bookbashuk Chapter 403 The Heavenly Demon Order is Issued
Chapter 403 The Heavenly Demon Order is Issued
Not only Jingang Temple, Chen Anran also wants to recreate Longhu Mountain, Maoshan, and the Feng and Jiang families from three thousand years ago.
As for why they want to recreate it?
Of course, these forces, with the Cloud Hidden Sect as their core, should continue to expand outwards, rather than all of them staying in the resorts at the foot of the mountain.
With 500,000 demon soldiers and generals, Chen Anran didn't believe he couldn't wipe out these cultivators.
But Huiming, unaware of Chen Anran's mischievous intentions, asked blankly, "What do you mean by that, Master?"
Chen Anran stated bluntly, "I want to wipe out all the forces in this area. Anyway, these cultivators are like pests to this world; they're of no use to us."
Huiming's eyes widened. He wasn't surprised or disgusted by Chen Anran's murderous act. After all, Chen Anran was the "Buddha" in his heart.
Huiming simply felt that this was impossible to do.
"But Master, our strength is still somewhat insufficient, and your great power also has its limitations..."
Huiming was interrupted by Chen Anran before he could finish speaking.
"You don't need to worry about this. You just need to convey my message to the heads of each household."
"???" Huiming still looked puzzled.
Chen Anran said, "Make sure each family is prepared to take over the property and territory of the surrounding forces."
After saying that, Chen Anran turned around and went back into the sect.
………………
The conference hall on the third floor of the International Hot Spring Hotel.
When Huiming relayed Chen Anran's words verbatim to everyone present, an eerie silence fell over the conference hall.
The afternoon sun streamed through the large glass windows, casting bright patches of light across the long conference table. Those seated around the table exchanged glances, and for a moment, no one spoke.
Qi Lan was the first to break the silence.
She leaned back in her chair, her amber pupils narrowing slightly. "Monk, say it again? What were Chen Anran's exact words?"
Huiming clasped his hands together and said, "Master Chen said that each family should prepare to take over the property and territory of the surrounding forces."
"Surrounding forces." Feng Wenzheng slowly repeated these four words, his brows furrowed. "When he says 'surrounding,' he means..."
"Qingyang Valley," Jiang Yan continued, the usual smile on his chubby face gone, his small eyes gleaming with shrewdness. "The Hehuan Sect. The Zidian Sect. And those scattered small sects and hermitages. Within a thousand miles, there are more than a dozen forces, large and small."
"All wiped out?" Feng Lie jumped to his feet, his voice trembling. "Just us?"
Feng Changyuan tugged at him, and Feng Lie realized his lapse in composure, sitting down awkwardly, but the shock on his face was still evident.
Master Tianbao stroked his beard and chuckled dryly, "Has this kid Chen... managed to extricate himself from his inner demons during seclusion? Or does he have some trump card we don't know about?"
Shen Zui didn't speak, he just looked at Huiming.
Huiming remained calm, as if he had just conveyed nothing more than an ordinary instruction.
"Master Huiming," Feng Wenzheng began cautiously, "Has Fellow Daoist Chen explained why he suddenly made this decision? After two years of lying low, Qingyang Valley has remained inactive. We've finally gained a foothold, and now we're taking the initiative..."
"Master Chen didn't say," Huiming said. "He only asked me to pass on the message."
"And what about him?" Qi Lan asked.
"Within the sect."
A moment of silence fell over everyone again.
Jiang Yan rubbed his fingers together and slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Chen is not a reckless person. Since he dared to make such a statement, he must have something to rely on. But... what is that reliance?"
No one can answer that.
Qi Lan suddenly stood up: "I'll go ask him."
After she finished speaking, she walked towards the door without hesitation, her animal ears twitching slightly in the afternoon light.
Huiming did not stop him.
Feng Wenzheng opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. Jiang Yan rubbed his fingers together, his small eyes fixed on Qi Lan's retreating figure, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
Worry, curiosity, and a hint of anticipation.
The meeting room door closed behind Qi Lan.
Silence fell again in the room.
Master Tianbao stroked his beard and chuckled dryly, "Alright, so we'll just wait here?"
No one responded.
………………
Qi Lan walked up the stone steps towards the mountain.
Two years have passed, and the mountain path leading to the Hidden Cloud Sect has become more solid and smooth with wear. The bamboo groves on both sides of the stone steps are also denser than they were two years ago.
She walked very fast.
What is she thinking?
I wasn't actually thinking about anything.
She just wanted to know what was going on in the head of that guy who had been in seclusion for two years and then came out saying he would "annihilate all the surrounding forces".
Qingyang Valley, with a Nascent Soul stage cultivator in charge.
The Hehuan Sect has no fewer than ten Golden Core cultivators.
The Purple Lightning Gate is said to possess a superior magical artifact that has been passed down for thousands of years.
Of the dozen or so large and small factions within a thousand miles, which one is a pushover?
With just these people?
The Qi Refining stage makes up the majority, while the Foundation Establishment stage can be counted on two hands. How can we possibly eliminate them?
unless--
Qi Lan paused for a moment.
She remembered the three words Chen Anran had said two years ago: "I'm here for you."
At that time, Chen Anran was in seclusion attempting to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
And now-
Qi Lan raised her head.
The gates of the Hidden Cloud Sect were now in sight.
Qi Lan stood outside the mountain gate and did not go in.
"Chen Anran," she said, "come out and talk."
A moment of silence fell over the hall.
Then footsteps sounded.
Chen Anran walked out of the hall and stood outside the threshold, looking at Qi Lan without saying a word.
Then footsteps sounded.
Chen Anran walked out of the hall and stood outside the threshold, looking at Qi Lan without saying a word.
Qi Lan stared at him.
Two years have passed, and this person has changed a lot.
It wasn't their appearance; they still looked the same, except their hair had grown long. But it wasn't just Chen Anran; almost all the men who came here, except for Huiming, had grown their hair long, which could be considered as blending into this ancient era.
The biggest change in Chen Anran was her aura.
Late stage of foundation building.
A thought flashed through Qi Lan's mind.
Two years, from the early stage of Foundation Establishment to the late stage. That speed…
She snapped out of her reverie and looked directly into Chen Anran's eyes.
"The monk said, 'You must annihilate all the surrounding forces.'"
"Um."
"Us?"
Chen Anran looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. The smile was faint, yet it made Qi Lan's heart inexplicably tighten.
"Come with me," Chen Anran said.
He turned and walked into the hall.
Qi Lan stood still, hesitated for a second, and finally followed.
………………
The interior of the hall appears much more spacious than the exterior.
Chen Anran did not stop, but went straight through the main hall, pushed open the back door, and entered a small courtyard.
A stone pillar stands in the center of the courtyard.
A fist-sized token floats atop the stone pillar.
The token was entirely black, with faint dark red patterns flowing across its surface, resembling dried blood or some kind of ancient runes. It hovered three feet above the ground, slowly rotating, and with each rotation, the surrounding air distorted slightly, as if being pulled by something.
Qi Lan stopped in her tracks.
She stared at the token, her amber pupils suddenly contracting.
The aura emanating from above...
"The Heavenly Demon Token," Chen Anran said.
Qi Lan suddenly looked at him.
Chen Anran didn't explain. He simply raised his hand and gently gestured towards the token.
As if sensing something, the token's dark red patterns suddenly lit up, and the entire courtyard was instantly enveloped by an invisible pressure.
Qi Lan's fur was about to stand on end.
The oppressive aura was too strong, too cold, too... unfamiliar. It wasn't any kind of spiritual energy fluctuation she had ever seen before, but something older, purer, and more dangerous.
Demonic energy.
Pure, undisguised demonic energy.
The token suddenly began to tremble violently.
next moment--
The void surrounding the courtyard began to distort.
A crack appeared out of nowhere, as if torn open by some invisible force. The crack grew larger and larger, from which thick black mist surged forth, and from within the black mist came low, hissing roars, like countless evil spirits imprisoned for millions of years finally awaiting their release.
Qi Lan's hand was already on her waist.
She didn't move, but stared intently at the crack.
Amidst the churning black mist, a figure slowly emerged.
The figure was over ten feet tall, clad in jet-black armor with dark red patterns flowing across its surface. He held a long sword taller than a man, its blade as black as ink, yet faintly gleaming with a bloody light.
The demon general's cultivation level is at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, while the demon soldier's cultivation level is at the late-stage of the Golden Core realm.
The demon general stepped out of the crevice and knelt on one knee.
"This humble general greets His Majesty."
The sound was deep and muffled like thunder, causing the stone walls of the courtyard to tremble slightly.
Chen Anran remained silent.
He just looked at Qi Lan.
Qi Lan's tail stiffened, and her amber vertical pupils reflected the kneeling demon general, as well as the rift behind him still churning with black mist. Within the rift, more shadowy figures could be vaguely seen, like countless silent soldiers awaiting a command.
She suddenly understood what Chen Anran meant.
"Make each family prepare to take over the property and territory of the surrounding forces."
take over.
It wasn't about shooting it down, it was about receiving it.
"Five hundred thousand," Chen Anran said. "That's the maximum I can mobilize."
Qi Lan remained silent.
She stared at the demon general kneeling on the ground, at the long, black sword in his hand, and at the still churning crack behind him.
Five hundred thousand.
Five hundred thousand demon soldiers.
Forget about Qingyang Valley, Hehuan Sect, and Zidian Sect; even if you combined all the forces within a thousand miles, they wouldn't be enough to withstand a single charge from these 500,000 demon soldiers.
"You..." Qi Lan began, her voice a little dry, "Where did you get this?"
Chen Anran did not answer immediately.
He simply stared at the crack, at the shadowy figures within, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as another abyss.
It couldn't very well be said that it evolved from the Saintess's Token with the bell, so after a moment, Chen Anran said, "It was left to me by my senior sister."
Qi Lan fell silent.
You, my senior sister, have left you with the spiritual energy of an entire world, and also a token that allows you to summon 500,000 demon soldiers.
Su Wan... could she be Doraemon?
Well, in other novels, the protagonist's cheat ability is either an old man or a system. But you, Chen Anran, your cheat ability is your senior sister.
Qi Lan suddenly smiled.
The smile was brief, almost imperceptible. It was just a slight curve at the corners of the mouth, which then vanished.
"Okay, I understand. I'll tell them to prepare for receiving it."
…………
When Qi Lan went down the mountain, her steps were much lighter than when she went up.
"Su Wan..." Qi Lan murmured, "How much did you leave for him?"
No one answered.
The mountain breeze rustled softly through the bamboo forest.
Qi Lan withdrew her gaze and continued walking down.
International Hot Spring Hotel, third-floor conference hall.
When the door was pushed open, everyone turned around.
Qi Lan walked in, but did not sit down immediately; instead, she leaned against the door frame.
"How was it?" Master Tianbao was the first to ask, "What did that boy Chen say?"
Qi Lan did not answer, but only said, "Everyone can rest assured, this place will be our territory from now on. Now you only need to think about how to divide it and how to distribute the many spoils of war."
Master Tianbao was stunned for a moment, his hand stroking his beard pausing in mid-air: "That's...that's it? What did he say? On what grounds? That Qingyang Valley and Hehuan Sect have old monsters at the Nascent Soul stage overseeing them..."
Qi Lan interrupted him: "He has his own methods."
"What method?"
Qi Lan did not answer.
She simply looked at Daoist Tianbao, her amber vertical pupils revealing no emotion.
Master Tianbao felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, and chuckled dryly twice: "Alright, alright, I won't ask. Anyway, since that kid Chen dared to say that, he must have his reasons."
Feng Wenzheng pondered for a moment and said, "Fellow Daoist Qi, does Fellow Daoist Chen mean... that we should have full authority to handle this?"
"Hmm." Qi Lan nodded. "He said he doesn't care about these things. He's only responsible for paving the road; the rest is up to us."
"The road is paved." Jiang Yan chewed on these three words, a smile slowly appearing on his chubby face, a smile with an indescribable complexity. "What a fine 'paved road'."
Master Tianbao stroked his beard and suddenly sighed, "This lad..."
No one responded.
But everyone knew what Master Tianbao wanted to say.
Anyone who can say something like "annihilate all the surrounding forces" must have something to rely on. If any other cultivator had such a powerful backer, their first reaction would be, "I want to be the boss, I want to be the ruler of this area, I want to control all the resources."
But Chen Anran didn't.
He relinquished the decision-making power.
"Then let's divide it up," Qi Lan said. "Territory, resources, and spoils."
The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly changed.
The shock and silence from before dissipated, replaced by a strange...excitement.
Feng Wenzheng cleared his throat: "The Feng family has practiced medicine and alchemy for generations, and we know a little about medicinal gardens, spiritual herbs, and alchemy rooms."
Jiang Yan's small eyes darted around: "The Jiang family is skilled in machinery and equipment. We can take over those mines, workshops, and craftsmen."
Master Tianbao coughed lightly: "I am a lonely old man and have nothing to argue about. But could I possibly make a copy of the scriptures in the sect's library?"
Qi Lan glanced at everyone and said, "The supplies from Qingyang Valley will be directly under the control of Yunyin Sect. The other forces will be allocated according to everyone's contribution to the resort during this period."
"That's natural." Feng Wenzheng nodded.
"What about the Hehuan Sect?" Feng Lie suddenly asked. "What happened to that place...?"
The conference room fell silent for a moment.
The Joyful Union Sect is the most infamous sect within a thousand miles. It is renowned for its dual cultivation methods, and its disciples are mostly beautiful men and women who specialize in abducting ordinary people with spiritual roots to use as cultivation partners. Women in the surrounding villages with even a modicum of beauty dare not venture out.
"We'll see how things go then," Qi Lan said. "We'll deal with these people last; let's discuss resource allocation first."
Everyone agreed, and the discussion continued for nearly an hour before temporarily coming to a close.
"Then it's settled for now." Qi Lan stood up. "I'll go tell Chen Anran. You guys draft a detailed plan, clearly stating what will be divided, how it will be divided, and who will be responsible for dividing it."
She walked to the door and suddenly stopped.
"Oh, right," she said without turning her head, "don't spread the news about Chen Anran yet. We'll talk about it after the fight is over."
The door closed behind her.
In the meeting room, the people exchanged glances and began to discuss in hushed tones again.