It was almost noon.
Among the towering, sprawling pavilions, a spacious hall was furnished with tables and chairs of a rugged style.
Great candles made from merfolk oil burned fiercely in sconces along all four walls.
The merfolk oil filled the room with its lingering, fragrant smoke. Inside, Nie Biliu and the others were discussing matters, all of them wearing grave expressions.
Si Hong Miaoli entered at a leisurely pace, her robes fluttering.
To keep Nie Biliu from urging her to make pills again, she had deliberately stalled for a while and chosen this time to come over.
The discussion in the hall was already heated. "...This is the third time Demon Suppressing Pass has fallen. Though we should be able to take it back before long, this repeated back-and-forth shows just how rampant the demonic path has become..."
"Yesterday, we received word that several senior and junior brothers and sisters transferred from our ranks have already died on the battlefield..."
"In these chaotic times, fortunes are unpredictable..."
"Let's not keep dwelling on such dispiriting news. The demonic path isn't doing well either. It's been confirmed that Ji Changfu, the Young Sect Master of the Innate Religion, is dead. With the position of Young Sect Master vacant, the Innate Religion's true disciples can no longer spare a thought for attacking Jiuyi Mountain. They're too busy tearing each other apart... Heh, these demonic fiends wreak havoc across the world and show no loyalty even to their fellow sect members. How could they last, even if they run rampant for a while?"
"Exactly! And it's not just the Innate Religion. I hear the Chongming Sect has been in turmoil lately too. The newly appointed Holy Son and the Sect Master's Wife..."
At the head of the hall, Nie Biliu sat alone in