368: Chapter 368 Shi Qingxuan

Yingxia Peak, Guest Welcoming Hall.

The hall was spacious, its floor paved with star-patterned rock that shone like a mirror. Several thick basalt crystal pillars supported the high, expansive dome, and sunlight streamed through the massive glazed window lattices, casting bright spots of light within the hall. The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, making it appear all the more solemn and imposing.

Ling Hao sat upright in the main seat, his gaze falling upon the two people below.

On the left was Zheng Nanxun, the Master of Wan Shou Mountain; there was no need to dwell on him.

As for the woman on the right, she must be the Sect Leader of the White Rock Holy Land.

She was tall and slender, with level shoulders and a straight neck, standing as still as an abyss.

She wore a black and white cross-collared, wide-sleeved deep robe, white on the outside and ink-black on the inside. The fabric hung heavily, embroidered with faint, silver-gray silk threads depicting subtle mountain rock strata and ley line patterns.

Her ink-gray pleated long skirt deepened to a dark cyan from the waist down, the pleats even and crisp.

A heavy dark cyan brocade waistband was tightly fastened, outlining a slender waist, with a plain white knee-cover hanging in front, its lower edge cut into a flat mountain shape, intricately embroidered with silver thread depicting a complex map of the Nine Abyss ley line convergence.

Her black hair was meticulously coiled into a low, round bun, centered perfectly, with dark tresses falling to her waist behind. At the base of the bun lay only a plain, unadorned white jade hairpin.

She wore no makeup, and her features were regular—not breathtakingly beautiful, but rather of average quality. There was a silver-white sword scar about an inch long at the corner of her left eye, and her eyes were as calm as an ancient, deep pool, exuding a sense of majesty.

Ling Hao's mind quickly skimmed through the information about her that Hall Master Di Yunling from the Siwen Hall had submitted earlier.

Shi Qingxuan had been picked up and adopted from ruins at the age of one by the Grand Elder Shi Weisu, also known as Lady Shi Ji. At four thousand eight hundred years old, she had defeated three competitors to ascend to the position of Sect Leader, with a cultivation base at the first level of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. She had been in power for two hundred and seventy years and was known for being steady, upright, and a woman of her word.

Shi Qingxuan was also recalling the "grand occasion" of the coronation ceremony in the Tianyuan Capital City that her spies had gathered, as well as various pieces of news collected from Cangwu.

The Moon Shadow Sect Master, at the Mahayana Stage, had successively sealed the main rift of the True Demon Realm and killed a Demon Ancestor of the True Demon Realm with a single sword strike. He possessed incredible items like the world-suppressing monument and the resonance dao tower, and his rise was as unstoppable as the midday sun...

His strength was unfathomable, perhaps even greater than that of her mother.

However, he had many Dao Companions, and his reputation for being a playboy was widespread.

Powerful, mysterious, handsome, and... lecherous.

Shi Qingxuan quickly sketched out her first impression of Ling Hao in her mind.

Zheng Nanxun spoke up, "Supreme, several Erosion Beasts at the Void Refinement Stage have appeared on the western defense line! Their power far exceeds anything in the past."

Ling Hao nodded, "But with the tianque divine boat and you there, they shouldn't pose a threat, right?"

Zheng Nanxun cupped his fists, "As you said, Supreme, under the tianque divine boat, Void Refinement Stage Erosion Beasts are simply vulnerable, and I imagine the same goes for Tribulation Transcendence Stage Erosion Beasts."

Zheng Nanxun's gaze fell upon Shi Qingxuan opposite him, "The main reason I came this time is to introduce the Sect Leader of the White Rock Holy Land; she says she has news concerning the life and death of the White Rock and Cangwu."

"Oh?"

Shi Qingxuan raised her eyes and bowed, "Shi Qingxuan, Sect Leader of the White Rock Holy Land, greets Supreme Moonshadow!"

Ling Hao nodded slightly.

Shi Qingxuan continued, "The crisis facing White Rock is likely even more severe."

"Deep within the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest, there are Erosion Beasts at the Mahayana Stage; it is expected that they may break out of the Demon Forest within six months to a year!"

"Mahayana Stage?" Ling Hao raised an eyebrow; the weight of this news was indeed staggering.

"I recall that your White Rock Holy Land is guarded by Lady Shi Ji, is it not?"

Shi Qingxuan shook her head slightly, her expression grave.

"What is brewing within the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest... is not just the aura of one Mahayana Stage Erosion Beast."

"Furthermore, the Demon Forest borders both our regions, and both will suffer the impact when the time comes."

"More than one?" Ling Hao was truly surprised this time. The rumored Mahayana Stage had actually come true?

"Could it be... that the place where your White Rock suppresses the main root of the Fallen Immortal Ancient Banyan... is within the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest?" Ling Hao instantly connected the key point.

"Exactly."

Shi Qingxuan admitted frankly, "The rock cauldron, along with the eight secondary cauldrons, are all suppressing the core of the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest. Now that abnormal phenomena are occurring frequently, I fear it is because the power of the suppression is waning, and the roots of the Ancient Banyan are restless, thus inciting such powerful Erosion Beasts to appear ahead of time."

"This is a disaster that could destroy our region, and a great threat to both our regions. Therefore, I, on behalf of the White Rock Holy Land, formally request the Moonshadow Sect to lend its aid. When the lips are gone, the teeth are cold; I hope Supreme Moonshadow will see this clearly."

Here it was. When it was mentioned earlier that the Demon Forest bordered both regions, Ling Hao had a premonition—she was here to find teammates.

Thoughts raced through Ling Hao's mind.

Mahayana Stage Erosion Beasts... more than one... the main root of the Fallen Immortal Ancient Banyan... and the core rock cauldron!

Was this not the perfect opportunity he had been waiting for to intervene in White Rock and acquire the rock cauldron?

But to agree too easily...

Ling Hao remained calm on the surface, and after a moment of contemplation, said, "When the lips are gone, the teeth are cold; I naturally understand. The Moonshadow Sect can provide assistance."

A trace of relief had just flashed in Shi Qingxuan's eyes, but then she heard Ling Hao change the subject.

"However, since we are allies, there must be terms. The condition for the Moonshadow Sect's assistance is: to conclude an 'Offensive and Defensive Alliance' with the White Rock Holy Land."

"At the same time, to ensure the safety of our Sect's Disciples during their operations in White Rock, it is necessary to establish a resonance dao tower and a world-suppressing monument within the territory of White Rock. Once the crisis is resolved, if your White Rock Holy Land requests it, they can be removed."

"A resonance dao tower? A world-suppressing monument?" Shi Qingxuan's brows instantly furrowed, and she refused flatly, "I have heard that these two items are core items of the Moonshadow Sect; placing them within the territory of White Rock is something I cannot agree to."

Through intelligence from her subordinates, she already knew that the Moonshadow Sect's resonance dao tower could be used for teleportation and communication, and to amplify the combat power of Disciples, and that the world-suppressing monument could suppress spatial rifts and erosion qi, but she knew nothing about their core principles, deep-seated effects, or, in particular, whether they posed a potential threat to the White Rock Holy Land.

As Sect Leader, she absolutely could not risk the Foundation of her Sect.

Unless she could understand the principles, or at least have them under the control of her own Sect.

Ling Hao seemed to have long anticipated her refusal, his expression unchanged.

"Sect Leader Shi, the resonance dao tower is the Foundation for the survival and combat power amplification of my Moonshadow Sect Disciples; it is the guarantee of a retreat path for my Moonshadow Sect Disciples when they venture deep into dangerous areas, so it cannot be omitted."

"As for the world-suppressing monument, it is created specifically to suppress spatial rifts and erosion qi. I believe your White Rock is also quite troubled by the encroachment of secondary rifts from the True Demon Realm; this item will bring nothing but benefits to your White Rock. If your Sect will not even allow these two things, then for my Moonshadow Sect Disciples to venture deep into the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest would be no different from walking into a trap. This matter... let us drop it."

Shi Qingxuan was silent.

She naturally coveted these two divine items; if she could trade for them, the White Rock Holy Land would be willing to pay a huge price.

"Supreme Moonshadow, can these two items... be traded for by my Holy Land at a cost? Our Holy Land treasury is yours to choose from." She attempted to negotiate.

Ling Hao shook his head, "Those who are not Moonshadow Sect Disciples cannot drive or use them. Trading for them is useless."

The atmosphere in the hall stagnated for a moment.

Their gazes met in the air.

Shi Qingxuan understood that the world-suppressing monument was indeed beneficial to White Rock, and the resonance dao tower was an indispensable guarantee for the Moonshadow Sect Disciples. But placing such core items of unknown background on her own turf posed too great a risk.

After a long while, Shi Qingxuan took a deep breath, as if having made a certain determination, her knuckles turning slightly white within her sleeves.

She said in a low voice, "Very well. This Sect... agrees to establish an Offensive and Defensive Alliance, and allows the Moonshadow Sect to set up a resonance dao tower and a world-suppressing monument within the territory of White Rock during the operations in the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest."

"But the specific locations for placement must be designated by my White Rock Sect! This is my bottom line."

Ling Hao looked at the determination in the eyes of this female Sect Leader, who was known for her steadiness, and the corners of his mouth curled into an arc.

"Very well."