Immortal Road.

The void beyond the heavens.

Two figures sat cross-legged facing each other, and they had been sitting there silently for an unknown period of time.

They would fight every few days along the way, and both sides were already familiar with each other's methods. They had no secrets from each other, and neither could do anything to the other.

"coming."

The Azure Lotus Fairy suddenly opened her eyes, a gentle smile appearing on her elegant face, as if she were talking to herself, or perhaps having a conversation with someone from afar.

Layman Jinglian's ears twitched slightly, as if he knew everything, and then he sighed silently.

"You've won this round. I suppose that backup plan was prepared about six months ago, right?"

"Not only that, it started ten years ago."

A moment of silence fell over the room.

The lay Buddhist Jinglian had a bitter face, with thick wrinkles forming layers of fine waves on his brows, and deep brown spots scattered around him; his eyes were full of helplessness.

"If we were in the Upper Realm, you wouldn't be my match. It's a pity that the Nascent Soul stage is a shallow realm, with only so much to offer. At its peak, you can only exert limited strength. We've already reached the pinnacle of the Lower Realm."

"That's why we need quantity over quality, isn't it?"

The Azure Lotus Fairy did not refute, but instead clapped her hands with a smile.

Soon, a large number of figures emerged from behind, and amidst the ripples in the space, one after another, Nascent Soul stage cultivators arrived in front.

"Your Majesty, your subordinates have arrived beyond the heavens with their men and await your instructions!"

Protector Feng stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and his expression was slightly sorrowful as he reported the news.

"You've worked hard. What's wrong with your complexion?"

The Fairy Qinglian greeted him with concern, her former aggressive demeanor replaced by a gentle and warm demeanor.

"Your Majesty, the Holy Maiden did not come out with us."

He briefly recounted the process of escaping from Blackwater Cliff, including the sudden arrival of Lin Shan and others, and the story of the old demon taking away and throwing away the Sky-Soaring Rope. He described it all in detail.

"What Fellow Daoist Scattered Demon did was right."

Fairy Qinglian immediately affirmed the old demon's decision and patted Protector Feng on the shoulder with a smile.

“You have been following me for hundreds of years, but your indecisiveness remains unchanged. That is why I have granted Fellow Daoist of the Scattered Demon the authority to adapt to changing circumstances.”

"What? He received your instructions?"

Protector Feng suddenly looked up, his eyes widening in surprise.

The Azure Lotus Fairy nodded, glanced at the many Nascent Soul stage cultivators behind her, and showed no grief, as if it were insignificant that You Meiji had been abandoned.

"The Holy Maiden died a worthy death, and has fulfilled her mission. After this battle is won, I will seek out the Ancient Master to settle accounts and avenge her!"

Everyone bowed their heads in agreement.

At this moment, the lay Buddhist Jinglian on the opposite side saw this, but only watched from a distance and did not run away.

Since he was a celestial inspector sent down from the upper realm to capture criminals, how could a duty officer allow a fugitive to run away when he was carrying out an arrest?
Moreover, both sides have reached their limits in cultivation, and neither will make any further progress. Even if they escape, they will not be able to surpass the other, let alone have any chance to make a comeback!
This world is only so big, where can he run to?
"We've been talking for so long, can we make our move now?"

The Azure Lotus Fairy nodded, stood up, and with a flick of her skirt, her resolute and stern words left no room for doubt.

"Everyone, listen to my command! Send Fellow Daoist Jinglian on her way!"

"Yes!"

On the shores of the East China Sea lies the sacred land of Penglai.

Palaces are nestled on the mountainside, creating a bustling and crowded sacred realm of immortals. Countless disciples in white robes come and go, carrying copper pots and plates, serving delicious food like a flowing stream.

Two rows of people sat in the hall, forming a lavish and grand banquet, where all those seated were Nascent Soul stage cultivators and great supernatural beings!
The leader was none other than the Holy Lord of Penglai.

He was all smiles as he raised his glass to toast the people below.

"Hehe, the success of this campaign to eliminate those rebels on the mainland is inseparable from your strong support. I, the Holy Lord, sincerely toast to you all!"

"Hahaha, easy to talk about."

"Come on, do it!"

"Hmm~ Fine wine, could this be the legendary Penglai Immortal Wine?"

"Haha, that's right. Last ten thousand years ago, Ancestor Zangyan specially ordered people to bury it, just to reward our sea clan allies ten thousand years later. How does it taste?"

"Excellent, excellent, truly a rare find!"

On the field, the sea creatures in their primordial spirit stage were having a great time, drinking and laughing heartily. Beautiful clam women were serving them wine, while court musicians from the turtle and crab tribes played and sang. Behind the screens around them, eel women danced gracefully!
That’s right.

Although Penglai is inhabited by humans, it has raised a large number of subordinate ethnic groups. These groups are not sea people, but are descendants of humans and sea people.

They can be called the 'Sea People'!
Equivalent to the alien race on the mainland.

Over tens of thousands of years, the various tribes of the Sea People have also developed, with the survival of the fittest spreading out and gradually becoming a significant force in the underwater world of the East Sea.

Of the eighteen primordial spirits on the field, six were from the Sea People!
They usually hid deep in the East Sea, just like other sea creatures, and never interfered in the grudges and disputes on the mainland. They were kept hidden by Penglai until the end of the Wanhui year.

He will only emerge from the mountain when the battle between the true immortals is in full swing and the dust is about to settle!

The other twelve are the native sea spirits of the East China Sea. This time, at the invitation of Penglai, they are giving a fierce counterattack to the opponents who dared to attack the mountain gate last time!
"Ancestor Zangyan is truly a genius of Penglai. In the last Wanhui era, he plundered the world and seized so much wealth and resources that Penglai was able to flourish ten thousand years later! With such a lineup, even the two True Immortals who are stuck in this world could probably meet him!"

An elderly man with dark skin and two fleshy hairs on his head couldn't help but sigh. Looking at the crowd gathered in the arena, he felt a surge of emotion and was filled with emotion.

"Hey, Electric Eel Ancestor, you flatter me."

The Holy Lord of Penglai put down his wine cup and leisurely cast his gaze toward the heavens, as if he could see a war that would determine the future of this world.

"The influence of these two immortals is unmatched by us. In any case, they have no ambition to dominate and are only staying in the mortal realm temporarily. There is no need to cause any conflict."

"Hahaha, I was just saying that, of course I know that."

The electric eel ancestor casually mentioned something, and it seemed he had been holding a grudge about it.

"During the last full-scale attack on the Fallen Pine Mountains, a chicken from the Peacock Royal Family killed my youngest son, Venerable Thunder Eel. I wonder if the human race has investigated and found out where it went afterward?"

This remark immediately drew a burst of laughter from the audience!

Those powerful beings were alright; they dared to laugh but dared not speak out. But the old monsters in the Nascent Soul stage didn't have that concern!

"Oh? Electric Eel, what were you just saying? Your youngest son, who calls himself the number one genius of the East China Sea, was killed by a chicken?"

"Hahaha, this is the best joke I've ever heard! The mighty Thunder Eel Clan has actually been defeated by a mere chicken from the continental demon race. It's utterly disgraceful to my sea race!"

"That little chick, I could crush its eggs with one hand. Your son is such a good-for-nothing!"

"Hey, if I remember correctly, you lost one of your Yuan Nian avatars in the Fallen Pine Mountains last time. You didn't fall into the hands of that chicken, did you?"

Well, that's really bad! They've brought up the very thing they didn't want to talk about!
The Electric Eel Ancestor was furious and slammed his fist on the table. "That's because I wasn't prepared for its sneak attack, and besides, my true form is inherently disadvantageous to my avatar. Next time, if I go in my real form, I'll definitely show that chicken what a real eel is!"

"Cough cough~"

The Holy Lord of Penglai coughed awkwardly twice and pressed his hands down to signal everyone to stop arguing.

"This Holy Lord naturally knows that you are a true eel, but you may not know about that chicken. According to my subsequent investigation of the origins of this demon, it was discovered in Zangke County in the southern border of the Great Song Dynasty that it was very likely not oviparous, but rather transformed from a drop of chicken blood that flowed out of the ancient immortal realm in ancient times."

"What???"

Everyone on the field was shocked when they heard the news!

"A single drop of chicken blood, how could it be so terrifying?"

"To be precise, it is a drop of chicken blood from the current true spirit of the Celestial Court, the Commander of the Morning Star, and the Pleiades Star Lord."

The Holy Lord of Penglai was not joking, but solemnly introduced the background to everyone, saying, "Stop making those silly little chick noises. Even chickens have a heavenly spirit background!"

The Pleiades Star Lord, a renowned figure throughout the heavens and myriad realms!
You think this is just a joke?

“I recently communicated with the ancestor of the upper realm and heard that the Pleiades Star Lord seems to have had good fortune in the Heavenly Court. He spent a lot of money to curry favor with a big shot in the court and was promoted from the Morning Messenger to the Morning Commandant, which is a high-ranking official with a salary equivalent to two thousand shi!”

The members of the Primordial Spirit stage looked at each other in bewilderment.

They were all uncouth men from the lower realms; how could they know anything about the affairs of the celestial court?

A rank equivalent to two thousand shi (a unit of grain)?
Two thousand shi of what kind of food is given for a chicken? It can't be grains, can it?
"Ahem, the 'stone' here means exactly what it sounds like—two thousand immortal stones."

The Holy Lord of Penglai explained to them the salary system of the Celestial Court and the income of high-ranking officials, but most of it was hearsay and they should just take it as a joke.

In reality, the gap between these people and the lofty true spirits is enormous, like heaven and earth.

"So what the patriarch of Penglai in the upper realm meant was that it was fine to kill or torture others as one pleased, but it was best not to offend that chicken. If we could capture it alive and escort it to ascension, we would have some protection in the immortal realm in the future, and have a powerful backer from the imperial court!"

"."

This makes things clearer.

The ancestral master from the upper realm specifically instructed that the chicken must not be touched!

The reason why the Holy Lord of Penglai did not keep this news to himself but chose to openly share it with all his allies is clearly because he is not afraid that they will steal the credit when they ascend to heaven in the future. Even if he wanted to send this chicken to the Heavenly Court, he would not be able to do so without connections.

So in the end, after all the twists and turns, it was still the one that the patriarch of the Penglai Upper Realm had personally designated as his possession.

The Electric Eel Ancestor was now deflated. It seemed he had no chance to prove whether he was a real eel. He had ruined the grand plan of the Penglai Ancestor in the Upper Realm. Even ten lives wouldn't be enough to repay him.

"Alright, let's talk about other things."

At this moment, the first person to speak was a white-faced, bald old man. He seemed to be very prestigious, and his words implied that he was on par with the Holy Lord of Penglai.

"Ancestor White Whale, please speak."

"This time we've crippled the Red Lotus Ancestor and the Demon Dog Lord, removing two thorns in our side. What are the Holy Lord's plans next? When will we attack the Ancient Search Sect in Lu Kingdom? Is there a plan?"

Upon hearing this, the Holy Lord of Penglai smiled but did not answer the question. Instead, he looked to his side.

"Elder Shenxi, when do you think it would be appropriate for us to attack the Xun Gu Sect?"

The rhinoceros demon, who was engrossed in eating and drinking, was suddenly called out. He felt a jolt in his heart, but he calmly raised his head.

"ask me?"

"if not?"

All eyes turned to him, their gazes carrying a mixture of different opinions.

The rhinoceros pondered the meaning behind the Penglai Holy Lord's words, and then feigned ignorance, saying:
"The battle between the two True Immortal factions has reached a critical moment. The main fighting force of this realm is concentrated in the southwest of the continent, which is the perfect time for us to send troops. Why don't we set out now?"

"it is good!!!"

The Holy Lord of Penglai followed closely behind with a loud shout, startling everyone. He then continued with even more shocking remarks.

"Then let Elder Shenxi lead the vanguard to conquer the Ghost Valley Holy Land and cut off one of the wing of the Xun Gu Sect Leader, how about that?"

"Ah, this"

The rhinoceros demon was shocked. He hadn't expected that what he said would come true. The other side was actually going to send troops at this moment.

"What's wrong, Elder? Is there something troubling you?"

Faced with the test from the Holy Lord of Penglai, the rhinoceros's heart tightened.

It knew that it had only been a short time since it arrived, and although it had managed to fool the Demon Dog Lord, it still hadn't gained Penglai's complete trust due to Shui Lingchuan's repeated failures.

One wrong step and you'll be exposed, which could lead to utter ruin!

"No, I'll take the order right away."

After saying that, he waited silently in his heart. When he got back, he quickly sent a message to the Xun Gu Sect. He just didn't know if Lin Shan could handle this crisis. After all, it seemed that Penglai was going to get serious!
"Fellow Daoist Silent Extinction, are you sure we can escape from here?"

Inside Blackwater Cliff, the Immortal Envoys' camp fled in disarray, descending through the tunnels, leaving countless dead and wounded behind them. As the spatial storm surged and poured in, they scrambled and rolled in a panic!
They are racing against time, and countless people are falling every moment!

The Annihilation Avatar led the way, appearing completely at ease, as if it knew the route like the back of its hand.

"To be honest, during the battle at Tenjou-in, I deliberately didn't kill all the people around the Xun Gu Sect Leader. I left tracking devices on them so they could lead us out!"

"As the third-ranked expert of the Black Lotus Sect, the Ancient Seeker is sharp-witted and cunning as a fox. He definitely has a way to escape!"

"As long as we can stay close to them and follow them, maybe when we get out, the Immortal Envoy will be able to hold on against the Black Lotus camp's siege. Then we'll be the ones to turn the tide!"

The Holy Lord of Vastness and the Sword Daoist couldn't help but sigh after hearing this.

This guy really hid himself well before, keeping a low profile until the very last moment. If it weren't for a life-or-death situation, how long would he have kept hiding?
"Fellow Daoist Nirvana is really making us anxious! If you were so confident, why didn't you say so sooner!"

"Hahaha, I knew our Immortal Envoy camp was full of talented people. Fellow Daoist Jiemie has saved so many lives this time, he probably deserves the most credit."

Even the demon clan's Scorpion Venerable couldn't help but praise him. At this moment, everyone was relying on him to lead the way, so naturally, they all showered him with compliments.

The Nirvana Avatar descended along the path opened up by the Forest Mountain Incarnation.

First, it descends from the Earth's surface to the crust, then from the crust to the mantle, then from the mantle to the mantle flow layer, and finally from the mantle flow layer to the edge of the Earth's core!
The black reeds burned fiercely, blocking their path.

"This is the infamous Karmic Fire, transformed from Earthly Fiends and Dead Pit. It gathers at the boundary between the mantle and the lower layers to protect the Earth's core. Once it gets on you, you'll probably never be able to get rid of it for the rest of your life!"

Someone recognized the fire and became extremely anxious.

"It's alright. Although this fire is powerful, it is not insurmountable."

The Annihilation Avatar took out a handful of fire seeds and distributed them to everyone, teaching them how to activate them. Soon, a layer of blue fire enveloped each person.

"Is this a sixth-tier spirit fire?"

Everyone's faces lit up with joy. Without even offering thanks, they leaped into the black reed fire, the spatial storm following closely behind, engulfing the area in the blink of an eye! (End of Chapter)