Book 2: Chapter 234: Bottom-Line Thinking, Whom Shall I Stand With
Vol 2 Chapter 234: Bottom-Line Thinking, Whom Shall I Stand With
When Zheng Fa shouted the words “Chen Prefecture,” Blood River Ancestor’s face instinctively showed confusion. He looked at Zheng Fa, bewildered in his heart:
What the hell—how does this guy know everything?
Seeing his expression, Zheng Fa and the others didn’t even need him to answer.
Zheng Fa’s guess about Chen Prefecture stemmed from a lingering doubt:
No matter how strong the Great Freedom Demonic Sect was, or how long they’d stayed hidden, Soul Formation cultivators were still extremely valuable.
Didn’t Taishang Dao stir things up for a while and then send Jiang Chengkong?
Back when Jiang Chengkong sent word that several Soul Formation cultivators had gathered in Chen Prefecture, Zheng Fa hadn’t been able to make sense of it—what could possibly be in that place that was worth such a lineup?
“So, those Soul Formation cultivators from the Great Freedom Demonic Sect stationed in Chen Prefecture... are there to receive the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor?”
Martial Uncle Pang’s voice rang out, low and heavy, nothing like his usual tone. Zheng Fa looked at him and saw his slightly chubby face had turned pale. His eyes were fixed on Blood River Ancestor, as if seeking confirmation.
“Heh.” Perhaps because he saw how frightened they were, Blood River Ancestor let out a chuckle and didn’t deny it. He pointed at the “Cooperation Agreement” Zheng Fa had presented and said, “The Holy Ancestor descending to the mortal realm... all your terms mean nothing.”
Zheng Fa could already tell what he was thinking:
Was Zheng Fa’s threat effective?
Yes.
The Demonic Sect really wasn’t a good place to be. The Great Freedom Demon Ancestor wasn’t known for patience.
But what good was your Jiushan Sect, if it ceased to exist?
Blood River Ancestor seemed to sense Zheng Fa had understood and said in a low voice, “You think the Holy Ancestor cares about our loyalty? He doesn’t. He only needs our fear.”
“……”
“All these years, the Holy Ancestor has been in slumber. Naturally, we’ve had a bit more leeway...”
Zheng Fa suddenly thought of Lin Bufan.
That day, Lin Bufan survived partly because of the Blood-Burn Pill given to him by his uncle.
But on the other hand, the curse from the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor seemed noticeably weaker.
Now, hearing Blood River Ancestor’s words, it was likely related to the state of the Demon Ancestor himself.
He looked at Blood River Ancestor and saw an expression of almost roguish honesty on his face: “You said I’ve considered leaving the Holy Sect. I have…” ＲÁℕ∅βĘꞩ
“Everyone’s thought about it.”
“But who dares?”
Martial Uncle Pang couldn’t help but press, “Why not?”
“As cultivators of the Demonic Sect, all our power comes from the Holy Ancestor—and ultimately, returns to him. Life and death are his to give.”
“……”
Zheng Fa suddenly thought of the two strange talisman diagrams in Lin Bufan’s blood.
The current talisman seal system in Jiushan Sect had been developed using Lin Bufan’s blood.
The power of the seal didn’t come from Lin Bufan—he was just a Qi Refining cultivator.
What was powerful was the bloodline inherited from the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor—the strange talisman marks in his blood.
So when Blood River Ancestor said all power comes from the Holy Ancestor, he clearly wasn’t exaggerating.
“Even if I agree with you, how many good days would I have left?”
Blood River Ancestor posed the final question—and none of them could answer it.
After all, if the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor truly descended... then unless Blood River Ancestor had a death wish, there was no reason for him to throw in his lot with Jiushan Realm.
Zheng Fa asked a few more questions.
But Blood River Ancestor was clearly no longer interested in cooperating. The previous answers were just common knowledge—saying them didn’t mean anything.
After the whole exchange, Zheng Fa and the others hadn’t actually gotten much useful information from him.
Zheng Fa stopped trying to persuade him and turned to look at Senior Sister Zhang.
She understood instantly. With a flick of her hand, the Mountain-River Seal launched a massive True Form Talisman, which fell upon the sword body of Blood River Ancestor’s flying sword, forming a faint golden net that locked it in place.
“You!”
“This is the medicine garden—disciples often pass through. I fear we might disturb Zhenren Blood River’s cultivation. Would you care to visit my place instead?”
Senior Sister Zhang smiled.
She naturally understood the meaning in Zheng Fa’s eyes:
Letting Blood River Ancestor go wouldn’t work—he was a Soul Formation cultivator. Set him free, and he might just strengthen the Demonic Sect again.
More importantly, they had no idea if he had already uncovered some secrets about Jiushan Realm…
And no one knew why, but the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor seemed to have his eye on Zheng Fa.
If Blood River Ancestor went back and let slip just one crucial detail, the Demon Ancestor might completely see through Jiushan Realm—or become even more obsessed with Zheng Fa as a "recruit."
That would be a disaster.
But they couldn’t just leave the sword here either—the medicine garden had many disciples passing through. Zhenren Qian often brought disciples here for experiments. If Blood River Ancestor tried to manipulate or lure them, that would be another mess.
The best solution was for Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang to keep him suppressed and close by—no chance to cause trouble.
Or rather, for Senior Sister Zhang to be the one doing it.
While the Sun and Moon Bell was more powerful within Jiushan Realm, it also had more responsibilities—like assisting in Heavenly Merit conversions. It couldn’t be away from the medicine garden for long.
Senior Sister Zhang didn’t even need Zheng Fa to speak. She understood it all immediately and suppressed Blood River Ancestor without hesitation.
The group walked back, each lost in thought.
Along the way, many disciples bowed respectfully to the Sect Master and Elders, but even Zheng Fa had no heart to respond at the moment.
They returned in silence to Zheng Fa’s courtyard on Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
The silence in the main hall lasted a long time.
Finally, Martial Uncle Pang turned to Zheng Fa. “Sect Master, what do you think?”
He rarely addressed Zheng Fa as “Sect Master,” but now that he did, it was clear how heavy this weighed on his heart—he couldn’t help but speak more formally.
“First, send a message to Zhenren Chengkong. Let the Five Great Sects know about the Demon Ancestor’s coming.”
Zheng Fa said it as if it were obvious.
Martial Uncle Pang nodded. “They’re probably more afraid of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor than we are.”
“And what about us?” Senior Sister Zhang followed up.
Zheng Fa fell silent. He turned and looked at his senior sister, master, and two martial uncles. Only after a long pause did he speak:
“For Jiushan Sect... it’s best to stay as far away from this as possible.”
“But I can’t.”
Old Yuan furrowed his brow. “You’re Jiushan Sect’s Sect Master. How can you separate yourself?”
“But it seems the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor is after me. Zhenren Chengkong once said that Jiushan Realm cannot stop a true powerhouse.”
“The Demon Ancestor is probably one of them.”
Zheng Fa shook his head and smiled—surprisingly, he didn’t look panicked at all.
Truth be told, he had felt a little heavy-hearted earlier. But now, he seemed much more at ease, and even looked more optimistic than Martial Uncle Pang and the others.
“……” Old Yuan’s face was ten times gloomier than his, but he had to admit—Zheng Fa was right.
What did Jiushan Sect mean in the eyes of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor?
If the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor truly had any designs on Jiushan Sect, it was probably only Zheng Fa he cared about.
As for others—like himself—he was very self-aware:
A character like the Demon Ancestor would probably find it a chore just to glance his way.
“Are we supposed to just abandon you, a junior?” Martial Uncle Pang said gloomily. He lifted his eyes and looked at Zheng Fa. “Forget everything else—if we leave Jiushan Realm, where could Jiushan Sect even go now?”
Zheng Fa had no response.
His intention was very clear—he hoped the disciples of Jiushan Sect could seek a new path elsewhere.
This wasn’t out of some great sense of self-sacrifice;
it was simply because most disciples wouldn’t be of much use in such a conflict.
Zheng Fa had always been a pessimist, someone who preferred to prepare for the worst.
Right now, the worst-case scenario was clearly the Demon Ancestor storming in, breaking through the boundary of Jiushan Realm, and killing Zheng Fa.
If that happened, he at least wanted the disciples of Jiushan to carry on some of his ideals and vision...
But Martial Uncle Pang had a point.
Jiushan Sect had already lost its sect territory. If they were now to leave Jiushan Realm too, wouldn’t that basically mean the sect was destroyed?
Seeing Zheng Fa fall silent, Old Yuan chuckled and suddenly patted his shoulder.
“Master?”
“I’ve known for a long time—of my three disciples, you’re the one most likely to stir up trouble.”
“……”
“But no one with the surname Yuan has ever given up on their disciple.”
Zheng Fa stayed quiet. Off to the side, Martial Uncle Pang curled his lip and muttered, “Finally acting a bit like a proper master.”
After that, Zheng Fa also felt it would be unwise to evacuate the majority of the sect.
But the idea of preserving a few roots for Jiushan Sect still seemed feasible.
“Master, I was thinking... if most disciples can’t leave, perhaps we could secretly arrange for a few elite ones to go?”
Old Yuan and Martial Uncle Pang exchanged glances and both nodded.
They didn’t want to leave—but on the other hand, they also wanted to leave behind a legacy for Jiushan Sect.
“Elite disciples? Under me… there’s Qianyuan. I’ll think about others.”
Martial Uncle Pang thought for a bit and picked his candidate.
It was clear Zhou Qianyuan had impressed him more and more lately. He’d probably passed down his true teachings.
And now, he was the first name that came to mind.
“My disciple... well, it’s just you.”
Old Yuan looked at Zheng Fa, somewhat speechless.
But Martial Aunt Huang looked even more speechless—she glanced at Senior Sister Zhang, then at Zheng Fa, opened her mouth, then closed it again with an expression that said she’d rather not comment.
Zheng Fa turned and looked at Senior Sister Zhang beside him.
He said nothing.
Mostly because he didn’t dare—the look in Senior Sister Zhang’s eyes clearly said, “Just try and say it.”
After thinking for a moment, he added, “We could also select a few low-cultivation disciples and ask Fairy Xiao to protect them—it might work.”
“Low-cultivation... but strong academics?”
Senior Sister Zhang nodded.
“Yes, the true essence of Jiushan Realm’s legacy lies in our knowledge system. Cultivation is less important—these disciples are inconspicuous but can carry forward the ideals of Jiushan.”
Old Yuan and the others all fell into contemplation, apparently thinking over who would be most suitable.
Zheng Fa also began considering names in his head. Zhou Qianyuan was one—he carried the combined talismanic philosophies of Martial Uncle Pang, Zheng Fa himself, and even Senior Sister Zhang. Zhenren Qian could also count—his cultivation wasn’t high, but he was the top agricultural expert in Jiushan Sect.
As for the rest—they’d need to be carefully selected.
But one person, Zheng Fa was absolutely determined to include—his younger sister.
Wanting some disciples to leave Jiushan Realm—deep down, it was mostly this private intention of his...
After a round of discussion, Zheng Fa took out a message talisman and began writing about the imminent descent of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor.
The talisman glowed and flew out of Jiushan Realm, crossing mountains and rivers, straight toward Zhenren Chengkong.
At that moment, Zhenren Chengkong was sitting atop a puff of azure cloud, gazing far into the direction of Chen Prefecture, his expression full of confusion and unease.
Standing beside him was Zhenren Tongming, whose face was equally helpless.
He had been accompanying Zhenren Chengkong here for half a month now.
“Senior envoy... what’s the secret of this Chen Prefecture?”
“How would I know?”
Zhenren Chengkong muttered softly, not even glancing at Zhenren Tongming, eyes fixed on the horizon.
The sky ahead had been dyed red with blood. Beneath those crimson clouds, the grass and trees had withered, and not a single beast or bird remained.
“Do you hear that?”
Zhenren Chengkong suddenly asked.
“Hear?” Zhenren Tongming tilted his head, listening carefully, then shook his head. “I hear nothing.”
“I don’t hear anything either.” Unexpectedly, Zhenren Chengkong’s expression grew even darker. “We’re both Soul Formation cultivators... and yet we hear nothing. Isn’t that strange?”
Zhenren Tongming opened his mouth, stared at Chen Prefecture, and his face showed disbelief: “Are you saying... everyone’s dead?”
“I only know it’s not good.” Zhenren Chengkong spoke quietly. “At least three Soul Formation cultivators are gathered in this tiny Chen Prefecture... tell me, why haven’t they attacked the Hundred Immortals Alliance?”
“……”
So the Hundred Immortals Alliance is just supposed to take it?
But Zhenren Tongming quickly understood what Zhenren Chengkong meant:
With that many Soul Formation cultivators, the Great Freedom Demonic Sect could have destroyed the Hundred Immortals Alliance already—even Zhenren Chengkong might not be able to stop them.
And yet, they didn’t act.
That could only mean—they had something more important to do.
And the more important this was to the Great Freedom Demonic Sect, the more dangerous it was to the Taishang Dao.
“Then... shall we go into Chen Prefecture and investigate?”
“What if it’s a trap?”
Zhenren Chengkong shot him a glare, clearly thinking he was being foolish.
“……”
Zhenren Tongming had nothing to say. The truth was, they just didn’t have enough intel on Chen Prefecture—they had no idea what they were dealing with.
But... they couldn’t leave, and they didn’t dare enter either.
How long were they supposed to just stand here?
Just as the two hesitated, Zheng Fa’s message talisman arrived and fell into Zhenren Chengkong’s hand.
He infused it with divine sense, and his expression changed rapidly—first joy, then shock, then outright fear.
“Zhenren?”
Zhenren Tongming saw his reaction and couldn’t help asking.
“Zheng Fa sent word—he discovered what the Great Freedom Demonic Sect is doing in Chen Prefecture...”
“Him?” Zhenren Tongming’s eyes widened, clearly unable to process it. “He’s thousands of miles away—how could he possibly know?”
Zhenren Chengkong said nothing.
He didn’t get it either—this should’ve been the Demonic Sect’s most tightly held secret, so how had Zheng Fa figured it out so easily?
And then, he thought about how he’d been standing here for half a month...
Suddenly, he felt a little wronged.
“So what is the Great Freedom Demonic Sect doing in Chen Prefecture?”
Zhenren Tongming asked again.
“Summoning the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor…”
“!!”
Zhenren Tongming couldn’t stay seated. He stared at Chen Prefecture, voice trembling: “The Great Freedom… Demon Ancestor?”
But Zhenren Chengkong didn’t have time to answer him. Multicolored divine light surged from his body, forcing Tongming to avert his gaze.
When he looked again, Zhenren Chengkong had changed—his eyes shone golden, he wore a golden Daoist robe, and above his head floated a golden celebratory cloud. He looked less like a man and more like a descending god.
“Zhenren?”
Zhenren Chengkong glanced at him and said, “You stay here.”
With that, he took the Tranquility Bamboo in hand and turned into a streak of golden light, flying into the blood-red sky.
…
Three days later, Tongming finally saw the golden light return. Zhenren Chengkong landed before him, his complexion tinged with gold and purple—he appeared badly wounded.
“Go!”
Before Tongming could say anything, Zhenren Chengkong shouted. Tongming got the message and quickly fled with him.
Moments later, several indistinct demonic god-like shadows chased from Chen Prefecture. Seeing that they had fled too fast, those shadows let out unwilling howls—the sound echoed in Tongming’s mind, shaking his soul, dragging his consciousness downward.
Zhenren Chengkong shook the Tranquility Bamboo, and Tongming’s mind cleared again, though he couldn’t help but feel shaken.
Only after they returned to Tongming Mountain did they feel somewhat safe.
Tongming looked at Zhenren Chengkong and saw the black-red hues on his face had deepened—he was clearly injured.
“Senior envoy?”
He asked with concern.
“No worries.” Zhenren Chengkong tapped the Tranquility Bamboo. Its leaves gently swayed, sending out a breeze that caressed his cheeks.
Tongming watched in disbelief as Zhenren Chengkong visibly recovered—completely healed in less than a few breaths!
He couldn’t help his envy. His gaze fell on the Tranquility Bamboo—and there, he finally noticed:
A full quarter of its branches and leaves showed signs of withering.
“This…”
“There were five Soul Formation cultivators from the Great Freedom Demonic Sect in Chen Prefecture…” Zhenren Chengkong said. “They… were refining the Five-Direction Blood Fiend Flags.”
“The Five-Direction Blood Fiend Flags?”
“One of the Great Freedom Demonic Sect’s supreme techniques—with these five flags, they can form an array that condenses a manifestation of the Demon Ancestor and summons him into the mortal realm.”
Zhenren Chengkong clearly knew the Demonic Sect well.
“So… Zheng Fa was right?”
“Thankfully he warned us—otherwise, I would’ve been too late to stop it…”
“You managed to stop the Demon Ancestor’s descent?”
Tongming asked with joy.
“No, I only destroyed two of the Five-Direction Blood Fiend Flags. The array is difficult to forge—I’ve bought us some time…” Zhenren Chengkong admitted.
“Then you’ve done a great service for the Immortal Sects!”
Tongming said sincerely. If the Demon Ancestor had descended without warning, it would’ve been a disaster.
“This credit—at least half of it goes to Zheng Fa…” Zhenren Chengkong didn’t seem eager to take credit. “The moment he said the Demon Ancestor was descending, I understood immediately…”
“With a surprise move and the Tranquility Bamboo.”
“Not much to brag about…”
Tongming nodded. Even if it was just a message, the information was critical.
“Senior envoy… those five Soul Formation cultivators?”
“I can’t beat them. Even with the Tranquility Bamboo nearly spent, and even if it were in perfect condition, I still wouldn’t be confident,” Zhenren Chengkong said bluntly. “One of them—I know.”
“Who?”
“Nether Immortal—Qin Mu.”
Tongming’s jaw dropped. He looked at Zhenren Chengkong, mouth opening and closing, but no words came out.
“It’s him—the one who defected from our Taishang Dao and became a Demonic Sect saint… Uncle Qin.”
“……”
“I’ve already sent word back. The other sects among the Five Great Sects won’t sit idly by either…”
Tongming finally breathed a little easier…
Yeah, what kind of Five Great Sects would they be if they couldn’t call for reinforcements?
…
In Jiushan Realm, by routine, Zhenren Qian should’ve been at the medicine garden early. But today, his thoughts were heavy. It wasn’t until midday that he finally stepped out of his courtyard.
Disciples of Jiushan Sect greeted him with smiles and respectful bows.
Some called him “teacher,” others “Zhenren”…
Those who called him teacher were studying agronomy under him.
Those who called him Zhenren knew he had made many contributions to Jiushan Sect.
All of them held warmth and respect.
He didn’t have great talent, nor high cultivation. Not just in a Nascent Soul—er, Soul Formation sect like Jiushan, even in his former Qianhe Sect, he’d never been this respected.
Normally, he would return every greeting with sincerity and bask in the respect.
But today, he was a bit perfunctory—or perhaps, reluctant to face it all.
He only stopped walking when he passed by the Hall of Esteemed Sages.
He looked inside.
His gaze landed on a statue of himself and a few of his disciples.
He stared for a long time before slowly lifting his feet and walking toward the medicine garden.
His disciples had been waiting there already and were surprised to see him arrive so late.
“Master, are you feeling unwell?”
One female disciple asked, seeing the poor look on his face.
“I’m fine.”
Zhenren Qian looked toward the test fields of the medicine garden—
There was rice, wheat, and other grains used as staple food or livestock feed.
There were fruits and vegetables that could be eaten.
There were even crops used as seasoning.
All of these were new varieties developed through their research. Most weren’t suitable for mass cultivation—like Thunder Peppers and a few others, selected out of hundreds or thousands of samples.
These fields were soaked in his sweat and passion.
His disciples watched as he gazed silently at the test plots, each of them full of anxious curiosity:
Master was acting very strange today.
“Do you all… want to leave?”
“Leave? Leave where? Leave you, Master?”
One of them asked.
“Leave Jiushan Realm.”
“No way.”
Zhenren Qian gave the disciple a glare—he knew the kid was teasing. He shook his head and said, “Jiushan Realm may face great disaster…”
Seeing the seriousness in his expression, the disciples exchanged glances, their faces turning grim.
“We… have to run again?”
The female disciple asked softly.
“It’s alright. This is all permitted by Sect Master Zheng,” Zhenren Qian explained.
Hearing Zheng Fa’s name, everyone’s mood sank even further. They knew this was no joke.
“Master, what about you?”
A disciple asked.
Zhenren Qian didn’t answer. He seemed torn.
“You guys can go—I’m not going,” the female disciple suddenly said.
“Huh?”
“I have a senior brother in Jiushan Sect…”
“...Who?” a male disciple asked. Seeing her shake her head, he didn’t push. Instead, he said, “I’m not going either.”
Even Zhenren Qian looked confused.
“At the last Hundred Immortals Assembly, I asked around… The outside world is too chaotic.” The male disciple said. “People I knew—most of them, their fates are unknown. Jiushan may face disaster, but the outside is no better. I’m just a Qi Refining nobody with no background—how would I even survive?”
After speaking, he looked at the test plots. “At least I know Sect Master Zheng won’t send me to die for nothing.”
“……”
Zhenren Qian looked at his disciples. He saw their faces harden with resolve—clearly, that disciple’s words had convinced them all.
“And you, Master?”
Zhenren Qian looked at them, then suddenly smiled. “The disciples I taught, the fields we grew, the things that let me stand tall—they’re all here. Where else would I go?”
…
From a distance, Senior Sister Zhang stood watching this scene. Then she slowly turned her head and said softly to the flying sword beside her:
“Really… keeping people loyal doesn’t have to be through fear, right?”
The flying sword trembled slightly, as if at a loss for words.