218: defect to the demon race

Inside the main hall of the Dao Seeking Sect, sandalwood incense smoke curled around the pillars!

Chen Xuan held a black chess piece between his fingertips, sitting at a table studying a chess manual alone.

[Received devout worship from thirty-four people, gained 340 sect prestige points]

[Received devout worship from eighteen people, gained 180 sect prestige points]

Watching the System notifications pop up one after another, Chen Xuan was somewhat curious about what Li Pingan and the other had been doing outside.

Just as he was lost in thought.

As his thoughts drifted away, a crisp voice like a silver bell burst into the hall, carrying a hint of joyful urgency: "Revered Master, Revered Master!"

Following the sound, a figure in light green stepped gracefully across the white jade stairs, the hem of her skirt rising in a subtle arc with her steps.

The young girl, Shu Shichan, held a gold-painted porcelain bowl in both hands. The thick black liquid inside shimmered slightly, looking somewhat like black sesame paste at first glance.

But Chen Xuan knew that this stuff was far more terrifying than black sesame paste.

In order to avoid eating these Medicinal Pills, Mu Wanqing never dared to slack off in her Cultivation for a single moment. Even the usually honest Li Pingan couldn't find it in his heart to offer a single word of praise.

As soon as Shu Shichan stepped into the hall, her gaze accurately captured the white-robed figure sitting at the table.

"The Jade-Faced Poison Immortal pays a visit. I wonder what business brings you here?" Chen Xuan joked with a smile.

Hearing this, Shu Shichan was first taken aback. Her peach-blossom eyes blinked, and in the next second, she suppressed her smile. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she put on a look as if she were about to burst into tears: "Revered Master, how can even you speak of your Disciple this way?"

She truly got into character in a single second.

"Your Disciple performs Alchemy day and night, only wishing to add a bit more strength to the Sect. It's fine if outsiders misunderstand, but you... you are the Revered Master your Disciple respects most." She rubbed the corners of her eyes and even sobbed twice: "Sigh... if I knew that focusing on Alchemy would result in such a reputation, your Disciple should have..."

Looking at her face, which was already as clear and beautiful as an immortal's, now paired with this deliberately brewed expression of grievance—the very picture of someone who had suffered a great injustice—Chen Xuan quickly raised his hand to interrupt:

"Alright, cut."

As the words fell, Chen Xuan raised a hand and gave a light squeeze; Shu Shichan immediately stopped speaking.

She stood in place with pursed lips, her peach-blossom eyes staring brightly at Chen Xuan. Her gaze clearly said: Revered Master, look, isn't our coordination as Revered Master and Disciple seamless?

"What new treasure have you refined in this bowl?" Chen Xuan asked, changing the subject.

Hearing this, Shu Shichan immediately stepped forward with the bowl in her hands, tilting her small head up slightly to introduce it: "Revered Master, this is the eighth-grade elixir 'azure nether pill' that your Disciple just finished refining. I specifically brought it to honor you!"

The azure nether pill... taking one could increase one's Lifespan by ten years; it was a treasure that Cultivators dreamed of.

Chen Xuan's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained wearing a gentle smile: "Not bad, it is indeed a good thing. Give it to Wanqing in a while; she has been in secluded Cultivation recently and must have exhausted a lot of mental energy."

This young girl's talent for Alchemy was truly stunning.

Being able to proficiently refine eighth-grade elixirs at such a young age, if she continued like this, in time, ninth-grade, saint-rank, and even the legendary god-rank pills might not be beyond her reach.

By then, the strength of the entire Dao Seeking Sect would surely undergo a qualitative leap.

Perhaps these Medicinal Pills could even be used in the Chaos Void Jade to exchange for some heaven-rank magic treasures and god-rank magic treasures.

By then, all the reputation points could be used to purchase cultivation bases.

But hearing this, Shu Shichan immediately pouted: "Revered Master, I already prepared Senior Sister's portion separately. Now, in the entire Sect, you are the only one who hasn't enjoyed the pills your Disciple refined!"

The smile on Chen Xuan's face stiffened slightly. Oh no, is she targeting me this time?

Shu Shichan handed over the bowl with both hands, putting on a posture that suggested if her Revered Master refused, the Disciple would start crying, making a scene, and acting pitiful.

This unforgettable face, combined with that tearful look, was indeed extremely lethal.

"Put it on the table first, I understand."

Just then, the respectful report of a Disciple came from outside the hall: "Sect Master, Senior Qin has come to visit and is now waiting outside the hall."

Hearing this, Chen Xuan felt as if he had been granted a great amnesty and immediately called out: "Quickly, invite him in!"

Shu Shichan gently placed the porcelain bowl on the desk. Before leaving, she didn't forget to turn back and remind him: "Revered Master, I'll come back to pick up the bowl in a while. You must not let your Disciple's kind intentions go to waste."

After the young girl left, Qin Tianxing hurried in.

Wearing a dark blue Daoist robe, Qin Tianxing walked in with long strides. His gaze immediately fell upon the small table in front of Chen Xuan, which was covered with a cloud-patterned chessboard.

He immediately laughed: "Brother Chen, it seems I've come at just the right time."

Chen Xuan glanced at the bowl of black, mushy azure nether pill at the corner of the table.

It was indeed the right time.

"Sit down, it's a perfect time for a game."

With a casual wave of his hand, Chen Xuan instantly returned the pieces on the chessboard to their positions.

Qin Tianxing did not decline and sat directly on the other side of the table. He picked up a black piece and twirled it between his fingers. Although both were poor players, they were happy to use the chessboard to temporarily set aside their chores.

It felt very much like the joy found in the bronze rank.

Before long, the black and white pieces grew denser on the cloud-patterned board, with the occasional light click of pieces colliding.

"Brother Chen, I've come this time mainly to inform you of two things."

Chen Xuan was looking down, organizing the white pieces, his movements unchanged. "Oh? What is it?"

"Brother Chen, do you remember the attack on the third Demon Suppressing Tower in Rain God Continent that we mentioned while chatting a few days ago?"

Chen Xuan's eyebrows twitched slightly as he looked up at him: "You've found out?"

"The people I sent out to gather intelligence just returned today on a cross-continent ferry. The reason that Demon Suppressing Tower was so easily breached was mainly due to an unexpected cause."

As soon as Qin Tianxing finished speaking, Chen Xuan heard a light 'snap' as the black piece in his hand landed steadily in a corner of the board, cutting off his opponent's path.

Immediately after, he heard Qin Tianxing say in a heavy voice: "The Tower Revered Master responsible for guarding that Demon Suppressing Tower has defected to the Yao Race."

"Defected to the Yao Race?"

Qin Tianxing nodded with a grave expression: "Indeed. It was this Tower Revered Master who worked with the Yao Race from the inside, secretly disabling the Demon Suppressing Tower's core protective Formation. This allowed the Yao Race to seize the opportunity and release the tens of thousands of Yao Race remnants imprisoned within."

After saying this, he handed Chen Xuan a sheet of Xuan paper.

Chen Xuan quickly scanned it, his gaze finally landing on the Tower Revered Master's name and cultivation Realm.

Jiang Xiuwen... eighth level of the Void Refining Realm!

Why did this name feel somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before, yet he couldn't recall it for the moment.

"Why would such a high-ranking Cultivator with such impressive cultivation choose to defect to the Yao Race?" Chen Xuan asked casually, placing the Xuan paper on the table.

Qin Tianxing sighed softly: "The specific reasons haven't been uncovered yet. However, when Cultivators act, it ultimately boils down to those few things."

He paused and said word for word: "Power, fame, women, and... the Dao."

"This Tower Master of the Demon Suppressing Tower certainly didn't lack the first three. Holding the position of Tower Revered Master, he had sufficient power; guarding a region against the Yao Race, his fame was widespread; with his status, what kind of woman could he not have?" Qin Tianxing's tone shifted,

"Looking at it this way, the only thing that could possibly make him take such a risk is the last one."

Chen Xuan nodded slightly, instantly understanding his meaning: "You mean to say the Yao Race used the 'Dao' as bait to persuade this Tower Master of the Demon Suppressing Tower?"

Qin Tianxing picked up a chess piece, a complex smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "With Brother Chen's natural talent, it might be hard to empathize with this predicament. But think about it: the higher the cultivation, the more a Cultivator whose Dao is tending toward decay becomes unwilling to just stop there, and even more unwilling to let their Lifespan run out and turn into a pile of yellow earth."

Once the Yao Race throws out bait like 'helping him break through his Bottleneck' or 'extending his Lifespan,' it's hard for anyone to resist the temptation."