Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 587 Blood River Reflects the Profound Law, Jade Palace Formulates Strategy to Stabilize the Eastern Heaven (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

"To use this method of replacing inferior horses with middle-grade horses on your own sect leader, I truly pity you!"

Wugu Tu's magical power was far superior to Lu Cheng's. Although he had suffered great losses in the continuous bloody battles, he was extremely decisive and had cultivated his Blood Fiend Heart-Eating Demon Art to an incredible level.

The Blood River Banner was severely weakened by Lu Cheng's sword strike from the west, which cleaved the Spirit Pivot across thousands of miles of space, greatly reducing its power and significantly decreasing its binding force on the Demon Lord.

Although the Blood River Flag is two realms higher than the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Flying Sword, it is not a spiritual treasure that wins by its material.

The Five Elements Heavenly Escape Flying Sword was made of a material that was almost as sharp as a ninth-order flying sword. With the added enhancement of the Golden Rainbow Piercing the Sun Sword Style, it naturally caused great damage to it.

Wugu Tu was both shocked and furious. He forcibly suppressed the backlash of his cultivation, his eyes flashing with fierce light. He suddenly bit his tongue and spat a mouthful of his life essence blood onto the banner.

"A boundless sea of ​​blood, burying immortals and destroying the Dao!"

Boom!

The Blood River Banner, which had been weakened by the attack, was stimulated by this and its blood-red light surged wildly once again!
Blood flows across a thousand mountains, yet it refuses to cease; I will tear the heavens down with it!

The flag was fully unfurled, as if it were about to devour the entire sky!

The chaotic blood river was no longer a vortex solely for dealing with the demon lord; instead, it transformed into a raging torrent of turbid waves, carrying a terrifying aura that corrupted all laws and dissolved all things, crashing down upon Lu Cheng and his companions.

Before the blood wave arrived, the nauseating stench of blood and decay had already swept over the area, causing the surrounding space to hiss and crackle as if the end of the world had come.

The red crow, carrying blood, and the turbid clouds obscuring the sky, lacked both the grandeur of illuminating the eight directions and the righteousness of cleansing the nine netherworlds. Only the dark sun and evil flames splashed and dyed the sky, washing the heavens with blood!
Wugu Tu's Blood Fiend Heart-Eating Demon Art and the Blood River Flag are perfectly combined, and the two amplify each other, enabling them to unleash extremely terrifying power!

This is still within the Chi Mo army, inside the Blood Fiend Heart-Corroding Formation. If Wu Gu Tu really manages to turn the tide, he might be able to force the four members of the Tai Qing Sect to a crushing defeat and retreat.

Faced with the power of this tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact, capable of annihilating an ordinary Mahayana cultivator, Lu Cheng showed no fear whatsoever. Instead of retreating, he took a step forward!
The three Dao Lords, Mingque, Minghe, and Tongzhen, each formed hand seals, and a beam of clear light shot up from above their heads, transforming into a giant umbrella condensed from pure Daoist intent, temporarily resisting the erosion of the filthy blood energy.

Lu Cheng made a hand seal with his left hand, and a clear light shot up from the top of his head, which transformed into forty-four faint and enormous ancient god and demon phantoms of light!

It merged into the giant umbrella condensed with the pure Daoist intent, greatly increasing its ability to resist the corrosive influence of the filthy blood.

Then, the Taoist opened his right hand with five fingers spread, and the five elements flying swords, which looked like glass, swirled around his body. Then he clenched his five fingers into a fist!
The fist techniques are ancient, pure, and profound, encompassing all things!

This punch did not stir up wind or thunder, nor did it unleash any brilliance; it was as if the most primal and authentic power was gathering before being unleashed.

However, the space within a radius of a hundred feet centered on Lu City suddenly collapsed and compressed inward!
It was as if an invisible hand had solidified this space! An indescribable will of "force," originating from the very beginning of creation, quietly spread out—the Great Dao of Innate Force!
It is one of the three thousand Great Daos of Heaven and Earth, and one of the most powerful Dao principles.

The only things that can be compared to this are the extremely few principles of Tao such as Tai Chi, creation, destruction, and slaughter, but almost no one in the world chooses to study and comprehend these principles.

Because the Great Dao of Innate Power is both extremely pure and extremely complex, cultivating this Dao requires the cultivator to possess many or many other Dao principles as assistance in order to converge into the Great Dao of Innate Power.

Lu Cheng was able to cultivate this path because he practiced the Taoist Transformation and Ascension Technique, which incorporated the blood of various true spirits and demons into his body, thus containing many profound Taoist principles.

Even so, comprehension is comprehension, and magical power is magical power. With Lu Cheng's current level of magical body, it is absolutely impossible for him to be stronger than Wu Gu Tu's full-force attack, which was wielded with the Blood River Banner and aided by the Chi Mo Demon Army.

"Overestimating oneself!?"

Wugu Tu was well aware of this, and he increased his magical power, intending to completely drag the brilliant young sect leader of Taiqing Sect into the blood river and kill a promising cultivator of Taiqing Sect.

However, Lu Cheng's gaze was not completely fixed on Wugu Tu. Instead, with a mysterious sense, he inexplicably looked down at the "calamity demon" who was breaking free from the blood river's restraints and who also dominated with unparalleled magical power!
Within the Taoist's eyes, a faint golden-red flame flickered.

"That's right. To integrate the magical power of all cultivators in the entire Heavenly Creation City into one as perfectly as possible, what other convenient method is there besides the Great Dao of Innate Power?"

However, despite the full power of the Heavenly Creation City, very few cultivators have reached a high level in mastering this method, resulting in its current incongruous and hybrid state.

Lu Cheng's fiery eyes could see that the core of the demon below was chaotic and disordered, with magic power running wild, but it also contained a trace of the original "law of power"!

It must have been created by cultivators of the Heavenly Creation City who, over the past tens of thousands of years, cultivated the laws of power and poured their life's insights into some kind of treasure, piling it up in quantity. It barely serves as a central hub, yet it is still chaotic and disordered.

If Lu Cheng cultivates the Great Dao of Innate Power, then the monstrous demon below is forcibly cultivating the Great Dao of Acquired Power.

Just as Lu Cheng's fist force reached its peak, and tiny cracks began to appear in the space in front of his fist:
"Roar!!!"

The chaotic, monstrous demons below seemed to sense the ultimate convergence and guidance of some kind of power from the same source!
Within its massive body, the chaotic fragments of the laws of force were briefly "sorted out" and "ignited" under the stimulation of Lu Cheng's supremely pure and refined innate power!
"Hoohoho!"

With a roar more ferocious and maniacal than any before, the Demon Lord's massive right arm, composed of countless twisted metal fragments, debris, and flesh, suddenly rose and pointed in the direction Lu Cheng's fist was pointing:

It was Wugu Tu, who was fully activating the Blood River Banner, confronting Lu Cheng head-on, and concentrating his entire being, that unleashed a fierce attack!
Wugu Tu never dreamed that such an unbelievable thing would happen.

This punch from the Calamity Demon was no longer a chaotic and disorderly instinctive struggle, but rather a strike that was briefly "taught" by Lu Cheng's fist intent, condensing the immense yet mixed pure power of heaven and earth within the Calamity Demon's body!
A dark red, destructive fist aura, over a hundred feet in diameter and condensed like a chaotic crystal pillar, struck first despite being delayed, tearing through space and crashing out!

Wherever it passed, even the filthy, chaotic blood river was forcibly pushed aside and dissolved.

At this moment, it's as if time and space have shifted, and the scene before us has reappeared!
When Wugu Tu was fully refining the monstrous demon that brought disaster to the world, he was wounded by Lu Cheng's sword coming from the west.

When Wugu Tu temporarily suppressed the evil demon and focused all his efforts on fighting the four from Taiqing Sect, he was punched hard by the evil demon behind him.

Lu Cheng's ancient punch, which condensed the true meaning of the Great Dao of Innate Power, and the Demon Lord's destructive fist energy, which condensed endless and mixed heaven and earth energy, under the mysterious guidance of Lu Cheng's Dharma Intent, actually formed a kind of indescribable "resonance" and "overlap" in the void!
Although they did not actually merge, their attack trajectory, locked targets, and the essence of the "force" they contained achieved an unprecedented unity in an instant!

Wugu Tu was fully activating the Blood River Banner, with most of his mental energy and magical power drawn to Lu Cheng. He never expected that the greatest attack would come from the Demon Lord below, whom he considered his prey!

Even more unexpectedly, Lu Cheng was able to borrow the power of this terrifying demon using his own Great Dao!
"This is outrageous!?" He only had time to let out a roar that was a mixture of horror and disbelief.

The next moment!
Bang------!!!
A deafening roar erupted, a sound beyond description!
That chaotic, pillar-like destructive fist strike landed squarely on the blood-red light that Wugu Tu had hastily transformed from the Blood River Banner itself!
Under the impact of the immense magical power, time seemed to freeze for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, a visible shockwave, composed purely of magical energy and grayish-white in color, exploded outwards from the point of contact!

The protective crimson light formed by the Blood River Banner shattered inch by inch like a fragile eggshell! Countless wailing vengeful spirits on the banner instantly evaporated! The flagpole groaned under the unbearable weight!

"Pfft!" Wugu Tu spat out blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, and half of his demonic body instantly collapsed and shattered!
The Blood River Flag he was holding tightly was actually shaken out of his hand by this unimaginable force!
At that moment, Lu Cheng Dao Ren's fist strike silently pierced through the gap in the defense that had been blasted open by the Demon Lord's punch, and imprinted itself on Wu Gu Tu's battered chest.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a penetrating power of utmost purity and containing the divine and demonic power of the Forty-Four Transformations Mysterious Technique, erupting within Wugu Tu's body like a volcano erupting in an icy sea!

"Ugh!" Wugu Tu let out a miserable howl that was not human. His body flew backward like a tattered sack, his demonic energy dissipated, and his aura plummeted to the bottom in an instant.

Meanwhile, the outcome of the battle on the other side was also decided!
Seeing the situation was dire, the alien powerhouse Mayero, just before Mingque Daojun's continuous and sharp sword threads were about to completely annihilate him, suddenly exploded all the shadow sand, transforming into a dark sand that merged into space, and fled towards the outside of the battlefield without hesitation!

Although he was hired at great expense and a strict contract had been signed in advance, Mayaro certainly had the authority to leave the battlefield and protect himself once the outcome was decided.

Daoist Mingque snorted coldly, but did not pursue. With a flash of his sword, he assisted Minghe and Tongzhen.

The already severely injured Wugu Li, under the strangulation of the ice dragon transformed from the Xuanming True Water of Minghe Daojun and the interference of the Dharma light of the Bahuang Dingyuan Mirror of Tongzhen Daojun, finally could not hold on any longer and was pierced through the brow by a Taiyi Dividing Light Sword Light that had been condensed to the extreme!

His primordial spirit was instantly torn apart and shredded by the sword energy! A generation of Mahayana elder of the Chi Demon Clan perished!

"Wugu Li!"

Having suffered a double blow from Lu Cheng and the Demon Lord, Wugu Tu's physical body was on the verge of collapse and his primordial spirit was severely injured. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, his eyes flashed with incomparable resentment and fear.

Then he suddenly burned his remaining life essence and magic power, transforming into a sticky, filthy blood-red escape light. The speed was extremely fast, leaving a blood trail in the void that lingered for a long time. It was the blood escape secret technique of the Chi Demon Clan!
He didn't even bother to retrieve the Blood River Banner that had flown out of his hand! Preserving his life and preventing the Chi Demon Clan from becoming a race that could be easily exterminated became his only thought at this moment!
Lu Cheng did not give chase. In a flash, he appeared beside the Blood River Banner, which was still buzzing and trembling, exuding a terrifying and fierce aura.

The flag seemed to possess a spirit; its surface swirled, stirring up the screams of countless vengeful spirits, who twisted and struggled, trying to break through the air and fly away.

"Hmph, it's already ownerless, yet it still dares to act so arrogantly?" Lu Cheng remained expressionless, and with a flick of his sleeve, a surge of pure energy containing the domineering power of the Xuan Tian Divine Art and the power of the Five Elements Seal emerged, transforming into layers of chains that instantly enveloped and suppressed the restless Blood River Flag.

If the tenth-tier Blood River Banner were in its prime, even without anyone controlling it, it would possess magical power and supernatural abilities comparable to those of an ordinary Mahayana cultivator. However, at this moment, it had suffered repeated heavy blows, and the banner spirit's shriek was forcibly suppressed back into the banner, gradually diminishing its ferocious power.

The tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact, the Blood River Banner, has changed hands!
This pseudo-immortal artifact contains the Chi Mo clan's research and understanding of the Great Dao of Blood over tens of thousands of years, and is in itself no less than any extraordinary skill or scripture.

Lu Cheng cultivates the Three Treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and studying this treasure will also be of great benefit.

After completely suppressing the Blood River Banner's resistance, Lu Cheng finally turned his gaze downwards.

After unleashing that earth-shattering punch, the monstrous demon seemed to have exhausted all the spirituality it had briefly gained from the enlightenment, plunging back into chaos and violence. Its massive body twisted violently, emitting unintelligible roars. After breaking free from the shackles of the Chaos Blood River, it instinctively continued towards the Western Sea Ruins, completely ignoring Lu Cheng and the others who were relatively close by.

"No...or rather, He already possessed the ability to judge the difference in power between the two sides, and after realizing that it was difficult to devour us, He chose not to make a move."

Like wild animals, they conserve energy by avoiding pointless hunting maneuvers.

As the Calamity Demon continued its advance, the Chi Demon Clan cultivators who had set up a great formation in front of it suffered a great calamity. Their movement speed could not be faster than the Calamity Demon, and they were slaughtered in large numbers before they could dodge.

At the core of His chest, a wildly spinning, bottomless black vortex had now transformed, drawing in all the Chi Demon cultivators within its range and turning them into new flesh and blood to fill His body.

Lu Cheng hovered high in the air, his brows slightly furrowed, gazing at the monster that had merged the inheritance of the Machine God Clan, the pinnacle of human puppetry, and the blood souls of billions of living beings. A trace of solemnity and contemplation flashed in his eyes.

If left unchecked, this thing will surely become a great calamity for the Immortal Realm in the future, but if we act rashly now, it may become a great calamity for the Taiqing Sect...

"Sect Leader, what should we do with this demon?"

At this moment, the three Mahayana Dao Lords, Mingque, Minghe, and Tongzhen, just managed to return in their escape light. They had just gone to hunt down Wugu Tu. Even though they knew they couldn't catch him, it was good to deplete his energy as much as possible, so that they could secure a thousand years of peace for the Taiqing Sect.

It's even more normal that they couldn't catch him. Wugu Tu's cultivation level was much higher than any of the three of them. Now that he was determined to leave, no one could stop him.

"Enough. Fate is always unpredictable. In this world, calamities and misfortunes come one after another. Let's just believe in the wisdom and fortune of future generations."

After a moment's thought, Lu Cheng decided to leave the blame to someone else.

Do not easily get involved in a calamity that you cannot bear. Wugu Tu has a tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifact and a loyal army of Chi Mo. If he had not been caught off guard by the four people from Lu Cheng, he would never have ended up like this today.

Then, Lu Cheng and the other three flew back to the Taiqing Sect. They carried two tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifacts with them. Even if all four Mahayana cultivators were present, it would not be safe. The only safe course of action was to quickly return to the Taiqing Mountain Gate.

…One of the nine sects of the human race, the Eastern Pole Creation Heavenly Palace was destroyed.

However, the Chimo clan that migrated south also suffered heavy losses. From the perspective of the race, the human race even won this battle. After all, the human race has nine sects and thirty-six factions. According to the original deductions of many alien cultivators in the Earth Immortal Realm, the Chimo clan led by Wugu Tu should be far more than this.

However, the westward journey of that monstrous demon quickly attracted the attention of the vast majority of cultivators.

After all, it was a high-level tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifact. Races without pseudo-immortal artifacts wanted to possess it, while races that possessed pseudo-immortal artifacts wanted more, so conflicts naturally arose again.

Meanwhile, in the Taiqing Cave, deep within the sea of ​​clouds.

Deep within the core of the Taiqing Mountain spiritual vein, within the "Xuanyuan Cave Heaven," a secret spiritual cave possessed by successive Taiqing sect leaders, blood energy surges and spiritual tides shift.

Lu Cheng Daoist sat cross-legged on a "stone of emptiness," surrounded by starlight that seemed to echo the Milky Way in the heavens.

In front of him, a blood-red banner floated horizontally: the Blood River Banner, a tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifact and the foundation of the Chi Demon Clan.

The surface of this blood-red flag no longer bore the overwhelming ferocity and filth of the previous battlefield; instead, it had restrained all its brilliance and become calm and ancient.

In that chaotic, blood-red depths, it seemed to contain the most primal life rhythms from the beginning of the universe, yet it was also entangled with the resentment and lamentations of endless years.

With a series of hand gestures, Lu Cheng Dao Ren sent out a wisp of extremely pure Xuan Tian magic power, as fine as silk, cautiously probing the core restriction of the Blood River Flag.

hum-

The crimson banner trembled slightly, and in an instant, the scene before Lu Cheng's eyes changed dramatically!

It was no longer the pure and holy Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, but an endless sea of ​​blood.

Although Lu Cheng saw this, his mind remained unmoved, and he focused his attention on observing.

Countless twisted and struggling souls sank and wailed in the blood waves, including humans, demons, aquatic creatures, and even strange alien races... Their essence and blood were forcibly extracted and merged into this rolling river of blood.

In a daze, Lu Cheng's consciousness surfaced from the sea of ​​blood, and he saw the colorful world once again.

On the banks of the Blood River stands a ferocious and magnificent altar built by the Chi Demon Clan, who commanded countless demon slaves.

Each grand sacrifice involved tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of lives being driven into the altar, slaughtered, and their corpses thrown into the whirlpool of blood. Their flesh and bones dissolved and annihilated, leaving only the most primal and violent life essence to be extracted.

The priest began the ritual with prayers.

The essence of blood cascaded down like a waterfall, pouring into the enormous blood pool beneath the altar. Countless Chi Demon children were submerged within the pool.

Their bodies trembled, their blood roared, and they greedily absorbed the nectar containing the resentment and life force of all spirits.

The young body swelled and grew stronger at a visible speed, and deep in its eyes, the marks of bloodlust and violence took root like seeds, growing wildly with the awakening of power.

This is the rule of the Chi Demon Clan to perpetuate their powerful bloodline: the more powerful the bloodline, the more powerful the newborn child becomes.

As the light and shadow shifted, and Lu Cheng's consciousness deepened, he saw an even more ancient scene:

The Blood River Banner itself was forged by several powerful members of the Chi Demon Clan who joined forces to slaughter billions of living beings in a small world, using the laws of the world and the resentment of all living beings as materials to draw upon the projection of the Chaos Blood River!
With each activation, the flag spirit craved more blood and souls; it was alive, greedy, and a malevolent spirit formed from countless resentments!
"Sacrificing blood to all spirits to nourish oneself... Such a lineage is ultimately unsustainable." Lu Cheng's thoughts were like the moon reflected in a glacial lake, clear and transparent, unmoved by the overwhelming resentment and bloodshed.

What he saw was not only cruelty, but also the most primal and raw form of this "Law of Blood"—the plundering, transformation, and forced infusion of life energy.

It is primal and powerful, yet it is also filled with destructive and ominous karma, like oil being poured into a raging fire, which will eventually consume itself.

"But this is also one aspect of the Great Path of Blood. Just as the Blood Scripture is divided into the Book of Good and the Book of Evil, the power of annihilation and the power of creation are all contained within it."

Lu Cheng understood even more deeply.

He slowly withdrew his divine sense, and the Blood River Banner returned to its calm state. A clear light flowed within the cave, dispelling the invisible gloom brought by the previous sea of ​​blood.

Lu Cheng closed his eyes and focused inward, and the Taoist Transformation Ascension Technique, which he had cultivated to the forty-fourth stage, began to operate with a roar. His dantian was like a chaotic universe, with the Dao Embryo sitting in the center, and the three hundred and sixty-five major acupoints around his body shining brightly like stars in the heavens.

He tried to use the "evil path of blood" he had just realized as a mirror to reflect on his own way of circulating qi.

Ordinary cultivators refine the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for their own use, like streams flowing into rivers. But at this moment, as Lu Cheng visualized the flow of his own energy channels, he saw a deeper vision: each of his acupoints was like a tiny grotto-world, spontaneously and gently drawing pure chaotic primordial energy and the power of heaven and earth from the void.

This absorption is not plunder, but rather in accordance with the way of the universe's birth and death, like the breathing of stars and the ebb and flow of tides, all naturally.

The primordial energy circulates throughout the body, nourishing the flesh, bones, and tendons, and refining the primordial spirit and Dao embryo. Everything grows and transforms under the rhythm of the "Dao".

His "life" is the fulfillment of his own inner universe, the harmony of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, and the natural outcome of comprehending the laws of heaven and earth, rather than being forcibly taken by external forces.

"The core of the evil path of blood lies in 'life' and 'seizure.' The Chi Demon seizes the life of all living beings to forge its own strength. Our Daoist sect, on the other hand, seizes the creation of heaven and earth invisibly, transforming the power of external things into the foundation of our own Dao. This 'seizure' is about comprehending, transforming, and sublimating, in accordance with the principles of the Great Dao." As Lu Cheng's thoughts turned, his dantian Dao embryo trembled slightly, and his body shone with a clear light, as if resonating more deeply with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth throughout the entire cave and even the outside world.

A wisp of "Qi," far more refined and ancient than spiritual energy, was drawn from the depths of the void and silently merged into his Qi system, propelling his forty-four-fold Dao body towards a more profound realm.

At this moment, he observed the evil magic and proved his own path; he saw the sea of ​​blood and comprehended the emptiness of purity. Lu Cheng's aura became increasingly profound and restrained, like a return to the realm of simplicity and truth.

Several days later, inside the Taiqing Palace.

This is where the sect discusses important matters. The roof of the hall is like the sky, inlaid with the shifting stars of the heavens, and wisps of auspicious energy hang down.

The interior of the hall is furnished in a simple and ancient style, except for a huge jade platform in the center, whose patterns resemble natural cloud seal script, exuding a natural Taoist charm.

Around the jade platform, five figures sat down, each possessing an aura as deep as the sea and an extraordinary bearing. They were none other than the highest-ranking decision-makers of the Taiqing Sect at present:
The sect leader, Master Lu Cheng, along with the four Mahayana Dao Lords Ming Que, Ming He, Tong Zhen, and Xuan Zhen, as well as the newly promoted Mahayana Dao Lord Xuan Qing.

Originally, Daoist Xuanzhen was stationed in the Ancient Demon Rift, but as time went by, the Taiqing Sect set up a great formation there and sent many Nascent Soul cultivators to establish their own residences and take charge. Therefore, Daoist Xuanzhen can now temporarily leave the Ancient Demon Rift and return to the sect for some time.

Xuanqing Daojun's aura still retained some of the vigor of a newcomer and a hint of barely perceptible caution, but the majesty of a Mahayana Daojun could not be ignored.

The atmosphere inside the hall was solemn. Lu Cheng sat in the main seat with a calm expression. His gaze swept over the other four people and finally landed on the spiritual light map that was slowly unfolding above the jade platform.

The Lingguang Map clearly shows the current situation of the Eastern Celestial Region:

The vast territory that was originally ruled by the Creation Palace is now largely dimmed, marked with signs such as "Spiritual Veins Unclaimed" and "Markets Abandoned".

Although the territory of the Chi Demon Clan has been severely damaged and shrunk, it still occupies the eastern border, like a ferocious beast lying in wait.

"Elders," Lu Cheng began, his clear voice echoing throughout the hall:

"The Eastern Celestial Palace of Creation has suffered a great calamity, with its lineage severed. It is a tragedy unprecedented in the history of the Earthly Immortal Realm. The spiritual mountains, blessed lands, secret realms, mines, and markets under its jurisdiction are now all ownerless, their spiritual energy dissipated, and their order broken."

He paused, his fingertips lightly tracing the dim areas on the map, and a flash of inspiration appeared, as if infused with life.

"Our Taiqing Sect is located in the Eastern Region, bordering it. Such resource-rich land is vacant and unclaimed, which is both a godsend and a responsibility for the sect. If we allow it to fall into disrepair or be seized by villains, it will not only be a waste of natural resources, but may also lead to spiritual disorder, the growth of demonic energy, and endless harm to the region. Therefore, the most urgent task is to seize and destroy the legacy left by the Eastern Heavenly Palace."

It can be said that those who are blessed by Heaven but do not receive it will suffer the consequences, and those who do not act when the time is right will suffer the calamity.

Lu Cheng emphasized the word "digest" in his words, while looking at Ming Que Daojun beside him.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Mingque, whose character was upright and incisive, immediately replied:

"The Sect Leader is absolutely right. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Our Taiqing Sect can seize this opportunity to extend our influence eastward, control the newly acquired spiritual veins, rebuild the order of the market, and recruit rogue cultivators and the remnants of the Heavenly Palace. This is a move to lay the foundation for our sect for ten thousand generations! We should dispatch elite disciples and elders to quickly move in, establish a stronghold, set up a mountain-protecting formation, and maintain the peace and tranquility of the area!"

However, Xuanqing Daojun frowned slightly and said:
"The words of the Sect Leader and Senior Brother Mingque are indeed reasonable. The resources of the Eastern Pole Creation Heavenly Palace are indeed what our sect needs. However, although the Chi Demon Clan has suffered heavy losses, with Wugu Can seriously injured and fleeing far away, and Wugu Tu retreating in panic, their clan's foundation has not been destroyed! If our sect launches a large-scale eastward advance and occupies the former territory of the Heavenly Palace, it will be tantamount to exposing ourselves directly to the Chi Demon's military might. At that time, our sect will have to divide its attention between digesting the new land and constantly guarding against the Chi Demon's counterattack, which may lead to a situation where we cannot attend to both ends."

Destruction is always much easier than production, and blind expansion is not only useless but also harmful if territorial security cannot be ensured.

If a sect loses too many elite cultivators, it is tantamount to continuous blood loss, and over time it may even affect the stability of the sect itself.

Xuanqing Daojun is indeed a newly promoted Mahayana cultivator, but he once served as the acting sect leader of Taiqing Sect for many years, and his political acumen is no less than that of Lu Cheng, Ming Que, and others.

Xuanzhen Daojun nodded in agreement: "Elder Xuanqing's concerns are very valid. The Chi Demon Clan is vengeful and will always be a major threat to our sect if we do not completely destroy their backbone."

A brief silence fell over the hall. This matter concerned the fate of the sect for the next thousand or even ten thousand years, so it naturally required utmost caution.

Lu Cheng listened quietly, and only spoke again after everyone had finished expressing their opinions:
“What the elders have said makes sense. Our Taiqing Sect must acquire territory and resources; we must also ensure the stability of the sect.”

His gaze was deep as he looked at the vast blank space on the map that symbolized the destruction of the Eastern Celestial Palace, as if he had pierced through space and seen something deeper.

"In that case, we will only take half of the land adjacent to the sect and the Eastern Celestial Palace of Creation, as well as a few important blessed lands in the distance. As for the land of the Chi Demon Clan..."

"This land is barren and shrouded in demonic energy. Even if we were to occupy it, it would require a great deal of time and resources to rebuild, making it a losing proposition. Therefore, I believe we should abandon the land of Chi Mo! Other forces will vie for this seemingly tempting but bloodstained bone, whether it be the Western Sea demons, the Southern Wilderness witches, or any other forces with ulterior motives. Let them fight and contend! My Taiqing Sect, however, will adhere to the principle of 'steady and cautious progress'."

"In addition, we can find more enemies for the Chi Demon clan. Isn't the Western Great Zen Temple refining a tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifact and plundering Buddhist weapons everywhere? Tell them that we are willing to exchange resources to help them refine immortal artifacts, and we can even cooperate with them to go to the Chi Demon clan's territory to collect Buddhist weapons."

I want to see whether Wugu Can and Wugu Tu will hate us or these virtuous monks then.”

This was an extremely long discussion. The Mahayana cultivators exchanged divine senses, exchanging thousands of words in an instant, yet the meeting still lasted for several hours.

Everyone present offered numerous opinions and suggestions, all of which were reasonable. Finally, Daoist Lu Cheng pressed his palm heavily on the area on the map where the spiritual light had dimmed:
"We will do our utmost to digest and consolidate the legacy left by the Eastern Celestial Palace of Creation! We will sort out the spiritual veins, restore important spiritual mountains and blessed lands, rebuild key market nodes, establish branch headquarters, and dispatch capable personnel to manage them. This process must be stable and pragmatic, proceeding step by step."

On the one hand, this represents a real expansion and a solid foundation; on the other hand, these newly acquired territories serve as a buffer and depth for our Taiqing Sect in the east. If the Chi Demon dares to invade, this new land will become a new battlefield, not our sect's heartland!

"Actually, compared to these industries, I care more about what to do with the Blood River Flag and the Longevity Tribulation Wheel. If we can exchange them for a pseudo-immortal artifact that matches our sect's cultivation method, then it can truly be used to protect the sect's destiny."

Although the Blood River Banner and the Longevity Wheel are good, they are not entirely compatible with the Seven True Teachings of the Taiqing Sect, making them difficult to subdue and unable to fully unleash the power of a tenth-tier immortal artifact.

(End of this chapter)