Chapter 2103: Stabilize the Interior Before Repelling External Threats

Chapter 2103

To Resist External Aggression, First Secure Internal Stability

The day was warm and sunny.

Yet, everyone felt that Azure Sheep Temple was as cold as an ice cellar. Those factions with ulterior motives, who had failed to reinforce North Sea in time, had been anxious since receiving the invitation. Lacking the courage to refuse, they could only brace themselves and attend the ceremony. Upon arriving at Azure Sheep Temple, they were treated with utmost courtesy, making them feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze. The harmonious atmosphere created a misconception that today was a joyous occasion for Azure Sheep Temple, and with powerful enemies lurking outside, the temple might choose not to pursue the matter for the sake of the bigger picture.

Only now did they realize they were wrong. Instantly, everyone felt vulnerable, and some were restless and terrified.

"After immense sacrifices, as soon as the situation slightly improved, some people eagerly jumped out to seize the fruits of victory! For their own selfish gain, they were ungrateful, disregarding the lives of their allies! What's even more ridiculous is that true victory is still far off. They didn't anticipate that the Clan Leader of the Longyou tribe would break through to the Second Void Realm at this time." Qin Sang's tone was full of sarcasm. "What would have been the consequences if I hadn't arrived in time? You were already standing on the edge of a cliff without realizing it, yet internally you were still scheming against each other, dragging each other down, and extinguishing the last shred of hope!"

Everyone was speechless; only Qin Sang's voice echoed through Azure Sheep Temple, deafening and impactful. Some felt ashamed, some were filled with righteous indignation, and some were gripped by fear.

"Perhaps some of you are thinking that since I've returned, someone will bear the burden even if the sky falls, and as long as I stop the Longyou Clan Leader, the situation isn't so bad," Qin Sang sneered as he surveyed the surroundings. "Those with such thoughts are frogs at the bottom of a well, short-sighted!" Amidst the uproar, Qin Sang looked up, gazing at the vast world beyond Azure Sheep Temple, his voice soft and distant.

"Having fought the Longyou tribe for many years, you must know that the Longyou tribe is merely one of many tribes among the Yiren. Beyond them, there are other tribes, but do you know how many Yiren tribes there are? Or what their strength is?" No one could answer his questions. Qin Sang answered himself.

"The Yiren are divided into Superior Tribes and Vassal Tribes, depending on their strength. The Longyou tribe is one of the Vassal Tribes of the Zhuyan tribe, and their strength ranks only at the bottom among Vassal Tribes. The Zhuyan tribe is not the strongest among the Superior Tribes. These Superior Tribes are led by the Feathered Human tribe, forming the Celestial Division. There is also the Water Division, comparable in strength to the Celestial Division, led by the Merfolk tribe. Powerful tribes among the Vassal Tribes have Second Void Realm experts, also known as Void Refinement cultivators, while Superior Tribes undoubtedly possess mighty beings equivalent to the Body Integration stage, though they have long since ceased to concern themselves with worldly affairs. As for the Feathered Human tribe and the Merfolk tribe, their strength is unfathomable and immeasurable!"

Upon hearing Qin Sang's words, everyone finally grasped the full picture. Although they had made various conjectures before, they had severely underestimated the Yiren. The Yiren's strength was beyond their wildest imagination. The small Storm Realm simply could not contend with the Yiren. Qin Sang's assessment was correct; they truly were frogs at the bottom of a well.

"This is our predicament. Once the Longyou tribe realizes they are not our match, they will summon allies from other tribes, but we have no one to rely on. Does anyone still believe that repelling the Longyou tribe will allow us to rest easy and carve up the Storm Realm?" Qin Sang's gaze swept across everyone's faces. All avoided his eyes, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Perhaps some might ask, 'Is the Great Thousand World only inhabited by the Yiren, with no humans, witches, or demons?' There are, and their strength is no less than that of the Yiren." Before anyone could show joy, Qin Sang's expression darkened, and he shook his head slightly. "But they are billions of miles away from us, and this is the heartland of the Yiren. No one will risk coming to our rescue."

The hope they had just glimpsed was cruelly shattered by Qin Sang, and morale plummeted to its lowest point. Everyone fell into confusion. This was clearly a dead end, with no hope of breaking free. Even if some suspected Qin Sang was exaggerating, they dared not question him directly.

"This is the situation we face. To survive here, we can only rely on ourselves. There is no need for despair. I was born and raised here, and since I have returned, I will not stand idly by and watch the Storm Realm and its myriad beings perish. But I alone are not enough; it requires everyone's concerted effort to have a glimmer of hope!" Qin Sang's voice gradually rose, like a summons, stirring waves in everyone's hearts.

But then, Qin Sang's tone abruptly shifted, "Precisely for this reason, those black sheep must be purged!"

"Bring them forth!" The thunderous shout pulled everyone back from their excitement to reality.

A beam of green light shot from the ground towards the clouds, forming a long ladder. Disciples of Azure Sheep Temple's Enforcement Hall, escorting several cultivators, swiftly ascended. Everyone stared, seeing that each of these individuals had an ashen, defeated look.

"Oh? Isn't that Old Demon Hong? This old demon has been incommunicado since his ascension; I thought he was dead. I didn't expect him to have broken through to the Soul Transformation stage..." Someone recognized the leading demonic cultivator, surnamed Hong.

"I know that one; he's a great demon from Canglang Sea. It's said that to cultivate evil arts, he massacred all the old and young of his own clan, and every time he appeared, he slaughtered entire families. Extremely rampant..."

"This person's Daoist name is Yuan Gui. He loves to exploit others' kindness. Countless minor sects have been destroyed by him, and their deaths were incredibly gruesome."

Old Demon Hong and the others were successively recognized, their atrocities brought to light, too numerous to count. It was not surprising; those gathered by Old Demon Hong were all evil and wicked individuals. Everyone was curious why Azure Sheep Temple had apprehended these demonic figures. The Enforcement Hall disciples brought Old Demon Hong and the others before the main peak and bowed.

Qin Sang said calmly, "Speak. What have you done?"

Old Demon Hong's lips twitched. His eyes were dull, and his tone flat and emotionless as he recounted their deeds without reservation. "After the last battle for Azure Spirit Qi, Dragon King Jiaolong sought us out and had us do his bidding. Decades ago, when news of Azure Sheep Temple re-establishing its sect spread, Dragon King Jiaolong instructed us to secretly contact General Minshan of the Longyou tribe and eventually reveal this matter to the Longyou tribe, luring them to North Sea..."

This statement caused a great stir. Everyone was in an uproar. The Longyou tribe's attack timing was so precise; indeed, someone had tipped them off. The mastermind behind it was actually the Demon Sea's demonic cultivators. If Fairy Liuli hadn't led Central State and North Sea to their aid back then, the Demon Sea's demonic cultivators would have long become prisoners of the Longyou tribe. Yet now, they had bitten the hand that fed them.

Qin Sang's eyes flashed, "Bring forth Dragon King Jiaolong."

*Clang!*

Iron chains clanged. Several thick black chains emerged from the clouds, taut, pulling a colossal creature from the ground—it was Dragon King Jiaolong, who had revealed his true demonic form. Late Soul Transformation stage! Seeing Dragon King Jiaolong's cultivation level, everyone suddenly understood why he betrayed them. This demon was rebellious and clearly unwilling to be subservient.

"Roar!" Dragon King Jiaolong roared repeatedly, unwilling to be imprisoned. He struggled wildly, stirring up the winds and clouds in the sky, his aura still rampant. The chains tightened, clanging, as if they would break under Dragon King Jiaolong's struggle.

*Boom!*

A bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere in the clear sky and struck down fiercely.

*Boom!**Boom!*

The lightning glare stung everyone's eyes. Three consecutive bolts of lightning, like divine punishment, struck Dragon King Jiaolong squarely. As the lightning dissipated, Dragon King Jiaolong was seen with torn flesh and bloodied all over, lying motionlessly on the cloud sea. His eyes held no arrogance, only profound despair. Witnessing the tragic fate of this peerless monstrous demon, a deep sense of awe surged in everyone's hearts.

"Besides you, who else participated in this scheme?" Qin Sang finally spoke, his tone calm, not like he was interrogating a criminal.

Dragon King Jiaolong's spirit was completely broken. He only wished for a swift death and answered like a walking corpse: "King Golden Toad, King Phoenix, King Blood Pig, King White-Headed Eagle..." It was like the King of Hell calling out names. Every time Dragon King Jiaolong uttered a name, someone among the Demon Sea's demonic cultivators turned pale, and simultaneously, a chain shot out from the cloud sea.

King Phoenix was the first to suffer; the chain arrived instantly. The chain was too fast. King Phoenix panicked, opening her mouth to speak, but it was too late. In her fright, colorful light shimmered behind her, and the shadow of a phoenix appeared. She craned her neck, instantly revealing her true demonic form, and flapped her wings to take flight. Unexpectedly, the chain carried a terrifying suppressive force. King Phoenix's mind was impacted, her body stiffened, and she felt intense pain all over. She was tied up by the chains and dropped next to Dragon King Jiaolong.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

One after another, the Demon Kings were tied into balls and thrown down, looking utterly disgraced. On the seats, only Yuan Zhu remained calm, sighing inwardly.

"Great Immortal, please hear me!" King Phoenix dared not struggle and cried out loudly, "This junior was not the mastermind! The masterminds were Dragon King Jiaolong and King Golden Toad. By the time this junior knew, the die was cast, and I dared not defy them. I could only yield. Please, Great Immortal, discern the truth!"

Her plea had an effect. Qin Sang did not merely listen to Dragon King Jiaolong's side of the story; after multi-party verification, he identified the masterminds. Qin Sang looked down at King Phoenix and the other demons, delivering his judgment, "Your sins are grievous. Since you were not the masterminds, your death penalty can be commuted, but you cannot escape punishment. All of you shall be demoted to demon soldiers, as a warning to others!"

He waved his sleeve, scattering spiritual talismans that merged into the foreheads of King Phoenix and the other demons. No one dared to resist, allowing the talismans to enter. Immediately, they felt an additional layer of restraint within their bodies; from then on, their lives and deaths were no longer in their own control. The chains retracted, and the demons dared not move. Seeing powerful demons prostrating themselves before Azure Sheep Temple's main peak, trembling without an ounce of their former kingly pride, the onlookers sighed with regret and were filled with apprehension.

Qin Sang continued to interrogate Dragon King Jiaolong, "Besides the Demon Sea, who else was aware?"

"We sought to form an alliance with King Yu and Holy King Dragon Whale, but they did not agree. However, when we secretly dispatched our army back to the Demon Sea, it certainly couldn't have escaped the notice of the East Sea. It was with his tacit approval..."

Everyone's gaze simultaneously turned to the East Sea seats. Dragon Whale's expression changed dramatically. He hadn't expected this old dragon to drag him down even in death.

"Nonsense!" Dragon Whale slammed the table and stood up, but suddenly felt two sharp gazes pierce him. Instantly, he felt as if cold water had been thrown on him, and a chill ran down his spine.

"Are you truly completely unaware?"

"I..." Faced with Qin Sang's sharp, knife-like gaze, Dragon Whale's heart pounded. The excuse he had prepared was stuck in his throat. He prostrated himself on the ground: "Reporting, Great Immortal, this junior did indeed discover some unusual signs, but it was not intentional concealment. As the Lord of the East Sea, every action of this junior must be cautious, as acting rashly when the situation is unclear could lead to severe consequences and the division of the Storm Realm. When North Sea was in distress, this junior had too many reservations. Although I immediately sent messages to all East Sea tribes, I failed to send timely reinforcements. This is truly this junior's fault, and I am willing to accept punishment!"

Qin Sang cast a deep glance at Dragon Whale, "There are many things unsaid in your words, but considering that you did not collude with Dragon King Jiaolong, it is not irredeemable. You shall also be demoted to a demon soldier, to observe your future conduct!" Dragon Whale's imposing body trembled. Finally, he let out a long sigh of a fallen hero, watching helplessly as the spiritual talisman entered his body, transforming him and his capable subordinates into demon soldiers.

Qin Sang judged based on actions, not intentions, and did not trouble King Yu. Regardless of how King Yu had negotiated with Dragon King Jiaolong, when the Longyou tribe invaded, the Demon Realm and North Sea advanced and retreated together, not backing down. After this series of swift actions, only the North Sea Demon Realm remained of the demon race, able to preserve itself.

Just as everyone thought it might end there, Qin Sang looked at Old Demon Hong again, "Besides the East Sea demons, who else was aware?"

"Skyhaze Tower, Grand Elder Fan!" Old Demon Hong's answer caused another stir.

The cultivators of the Three Sect Alliance fell into panic. Skyhaze Tower's seats were on the far right of the three sects, with Old Demon Kurong and Grand Elder Fan sitting side-by-side in the main positions. Grand Elder Fan reacted extremely quickly, instantly transforming into a wisp of black smoke and shooting towards outside the mountain.

*Snap!*

A bolt of lightning struck the black smoke. Surprisingly, what tumbled out was a stone golem. Grand Elder Fan was cunning. Sensing danger, he had only sent a puppet to attend the ceremony. Qin Sang sneered and looked at the sky. Suddenly, a streak of light descended, revealing Grand Elder Fan within.

Grand Elder Fan was completely immobile, filled with terror in his eyes, unsure of what he had endured. His answer to Qin Sang's interrogation caused an even greater commotion. Everyone looked at the Three Sect Alliance with incredulous eyes. The Three Sect Alliance had actually known early on that demonic cultivators were colluding with the enemy, yet they deliberately summoned various Central State factions for a joint discussion, simply to buy time.

Qin Sang slowly uttered four words: "Their hearts are punishable!"

The three sect masters had varying expressions. Master Xingren pressed his palms together and recited a Buddhist chant. Master Yinzi and several monks knelt, "This unworthy nephew has disgraced the sect. We beg the abbot to grant us death." They understood that as knowing participants and masterminds, they were certainly doomed today. Only by bearing this responsibility could they preserve the abbot and the sect. In fact, Master Xingren did not personally scheme; he had only hinted at it before entering seclusion, thus leaving a sliver of room for maneuver. Master Xingren reached out and gently stroked Master Yinzi's head. The light in Master Yinzi's eyes gradually faded.

"This humble monk will certainly purge all those who colluded with evil forces, and give an account to the Great Immortal and all fellow Daoists. As abbot, this humble monk cannot shirk responsibility and is willing to resign from the abbot's position. I humbly request the Great Immortal to allow this humble monk to preserve this useful body, to meditate on my errors, and when the next powerful enemy invades, to enter the battlefield and slay enemies, atoning for my sins, dying without regret!"

True Lord Qishen stepped forward, kowtowed heavily before True Lord Hegao, then turned and said, "We colluded with demonic cultivators and made a grave mistake. We deserve our punishment. We hope the Great Immortal will not implicate our sect." With that, True Lord Qishen's mouth overflowed with blood, and he took his own life.

True Lord Hegao sighed heavily, looking up at the sky, "Our sect is unfortunate. This humble Daoist has nothing to say and will accept whatever the Great Immortal decrees!"

Old Demon Kurong's face was grim. He said nothing, nor did he try to absolve Grand Elder Fan, his thoughts unknown.

"Hahahaha..." Grand Elder Fan suddenly laughed maniacally, his voice filled with hatred, "Old Ghost Kurong, do you think if I die, you can live on? Who was it who introduced that Hong fellow to me back then?"

Unexpectedly, Grand Elder Fan, knowing he was doomed to die, completely disregarded the future of his sect and bit back at Old Demon Kurong. With both the sect master and the grand elder falling, and dying by mutually incriminating each other, Skyhaze Tower would likely be torn apart.

At this moment, everyone had the same thought.

The Three Sect Alliance is finished!Skyhaze Tower is finished!