https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-866-The-Abyss-Sect-s-Plan-and-the-Green-Rice-Immortal-s-Follow-up/12995540/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-868-The-Heavenly-River-s-Floating-Luo-Tian-s-Voyage/12995542/
Chapter 867: On the Eve of the Expedition, Tao Wan's Arrival
Chapter 867: On the Eve of the Expedition, Tao Wan's Arrival
"Senior Brother, I've received the holy decree for the expedition!"
Accompanied by an excited voice, Shen Huo Zhenren hurriedly entered from outside, clutching a black scroll in his hand, his face beaming with joy.
"Senior Brother, we can return to the Five Elements Region!"
However, this excitement faded away when faced with the formidable array that exuded a chilling aura.
Senior Brother Shen Yuan remained in seclusion, unseen by anyone.
Shen Huo Zhenren felt a hint of displeasure in his heart. Ever since the journey to the Million Great Mountains, Senior Brother had been like this, seemingly indifferent to everything.
It was as if he no longer cared about anything.
At the time of their departure from their homeland, he had stood by idly, and after Ling Chen obtained the remains of Jin Ling Senior Brother, he still showed no inclination to act. Even now, upon their return to their native land, he remained unmoved.
Shen Huo wondered if Senior Brother still held the Five Elements Divine Sect in his heart. As Shen Huo reminisced about the past, a hoarse voice emerged from within the room.
"Go ahead and take action. I'll step in when necessary."
Shen Huo was startled, then overjoyed.
These words were enough!
Unlike other vacant regions, the Far East Six Regions, including the Five Elements Divine Sect, were still infested with a large number of demons.
It would be difficult for him alone, along with the current Five Elements Divine Sect, to forcibly reclaim the region.
But if Senior Brother was willing to lend his strength, everything would be fine!
After all, Senior Brother was a late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator!
Shen Huo bowed respectfully and left with the decree.
Outside, his great-grand disciple Ran Feng was already waiting for him.
"Great-Grandmaster, has the Supreme Elder responded?"
Shen Huo Zhenren laughed heartily, "Of course he responded. After all, he is the pillar of our Five Elements Divine Sect."
After laughing, Shen Huo Zhenren exhaled a breath of turbid air.
"But we can't just sit idly by. Expeditions are never easy and require extensive preparations beforehand."
Ran Feng nodded, "I know that. We should repair magic treasures, organize disciples, and ideally, invite allies to join us in the campaign!"
"Good, I'll draft a list of names, and you can visit them one by one." Shen Huo Zhenren's thoughts raced, and several sects that had relatively good relations with the Five Elements Divine Sect came to mind.
The first on the list was Skytouch Cliff!
Although the Skyreach Ghost's strength was average, his survival skills were exceptional. Even without his innate true artifact, he had managed to survive through numerous battles.
With his help, they could save a lot of effort.
Especially since the Skyreach Region, the former territory of the Skyreach Sect, had been intentionally vacated by the demons before the peace talks at Biyu Mountain, serving as a buffer zone.
With the scarcity of demons there, reclaiming their former territory would be relatively easy.
The Skyreach Ghost should not refuse the Five Elements Divine Sect's invitation.
Additionally, they could invite the Heavenly Capital Sect, the Hundred Beast Sect, the Seven Caves Mountain, the White Deer Cave, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, and the Divine Talisman Sect for mutual benefit!
Oh, no, the Divine Talisman Sect should be excluded first. Elder Fu from the sect was too close to Luo Chen from the Pill Art Sect.
Apart from that, Shen Huo Zhenren's thoughts raced, and he made another decision.
"Issue a recruitment order, inviting various forces below the Nascent Soul stage to join the Five Elements Divine Sect in conquering the Five Elements Region."
"After reclaiming the Five Elements Region, we can allocate spirit lands according to their contributions!"
Ran Feng was not surprised, as this was a standard procedure for expedition preparations.
Relying solely on one sect's strength to quell the demon uprising would result in significant losses.
If they could enlist the help of these smaller forces, they could minimize casualties.
For the current Five Elements Divine Sect, which had suffered a significant decline in strength, this was the best way to leverage external forces.
After gathering the disciples of the Divine Sect, Shen Huo Zhenren quickly assigned tasks to each of them.
In the end, he decided to personally visit the Nascent Soul True Men himself.
The task of coordinating with the smaller forces was entrusted to Ran Feng, Qi Egui, and other Golden Core cultivators.
After making these arrangements, Shen Huo Zhenren hurriedly left the residence and set out to visit the various Nascent Soul True Men.
The first stop was the nearby Skytouch Cliff.
After half a day of negotiations, they reached a series of cooperative conditions, and Shen Huo Zhenren left satisfied, heading to the next sect.
About half a month later, he returned to the Divine Sect's residence, slightly exhausted.
Walking along the narrow mountain path, Shen Huo Zhenren recalled his experiences over the past half a month and couldn't help but sigh.
Some of the potential allies on the list he had drafted had accepted his invitation, such as Skytouch Cliff, Seven Caves Mountain, Hundred Beast Sect, and White Deer Cave.
However, some had refused the invitation.
"The Heavenly Capital Sect has suffered significant losses and has no desire to fight again. How dare the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect act so arrogantly and refuse to meet with me?"
"Could it be because they're wary of the Pill Art Sect's Luo Chen?"
Shen Huo Zhenren was perplexed.
In his opinion, the relationship between Lin Qingxuan and Luo Chen wasn't that deep! Moreover, the Jade Cauldron Region, the former territory of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, was now a demon-infested land. With only a few cultivators in the sect, it was impossible for them to reclaim the Jade Cauldron Region on their own.
Could Lin Qingxuan not want to seek external help? This doubt remained unanswered for the time being.
However, upon meeting Ran Feng, the latter shared another piece of news that left Shen Huo Zhenren both surprised and angry.
"Only five Gold Core Great Sects are willing to follow us in reclaiming the Five Elements Region?"
Ran Feng nodded and couldn't help but say, "And among those five, four of them were originally our sect's vassals. After the great war, only a few hundred cultivators remain, and they can't provide much assistance."
"How could this be? When did our Divine Sect's influence decline to such an extent?" Shen Huo Zhenren found it hard to believe.
Qi Egui, the female cultivator standing beside him, hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Perhaps the Luo Tian Sect is involved in the expedition as well. According to reliable information, the Pill Art Sect intends to establish a mountain gate for the Luo Tian Sect in the Five Elements Region and leave behind their legacy."
"Currently, the Luo Tian Sect is recruiting under the name of the Dan Sect, and many small and medium-sized forces have gone to join them."
"After all, those small forces are also aware that the Luo Tian Sect has a small number of cultivators and can't occupy much Spirit Land. As long as they can conquer a region, they can also get a share of the territory."
"As for our Five Elements Divine Sect, we still have a large number of cultivators, and it's impossible to leave too much for others."
Divine Fire True Man opened his mouth, not expecting this turn of events.
The strength of the Five Elements Divine Sect was actually affecting the willingness of the small and medium-sized forces to join.
Moreover, the appeal of the Dan Sect was indeed more influential than that of Divine Origin True Man.
After some thought, Divine Fire True Man gritted his teeth.
"Forget it!"
"With the help of the four great Nascent Soul upper sects, including Skytouch Cliff, reclaiming the Five Elements Region is enough."
"Those small forces only care about the future, but they don't consider that the Luo Tian Sect has that little strength. If they really start a war, the ones who will die and get injured are themselves. How foolish!"
Qi Emei and Ran Feng couldn't help but nod in agreement.
The current situation was clear at a glance. It wasn't that simple for small forces to fish in troubled waters.
Among the fifteen fallen regions, the Overlord Saber Region had already become a desolate Spirit Land. The other four regions were affected by the calamity of the Great Nascent Soul cultivators, making them unsuitable for cultivators to practice in the short term. Among the remaining ten regions, the Jade Cauldron Region had become a Ghost Realm infested with ghosts and demons.
In summary, there were only nine regions left to choose from.
In these nine regions, there were countless demonic beasts occupying them, and it wasn't an easy task for even a Nascent Soul upper sect to conquer them.
...
Feng Hua Palace.
On Green Reed Mountain, these recent days had been bustling with activity.
Led by the Sect Lord Li Yingzhang, all the Foundation Establishment and above cultivators of the Luo Tian Sect were busy receiving leaders of various large and small forces.
Sometimes, when they were short-staffed, Feng Hua Palace would send disciples to help.
In a simple palace, Li Yingzhang and an elder were chatting enthusiastically.
"Seventy years ago, my Pan Shi Gang also fought alongside your sect at Ghost Head Mountain. I never thought we would have another chance."
"Hahaha, doesn't this prove that our two sects are fated to be together? Rest assured, once we conquer a region, we can even be neighbors."
"Then I'll take your word for it, Li Sect Lord."
After some conversation, Li Yingzhang agreed to Pan Shi Gang joining the Luo Tian Sect's war of conquest.
He personally escorted him out of the hall and saw him off, feeling relieved.
Another helper!
Pan Shi Gang used to be a well-known Golden Core Great Sect in the Heaven Sails Region, with seven Golden Core cultivators at its peak and tens of thousands of disciples.
Even now, there were still three Golden Core cultivators, and the number of disciples was around four to five thousand.
With their help, it would be much easier to clear out the first to third-rank demonic beasts later.
"Brother Li, seeing your smile, did you reach an agreement here?"
A capable woman's voice sounded, and Li Yingzhang turned to see Yao Mingyue walking over with a smile.
Li Yingzhang laughed, "Of course, how about you?"
Yao Mingyue smiled, "The Sky Piercing Cliff has also agreed! They don't have many people, but their disciples are skilled in controlling demon wolves, and they'll be a great help."
Hearing this, Li Yingzhang's spirit lifted.
In just half a month, more than ten Golden Core sects had come to join the Luo Tian Sect.
The number of cultivators they could gather was already in the tens of thousands.
There was still a year left until the deadline for the Luo Tian Sect's war of conquest.
Moreover, there was still no news from the Supreme Elder, who had great appeal and could certainly invite many Nascent Soul upper sects.
It was easy to imagine that when the time for the conquest came, the Luo Tian Sect would gather countless cultivators, and everything would fall into place!
"Sister Mingyue, you've worked hard. After stepping down as the Sect Lord, you finally advanced to the Golden Core stage, but you didn't have time to consolidate your cultivation, and now you're out here working hard."
Yao Mingyue waved her hand, "My foundation is quite solid, and my cultivation is stable. Besides, I'm familiar with these matters from my earlier years, so it's not a burden."
She paused, her curiosity showing on her face.
"There's something we're all curious about. Brother, do you know as the Sect Lord?"
"What is it?"
"Which region is the Luo Tian Sect planning to conquer?"
Facing this question, Li Yingzhang couldn't help but smile wryly.
He was curious too, but he hadn't received a clear answer from the Supreme Elder.
The mirror possessed the abilities of manifestation, flight, and suppression, making it a rather impressive treasure.
However, after two intense battles, it had sustained severe damage.
It took some time to repair, and even with the addition of numerous materials, it could only be restored to three-tenths of its original state.
This treasure was now of little use to Luo Chen.
"Forget it, I'll bestow it upon someone else!"
A damaged True Artifact still had its advantages, such as requiring less Mana to activate.
Golden Core Cultivators could harness its power with proper refinement, albeit with limited effectiveness.
Luo Chen waved his hand, summoning the green bronze mirror back and casually placing it on a nearby shelf.
On that shelf, various Magic Treasures and True Artifacts were displayed, each more dazzling than the last.
The Frost Eagle Shuttle, an impeccably preserved True Artifact, was obtained from the Frost Eagle Demon Emperor, the first to fall in the East Wasteland after Luo Chen's return.
The Shadowless Needles, a thousand in number, were High-Grade Magic Treasures, just a step away from becoming True Artifacts. They were acquired from the remains of the Shadowless Demon Emperor, whom Luo Chen had sold. However, this set of flying needles was kept.
Their lethality might not breach Luo Chen's defenses, but they were highly effective against other Cultivators.
After all, these needles possessed an exceptional ability to shatter Mana, making them effective against both magical barriers and defensive Magic Treasures, which relied on Mana for their power.
The Luo Pan and Banner, severely damaged, had lost most of their power. They were obtained from two of the three Lu brothers.
There were also dozens of Magic Treasures, each containing blood and flesh restrictions.
These were taken from the Centipede Demon Emperor.
Most of them were crafted by Human Cultivators, ensuring compatibility.
Additionally, there was a pair of silver-white gloves, four golden ropes, five black cones, and a single golden flying needle, all displayed separately.
"Thunderclap Gauntlets, Golden Binding Rope, Five-Element Cones, and Soul-Weaving Needles!" Luo Chen named each one, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
The battle against the Centipede Demon Emperor had been perilous, but the rewards far exceeded expectations.
Dozens of Magic Treasures, four True Artifacts, and the remains of a Great Demon Emperor!
This didn't even include the damaged materials Luo Chen had taken from the One Sword Mountain, which had withstood numerous clashes with Luo Chen's Chaos Cauldron and Blood Slaughter Sword. It was certainly no ordinary item.
Even if it was damaged, with proper utilization, it might be possible to smelt and recreate a few decent Magic Treasures.
Luo Chen retrieved the Five-Element Cones and Soul-Weaving Needles, intending to refine them into his weapons later.
As for the rest? Luo Chen sighed. These would become the foundation of the Luo Tian Sect.
This foundation was indeed substantial. It was considered fortunate for a Nascent Soul Upper Sect to possess one or two True Artifacts, let alone the many that Luo Chen had left behind.
The Frost Eagle Shuttle, Thunderclap Gauntlets, and Golden Binding Rope were all True Artifacts.
Additionally, there was the Soul-Nourishing Banner given to Bai Meiling and the Ten Thousand Vicious Soul Banner given to Tianxuan, both of which were also True Artifacts.
Luo Chen had also obtained the Eight-Cornered Pavilion of Penglai from a Penglai Immortal Sect disciple. In the future, when it was no longer useful, it would also be left to the Luo Tian Sect.
If Luo Chen could secure a Spirit Land for the Luo Tian Sect to inhabit, he would have done his part.
If all went well in the Abyss Sect and he achieved Divine Transformation, that would be ideal.
If not, he wouldn't be bound by mundane affairs!
At this thought, Luo Chen's eyes flashed with determination.
Suddenly, he composed himself and called out to the person outside.
"Disciple, come in!"
Ling Feng Zi entered, a hint of joy on his face.
"Senior Brother, everything is settled!"
"Oh?" Luo Chen was intrigued. "How many are willing to help?"
Ling Feng Zi chuckled, "All of them!"
Luo Chen raised his eyebrows. It seemed he had done well in his dealings.
The word "all" didn't just refer to one or two sects.
The Divine Seal Sect, Nine Spirit Sect, Mount Tai Sect, Feng Hua Palace, White Crane Gate, and Jade Cauldron Sword Sect—a total of six sects.
Together with the Luo Tian Sect, there were now seven Nascent Soul Upper Sects, more than enough to expand into a new region.
Once the year was up and Li Yingzhang had gathered enough Golden Core Sects, this Expansion War would be swiftly concluded.
"Do the others have conditions?"
Ling Feng Zi nodded, "Not exactly conditions, but more like mutual assistance. The Nine Spirit Sect wants to expand into a new region, and the Divine Seal Sect wants to return to the Divine Seal Region. Master Fu alone can't handle it, so they all hope that you, Senior Brother, can lend a hand when the time comes!"
Luo Chen acknowledged, understanding their intentions. He wouldn't refuse.
"What about the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect?" Luo Chen was curious if Lin Qingxuan had made any demands.
After all, the situation in the Jade Cauldron Region was well-known.
Ling Feng Zi replied with a puzzled expression, "I don't know how he did it, but it seems he's reached an agreement with the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. The two sects will merge, with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect becoming part of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. This way, he won't need to expand into a new region."
Luo Chen contemplated this information.
Both Nascent Soul Cultivators of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion had perished, significantly weakening the sect.
Even with time to recover, it might still be difficult for them to produce another Nascent Soul Cultivator.
Bringing in Lin Qingxuan, a powerful swordsman, could help maintain the sect's reputation.
Moreover, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect and Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion had a deep connection, so no one could fault their merger.
However, it was unclear which sect would dominate the other.
Ling Feng Zi suddenly asked, "By the way, Senior Brother, they're all curious about which region you'll choose."
Luo Chen smiled, "Are you curious too?"
Ling Feng Zi nodded eagerly, "Yes, I was thinking of recommending the Ethereal Region where my Ethereal Sect used to be."
"The Ethereal Region is too small, with limited future development," Luo Chen shook his head.
As they spoke, Luo Chen took out a black scroll from his storage ring.
It was the Expansion Edict given to him by the Heaven Ascend Lord!
"Take a look!"
Ling Feng Zi unfurled the scroll with curiosity, his gaze stopping at the blank space. He was taken aback.
"No specific address?"
Luo Chen's Mana flowed from his fingertips, slowly landing on the blank space of the scroll, as he spoke, "Without a specific address, any place can become the mountain gate of the Luo Tian Sect. Whether it's the Iterative Cloud or Mu Mansion, or even the former domains of the Divine Seal or Jade Cauldron Sects, or even the Windflower or Five Elements Regions, I can occupy them as I please!"
A red light flashed across the scroll.
The address was now inscribed.
(End of Chapter)
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