Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow immediately. If these pills were presented outside, their value wouldn't be too high. Indeed, it could be considered a mere "token of goodwill." However, within the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, these pills were practically hard currency! Especially the Black Dragon Pills, which helped Nascent Soul cultivators recover Spiritual Qi. In the current battlefield, these were akin to a life-saving trump card for every cultivator.
During a fight, having one more Black Dragon Pill meant an extra boost in Spiritual Qi, potentially allowing a cultivator to cast one more spell, which could turn the tide of the battle. Given this, it was clear that Shangguan He was offering this gift with true sincerity.
Chu Xuan smiled and casually accepted the pills.
"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, no need to be so modest. This is no 'small gift'; this is a great gift indeed. If Fellow Daoist Shangguan wishes to form an alliance, I see no reason to decline. At present, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield has become a place . Whether it's the righteous path or the demonic path, we're all trapped in the same cage. We can keep fighting amongst ourselves, but in the end, none of us will escape this prison. Only through unity and true cooperation can we hope to escape."
Shangguan He instantly showed an expression of relief, as though he'd found a kindred spirit.
"I'm glad to hear fellow daoist Chu say that. It truly brings me great comfort. Earlier, Qiu Wanhong wanted to join forces with us to attack the great spirit stone mine. I made it clear what the stakes were, but unfortunately, Qiu Wanhong wouldn't listen and brought about her own demise... Sigh."
Shangguan He paused, then continued, "In the future, if Feiry Sky Cloud Tower comes across any information, we will make sure to inform Heavenly Infinite Sect first. And if we learn that someone is plotting against Heavenly Infinite Sect, we will also pass that on. This, my friend, is what I consider to be an alliance. I'm sure sect master Chu shares the same view?"
Chu Xuan smiled and nodded. "Of course."
"Good. Then I shall take my leave."
Shangguan He cupped his hands once more, then turned and left with Kang Jia. Only after they'd moved far from the great spirit stone mine did Kang Jia speak in a low voice.
"Senior Brother, do we really have to tell Heavenly Infinite Sect everything?"
Shangguan He rolled his eyes. "I was just joking. Did you actually believe it?"
Kang Jia scratched his head. "When I was a Golden Core cultivator, you always warned me that the demonic path is filled with betrayal, while the righteous path always keeps its word."
Kang Jia looked at him. "Hm?"
Shangguan He patted his shoulder. "I never thought you'd take that seriously."
Kang Jia blinked in confusion. "Shouldn't I believe it?"
Shangguan He nodded. "You should, but only believe a little."
Kang Jia wanted to say something more, but Shangguan He had already used his escape technique and was quickly leaving. He hurried to catch up, deep in thought. The deeply ingrained mindset he had cultivated during years of hard cultivation was beginning to shift because of Shangguan He, this slippery and worldly old man.
However, just as they had flown some distance, they saw two figures coming towards them. The two sides crossed paths, and immediately, they recognized each other's faces.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Shangguan He greeted them with a polite smile.
"Ah, it's fellow daoist Xiao from Red Flame Pavilion, what a pleasant surprise."
That night, not only did Chu Xuan kill Qiu Wanhong and the others, but Cold Ironwood Forest had also been seized by Xiao Xian. Naturally, Shangguan He knew about this too.
Xiao Xian hadn't expected to run into Shangguan He, but he didn't appear embarrassed. Instead, he casually cupped his hands.
"Pleasure to meet you. Where's Fellow Daoist Shangguan coming from? Looking at the direction, it seems like you were near the great spirit stone mine, which is controlled by those demonic cultivators?"
Shangguan He snorted coldly.
"Demonic Dao must be eradicated by all! I had an old connection with fellow daoist Qiu. When fellow daoist Qiu died at the hands of that demonic fiend, I was furious. So, I had a bit of a clash with that demonic cultivator from Heavenly Infinite Sect."
Xiao Xian raised an eyebrow in interest. "Oh? What was the outcome?"
Shangguan He sighed deeply. "In the end, my strength was lacking. If not for junior brother Kang Jia helping me, I would have been buried there with my broken body. Right, Kang Jia? You agree, don't you?"
Kang Jia was still in a daze. At this moment, he quickly recovered and said, "Yes, yes, absolutely."
Xiao Xian smiled ambiguously. "Seems to be just as I thought. I, along with fellow daoist Ximen, am also planning to confront that demonic fiend, to ease fellow daoist Qiu's spirit in the afterlife."
Shangguan He nodded. "Go ahead, but be cautious. That demonic fiend's strength is formidable."
Xiao Xian cupped his hands. "Thank you for the warning, Fellow Daoist Shangguan ."
The four of them brushed past each other.
Shangguan He watched their retreating figures with a cold snort.
Kang Jia whispered, "Are they also going to form an alliance with Chu Xuan?"
"Probably," Shangguan He shook his head. "Everyone's scrambling to offer gifts to Chu Xuan now. Who would dare to offend him?"
"Let's go. We should return and focus on our cultivation, we shouldn't waste time."
Chu Xuan gazed at the eight jade boxes in front of him and immediately broke into a smile. Inside were either precious recovery pills or powerful talismans. There were also two Nascent Soul-level early-stage puppet beasts.
These were the "small gifts" sent by the Nascent Soul cultivators from various sects.
The deaths of Qiu Wanhong and the fallen cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley had made every cultivator realize the strength of Chu Xuan. No one wanted to offend the Sect Leader of Heavenly Infinite Sect.
The demonic cultivators weren't too concerned, as they had always stood on a moral low ground, pointing fingers at others. However, the righteous cultivators were much more cautious in this regard.
In private, they had formed an unbreakable alliance with Heavenly Infinite Sect, but they dared not speak of it openly. After all, the righteous and demonic paths had never been compatible. Even now, when reality forced them to lower their heads, they didn't want other righteous cultivators to know.
Of course, Chu Xuan knew this, and they knew it as well. The so-called "unbreakable alliance" was just an illusion—easily shattered with a single poke. Few would truly regard the alliance as anything substantial.
The gifts they had sent were not even their most precious treasures. The most valuable items remained safely tucked in their own pockets. Not only would they not give them to a stranger, but they were reluctant even to hand them over to their own sect's senior brothers.
"With so many Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley wiped out, the Deity Transformation cultivators from both sides must have noticed by now..." Chu Xuan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Heavenly River True Master sat quietly in a stone chamber.
The floor of the room was laid with a spiritual gathering array, studded with numerous great spirit stones. This array allowed his cultivation to be maintained at its peak, preventing his level from dropping back to Nascent Soul.
However, as a Deity Transformation cultivator, maintaining his original realm required far more spirit stones than a Nascent Soul cultivator. Even though he controlled a great spirit stone mine and several medium-level spiritual stone mines, he was already stretched thin. He wanted to meditate, but his mind remained restless.
"Ancestor, how long are your plans going to take..." he muttered to himself. "Do we still have a way out?" He sighed deeply in his heart.
Just then, a voice came from outside the stone room.
"Master, the cultivators of Crazy Dragon Valley were annihilated in one night. Not a single Nascent Soul cultivator, including Qiu Wanhong, survived."
Heavenly River True Master raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
"Annihilated? By whom?" he asked sharply. "I remember that Crazy Dragon Valley had eight Nascent Soul cultivators enter the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Eight Nascent Souls, not pigs!"
The Nascent Soul cultivator from the Reincarnation Divine Sect outside spoke solemnly, "It was Chu Xuan of Heavenly Infinite Sect."