News of the Ghost City in the Dream incident spread quickly throughout the Jianghu of Heqing Dao. Yang Zhongyuan, Governor of the Celestial Net Department, had issued a Celestial Net Order. The various sects would soon dispatch their elite Blood Strengthening Realm disciples into the Ghost City to put an end to the matter.
These elite disciples were already considered masters among the younger generation of their respective sects. As such, their performance in this operation was drawing widespread attention.
In fact, some gossips in the Jianghu were treating this operation as a competition among the younger disciples from the various sects. They were already preparing to rank the disciples based on their performance once the incident concluded.
In their spare time, the disciples of the various sects would discuss the matter, a subtle rivalry simmering beneath the surface.
"I heard Zhuang Li, Deng Mingsheng, and Li Zhilin from Miaoyin Hall are all participating. Each of them has mastered one of the Secret Spells of the Three Extremes of Miao Yin, making them the strongest of their generation in the sect. If those three team up, I doubt anyone from the other four sects could possibly match them."
"Forget it. Miaoyin Hall is all talk. I heard Ren Fei from the Rebirth Palace is going too. He's a master who cultivated the 'Infinite' ability of the Rebirth Palace while still in the Blood Strengthening Realm. With his talent for the Sword Way, he's likely unrivaled in the Blood Strengthening Realm of Heqing Dao. Who could possibly contend with him?"
"Slaying demons and eliminating Evil Spirits isn't just about being aggressive. Ren Fei's Swordsmanship is certainly domineering, but when it comes to handling Evil Spirits, who can compare to the Yin Mountain Sect? Chi Li of the Yin Mountain Sect has a Main Spirit that is a Split Soul from one of the sect's three great generals. His power to subdue fiends is something others can't hope to match..."
Discussions sprung up everywhere, from Jianghu taverns to the city's pleasure quarters. The incident's impact was so significant that the news was impossible to suppress.
「Meanwhile, somewhere in Heqing Dao.」
Two cloaked figures walked through a dense forest on a desolate mountain.
One of them was tall and built like an iron tower. The other, who had the small figure of a child, sat on the tall one's shoulders, swinging its legs.
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!
Suddenly, a sinister wind gusted through the forest. Trees swayed, loose stones tumbled, and the light in the area dimmed.
The tall cloaked figure halted. As the sinister wind swirled, the phantom of a small ghoul materialized from thin air.
The ghoul was gaunt, with ears as large as fans and a wide mouth that stretched from ear to ear, giving it a grotesque appearance.
Upon appearing, the ghoul showed great reverence toward the child-like figure. It floated up to the child's ear and appeared to whisper something in a language not of humans.
"I understand. Continue gathering information."
The child-like figure waved its hand. The ghoul immediately withdrew, its form turning ethereal before it vanished as a gust of sinister wind.
"Information about the Ghost City has been leaked," the child-like figure said with an amused giggle. "Yang Zhongyuan gave the order. The Celestial Net Department and the Five Sects of Heqing are launching a joint operation, sending their elite disciples to proactively enter the Ghost City next time."
"Oh? They obtained intelligence on the Ghost City that quickly?" The tall cloaked figure's voice held a hint of surprise. "It seems there's someone quite capable in Heqing Dao."
"It is a bit strange. Based on my estimates, they shouldn't have been able to bypass the Ghost City's memory block to bring back intelligence until after at least three or four manifestations. By that point, the Ghost City would likely have begun pulling in masters at the Refining the Internal Organs Realm, and at that level, memories aren't so easily sealed. I'm quite curious how they got their information."
A playful tone laced the child's immature voice.
"That's not what's important," the tall figure said flatly. "What matters is that our plan has been disrupted. The Ghost City hasn't consumed enough sacrifices, yet its secrets are already out. With the sects joining forces, there's a good chance they'll be able to resolve this."
"It is a bit troublesome, but from another perspective, isn't this also an opportunity?"
"Hee hee," the child giggled. "Those members of the younger generation represent the future Incense and destiny of Heqing Dao. If they perish inside the Ghost City and are devoured by the Yin Mother Statue, I imagine Her recovery will proceed far faster than we anticipated. And that, in turn, will bring me some truly unexpected rewards."
"You intend to interfere? It's no easy task to influence the rules of a Realm created by Evil Cultivation. Its essential nature is fixed, after all. With all eyes on this situation and major forces in play, if you make a move, I'm afraid the 'Celestial Secret' can no longer be concealed," the tall cloaked figure said.
"I've already made some preparations. It will leave traces, it's true. But before we left, I asked Gui Cang for a favor. A small matter like this shouldn't be a problem for him."
"Let's go. We'll find a hidden place and prepare a little 'surprise' for those youngsters," the child said with a laugh.
With that, the tall cloaked figure took a single step, and both of them vanished without a trace.
...
...
「That evening.」
Zhao Xuanqi finished his mission and returned to his room in the New Disciple quarters.
'The intelligence has been passed on, and the situation has escalated. Maybe this time, we'll have a chance to resolve this incident for good,' Zhao Xuanqi thought to himself. He was already aware of the news and knew that the various sects had dispatched their elite Blood Strengthening Realm disciples to participate.
He was quite curious about the true strength of these masters from the various sects.
After all, if they were to succeed in resolving this demonic crisis, he had to distinguish himself. Even if he couldn't stand out above all others, he needed to be the one to deliver the most critical attack.
Only then could the Merit Points fall into his hands.