141: 141: Turbulent Times

Jiang Yan didn't feel any embarrassment; instead, he wanted to destroy a few more spirit swords. After all, he was about to level up.

However, looking at Chen Yaofeng's expression, he wouldn't get that chance.

After following Chen Yaofeng away, Jiang Yan thought that was the end of it, but he didn't expect Chen Yaofeng had no intention of letting him off.

When the two arrived at the grass hut, Chen Yaofeng took out a wooden box and placed it before him: "I originally wanted that girl Murong to take over the Spirit Sword Peak, but after seeing your Aptitude..."

Before Chen Yaofeng could finish, Jiang Yan quickly stood up and interrupted: "Thank you, Grand Elder, for your high regard. My talent is dull, and I've never liked being restricted. I hope the Grand Elder understands."

Are you kidding? Letting him take over as Peak Revered Master would be the death of him.

Moreover, this position originally belonged to Murong Xue; even his Revered Master Li Yi hadn't held it, which showed the importance of the Spirit Sword Peak Revered Master's position.

Chen Yaofeng smiled bitterly and shook his head, sighing helplessly: "Alright, it seems you are just like that boy Li Yi. This old man won't force you young people anymore."

"Thank you for your understanding, Grand Elder." Jiang Yan hurriedly cupped his fists in gratitude.

Seeing Jiang Yan actually thanking him, Chen Yaofeng waved his hand with a smile: "Fine, in that case, I won't keep you here. Go back."

As his voice fell, a sword light instantly appeared before Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan bowed respectfully, stepped onto the sword light, and disappeared from the grass hut.

"A Prodigy Disciple..."

Chen Yaofeng stood up and let out a hearty laugh.

He hadn't understood the Nine Dragons Sword Intent on Jiang Yan at first, but now he finally understood a bit. However, the fact that two Nine Dragons Sword legacies had appeared at once was truly difficult to handle... One of the Three Great Sects: the Dao Yun Sect's Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall.

If Jiang Yan were here, he would surely be shocked by the Puppet army in the Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall, because the Hundred Refinements Divine Mechanism Art he had plundered came from here.

"The four Grand Elders and the Sect Master have decided that our Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall will strike first. We absolutely cannot let the Qingyun Sect come to our Dao Yun Sect to demand an explanation," said Jiang Wanli, the Hall Revered Master of the Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall, in a heavy voice.

"Hall Revered Master, but that message..."

Before Elder Zhang could finish, Jiang Wanli waved his hand to interrupt: "We are one of the Three Great Sects. How could we possibly collude with the Sea Race? These are all rumors and slander against our Dao Yun Sect!"

Jiang Wanli smashed the dark iron desk in front of him with a palm strike, cold light flashing in his eyes: "Pass down the order, activate the 'Heavenly Net and Earthly Web' array! All Puppets are to be deployed!"

The roar of turning gears came from beneath the Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall as hundreds of pitch-black combat Puppets marched out from the mechanical tunnels. Sea-blue crystals were embedded in the chests of these Puppets, and fine scale patterns were faintly visible on their surfaces.

Elder Zhang stared at those crystals, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead: "Hall Revered Master, these Sea Soul Crystals..."

"Silence!" A silver light suddenly shot from Jiang Wanli's sleeve, piercing directly through Elder Zhang's throat. A humanoid Puppet stepped out from the shadows and caught the falling corpse.

"You have all seen it." Jiang Wanli stroked a Puppet made from a beautiful woman, "Elder Zhang colluded with the Qingyun Sect and has been executed. According to the rules of the Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall, traitors will be made into Puppets."

The faces of several Elders in the hall turned pale. They clearly saw that these Puppets were refined using the soul crystals of the Sea Race.

But to save their lives, the Elders didn't dare to speak. After all, compared to the power of the Qingyun Sect, they were all weaklings.

Jiang Wanli was very satisfied with the expressions of the Elders below. He turned to look in the direction of the Qingyun Sect.

"In three days, I want not a single blade of grass to remain in the Qingyun Sect!"

"We obey the decree." The Elders stood up and cupped their fists to accept the command.

As the Elders left the Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall, Jiang Wanli's fingertips lightly brushed over the cold cheek of the female Puppet, a trace of morbid obsession flashing in his eyes.

"Cao Qing, you didn't enjoy life well, and now you have to be tortured by me after death!"

Cao Wanli squeezed the female Puppet's cheek hard. Faint blue scales could be seen squirming under his right arm.

If Jiang Yan and Heartless were here, they would surely be shocked, because Cao Wanli was currently infested by a Sea Race Possession seed; he couldn't even be called human!

The scales on Cao Wanli's right arm suddenly squirmed violently, and the entire arm instantly swelled and deformed, turning into a deep blue tentacle covered in suckers.

The tip of the tentacle split open, revealing ring-shaped sharp teeth that bit fiercely into the female Puppet's neck.

"Riiip..."

The exquisite skin of the Puppet was torn open, revealing dense sea insect eggs inside.

"You pieces of trash from the Qingyun Sect, enjoy your arrogance for three more days. Once these eggs mature, I will make you all slaves of my Sea Race..."

One of the Three Great Sects: the Fire Cloud Sect, Fire Spirit Peak.

Originally, this place was surrounded by Earth Fire all year round, a very rare cultivation site.

But now, Fire Spirit Peak not only lacked Earth Fire but also had a trace of chilling cold.

"My Lord, I have given the orders as you instructed. In three days, we will cooperate with the Dao Yun Sect's Ten Thousand Mechanisms Hall and head to the Qingyun Sect together," a black-robed old man said respectfully.

However, half of this old man's face was covered in blue scales; it was obvious at a glance that he had been possessed by the Sea Race.

That Sea Race Lord turned around with satisfaction, revealing a hideous Sea Race face: "Very well. Next, Cultivate more powerful Elders to prepare for the arrival of my Sea Race."

"As you command, your subordinate will see to it immediately," the black-robed old man said respectfully.

Just as the black-robed old man reached the bottom of Fire Spirit Peak, the Fire Cloud Sect Revered Master and several Peak Revered Masters quickly approached him and cupped their fists:

"We pay our respects to the Old Ancestor."

The black-robed old man nodded with satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the blue scales under everyone's arms: "The Lord has agreed. Go and do it."

"Yes." The Fire Cloud Sect Revered Master and the others took their orders.

These people from the Fire Cloud Sect didn't feel any repulsion toward being infested by the Sea Race; instead, they felt very honored because they had seen the High Priest's art of eternal life.

As for the Elders and Disciples who returned to the Sect after participating in the Linxian Secret Realm, although they hadn't been successfully possessed, there were backup methods, just not as powerful as the Sea Race inside the Secret Realm.

Inside the main hall of the Fire Cloud Sect, several Elders who had not been infested knelt on the ground, trembling as they watched the scene before them.

They had only been guessing before, but seeing the truth now, they regretted it so much their intestines turned green.

Sect Master Red Heavens Son was personally implanting a beating Sea Race heart into his own chest.

Blue blood vessels moved like spiderwebs under his skin, and a third vertical eye slowly split open on his forehead.

"Do you see? This is eternity!" Red Heavens Son's voice carried an echo from the deep sea. "How can a mere human Physical Body compare to the immortal body of the Sea Race!"

Suddenly, the screams of Disciples came from outside the hall.

The Cultivators who had returned from the Secret Realm were being forced onto the altar. Over a dozen young Sea Race creatures were crawling out of crystal jars, squirming into their seven orifices.

"Hurry up!" an Elder rubbed his hands excitedly. "In three days, we will destroy the Qingyun Sect. When that time comes, ruling the entire Eastern Region will be just around the corner!"

At the same time, this scene was also playing out in Chilian Mountain. After all, as one of the Three Great Sects, Chilian Mountain was the earliest Sect to come into contact with the Sea Race.

Deep within Chilian Mountain.

A ten-thousand-foot blood pool boiled and tumbled, with hundreds of human Cultivators' remains sinking at the bottom.

The Chilian Old Ancestor sat atop a blood lotus, his lower body completely transformed into octopus-like tentacles.

"After today, all Chilian Mountain Disciples will gain eternal life!" His voice spread throughout the Sect through the water curtain. "Open your minds and welcome the Sea God's blessing!"

At the mountain gate, a new batch of Disciples was lining up for the "baptism."

They watched the blue light spots swimming in the pool water with fanaticism, yet no one noticed that those so-called "blessed" light spots were actually hungry Sea Race larvae!

Qingyun Sect, Little Bamboo Peak, Yanyun Villa.

"What did you say?"

She had thought Jiang Yan was missing or dead, as there had been no news for over two years. Consequently, the news brought back by several Junior Sisters shocked her beyond measure.

"No, it's impossible." Liu Ruyan shook her head repeatedly. "You must have misheard. He couldn't possibly have become a Core Formation expert!"

In Liu Ruyan's eyes, although Jiang Yan had decent Aptitude, compared to her, it was the difference between clouds and mud. It was even more impossible for him to enter the Core Formation Realm in just three years.

One must know that she had only just stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm, and that was by relying on her Myriad Willow Desire Physique.

As a result, Jiang Yan, who had no special Physique at all, was actually stronger than her. How could she possibly accept this?

Seeing Liu Ruyan in such a state, the Several women realized something was wrong and quickly left Yanyun Villa.

Just after these Junior Sisters left, two figures walked in. The newcomers were Li Chunsheng and Yan Jun.

Li Chunsheng and Yan Jun looked at each other. They knew very well that the news they were about to tell would likely overturn Liu Ruyan's opinion of them.

Before the two could speak, Liu Ruyan was the first to ask: "Do you want to talk about Jiang Yan's matter?"

Hearing this, Li Chunsheng and Yan Jun looked at each other and then nodded.

Liu Ruyan clenched her fists and then slowly relaxed them. She stood up, walked to Li Chunsheng and Yan Jun, took their hands, and flew toward the Hall of Shared Desires.

She thought very clearly. She was someone with the Myriad Willow Desire Physique. As long as she continued Dual Cultivation, she would catch up to Jiang Yan sooner or later.