Chapter 399: The Three Great Immortal Sects!
Something was wrong. Very, *very* wrong.
Jiang Chen’s instincts flared. Without a word, he slipped behind Qin Hao and Chen Tian, only letting out a quiet breath once their bodies shielded him from view. He tuned out the surrounding chatter, his focus entirely consumed by his environment. His spiritual energy hovered on a hair-trigger. At the slightest sign of danger, hundreds of talismans and over a dozen Spirit Weapons would detonate in an instant.
Honestly, if the opportunity presented itself, he would have already slipped away.
Right at that moment, a heavy hum vibrated through the sky. Something massive was approaching.
“The Blazing Heaven Chariot?”
“The Waning Moon Ship?”
“Disciples from the Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect and the Inviting Moon Immortal Sect are here!”
The well-traveled Qin Hao recognized the approaching vessels at a glance. The crowd immediately perked up at the mention of the other two great Immortal Sects.
To the east, flames scorched the heavens. Nine massive, blood-red steeds galloped through the air, pulling a blazing chariot carrying the disciples of the Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect.
To the west, a silvery glow pulsed. A crescent-shaped ship drifted over with ethereal grace, radiating a bone-chilling aura. Aboard stood the female disciples of the Inviting Moon Immortal Sect.“Hahaha!” Qin Hao let out a hearty laugh. “If it isn’t Zhao Lie and Su Ningshuang!”
Zhao Lie. Golden Core Perfection. The second-ranked core disciple of the Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect. Standing nearly ten feet tall, he was a mountain of muscle with eyes as cold as forged iron. He wore a suit of dark iron scale armor, every plate etched with evil-suppressing runes. A broken crimson long saber hung at his waist, and a suffocating aura of violence rolled off him in waves. Beside him crouched a massive black tiger, its gaze just as predatory.
Su Ningshuang. Late-stage Golden Core. The seventh-ranked core disciple of the Inviting Moon Immortal Sect. Born into a mortal imperial dynasty, she was widely known as the Seventh Princess. Her robes were whiter than fresh snow, her black hair cascading like a waterfall. A radiant moonbeam hairpin secured her tresses, and a pale silver crescent mark graced her forehead. She stood aloof and unapproachable, holding a simple whisk instead of a beast companion.
Zhao Lie’s expression remained stony. “As expected. When it comes to snatching Fated Chances, your Cloud Sea Sect is always the first to arrive.”
Su Ningshuang gave a slight nod—whether in agreement or mere greeting was impossible to tell.
Qin Hao waved off the remark. “You flatter us. We only just got here ourselves.”
Zhao Lie led his Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect disciples to the ground. His sharp gaze swept the ruins of Mystic Heart City, his brow furrowing at the devastation. “Where are the City Lord’s Mansion and the Five Great Families?”
Su Ningshuang landed moments later, her eyes scanning the rubble with high vigilance.
“They fled,” Qin Hao replied. “Only a handful of survivors remain.”
Zhao Lie’s face darkened. “Courting death!”
Su Ningshuang finally spoke, her voice crisp and cold. “I presume both Fellow Daoists are aware of *that* matter?”
Qin Hao nodded slightly. “Aren’t we all here for the Yellow Springs Alliance?”
The name “Yellow Springs Alliance” triggered a ripple of varied reactions through the crowd. Jiang Chen glanced at Ji Mingxuan and the other survivors, noting something odd. The local Tanka mortals looked utterly bewildered—a perfectly normal reaction. However, a few low-level cultivators paled in stark terror. Logically, they shouldn’t have even known that name; they lacked both the qualifications and the strength to access such classified information.
Su Ningshuang continued, her tone grave. “With the dragon vein dead, the Canglan Sea has become a source of corrupted waters. All manner of natural treasures, water demons, sea monsters, and even demonic creatures will surface. What are the intentions of the Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect and the Cloud Sea Sect?”
Jiang Chen snapped back to attention, his mind racing. *Are they carving up the territory already?*
Zhao Lie remained silent, his gaze shifting to Qin Hao with a subtle flicker.
Qin Hao chuckled. “The Cloud Sea Sect’s stance is simple. The Thousand Sects Dharma Assembly begins in a few years. We might as well use this place as a trial ground.”
Zhao Lie gave a curt nod. “The Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect shares that sentiment.”
Su Ningshuang raised a delicate eyebrow, suspicion lacing her features. “Your two sects intend to drag other Cultivation forces into this to jointly manage the Canglan Sea?”
Qin Hao and Zhao Lie exchanged a look before nodding in unison. “Correct.”
Jiang Chen analyzed the exchange. *With profits this massive, the higher-ups of the three great Immortal Sects definitely struck a backroom deal already. Sending disciples out here to haggle is just a front. They want to see whose disciples can carve out the biggest piece of the pie through sheer combat.*
It was a test, but also a display of dominance. The winners would reap the rewards and cement their prestige among their peers. The losers would have their egos bruised and tempered, preventing fatal arrogance down the line. After all, the core disciples present were the pillars of their respective sects—the future leaders.
Furthermore, Jiang Chen noticed a distinct pattern. The vanguard sent to this disaster zone consisted of the Cloud Sea Sect’s number one sword prodigy, a blood-soaked juggernaut like Zhao Lie, and an emotionless executioner like Su Ningshuang. To call it a coincidence was an insult to his intelligence. This was a deliberate deployment of their sharpest knives.
As Qin Hao, Zhao Lie, and Su Ningshuang continued their negotiations, the disciples from the other two sects fanned out to investigate the ruins.
Chen Tian gathered Long Ao, Jiang Chen, Han Xin, and Xuan Zang, leading the five of them toward the City Lord’s Mansion. Ji Mingxuan originally wanted to tag along, arguing that he had lived here the longest and had witnessed the entire disaster firsthand. However, Jiang Chen politely but firmly rejected the offer, citing the lingering dangers.
Long Ao chuckled. “Junior Brother Jiang, are you worried about the Spirit Gathering Abyss?”
Jiang Chen sighed helplessly. “Would worrying change anything?”
Given the current state of the Canglan Sea, both his investments in the Spirit Gathering Abyss and his ties to the mermaid princess were effectively liquidated. The only silver lining was that the hundred-year fishing rights had been a gift, and the Water Spirit Fruit he gave the princess was just something he had stumbled upon. No real capital lost.
Chen Tian offered his perspective. “The Spirit Gathering Abyss has always been the richest source of natural treasures in the Canglan Sea. Now that this region has mutated into a source of corrupted waters, the yield of rare resources will only multiply. Don’t worry—what is rightfully yours, we will fight to secure.”
Jiang Chen hurriedly cupped his hands in gratitude. “Thank you, Senior Brother Chen Tian!”
Before long, the group arrived at the Dragon Lair District.
To their left stood the remains of the Dragon Subduing Pagoda. To their right lay the City Lord’s Mansion. Both had been utterly annihilated. The pagoda had been cleaved in two before the flood dragon smashed it into a mountain of rubble. The City Lord’s Mansion was an even more gruesome sight. It looked as though the dragon had specifically targeted it to vent its fury, razing the sprawling estate to the bare earth.
Seeing the devastation, the group approached the massive crater where the Dragon Subduing Pagoda once stood and peered over the edge.
Directly below, in the exact spot where the dragon had been imprisoned, lay what looked like a massive well. The water inside was a sickly, ink-green hue, churning with a repulsive viscosity. Even though the dragon was long gone, a sinister, bone-chilling aura still wafted from the depths.
Han Xin studied the layout, her eyes narrowing in analysis. “The feng shui of Mystic Heart City has been completely shattered, and the epicenter of the collapse is right here at the Dragon Subduing Pagoda.”
Jiang Chen stared into the abyss, a profound sense of financial regret washing over him. “To think a flood dragon was right under my nose this whole time. I lived up here, and it lived down there… What a tragic waste of loot!”