Chapter 2084: Everyone is in Action

At the Patriarch's Mansion, located by the Holy Lake in the Holy Mulin Plains.

Min Zhuo, the patriarch of the Changyou Tribe, held a secret letter sent back by Min Shan and fell into deep thought. Min Shu, Min Zhuo's third son, waited outside the quiet room for instructions.

Since the last time the mysterious person sent a talisman message, Min Zhuo had ordered the strategy towards the foreign tribes to remain unchanged, but required that any major movements by the foreign tribes must be reported to him. Yesterday, Grand General Min Shan sent back a secret letter. Min Shu believed the matter mentioned in the letter was very important, so he specifically presented it to Min Zhuo for a decision.

Min Shu looked at the wooden door of the quiet room, his mind restless. After that incident, the mysterious person never reappeared, but from that day on, Min Shu keenly noticed that his father's attitude became somewhat strange whenever he mentioned foreign tribes. His father, who had always been resolute and decisive, uncharacteristically showed hesitation and uncertainty, as if he had some reservations.

Although his father was tight-lipped about it, Min Shu could infer some details. The Changyou Tribe was just a tiny, insignificant tribe within the territory of the Zhuyan Tribe. Looking across the Heavenly Division and even the entire Deviant Race, they were negligible. Throughout the entire Changyou Tribe, there was nothing that could attract the attention of a Void-Tier Two expert. The most likely possibility was that the existence of the Azure Spirit Qi had been exposed!

In the legends of the Deviant Race, the Land of Corruption was a place of death, a resting place for the deceased. People regarded it with both reverence and fear. However, it was also a place where supreme treasures of the world could be born, and this Azure Spirit Qi was unique, something never heard of before. His father had confirmed that the power of the Azure Spirit Qi diminished as one's cultivation level increased, and it could not help cultivators break through to Void-Tier Two. In the eyes of top-tier tribes, its value might not be so high. But for most tribes, Void-Tier One cultivators were the backbone of a tribe.

Min Shu couldn't fathom why the mysterious person didn't simply claim the Azure Spirit Qi for themselves, or what they were truly plotting. He felt a constant unease. After waiting for a while, Min Shu detected a subtle fluctuation. He thought his father was about to emerge and was preparing to bow in salute, when he was surprised to find that the quiet room had been sealed by a formation array. Min Shu was secretly astonished but dared not leave without permission, so he continued to wait patiently.

Within the quiet chamber.

Min Zhuo sealed the quiet room and took out a jade bead, a hesitant expression on his face. This jade bead had been given to him by the mysterious person after he received the Jade Sun Divine Nectar. By activating it with true essence, he could directly contact the mysterious person. After gently rubbing it a few times, Min Zhuo steeled his resolve and poured his true essence into it. With a 'bang,' the jade bead burst into a cloud of mist, and within the mist, a blurred, indistinct phantom slowly emerged.

Min Zhuo was already standing respectfully before the mist, deferentially saying, "I apologize for disturbing you without warning, Esteemed Senior. I hope you will not take offense." Though the mist was hazy, Min Zhuo felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him from across an infinite void, making his heart slightly tighten. He had activated the jade bead in the Holy Land with the intention of testing, and he was surprised that the other party was not restricted by the Holy Lake and immediately manifested.

"Has that secret art been mastered?" the mysterious person spoke, their voice faint.

Min Zhuo's heart stirred. He guessed that the mysterious person was still affected by the Holy Lake, but relying on the Holy Lake to contend with this person would definitely be unfeasible. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, bowing and saying, "This junior has comprehended ninety percent of it. There are a few points of confusion that I cannot fully grasp, so I humbly dare to ask for your guidance, Esteemed Senior." This secret art, when combined with refining the Jade Sun Divine Nectar, could achieve miraculous results with half the effort. With the secret art and the divine nectar's blessing, the path to breakthrough would be unprecedentedly smooth. At least for now, he had gained immense benefits.

The mysterious person hummed in acknowledgment and, after Min Zhuo asked his questions, casually offered a few pointers. Min Zhuo's doubts were answered one by one. His heart, however, grew even more wary, while his face showed only gratitude. "Thank you for dispelling my confusion, Esteemed Senior!"

"This treasure can only be maintained for a limited time. If you have anything else to say, do not hide it." The mysterious person seemed to have already seen through Min Zhuo's thoughts, exposing them with a single remark.

Min Zhuo's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained unchanged. "This junior does indeed have a matter. I originally did not wish to disturb you, Esteemed Senior, but this involves the foreign tribes, and the situation is rather strange. This junior cannot fathom it and dare not act on my own initiative."

"Tell me," the mysterious person said, their interest piqued.

"Previously, this junior bestowed the title of Grand General upon Min Shan and ordered him to command the army outside, to deter the foreign tribes. Some time ago, he gained an ally from among the foreign tribes. This individual holds a high position within the foreign tribes and provided some intelligence..." Min Zhuo meticulously recounted the entire story.

It turned out that after receiving the intelligence, Min Shan, with a 'let's try it' mentality, attempted several operations. Unexpectedly, all the intelligence proved true, catching Beihai off guard. Of course, these were merely skirmishes at present, and the spoils of war were not particularly abundant, but it was enough to prove the defector's capability, which was not mere boasting. Regardless of whether this person's future intelligence would be reliable, if they genuinely intended to conquer Beihai, they would have to prepare in advance, secretly deploy their armies, and first assemble in Beihai. This involved a strategic change that Min Shan, as Grand General, could not decide on his own. He had to seek instructions from the patriarch and the tribal elders.

"You mean someone voluntarily defected, and you managed to succeed several times?" The mysterious person was quite surprised. Min Zhuo nodded, also finding it strange.

Knowing that there was a Void Refinement stage expert behind the foreign tribes, he would have fled as fast as possible. If not for the mysterious person's insistence that he maintain normalcy to avoid alerting the other party, he would have long since ordered his army to retreat far away. Min Zhuo also worried about provoking the other party, so he could only subtly hint, asking Min Shan to adopt a conservative strategy. He hadn't expected Min Shan to misunderstand his good intentions and plot to conquer Beihai, nor that he would even succeed in doing so, with the expert behind the foreign tribes showing no reaction. It made one wonder: did the so-called expert truly exist?

The mysterious person pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "After all, it is within the Misty Sea; it seems that one also has reservations. You said earlier that Beihai is primarily populated by humans?"

Min Zhuo nodded and said, "Precisely. That Glazed Immortal's sect is located in Beihai."

"That's it then! That one is of demon origin. Even if Beihai is lost, the demon race won't suffer much, and instead, the human race will be greatly weakened." The mysterious person sneered. He knew well the capabilities of a Void Refinement expert. Such a thing might happen once, but it would absolutely not happen a second time right under a Void Refinement expert's nose, unless that one intentionally allowed it.

"It seems that one also adheres to strategy in their actions. Following rules is good! This old man detests reckless individuals the most. Since that one wishes to use outsiders to eliminate dissidents, you might as well cooperate with them."

Min Zhuo was slightly startled. "Esteemed Senior, what do you mean?"

"Do you remember what this old man said before? Act as if this old man and that one do not exist. Do now as you would have done before," the mysterious person said nonchalantly, their figure gradually fading away.

The mist dissipated, turning back into the jade bead, which fell into Min Zhuo's hand. Min Zhuo was still pondering the mysterious person's words.

Those not of our kind are sure to have different intentions, a truth that applies everywhere. Within the Deviant Race, tribes were numerous. If not for the ancient covenant established long ago, and later the requirement for all Saint-Tier experts to enter the Holy Land, internal strife would have occurred countless times, and smaller tribes like theirs would have found it difficult to survive to this day. It was also impossible for the foreign tribes to be completely harmonious internally. They had only united to oppose the Changyou Tribe, and it sounded as though the Demon Race expert only wished to protect their own kind.

Since he was not directly opposing that expert, Min Zhuo's worries lessened somewhat. In fact, the Changyou Tribe currently had no choice. Until he broke through to Void-Tier Two, he could only obey orders.

With this thought, Min Zhuo penned a talisman message and pushed open the quiet room's door.

"Father," Min Shu bowed.

Min Zhuo handed him the talisman message. "Tell the Grand General to proceed accordingly. I will explain to the tribal elders myself."

"Understood!" Min Shu dared not ask further and departed with the order.

Qingyang Temple.

Marquis Gui approached Qingyang Temple silently from the west. He appeared outside the mountain, saw the grand array forming a thick fog that obscured the sky and sun, and then remembered that he had forgotten to obtain a token earlier. He thought for a moment, then sent a streak of light into the array. After a brief wait, the mist rippled, revealing a small path.

"Fellow Daoist Gui," Li Yufu's voice came from within.

"How dare I trouble Temple Master Li to greet me personally!"

Marquis Gui was flattered. This was a junior whom the Great Elder relied upon, now the Temple Master of Qingyang Temple, and possibly the one to inherit the Great Elder's mantle in the future.

"Fellow Daoist Gui, you overstate it. All of you have tirelessly worked for Senior Martial Uncle, for Qingyang Temple, and even for the common people of the Storm Realm. Your efforts are highly commendable, and this humble Daoist is endlessly grateful." Li Yufu said with a solemn expression.

Marquis Gui and Marquis Luo were nominally demon servants, but their cultivation was profound. Apart from Qin Sang, no one dared to treat them as such. Seeing Li Yufu's great respect, Marquis Gui felt quite pleased. He returned the courtesy and said, "With Temple Master Li holding the fort and strategizing from the center, we are able to act effectively. My purpose in coming here is precisely to report something to Temple Master Li."

"Please enter the mountain, Fellow Daoist, and we shall speak." Li Yufu invited Marquis Gui to the main peak, where they took their seats as host and guest. Marquis Gui then meticulously recounted the information he had gathered over this period. "After the Dragon King initiated trouble at the joint tribal council, they became restless. Although they tried every means to conceal it, they couldn't hide it from my eyes. They have already secretly drawn some elite members from their tribe and dispatched them in batches to the Demon Sea..."

The Demon Race of the Demon Sea seemed determined to reclaim their lost territory with this move. Li Yufu showed a pensive expression. "To be honest, this humble Daoist recently received some unsettling news from Beihai. Beihai has been subjected to several peculiar disturbances recently. This humble Daoist worried about alerting the enemy, so I did not investigate further."

Marquis Gui's expression shifted slightly. He exchanged a glance with Li Yufu, and both thought of a possibility. Separately, these two matters might not be significant, but linked together, they became quite intriguing. In fact, the opponent's every move was extremely cautious. It was because they had set the initial trap, and kept a close watch on the opponent, aided by top experts like Marquis Gui, that they discovered these anomalies; otherwise, they would certainly have overlooked them.

"Temple Master Li, do you mean that the Dragon King might be trying to divert trouble eastward, using Beihai to lure the Changyou Tribe, draw away their army, and then seize the opportunity to reclaim lost territory while the Demon Sea is undefended?" Marquis Gui mused.

"Or it could be a plan to kill several birds with one stone!" Li Yufu said calmly.

They might have already seen through the opponent's scheme, but neither showed any haste, as if they were merely spectators at a play. The deeper those people plotted, the more miserable their ultimate fate would be!

Marquis Gui sneered. "I'd like to see how well this Dragon King's strategies fare! Unfortunately, they'll have to wait until either the Dragon King or Saint King Longjing breaks through to the late Soul Transformation stage before daring to make any major moves. That will likely take another few years, or even decades."

Li Yufu nodded. He still didn't know how long it would take for Senior Martial Uncle to complete the main altar. For now, it was best to let them gloat for a while and observe the situation.

"This humble one is also here to request Temple Master Li's permission for another matter," Marquis Gui said, bowing slightly as he explained. "I've heard that Palace Master Tong of Xuantian Palace and Palace Master Bao of Four Saints Palace have long been planning to construct sub-altars, and have already selected locations. Only the Demon Sea has yet to be reclaimed, making the establishment of an altar there a distant prospect. I wish to assist the Great Elder and am willing to take this opportunity to infiltrate the Demon Sea, explore the terrain, and search for suitable locations to build an altar..."

After the Storm Realm ascended, its topography and landscape underwent drastic changes. Later, it was occupied by the Changyou Tribe, becoming utterly unrecognizable. Marquis Gui had obtained some ancient texts from the Demon Race of the Demon Sea and the Four Saints Palace, but they were no longer applicable to the current situation, so he had to personally survey the area.

"There are Changyou Tribe experts stationed there. I worry that if I encounter an unexpected situation, I might struggle alone. Might Fellow Daoist Luo accompany me to the Demon Sea?" Marquis Gui asked. The Demon Sea, coupled with the Canglang Sea, covers a vast region. The most important areas are certainly garrisoned by Changyou Tribe experts. A detailed survey would not be an overnight task and would inevitably lead into dangerous territory, requiring someone for support. He and Marquis Luo were most familiar with each other and could trust each other.

"The Demon Sea is surrounded by foreign tribes. Fellow Daoist, you are willing to risk danger to your person. This humble Daoist will certainly recommend you for commendation to Senior Martial Uncle when the opportunity arises!" Li Yufu bowed deeply. "Fellow Daoist Luo is currently in seclusion. I will send someone to invite her now..."

"No need," Marquis Gui waved his hand. "Fellow Daoist Luo and I are old acquaintances. As long as Temple Master Li can spare someone, I will go invite her myself."

"All matters are now on the right track; we can still manage." Li Yufu gestured for Marquis Gui to do as he pleased.

Marquis Gui bid farewell to Li Yufu and soon arrived at Marquis Luo's cave dwelling. Upon seeing Marquis Luo, he noticed a change in her aura. "Oh? You've already broken through?"

"Benefiting from the Witch Clan's blessing spell, there were signs of a breakthrough, and it finally came to fruition five years ago!" Marquis Luo remarked with a sigh.

Her cultivation path had been quite arduous. In the past, her physical body was shattered, with only her spirit remaining. It took a long time after ascending to the Great Thousand World before she had the opportunity to regain a physical body, and since then, her cultivation had lagged behind Marquis Gui's. Fortunately, by following Qin Sang, she lacked no cultivation resources. Later, she gained another fortuitous opportunity, finally breaking through to the late Soul Transformation stage, now just a step away from the Void Refinement stage.

Recalling the past, Marquis Gui also felt a sense of melancholy. The changes they had encountered over the past few centuries were unimaginable before, and their mindsets had shifted multiple times. From the initial despair of being captured, to fearing Qin Sang and compromising, then being tempted by the 'Heavenly Demon Refinement Art,' they now fully submitted to Qin Sang.

At least, for now, the outcome wasn't bad; they had followed a good master. It was only because of the 'Heavenly Demon Refinement Art' that Qin Sang had imparted to them that they dared to aspire to the Void Refinement stage; their prospects were bright.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Luo, on your great progress in cultivation! With your assistance, the task I plan will be even more foolproof," Marquis Gui said with delight. Upon learning Marquis Gui's purpose, Marquis Luo assented without hesitation.

That night, the two demon marquises departed from Qingyang Temple. Marquis Gui had already made all the necessary arrangements, and they proceeded to traverse the East Sea directly. Passing by Saint King Black Lion's cultivation grounds, the two demon marquises specifically went to visit and inspect the results of Saint King Black Lion's training. Afterward, they bid farewell to Saint King Black Lion and headed eastward.