Chapter 860: Slapped Away on the Spot

Chapter 860: Chapter 860: Slapped Away on the Spot

Chu Xingchen put away the jade token.

Li Junzi’s direction at Tianyan Sect had always had someone keeping watch, and the news that came back was the latest firsthand information.

This was the first time Yunxiao had seen Chu Xingchen lose his composure, and his probing gaze immediately shifted over. After all, anything that could make Chu Xingchen lose his composure was certainly no small matter.

Chen Baiqing saw this and subtly shifted closer to Chu Xingchen, blocking Yunxiao’s probing gaze. Having read the message herself, she naturally understood the importance of this matter.

If Li Junzi could become a Sub-Sage, then all the problems they currently faced were rootless duckweed.

All the doubts and questions could not compare to a single sentence from Li Junzi — Chu Xingchen is a good person.

A Sub-Sage might not rival cultivators in their methods, but when it came to reputation, cursing anyone with that title would bring them misfortune.

Chen Baiqing keenly seized on this point. She said softly:

"Why don’t you let Baiqing handle this matter?"

Chu Xingchen hesitated slightly, then gently shook his head:

"No need."

Chen Baiqing thought her master was still upset about what she had done last time. She lowered her head slightly, her tone as soft as if she were admitting a fault:

"Last time Baiqing didn’t handle things properly. This time Baiqing will definitely listen. At the critical moment, I can also help."

Chu Xingchen looked up and chuckled softly. "I mean I trust her. After everything she’s been through, her vision sees further than ours. Sometimes I haven’t even figured things out, but she’s already planned her approach."

"Our going there isn’t necessarily real help. So trusting her is the greatest support."

Chen Baiqing nodded gently upon hearing this. "Understood."

She naturally believed the explanation her master gave.

Northern Julu Continent, Yunmeng Marsh.

Yunze Cave-Heaven, inside the conference hall.

Yunze sat in a corner like a quail. At this moment, the lowest-ranking person seated in the conference hall was a Yunmeng Pavilion Mahayana elder.

The Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master sat in the main seat, with two Tribulation Transcendence Supreme Elders flanking the top seats on either side.

The next seats down were occupied by Cui Hao and Zheng Zhaoling sitting together.

In the center of the conference hall, Black Crow Patriarch Zhao Xuan, bound by more than a dozen Tribulation Transcendence measures, knelt in the middle.

Black Crow Patriarch Zhao Xuan had already been kneeling here for over two months. Possessing Integration Peak cultivation, he could indeed manage to keep kneeling.

However, while Black Crow Patriarch could endure kneeling, Cui Hao was growing somewhat impatient.

After the Black Crow Patriarch was captured, he was immediately brought to Yunmeng Marsh and bound in the conference hall. Yunmeng Pavilion neither dealt with him nor responded.

Cui Hao had naturally inquired, but the Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master had casually dismissed it each time, saying the timing wasn’t right.

But now the Incense Gods and the Evil Spirit Sect were locked in a heated battle.

The Incense Gods were also using this opportunity to purge the newly risen New Faction.

The New Faction was dissatisfied that the Old Faction had long monopolized nearly all the incense worship, cutting off the path for rootless demon creatures.

The Old Faction-led Incense Gods were using the righteous cause of fighting the Evil Spirit Sect to openly and covertly deal with these upstart Incense Gods from the New Faction.

After just over two months of silence, the New Faction’s momentum was broken.

Yunmeng Pavilion naturally understood the key benefits and costs, and it was clear what choice they had ultimately made.

The decisions of the Eighteen Immortal Sects sometimes would not change because of Chu Xingchen’s or Cui Hao’s choices.

Additionally, Cui Hao truly hadn’t anticipated that Yunmeng Pavilion’s choice would be to protect those Old Faction Incense Gods.

Cui Hao’s gaze swept over the Black Crow Patriarch, then looked straight at the Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master with a firm tone:

"Now that the Black Crow Patriarch has been captured, this should be the moment to sweep away the Evil Spirit Sect. Sect Master, you sealed yourself away in seclusion, allowing the Evil Spirit Sect under the Vice Sect Master to continue ravaging Cangxi Kingdom, bringing devastation to living beings. Isn’t this all hanging on your decision, Sect Master?"

The Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master shifted his gaze to Yunze God at the bottom, his tone calm:

"The situation in Northern Julu Continent is complex now, but simply sweeping away the Evil Spirit Sect will not solve it."

"The internal pressure within the Incense Gods has been building for a long time. If handled improperly and the Incense Gods turn on each other, that too will bring devastation."

"Previously, generations of Yunze Gods signed treaties with our Yunmeng Pavilion. Beyond maintaining stability in Northern Julu Continent, these also served to maintain peace in Yunmeng Marsh."

"Yunmeng Marsh has deep-rooted factions with incense god traditions spanning a thousand years. If the New Faction rises en masse, Yunmeng Marsh will inevitably be affected."

"Our Yunmeng Pavilion sweeping away the Evil Spirit Sect is naturally our duty. But when it comes to the internal affairs of the Incense Gods, Yunmeng Pavilion would have little justification."

"At that point, whether or not I manage Yunmeng Marsh becomes a question."

Yunze God heard these words and raised its gaze slightly. It naturally understood that these words were spoken for its benefit.

The Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master saw that Yunze God was looking at him, then turned his gaze to Cui Hao:

"Your master’s task for you is to pacify the Evil Spirit Sect. Now that the Evil Spirit Sect’s situation is clearly wrong and they still refuse to retreat, the specific reason is probably quite interesting. But the Evil Spirit Sect is already a rotting mass."

"Dealing with this rotting mass is no longer a problem. But one must be thorough in doing things. Continuing to stabilize Northern Julu Continent is probably what your master would want to see as well."

"You can’t want to watch these Incense Gods, these demons, tear each other apart endlessly..."

The Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master paused, then asked in a somewhat strange tone:

"Also, you should see clearly that your master’s disciple Yun Li is still here cultivating under this blessing. Stabilizing Yunmeng Marsh should naturally be your top priority as well."

"If you stir up Yunmeng Marsh and the blessing scatters, that would be good for neither Yunze nor your junior brother."

Yunze heard these words and its gaze involuntarily shifted to Cui Hao.

The Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master’s prodding was extremely obvious, as if afraid Yunze wouldn’t understand — Cui Hao’s disregard for Yunmeng Marsh, could it actually be that he covets the True Dragon Blessing of Yunmeng Marsh?

Moreover, stabilizing Northern Julu Continent and Yunmeng Marsh was naturally not a bad thing for Yunze.

The incident of the Incense Gods coming to pay respects had happened not long ago.

Cui Hao looked at the Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master’s composed expression and sighed inwardly, understanding that all his previous plans had to be discarded.

He had thought Yunmeng Pavilion would tacitly allow the Incense Gods’ internal conflict, then use the opportunity to deepen its control over Northern Julu Continent’s incense gods.

Now it seemed... that was not the case.

So what matter could make Yunmeng Pavilion consider it more important than continuing to control Northern Julu Continent?

Zheng Zhaoling suddenly stood up, bowed to the Yunmeng Pavilion Sect Master, and spoke:

"This disciple believes that the matter of the Incense Gods should be left to the Incense Gods to resolve, while the Evil Spirit Sect matter concerns the Great Calamity. Now the Evil Spirit Sect knows the situation is strange, and with the Black Crow Patriarch even losing contact they still don’t retreat — this is clearly intentional driving by the Celestial Demons, deliberately stalling."

"The former should not be under Yunmeng Pavilion’s control; it should be handled by Yunmeng Marsh."

"The latter should be under Yunmeng Pavilion’s control, and cannot be delayed any further."

"The affairs of the world cannot be done wrongly on a grand scale because of a small matter in one place."

Cui Hao was instantly stunned upon hearing these words, then quickly reached out to tug at Zheng Zhaoling’s sleeve.

Boss!

These are not words that you, a Yunmeng Pavilion core disciple, should be saying!

Zheng Zhaoling noticed Cui Hao’s movement.

Then, quite smoothly, she raised her hand and slapped away Cui Hao’s reminding hand.