Chapter 559 - 659: What Should We Do?
Everyone felt the heaviness in the atmosphere and didn't speak a word.
Ye Tianfan was also pondering how to rescue those villagers. However, given his current weak strength, especially compared with these big shots, he was at a loss.
After much consideration, Ye Tianfan couldn't think of a good solution. The only viable approach was to completely eliminate those demons or seal them first, and then rescue the town's residents. Otherwise, even if the location of the residents was found, it wouldn't be feasible to carry out a rescue.
You must know, it's not a matter of dealing with a few dozen or a few hundred people; it involves hundreds of thousands. Just evacuating them is a problem. The best way is to deal with those demons first, allowing those townspeople to continue with their lives.
The flight speed of the big shots was indeed fast. In just a few minutes, they arrived at the temporary camp where Tian Chu Zhenren and others had been stationed.
After landing, Tian Chu Zhenren immediately said to the top person in charge of the temporary camp, "Continue the patrols, prevent ordinary people from entering, and warn those cultivators. However, if you can't stop the defiant ones, let them in and bear the consequences. But keep those ordinary people out."
"Yes, Uncle Master Tian Chu, I'll give these orders right away." The person in charge assented and quickly passed down the instructions.
Tian Chu Zhenren and the others directly entered the largest tent, for it was their conference room, where they would spend the next few days trying to find a way to resolve the situation and completely deal with those demons.
When everyone went inside, Ye Tianfan, seeing the situation, intended to turn back to his tent to rest for a while. After all, this was a gathering of elite figures, and it didn't seem to involve him. However, just as Ye Tianfan was turning, a head popped out from the big tent, calling to him, "Xiao Qi, you come over and join the meeting, too."
The head was none other than Tian Chu Zhenren. Originally, such a meeting wouldn't have involved Ye Tianfan, and Tian Chu Zhenren hadn't planned on inviting him. However, several big shots inside, including Taichu Zhenren, Elder Huo, and Chi Yuan Zhenren, all requested Ye Tianfan's attendance.
So Tian Chu Zhenren had no choice but to poke his head out and call Ye Tianfan back.
After entering the conference room, Ye Tianfan found a seat at the very end and sat down to listen to the discussions of the big shots.
"In my opinion, what's the point of discussing further? If we can't kill them, we should just seal them. Granny Zhanhua from the Women's Village is quite adept at sealing; we should have her seal those demons," said Elder Huo, who was known for his fiery temperament.
"I disagree. Since those demons are able to use the lives of the townspeople as leverage, what's to say they won't swap the seals as well? If they exchange the seals we've placed on them with the townspeople, what then?" Chi Yuan Zhenren shook his head and objected.
"Then just seal them multiple times, until they're overwhelmed and we thoroughly seal them, severing the connection between the demons and the townspeople," Elder Huo suggested.
"That's terrifying, there are hundreds of thousands of villagers. How many seals are you suggesting? If they could swap each time, wouldn't Granny Zhanhua have to perform the seal hundreds of thousands of times?" exclaimed Old Monkey in horror.
"Then tell me what should we do? This can't work, that can't work," Elder Huo retorted in indignation.
"Since they cultivate Evil Qi, what if we use something holy to seal them? Would that sever the connection?" suggested the silent City Guard Elder.
While everyone was pondering the words of the City Guard Elder, another silent figure, the Old Financial Master, spoke up, "That's not feasible. Their cultivation of Evil Qi and the transference of harm are different things entirely."
Having heard the Old Financial Master's words, everyone turned their eyes towards him. Elder Huo curiously asked, "How do you know it's not the same cultivation technique? Do you know what this harm transference technique is?"
The Old Financial Master, with a serious expression, stated, "The technique is called Star Shifting."
"Star Shifting?" everyone echoed in confusion.
"Isn't Star Shifting supposed to be the Flower Fairy Sect's core cultivation technique used for aid? How does it have such a function?" Elder Huo questioned, looking towards Chi Yuan Zhenren.
Chi Yuan Zhenren appeared even more puzzled, giving the Old Financial Master an unfriendly look. After all, no one would take kindly to someone incriminating their sect's core technique.
"Old Financial Master, you better clarify your words; otherwise, our centuries-old friendship will come to an end here," Chi Yuan Zhenren, with an unfriendly demeanor, said to the Old Financial Master.
The Old Financial Master gave a wry smile and said, "Let me finish; it's not what you imagine. Their Star Shifting is not the same as the one from the Flower Fairy Sect."
"Explain yourself!" Chi Yuan Zhenren prompted.
"Yes, please clarify; otherwise, everyone could misunderstand," Granny Zhanhua advised while reassuring Chi Yuan Zhenren, "Don't worry, we all trust you."
"Yes, we all trust you!" added Elder Huo.
"How terrifying, I hadn't realized Star Shifting could have such a function!" Old Monkey interjected, but immediately, under everyone's gaze, he raised his hands above his head and said with a bitter smile, "I'm just kidding; of course, I believe in Chi Yuan! Those eyes look like they could kill me."
Taichu Zhenren, although silent, also seemed to be urging the Old Financial Master for an explanation with his gaze.
"I learned about it years ago from some ruins," the Old Financial Master began, falling into memory. "It was 300 years ago when I discovered a cave at around 1,200 meters on Heaven-Reaching Peak. Inside, I found what appeared to be a small palace-like ruin.
It was clear that the ruin had already been looted and was in complete disarray. Still, I searched through the place, partly in hopes that the previous raider had missed something valuable and partly to ascertain who had lived there before."
After finishing, he looked around to see everyone listening intently and continued, "To my astonishment, the residents from before were descendants of the once-prominent Xianpi Sect from 2,000 years ago.
When I attempted to find more information, I discovered that many records had already been destroyed by whoever explored before me, leaving little of value remaining."
