Xun Kun froze with the teacup in his hand. He set it down before asking, "Master, what is going on."
Lin Lang Zūnzhě gave the brief account of Huaxian Gate losing the Shanhe Scroll, and how the sects across the regions had helped search for it.
Xun Kun looked up. "Did Huaxian Gate say how exactly the Shanhe Scroll went missing. If it was not seized when the sect fell, did none of Huaxian Gate's Ancestors sense the loss when it happened."
Zhu Ye sniffed with disdain. "If upper realm evil cultivators acted, how could Huaxian Gate's Ancestors possibly sense it."
Lin Lang Zūnzhě agreed. "Indeed. The theft of the Shanhe Scroll was likely a probe by the upper realm evil cultivators. Unfortunately, Huaxian Gate did not take it seriously enough, which led to today's outcome. In this battle Huaxian Gate bears at least half the blame."
Her analysis was close to the truth.
Xun Kun was speechless. So they had spent ten years grinding against evil souls inside the Shanhe Scroll, Ran Xi had even self detonated her only immortal grade artifact to maim Long Ya, and this was the result. If Ran Xi heard, she would surely curse.
Elsewhere, Yun Chen Fózǐ returned to Yunmen Temple's encampment to a hero's welcome. In this war Yun Chen had won glory for the Buddhist cultivators.
Yun Ze looked at the junior brother who had long since surpassed him. Emotion swelled in his chest as he ushered Yun Chen into the tent, where Master Yun Yi was already waiting.
"Amitabha. This disciple greets Master."
"Yun Chen, no need for formality. Sit and speak."
They exchanged Buddhist salutes and took their seats.
Yun Yi studied the restrained Buddha power swirling within Yun Chen and could not be more pleased. Yun Chen's appearance had turned the whole battle, even striking back the hand thrust down from the upper realm. It greatly honored the Eastern Region's Yunmen Temple.
Yun Chen then recounted how the spatial black tunnel sent the four of them to another small world, how they finally borrowed the road through the underworld to return, and how the Weiyu Realm sealed the evil god's body.
At the side, Yun Ze drew a sharp breath, then intoned a Buddha's name to steady himself. "No wonder the evil cultivators never loosened their bite on the Weiyu Realm. So it was because the evil god's body is sealed here."
Master Yun Yi rolled the prayer beads between his fingers, face grave. "This matter is no trifle. If that is the reason, the evil cultivators will not let it rest. Even if repulsed this time, there will be a next. They will try every way to unseal the evil god's body."
Yun Chen nodded. "Master is right. Our one advantage is that the Weiyu Realm is our ground, and the enemy has not yet found where the body is sealed. So we still have time to plan. But the time left to us is limited."
Yun Yi nodded in understanding. "Yun Chen, how long can you remain in the Weiyu Realm."
"One hundred years. That is the limit of my suppression."
"I understand. When the fighting here is over, I will invite the Ancestors of the other regions to meet and see whether there is a method to resolve this."
"I will trouble Master to make the introductions. Ran Xi, Han Lian, and Xun Kun will report to their Ancestors as well. With everyone thinking together, we should find a way. For now neither the enemy nor we know the exact site of the seal. There is still room to maneuver."
Yun Chen spoke earnestly.
Yun Ze sighed and, after a pause, added, "Fózǐ may not know. After the four of you vanished into the Polar Extreme Wind Zone, Huaxian Gate's Shanhe Scroll was stolen. Hua Tong once contacted Master Yun Yi to ask our aid in the search. But after Huaxian Gate was breached by the upper realm Divine Transformation evil cultivators, the matter was set aside.
Before we rushed to the Central Region to support, a confirmed report said the Shanhe Scroll had been taken by evil cultivators to the Southern Region's Qinghua Mountains. Divine Transformation evil cultivators also appeared there. Because the war in the Central Region flared up, Yunmen Temple left only a few disciples to continue the search. There has been no new word."
At that, Yun Chen's fine brows drew tight. The Shanhe Scroll sealed Long Ya. If the enemy found Long Ya first, they would surely use it to locate where the evil god's body was sealed.
"Amitabha. I must confer with Ran Xi and the others. If possible, we need to find Long Ya first, or this will become very troublesome."
"Indeed. The place sealing the evil god's body permits no carelessness."
——
"The return of the four gave great heart to the righteous cultivators across the battlefield. Only Huaxian Gate's encampment remained somber.
At this moment, Hua Yu was reviewing losses. Thanks to Ran Xi moving the combatants out of the zone at the critical moment, their casualties were the lightest yet.
After Xian Yao and Xian Feng left the front, they tidied themselves and came to see Zūnzhě Hua Yu.
After Xian Feng offered a formal bow, he said, "Zūnzhě, our losses this battle are not heavy. But Huaxian Gate will need much time to clear the grounds. With the sect's present state, I fear we cannot take back the entire mountain gate."
Xian Yao looked pale. Her internal injuries had never fully healed. She was holding herself up by will alone. Only the ten years she had spent fighting evil souls inside the Shanhe Scroll kept her from being truly bedraggled. Even so, she was at the end of her strength.
When Xian Feng stopped, she continued, "Zūnzhě, with our current strength, we should not overreach. Guard as many peaks as we can manage. Do not be like our seniors of the sect, who in the end harmed others and themselves."
"Xian Yao."
Hua Yu cut her off and sighed. "The Ancestors also considered the whole picture. They may have had selfish motives, but those motives were for the sect's continuation."
Xian Yao pressed her lips together. "Zūnzhě, if the entire Weiyu Realm becomes the evil cultivators' ground, will Huaxian Gate escape. And if Huaxian Gate used this to slip past the crisis and flee to the upper realm, how would we face the seniors who ascended from the Weiyu Realm. They are not fools. They would see us as traitors."
"Xian Yao, enough."
Seeing Zūnzhě Hua Yu's face darken, Xian Feng hurried to stop her.
Xian Yao knew her words were heavy, but she drew a breath and went on, "Zūnzhě, whether we admit it or not, the root of this righteous versus evil war lies with Huaxian Gate.
That transmission array connecting the upper realm should never have been left in place. It should have been destroyed when the Shanhe Scroll went missing. But the seniors of the sect clung to a gambler's hope and kept it, and in doing so drew a powerful foe. For this my Master Hua Tong gave up her life, as did the Ancestors in closed death seclusion. They could have ascended."
Her eyes reddened. Of all sacrifices, she felt Hua Tong's was the least deserved. Why had the sect's decisions made her Master bear all the consequences.
Hua Yu had meant to rebuke her, but after hearing those words, he closed his eyes. In the end he said nothing. Huaxian Gate had only three living Divine Transformation Zūnzhě left.