Chapter 899: Code

The resurrection of the Demon God had thrown the world into chaos. Fear gripped every corner of the nine provinces, as people believed that doomsday had come. But the humans and the demons later signed an alliance pact, swearing eternal friendship. The nine provinces gradually settled into peace again. Prosperity returned, and life went on.

At first, many still harbored doubts. Some believed the demons were only buying time, waiting for the right moment to strike. Rumors spread like wildfire, and terrified families packed up their belongings, ready to hide in mountain caves, afraid that monsters might one day drag them out and devour them.

However, as time passed, people slowly realized that the world remained unchanged, no different from when the Demon God did not exist.

Had the Demon God truly arrived?

It seemed she had. And yet, it also seemed she hadn't.

No one could say for certain.

Eventually, the demons who had once lived in the Far West migrated to the distant East Sea, settling on the three islands of Penglai. For most people, this shift meant nothing. They would never encounter the demon race in their lifetime. Aside from some "natives" who had once lived on those islands, no one paid it much attention.

Only the sharp-eyed disciples of the immortal sects took note of the change. The "natives" who had once lived peaceful lives on the islands of Penglai had quietly dispersed throughout the human world.

If there was any pattern to their movements, it was this! Wherever Red Cotton Peak had established its industries, traces of them could be found.

After losing the support of the Penglai Secondary Sect on the three islands, the disciples of the Penglai Supreme Sect had no choice but to earn their own resources through hard work. Only then did they come to understand how difficult it truly was to obtain anything.

...

Red Cotton Peak, the Mount Shu Sect.

On this day, the two brothers Yang Shenlong and Yang Yuhu arrived at the council hall of Red Cotton Peak, where several senior members under Chu Liang's command were already seated.

Chu Liang sat at the head of the table. On his left was Huan Leisheng, sect leader of the Talisman Branch of the Terrestrial Ten. Seated across from him were Lin Bei and Shang Ziliang.

Next was Elder Yin of the Sun and Moon Pavilion. After Chu Liang helped them open several new businesses, Elder Yin grew wealthy enough to significantly extend his lifespan. His once-aged face now radiated vitality. Seated beside him was his adopted son, Yin Tian, who had become the backbone of the Sun and Moon Pavilion.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Across from them sat Hong Jufeng of Starhold Island. His massive frame took up the space meant for two people.

When Yang Shenlong and Yang Yuhu arrived, Hong Jufeng enthusiastically patted the seat beside him and called out, "Yang brothers, I saved you seats! Heheh, come on over! Your spots are second only to mine!"

The grin on his face practically shouted,

We're all old acquaintances here. Don't worry, I've got your backs.

Yang Shenlong said nothing. Yang Yuhu, on the other hand, couldn't help but roll his eyes.

You're already sitting at the far end. If anyone sat further than you, they'd be halfway out the door. What exactly are you backing us with?

However, everyone in the room was seated according to their contributions and seniority. Since the Yang brothers had yet to establish themselves under Chu Liang, they made no complaints about sitting at the end of the table.

If they truly compared status, Yang Shenlong, as the acting sect leader of a Divine Nine immortal sect, was actually on par with Venerable Wen Yuan.

He held the title of acting sect leader because he had yet to reach the eighth realm. For someone below that level, claiming the position outright would have seemed improper. So, for now, he carried a temporary title. Once he reached the eighth realm, it would not be too late for him to ascend to the sect leader's seat.

As for Yang Shenlong's future advancement to the eighth realm, there was likely not a single person in the world who would doubt it.

"

Ahem.

" Chu Liang cleared his throat.

Lin Bei stood up and said, "Fellow colleagues, fellow brothers, today marks the first time our Chief Executive Overseer Chu is holding a conference for all the sects under his banner. Now that our businesses have expanded, we need better coordination between them as they develop further. However, Chu Liang is unwilling to forcefully interfere in your sect affairs, so he is hosting this meeting for the sake of smoother communication. If there are any matters needing cooperation or attention, feel free to bring them up here so we can discuss them together."

"Applaud," Chu Liang said as he clapped his hands first.

Sparse applause followed, spreading politely across the hall.

Yang Shenlong and Yang Yuhu exchanged glances. They had never seen anything like this before. The entire setup felt both solemn and absurd. It hardly resembled a gathering of immortal cultivators. Even mortal merchant guilds probably were not this formal.

The Penglai Supreme Sect fell into the hands of a man like this?

Huan Leisheng glanced around the room and let out a quiet sigh. "CEO Chu has already acquired so many sects?"

When he agreed to Chu Liang's plan, it had been out of desperation because of his debt. He had not expected much to come of it. Yet, here they were. Chu Liang had gathered a force that included sects from both the Divine Nine and the Terrestrial Ten. Chu Liang liked to call it a corporation.

But to Huan Leisheng, it looked more like a gang.

"Indeed," Chu Liang said with a smile. "Thanks to everyone's support, we've grown rapidly. And those present today are not even all of us. We also have allies who cannot reveal their identities for now, but they are working hard for our shared cause."

...

Soul Flame Island, the West Sea.

Back then, Daoist Yan had swept through the West Sea Diabolical Forces with her sword, cutting them down and forcing countless diabolical cultivators to flee in disarray. The stronghold of the diabolical sects in the West Sea was completely crushed and lost all its influence.

Among the territories once under their control, Soul Flame Island was one of the few places that remained untouched. At the time, the Nightmare Demon King of the demon race had made it his temporary residence. After he departed, the island was left behind, steeped in spiritual qi.

Looking utterly battered, Immortal Yuan Lu landed on the island, swept his gaze around, and shouted, "Where are the disciples of Evil Dragon Mountain?"

There was no response for a long while.

Still puzzled, he called out again, "Malevolent qi soars to the ninth heaven!"

After a brief pause, a voice shouted back, "Dragons coil, tigers crouch, spirits and ghosts flee!"

"Racing the wind and chasing the moon, supreme arts unmatched!" Immortal Yuan Lu replied without hesitation.

"Towering higher than the endless waves of the West Sea!" the voice called back again.

A moment later, a young head cautiously poked out. The youth looked rather inexperienced, and his cultivation level did not seem very high. He asked warily, "Which hall are you from, and how many sticks of incense do you burn?"

"I'm your father!" Immortal Yuan Lu snapped.

Already fuming from long-standing frustration, he flew over and smacked the boy across the head. The slap landed with a crisp snap, making the youth's head spin.

"Since when did I need to answer secret codes?" Immortal Yuan Lu barked. "You've got some nerve, kid!"

"Honorable Sect Leader!" The Evil Dragon Mountain disciple took a long moment to steady himself. When he finally recognized Immortal Yuan Lu's face, he immediately kowtowed. "You're actually safe! That's wonderful! Even the Celestial Northern Prison couldn't hold you. You must have reached success in your cultivation of diabolical arts, right?"

"Ah..." Immortal Yuan Lu blinked and asked, "You all haven't been out this whole time?"

"Yeah," the disciple said with a nod. "The few of us left from the West Sea have been hiding here in the Soul Flame underground lair for quite a while. We're practically roasted silly. But now that you've returned, we finally don't have to hide anymore."

"Heh. Of course," Immortal Yuan Lu replied with a cold laugh. "Even the Celestial Northern Prison couldn't hold me. What is there left for you to fear?"

"Honorable Sect Leader, you don't know how we've been living these days..." the disciple muttered, his voice beginning to tremble as he fought back tears.

"Whatever it was, it was better than what I went through." Immortal Yuan Lu showed no concern. He simply waved his hand and said, "Now that I'm back, gather the brothers at once. We're going to rebuild Evil Dragon Mountain and the West Sea Diabolical Forces. Not just rebuild—we're going to become stronger than ever!"

"Good!" the disciple cried out excitedly. "Now that you're back, we must get our revenge! Daoist Yan and those Mount Shu Sect disciples have been bullying us for so long. We can't just let that go."

"Of course we won't let it go," Immortal Yuan Lu said with passion. "I am not someone who forgets a grudge. Once we have gathered enough brothers, we will send out the order and declare war on the Dark King Sect."

"We must declare war!" the disciple yelled, punching the air. Then he froze and asked, "Honorable Sect Leader, did you mean the Mount Shu Sect?"

"I said the Dark King Sect," Immortal Yuan Lu repeated.

"But isn't our greatest enemy the Mount Shu Sect?" the disciple asked as he scratched his head. "Even if there were past grudges with the Dark King Sect, that was still just internal conflict among diabolical sects. The ones who almost wiped us out were—"

"What do you know?" Immortal Yuan Lu snapped.

He frowned, momentarily at a loss for words. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. Without warning, he raised his hand and struck the disciple with a sharp backhand.

Smack!

After the slap landed, Immortal Yuan Lu snarled, "Did I tell you to question the code? Are you going to question it again?"