Chapter Thirty-Five: The Movements of the Demon Clan

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In the Eastern Lands of the Divine Continent, at the bottom of the Primordial Valley, within a boundless marsh shrouded in billowing white mist, a figure draped in a black robe soared forward atop a streak of azure light, plunging into the depths of the mire. In the blink of an eye, he pierced through the fog, and a vast, magnificent mountain gate appeared before his eyes.

Above the gate, three grand, flamboyant characters were engraved into the mountainside: Kaiyuan Sect.

This was the seat of the Kaiyuan Sect, one of the four great sects of the Eastern Lands.

The figure riding the azure light came to a halt before the sect's protective formation. A token at his waist flashed, and the formation opened in response. He strode through, heading straight for the highest peak of the Kaiyuan Sect.

This was the domain of the Kaiyuan Sect’s leader. The black-robed man stopped at the entrance to the main hall, cupped his hands and called out in a clear voice, “Master, your disciple Qian Yuan seeks urgent audience.”

As his words fell, the towering black stone doors swung open, and a deep voice answered, “Come in.”

The figure entered, removing his black robe to reveal a man with a horse-like face—clean-shaven, pale-skinned, but undeniably unattractive.

Upon the dais sat a man in gray robes with a goatee, occupying the seat of honor. Flanking him stood a pair of young men and women. The man, handsome and elegant with a folding fan in hand, exuded the air of a refined nobleman, though at this moment, a trace of anger marred his face.

Beside him stood a woman in black, her face veiled with dark gauze. Even with only her brows and eyes visible, her beauty was captivating, hinting at a breathtaking allure. A subtle hint of enchantment gleamed in her expression, enough to unsettle the mind of the horse-faced man.

Kaiyuan Sect’s leader, Kunyuanzi, coughed, and with a surge of Daoist power dispelled the woman’s allure. He asked coldly, “Any news from the Abyss of Fallen Dragons?”

The horse-faced man immediately composed himself and replied, “According to disciples who returned from within, the demonic aura in the Abyss of Fallen Dragons erupted completely. The old dragon there unleashed the last remnants of his soul, engaging the demons in a final battle. In the end, the demonic aura was cleansed, but the old dragon’s soul likely has little time left.”

“Oh?” Kunyuanzi’s brows furrowed slightly. He turned to the veiled woman and said, “For the old dragon’s remnant soul to have banished all the demonic aura, is that all your demon clan’s elder amounts to?”

The woman smiled faintly. “Sect Master, you jest. You know full well the might of the Dragon Ancestor. How could our elder, trapped in the Abyss, ever compare to him? However…”

She paused, her lips curling into a subtle smile, but did not continue, instead gazing at Kunyuanzi.

“What is it?” Kunyuanzi asked coldly.

She laughed softly. “But Sect Master, do not forget—when the old dragon last erupted in fury, that was when your human race saw its first great rise. The peerless Emperor Wuchen appeared then and nearly exterminated our demon sovereigns. This is your race’s opportunity.”

Kunyuanzi’s expression grew colder. “Indeed, but that one nearly destroyed the human race, too!”

He snorted. “And am I even human anymore? Speak—what exactly are you planning?”

The woman’s smile only brightened. “Surely you already know, Sect Master. I simply wish to stir chaos in the Eastern Lands.”

“This time, with such commotion caused by the Dragon Ancestor, either a peerless figure or a great treasure will surely emerge. If another like Wuchen appears, I hope we can eliminate them in the cradle. And if the old dragon, feeling his end near, seeks to purge the demonic aura one last time, a supreme treasure must be about to surface. We can seize the chance to throw the human race into turmoil as well.”

Kunyuanzi’s brow furrowed. “From what we’ve gleaned over the years from the Abyss of Fallen Dragons, the Dragon Ancestor still has enough strength to suppress the demons. That means a disciple worthy of his attention may have emerged.”

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“That makes it simple,” said the man with the folding fan. “We just need our disciples to investigate whom the Dragon Ancestor met with at the end. Once we know, we can dispose of every last one of them—problem solved.”

Kunyuanzi nodded in agreement.

But the woman shook her head. “Wouldn’t that waste the opportunity presented by this outbreak of demonic aura? The old dragon possesses many treasures. Why not spread some rumors and sow greater chaos?”

“What rumors do you mean?” Kunyuanzi asked coldly.

“The Yin-Yang Wheel and the Heaven-Scorching Cauldron,” the woman replied, her gaze sharpening.

Kunyuanzi and the man with the folding fan exchanged a startled glance but said nothing.

“If we are to cause an uproar, let it be a grand one,” she continued. “Besides, many among your human cultivators believe those two legendary treasures are in the old dragon’s possession deep in the Abyss. Spread the word, and people will believe it.”

Kunyuanzi and the man with the fan frowned deeply, but neither spoke. If this rumor spread, the Eastern Lands would be thrown into unprecedented chaos. Even cultivators from the six great sects of the Central Continent—Three Mountains, Two Sects, and the Imperial King—might flock here. It could well herald a new era for the Eastern Lands.

“Well? Are you two afraid?” the woman asked with a sweet smile. Seeing their hesitation, she pressed on, “Since you’ve both joined my demon clan, how can you hope to attain supreme status without a ruthless heart? Or must I have your masters speak with you instead?”

Kunyuanzi’s frown deepened. “No need to invoke my master. My concern isn’t the human race, but rather that if Kaiyuan Sect is implicated in this and our secrets are exposed, our foundation of tens of thousands of years will be lost.”

But faced with the woman’s cold smile, he sighed at last and said to Qian Yuanzi, “Just do as Lady Hong says. Select only the most trustworthy subordinates, and do not reveal any sect secrets.”

The horse-faced man accepted the order and turned to leave.

“Wait,” the man with the folding fan called out, “I heard Song Yuxuan went to the Abyss of Fallen Dragons. Find out why she went there for me.”

The horse-faced man paused, nodded, and departed.

“Still can’t let go of your old flame?” the veiled woman teased, her eyes full of laughter.

He snorted, “It’s not that I can’t let go—it’s hatred. My downfall is all her doing. If I don’t avenge this, it will hinder my cultivation path forever.”

She laughed. “All the better. If we get the chance, let’s make things difficult for the Tianxuan Sect, shall we?” With that, she stepped slowly toward him, her eyes brimming with seductive intent.

The man’s face twitched, but at last he snorted, flung his sleeve, and strode out, ignoring her.

Kunyuanzi also gave a cold snort. “Lady Hong, it’s best you restrain yourself within the Kaiyuan Sect, lest things turn unpleasant for all.”

With that, he turned and left without another glance at the veiled woman.

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A cold smile flickered in the veiled woman's eyes. “How interesting…”

…

Within the Tianxuan Sect, several elders gathered anxiously in the sect leader’s hall, pacing about like ants on a hot griddle.

“What’s going on with little junior sister? She returned after less than a day, locked herself away, and won’t respond to any of us. It’s really worrying,” Song Yuxin complained helplessly.

“Exactly. What’s happening in the Abyss of Fallen Dragons? We can’t let our son-in-law come to harm,” Song Yuchen added.

Wen Xuan said, “Since junior sister refuses to speak, we’ll have to rely on ourselves. I’ll make another trip there.”

Song Yuchen and his wife exchanged glances with Gai Nie and finally nodded in agreement. Of all in the sect, Wen Xuan was the most suitable—being the strongest artifact refiner, rich in treasures. Besides the sect leader Song Yu and junior sister Song Yuxuan, he was certainly the best candidate.

“Senior Wen, you must bring back our son-in-law,” Gai Nie urged. “I’ve used immortal pills to nurse him for over a year. I can’t let anything happen to him.”

Wen Xuan nodded and immediately set out from the Tianxuan Sect, heading for the Abyss of Fallen Dragons.

Elsewhere, another figure was also making for the Abyss. It was none other than Mo Bufan’s master, Song Yuxuan’s elder brother, Ge Qingyang.

…

At this moment, Mo Bufan trudged onward, carrying the little fire lynx and the orange cat, searching for the one who had slain the mother lynx.

This time, Mo Bufan was truly consumed by rage. He could not banish from his mind the pitiful sight of the wise, humble mother lynx. He recalled that the site of her death was far from where the little lynx had been found, clearly an attempt to lure the enemy away and protect her offspring.

So every time the little lynx rubbed against him, yowling plaintively, guilt stabbed at Mo Bufan’s heart.

As he walked, the orange cat in his basket suddenly leapt onto his shoulder, eyes alert as it scanned their surroundings.

Startled, Mo Bufan activated his Dao sense. At once, the fluctuations of spiritual energy around him became crystal clear.

In that instant, Mo Bufan keenly sensed several anomalous waves of spiritual energy. He barked coldly, “Who’s there? Show yourselves!”