As soon as Ghostmask said this, all the Demonic Sect members exchanged glances, but none of them looked surprised.
Clearly, they had thought this through before coming and were quietly observing the Southern Alliance members' reactions, trying to read their thoughts.
Yet the Southern Alliance members acted as if they hadn't heard a word.
Ghostmask spoke again:
"What does Elder Lanhe think?"
Elder Lanhe's expression finally changed. He lifted his eyelids slightly, his gaze distant and indifferent.
Then a cold laugh came from Blackrock's mouth. He slowly stood up—his towering pressure rolled out like a mountain, and his essence and energy erupted like a furnace, splashing in every direction.
This was proof of his terrifying mastery over the Flower of Essence—he was likely no weaker than an Arhat from the Buddhist sects.
"You Demonic Sect people think we're fools? Trying to play us like pawns!"
"You think we can't refine the Blood Emperor Gu without your help? Just because your access to Exotic Beast Inner Cores hasn't been affected much, you think you can manipulate us? Fine—then let's just go our separate ways. From now on, we'll refine our own Gu. And don't expect a single inner core from the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains again!"
Blackrock's voice boomed like thunder, his momentum overwhelming. Some from the Demonic Sect couldn't help but look grim.
The Southern Alliance's foundation was deep—this unknown expert alone could likely place in the top twenty of the Heaven-Man List.
All the Southern Alliance members wore cold sneers.
If they helped the Demonic Sect produce a Martial Sage, wouldn't they be subject to them afterward?
And when the Blood Emperor Gu was finished—who would really hold control of it?
Though the Demonic Sect and the Southern Alliance had formed an alliance, it wasn't a bond of deep trust.
Only if both sides birthed Martial Sages could balance be maintained.
If one side grew too strong, the other would be unable to keep up.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense—
Lin Xueshuang stepped forward with a graceful salute, her lips smiling slightly, green dress swaying with a hint of seduction that made Blackrock's eyes flicker.
"Please, everyone, don't be angry. It was merely a suggestion. It's indeed a feasible method.
But since everyone finds it inappropriate, we'll drop it. We're all on the same boat—let's not talk about breaking up. The only one who benefits from that would be Great Yan."
"We already have deep hatred with Great Yan. It's either them or us. Now more than ever, we must unite."
Xiang Tianxing also stepped in to mediate:
"Exactly. No need to sour things. Since everyone disagrees with Ghostmask's proposal, why not suggest a better plan?
After all, the Blood King Gu requires the essence of human blood.
The Great Yan court is watching us closely—it's not like we chose this path willingly."
The Southern Alliance Saintess slowly pulled back her sleeve with a casual gesture and said:
"Who said the Blood King Gu must feed on human blood essence?"
The Demonic Sect members were all stunned.
Lan Yiyi continued:
"We don't have to use human blood. Beast blood works too—but the process is more complex. We must remove impurities, and the beasts used must meet certain criteria."
"Besides, Great Yan isn't the only nation in the world. The northern barbarians on the grasslands may be fewer in number, but they can help fill the gap."
"With both strategies, our pace won't be delayed.
But we must fully entangle Great Yan, distract them completely.
To do that, we'll need the Demonic Sect to lend support—send people to the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains to hunt beasts.
That'll get you inner cores, and help us, too."
She spoke slowly and clearly—she had clearly prepared this plan in advance.
The Demonic Sect members quietly nodded—this solution considered the needs of both sides.
Ghostmask smiled and asked:
"According to the Saintess, how many people should we send?"
Lan Yiyi paused for a moment, then said indifferently:
"I'll let you decide.
Make the most of your resources—we all need every capable hand right now."
Ghostmask laughed:
"Well said."
He understood exactly what she meant.
She was referring to Qin Yun.
Sending him to the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains would be ideal—after all, he was already a Heaven-Man cultivator and had cost the sect significant resources.
No need for extra words among the smart.
Lan Yiyi gave a faint nod, but her heart felt tangled with unspoken emotion.
The two sides began discussing specific logistics and coordination.
Afterward, the Southern Alliance members each used their own methods to leave.
Before leaving, they emphasized once more the need to probe the truth of the Great Yan Martial Sage—and to keep pressuring the Zhenwu Sect.
They also brought up the Blade Demon's recent challenges.
They were hoping he'd either kill or severely injure the Heavenly Sword Daoist—
Which would give them a perfect opportunity to act.
Right now, most of the Zhenwu Sect's disciples were hiding on Zhenwu Mountain.
The rest came out only occasionally—
Like annoying rats, frustrating them to no end.
Once the Southern Alliance had left—
The Demonic Sect fell into silence again.
Moments later—
Xiang Tianxing suddenly let out a cold laugh:
"Vice Sect Leader Lin, you certainly raised a fine daughter!"
While the Southern Alliance had been present, they couldn't air their dirty laundry.
But now, there were no such restraints.
Recently—
They had found out.
Lin Ruhua, daughter of Lin Xueshuang, had somehow become romantically involved with Jiang Baishan of the Zhenwu Sect.
No one knew how much intel she might have leaked.
This had tipped off the Great Yan court—
And now they were completely on the back foot.
Lin Xueshuang's body trembled slightly, but her face remained calm—though her heart was in turmoil.
When she first learned the news, she had been both shocked and furious.
She had lost her husband early and never remarried.
Ruhua was her only daughter, cherished like a treasure.
Yet she had eloped with a man without even saying goodbye.
But when she received a private letter from Lin Ruhua,
Her anger had faded.
The letter was full of guilt and sorrow.
Ruhua said she and Jiang Baishan were hiding away from the world.
She didn't want to put her mother in a difficult position.
She didn't ask for forgiveness—only hoped her mother wouldn't be heartbroken.
She would repay her mother's love in another life.
That made Lin Xueshuang feel like her heart had been cut by a knife.
She spoke coldly:
"A child's faults are the parent's burden.
Ruhua's father died early.
If she did wrong, it means I didn't teach her well as a mother."
She understood Xiang Tianxing's intent.
No doubt, the other two Deputy Sect Leaders had already planned to use this chance to strip her of power.
Ghostmask added:
"Vice Sect Leader Lin, don't be too hard on yourself.
Perhaps Ruhua was merely seduced by that Jiang brat.
Once we bring them back to the sect, we can guide them properly.
Of course, the Sacred Sect has rules.
This matter shouldn't be handled by you.
Whether it's about Great Yan or the Zhenwu Sect, you'll need to recuse yourself."
Lin Xueshuang sneered internally.
She wanted to lash out—but after a moment of silence, she sighed:
"Very well.
I'll take charge of the mission to hunt beasts in the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains."
She knew—
Once she left, Ghostmask and Xiang Tianxing would surely divide her power.
She could've refused—
But then she thought of her daughter's letter, and her heart softened.
"If I go against the Zhenwu Sect, I might hurt Ruhua deeply.
By going to the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains and staying out of it,
At least it shows her I care.
It'll save her from being caught in the middle."
Somewhere in her heart, she wanted to protect her daughter.
If Daoist Longshan could go all-out for his disciple—
Then she, Lin Xueshuang, could go to any lengths for her beloved daughter.
Ghostmask and Xiang Tianxing exchanged glances—
Both saw delight in each other's eyes.
Then they bowed together and said:
"Vice Sect Leader Lin, your righteousness shines.
If our Sacred Sect succeeds, your merit will be second to none!"
Lin Xueshuang could hear the falsehood in their words.
For some reason, she suddenly felt disheartened.
She had once been full of ambition—
But after years of power struggles, she no longer felt the same.
Even within the sect, voices of dissent were rising.
"If you find Ruhua, send her to meet me in the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains."
With that, she turned and left.
But deep down—
She hoped her daughter and her beloved could stay hidden forever.
…
Time passed slowly.
No one knew about the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance's secret plans.
On the surface, they were still battling fiercely with the Great Yan court.
Sometimes even deliberately sacrificing top experts to mislead the court.
But in truth—
Their focus had shifted entirely to the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains and the northern grasslands.
They were doing everything to prepare the resources needed for the Martial Sage breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the Great Yan realm was still boiling with excitement over the Blade Demon.
Half a month flew by.
Another earth-shattering duel approached.
The Blade Demon challenged the eighth-ranked Divine Wind Blade Master!
This battle had a different meaning.
Because—
These two were openly the strongest blade cultivators alive.
Aside from reclusive or low-profile experts not on the list—
They represented the peak of the blade path.
Whoever won—
Would be the undisputed number one blade cultivator in the world.
Though the Blade Demon was unmatched in momentum—
Many still hoped for a miracle.
After all, the two had never fought before.
Countless blade users gathered—
All awaiting the birth of the ultimate blade.
The Blade Demon arrived as promised—
He and the Divine Wind Blade Master met at the Red Leaf Plains.
The two stood between heaven and earth.
The overwhelming blade aura made everyone's heart tremble.
Even the Divine Wind Blade Master himself was excited for this fight.
"Wind God Blade!"
His blade howled like a divine wind—blades filled the skies, everywhere at once.
Even though spectators were thousands of zhang away, they still felt tremendous pressure.
His Wind God Blade was sharp beyond belief—compressing the air and forming terrifying blade qi.
The audience was shocked—forced to retreat again and again.
The Blade Demon, too, showed unprecedented seriousness.
He was more solemn than during his duel with Proud Sky Sword.
He had found something interesting in the Divine Wind Blade Master.
"Human-Demon Blade!"
He gripped the now shorter blade hilt tightly.
He did not draw.
A terrifying demonic aura surged from his body.
At that moment, he and the demonic blade were one.
He was the blade—the blade was him.
The Divine Wind Blade Master's expression changed.
Endless blade force filled the sky.
Storms howled.
Crisscrossing blade marks tore through the Red Leaf Plains.
Even the leftover intent in those scars shook the soul.
Years later—this place would likely become a landmark for comprehending the blade.
Though the blade intent would be wild, caution would yield great insight.
Spectators were shaken to their core.
This was the most intense duel in recent years.
Blade users were entranced.
Finally—
All the blade force dissipated.
Everyone looked immediately.
The two had somehow landed on the ground.
The Blade Demon slowly let go of the hilt with his right hand.
The Divine Wind Blade Master was kneeling, face filled with sorrow.
The outcome was clear at a glance.
But in his eyes—
There was admiration.
Everyone held their breath—then heard the Blade Demon speak for the first time:
"Your blade… is not bad."
It was his first time praising an opponent.
All turned to look.
Though defeated—
The Divine Wind Blade Master was still worthy of honor.
Yet Divine Wind Blade Master felt a bit bitter.
He had roamed the world for so many years, yet today he suffered such a crushing defeat.
To others, that compliment might be a great honor—but to him, it only added to the sting.
But since his skill was inferior, there was nothing more to say.
Watching the barefoot old man walk away, Divine Wind Blade Master finally couldn't help but ask:
"How far are you from it?"
The Blade Demon paused, knowing he was asking about the highest state of the blade path.
He continued walking, but his voice drifted faintly through the air:
"Half a step."
Divine Wind Blade Master let out a sigh of admiration.
He himself was still a full step away from the realm of "all things as blades."
One step and half a step—on the surface, the difference didn't seem great, but in truth, it was a vast chasm.
With this, the other had truly earned the title of number one blade cultivator in the world!
He also noticed that the blade hilt at the Blade Demon's waist had shortened again since he arrived.
His admiration only deepened.
He could only lament—how could such a blade path genius exist in this world?
One battle, and already he had gained further insight.
Who could possibly stop this man's advance?
When the result of this battle spread—
The world erupted once more.
No one doubted the Blade Demon's title as the number one blade cultivator.
Now—
Only three remained.
And all three were sword cultivators: the Sword Sect of Canghai, the Daychaser Sword King, and the Heavenly Sword Daoist.
Blade users stood tall and proud, hoping the Blade Demon would continue his unstoppable streak and defeat all three—securing his place as unrivaled under the heavens.
But unexpectedly—
After the battle with Divine Wind Blade Master, the Blade Demon didn't reappear.
Previously, he had fought roughly every half month.
Only the Heavenly Sword Daoist incident had delayed him briefly.
But this time, the delay was even longer—more than half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
"Could it be that the Blade Demon was injured in that last battle?"
Countless speculated, growing increasingly restless.
They feared that the Blade Demon might disappear from the world—
Ending this once-in-a-generation spectacle on a weak note.
Fortunately, their anxiousness didn't last too long.
One month after the battle with Divine Wind Blade Master, the Blade Demon finally reappeared.
This time—
He challenged the sixth-ranked on the Heaven-Man List: the Sword Sect of Canghai.
He made his way to the Canghai Pearl Island near the sea.
Many martial artists had already gathered nearby—
Some perched on reefs, some waited on desolate isles, others settled on large ships.
The area surrounding Canghai Pearl Island was more crowded than ever before.
Soon enough—
Everyone understood why the Blade Demon had taken so long to appear this time.
He and the Sword Sect of Canghai clashed in a grand battle.
Observers could clearly tell that the Sword Sect of Canghai was slightly stronger than Divine Wind Blade Master.
Yet to their surprise—the Blade Demon won even more easily!
Watching him walk across the sea—
Countless people were stunned.
This meant that in his battle with Divine Wind Blade Master, the Blade Demon had experienced a great breakthrough.
That's why he had needed an entire month.
Some sharp-eyed individuals noticed—
The blade hilt at the Blade Demon's waist was now extremely short—
Barely the width of half a palm.
It looked more like a lump of iron than a hilt.
The outcome of this battle once again spread across the world.
Now—
Only two opponents remained.
One was the Heavenly Sword Daoist.
The other—the Daychaser Sword King.
At this point, no one knew who the Blade Demon would challenge next.
If he challenged the Heavenly Sword Daoist first, it would mean that in his heart, the Daychaser Sword King was the stronger sword cultivator.
If he chose the opposite, it meant he considered the Heavenly Sword Daoist to be the strongest.
Sword cultivators were embroiled in endless arguments—
Both sides had plenty of supporters.
But where would the next battle take place?
Everyone was at a loss.
And so, an almost laughable scene unfolded.
Supporters of the Heavenly Sword Daoist all rushed to the Falling Sun Sword Sect.
They were convinced the next battle would be between the Heavenly Sword Daoist and the Daychaser Sword King—
And they didn't want to miss such a historic duel.
Supporters of the Daychaser Sword King, meanwhile, all headed to Zhenwu Mountain.
The martial world was split in half.
Both Zhenwu Mountain and the Falling Sun Sword Sect were packed to the brim.
When Ning Qi heard about all of this, he couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.
Still—
He didn't pay it any mind.
He was in a very good mood.
Though there were still no signs of Martial Sages emerging from the Demonic Sect or the Southern Alliance—
He himself was about to break through to the Heaven-Man Realm.