Book 9: Chapter 1 – An Important Matter

His heartbeats were fluttering. Perhaps even Mountain Lord He, Si Kong Yang, or even the Dragon Mountain Emperor from the past would feel excited upon encountering such circumstances. The Xia Clan World had always been threatened by the Demonic Faction’s local headquarters. Concealed in the darkness, the headquarters were just under their noses, in the Xia Clan World. Every Xia Clan Transcendent understood its significance.

Any major force would have a headquarters.

The headquarters would allow them to accumulate and leave behind numerous secret techniques, weapons, resources, and other treasures which they could store within. These resources and treasures were a must for grooming new Transcendents!

How could the Demonic Faction be so powerful?

How were they able to attract Transcendents into their ranks? It was because they could help those Transcendents increase in power!

If this Demonic Faction Headquarters was to be destroyed, countless years of accumulated intelligence and their very foundations would be wiped clean! This kind of blow would be akin to the Xia Clan’s Infernal Palace getting annihilated!

Calm, I must be calm!

This matter is more important than the five Demon Generals, but it is also more difficult to deal with. Since I’m already faced with it, I must take this chance to deal the Demonic Faction a fatal blow! Numerous thoughts formed in Xue Ying’s chaotic mind as he tried hard to calm it down. This was an important, crucial encounter.

He didn’t think that his power alone would be enough to capture this Demonic Faction Headquarters!

It had already been quite difficult to capture the Black Wind Deity Palace. Surely, it would be even more difficult to capture this Demonic Faction Headquarters.

I must calm down.

An hour later, Xue Ying felt completely cool. He started thinking of ways to deal with the issue.

First of all, I cannot do this alone. I have to tell Palace Head Chen and join hands with the other Xia Clan Demigods to capture this Demonic Faction Headquarters in the future.

Secondly, I must be patient. I have already discovered the High Priest’s identity—Xi Yun—and that Situ Hong is a traitor! However, having freely operated for so long, the Demonic Faction’s influence cannot be underestimated. Perhaps there are other traitors out there, posing as ordinary Xia Clan Transcendents. Xue Ying sneered.

Xi Yun, Situ Hong, and some others were extremely selfish, self-centered, and did not care about the lives of Xia Clan Transcendents. They secretly joined the Demonic Faction while pretending they hadn’t!

I must wait!

Patiently wait. I trust that with time, I can uncover the identities of those traitors one by one. Xue Ying slightly nodded. Especially the Demigods! There must be other Demigods within the Demonic Faction’s supporters.

Demigod traitors were too dangerous!

Lastly, earlier, the white-robed girl and the High Priest mentioned a big plan between the Demonic God and the Sorcerer God? Xue Ying frowned. What kind of plan? The Sorcerer God is the powerful Deity worshipped by the demon beast clan. They must be planning something terrible for our Xia Clan.

Only with patience can I get a good harvest. Xue Ying looked at Pu Yang Bo being tortured inside the torture chamber. Pu Yang, I’m sorry. You need to hang on.

The discovery of the Demonic Faction’s Headquarters involved the bigger picture.

Pu Yang still hadn’t met fatal danger. He needed to endure the punishment, for the sake of the Xia Clan.

******

Snowrock Castle

“Jing Qiu.” The red-robed Xue Ying knocked on the door of Jing Qiu’s laboratory before he entered.

“Disciple Brother Xue Ying,” said Jing Qiu cheerfully. “What brings you here?”

“An important matter with far-reaching consequences on our Xia Clan.” Xue Ying took a deep breath. “Alas, I must keep this matter secret. What I want to tell you… is that this Qi Avatar of mine will also be leaving Snowrock Castle. I will contact you every night. You must not contact me through my communication wristband at any other time.”

“Just do what you need to do.” Jing Qiu became curious. What sort of business was there that could have a deep impact on the Xia Clan as a whole?

She understood, however, that the Xia Clan had its own regulation. Some matters had to be kept secret.

Even those they trusted had a chance of actually being Demonic Faction spies.

“You won’t be in the Xia Clan World?” Jing Qiu could not help but ask.

“I will still be in the Xia Clan World,” replied the red-robed Xue Ying.

“Then how come I can’t call you with the wristband?” Jing Qiu was confused.

“Once this matter is finished, I will tell you,” Xue Ying replied. His Qi Avatar and his real body would be spending long hours in the Mirage! As it was in the void space between layers, the Xia Clan communication wristband would not function in the world of the Mirage either.

……

On the same day.

The red-robed Xue Ying went directly to the Infernal Palace in the Xia Capital. He felt that a matter of such importance should be best conveyed directly.

“Xue Ying, please sit.”

Xue Ying’s avatar met up with Palace Head Chan in one of the small courtyards of the Infernal Palace.

“What is the matter? Have you personally rushed over, or is it your Qi Avatar that has arrived?” Palace Head Chen asked with a smile.

“I come with an important matter with great implications that I must inform you of, Palace Head Chen,” Xue Ying said solemnly.

“An important matter?” Palace Head Chen was startled.

He understood Xue Ying’s personality.

He was a calm and cool-headed Transcendent. When he had been reprimanded by Faction Head Si Kong Yang and Demigod Gong Yu in the Scarlet Cloud Mountain, Xue Ying still keep his composure and kept true to his way of cultivation. Even when he went to eliminate the five demon bases, Xue Ying could still keep himself collected. However, this time, Xue Ying’s seemed even more intense.

“Tell me.” Palace Head Chen also turned serious.

“Other than the True Meaning of Extreme Piercing, I have also comprehended another grade two True Meaning. I kept it secret, and I do not plan to expose it for the time being.”

“You comprehended another grade two True Meaning?” exclaimed Palace Head Chen.

Heavens!

In the history of the Xia Clan, being able to comprehend a grade two True Meaning would already make one a dazzling existence. To have comprehended another one?

“You don’t have to and should not expose it. It’s even better if fewer people know it so you can catch them off guard!” Palace Head Chen continued, “The reason you sought me out should not be that you wanted to tell me about your other grade two True Meaning, right?”

“Using this second True Meaning, I can search for the trails of those Demon Generals,” explained Xue Ying. “Right now, my true body is conducting a wide-range search of the mortal world, covering every nook and cranny. I estimate that I will complete my search of the entire land and sea in up to ten years. I trust that the five Demon Generals cannot escape my detection.”

“Searching for the Demon Generals?” asked Palace Head Chen. “Are you sure of this?”

“Quite sure,” Xue Ying said. “I am certain that most of the Demon Generals cannot escape my detection!”

“Good!” Palace Head Chen stood up in excitement. He unconsciously paced back and forth around the courtyard, his face flushed. “These five demon generals have always been dormant. I have always worried about a possible future battle with them. With their strength, if we are to be caught unprepared, one or two Demigods might fall, numerous mortals would perish, and their cities be destroyed! If you can discover them, we will get the initiative in the attack. They would be in the light—and us in the dark!”

“Mn.” Xue Ying agreed. “But the reason I came here today is not this!”

“Not for this?” surprised Palace Head Chen.

He believed the ‘important matter with far-reaching consequences’ Xue Ying wanted to discuss to be that of the Demon Generals, but it was not.

“I was also feeling nervous about this, so I came here to discuss it with Palace Head Chen.” Xue Ying looked around him. “Palace Head, are you sure that no one can snoop in on us?”

Palace Head Chen immediately manipulated the area surrounding them and said, “Rest assured. I am using a Deity spatial artifact to isolate our surroundings. There is nobody in the Infernal Realm able to eavesdrop on our conversation!”

Xue Ying nodded before speaking in a hushed voice, “I have discovered… the Demonic Faction Headquarters!”