Chapter 541: Benefits Come First

In a secluded courtyard, Wang Changsheng was asking Wang Changyue about formations. Wang Changyue had been learning formations from Ye Lin. How could she set up such powerful formations in such a short time? Wang Changyue did not hide anything and told him the truth. Realizing it was a simplified version of a third-tier formation, Wang Changsheng suddenly understood. A second-tier formation would never possess such power.

"Brother," Wang Changyue hesitated for a moment, then suggested, "I should bring a few more clan members to learn formations from him. That would save us some time."

"No," Wang Changsheng immediately rejected the suggestion. "Only a few people know his whereabouts. Spending a bit more time is not an issue. Better safe than sorry." Wang Changsheng flatly rejected the proposal. Ye Lin's identity was too sensitive, and it was not advisable for too many people to know of his existence.

"Right, you need to work harder and learn to set up third-tier formations as soon as possible! If we had a third-tier formation this time, we wouldn't have lost so many clan members." Wang Changsheng possessed several sets of third-tier formation flags and disks, but they were crafted by Ye Lin. He dared not use them as the clan's protective formation, fearing they might be recognized by people from the Nine Nether Sect. More than a decade had passed, and the Nine Nether Sect hadn't come knocking, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. Wang Changsheng had to be exceedingly cautious.

"I will diligently study formations," Wang Changyue said with some excitement. "Brother, are your injuries serious? I can set up a Two-Element Water Gathering Formation for you! It's a simplified version of a third-tier formation that he taught me, and it will help your cultivation."

Wang Changsheng looked puzzled and asked, "He? Sister, are you two...?"

"Brother, where is your mind going?" Wang Changyue's slightly chubby face flushed. "There's nothing between us. He himself requested that we address each other as equals. If I called him Master Ye or Senior Ye, he wouldn't teach me formations."

"That's for the best. I'll go back to heal my injuries now. You guard the formation and don't go to his lessons for now, to avoid being ambushed by enemies."

"Got it, Brother. Go back and heal quickly!"

Returning to his residence, Wang Changsheng emptied the contents of the two storage bags. The spirit stones totaled less than a hundred thousand, along with two magic treasures—a wolf's tooth club and a cyan sickle—some refining materials, and a low-grade third-tier talisman. Wang Changsheng was somewhat disappointed. To kill those two, he had sustained minor injuries and nearly died, and forty-five clan members were killed or injured. Such a heavy price for such meager gains. Upon further thought, he wasn't surprised. Demon cultivators excelled in body refinement; their physical bodies could withstand attacks from magic treasures, and ordinary magic treasures could not easily harm them. These two half-demons were very agile thanks to their wings. If not for the assistance of his clan members, Wang Changsheng might not have been able to keep the red-clothed youth.

The wolf's tooth club was a fire-attributed magic treasure, incompatible with his own attributes. He could, however, use the cyan sickle. The most valuable items were undoubtedly the wings of the two half-demons. Their wings were extremely tough and hadn't sustained much damage. If he had a flying magic treasure, Wang Changsheng would be more agile during combat and could escape more easily.

His immediate priority was to heal his injuries. The Five Elements generated and countered each other; water countered fire, but strong fire could also counter water. If his physical body hadn't been strong, he would have died long ago. He took out the Glazed Tidal Moonstone and Heavenly Spiritual Water and began cultivating. The Heavenly Spiritual Water adhered to Wang Changsheng's skin, seeping into his body through his pores. As soon as the Glazed Tidal Moonstone appeared in the air, specks of blue light emerged in the room, and the moisture in the air immediately became thick.

**Northern Frontier, Nine Nether Sect.**

Inside a magnificent golden palace, Shangguan Wei was listening to a report from her subordinates. "Ye Lin ran off to the Eastern Barren Lands? You actually let him escape, you good-for-nothings!" Shangguan Wei said with a cold expression.

"Sect Master's reprimand is just. We are willing to accept punishment," replied one subordinate. "We originally intended to continue searching for his whereabouts, but the cultivation method for the 'Nine Nether Sky Illusion Treasure Scroll' suddenly appeared on the market. We dared not continue the pursuit, lest Ye Lin become desperate and leak our sect's guardian cultivation technique."

Shangguan Wei detested subordinates who shirked responsibility. Those who bravely took responsibility fared better, but subordinates who shifted blame never ended well. She had another characteristic: the angrier she truly was, the less she would show it. The more apparent her anger, the more contrary the situation truly was.

A man in green robes took out several jade slips and handed them to Shangguan Wei with both hands. After reading the contents, Shangguan Wei's delicate brows furrowed slightly. After pondering for a while, she instructed, "Given that he's cornered, this matter will be put on hold for now. The demon cultivators in the Eastern Barren Lands are causing trouble and harming humans. The Seven Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Barren Lands have invited us to jointly deal with them. You are to go to the demon territory and inform them that the Seven Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Barren Lands have invited the Northern Frontier cultivation world to unite against them. When they are fighting tooth and nail, that's when we'll make our move." She deliberately leaked the information to the demon cultivators so that they would strengthen their defenses. This way, other factions would suffer more severe losses, and the Nine Nether Sect could gain greater benefits.

"Yes, Sect Master." The green-robed man and a few others replied in unison, bowed, and withdrew.

"Ye Lin, you dare to leak the cultivation methods for the first three levels of the 'Nine Nether Sky Illusion Treasure Scroll,' making me hesitant to act? Hmph, I, the Sect Master, despise being threatened. Eastern Barren Lands, I will certainly go." Shangguan Wei said coldly, her beautiful eyes filled with killing intent. She closed her fingers, crushing all the jade slips.

**Southern Sea, Ten Thousand Swords Sect.**

On a straight and steep peak, there stood a magnificent palace at the summit, with "Heavenly Sword Hall" inscribed in large characters on its plaque. Inside the hall, five Nascent Soul cultivators sat on jade chairs, their expressions varied.

"What major event has occurred that the Sect Master needs to call us all here? Could it be that the Sea Race is stirring?"

"I haven't heard anything. I was in the middle of refining a batch of pills! The Sect Master sent me a message, so it's definitely not a minor matter; otherwise, he wouldn't bother messaging us old folks."

A golden light flew into the hall, settling down. The light dispersed, revealing a man in golden robes, appearing to be in his early forties. The golden-robed man was quite tall, and his every gesture exuded an air of natural authority without needing to be angry.

"Greetings, Sect Master!" The five Nascent Soul cultivators stood up one after another, speaking in unison with respectful expressions. The golden-robed man was Baili Yi, the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, a Nascent Soul Level 7 cultivator.

"No need for formalities, everyone. Here's what's happening: the demon cultivators in the Eastern Barren Lands have invaded human territory. The Seven Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Barren Lands have invited the Southern Sea cultivation world to join them in dealing with the demons. They've already allied with the Northern Frontier cultivation world to launch a three-pronged attack on the demons. Any territory we conquer will be ours. I have already agreed." Baili Yi spoke slowly, his tone heavy.

"Sect Master, the Seven Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Barren Lands can't fend off the demon cultivators? That's impossible! Would they be so kind?"

Baili Yi let out a cold laugh. "Of course they wouldn't be so kind. They just like to put on the hat of righteousness, claiming we are all human and it's our undeniable duty to resist the demons. But we are not the Seven Great Immortal Sects' hired thugs. I've already sent someone to inform the demon cultivators, leaking the news to them. Let the Seven Great Immortal Sects fight the demons to the death! When they're locked in a desperate struggle, that's when we'll make our move."

"Sect Master, wouldn't that make the demon cultivators strengthen their defenses? Why notify them? We could simply wait and observe the situation, then act at the opportune moment."

Baili Yi shook his head. "The demon cultivators will indeed strengthen their defenses, but with the Seven Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Barren Lands and the Northern Frontier cultivation world fighting them to the death, how much energy will they have left to guard against our Southern Sea cultivation world? Each of you will lead a group of disciples, circle around to the rear of the Eastern Barren Lands, and act when the timing is right, aiming to secure the greatest possible benefits for our sect."

The Seven Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Barren Lands attempted to raise the banner of righteousness, asking the Northern Frontier and Southern Sea cultivation worlds to cooperate with them in a three-pronged attack on the demon cultivators. However, neither the Nine Nether Sect nor the Ten Thousand Swords Sect was willing to act as the Seven Great Immortal Sects' enforcers. Both sent people to notify the demon cultivators, hoping they would fight the Seven Great Immortal Sects to the death, allowing them to benefit from the ensuing chaos. In the cultivation world, profit always came first.

Would the demon cultivators and the Seven Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Barren Lands cease hostilities? Impossible. The human race in the Eastern Barren Lands had suffered heavy losses, with numerous cultivators killed or injured, and the demon cultivators also sustained significant casualties. They would certainly not give up at this point.

"Yes, Sect Master."