147: Chapter 146 Abandoning the Qingxuan Sect

Over the next few days, Yun Ming and the Old Ancestor took turns powering the Grand Array.

The two of them alternated like this; when one couldn't hold on anymore, the other would take over. The Grand Array barely held on through their rotation, its Light Barrier growing thinner and the starlight dimmer, but it never shattered.

The Demonic Cultivators outside were also going mad. Three Late Nascent Soul Stage experts attacked in turns. Tu Gang's Black Hammer smashed for days and nights, its head covered in cracks; Granny Bone's Ghost Fires were nearly burned out, and the skulls on her Bone Staff were cracked; the blood mist of that severed-arm middle-aged man grew fainter and fainter. Countless Golden Core and Foundation Establishment Stage Demonic Cultivators fell, only for more to surge from behind. They seemed impossible to kill off.

The Disciples of the Qingxuan Sect were also reaching their limits. The consumption of Spirit Stones was astronomical, the Alchemy Hall's inventory hit rock bottom, and the Magical Artifacts of the Artifact Hall were shattered all over the ground. The number of wounded increased, and the alchemists were so exhausted they could barely lift their hands. But no one spoke of giving up. They all knew that once the Grand Array broke, everyone would die.

On the night of the seventh day, the Old Ancestor gathered everyone at the Main Peak's Main Hall.

The dome of the Main Hall had been blasted away by half, revealing the dim starlight in the sky outside. The walls were covered in cracks, several pillars had collapsed, and the ground was littered with rubble and debris. The remaining Disciples of the Qingxuan Sect stood in small groups among the ruins, covered in injuries and their faces full of exhaustion. Only seven Golden Core True Persons remained, fewer than thirty Foundation Establishment Disciples, and dozens of those in the Qi Refining Stage. Every face was written with numbness and confusion.

The Old Ancestor sat on the uppermost stone steps, his robes tattered and his body wrapped in bandages. His face was frighteningly pale, but his gaze remained steady. Yun Ming sat beside him, leaning against a pillar with his eyes closed, as if resting or perhaps listening.

"I called you here today," the Old Ancestor began, his voice incredibly raspy, "to discuss something."

Everyone looked at him.

"Whether to keep holding on and wait for reinforcements from the Shenduan Sect," the Old Ancestor paused, "or to give up the Qingxuan Sect and retreat toward the Shenduan Sect."

The hall went silent for a moment, then erupted in chaos.

"Retreat? Retreat to where?" A Golden Core True Person stepped forward, his voice hoarse but agitated. "Old Ancestor, this is the eight-hundred-year foundation of our Qingxuan Sect! We're just giving it up like that?"

"What else can we do if we don't give it up?" another Golden Core True Person retorted. "Look at the countless Demonic Cultivators outside, and the three Nascent Souls. We only have these few people left, how can we defend?"

"We must defend even if we can't! Reinforcements will come! The Shenduan Sect said they would come—"

"When will they arrive? Ten days? Half a month? Or a month?" the other sneered. "We can't even hold on for three days, and you want to wait for reinforcements?"

"You—"

"Enough." Fu Qingyun spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone fell silent. He had lost an arm and his face was pale, but he stood there with his back straight. He looked at the Old Ancestor: "Old Ancestor, this Disciple wishes to know, when exactly will the reinforcements from the Shenduan Sect arrive?"

The Old Ancestor was silent for a moment: "I don't know."

The hall fell silent again.

"The battle situation on True Lord Qingyue's side is unclear. It takes time for messages to be sent back, and it takes time for the Shenduan Sect to send people." The Old Ancestor's voice was very calm, as if he were speaking about something that had nothing to do with him. "Maybe they'll arrive tomorrow, maybe in ten days, maybe in half a month. Maybe..."

He didn't continue. But everyone understood. Maybe they would never come.

That Golden Core True Person spoke again: "Then we retreat. As long as the green mountains remain, one need not worry about firewood. Let's retreat to the Shenduan Sect's territory first, and fight our way back when the reinforcements arrive."

"Fight our way back?" The first Golden Core True Person to speak gave a bitter smile. "We can't even defend the Qingxuan Sect, and you want to fight our way back? If we retreat, we'll be like stray dogs. The eight-hundred-year foundation of the Qingxuan Sect will be gone just like that."

"A foundation can be rebuilt if it's gone, but if people are gone, everything is lost!"

"Rebuild? Rebuild with what? With the few of us, we won't even have a place to stay after we retreat. Will the Shenduan Sect take us in? They are a major Sect; would they even look at stray dogs like us?"

"Even that is better than dying here!"

The two argued more and more fiercely, and others joined in. Some said to stay, others said to retreat, each holding their own ground, and no one could convince the other. The hall was in a state of chaos.

Yun Ming leaned against the pillar with his eyes closed, listening to the arguments without speaking. His mind was a mess. Defending—they couldn't. Retreating—to where? Could the remaining people of the Qingxuan Sect even make it alive to the Shenduan Sect's territory? Even if they did, how would the Shenduan Sect treat them? A group of stray dogs who had lost their Sect—would others even give them a second look?

But he also knew that not retreating meant death. The Grand Array couldn't hold for more than a few days, the Spirit Stones were almost exhausted, and the Spiritual Power of both him and the Old Ancestor was nearly drained. Once the Grand Array broke and those three Nascent Souls rushed in, everyone would be doomed.

Jiang Yueling stood in the corner, remaining silent the whole time. She looked at the arguing people, then glanced at Yun Ming who had his eyes closed, and finally looked at the Old Ancestor sitting on the stone steps. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but swallowed it back.

They argued for a long time, and no one could convince anyone else.

The Old Ancestor sat on the stone steps, listening to the arguments with a calm expression. He didn't interrupt or state his position; he just listened. Only when the voices gradually quieted down and everyone was looking at him did he slowly speak.

"Retreat."

A single word, very soft, yet it felt like a stone smashing into everyone's heart.

"Old Ancestor!" That Golden Core True Person grew anxious.

"I have spoken: retreat." The Old Ancestor's voice wasn't loud, but it brooked no argument. "Survive first, then we can talk about other things. If you're dead, everything is gone."

No one spoke again.

The Old Ancestor stood up and scanned everyone present: "I'll give you one hour to pack your things. Take what you can, and leave behind what you can't. In one hour, everyone assemble to head for the Shenduan Sect."

He paused and looked at Fu Qingyun: "You go make the arrangements. The injured will walk in the middle, and those who can fight will walk on the sides. Those from the Alchemy Hall take all the Medicinal Pills, and those from the Artifact Hall take all the Spirit Stones. Not a single usable Magical Artifact is allowed to be left behind."

Fu Qingyun nodded: "Yes."

"Yun Ming." The Old Ancestor turned to look at him.

Yun Ming opened his eyes and stood up by leaning against the pillar, his whole body trembling.

"How much longer can the Grand Array hold?" the Old Ancestor asked.

Yun Ming was silent for a moment: "One day at most. If I support it with you, we can hold for two days. After two days, the Spirit Stones will be exhausted, and the Spiritual Power of both you and me will be drained. The Grand Array will dissipate on its own."

The Old Ancestor nodded: "That's enough. One day is sufficient for us to retreat."

He turned and gazed at the dim starlight in the sky outside the Main Hall. Outside, the Demonic Cultivators were still attacking, and the rumbling sounds continued to echo. The Light Barrier flickered unsteadily, liable to shatter at any moment.

"Go and prepare." He waved his hand.

The crowd dispersed. Some were silent, some had bloodshot eyes, and some cursed as they walked. Fu Qingyun went to arrange the retreat, Fu Qingyun went to the Alchemy Hall to move the Medicinal Pills, and Han Song went to the Artifact Hall to count the Spirit Stones. Liu Ruyan supported Fu Qingyun, not saying a word.

Yun Ming stood at the Main Hall's entrance, looking at the Demonic Cultivators outside who were still attacking desperately, then looked back at this dilapidated Main Hall. He had only been here for six years and couldn't say he had much attachment to it. But he knew that for many people, this was the place where they had cultivated for their entire lives; it was their home.

Jiang Yueling walked to his side, remained silent for a while, and asked, "Don't you want to say anything?"

Yun Ming shook his head: "There's nothing to say. The Old Ancestor is right—if you're dead, everything is gone. Only by staying alive is there a chance."

He paused, then suddenly asked, "What about you? What will you do? Will you come with us, or return to the Shenduan Sect on your own?"

Jiang Yueling was taken aback. She lowered her head and thought for a bit: "I'll go with you. You were trapped here because you were trying to save me; I can't just run off on my own."

Yun Ming glanced at her but said nothing. He turned and walked out of the Main Hall, his steps unsteady and his back looking weary.

Behind him, the Main Hall was empty, with only the Old Ancestor still sitting on the stone steps, gazing at that sky that was about to collapse.