371: Gathering

"If it weren't for the fact that we don't know the true nature of the Dao Seeking Sect, its background, or its depth, and if the Formation in the Rain God Continent wasn't truly impressive and somewhat unfathomable, then given the style of the Yuling Valley, they would have already made a move."

Yu Qingyan blinked her eyes gently, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings. "This Disciple believes that even if the Yuling Valley is truly dissatisfied, they probably aren't strong enough to contend with the Dao Seeking Sect."

"Furthermore, they clearly could have offered aid sooner, yet they disregarded the safety of the entire Rain God Continent. This Yuling Sect is too opportunistic."

Hearing this, Dongfang Li's tone became slightly more serious as she instructed, "I have never cared much for these power struggles. If the Sect Master hadn't specifically ordered us to come to the Suppressing Heaven Platform to participate in the deliberation this time, our Tiangong Pavilion, which has always been reclusive, wouldn't be joining this excitement."

"These inside matters are only for us, Revered Master and Disciple, to discuss privately. You must never spread them outside."

"Revered Master!"

Yu Qingyan frowned slightly and pondered for a moment. "Could it be that Fairy Yu Chan still hasn't discovered your true female identity?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Dongfang Li flicked her finger, sending a gentle but undeniable force onto Yu Qingyan's forehead. "My matters are not for you to inquire about, Disciple!"

...The flying boat of the Qingxiao Sword Sect was entirely azure, hovering above the sea of clouds like a giant sword cleaving the clouds.

On the deck, several Cultivators dressed in azure robes and wearing long swords stood by the railing. As their sleeves fluttered, a solemn Sword Intent naturally emanated.

The Third Elder couldn't help but click his tongue. "I really don't know what's so great about this deliberation at the Suppressing Heaven Platform! If you ask me, we should just have the major Sects each send half their experts to form a coalition army and charge straight into the Demon Race Continent, conquering it once and for all! That way, they won't bother us every few decades, which is infuriating."

"Conquering it?"

The Second Elder beside him laughed upon hearing this, shook his head, and countered, "Who will fight? How will we fight? Are you assuming the nine Demon Venerables of the Demon Race Continent are vegetarians? They are beings on the same level as our Heavenly Venerables, each terrifyingly ferocious, commanding countless Demon Soldiers."

"Don't we also have ten Heavenly Venerables holding the fort?"

The Third Elder sneered and retorted, "Combining the strength of the Cultivators from the Nine Continents, can't we suppress a single Demon Race Continent?"

"Then let me ask you this?"

"If you were only one step away from Immortal Ascension, needing only one final opportunity to Breakthrough, and at that moment you were asked to fight a death match against a Demon Venerable of the same realm, would you go?"

The Third Elder was immediately speechless, opening his mouth but unable to utter a rebuttal.

The path to Immortal Ascension is faint; who would be willing to perish here at the final juncture?

Seeing this, the Second Elder slowly sighed: "Furthermore, if we truly mobilized the strength of the entire world to attack the Demon Race Continent, that would be a major event affecting the entire world, and it could never be settled overnight."

"Sword Venerable has always only pursued the ultimate Sword Dao, ignoring worldly disputes; as for Medicine Venerable, he permanently guards his own small domain, staying indoors all day—who knows what rare Medicinal Pills he is refining? Why would he be willing to participate in a life-and-death war like this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a young Disciple with a clean-cut appearance beside him suddenly raised a finger and pointed to a cinnabar-red flying boat in the distant sea of clouds, softly reminding him, "Revered Master, the Medicine Hut also sent people to participate in this deliberation."

Hearing this, the Second Elder's expression drastically changed. His eloquent speech instantly turned into nervousness, and he hastily cupped his hands and bowed towards the cinnabar-red flying boat, speaking respectfully: "I misspoke! I misspoke! Senior Medicine Venerable is magnanimous; I beg you not to take offense at my minor transgression. I spoke presumptuously!"

His eagerness to admit his mistake caused the Grand Elder beside him to raise an eyebrow, glance sideways at him, and utter two words:

"Behavior."

The Sect Master stood among the crowd, his azure robe and wide sleeves gently fluttering in the wind. His expression remained calm. He raised a hand to calm them down and said softly, "Alright, it was just idle chatter, no need to be so restrained. Compared to the specifics of this deliberation, I am actually more curious about the true foundation of the Dao Seeking Sect, which suddenly emerged in the Rain God Continent."

As his voice fell, the several Elders and Disciples on the deck simultaneously turned their heads, their gaze falling entirely upon Ruan Chuan, who stood nearby holding his sword.

The Third Elder stepped half a pace forward, looking intently at Ruan Chuan, and said in a deep voice, "Hey, Ruan, tell us. Didn't you intentionally detour through the Flame Continent territory two days ago to visit the Dao Seeking Sect? What exactly is that Sect like?"

Ruan Chuan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them and replied carelessly, "It's just a small Sect that suddenly popped up in the Flame Continent territory. How powerful could they be? Just so-so."

Hearing this, everyone's faces simultaneously showed relief, and they slightly relaxed.

After all, no one wished for another colossal power to suddenly emerge, as that would introduce too many unstable factors.

Now that they heard Ruan Chuan say this, the anxiety hanging in their hearts largely subsided.

The Grand Elder, however, refused to let it go, pressing, "I heard someone say you even exchanged blows with the Dao Seeking Sect's Sect Master there? What was the result?"

Ruan Chuan sneered, his face full of disdain: "What Sect Master? He's just the Peak Master of one of the peaks in the Dao Seeking Sect."

He paused, seeming to feel that mentioning the matter was beneath him. "His cultivation base was just average; he couldn't even kill me in two moves. How powerful do you think he could be?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone on the deck immediately exchanged glances, their eyes meeting with unconcealed speechlessness.

Sure enough, this Ruan fellow from their Sect—while his Sword Dao cultivation base wasn't top-notch among his peers—certainly had a tough mouth! They estimated that even if the Sword Venerable personally struck him with a sword, it might not be enough to subdue his stubborn nature.

One must realize that Ruan Chuan himself was already at the Sixth Layer of Body Integration cultivation base. The fact that the Peak Master of the Dao Seeking Sect could severely injure him within two moves meant his strength was already unfathomable.

Thinking this, everyone had already reached a conclusion: it seemed the overall strength of the Dao Seeking Sect might not be weaker than their own Qingxiao Sword Sect... On the Medicine Hut's flying boat.

Fang Yusheng wore a simple blue dress with wide, flowing sleeves, her eyelashes fluttering gently like clouds drifting over a mountain stream.

Her eyes slowly swept over the people on the boat, and she asked softly, "Where is Senior Sister Yuchan? Did she not come with us for this Suppressing Heaven Platform deliberation?"

A woman in a light pink palace dress beside her bowed and replied, "Replying to Martial Aunt, Martial Aunt Yuchan is currently in seclusion inside the boat, refining a Ninth-Grade Face Retaining Pill, and did not accompany us."

Fang Yusheng sighed softly, a helpless smile curving her lips. "It couldn't be for that Jade-Faced Handsome Man she is always thinking about, could it?"

"I originally wanted Senior Sister to see for herself what a truly noble Young Master, like a Banished Immortal, looks like."

Hearing this, the Palace Dressed Woman curiously scanned the various Sect flying boats in the sea of clouds and softly asked, "Which person are you referring to, Martial Aunt? Could it be the Sect Prodigy of the Ten Thousand Formations Sect who is attending this time?"

"Young Master Han?"

"Don't bother looking."

Fang Yusheng smiled and waved her hand. "While Han Chen is indeed good, he still falls far short compared to the person I saw two days ago."

"I am talking about the Peak Master of the Butian Peak of the Dao Seeking Sect. He looks like a figure of peerless elegance, but he hasn't arrived yet."