Chapter 1196 - 737: The Black Demon Tower, Scheming in the Shadows (Part 2)
Chapter 1196: Chapter 737: The Black Demon Tower, Scheming in the Shadows (Part 2)
Yu Jian saw the emblem on the clothing of the desiccated corpse on the ground and immediately recognized their identity.
"The aura of this Demonic Qi, it should be the work of those from the Black and White Temple," Qing Xii also said.
"The person leading Luoyun Sect this time is a Supreme Elder within their Sect, also possessing the cultivation of the Eight Tribulations of Primordial Spirit, and yet died so easily. Since when has Demon Slaughter Mountain acquired such strength?"
Yu Jian squatted before the corpse of the elderly man in extravagant clothes, observing his shriveled head still emitting black smoke, filled with confusion.
"Could it be that Demon Slaughter Mountain has made a breakthrough, stepping into the realm of Nine Tribulations?" Qing Xii’s heart stirred.
"It’s unlikely," Yu Jian shook his head. "With his arrogance, if he had truly broken through to Nine Tribulations, he would have already come over to find trouble with us, rather than targeting the people of Luoyun Sect."
"Then perhaps he has obtained a powerful magical treasure, allowing his strength to soar significantly. Previously, those from Immortal Domain mentioned that Demon Slaughter Mountain defeated them using a fearsome Demon Treasure," Qing Xii continued to speculate.
"That very well could be the case," Yu Jian nodded slightly. "Whether this Demon Treasure was given to him by the Black and White Temple, or he obtained it from this secret realm, remains unknown."
"Regardless of how it was obtained, Demon Slaughter Mountain must have his own purpose in doing this, and it may not be merely for seizing treasures. Brother Yu Jian, how should we respond?"
Yu Jian thought for a moment, then said, "There are still a few years until the opening of the Immortal Palace, yet Demon Slaughter Mountain is restless, surely with some unspeakable purpose. We must find a way to uncover it."
"Brother’s intention is..."
"Simple, a fight with him will reveal everything," Yu Jian chuckled. "When Demon Slaughter Mountain tried to capture that Five Tribulations cultivator earlier, he was so enraged yet did not use the treasure.
Clearly, he still doesn’t wish to fully expose this trump card to others.
Since that’s the case, we’ll just fight him once to see what exactly this Demon Treasure is."
"About to make a move against the Black and White Temple, yes, I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time!"
Qing Xii, upon hearing, immediately felt invigorated.
She was never afraid of people like Demon Slaughter Mountain, and now with the alliance of two Sects, there was no reason for hesitation.
"However, this must be carefully planned out, strike at the weakest point. If we decide to act, we must ensure they are severely hurt, and even if we can’t kill Demon Slaughter Mountain, we must find a way to weaken the Black and White Temple’s strength."
Yu Jian said with a cold gaze.
He was resolute and decisive; once he decided to act, it would be with thunderous means.
"I’ll follow Brother’s lead," Qing Xii immediately said.
In the time that followed, Yu Jian and the others began to secretly search for people from the Black and White Temple within the secret realm.
Yet strangely, the other party seemed to have guessed their thoughts.
After slaughtering the people from Luoyun Sect, they retreated into a large palace, never coming out again.
Even when Yu Jian took people to provoke them with insults, the people from the Black and White Temple still holed themselves up inside.
They uncharacteristically refrained from responding, and no one even came out to respond.
Only a terrifying Demonic Qi, akin to an ancient behemoth, lurked inside.
Seemingly waiting for them to enter, to devour everyone whole.
The fearsome aura of the Demonic Qi made even Yu Jian and Qing Xii, cultivators with Eight Tribulations of Primordial Spirit, feel a stab of anxiety.
Such strange circumstances caused a flicker of unease in Yu Jian’s heart.
But with an unclear situation, he dared not lead people into that palace recklessly.
After all, due to the restriction’s light screen, the opening was only wide enough for one or two people to pass through simultaneously.
If the opponent had set an ambush inside, his people might not be able to fully enter before being caught like turtles in a jar.
So although there were two Eight Tribulations of Primordial Spirit on their side, Yu Jian ultimately chose not to take the risk.
He remembered that the Sword Master said, opportunity is important, but preserving oneself is most important.
Since he brought his fellow cultivators into the secret realm, he naturally wanted to ensure their safety as much as possible.
After careful consideration, Yu Jian finally led his group to retreat.
According to the records left in the Jade Scroll by the ancestors, there are only a few years left before the opening of the Immortal Palace.
Once the Immortal Palace opens, people from the Black and White Temple will surely emerge.
By then, they will naturally know what Demon Slaughter Mountain is plotting.
With the retreat of Yu Jian and the others, the secret realm returned to tranquility.
However, the news of the Luoyun Sect’s complete annihilation by the Black and White Temple soon spread quickly.
Shortly afterward, all forces within the Returning Ruins Secret Realm learned of the incident.
This caused many weaker forces compared to the Black and White Temple to become tense, preparing defenses in fear of being targeted by Demon Slaughter Mountain.
Some forces even directly approached Yu Jian’s group, expressing a desire to form an alliance.
To this, Yu Jian naturally did not agree.
He knew very well that none of these forces were easy to deal with; each one cunning.
Openly proposing an alliance, but actually wanting to use them as pawns, perhaps.
Seeing Yu Jian unwilling to team up, those weaker forces devised other strategies.
They decided to camp outside the grand hall where Yu Jian and the others resided.
If the people from the Black and White Temple attacked them, Yu Jian’s side wouldn’t sit idly by.
Though Yu Jian found their approach somewhat speechless, he still implicitly permitted it.
On the contrary, if Demon Slaughter Mountain dared to come over, it would be exactly as he wished.
However, to everyone’s surprise, despite the commotion outside, the Black and White Temple remained unresponsive.
After massacring those from Luoyun Sect, they seemed to have calmed down, merely lurking in that grand hall, never showing up again.
Only the faint, terrifying aura of Demonic Qi continued brewing within.
Thus, under a strangely mysterious atmosphere, several years passed within the secret realm.
Bang!
On this day, in a remote palace at the fringe of the Immortal Palace’s outer area, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted, yet was quickly concealed by a wave, going unnoticed by others.
"Clan Leader, have you accomplished a great success?"
Inside the remote palace, an elder spoke excitedly.
"Indeed, I have completely consolidated my cultivation at the Nine Tribulations of Primordial Spirit; now, within the Returning Ruins Secret Realm, no one will be my match!"
The middle-aged man in the purple Dragon Robe nodded proudly, his eyes full of confidence.
Upon hearing this, the other great Immortal Clan powerhouses maintaining the Array also showed signs of excitement on their faces.
The Clan Leader’s consolidation of the Nine Tribulations of Primordial Spirit not only greatly enhances their grasp in seizing opportunities within the Returning Ruins Secret Realm.
But when returning, can stabilize the situation and restore the Immortal Clan’s glory.
"Of course, Clan Leader, you are a Nine Tribulations of Primordial Spirit; even the direct lineages of the several major sects would not be a match for you!"
The elder repeatedly echoed, his excitement impossible to suppress.
These words naturally pleased the middle-aged man in the purple Dragon Robe.
He quickly returned to a composed state, asking, "By the way, in the years I’ve been in seclusion, has anything happened outside?"
"In recent years, indeed, some incidents have occurred in the secret realm..."
The elder listened and promptly recounted recent events within the secret realm.
Though most of them were maintaining the Big Array and helping the Clan Leader conceal his aura in these years.
They were not completely ignorant of all matters within the secret realm.
They still sent clan members out to explore through certain connections.
"You’re saying, the people from the Black and White Temple made several moves, wiped out two forces, and then hid away?"
The middle-aged man in the purple Dragon Robe, after hearing the elder’s account, showed a glimmer of thought.
"Exactly, now many forces believe that Demon Slaughter Mountain is probably cultivating some Secret Technique, and upon his emergence, he might become even stronger, possibly stepping into the Nine Tribulations of Primordial Spirit," the elder said.
"Hmph, the ninth tribulation is by no means easy to surpass. Whatever Demon Slaughter Mountain plans, when he appears, I shall suppress him!"
The middle-aged man in the purple Dragon Robe sneered coldly.