304: chat

They returned to Yaoshi City.

Chen Xuan was settled into a courtyard. After Chu Haotian changed into a clean, moon-white long robe, he came out to receive his guest.

He sat opposite Chen Xuan, his gaze falling once again on the young Cultivator before him. The more he looked, the more unfathomable the youth seemed. The other's cultivation base was shrouded as if by a thick fog, making it impossible for someone like him, who had been immersed in the cultivation world for centuries, to see through his depth at all.

"Thank you for your help earlier, Fellow Daoist. If not for you, that great demon would have escaped."

Chen Xuan waved his hand, his voice calm and indifferent. "Polite words only need to be said once."

Chu Haotian smiled slightly upon hearing this and introduced himself frankly. "I am Chu Haotian, the Peak Master of Sky Lotus Peak of the Tianque Sect."

"Dao Seeking Sect, Chen Xuan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Haotian's fingertips moved slightly, and two glazed jade bottles appeared out of thin air on the stone table.

The jade bottles were as clear as ice, and the wine inside shimmered with an amber glow. Wisps of mellow fragrance quietly spread, lingering around the nose and making one feel refreshed unconsciously.

"This is 'drunken flowing sunset,' a celestial brew unique to the Tianque Sect. It is brewed from Nine Heavens cloud dew supplemented with thousand-year-old spiritual plants. It is a rare sight for ordinary Cultivators. Today, I shall share a cup with you, Fellow Daoist."

The jade bottle tilted automatically, and the clear wine slowly poured into the white jade cup on the stone table. The fragrance of the wine became even more intense and mellow, even attracting several birds to circle outside the courtyard. They seemed to be lured by the celestial aura and were reluctant to leave.

Chen Xuan picked up the wine cup and took a small sip.

The wine was mellow and refreshing as it went down his throat, and a gentle warm current instantly spread through his limbs and bones, refreshing his mind. Compared to the divine saliva wine of the Yin Shen Sect, it even had a bit more of a long-lasting, mellow fragrance.

Putting down the wine cup, Chen Xuan lightly raised his wrist, and a soft spiritual light flew out from his sleeve, landing steadily in the center of the stone table. As the spiritual light dissipated, an ancient silk scroll lay there quietly, with faint golden light flowing over it.

"The transaction between my Disciple and you, Fellow Daoist, is now considered complete."

Chu Haotian's pupils contracted suddenly, and his hand holding the wine cup paused slightly, nearly spilling the wine.

To easily produce a scroll of a Heaven-rank Divine Ability now—it seemed this Dao Seeking Sect was far more unfathomable than he had imagined. But why had he never heard any news about such a Sect?

When Ye Hao made the deal with him back then, although he had promised a Heaven-rank Divine Ability as a thank-you gift, Chu Haotian had only considered it an exaggeration made by a Junior in a moment of desperation.

But looking at it today, it seemed he had been mistaken.

Chu Haotian was in no hurry to pocket the silk scroll. Instead, he changed the subject and looked at Chen Xuan with burning eyes. "Fellow Daoist, your visit this time shouldn't be just to deliver on this transaction, right?"

Chen Xuan nodded upon hearing this, his tone still flat. "There are indeed a few other matters." He looked up at Chu Haotian and asked directly, "Does Fellow Daoist Chu know the whereabouts of Daoist Yunche?"

Chu Haotian narrowed his eyes slightly and guessed the other's intention after a moment's deliberation.

"To be honest, I intended to capture Yunche that day, but I didn't expect him to have already secretly colluded with the Yao Race. He destroyed the Demon Suppressing Tower's Formation and released tens of thousands of Demonic Beasts as bait, only then narrowly escaping from my hands. Later, the Yao Race army suddenly attacked, and the situation in the city became volatile. I was truly unable to pull myself away to investigate his whereabouts."

"I see." Chen Xuan nodded slightly.

It seemed this matter would have to be put aside for the time being.

Chu Haotian seemed to remember something and added, "If Fellow Daoist Chen intends to move against him, you must be extra careful."

Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"Daoist Yunche's own cultivation base is mediocre, so he is naturally no match for you, Fellow Daoist. However, he is accompanied by a Yao Race member who looks like a scholar; that creature does have some real skill."

Chu Haotian's tone became a bit more serious. "What you need to be even more wary of is the possibility that he has already gathered other forces and established a significant presence."

Chen Xuan chuckled inwardly. If that were the case, he actually hoped the other party would prepare a few more heaven-rank magic treasures. Below the Integration Realm, he could take them all out in one go with a Void Refining experience card; even if he faced an expert above the Integration Realm, he still had five instant kill cards in his hand, though he needed to use them sparingly.

"Thank you for telling me, Fellow Daoist!"

Following that, Chen Xuan took the opportunity to ask about the current movements of the Yao Race and how much longer the Rain God Continent could hold out.

Chu Haotian picked up his wine cup and drained the 'drunken flowing sunset' in one gulp. The wine went down his throat but could not suppress the worry between his brows. He sighed softly and said, "This time, the Yao Race is more aggressive than ever before. It is clearly a long-planned and well-laid-out scheme."

He held out his palm, fingers spread. "Based on the current situation, the Rain God Continent can only hold out for five more days at most."

"Is it really that pessimistic?"

"If the Eighteen Demon Suppressing Towers could work together and join forces against the enemy, perhaps we could hold out for a few more days."

Chen Xuan understood instantly; this was a concern about being backstabbed in secret.

It was like clearly holding a fighting force that couldn't be underestimated, yet not only being unable to commit it to the battlefield, but also having to divert attention to stay on guard.

After all, once someone from the Demon Suppressing Towers colluded with the Yao Race from within, Yaoshi City would be in a desperate situation, attacked from both front and back.

This was only the surface level that Chen Xuan could perceive.

His information about the Rain God Continent was, after all, only hearsay, and he had never specifically sent anyone to investigate.

In reality, the situation in the Rain God Continent was far more dangerous than what he saw.

Yan Shu was hunting down second-rate Sects everywhere, causing widespread panic to the point that no one dared to reinforce Yaoshi City. The tragedy of that single sword strike against the Chusheng Sect had further caused the morale of the entire Rain God Continent to plummet, as thoughts of despondency quietly took root.

One must know that the Chusheng Sect, one of the three major Sects, had already been destroyed, yet no powerful experts had come to support them. Once such news spread, the morale of the tens of thousands of Cultivators in Yaoshi City would likely hit rock bottom.

It was just that most Cultivators in the Rain God Continent were still kept in the dark.

Their Realms were insufficient, so their vision was also limited.

The Tianque Sect and the Five Elders Gate naturally would not inform their Disciples of these setbacks. Instead, they would deliberately downplay the strength of the Yao Race to barely stabilize the current situation.

But ultimately, paper cannot wrap fire.

When the Cultivators found the slaughter against the Yao Race army becoming increasingly difficult, reinforcements from various places failing to arrive, and their fellow Disciples falling one by one...

At that time, it would be a true collapse like a mountain falling, beyond any hope of salvation!

Just as the two were conversing in low voices, a faint but clear ripple of Spiritual Qi suddenly swept in from afar, instantly permeating the entire courtyard.

Chu Haotian's expression changed slightly, and he stood up abruptly.

It was movement coming from the City Lord's Mansion!

"Fellow Daoist, there is a sudden urgent matter to handle. Please excuse me for a moment."

Before his voice faded, his figure had already transformed into a streak of light and vanished from the spot.

Chen Xuan picked up the jade bottle and poured himself another cup of drunken flowing sunset.

He looked at the swaying wine in the cup and murmured in a low voice, "If one could see through which people in those Eighteen Demon Suppressing Towers have already defected to the Yao Race..."

"Perhaps they could hold out for a few more days."

As soon as the thought occurred, Chen Xuan quickly shook his head.

Even if a traitor could really be rooted out, it would only be a drop in the bucket and could not fundamentally reverse this failing situation.

He suddenly thought again: if the Yao Race really broke the Rain God Continent, would they choose to rest and consolidate their territory, or would they continue to march outward and sweep across a broader world?

Chen Xuan put down the wine cup.

In the next moment, his figure also vanished into thin air, clearly intending to go to the City Lord's Mansion to investigate.