C7 The Attack on the Void Returning Sect

"These minor sects don't possess significant strength; they're merely probing us. If the Void Returning Sect continues to yield, it's only a matter of time before those guys attack us."

Upon hearing the Third Elder speak, Ye Chen grew even more anxious. "Even Zhang, a cultivator, was killed by the Flying Tiger Gang. How can we, mere disciples, hope to fend them off?"

"Haha, you witnessed that fellow fall to a mortal and now you doubt the prowess of cultivators, am I right?" The Third Elder quickly discerned Ye Chen's concerns. "A true cultivator is not so easily threatened by mortals. This 'God Immortal' you mention was merely a common Qi Refining fifth-level disciple. It's not unusual for him to be defeated by mortals using clever tricks."

"Besides, the Void Returning Sect boasts two elders at the ninth level of Qi Refining. They're far from pushovers, not to mention the Sect Master himself."

"But everyone says that the Sect Master has perished..." Ye Chen's face was etched with alarm, the situation seeming to grow more perilous by the moment.

"Hey, that old coot from Void Returning isn't so easy to kill. You're worrying too much."

For some reason, the Third Elder always looked sullen when the Void Returning Taoist, the Sect Master, was mentioned, as if he had never had a kind word for him.

As the days went by, the will of the external sects remained unchanged.

Ye Chen wasn't so self-absorbed as to worry about the entire Void Returning Sect; instead, he focused all his attention on the valley.

Gradually, he came to understand the Third Elder's temperament.

It must be said, the old man was quite eccentric, having little to do with the world beyond the valley.

Since Ye Chen's arrival, the Third Elder had severed all outside ties, entrusting all affairs to his charge.

He spent his days clutching a wine gourd, either inebriated or sleeping off the effects, seldom seen sober.

Ye Chen often suspected that his master intentionally behaved this way.

Only when inebriated did a semblance of serenity cross his usually stern face.

And whenever it was time to distribute the Spiritual Pills, his master's mood would plummet, a monthly occurrence.

Fortunately, Ye Chen had encountered this hands-off manager, which made his clandestine activities all the more convenient.

He had already begun his attempts at pill refining. According to the instructions in the manual, the first step involved using flames to purify the herbs and eliminate impurities.

Only then could he proceed to the second step, which was the actual refining process.

Yet even this initial phase was giving Ye Chen a headache due to the excessive amount of herbs required. Despite his soul consciousness being deemed superior by the Third Elder, he was still squandering herbs by the handful. If not for the assistance of the clay pot, he would have completely depleted the medicinal garden.

But perseverance eventually paid off. After half a month, Ye Chen successfully refined five herbs.

He transformed them into a green liquid, while the flames beneath continued to roast away most of the impurities and toxins.

"Hahaha, now I can move on to the second step." But before Ye Chen could celebrate, a thunderous noise from outside disrupted his work, scattering the medicinal liquid.

Sensing trouble, he instinctively dashed outside to investigate.

As he had suspected, a massive fire had broken out on Dian Cang Mountain. Giant fireballs arced through the night sky, fanned by gusts of wind that only intensified the blaze.

Ye Chen was certain that the seven major sects were launching an assault on the Void Returning Sect. He tried to rouse his master, but the Third Elder was deep in a drunken stupor, unable to open his eyes.

Given the magnitude of the blaze, even the Void Returning Sect disciples, with their magical abilities, would struggle to cope.

To make matters worse, Liu Ao and others were still outside. With no other choice, Ye Chen braved the danger and dashed out of the Profound Sword Formation.

Below Dian Cang Mountain, a formidable force of thousands had assembled. At their forefront were dozens of massive divine crossbows, relentlessly firing towards the mountain.

The arrowheads, drenched in kerosene, turned into massive fireballs upon contact with the wind.

Such a ferocious assault was enough to turn half the mountain into a scene as bright as day.

The leader of the Flying Tiger Sect, Man Liang, watched the conflagration with a malicious grin. He couldn't help but repeatedly express his admiration, "Sect Master Zhao, your sect is truly formidable. The Divine Artifact you've brought will surely crush the Void Returning Sect."

Zhao Qinger donned her specially crafted armor and, with her long sword in hand, was ready to volunteer for battle. The thousands of disciples behind her were itching to join the fray.

Having been oppressed by the Void Returning Sect for so long, the pent-up rage in their hearts was ready to be unleashed.

Old Mu stroked his beard, gave a nod of approval, and turned to address the crowd.

"Everyone, this time the seven great sects have united. Let's set aside our past conflicts and focus on the task at hand. We must take this chance to eradicate the Void Returning Sect once and for all!"

"Charge! Assault Mount Tianzang!"

"Brothers, those old fogeys have hoarded plenty of treasures. It's a race to see who can reach them first. Whoever does will live a life of luxury, without a care in the world."

"The one who takes down the most fogeys will earn the title of Sect Master!"

The mood was electric with such fervor that everyone was brimming with righteous anger, ready to storm into battle.

The sight of this formidable assembly caused many disciples to pale; they had never imagined such a day would come.

Usually, a mere spell was enough to terrify the common folk, and they reveled in their power. But now, faced with a battle of life and death, they were out of their depth.

They had hoped the two elders would show their divine power, but instead, the order was given to retreat up the mountain.

Retreating while counterattacking, their hastily assembled defense crumbled, unable to hold back the sects whose members were seeing red.

Some, emboldened, conjured a fire technique, erecting a purple light shield, but it was no match for the enemy's superior numbers.

The rest, overcome by fear, scattered in all directions, relying on their Wind Riding Technique to escape. Dian Cang Mountain had become a veritable hell on earth.

The Fei Hu Sect Master's martial arts skills were impressive, befitting a man who had been a prominent figure in Northern Chu for many years.

Wielding his Wolf Fang club, he swiftly dispatched two new disciples whose meager Spiritual Force was no match for even the strength of an ordinary person.

"A bunch of old charlatans, they sure know how to make a quick getaway."

At that moment, numerous disciples were still attempting to fight back. After all, they were esteemed Cultivators, a cut above the ordinary folk in status and power.

However, when they cast their fireballs, the result was far from what they had anticipated. To their dismay, the protective barriers they had conjured were shattered by their adversaries.

"The Soaring Flying Sect truly deserves its reputation as a leader. The armor they've acquired has proven to be incredibly effective," the Fei Hu Sect Master mused, feeling a mix of elation and frustration as he watched the disciples scatter in disarray.

The situation suggested that the Void Returning Sect's expulsion was imminent.

The issue was that the lion's share of the credit for today's success belonged to the Soaring Flying Sect, a fact that was clear to all. Without their military support, such smooth progress would have been unattainable.

"Not many are guarding the divine crossbows at the base of the mountain. Seize them and fire all the ammunition. Ideally, we'll fake the deaths of all the sects on the mountain," the Fierce Tiger Sect Master commanded, seizing the opportunity to eliminate all those attacking the Void Returning Sect while the mountain's defenses were down.

If the six sects were to fall alongside the Void Returning Sect, he would gleefully reap the rewards, and Northern Chu would fall effortlessly into the hands of the Fierce Tiger Sect.

Ye Chen, concealed in the shadows, was terrified by this ruthless plan. He swiftly circumvented the back of the mountain and made a beeline for the Great Elder's pavilion.

He needed to summon Liu Ao and Hsu Qi immediately to ensure their safety, but alas, he found the place deserted.

As the bandits from the various sects stormed the summit, Ye Chen involuntarily trembled, drawing the Fierce Tiger Sect Master's attention.

But by the time the sect master hurled his weapon, Ye Chen had already vanished.

"Proceed with the plan. I'm going after that kid," the Fierce Tiger Sect Master growled menacingly. Even though he wasn't certain whether the fleeing individual had overheard his conversation, he couldn't afford to take the risk and was determined to eliminate this escapee.