49: Chapter 49 Shock

The news of Chen Yuanji dismantling the fourteenth stronghold was like a pebble tossed into a calm lake, ripples quickly spreading throughout the entire Zhongyuan Region. The defense network that the Tiandao Sect had operated in the Zhongyuan Region for over a thousand years had never been torn apart so easily. In less than a month, nearly half of the strongholds on the southeastern border had been dismantled, with over three hundred Tiandao Sect Disciples dead or injured, including more than a dozen experts at or above the Faxiang Realm.

Tiandao Sect Headquarters, Tianyuan Peak. Tianyuan Peak was located at the very center of the Zhongyuan Region, soaring into the clouds and shrouded in mist year-round. At the Peak stood a magnificent palace built entirely of white jade, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. In the main hall of the palace, over a dozen elderly men sat around a long table, each of their auras unfathomable, with the weakest being at the Early Stage of the Void-Piercing Realm.

The seat at the head of the long table was empty; that was Grand Elder Sikong Sheng's place. Sikong Sheng was currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Middle Stage of the Tribulation Transformation Realm, and had not appeared for three months. Presiding over the meeting was Second Elder Lu Chenzhou, at the Peak of the Void-Piercing Realm, who had lived for eight hundred years. His face was lean, his hair gray, yet his eyes were as sharp as knives, scanning everyone present.

"Fourteen strongholds on the southeastern border have been dismantled within half a month." Lu Chenzhou's voice was flat, but everyone could hear his suppressed fury. "Three hundred and seventy-two casualties, including thirteen in the Faxiang Realm, forty-one in the Shentong Realm, and the rest in the Guiyuan Realm. Who can tell me what is going on?"

The Elders present looked at each other in dismay; no one spoke.

"Han Tiance, you are responsible for the defense of the southeastern border." Lu Chenzhou looked at Han Tiance, who sat at the end of the table. "You speak."

Han Tiance stood up, his expression grim. "Second Elder, it's Chen Yuanji. He alone dismantled fourteen strongholds in half a month."

"One person?" Lu Chenzhou frowned. "What is his Realm?"

"Half-Step Divine Realm, but his combat power far exceeds his Realm. Senior Brother Zhou Xuanji was defeated by him, and the heavenly order was snatched away."

"A Half-Step Divine Realm defeating a Middle Stage Void-Piercing Realm," Lu Chenzhou's fingers lightly tapped the tabletop. "Was Zhou Xuanji careless?"

"Not entirely," Han Tiance shook his head. "Chen Yuanji's Cultivation system is different from ours; he does not Cultivate essence energy, but only the Physical Body. His attacks can penetrate essence energy shields and directly injure internal organs. Junior Brother Zhou suffered because of this."

Lu Chenzhou was silent for a moment. "Who can go and kill him?"

The hall fell into a dead silence! Zhou Xuanji, at the Middle Stage of the Void-Piercing Realm, had been defeated. Han Tiance, at the Early Stage of the Void-Piercing Realm, had fought Chen Yuanji at Cangwu Mountain; although he hadn't lost, he hadn't gained the upper hand either. Among the Elders present, many were stronger than Han Tiance, but they were all in the Late Stage or Peak of the Void-Piercing Realm. If they were sent to hunt down a junior at the Half-Step Divine Realm, where would the Tiandao Sect's dignity go if word got out?

"I will go."

An aged voice came from outside the hall. Everyone turned to see a white-haired old man walking in. The old man's face was haggard, his figure stooped, and he leaned on a cane, looking as if he were in his twilight years and could collapse at any moment. However, his eyes were bright—so bright that one dared not look directly at them. Late Stage of the Void-Piercing Realm, Liu Cangsheng, one of the oldest Elders of the Tiandao Sect, had lived for over a thousand years, even older than Grand Elder Sikong Sheng.

"Senior Brother Liu, you've come out of seclusion?" Lu Chenzhou stood up, his tone becoming a bit more respectful.

"Seclusion is useless." Liu Cangsheng waved his hand. "The threshold of the Tribulation Transformation Realm is something I won't be able to touch in this lifetime. Rather than waiting for death on the mountain, I might as well go out and stretch my old bones." He walked to the long table, sat down, and leaned his cane against the table.

"That kid named Chen Yuanji, I will go meet him."

"Senior Brother Liu, you alone?" Lu Chenzhou hesitated.

"One person is enough." Liu Cangsheng said indifferently. "How many people do I need for a junior at the Half-Step Divine Realm? I'll take one item with me to guarantee he won't escape."

"What item?"

Liu Cangsheng pulled a fist-sized bead from his robe. The bead was pitch black, its surface covered in fine cracks as if it might shatter at any moment. However, the aura radiating from the bead caused all the Elders present to change expression.

"The fengyuan bead." Lu Chenzhou's pupils constricted. "Senior Brother Liu, you're going to use the fengyuan bead against him?"

"The fengyuan bead can Seal all essence energy within a ten-mile radius." Liu Cangsheng toyed with the black bead in his hand. "That kid doesn't Cultivate essence energy, so the fengyuan bead is useless against him. But it's useful against those around him. Doesn't he have helpers? Xuan Wuji and Shen Wuchang are both in the Void-Piercing Realm. Seal their essence energy and see how they can help him then."

Lu Chenzhou was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Senior Brother Liu, be careful."

"Don't worry," Liu Cangsheng stood up and picked up his cane. "I've lived for over a thousand years; what great storms have I not seen? A green youth won't be able to turn the world upside down."

Leaning on his cane, he walked tremulously out of the main hall. Inside the hall, Lu Chenzhou watched his departing figure, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

"Second Elder, Senior Brother Liu..." Han Tiance hesitated.

"Senior Brother Liu is too old," Lu Chenzhou sighed. "When one is old, it's easy to be stubborn, and stubbornness leads to mistakes. I hope he doesn't follow in Junior Brother Zhou's footsteps."

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital of Great Yan, Elder Xuan and Shen Wuchang were sitting in the main hall of the Residence of the Great General of the State, a map spread out before them. The fourteen strongholds Chen Yuanji had dismantled were marked with red crosses on the map, forming a clear path from south to north.

"This kid moves really fast." Shen Wuchang took a sip of wine and smacked his lips. "At this rate, he'll dismantle all the strongholds on the southeastern border in three months."

"Tiandao Sect won't sit idly by." Elder Xuan's expression was very grave. "The commotion he's caused is too great. The next one to come won't be some trash like Zhou Xuanji."

"Then who will it be?"

"Liu Cangsheng." Elder Xuan pointed at the map. "I've heard news that Liu Cangsheng left Tianyuan Peak three days ago and is heading southeast. Late Stage of the Void-Piercing Realm, lived for over a thousand years, and has the fengyuan bead in his possession."

Shen Wuchang's hand jerked, spilling some wine.

"The fengyuan bead? Hasn't that thing been lost?"

"Tiandao Sect has been hiding it all along." Elder Xuan sighed. "The fengyuan bead can Seal all essence energy within a ten-mile radius. If you and I have our essence energy sealed, we'll become useless. Although that kid doesn't Cultivate essence energy, facing Liu Cangsheng of the Late Stage Void-Piercing Realm alone, his chances of winning aren't great."

"Then what do we do?"

"Go and support him." Elder Xuan stood up. "We can't let him shoulder it alone."

Shen Wuchang also stood up, tucking his wine flask into his belt. "Let's go."

The two left the Imperial Capital overnight, riding fast horses toward the southeast. Three days later, they found Chen Yuanji in a small town at the foot of the Cangmang Mountains. Chen Yuanji was eating in an inn, several empty bowls on the table. The Wuzhui Horse was tied at the entrance. He looked a bit tired, but his spirits were good, and his eyes remained bright.

"Kid, you've made quite a stir." Elder Xuan sat across from him and ordered a pot of tea.

"Is it?" Chen Yuanji put down his chopsticks. "Only fourteen; there are twenty-three left."

"There aren't twenty-three left." Elder Xuan shook his head. "Tiandao Sect has already adjusted its deployment, and the remaining strongholds have strengthened their defenses. Moreover, they've sent Liu Cangsheng to kill you."

"Liu Cangsheng?"

"Late Stage of the Void-Piercing Realm, lived for over a thousand years, and has the fengyuan bead." Shen Wuchang added, "The fengyuan bead can Seal essence energy within a ten-mile radius. If we go, we'll just be a burden."

Chen Yuanji was silent for a moment. "The fengyuan bead is effective against essence energy, but is it effective against my Protective Aura?"

Elder Xuan was stunned for a moment, then thought about it. "Probably not. Protective Aura is not essence energy; it's the power of the Physical Body. The fengyuan bead cannot Seal the power of the Physical Body."

"That's enough then." Chen Yuanji stood up. "I'll deal with Liu Cangsheng alone. You guys wait outside."

"Kid, are you crazy?" Shen Wuchang's eyes widened. "Liu Cangsheng is at the Late Stage of the Void-Piercing Realm, not some amateur like Zhou Xuanji. You, a Half-Step Divine Realm, fighting a Late Stage Void-Piercing Realm? Your chances of winning are less than thirty percent."

"Thirty percent is enough." Chen Yuanji pulled out the heavenly order from his robe and handed it to Elder Xuan. "Keep this. If I can't beat him, crush the heavenly order. A strike from the Tribulation Transformation Realm is enough to give Liu Cangsheng a hard time."

Elder Xuan took the heavenly order; it felt heavy.

"Kid, are you sure?"

"Positive!"

Chen Yuanji walked out of the inn and mounted his horse. "Where is Liu Cangsheng now?"

"He's coming south, arriving in two days at most," Elder Xuan followed him out. "Are you going to meet him?"

"No, I'm going to the next stronghold." Chen Yuanji pulled the reins. "Let him chase me."

The Wuzhui Horse neighed and galloped north. Elder Xuan and Shen Wuchang looked at each other, then also mounted their horses and followed, the three horses kicking up a trail of dust on the official road.