Translator: AnubisTL
The Taiyi Sect had been ambushed at their home base!
From the Rakshasa Demon Lord's final words, Li Qing finally pieced together the full picture.
No wonder Gui Fan had never intended to truly fight True Yang Daoist, instead prolonging the battle through evasive tactics.
This had been their hidden strategy all along!
Li Qing wasn't the only one who grasped the situation; the other cultivators present quickly understood the underlying events.
In an instant, every cultivator turned their gaze toward True Monarch Taixuan with a strange, knowing look.
The demonic path's methods were undeniably ruthless. Launching a full-scale assault on the Taiyi Sect at this critical moment was a masterstroke of surprise.
"Patriarch Taixuan!" True Yang Daoist finally reacted, his face pale with panic as he turned to True Monarch Taixuan.
The latter's cloudy eyes were shot through with crimson veins, his killing intent barely concealed. The wrinkles on his face trembled slightly, betraying his inner turmoil.
The urgent call snapped True Monarch Taixuan back to his senses. He suppressed the turbulent emotions surging within him like a raging sea.
"Let's go! We need to check on the mountain gate immediately!" True Monarch Taixuan declared, seizing Gu Haoran by the arm. He vanished from Moonchase Palace, disappearing from the assembled cultivators' sight.
After the main figure had departed, the rogue cultivators finally reacted, belatedly beginning to discuss the matter:
"Truly befitting of the demonic path. They're capable of such treacherous schemes."
"Heh, victory belongs to the victor. Does such a basic principle even need stating?"
"Judging by Senior Taixuan's demeanor, the Taiyi Sect's prospects look grim."
"The Taiyi Sect's mountain gate has truly been breached? Unbelievable! That was the Great Evolution Demon-Slaying Formation, renowned throughout the great wilderness!"
"What good is a Fourth-Tier Grand Formation without a Nascent Soul True Monarch to command it? Without proper activation, it can't unleash its full power. If they only relied on defense, it's no surprise the demonic path breached it through a coordinated assault."
This was the truth. No matter how formidable a formation might be, it ultimately required human guidance to function. To unleash the full potential of a Fourth-Tier Grand Formation, a cultivator in the nascent soul realm was essential.
Consider True Monarch Yue Xuan of Moonchase Palace. By leveraging the Moonshock Grand Formation, she alone could intimidate the unfathomable True Monarch Taixuan and the Rakshasa Demon Lord!
This was why, even in the face of extreme anger, True Monarch Taixuan hadn't lost his composure. Instead, he chose temporary restraint, allowing True Monarch Yue Xuan to lift the Moonshock Grand Formation's blockade on the heavens and earth.
With this, the decisive battle concluded in a manner utterly unexpected by all.
The rogue cultivators who had gathered for the Moonchase Grand Assembly and this incident immediately began to disperse.
After all, the demonic path's machinations had been far too extensive. Many intended to witness the aftermath firsthand, at least to see the current state of the Taiyi Sect's mountain gate.
If the Taiyi Sect's mountain gate had truly been completely destroyed, they wouldn't mind scavenging through the territory of this long-established power, hoping to find any overlooked treasures or even a fragment of inheritance.
In short, the eyes of the entire world were once again focused on the Taiyi Sect's location!
"Senior Brother, what should we do next?" Shen Ningbing asked softly, leaning closer to Li Qing.
Hearing her question, Li Qing hesitated for a moment.
Watching the rogue cultivators gradually disperse, Li Qing pondered for a long while before taking a deep breath and declaring:
"Given the current situation, the Taiyi Sect is likely truly gone. From now on, the Great Wilderness Domain will probably fall under the dominion of the demonic path."
"This isn't necessarily bad news for us. At least our relationship with the Ghost Sword Sect remains decent."
"However, we must remember that those of the demonic path are notoriously fickle. Our current alliance with the Ghost Sword Sect is only temporary. We can't rely too heavily on this faction."
Shen Ningbing nodded, seemingly understanding, and asked, "So, are we returning to Nanyang Spirit Peak next? Should we also visit the Taiyi Sect to investigate?"
Their primary mission had been to rescue Ancestor Bing Yun. Having accomplished that, witnessed the grand Moonchase Grand Assembly, and witnessed an unimaginable final battle, there was naturally nothing else to do.
But Li Qing shook his head. "The Taiyi Sect has been destroyed. Even if we went now, we'd likely find nothing but scraps. Worse, we might provoke True Monarch Taixuan's wrath."
"Returning to Nanyang Spirit Peak would be the safest option. However, a powerful, unburdened Nascent Soul cultivator like him would still be a challenge for the demonic path sects to deal with."
"My biggest fear is that True Monarch Taixuan will target rogue cultivators like us who have ties to demonic path sects!"
After careful analysis, Li Qing concluded that returning to Nanyang Spirit Peak wasn't a good option either.
If True Monarch Taixuan ever turned his wrath on him and attacked Nanyang Spirit Peak, it would spell disaster.
Though the possibility was slim, Li Qing refused to take even the slightest risk.
He decided to remain at Moonchase Palace for a few more days, observing the situation outside before making his next move.
"Given Liu Hanyue's status as the holy maiden, I doubt staying here a few more days will be a problem."
"Besides, Liu Hanyue promised to use Moonchase Palace's resources to help me find my fellow sect members from Lingyun Sect. I should finalize this arrangement while I'm here."
Li Qing then formally requested to extend his stay at Moonchase Palace.
The palace readily agreed.
Whether due to Liu Hanyue's influence or his connection to Palace Master Yue Xuan, Li Qing's request was deemed reasonable and granted without hesitation.
Moonchase Palace was ultimately an immortal dao faction composed entirely of women. They only accepted female disciples, and male cultivators rarely entered except during special occasions like the Moonchase Grand Assembly.
Therefore, Li Qing was granted permission to stay for only ten days. After that, he would have to leave on his own.
Li Qing had no objections. Ten days should be enough for the situation outside to stabilize, allowing him to make a more informed decision based on the circumstances.
Meanwhile, the three demonic path factions, having nearly finished tallying their spoils of war, departed from Taiyi Sect's territory.
By then, the entire Taiyi Sect mountain gate had been thoroughly ransacked, leaving not a single grain of spirit sand behind.
From the sect treasury to the Hall of Inheritance and every other location, everything had been emptied.
Even some of the most important buildings had been dismantled and carried away, leaving nothing behind.
On the return journey, True Lord Ji Sha stepped forward, cupping his fists in salute. "Sect Leader, there's one more thing I forgot to mention. While you and Senior Zhu Jiuyin were in the Taiyi Sect's treasure vault, an old woman in the core formation realm, her aura weak and unstable, escaped during the chaos."
Gui Li frowned slightly at the news, then asked, "A core formation realm old woman? How come I've never heard of such a figure in the Taiyi Sect?"
True Lord Ji Sha nodded in agreement. "I have no recollection of her either. She might not even be a member of the Taiyi Sect. But her aura was so weak, she shouldn't pose any real threat."
Hearing this, Gui Li slowly nodded. "In that case, put a bounty on this old woman as well. Surely someone saw her face?"
"Now that the Taiyi Sect has been destroyed, the righteous path poses little threat. A mere core formation realm old woman is hardly worth worrying about."
"If she chooses to live out her days in obscurity, so be it. But if she has other plans, I'll deal with her personally."
After all, she was just a frail old woman with a weak aura. Even if she had reached the core formation realm, she wouldn't warrant his serious attention.
The three demonic path patriarchs currently faced a far greater concern:
True Monarch Taixuan, now completely unburdened by worldly attachments!
If the mid-nascent soul realm leader of the righteous path sought revenge, it would be an immense calamity. The so-called core formation realm old woman was utterly insignificant by comparison.
The demonic path patriarchs were about to face a world of trouble.
This was especially true for the Ghost Sword Sect, which, being newly established and lacking deep foundations, had no fourth-tier Grand Formation to protect its territory. They were likely to become True Monarch Taixuan's primary target for retaliation.
The only saving grace was Gui Li's possession of the Four Symbols Heaven-Suppressing Cauldron. In terms of raw combat power, he was confident he could at least hold his own against True Monarch Taixuan.
Sigh, that old ghost Rakshasa was always too cautious, Gui Li sighed inwardly, keeping the thought to himself. If he had managed to stall Taixuan outside Moonchase Palace for even a short time, none of this would have happened.
Not that he couldn't understand Rakshasa Demon Lord's caution. Facing an enraged True Monarch Taixuan in that situation was undeniably perilous.
If their positions were reversed, Gui Li couldn't say for certain he would have dared to stall Taixuan while waiting for reinforcements.
Such a scenario was unrealistic. Though they belonged to the same faction, the three demonic sects were far from united.
While plotting against the righteous path, they also had some reservations about their own allies.
Several days passed in a flash, and news of the Taiyi Sect's fate finally spread throughout the Great Wilderness Domain.
"Corpses piled everywhere, the ground stained crimson with blood."
"Spirit Mountain drenched in blood, the sect in ruins, not a trace of life remains in the Spirit Vein Land."
"Even the spiritual vein is half-destroyed, likely a consequence of the Great Evolution Demon-Slaying Formation's collapse."
These reports came from cultivators who had personally visited the Taiyi Sect's ruins.
Soon, the full story surfaced, revealing the demonic path's cunning strategy.
After agreeing to a decisive battle with True Yang Daoist, the demonic path publicly arranged for Gui Fan to engage him in an earth-shattering clash at Moonchase Palace to divert attention. Meanwhile, they secretly launched a surprise attack, destroying the Taiyi Sect's mountain gate.
With the Fourth-Tier Grand Formation gone, True Monarch Taixuan's deterrent power was significantly diminished.
"Hiss... truly a flawless plan."
"Wait, what if True Monarch Taixuan hadn't gone to Moonchase Palace and instead remained to defend the mountain gate?"
A cold laugh answered this question:
"If that happens, the demonic path will target True Yang Daoist. Regardless of who wins the final battle, with all three demonic path patriarchs present, no one but True Monarch Taixuan can protect him."
"Without the Pure Yang Physique, the demonic path will no longer need to fear this immense threat. They can slowly wear down the righteous path."
This explanation drew gasps from many cultivators. They realized it was a brilliant, calculated scheme, leaving the righteous path completely cornered.
The current predicament was the result of a series of cascading factors.
It all began when Gui Li and the Rakshasa Demon Lord joined forces to cripple True Monarch Crimson Origin outside Ancient Hua Imperial City.
The Taiyi Sect lost a nascent soul realm combatant. Then, against all expectations, the Ghost Sword Sect annihilated Jade Bamboo Valley, plunging the righteous path into absolute disadvantage.
Faced with the demonic path's relentless pressure and Gui Fan's provocations, the righteous path had no choice but to accept the final battle at Moonchase Palace.
"However, we can't say the demonic path has truly achieved a complete victory. At least they haven't accomplished their primary goal!"
This was true. True Yang Daoist remained safe and unharmed, and True Monarch Taixuan was still alive.
The demonic path still had enemies to contend with!
A powerful cultivator at the mid-nascent soul stage, lurking in the shadows, could exert an absolutely terrifying level of deterrence!
In the aftermath, the three demonic sects, having achieved a resounding victory, refrained from making any major moves. Instead, they cautiously consolidated their forces, summoning all key figures back to their respective sects.
Just as everyone braced for True Monarch Taixuan's retaliation, the righteous path's remaining forces in the region made a move that defied all expectations.
The Carefree Sect abandoned the Great Wilderness Domain entirely, their destination unknown!
This news was discovered by a rogue cultivator in the qi refining realm. Rumor had it that this cultivator had been planning to seize the opportunity presented by the Carefree Sect's weakened state, hoping to join the immortal sect as a disciple.
Alas, his scheme was doomed to fail.
On the day he arrived at the Carefree Sect's territory, he found the entire mountain gate deserted, not a single soul in sight!
"The spiritual vein remains intact, and the sect's structures are largely undamaged, but the place is completely abandoned. Not a single item of value was left behind."
"The Carefree Sect's foundation was always shallow, and they lacked a Fourth-Tier Grand Formation for defense. This decision isn't surprising."
"Retreat was their only option. Once the three demonic sects recover from True Monarch Taixuan's threat, the Carefree Sect would be next to face annihilation."
"Like a cicada shedding its shell, they vanished without a trace, leaving behind only an intact Spirit Vein Land. Quite intriguing."
"The Carefree Sect Leader acted decisively, as expected and entirely predictable."
"The world has changed!"
Indeed, since the Carefree Sect's evacuation, the Great Wilderness Domain had undergone a complete transformation.
From this day forward, the vast and boundless domain would be dominated by demonic path forces, with only the Moonchase Palace maintaining absolute neutrality, rarely interfering in worldly affairs.
The long-awaited retaliation from True Monarch Taixuan never materialized, likely suppressed by his own restraint.
As of today, the entire Great Wilderness Domain had fallen under the control of the demonic path!
This was a feat even the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty had never accomplished!
Though no single sect held absolute dominion, this marked an unprecedented moment in history!
In a secluded corner of the Great Wilderness Domain, a beautiful woman with cascading black hair meticulously studied a piece of intelligence.
"After our dynasty faded into the annals of history, the righteous path has also met its demise. This Great Wilderness Domain has ultimately fallen into the hands of the demonic path."
Wang Chan sighed softly, her poetic and picturesque eyes gleaming with unwavering resolve. Her true thoughts remained hidden, inscrutable to ordinary observers.
(End of the Chapter)
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