Reactions to the Battle Report

News of the great victory on the southern front spread to the other sects through various means shortly after the battle. South of the Listening Wave Sea. "Senior Brother Crane Cry, a great victory at Sword Hut!" Purple Sun True Monarch excitedly pushed open the cultivation room, holding the latest battle report, "That Daoist Xiao has reappeared, lying in wait within the Sword Hut's grand formation." "The Sea Race was caught off guard, losing four Great Demon in one fell swoop, and even that Giant Octopus has been reduced to ashes." "Now the southern front is our absolute advantage!" Crane Cry True Monarch, who was in the middle of breathing in Spiritual Qi, didn't even bother to stop his breathing upon hearing this. He jumped up, took the battle report, and eagerly began to read it. A few breaths later... A joyful smile spread across his face, "Excellent!" "No wonder those three beasts outside suddenly disappeared. I thought they were up to some kind of trick again." "Now it seems they were afraid of Daoist Xiao's reinforcements, so they fled in advance." Esteem Truth Temple was originally holding back the other three Sea Race Great Demon at its southern Stronghold, forming a pincer movement with Cloud Wave Sword Abode. However, yesterday afternoon was strangely quiet, without the usual routine attacks. The two of them were still wondering why when they received this major piece of good news. "If we had known Daoist Xiao was so powerful, we should have taken the initiative to attack yesterday." Purple Sun True Monarch with a slight regret. "That way, we might have been able to capture one or two more Great Demon and expand our gains." Cloud Vortex True Monarch informed them of this good news the night Xiao Chen arrived at Sword Hut, to boost their confidence. However, while they were happy, they never expected that Xiao Chen could achieve such a great victory in such a short time. So, after noticing the anomaly yesterday, they did not take the initiative to pursue him for the sake of caution. "That's not how it works. A cautious approach is always the best policy," said Crane Cry True Monarch, disagreeing. "While this may seem overly cautious, the key is that no one expected Daoist Xiao to possess such skill." "He's only just broken through, yet he single-handedly slew four Great Demon. Truly a formidable young talent!" His tone held a hint of admiration, but not much regret. After all, for Esteem Truth Temple, protecting the southern side of the Compassion Sea and cultivating good relations with their neighbor, Cloud Wave Sword Abode, had already achieved their primary objective. Pursuing the Demon Beast and expanding their gains were less important. "Senior Brother is right. I wasn't cautious enough," Purple Sun True Monarch smiled, appearing visibly relaxed. "In short, after this battle, the situation in the Cloud Wave Sea can be considered settled." "We can finally rest and recuperate for a while." "We'll finally have time to repair the various formations and, incidentally, train those who performed exceptionally well in battle..." However, he trailed off, noticing Crane Cry True Monarch shaking his head slightly. "No, no, no, those things Junior Brother mentioned aren't urgent." "The most important thing right now is to pay a visit to Daoist Xiao at the Sword Hut." "Yes, we should bring a presentable gift." "Junior Brother, do you think it's better to give him the Floating Cloud Treasure Jade or the Water Suppressing Spirit Pearl?" Both items mentioned by Crane Cry True Monarch were top-tier fourth-order spiritual materials passed down through the Esteem Truth Temple, enough to be classified as Fourth-Order High-Grade Spirit Item. They began discussing gifts. Meanwhile, within the Azure Sea Immortal Sect, Iron Fan True Monarch stared blankly at the latest message in his hand. This battle report was terrifying! Even though he had already guessed that Xiao Chen's potential was limitless, wasn't this growth rate a bit too fast? "A lone wolf, without relying on family heirlooms, used Law Technique to kill Nascent Soul Middle Stage Great Demon." Iron Fan True Monarch reviewed the battle report again, still in disbelief. "Simply... a monster!" Thankfully, after learning of the feud between the Yi Family and Xiao Chen, he chose reconciliation for long-term consideration. He promptly dispatched Cloud Cliff True Person as a representative to deliver Peach Blossom Divine Water Dew to resolve the conflict. In the end, Xiao Chen accepted his gift, so it should be considered a closed chapter. Otherwise, having provoked such an enemy, he wouldn't know how to handle it. What a close call! "Senior Brother, what urgent matter has occurred?" Silver Hair True Monarch was patrolling the formation when he was called back. Upon entering, he saw Iron Fan True Monarch with a serious expression, a hint of lingering fear in his eyes, holding a battle report. He was immediately alarmed. Could it be that the Sea Race had won again? He wondered if the incident occurred on the southern or North Front. "Junior brother is back. Take a look at this first." Iron Fan True Monarch handed over the battle report. Silver Hair True Monarch had already approached, took the report without even sitting down, and immediately flipped through it while still standing. "Hmm?" He was stunned for a moment, then frowned in confusion. It was clearly a victory report, so why did his senior brother have that expression? "Ah?" Silver Hair True Monarch continued reading and was immediately astonished. Xiao Chen actually possessed such astonishing combat power; it was simply unbelievable. "This... this... it's all thanks to Senior Brother's foresight." Only after carefully reading the detailed explanation at the end did he finally understand why his senior brother had shown that expression. Recalling the time, he was somewhat dissatisfied with his senior brother's decision, especially not understanding why he had sent such a generous gift to the other party as an apology. However, he hadn't objected for the sake of the overall situation. Now it seemed that his senior brother was indeed farsighted. He had judged in advance that Xiao Chen was hiding his true strength and that it was absolutely necessary not to make enemies with him. "What foresight? It's just a case of locking the barn door after the horse has bolted." Iron Fan True Monarch shook his head self-deprecatingly. "If I truly had foresight, I should have personally investigated the Yi Family back then, instead of relying on the reports from my subordinates." After all, he was the Sect Master; if something serious happened, he would at least bear responsibility for mismanagement. "Senior Brother, there's no need to blame yourself too much. In any case, these are all things of the past." Silver Hair True Monarch comforted him. "Now that we've achieved a great victory on the southern front, Listening Wave Sea is almost pacified. It shouldn't be long before we receive reinforcements here." "As long as we hold on for a little longer, once our fellow Daoists on the southern front arrive, things will be much easier." "Such good news should be spread around so that the disciples can also share in the joy." Iron Fan True Monarch certainly wouldn't object. He not only summoned all the Elder to announce the celebration but also took the opportunity to distribute another round of cultivation resource subsidies. The neighboring Thousand Machines Valley didn't miss this opportunity either. Each disciple under their tutelage received two bottles of the same-grade spirit pills. While the many disciples were overjoyed, the name Xiao Chen once again resounded throughout the Shallow Sky Sea. "Senior Brother Qian Shu, the supplies have all been distributed." Hundred Apertures True Monarch, however, had some doubts: "Is what we're doing appropriate?" "Having used the guise of celebration to distribute resources three times in a row, Fellow Daoist Xiao's reputation in the valley is now at its zenith." "Many disciples are talking about it, and quite a few have even openly expressed their admiration for Daoist Xiao." From his secret observations, these people were clearly not just talking. "Junior Brother, there's no need to worry. It's only human nature for a disciple to admire a powerful figure who has achieved a great victory." Qian Shu True Monarch didn't seem to mind: "It's a good thing that Daoist Xiao can become a role model for everyone." "If we secretly spread some anecdotes about Daoist Xiao's early years of diligent cultivation, it will encourage the disciples to cultivate even more diligently." "You arrange this, and do it discreetly." Hundred Apertures True Monarch was taken aback. Even now, not only did he not care, but he was also secretly helping to praise Xiao Chen and continue to speak well of him? Qian Shu True Monarch could tell at a glance that this newly promoted junior brother hadn't fully adapted to his new identity. So he proactively explained, "Junior Brother, I know you're worried that the disciples' hearts are scattered, making them difficult to manage later." "But think about it carefully, what kind of person is Daoist Xiao?" "If some foolish person were to run off to him, he probably wouldn't even consider taking them in." "Besides, the sect is so large, how can every disciple be completely loyal?" "Most people just need to complete the sect's assigned mundane tasks on time. We just need to keep an eye on the True Disciple Immortal Seedling; we can leave the others to the Internal Affairs Elder." Upon hearing this, Hundred Apertures True Monarch chuckled to himself. He had been Internal Affairs Elder for over two hundred and sixty years, and had long since developed a habit of overseeing the disciples within the valley. Indeed, now that he had broken through to the Nascent Soul, he was already Grand Elder. These matters could be left to the Internal Affairs Elder. "It's just a habit, please forgive my rudeness, Senior Brother." Hundred Apertures True Monarch understood immediately. "I'll go find someone to properly publicize Daoist Xiao's diligence and hard work." Under their deliberate arrangement... Soon, many rumors about Xiao Chen's early years surfaced within the Shallow Sky Sea. For example, it was said that Xiao Chen practiced breathing exercises daily, day after day, year after year, never resting even during holidays. It was suggested that everyone should learn to forgo holiday rest and strive to improve themselves. Others said that to have more time for cultivation, Xiao Chen neglected meals from the Foundation Establishment onwards, constantly taking Grain Avoidance Pill. Therefore, he saved three meals' worth of cultivation time each day compared to others, and over the years, he achieved his current cultivation level. It was suggested that everyone should always carry Grain Avoidance Pill and learn from this example. Some even said that Xiao Chen completely gave up sleep from the Foundation Establishment Realm, believing that "sleeping is a habit of mortals," and thus cultivated day and night, relying solely on meditation to restore energy. When asked how he could persevere, he replied, "Just think, 'Every moment of sleep is a moment less of cultivation,' and you won't feel sleepy." It was suggested that everyone should also dedicate their time to cultivation and strive for an early breakthrough. There were many similar rumors, such as severing romantic ties with a sword, and passing by the market three times without entering, etc. The core story was that Xiao Chen was neglecting his sleep and meals, devoting himself entirely to cultivation. These rumors spread by word of mouth throughout the entire Compassion Sea. Naturally, the various versions increased, becoming more and more bizarre. After Thousand Machines Valley, the first to receive the battle report were naturally the Ink Barrier Sect, a fellow Daoist Sect sect. After all, they had a specific way of contacting each other. When the intelligence arrived, Yunfeng True Monarch was still dealing with the Sea Race's harassment. He only had time to check it after more than half an hour. However, when he saw it, he was immediately dumbfounded. "Hiss, Daoist Xiao's cultivation has improved so quickly?" Yunfeng True Monarch rubbed his eyes in disbelief to make sure he wasn't seeing things. According to the battle report, Xiao Chen's strength had increased significantly compared to three months ago. To be honest, this was somewhat outrageous. After reaching the True Lord realm, everyone basically measured their cultivation progress in years. Yunfeng True Monarch hadn't encountered a fellow Daoist whose strength had increased so much in just a few months. The main problem is that it simply doesn't make sense. Honestly, what can you do in three months? A cultivator who can condense three strands of true essence is already considered a genius. If they can learn a new Law Technique, even just the basics, they are an extraordinary prodigy, the kind that only appears once every few thousand years. But the problem is, that alone isn't enough to bring such a significant increase in combat power. It's safe to say that Yunfeng True Monarch finds it hard to imagine what Xiao Chen has been doing in the past three months. Has he been eating rare and precious heavenly materials and earthly treasures food? Or has he been consuming some extremely valuable Fifth-Tier Spirit Item to strengthen his cultivation? Tsk tsk tsk, it's unthinkable. Of course, Yunfeng True Monarch didn't forget to promptly summon Thunderbolt True Monarch to share this good news. Unsurprisingly, Thunderbolt True Monarch was also dumbfounded after reading it, his face filled with shock. He also couldn't understand how Xiao Chen could cultivate so quickly. Everyone else Newly Promoted Nascent Soul, but even with the help of spiritual artifacts, he himself had only condensed three strands of true essence in these three months, with almost no noticeable change in strength. Thunderbolt True Thunderbolt True Monarch hadn't initially found anything unusual. After all, based on the experience passed down by the sect elders, everyone had gone through this process. But now, comparing the two, he was shocked to discover that someone not only possessed great strength but also Cultivation Progress so rapidly. Perplexed, Thunderbolt True Monarch reread the battle report. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, his pupils contracted sharply, and a terrifying conjecture surfaced. After a slight hesitation, he directly asked, "Senior Brother, do you think it's possible that...?" "The reason Daoist Xiao has progressed so quickly is because he's secretly cultivating Devil Cultivation Method?" "I saw in the intelligence report that he actually possesses the long-lost Big Dipper Demonic Fire." "Then could he not be from some Hidden Dao Heritage at all, but rather a remnant... descendant of the Star Sacrificing Demonic Sect?" Actually Thunderbolt True Monarch subconsciously wanted to say "remnant," since everyone usually used much more vulgar language when criticizing demonic cultivators. However, he felt it was inappropriate and changed his words. After all, this was just his personal speculation; without relevant evidence, it couldn't be completely confirmed. "How could you have such a strange idea?" Yunfeng True Monarch was clearly surprised. "How could Daoist Xiao be a member of the demonic path? He must come from a top-tier lineage within the Three Mountains Grotto-Heaven." Before Thunderbolt True Monarch could answer, he had already understood: "Oh, I see." "You must be thinking that Daoist Xiao actually cultivates Devil Cultivation Method, which is why his cultivation progress is so astonishing, right?" Thunderbolt True Monarch Pili nodded; that was indeed what he thought. As everyone knows, Devil Cultivation Method are notorious for their heinous acts and shortcuts. Under the same conditions of talent and resources, choosing Devil Cultivation Method arts can indeed significantly accelerate Cultivation Speed beyond all righteous Cultivation Method. However, cultivators with even a little talent or background usually worry about those side effects. Therefore, they prefer to follow the righteous path, even if it's slower and more expensive, wanting to be more stable and have a higher potential in the future. Generally, only those cultivators with insufficient talent or scarce resources would consider venturing into the demonic path to take a gamble. However, there are always exceptions. In history, there have indeed been special cases where people with good talent still actively embraced Devil Cultivation Method. Thunderbolt True Monarch was now suspecting that Xiao Chen might have also become a demonic cultivator for some reason he didn't know. "Hahaha!" Yunfeng True Monarch couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Silly junior brother, you don't actually think that practicing Devil Cultivation Method will give you the same Cultivation Speed as Daoist Xiao, do you?" "You overestimate Devil Cultivation Method." "If the Star Sacrificing Demonic Sect had that ability—no, even half of it—it wouldn't have completely perished millions of years ago." He laughed and mocked the Star Sacrificing Demonic Sect. Yunfeng True Monarch explained more seriously, "It's true that Devil Cultivation Method can accelerate Cultivation Speed, but there's a limit." "Let alone that most Devil Cultivation Method can only increase Cultivation Speed by two or three times." "Even the ' Blessed Demonic Flame Art,' which could increase Cultivation Speed Cultivation Speed at the cost of burning one's lifespan, could only increase it by eight times." "Junior Brother, you also have Heavenly Spirit Root, and your cultivation resources aren't bad." "Do you think this boost is enough to close the gap between you and Daoist Xiao?" Thunderbolt True Monarch was stumped by the question. He thought seriously for a moment, then said, "I'm afraid it's not enough, far from enough." According to his estimation, eight times might be a bit low; adding a zero to the end might be more appropriate. "So, you're overthinking it," said Yunfeng True Monarch with the air of someone who's been there all along. "There are countless heroes in this world, geniuses among geniuses, and heroes beyond heroes." "Daoist Xiao is undoubtedly one of those Super Prodigy." "Such a person doesn't need to be judged by common sense; it's pointless." "He's different from us. Just like you, Junior Brother, probably find it hard to understand why some people can't even break through to the Foundation Establishment by the age of sixty." "Fortunately, over the years, there haven't been many people like Daoist Xiao." "We don't need to compare ourselves to him; we should just keep a calm mind." Actually, Yunfeng True Monarch was so confident because he had a Secret Treasure hadn't revealed. It wasn't that he didn't trust Thunderbolt True Monarch. It was mainly because his junior brother had only recently broken through to the Nascent Soul, and the timing wasn't quite right yet. The secret was that many veteran Nascent Soul True Lord had secretly researched Devil Cultivation Method arts. It wasn't entirely for the purpose of entering the demonic path; some were simply looking to broaden their thinking, after all, one can learn from others' experiences. Of course, there were also those who secretly began to practice while observing, and the number was not small throughout history. Every tens of thousands of years, there would be instances of individual True Lord secretly committing massacres in order to prolong their lives. But compared to Xiao Chen, they were simply far inferior. There was no way to compare them. Therefore, Yunfeng True Monarch, including Gang Yuan True Monarch, Crane Cry True Monarch, Iron Fan True Monarch, and others, did not suspect that Xiao Chen was a demonic cultivator because of the Big Dipper Demonic Fire. Mainly, they all had some experience in this area and had not even considered that direction. This was also the reason why Yunfeng True Monarch laughed after hearing his junior brother's suspicion. Thunderbolt True Monarch couldn't help but scratch his head awkwardly. "Oh, I see. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother. I understand." Fortunately, only his senior brother was here, so making a fool of himself wasn't too embarrassing. "Such good news should also be shared." Considering the difficulty of communication, Yunfeng True Monarch took the initiative to say, "Let's send a letter to the Buddhist Sect so that they can also know this good news as soon as possible." Since they were closer. Thus, the good news reached Hui Ming Temple before the battle report from Cloud Wave Sword Abode. Like Bitter Silence Temple, Hui Ming Temple changed its abbot's name to Hui Ming Zen Master with each new abbot. Upon learning of the good news from the Ink Barrier Sect, he immediately summoned Zen Master Feng Hua of Kasyapa Temple to read it together. The reason Zen Master Feng Hua was at Hui Ming Temple was because the original site of Kasyapa Temple had been razed to the ground by the Sea Race. After all, both temples were relatively small, and more embarrassingly, by this generation, each only had one Zen Master left. Therefore, facing the overwhelming Sea Race, Zen Master Feng Hua, who was on the front lines, did not hold out to the death, but instead led his disciples to retreat and seek refuge at Hui Ming Temple. It must be said that his choice was very wise. The left wing of Universal Salvation Temple was able to hold out for so long. Half the reason was because the newly appointed Zen Master Hui Bo of Lotus Flower Temple shared the burden. The other half was because Zen Master Feng Hua's wise choice preserved their strength and prevented them from being defeated one by one. Universal Salvation Temple even wrote a letter promising to help Kasyapa Temple rebuild its temple after the victory, making it larger and better than the original. Meanwhile, since Hui Ming Temple had received the news of the victory, Lotus Flower Temple and Universal Salvation Temple naturally received their battle reports as well. The great victory on the southern front undoubtedly boosted their confidence significantly. While busy dealing with the relentless attacks from the Sea Race, Purified Nature Zen Master held a small meeting to report this good news. "Amitabha, now they will definitely have to divide their forces!" Purified Dust Zen Master Jingchen, who had recovered from his injuries, chanted a Buddhist prayer, a long-absent smile appearing on his face. The last time he was this happy was when he heard about the pacification of the West Front, which was also related to Xiao Chen. "Excellent, we finally see hope on our side." Zen Master Jing Hua lit up with joy. "Even if the Sea Race is stubborn this time, they must send troops to reinforce the southern front." "Otherwise, once Layman Xiao arrives with reinforcements from the Cloud Wave Sword Abode, the situation in the Shallow Sky Sea will be completely reversed." Since the start of the war, although Universal Salvation Temple wasn't the first force to be attacked, it truly bore the greatest pressure. The Sea Race treated them like they had a blood feud. From the very beginning, they amassed a large army and launched a relentless siege day and night. It could be said that the other forces were only facing small Sea Race, while Universal Salvation Temple was fighting against the main force of the Sea Race. Fortunately, they possessed the only Fifth-Order Grand Array in the Compassion Sea, otherwise they would have been crushed a hundred times over by now. After holding out for so long, they finally saw a turning point. "I remember last time it was this Layman Xiao displayed such great prowess on the West Front," Purified Dust Zen Master praised generously. "It's truly unexpected that he's once again credited with the greatest merit." "He is indeed a dragon among men, a rare talent," Purified Nature Zen Master Jingxing nodded. "Junior Brother is quite right." Then, however, he sighed softly, "There's only one real pity! Layman Xiao possesses such profound Spiritual Root, Non-Self a member of our Buddhist Sect." "If the opportunity arises in the future, we should guide him into our Buddhist order."