115: Tough Choices

A sense of desolation filled the hearts of Guo Chengdao and the three elders.

Even more, a stifling frustration accumulated within them, making it hard to breathe, mixing sorrow with indignation.

They had never imagined...

that the destruction of Seven Stars Province would be wrought by the Cang Yan Army itself!

To prevent the Star Luo Territory from acquiring a pristine Seven Stars Province, they simply chose to destroy it!

What truly chilled their hearts was the Cang Yan Army's disregard for minor factions like theirs.

They simply didn't care about their survival.

Although this was common in chaotic times!

Without sufficient strength and value, it was easy to be abandoned.

But this feeling... was truly unbearable.

It also made it difficult for them to feel any sense of belonging to the Cang Yan Territory.

Guo Chengdao closed his eyes.

After a strenuous effort to compose himself,

his eyes reopened.

Though his heart was heavy,

the immediate priority was to figure out how to save themselves.

According to the message from the Seven Stars Sect,

Ghoulish Spirits were now frequently appearing throughout Seven Stars Province.

The difficulty of relocating the sect was immense.

At the same time, the relocation site... was also a problem!

Seven Stars Province primarily bordered Rainfall Province, Water Cloud Province, and Tian Dou Province.

Among them, Rainfall Province and Water Cloud Province were both territories under the Cang Yan Territory.

These were the locations they had previously considered suitable for relocation.

But now, after learning everything, they felt a deep aversion to the Cang Yan Territory.

They didn't want to remain in the Cang Yan Territory.

“Can we relocate to Tian Dou Province?”

One of the elders asked.

Tian Dou Province was part of the Star Luo Territory.

Since Seven Stars Province had already been ceded to the Star Luo Territory, they could entirely choose to join the Star Luo Territory.

They didn't want to stay in the Cang Yan Territory for another moment.

However, Guo Chengdao shook his head at this.

“We don't know the Star Luo Territory's attitude yet. Whether they will accept us is a question...”

“Furthermore, between Seven Stars Province and Tian Dou Province, there is a desolate desert, rumored to hold great terror. Even the Star Luo Territory dares not venture through this desert on foot.”

Guo Chengdao's words caused the three elders' hearts to sink.

“Does that mean we can only relocate to other provinces within the Cang Yan Territory?”

Having been abandoned by the Cang Yan Territory in such a manner,

their hearts were completely cold towards the Cang Yan Territory.

They truly didn't want to stay there any longer.

But given the current situation,

they seemed to have no choice.

“Actually, the most important thing right now is the Star Luo Territory's attitude!”

Guo Chengdao said in a deep voice.

“The Star Luo Territory must already know the situation in Seven Stars Province. Whether they want to incorporate Seven Stars Province into their own territory is crucial...”

“If the Star Luo Territory is willing to incorporate Seven Stars Province into its territory, perhaps they will send people to clear out the many evil spirits and Ghoulish Spirits here, allowing Seven Stars Province to return to normal.”

“Of course, they might also directly abandon Seven Stars Province...”

“Currently, the most important thing is whether the Star Luo Territory will incorporate Seven Stars Province into its own territory!”

The three elders nodded in agreement.

Indeed.

They could no longer rely on the Cang Yan Territory.

The fall of Seven Stars Province was itself something they had deliberately caused.

Now, it depended on the Star Luo Territory's attitude.

“However, even if the Star Luo Territory comes to clear out the many evil spirits and Ghoulish Spirits here, whether they will accept us is also a problem.”

“Once the Star Luo Territory takes control of Seven Stars Province, perhaps the first thing they will do is to clean up and reorganize the factions within Seven Stars Province!”

“After all, our factions once belonged to the Cang Yan Territory, and may not gain the Star Luo Territory's trust. They might very likely directly eliminate us.”

Guo Chengdao rubbed his temples with a melancholic expression.

The other three elders also felt a sense of oppression.

In other words,

they currently faced only two choices.

One was to relocate the sect towards Rainfall Province or Water Cloud Province.

The other was to await the Star Luo Territory's actions.

The former, aside from their inner resistance,

undertaking such a long-distance relocation was also an extremely difficult task.

They might not be able to achieve it.

The latter would be extremely passive.

Their lives and deaths would entirely depend on what actions the Star Luo Territory would take.

It meant entrusting the entire sect's survival to the Star Luo Territory.

If the Star Luo Territory didn't come and chose to abandon Seven Stars Province,

then only death awaited them.

And even if the Star Luo Territory came but was unwilling to accept them, they would still die!

Both of these choices, regardless of which one, carried the risk of annihilation.

For a time, it was difficult for them to make a decision.

“I think before we decide, we need to consult the opinion of that mysterious powerful expert...”

Guo Chengdao suggested.

The other three elders, upon hearing this, also nodded in agreement.

After all, the Crimson Tiger Totem was currently in his hands.

Such a major matter concerning the life and death of the entire Red Tiger Sect absolutely required informing him and listening to his opinion.

“But how do we contact this mysterious powerful expert?”

Elder Qiao asked in confusion.

They didn't even know who he was.

“I have a way.”

Guo Chengdao clearly already had an idea... In the room.

After Xiao Shi returned, he eagerly took out the item dropped by the Ghoulish Spirit after its death to examine it.

He hadn't had time to look at it before.

Now he finally had the opportunity.

According to his speculation, this item was very likely a Blood Martial Grade item.

He immediately took out the item.

And gazed at it carefully.

This was an ordinary black box.

The truly important item was inside the box.

However, Xiao Shi tried to open it.

But found that he couldn't open the box.

At the same time, relevant information appeared in his vision.

【Name: ???】

【Type: ???】

【Grade: ???】

【Introduction: ???】

【Note: Insufficient level, unable to view.】

...Xiao Shi was stunned.

This was the first time he had seen such an item.

This made him instantly realize... the item inside the box was an item above Blood Martial Grade!

The reason why an item of this grade dropped was not because the Ghoulish Spirit had reached a realm above the Blood Martial Realm.

But rather, after killing the Ghoulish Spirit, a first kill of the Blood Martial Realm occurred!

Causing the item dropped by the Ghoulish Spirit to directly exceed Blood Martial Grade.

“The ‘insufficient level’ in the note should refer to my current cultivation...”

“So that means, I can currently only view item information that is one realm higher than mine. If an item appears that is two realms higher than mine, I won't be able to view it?”

Xiao Shi pondered this thoughtfully.

If that were truly the case,

then he would have to wait until he broke through to the Blood Martial Realm to view the item inside the box.

This couldn't help but make Xiao Shi feel a little regretful.

He speculated that this item must be extraordinary.

Unfortunately, he couldn't view it now.

However, this time's harvest wasn't just this item above Blood Martial Grade.

There was also the Crimson Tiger Totem currently on Xiao Shi's back.

The entire Crimson Tiger Totem still had many aspects worth his research.

Especially after Xiao Shi learned that the Crimson Tiger formed by the tiger talisman during their journey was itself derived from the Crimson Tiger Totem, he couldn't help but wonder if the Crimson Tiger Totem possessed other functions?

Just as he was researching,

suddenly.

Xiao Shi felt a ripple emanate from the Crimson Tiger Totem.

Or more accurately,

it was other auras that caused the Crimson Tiger Totem to ripple.

These auras all originated from the Crimson Tiger Totem.

It was like a call between a group.

“Is someone trying to use this method to find the Crimson Tiger Totem?”

Xiao Shi was momentarily stunned.

Then he shook his head.

Denying that conjecture.

Although these auras could cause the Crimson Tiger Totem to ripple, this ripple could only be felt by Xiao Shi himself.

Others could not feel it.

Naturally, it was impossible to find the Crimson Tiger Totem through the ripple.

This was more like a way to transmit information.

Because this aura ripple could be interpreted through the Crimson Tiger Totem!

Thereby obtaining the information within.

“Is this specifically sending me a message?”

Xiao Shi pondered this thoughtfully.

Although his actions this time were covert, he never exposed himself from beginning to end.

But he still inevitably left some traces.

Through these traces, the sect master and the three elders should all be able to guess... someone acted secretly!

And the person who acted secretly very likely obtained the Crimson Tiger Totem.

It was just that they didn't know who the person acting secretly was.

Now they could only use this method to transmit information to him.

Xiao Shi immediately used the Crimson Tiger Totem on his body to interpret the aura ripples they sent.

After some interpretation,

he successfully deciphered the message transmitted by these aura ripples.

This was clearly a passage.

“We apologize for disturbing senior. The Red Tiger Sect is currently facing a major crisis and choice. We hope senior can give us guidance. We will meet in the hall tomorrow night.”

Xiao Shi's eyes narrowed slightly.

It was as he had guessed.

The sect master and the three elders already knew that someone had acted secretly.

But they didn't know his identity.

“They know the Crimson Tiger Totem is in my hands, so they are using this method to send me a message...”

“Their request to meet me this time might truly be because the Red Tiger Sect is currently facing difficulties, and it's also possible... they want to lure me out with this!”

Xiao Shi had to consider this carefully.

After all, given the importance of the Crimson Tiger Totem to the Red Tiger Sect,

these Red Tiger Sect higher-ups might not be at ease with the Crimson Tiger Totem falling into the hands of someone they didn't even know.

The possibility of them using this to lure him out was not nonexistent.

Xiao Shi thought for a moment.

Out of caution, he decided to observe first before deciding whether to meet them.

And so it was.

By the second night.

Guo Chengdao and the three elders waited anxiously in the hall.

However, they waited from night until dawn.

They never saw the mysterious powerful expert appear.

Guo Chengdao sighed.

Although he had anticipated that he might not appear, he still felt a little disappointed.

This mysterious powerful expert was even more cautious than he had imagined.

“It's a pity we can't transmit too many words through aura ripples, otherwise... we could directly convey the entire matter through aura ripples, so that even without meeting, he would know the current situation.”

Guo Chengdao sighed in his heart.

This method of communicating through aura ripples was somewhat strenuous for them.

They could only transmit twice at most.

And in these two transmissions, the number of words they could convey was limited.

Time was pressing now.

To gain his trust, they could only send him one last message.

“Senior, we have no other intentions. It truly concerns the life and death of the Red Tiger Sect, which is why we presumptuously disturbed senior...”

When the message reached this point, it could no longer continue.

Guo Chengdao and the three elders decided to wait one more day.

If he still didn't show up... then they would make the decision.

By nightfall.

Guo Chengdao and the three elders, who were waiting, suddenly looked towards a certain spot in the hall as if sensing something.

Although their naked eyes couldn't see anything,

they detected a faint ripple emanating from there.

“Senior, is that you?”

Guo Chengdao immediately asked excitedly.

The ripple not far away strengthened slightly, serving as his response.

This filled Guo Chengdao and the three elders with surprise and joy.

He had finally arrived.

At the same time, they were astonished by his stealthy methods.

Not only was he invisible to the naked eye, but even his aura couldn't be sensed.

If he hadn't intentionally emitted a trace of the Crimson Tiger Totem's ripple, they wouldn't have been able to detect his presence at all.

Such methods... were simply inconceivable!

No wonder when he used the Blood Armored Knight to kill the Ghoulish Spirit back then, no one had detected his presence.

However, the current Xiao Shi was located in another corner of the hall.

Not consistent with the location they sensed.

Despite having investigated yesterday,

he had already realized that the sect master and the three elders had no ill intentions, and he also confirmed that they couldn't detect him in his Yin state.

But out of caution,

Xiao Shi still did not reveal his position to them.

Instead, he deliberately chose another location for the emitted Crimson Tiger Totem ripple.

No matter what, he had to avoid exposing his identity.

This was his way of survival in this world!

Guo Chengdao and the three elders took a deep breath.

Knowing that it would be difficult to make this mysterious powerful expert appear.

They dared not utter any other unnecessary words and quickly informed him of the two choices currently facing the Red Tiger Sect.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shi

also frowned.

He hadn't expected the current situation to be so dire.

Both of these choices, regardless of which one, could lead to the annihilation of the entire Red Tiger Sect.

Even he found it difficult to make an immediate decision.

However, through this matter, Xiao Shi could also see the attitude of the sect master and the three elders towards him... They clearly regarded him as an esteemed senior expert.

Although they were curious about his identity,

they should not presumptuously try to pry into it.

Xiao Shi thought for a moment.

He directly granted them a permission through the Crimson Tiger Totem, allowing them to transmit messages to him through aura ripples without restriction.

At the same time, he could also directly convey words to them through the Crimson Tiger Totem.

This way, he wouldn't have to meet them every time he communicated with them.

“What are your thoughts on this matter?”

Xiao Shi tried to transmit his voice.

The voice he transmitted through the Crimson Tiger Totem resonated directly in the minds of Guo Chengdao and the three elders, without needing interpretation.

This was a new function Xiao Shi discovered after researching the Crimson Tiger Totem!