Grand Elder

This time is different from the previous incident at the Qingzhou stronghold in Southern Xinjiang. That time, both Lei in disguise and the fat elder were basically the one or two people with the highest status. He didn't need to communicate much; he only needed to adopt a high-ranking posture to avoid most of the trouble.

However, this time, there are quite a few people at the Demon Sect headquarters who can talk to Ghost Face.

Ning Qi was mentally prepared and asked Ghost Face a lot of information about this, but it's always better to say more than you know. He just didn't expect to meet someone before he even stepped into the Ten Thousand Flames Cave.

Moreover, he was a candidate for Holy Son of considerable status.

He had to stop; otherwise, if he tried to avoid it, it would seem deliberate.

Ning Qi's eyes, hidden beneath the mask, were somewhat cold; he remained silent.

Jiang Tianlong had already arrived in front of him. He slightly cupped his hands and smiled respectfully:

"Why go to such lengths, Vice Sect Leader Ghost Face? I wonder what you've thought about the matter I discussed with you last time?"

Ning Qi was taken aback.

Who knows what you and Ghost Face actually talked about!

However, he quickly realized that if Qin Yun were included, the Demon Sect had three candidates for Holy Son. Now that Qin Yun had lost power, only Ye Qin and Jiang Tianlong remained to compete, and the competition had reached a fever pitch. Naturally, Ghost Face, who originally supported Qin Yun, had become a hot commodity.

He still didn't speak, but his eyes changed slightly, no longer so indifferent.

really.

Jiang Tianlong immediately pressed his advantage, saying:

"Qin Yun is, after all, an outsider. Why are you so insistent on helping him? If you are willing to help me ascend to the position of Holy Son, then if I become the sect leader in the future, the position of Grand Elder will be yours."

He smiled and made a promise.

Ning Qi gave a cold laugh:

"Qin Yun is someone the Grand Elder values."

He spoke very simply, but Jiang Tianlong's expression immediately changed.

Ning Qi stepped inside and continued downwards.

A wave of heat suddenly swept over him, but a faint black aura emanated from his body, blocking it all out. Inside the cave, there were all sorts of strange flowers and Rare Flowers and Exotic Herbs of the fire element. They weren't of much use, but they emitted light and could withstand the intense heat.

As you look around, the cave is high and spacious, with a network of interconnected paths, intricate and ingeniously crafted.

Ning Qi was slightly amazed. He recognized the exclusive mark left by the Demon Sect and kept trying to find his way. He stopped from time to time to wait and avoid the bursts of flames. Although it was his first time here, he knew the way as if it were his own.

Jiang Tianlong followed beside him, and after a few times, he began to lead the way.

This is a common practice within the Demon Sect. If people enter together, regardless of their status, they must demonstrate the ability to identify the markings, which is one of the means to prevent others from sneaking in.

Jiang Tianlong said in a low voice:

"Vice Sect Leader, I know you went out this time because of Lin Ruhua. Now that you've returned alone, there must have been some setbacks. Why don't you reconsider? You help me overcome Ye Qin, and you name your terms."

He revealed his methods silently, something that was originally highly confidential.

Ning Qi raised an eyebrow. He suddenly realized that this candidate for Holy Son might not have met by chance, but rather that he had been waiting here on purpose.

Ning Qi was about to speak.

Another fluctuation came from ahead, and Jiang Tianlong's expression changed. He saw a bald young man striding in from the other end. There were several black lines on his head, and he looked full of Sha Qi. He was another candidate for Holy Son, Ye Qin.

Ye Qin chuckled in a deep voice:

"What a coincidence! I didn't expect Brother Jiang to return with the Ghost-Faced Deputy Sect Master. It seems my sincerity wasn't enough."

He made a pointed remark, but Jiang Tianlong merely snorted softly.

The three walked forward.

Ye Qin bowed respectfully to Ning Qi, and then said:

"Did the Vice Sect Leader have a successful trip? Did he meet any of the elders of the Ye Household?"

He mentioned it with a smile, which was also a way of showing off his strength. This was a subtle way of telling Ning Qi that he already knew the whole plan, including Elder Ye leading the team to capture Lin Ruhua and Jiang Baishan, Qin Yun assisting, and Ghost Face supervising from the shadows.

The two of them have come here now, probably to find out how things turned out. After all, if Qin Yun returns, the competition will be between three families again, which will increase the uncertainty.

Little did they know, the masked figure had already been secretly replaced by Ning Qi.

Ning Qi glanced at the two of them without any emotion:

"Do the two Holy Sons wish for me to report something to you? That's perfect. Why don't you come with me to see the Grand Elder?"

Hearing the chilling anger lurking in his words, the two quickly bowed in respect.

We dare not.

No matter what, Ghost Face is now the deputy sect leader, and apart from a very few people, everyone else has to be respectful when they see him.

Ning Qi snorted coldly and strode forward.

After such a long journey, they have probably burrowed dozens of miles underground. The occasional flames that erupt are particularly ferocious. However, after a certain turning point, it gradually becomes safe. This is the safe zone discovered by the predecessors of the Demon Sect.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared before Ning Qi's eyes. Crystals as dazzling as night-shining pearls hung from the ceiling like stars. In the vast and distant underground world, magnificent and imposing palaces appeared, one after another. The closer one got to the center, the more luxurious the palaces became.

He had heard Ghostface describe it before, but seeing it with his own eyes still left him somewhat astonished.

What I saw before me resembled an underground imperial capital.

There were quite a few people inside; in fact, there were a lot of people.

Upon seeing Ning Qi and his companions arrive, people immediately came to greet them. These people were not the core members or high-ranking members of the Demon Sect, but rather their servants. Their ancestors were initially brought to this place and were forbidden from leaving. Generation after generation, they multiplied until now, and most of them no longer knew what the outside world was like, or even that there was such a world.

Their sole mission is to serve the very few powerful members of the Demon Sect.

"Greetings to the Ghost-Faced Vice Sect Master and the two Holy Sons!"

A group of beautiful women in palace attire gracefully approached.

Ning Qi ignored it and simply said:

Where is the Grand Elder?

The leading female official prostrated herself on the ground:

"The Grand Elder was in meditation at the Palace of Forgetfulness yesterday and said he would come out tomorrow."

Ning Qi's eyes flashed:

"Very well, if the Grand Elder emerges from seclusion ahead of schedule, please inform me."

With that, he turned and headed towards the underground palace where the Ghost Face belonged without looking back.

After Ning Qi's figure disappeared, Jiang Tianlong and Ye Qin exchanged a glance, both somewhat puzzled. Jiang Tianlong suddenly said:

"Have you noticed that the Ghost-Faced Deputy Sect Master is acting a bit strange today?"

Ye Qin nodded and said:

"You noticed too? They don't seem willing to talk to us much."

He smiled meaningfully, the black lines on his bald head seeming to wriggle:

"Do you think... something might have gone wrong with this mission? The Ghost-Faced Deputy Sect Master seems quite anxious to see the Grand Elder."

Jiang Tianlong said coldly:

"Your Ye Household snatched this mission, and you don't know what happened?"

Ye Qin shrugged:

"I really don't know. It's obvious that the Ghost-Faced Deputy Sect Master came back alone first. Tsk tsk, could it be that Qin Yun has betrayed us again?"

Jiang Tianlong's eyes flickered:

"How about we cooperate? This time, we absolutely cannot let Qin Yun return to the ranks of candidate Holy Sons. We are, after all, direct descendants of the Holy Gate for generations. How can someone who joined halfway be on equal footing with us? It's better for two people to compete than three."

Ye Qin grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth:

"That's exactly what I was thinking. I don't know what the Grand Elder was thinking, that he would support Qin Yun. This time, let's join forces and crush Qin Yun!"

The two figures passed each other and left as if nothing had happened.

far away.

Ning Qi's lips curved slightly into a smile.

With his strength, even if the two had used a secret method of transmitting sound, he could still hear them.

"It seems the internal strife within the Demon Sect is indeed quite fierce."

What he saw and heard along the way left a deep impression on him.

It is said that the Demon Sect was originally a remnant of the Former Dynasty, who always wanted to overthrow the Great Flame. However, after two thousand years, it is hard to say how many people still retain their original intentions. But this is also good, as everyone has their own ulterior motives, which makes it easier for him.

He did not forget the purpose of his trip.

Upon returning to the palace belonging to Ghost Face, Ning Qi dismissed everyone and went to be alone.

"The key this time is to prevent the Demon Sect from producing Martial Saint, and that Grand Elder is the only one who knows the secret. The best way is to subdue him quietly and then ask him everything, but he is currently in seclusion for meditation and is not so easy to approach."

"Fortunately, we'll be out tomorrow. If it were a few more days, and Fifth Senior Brother hadn't sent back any information, it would definitely arouse suspicion."

"Perhaps... we could go and investigate after nightfall."

Ning Qi had prepared for the worst, which was nothing more than a forced battle.

As long as we know the Grand Elder is here, it's better than wandering around aimlessly like before, but it's best to save some energy.

He slowly closed his eyes, contemplating the truth and conserving his energy.

Night falls.

There is no sun or moon underground; it is only here that someone manipulates the crystal on the ceiling to dim its light, mimicking the alternation of day and night.

Ning Qi suddenly opened his eyes.

He activated the Silence Technique and silently stepped out of the palace.

The underground palace was now completely dark, with only lights burning continuously. Ning Qi identified the direction of the Palace of Forgetfulness and moved as nimbly as a cat. Occasionally, patrolling people would pass by, but they could not find any trace of Ning Qi.

Although the underground palace was large, the servants who served the core high-ranking members of the Demon Sect were not highly skilled.

Not long after.

Ning Qi stopped outside the Palace of Forgetfulness.

He concealed himself in the shadows and did not proceed further. The guards were secondary; the main concern was that he had noticed a mysterious Formation hidden within the palace. If he were to rashly enter, the person inside would surely be awakened.

Then all that's left is a hard-fought battle.

Their plan to secretly infiltrate and subdue the Grand Elder immediately fell through.

"It's not that easy after all. These people from the Demon Sect are really cautious," Ning Qi thought to himself.

This is much more difficult than what was done at the Qingzhou stronghold in the southern border. It's only because Ning Qi has this ability that others can't even find the entrance to the underground palace.

He was not discouraged.

Since it's not possible now, let's wait until tomorrow when we meet that Grand Elder and see if there's a chance.

Let's make some other preparations first.

Ning Qi's eyes flashed, and he silently made his way to other parts of the underground palace.

He moved stealthily along, constantly sensing the presence of his surroundings.

Not long after.

Ning Qi had already circled the underground palace once.

He stopped, somewhat startled.

"I've already sensed over thirty people at the Celestial Person Realm level in this underground palace. If we include the few I haven't sensed, there might be over forty? And these people aren't weak; they're probably not just beginners at the Celestial Person Realm."

This number is indeed astonishing.

After all, this is only the Celestial Person Realm at the headquarters of the Demon Sect. If we also include the powerful figures from various branches and strongholds of the Demon Sect, the number would be even more terrifying, perhaps doubling again.

"In the thirteen states of the Great Flame, the total number of experts at the Celestial Person Realm level is probably only a few hundred. Those at the Celestial Person Realm are practically one in a billion, with the imperial court accounting for at least 30%, and the rest distributed among numerous martial arts sects throughout the land."

"No wonder the Demon Sect has been able to contend with the imperial court for so long; they truly possess profound resources."

Ning Qi became increasingly cautious.

With so many Celestial Person Realm, including some who rank highly on the Celestial Person Ranking, he had to be careful. If a chaotic battle broke out, it might not be so easy to resolve.

He wouldn't be in any danger if he wanted to leave, but if he failed this time, it would be unlikely that he would have such a good opportunity again.

Think about it carefully.

Ning Qi already had an idea.

He moved quietly throughout the underground palace, avoiding patrols, and then implanted one Gang Essence Sword Seed after another. Just to be on the safe side, it would be best to set up a few Formation to prevent anyone from escaping.

After doing all that.

Ning Qi then returned to his palace.

Now, we just have to wait until tomorrow.

The next day.

After Ning Qi had breakfast, attended by numerous servants, the lady-in-waiting from the previous day gracefully arrived:

"Vice Sect Master, the Grand Elder has emerged from seclusion at the Palace of Forgetfulness. He instructed me to send you to the Hall of Heavenly Ascension to see him."

Chaotian Hall?

Ning Qi paused slightly, then nodded and said:

"Knew."

This Chaotian Hall is the residence of the Grand Elder. When the Grand Elder goes into seclusion, it is here. This is the Grand Elder's private place, and he would never summon other high-ranking members of the Demon Sect to it on ordinary days. They would have other options for holding meetings.

This is a sign of trust.

One can tell a thing or two from the increasingly respectful attitude of the surrounding servants.

But Ning Qi felt a slight chill.

He straightened his robes as was customary for the ghost-faced man, and then said:

"Lead the way."

The female official bowed respectfully and led the way.

Jiang Tianlong and Ye Qin, whom I saw yesterday, appeared together. There was even a hint of envy in their eyes as they both complimented me:

"Congratulations to the Ghost-Faced Vice Sect Master for gaining the Grand Elder's favor!"

Within the Demon Sect.

The two most important figures are the sect leader and the Grand Elder. Their authority and secrets are unmatched by anyone else, and are passed down orally. The Holy Son inherits the position of sect leader, while the Grand Elder is chosen from among the deputy sect leaders.

Now that Ghost Face has been summoned to the Chaotian Hall by the Grand Elder, this attitude has begun to show a significant shift.

Ning Qi nodded thoughtfully and continued on his way.

He then heard the two of them communicating telepathically:

"This Ghost-Faced Deputy Sect Master is truly lucky. Come to think of it, he, like Qin Yun, was an outsider who joined the Holy Gate back then. Could it be that the Grand Elder...?"

Both of them narrowed their eyes and stopped talking.

But Ning Qi had already guessed some of it.

A moment later.

Ning Qi strode into the Chaotian Hall, and said with a slight hint of respect:

"Ghost Face greets the Grand Elder!"

Then an elderly man with silver hair slowly turned around, a smile appearing on his face.