I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Vol 2 Chapter 244: A Chicken Among Cranes, Task Allocation

As Zheng Fa and the others followed Zhenren Tongming into the mountain, Sect Master Chen subtly slipped another storage bag into the sleeve of the reception disciple.

At that moment, even Fang Yuan and her master weren’t the only ones bewildered—the disciple himself looked utterly confused. This gift came out of nowhere!

“Please help me find out which counties Jiushan Sect will be assigned to—I want to follow them…”

Hearing this, the Tongming Mountain disciple immediately looked at Sect Master Chen with new respect.

Even Fang Yuan understood his ploy—

If Zhenren Tongming gave Zheng Fa such treatment, following Jiushan Sect meant safety!

…

Zheng Fa, naturally, knew nothing of this. After arranging for the Jiushan Sect disciples in their guest quarters, he followed Zhenren Tongming with Senior Sister Zhang toward the main hall of Tongming Mountain.

“Your Jiushan Sect is one of the later arrivals. Apart from the five Soul Formation envoys from the Five Sects of Xuanyi, there are three other Soul Formation cultivators here. Plus, over ten late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators—they’re all in the hall discussing strategy.” “Three more Soul Formation cultivators?”

Zheng Fa was shocked.

Zhenren Tongming was the only Soul Formation cultivator in the Hundred Immortals Alliance, yet he had staked claim to a massive territory and even proclaimed himself the sixth sect of Xuanyi.

And now there were three more Soul Formation cultivators?

Where did they spring from?

“Two of them are like me,”

Zhenren Tongming smiled, clearly hinting at something.

“Like you…”

Zheng Fa muttered, and he understood—

They were outside envoys from Taishang Dao.

That meant for this war, Taishang Dao had mobilized four Soul Formation cultivators.

If this didn’t put pressure on the Five Sects, nothing would.

“I don’t know the origin of the last one,” Zhenren Tongming continued. “As for the other big cultivators, they’re sect leaders or elders from nearby major sects.” ṙΆ𝐍ȱᛒΕ𝘴

Zheng Fa nodded silently.

In the Xuanyi Realm, “big cultivator” usually referred to late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. They were powerful, sure—but nowhere near the level of Soul Formation cultivators.

Take Jiushan Sect, for example—they had no shortage of Nascent Soul inheritances, but they had never even glimpsed the edge of Soul Formation.

As they walked, Zheng Fa found his eyes being opened once again.

Before even entering the hall, a fragrant scent that penetrated deep into the soul stirred the Creation Jade Slip within his body. Looking toward the source, he saw dozens of elegant female cultivators dressed in pale white court attire, standing motionless along the walls from the entrance of the hall, holding lanterns, illuminating the interior.

The fragrance came from those lanterns.

“Mingdao Candles.”

Senior Sister Zhang suddenly said quietly, her normally cold eyes showing rare surprise.

Zheng Fa understood her astonishment. Mingdao Candles were extremely rare in the Xuanyi Realm—rumor had it that cultivating near one would speed up one’s progress, and more importantly, the lively, responsive spiritual power could assist in breakthroughs.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators could benefit.

They were worth a fortune.

Zheng Fa suddenly felt a pang of heartache—despite controlling a whole realm, he’d never been this extravagant.

After all, he had to train far more cultivators than a typical sect.

He looked at those female cultivators and grew even more surprised—many had participated in the Hundred Immortals Conference. They were Golden Core disciples, the rising stars of the next generation. And here they were, acting as attendants?

Yet each one seemed honored to do it.

Zheng Fa thought about it and understood—

Everyone in that hall was at least a major cultivator. For Golden Core disciples to have no seat was normal.

More importantly, even as lamp-holders, they could absorb some of the Mingdao Candle’s benefits—being close meant more intake.

Honestly, not a bad deal.

Entering the hall, the hierarchy became even clearer.

Zhenren Chengkong and the other seven Soul Formation cultivators sat at the top. The ten-odd big cultivators sat closer to the doors.

In front of each was a low table with spiritual wine, fruits, and spirit beast meat—all clearly high-grade spiritual materials befitting Nascent Soul or Soul Formation cultivators.

Zheng Fa understood immediately:

Anyone below Nascent Soul stood. They were either decorative or servants, and they didn’t get food.

Nascent Soul cultivators could sit and nibble, but not near the top and certainly not speak.

Only the Soul Formation cultivators were the real players—no Nascent Soul dared speak a word.

They listened, and not just listened—they had to respond accordingly to every remark made by a Soul Formation elder.

That kind of meal was exhausting.

Zheng Fa paused, suddenly wondering—should he be holding a lantern too?

Kidding aside, the problem was he didn’t know where he was supposed to sit.

“Zheng Fa?”

It was Zhenren Chengkong from the top seat who called out. He looked at Zheng Fa, seemed to recognize his confusion, and pointed to an empty seat beside him. “Just waiting on you.”

The hall went quiet. The seat Zhenren Chengkong pointed at was right next to Xie Qingxue of the Tianhe Sect.

Everyone watched as this blatantly early-stage Golden Core cultivator walked past all the Nascent Soul elders, bowed to the three newly arrived Soul Formation cultivators, and sat his butt down inside the exclusive little circle of the Five Sects of Xuanyi.

Zheng Fa felt all the stares piercing into him like daggers from every direction—like a husky calmly strolling into a pack of wolves.

Not that he cared—he was only half a Soul Formation cultivator, sure,

But he was a tag-team player.

Senior Sister Zhang was another half.

Put them together, that was basically a Soul Formation cultivator!

Don’t believe it? Ask the Ancestor of the Blood River for references!

Only one gaze made him feel a bit odd—intensely bitter.

He turned to see Yan Wushuang standing stiffly behind Xie Qingxue, glaring at him, face full of grievance.

…That’s a true friend. Can’t leave him standing.

Zheng Fa scooted closer to Senior Sister Zhang and motioned for Yan Wushuang to come over.

Yan Wushuang couldn’t help but smile. He lifted his foot—then felt a chill down his back.

Xie Qingxue glanced sideways at him and said coldly, “My seat’s big enough. Why don’t you squeeze in with me instead?”

He looked at Zheng Fa and Zhang, elbow to elbow, knees pressed tight—then at his own senior sister radiating a sharp sword aura…

He swallowed and finally said, “I’m fine standing.”

…

Zhenren Chengkong observed Zheng Fa’s relaxed, even joking demeanor, and a hint of approval appeared in his eyes. The other Soul Formation cultivators also looked at him with subtle respect rather than disdain.

Even Zhenren Tongming nodded at Zheng Fa with a smile.

They weren’t praising arrogance—but in a time like this, people needed to step up.

A man who acted too timid and deferential wouldn’t be seen as capable of great responsibility.

Now, this Golden Core cultivator sat among Soul Formation elders with composure—

It showed confidence, and that put them more at ease.

Apparently, they had truly been waiting on him. As soon as he was seated, Zhenren Tongming rose from his spot and lightly cleared his throat.

Everyone in the hall put down their cups and looked up.

“Thanks to the five honored envoys, we are gathered here today to discuss strategies for eliminating the Demonic Sect—this is a matter of safeguarding the righteous path of Heaven and Earth!”

Zhenren Tongming set the tone with his opening line.

The room was a mix of awkward expressions and solemnity as they listened.

“In recent times, the Hundred Immortals Alliance has suffered repeated attacks from the Great Freedom Demonic Sect. Many Nascent Soul cultivators have fallen, and who knows how many disciples’ families have perished. Our resources have been utterly looted.”

“The Hundred Immortals Alliance… has suffered greatly!”

As Zhenren Tongming spoke, his eyes even turned slightly red.

The crowd remained silent.

“But things are different now, with the arrival of the five envoys! When Zhenren Chengkong arrived, he destroyed two Blood Fiend Banners of the Great Freedom Demonic Sect—truly saving Xuanyi from fire and water!”

“Now, with envoys from Tianhe Sect, Haori Mountain, Leiyin Temple, and Yaochi also here, the Hundred Immortals Alliance finally has confidence—we are no longer afraid of the Great Freedom Demonic Sect!”

"If not for the five envoys, this land would’ve become a demon stronghold sooner or later."

"Here, allow me to raise a toast to the five envoys first!"

With that, Zhenren Tongming picked up the wine cup before him and drained it in one gulp.

Zhenren Chengkong and the other four Soul Formation cultivators exchanged glances, then each took a sip of spirit wine as well.

After those words, Zhenren Tongming turned to the three newly arrived Soul Formation cultivators and the ten-odd big cultivators:

"For all of you to come and lend your strength—I, Tongming, am deeply grateful. We all understand the principle of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold'. This mutual aid is a righteous act I’ll never forget."

Naturally, the others replied humbly, but their expressions softened visibly.

Zheng Fa’s gaze was somewhat odd—he had never realized Zhenren Tongming had such oratory skill. Thıs text ıs hosted at novel⟡fire.net

From the moment he’d entered, Zheng Fa had vaguely sensed the tension in the hall.

Never mind the three Soul Formation elders—the big cultivators didn’t exactly look willing.

Which made sense. Even Jiushan Sect hesitated after receiving the summoning order. Other sects were surely the same.

They were probably only here out of fear of the Five Sects of Xuanyi.

At first, Zheng Fa thought the Mingdao Candles and luxurious offerings were Zhenren Tongming’s way of appeasing everyone.

But this speech—this speech really dissolved the resentment.

He had, openly or subtly, made three points:

Without Zhenren Chengkong, the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor would’ve already arrived.

The five envoys are the main force in this battle—don’t get any funny ideas.

If the Hundred Immortals Alliance falls, the Great Freedom Demonic Sect won’t spare you either.

And yet, all three points were delivered tactfully—he flattered the Five Sects, praised the assisting big cultivators, softened the hard truths, and made everyone understand clearly without causing offense.

A moment of silence passed, then one after another, the crowd voiced their agreement.

For a moment, it really did feel like unity and shared resolve.

Zheng Fa looked toward Zhenren Chengkong, wondering: What kind of outside disciple was Zhenren Tongming from Taishang Dao—did he major in political science?

Zhenren Tongming finished and turned to Zhenren Chengkong. Clearly, his role was to rally the minds, but the actual command decisions had to come from someone higher—Zhenren Chengkong.

Zhenren Chengkong smiled, and lightly tapped the air with his Tranquility Bamboo. Golden light shimmered from the bamboo leaf, coalescing into a golden, scroll-like map—

It depicted Chen Prefecture.

"Currently, the Great Freedom Demonic Sect's forces have all withdrawn into Chen Prefecture. By my estimate, they number no less than ten million."

The crowd gasped, though Zheng Fa wasn’t surprised.

That number was likely understated. Jiushan Realm alone had a population of thirty million.

The Great Freedom Demonic Sect had cultivated their hidden realm for hundreds of thousands of years. Even a population of over a hundred million wouldn’t be exaggerated. But the exact number—Zhenren Chengkong probably knew better than he did.

"Of course, only about a hundred thousand of them are actual cultivators. And to control the Blood Fiend Banners, one needs to be at least at the Golden Core stage—we estimate no more than a thousand of those."

That number sounded small.

But in reality, it was terrifying. That’s the equivalent of ten entire Hundred Immortals Alliances.

Even more alarming was the proportion:

Zheng Fa had done the math—

In the Xuanyi Realm, roughly one cultivator emerged for every ten thousand mortals.

But Golden Core versus Qi Refining wasn’t so easy to measure—

Golden Cores lived longer, skewing the ratio within a sect.

Nascent Souls made this even more obvious: Jiushan Sect had over a dozen Golden Cores and three Nascent Souls.

That didn’t mean every four or five Golden Cores produced a Nascent Soul—it just meant people like Old Yuan lived too long.

No matter how he calculated it, the Demonic Sect's Golden Core density far exceeded normal sects.

Their bloodlines clearly had a boost for cultivation.

In contrast, the current coalition of Immortal Sects controlled a vastly larger total population—but probably had no more than 300 Golden Core cultivators.

"Nascent Souls?"

Someone asked.

"In terms of Nascent Soul and above, we hold the advantage," said Zhenren Chengkong.

"We’ve assembled nearly a hundred Nascent Soul cultivators. The Demonic Sect’s methods rise fast early, but their later stages don’t compare to ours."

Everyone let out a breath.

At least the fight wasn’t hopeless.

In the Xuanyi Realm, strength was everything—quality could beat quantity.

"Since we hold the advantage, we must give the Demonic Sect no chance to regroup." Zhenren Chengkong pointed at the map. "I’ve only seen mentions of the Fivefold Blood Fiend Formation in old records, and the details are lacking."

"Their methods are strange. We must stay vigilant."

"If we can’t completely wipe out their Golden Core and above in Chen Prefecture, and the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor finds a way to revive, all will be lost."

Everyone nodded.

Victory alone wasn’t the goal—they had to prevent the Demon Ancestor’s return.

That was the real challenge. No one fully understood what tricks the Demonic Sect had up their sleeve.

"Therefore, I propose splitting into six forces! Each led by a Soul Formation cultivator, surrounding Chen Prefecture. Each team will sweep through two counties, ensuring no high-level Demonic cultivator escapes!"

He tapped the map six times, forming a loose encirclement.

Zheng Fa frowned.

This plan felt too optimistic.

If the teams got isolated…

"I, Fairy Xie, and Master Wuzhi will act as mobile support…"

Zheng Fa looked toward the dais. From Zhenren Chengkong’s tone, he was placing himself, Xie Qingxue, and Master Wuzhi as the top three in power here.

Zhenren Chengkong went without saying—Taishang Dao’s true disciple, unofficial head of this alliance, wielding Tranquility Bamboo, and already returned victorious from Chen Prefecture.

As for the other two…

"Fairy Xie wields the immortal sword left by Tianhe Venerable. Master Wuzhi practices the Six Divine Abilities of Leiyin Temple."

"Not only can he see and hear across great distances, but he also has the Divine Foot Ability—crossing the world in a single step, carrying both me and Fairy Xie to support any front…"

Zheng Fa immediately understood Zhenren Chengkong’s plan:

These three were indeed the strongest here. And perhaps…

Zhenren Chengkong wanted the Demonic Sect to try and break them apart. It would give them a perfect opportunity to spring a trap.

The others felt relieved upon hearing this.

"And these six routes… what say you six?"

Zhenren Chengkong’s finger tapped six times. Besides the Soul Formation cultivators from Haori Mountain and Yaochi, he pointed at the three guest Soul Formation elders—and finally, pointed at Zheng Fa.

Everyone looked toward Zheng Fa.

Of the six, he was the only one not truly Soul Formation. If there was a weak link, it would be his group.

Zheng Fa hesitated—

He knew Zhenren Chengkong thought highly of him, but he didn’t want Jiushan Sect to shoulder too heavy a burden.

Their endurance was a major weakness. If a few enemy Soul Formation cultivators launched a surprise attack, Senior Sister Zhang could block once or twice—but would get seriously injured.

Sure, they could retreat into Jiushan Realm, but if they collapsed, it would blow a hole in the siege.

If that gave the Demon Ancestor room to rise…

That would be the real disaster.

To Zheng Fa, the issue wasn’t glory—it was whether the mission could actually be done.

If they failed, forget the blame—just the Demon Ancestor’s “attention” would be a nightmare.

Perhaps sensing his hesitation, or wanting to stir more commitment, Zhenren Chengkong added,

"If we succeed in this campaign, rewards from the Hundred Immortals Alliance, Taishang Dao, and even the other four sects… will not be spared."

Everyone turned to look at the other four sects.

And indeed, the representatives nodded lightly, as if acknowledging Zhenren Chengkong’s promise.

"Dare I ask… what kind of rewards are we talking about?"

Someone couldn’t help asking.

Zhenren Chengkong gently shook the Tranquility Bamboo in his hand, smiling faintly:

"You won’t be disappointed."

Clearly, he had immense confidence in Taishang Dao’s resources.

Zheng Fa, however, stared at that Tranquility Bamboo in his hand, deep in thought—

If I asked for that bamboo… would he still be smiling?

Zhenren Chengkong’s eyes were on Zheng Fa, gently brushing the bamboo in his palm as if awaiting his decision—an awfully tempting gesture.

At that moment, Xie Qingxue suddenly spoke:

"I’ll take a team."

She clearly saw Zheng Fa’s difficulty.

But Zhenren Chengkong frowned.

"Fairy Xie, without you, I and Master Wuzhi may not be able to respond to the most dangerous situations…"

Everyone understood—he meant if multiple Demonic Soul Formation cultivators attacked the same front. With all three, he had confidence. Without Xie Qingxue, not so much.

Zheng Fa was silent for a while, then suddenly asked,

"How many Nascent Soul cultivators per team?"

Zhenren Chengkong was surprised, then heard Zheng Fa continue:

"Jiushan Sect has no true Soul Formation elder. If we’re to take a whole route, we’ll need more Nascent Souls than others."

"That can be arranged…"

Zhenren Chengkong nodded slowly, but his expression was confused—

After all, most were worried about Soul Formation ambushes.

What good would extra Nascent Souls do?