West Front Urgent Report-Count Me In

"Fellow Daoists, is my ancestral secret recipe any respectable?"

Iron Fan True Monarch's face relaxed as he gently stroked his silver beard, a hint of self-satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

His recipe has a remarkable origin; it was learned by a senior member of the Azure Sea Immortal Sect in the Three Mountains Grotto-Heaven.

Strictly speaking, it can already be considered a semi-medicinal dish.

The reason it can only be considered halfway is that Iron Fan True Monarch is not Spirit Chef, so he cannot use the relevant Secret Method to further enhance the effects of cooking.

In other words, consumers can basically only experience the flavor.

However, in terms of cultivation, it's almost no different from eating it raw; one can only absorb the benefits of the crab meat itself and cannot obtain the additional benefits from the auxiliary ingredients.

Of course, these kinds of minor issues are actually insignificant, since people don't rely on them for cultivation.

Some of the luckier Golden Core Disciple, however, were also given some extra crab meat after a few rounds of drinks.

Meanwhile, after the Celebration Banquet ended.

Several participating sects also announced that all disciples could use their earned Points to exchange for the leftover Fourth-tier Sea Fish and bones from the True Lord at a fair price.

This method not only facilitates the transfer of supplies but also allows you to earn a lot of Points.

This also serves as a way to share some of the profits with the disciples to celebrate the victory.

You should know that even with Spirit Stone, it's very difficult to exchange for Fourth-Order Spiritual Item in the market under normal circumstances.

As soon as the news broke, a large number of Golden Core Disciple even formed long queues.

Young people usually exchange for several hundred kilograms of Fourth-tier Sea Fish to eat themselves and nourish their blood and qi.

The older generation values materials like fish bones and scales, which can be stored for a long time, and plans to add some spiritual material reserves to the Lineage.

With some time for rest and reorganization, another five days passed in the blink of an eye.

It wasn't until the morning of the sixth day after the Celebration Banquet.

The True Lord then reunited to discuss their next course of action.

There's really nothing to discuss; it's just two things.

The first thing to do is determine how many people to send to Universal Salvation Temple as reinforcements.

The second thing is to determine the best time to depart.

Xiao Chen never cared much about these trivial matters; he was just there to join in the fun and make up the numbers.

Upon arrival, he remained silent, half-asleep in a recliner, listening to the discussion while drinking tea and eating melon seeds.

However, for the other True Lord, this is a very important situation.

Although there weren't many people in total, their opinions were divided into three factions.

First, there was the Gang Yuan True Monarch advocated for a swift victory. "I have always believed that speed is of the essence in warfare."

"Now that we have gained the advantage of time, we should hurry to Universal Salvation Temple and try to catch the Sea Race off guard before the news spreads."

Then there was Cloud Vortex True Monarch, who advocated for a brief stay.

His meaning was. "The newly allocated hearse is already on its way, and many things are not needed for the time being, so it would be better to send someone back first."

"Therefore, I suggest we stay here for another half a month, and wait until the supplies are redistributed before setting off again."

Finally, there's Iron Fan True Monarch, who hopes to slow down the pace.

He thought, "To be on the safe side, I think we should first establish stable contact with Universal Salvation Temple."

"Strive to make full preparations in all aspects before participating in the final decisive battle."

"Although the Sea Race have suffered heavy losses, they still possess considerable strength to fight back, and we should treat them with caution."

To put it bluntly, it's about seeking stability to minimize potential losses from a decisive battle.

Leaving aside the centrist Cloud Vortex True Monarch, the other two diametrically opposed ideas each have their own merits.

"No, no, no, we can't waste time."

Gang Yuan True Monarch's attitude was clear. "Don't forget the Sea Race's previous attempts to stall for time."

"Only by catching them off guard can we have a chance to thwart their clandestine plans."

"Furthermore, giving them time to prepare, out of consideration for sacrifice, might actually lead to even more serious casualties."

However, Iron Fan True Monarch still disagreed. "Indeed, the Sea Race ' behavior was indeed strange before."

"But we have already wiped out Hai Hong and his allies, and not a single one escaped."

"Even if there were any plans before, they've all come to nothing now."

"Of course, it's also possible that the Sea Race ' conspiracy isn't on our side, but rather at Universal Salvation Temple."

"But if that's the case, then we must be even more patient."

"If we rush in now without thinking, and something goes wrong, we'll end up falling into the trap carefully prepared by the Sea Race along with Universal Salvation Temple."

"It would be better if we maintained a certain distance, so that even if the situation changed, we could still provide support and containment from the flanks."

You know what, Iron Fan True Monarch's words really highlighted his composure.

Therefore, it suited Xiao Chen's taste perfectly, making him nod slightly involuntarily.

At all times, we must take the enemy seriously strategically.

While everyone was discussing the matter, the atmosphere was tense.

Suddenly, there was a knocking sound at the attic door, "Knock! Knock! Knock!"

Originally, the Human Race had a temporary palace, but it was demolished along with the Defensive Formation a couple of days ago.

All the True Lord moved to the spirit ship for temporary residence and gathered in one of the pavilions to discuss matters.

Upon hearing a knock on the door, everyone stopped their debate and used their Divine Sense to look.

Gang Yuan True Monarch recognized the person as his own disciple and ordered, "Come in!"

Before the other person could even regain their footing, he pressed on, "I've already said that I'm here today to discuss important matters with all of you fellow Daoists, and you mustn't disturb me without crucial information."

"You guys are coming here now, has something serious happened?"

Three disciples of the Heavenly Dipper Sect entered through the door.

One of the young men was one of the Direct Disciple of Gang Yuan True Monarch, Xiao Chen often saw him serving his master.

The other two elders were less familiar, but both possessed Late-stage Golden Core cultivation.

Judging from their attire, they should be two Elder of the Heavenly Dipper Sect.

Upon hearing this, they exchanged a glance, and finally, the one with the better Magic Robe spoke first, "Reporting to the True Lord, an urgent report just arrived from the West Front via Sound Transmission Spirit Sword."

"It's sealed with A-class seal, something serious must have happened."

"After discussion, we dared not delay, so we brought the spirit sword over immediately."

As he spoke, another old man took out a Small Sword, about half a foot long, from his sleeve and respectfully held it up with both hands.

There were indeed visible restrictions flowing across the sword's surface, and its abundant spiritual energy indicated it was of considerable value.

This also means that the message it carries is indeed very crucial.

"The West Front?"

Gang Yuan True Monarch was stunned for a moment; he was clearly somewhat surprised by this.

Without saying a word, he reached out and seized the spirit sword.

With a flick of his fingertips, he skillfully unlocked the seal and began reading the message within.

The surrounding crowd turned to look, curious about what major event had occurred on the West Front.

Could it be that the Sea Race took advantage of the situation over there and sent Great Demon to cause trouble?

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up. Could there be a lone, Great Demon among them?

Unfortunately, the Sea Race weren't that foolish; having already suffered losses several times, they still sent out a single Great Demon to its death.

"It's alright, it's nothing particularly important."

Gang Yuan True Monarch then handed the spirit sword to Han Chuan True Monarch beside him.

Then he looked at the three people standing silently at the door with their heads down. "Do any of you three have anything else to say?"

After waiting for a moment without any response...

Gang Yuan True Monarch immediately ordered, "If there's nothing, then you may leave. Make sure the door is closed when you leave."

Although the three were eager to know the contents of the intelligence report, none of them dared to linger and immediately took their leave from the attic.

After the gate was closed again.

Gang Yuan True Monarch then spoke, explaining to the crowd, "It concerns Heaven and Earth Phenomenon."

"As you may recall, four years ago a very strange snowfield appeared on the west side, with blizzards stretching for thousands of miles and lasting for several years."

"Two weeks ago, something new finally happened over there."

"Within just sixteen hours, the snowfield had basically vanished."

"Disciples who ventured deeper could only see ice shards and ice layers floating on the sea surface, but the temperature in the center of the snowfield had basically returned to normal."

"From the current perspective, Golden Core Disciple can pass through safely."

"However, we'll have to wait for further verification to discuss the more detailed situation."

ah?

Xiao Chen still remembered that snowy region, especially the ancient cries he heard when he passed by.

At the time, his strength was insufficient, so he did not explore further.

I was originally planning to go and check on things after I broke through to the Nascent Soul.

Before they could even get there, the place had vanished completely.

"Oh, it's that Heaven and Earth Phenomenon over there."

Qian Shu True Monarch looked somewhat regretful. "There were frequent Heaven and Earth Phenomenon before, and I was thinking of going over to check on the situation."

"As a result, I was bogged down in various trivial matters and didn't have time to explore either place."

"It seems we're about to miss another opportunity."

Clearly, he was also feeling some regret at this moment.

"Oh, speaking of which, I remember there was also a strange, Continuous Rain in the southeast back then."

Xiao Chen recalled for a moment and asked, "Is there any new situation over there?"

The Cloud Vortex True Monarch was relatively closest, shook his head. "It's still raining over there. It's been raining continuously for six years now, or maybe it'll be a month or two before it reaches six years."

"We initially suspected that some heavenly materials and earthly treasures was about to be born, but now it seems more like something else."

"Did Surging Wave Junior Brother also go over there?"

The Surging Wave True Monarch beside him nodded and continued, "I searched back and forth three times, but perhaps due to my lack of experience, I was unable to find anything unusual."

"Looking back now, it's still quite eerie."

"If we successfully repel the Sea Race Invasion this time, we will need to ask Senior Brother and all fellow Daoists to go and investigate again."

It's alright, at least not both of them disappeared.

Following up on Surging Wave True Monarch's words, Xiao Chen immediately agreed, "I had the same idea. We might as well all go together then."

It's best not to miss out on something like this.

You can't just encounter some kind of fortuitous opportunity somewhere.

Moreover, the probability of finding something in such an unusual area is far greater than in ordinary sea areas.

Upon hearing this, Rift Void True Monarch immediately volunteered, "In that case, count me in too."

"I'm not afraid to admit it, but since my breakthrough, I haven't had a chance to go out and broaden my horizons."

"This time, I can follow in everyone's footsteps and learn from their experience."

The Hundred Apertures True Monarch followed suit, saying, "What a coincidence! I just happened to have the same idea as Rift Void Daoist."

Crane Cry True Monarch smiled without saying a word.

But he secretly sent a telepathic message to Purple Sun True Monarch: "Junior brother, this is a great opportunity, why don't you come along too?"

Purple Sun True Monarch, however, was somewhat skeptical. "Senior Brother, even if there are heavenly materials and earthly treasures or some kind of fortuitous opportunity there, there aren't enough to keep up with so many people vying for them."

"I'd rather stay in the sect and teach disciples."

"Besides, I promised my little sister that I would take her to visit all the major markets as soon as the war was over."

But Crane Cry True Monarch urged, "Who told you to go and snatch the fortuitous opportunity?"

"Don't you see? All the younger generation of True Lord are actively seeking to participate, and you insist on being the maverick?"

"This matter has now reached a point where it's become an important event involving almost all the prestigious sects within the Daoist Sect."

Even if it's not for your own sake, you still have to represent Esteem Truth Temple and participate.

"And stop spoiling your sister. If she wants to go out and play, let her go by herself. It's time for her to grow up independently."

"Last time, she used your name to meddle in other people's business and interfere with outside merchants setting up stalls near us. I haven't settled the score with her yet."

At his urging.

Purple Sun True Monarch had no choice but to speak up, saying, "Well, I really didn't expect everyone to be so enthusiastic. Count me in then."

"Judging from the distance, we should be the closest."

"Once the battle is over, everyone can settle down at my Esteem Truth Temple and then we can go on an expedition together."

His suggestion is indeed good.

After defeating the Sea Race, the various sects will undoubtedly have a lot of work to do to restore their original production levels.

Furthermore, True Lord from different sects all inevitably return to the mountain first before coming out again.

Due to varying distances, a meeting place is indeed necessary.

Therefore, Purple Sun True Monarch's proposal immediately won unanimous approval from everyone.

Everyone immediately agreed to meet at Esteem Truth Temple first, and then set off together.

"Wow, such a good thing! May I be counted in?"

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice rang out from inside the attic.

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback at first, and then several True Lord stood up abruptly and began to examine every corner of the pavilion.

The others also became alert, some unsure of what was going on.

As Body Cultivator, Gang Yuan True Monarch was not afraid of being approached.

Cultivator of Magic like Iron Fan True Monarch had already deployed their Spiritual Power Barrier, and even Qian Shu True Monarch had summoned a puppet to shield himself.

It's not fair to blame them for making a mountain out of a molehill.

Keep in mind that everyone is currently discussing their next course of action in the attic of the spirit ship.

From the outer Defensive Formation to the Surveillance Array around the pavilion, and then to the Soundproof Array inside the pavilion, there are three layers of protective arrays on the surface.

There are countless overt and covert sentries.

Under these circumstances, it would be virtually impossible for even Nascent Soul True Lord to sneak into the inner pavilion.

But that unfamiliar voice actually came from inside the building.

Doesn't this mean there's something wrong here? Not only was everyone's conversation overheard by outsiders, but the other party also took the initiative to provoke us?

Or someone has already infiltrated and is hiding inside the building!

That's even more frightening. How could a living person sneak in without anyone noticing, right in front of so many Nascent Soul True Lord?

So how many of them actually came?

Was it well-intentioned or malicious?

It's hard to say for sure.

The crowd hasn't panicked yet because they have enough manpower on their side, giving them a numerical advantage.

There are twelve Nascent Soul True Lord present; it's impossible for more than ten hostile Nascent Soul to suddenly descend from the sky.

That's outrageous!

If that happens, panicking won't help; just do what needs to be done.

As Xiao Chen turned to search, he felt that the other person's voice sounded somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

In the past, it might have been difficult to guess the identity of the person who came.

However, the locations of the True Lord of the Compassion Sea, whose names and identities are known, are almost all publicly disclosed.

At least the only person Xiao Chen knew whose whereabouts were still unknown was Zhang Shouquan.

Moreover, I had just learned from the Listening Wave Sea that he had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage.

"Oh dear, have I been too presumptuous? Fellow Daoists don't seem to be very welcoming."

The voice rang out again. "Don't be so nervous, please believe me I mean no harm."

He used a particular technique when he spoke.

This makes the sound seem to come from all directions at the same time, making it impossible to pinpoint a specific location.

It seems likely that he has mastered a complete set of secret techniques to conceal his whereabouts.

Xiao Chen already had his doubts, and after hearing him speak again, he was almost 90% certain that he was right.

The only strange thing is that, since I'm clearly not afraid of illusions, why can't I see his exact location?

Where is that kid hiding?

Unable to find a spot, Xiao Chen didn't waste any energy and directly said, "Daoist Zhang, it's been two years since we last met. How have you been?"

"Back in the Eight Directions Arena, I could tell you were no ordinary person, and now you've indeed broken through to the Nascent Soul."

"Since you're already here, why not come out and sit with us? There's no need to hide anything."

We mean you no harm.

"But if you keep hiding, things might get a little complicated."

"After all, the other fellow cultivators aren't as easy to talk to as I am."

Upon hearing Xiao Chen's words, the other True Lord immediately thought of Zhang Shouquan.

Even if he hadn't guessed it, Gang Yuan True Monarch and the others had already started to think in that direction.

However, they were not familiar with Zhang Shouquan and had never spoken to him face to face.

Therefore, even if one has some doubts based on the surname, one cannot be certain immediately.

However, with Xiao Chen's confirmation, everyone relaxed a little.

If it really is Zhang Shouquan, then we can rule out the possibility that it's Sea Race Great Demon Transformation, or some Mysterious Force launching a surprise attack.

Gang Yuan True Monarch immediately recalled the array formation skills that the opponent had displayed on the Eight Directions Arena.

Now that he has broken through to the Nascent Soul, it is very likely that he has also made great strides in the art of array formations.

If that's the case, it wouldn't be surprising if they could bypass Layers of Formations and sneak into the pavilion without a sound.

"So it's Daoist Zhang who has graced us with his presence. Why don't you come out and greet us?"

Gang Yuan True Monarch took out an array plate, a smile on his face, "Surely I don't have to personally invite you out."

Coincidentally, this spirit ship happened to belong to the Heavenly Dipper Sect.

The various formations above were all arranged by Gang Yuan True Monarch.

He now even had a rough idea of where the other party was hiding, which was nothing more than those two or three Life Gate.

"Why trouble you, fellow Daoist? I, Zhang, will come out myself."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shouquan, who was hiding in the formation, couldn't help but glance at Xiao Chen before reluctantly stepping out.

There's no other way; if I don't come out soon, I'll be dragged out.

At that point, the carefully crafted identity he created will lose much of its effectiveness.

"Junior Zhang Shouquan greets all the seniors present."

He walked out with a yellow Formation Flag about a foot long, holding it in his hand, and stood in the center of the pavilion. Then he turned around and clasped his hands in greeting to those on either side.

"Looking back, I began my spiritual practice at the age of fifteen, and forty-four years have passed since then."

Zhang Shouquan seemed to be saying with emotion, "Fortunately, Heaven has not forsaken me, and I have been able to cultivate to the Nascent Soul, so I am finally qualified to come and pay my respects to everyone."

"If we're talking about age, I should be able to shamelessly call everyone 'senior brother'."

Upon hearing this, everyone was filled with awe and respect.

It's easy to deduce from this that Zhang Shouquan is only fifty-nine years old, making him almost the youngest person besides Xiao Chen.

To break through to the Nascent Soul at such a young age, coupled with his recent display of remarkable skill in array formations.

It can be said that he will definitely have a place in the Compassion Sea in the future.

"Let me correct that."

Xiao Chen laughed and said, "You're older than me in terms of age, but I don't mind if you call me senior brother."

Um?

Zhang Shouquan certainly didn't really want to establish any fellow disciples; as a rogue cultivator, he had no such relationship with anyone here.

The reason I said that was actually to highlight my advantage of being young.

After all, he was a rogue cultivator.

If he wanted everyone present to respect him and not look down on him, he would have to demonstrate his exceptional abilities first.

Otherwise, even if he comes running over eagerly, and everyone assigns him a chair, they might not necessarily respect him.

The carefully prepared Show of Force turned out to be a disaster.

She had only performed halfway through when Xiao Chen guessed her identity, forcing her to reveal herself prematurely.

The self-introduction I finally came up with still has errors that need to be corrected.

Zhang Shouquan glanced at Xiao Chen instinctively, a flash of annoyance in his eyes.

Can you please stop causing trouble? What's the meaning of constantly undermining me?

"Daoist Zhang, welcome to join us!"

Xiao Chen smiled at him and said, "I've already agreed to investigate the unusual rainfall phenomenon on everyone's behalf. I'll definitely be waiting for you to come along."

"But that's a story for later."

"We are about to head to the Compassion Sea to fight the Sea Race, and we desperately need someone like you who is proficient in array formations."

"I used up the treasure I had that could Break Formation a few days ago."

"When we face the Sea Race's grand formation again, we'll have to see how you all perform."

As he spoke, Xiao Chen gestured and said, "Could you please have Gang Yuan add another set of table and chairs here? Daoist Zhang, please come and sit next to me."

"I have a lot of sunflower seeds here, I'll share half with you."

"And let me tell you a secret, these melon seeds were picked from Third-tier Spiritual Plant, they're incredibly delicious."

It hardened; Zhang Shouquan felt his fist harden.

Things took an unexpected turn.

But the problem is, he can't really turn against him.

Take a deep breath.

Zhang Shouquan forced a smile and walked over, "Thank you, Daoist Xiao."

Xiao Chen waved his hand. "Oh, you're welcome. You've already called me senior brother, this is what a senior brother should do."