwined and deeply rooted. Connections were the key to joining their ranks. This system had stood firm for a millennium not because it was flawless.

Rather, beneath it, those who benefited from the status quo possessed the power to silence all opposition — a power that only grew stronger with the passage of time.

Just the slightest imbalance could tip the scales entirely. Without outside intervention, the scales would never be righted.

Where some profited, others naturally grew resentful.

Cui Hao had received intelligence: the Evil Spirit Sect had begun recruiting those demons who had already reached the Golden Core stage but, due to the Incense God Alliance’s oppression, were denied the right to open their own god shrines.

There were also many demons who had pledged themselves under fief gods, demons who needed only a slight push of resources to reach Golden Core and establish their own shrines, yet were perpetually held back by one circumstance or another.

The Evil Spirit Sect’s methods were hardly ingenious, but they hit the mark with precision.

Especially since the Evil Spirit Sect could never hope to control all of Northern Julu Continent. In the eyes of those demons who had seethed under resentment for ages, this changed everything.

The Evil Spirit Sect merely came to take advantage of the chaos, but those incense gods above had genuinely oppressed them for a millennium.

When measured by sheer despicability, the Evil Spirit Sect suddenly didn’t seem so bad after all.

A new slogan — rivaling Cui Hao’s own rallying cry — began to spread: "Incense faith has never been severed for a thousand years, but oppression across all generations has no end."

When the vantage point shifted, justice itself seemed to depend entirely on where one stood.

What had begun as resistance against a foreign enemy was gradually being redirected toward a completely different direction.

Once something begins, the chain reaction follows naturally.

Suspicion does not end with the conclusion of conflict — it begins anew with it.

Before, the incense gods had been united like iron. Now, under the Evil Spirit Sect’s targeted strategy, their solidarity was crumbling.

After all, the enemy had shifted from humans to demons.

No matter how fiercely the incense gods had fought the Evil Spirit Sect before, the moment this spark was lit, they immediately sought out Yunmeng Marsh.

Zheng Zhaoling stood beside Cui Hao, watching Fushan Great King — his face dark as a thundercloud — stride into the council hall. She spoke calmly:

"The Evil Spirit Sect does have some tricks. I thought the incense gods might hold, but you predicted correctly."

Cui Hao chuckled softly at her words:

"Hold? By now, their homes have been all but dismantled by the Evil Spirit Sect. If they could return to how things were, those incense gods would probably bury their heads and let the Evil Spirit Sect do whatever it pleased — all while pretending they saw nothing."

Zheng Zhaoling’s expression showed puzzlement as she looked at Cui Hao:

"Then by your logic, couldn’t the incense gods simply stop fighting and return home? Why come to Yunmeng Marsh?"

Cui Hao glanced at Zheng Zhaoling, saw the genuine confusion in her eyes, and explained:

"Because they cannot stop now. At least not before this matter is resolved. They dare not, and they will not."

"The Evil Spirit Sect likely never intended to ignite this fire in the first place, because lighting it meant they would be locked in a death struggle with these incense gods. Now the Evil Spirit Sect itself is probably being pushed to desperation."

"The true reason these incense gods came to Yunmeng Marsh is not the Evil Spirit Sect — it’s those demons who joined the Evil Spirit Sect out of perceived injustice, those without their own god shrines."

"The fires of indignation have been lit. A thousand years of suppression is the fuel."

"The Evil Spirit Sect may hesitate and retreat due to losses, but the rage in these demons’ hearts will not cease until it has burned itself completely."

"This is a true fight to the death."

"Fushan Great King must maintain the offensive against the Evil Spirit Sect — even intensify it — because as long as the war continues, he retains the moral high ground before all of Northern Julu Continent."

"The moment they stop targeting the Evil Spirit Sect, that moral authority vanishes in an instant."

"The original justification for rallying all the incense gods collapses, and Fushan Great King and the others must face this righteous fury head-on."

"This fury cannot be ended by slaughter, and there is no righteous excuse that could justify it."

"The current war against the Evil Spirit Sect is their best cover for handling all of this."

"So the incense gods cannot stop. They will not."

Zheng Zhaoling’s expression cleared immediately, and she nodded slightly:

"Thank you for the guidance."

Cui Hao waved his hand dismissively: "Hardly guidance. I merely know a little more."

Zheng Zhaoling furrowed her brows slightly and asked softly:

"So their coming to Yunmeng Marsh today — they want to borrow Yunmeng Marsh’s reputation to settle this matter?"

Cui Hao nodded gently:

"That’s likely part of their thinking. After all, Yunmeng Marsh’s reputation precedes it. But this matter cannot be resolved by relying on Yunmeng Marsh alone. In the eyes of those demons, Yunmeng Marsh is no better than anyone else."

"Even if Yunze were to speak on their behalf, it would accomplish nothing."

"Perhaps these incense gods understand that. Their true purpose is probably to ensure that when the critical moment arrives, Yunmeng Pavilion steps in to settle things."

Zheng Zhaoling let out a soft sigh:

"So the incense gods — despite holding an overwhelming advantage — abandoned all their principles the moment this spark appeared and came to Yunmeng Marsh for help, because they cannot bear the fire that might burn them all to nothing."

"Even if it’s merely a faint flame at this point, they want to snuff it out completely."

Cui Hao responded with a soft clap:

"As expected of you. One hint and you see through it."

Zheng Zhaoling considered for a moment, then asked: "So how do you plan to handle it?"

"Not at all," Cui Hao’s tone turned suddenly cool. His voice was level. "A devastating blow to the incense gods’ vitality is already inevitable."

"What we need to handle..."

"Is the Evil Spirit Sect — once they’ve finished what they’ve started."