Infighting

The cultivators gathered outside the Gonggong Temple this time were probably using the Nangong Family's Immortal Palace as a base to recuperate, which allowed them to unite and fight against numerous demons.

Since he came with the intention of using underhanded tactics, Li Fan did not plan to show himself for the time being, so as not to alert the Nangong Family. Therefore, he remained hidden in the shadows, first taking out his Si Nan and surveying the surrounding area to assess the situation.

Judging from the direction the spoon handle points, the Gonggong Temple should be located south of the Immortal Palace Qingyun. From a distance, it appears to be hidden deep within the Lei Marsh, a marsh shrouded in thunderclouds. Not only are there barriers and restrictions, but the terrain is also completely obscured by clouds and mist, with lightning flashing intermittently. Even a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator would probably not dare to trespass and break the seal, let alone with various forces gathered outside, hindering each other.

When I was drinking with the noble ladies of the Xiao Family before, they mentioned that the human cultivators didn't pay attention to the monsters' movements at Oldest One. It was only after two groups of monsters started fighting that someone came over to see what magical treasure they were fighting over.

Then, a knowledgeable cultivator noticed something amiss: this place wasn't right! Wasn't this the seal of the Demon God's temple? He immediately notified his fellow cultivators in the Immortal Palace. Yao Xuanzhou, the abbot of Ink Bamboo Mountain Lou Guan Dao, was nearby, and they gathered their elite forces to launch an attack. Sure enough, they discovered that demons were plotting something sinister. After a struggle, they managed to break some of the temple's restrictions. News of the temple's emergence spread, and both human and demon races began to gather, confronting each other around the Gonggong Temple's watery area.

Now, the three guardians of Ink Bamboo Mountain in Li Country, Lei Thunder Department of Xun Kingdom, and Xiao Family Zhen Country have all come to help. Of course, if you also include the Nangong Family, who recently obtained the title of General of the West, as guardians of Kun Country, then it becomes four kingdoms of immortal Immortal Palace guarding the land, with rogue cultivators from the Central Plains gathering to resist the sinister plot of the monsters of the Ten-thousand-mountains to wreak havoc on the common people. If word gets out, it could be quite a drama...

These Demon Race are quite interesting; they actually split into three groups. One group was the Oldest One to arrive, attempting to break the seal of the divine palace. It was led by a demon king couple who were cultivating together at the Divine Transformation stage. This pair was also a big boss from a certain mountain in the Ten-thousand-mountains. They seemed to be two snake spirits. This time, they came out in full force, bringing their offspring to open the treasure. After being interrupted, they camped on the west bank of the temple, probably having long coveted the secret techniques within the Gonggong Temple.

The second group came to sabotage them, and it should also be a Divine Transformation stage demon. It's unclear whether it had a grudge against the snake spirit and interfered in their affairs, but its exact origins are not very clear. Now it is hiding in the east, only releasing its aura to show that it still exists, so that the snake spirit dares not make any rash moves.

The third group consisted of those who had come to join the fun. The three-headed demon king led a large group of roadside demons who had come to try their luck in Lei Marsh, just to observe. Since everyone here is a demon, it's not fair for you two snakes to sneak around causing trouble. You should split it in half when you meet, right? They were actually the largest group, a mixed bag. General Wang said he counted to fifty-two Nascent Soul Stage demons, while Li Fan Fanguang from the south had already counted to forty or fifty. It seems that the three demon kings who arrived later were more powerful. Of course, it's also possible that this was a united front of the demons to fight against the Human Race.

It's probably not going to work out for the demon kings to come up with a distribution plan. These Nascent Soul Stage demons are always fighting and killing with the Human Race in the north. The demons that ambushed the Xiao Family's young ladies should also be from this wave.

If those Snake Demons could have done it without anyone noticing, there might not have been so much trouble. It seems the Demon Race is even more divided. At least the Human Race can use their official positions in the Immortal Palace to organize and command on the spot, but these mountain kings are completely unwilling to submit to each other. At least now that things have been ruined, there is no possibility of a three-way alliance.

Li Fan relied on the invisibility effect of the Gui Xu Dao Yi to conceal his aura, held the Si Nan, and flew around the waters hidden in the Demon God Palace to explore the geography and feng shui of the place.

Judging from the movement of Si Nan compass handle, the Demon God Palace actually has entrances in all four directions, but the specific locations can only be determined by looking into the mist, and the outcome is currently uncertain. Furthermore, both the Human Race and Demon Race outside the barrier have stationed scouts to monitor the movements of the other parties, preventing any clandestine actions.

On the Human Race, there were the Thunder Eagle Cavalry of the Thunder Department of the Xun Kingdom. These were professional demon-slaying special forces, and their strength was indeed trustworthy. Li Fan circled around and saw at least four or five groups of twelve eagle riders, their tracks visible everywhere—east, west, south, north, and above the clouds. Moreover, the Thunder Department seemed to be able to use their Cultivation Method to infiltrate the thunderclouds that concealed the restrictions to investigate. With them watching, the demons naturally had no chance of secretly unsealing the temple again.

On the Demon Race side, there are also some organized groups. For example, the wild wolf demons that besieged the Xiao Family were like werewolves, and they seemed to have some kind of hidden cultivation Cultivation Method. They usually act in packs. Judging from their level of organization, these demon wolves are quite a powerful group in the Ten-thousand-mountains.

The marshes naturally teem with amphibians and reptiles, but once these monsters are spotted, they are hunted down by both the Thunder Department and the wolf pack. Therefore, they mostly lurk in the mud, and they seem to act alone, as if they are only responsible for surveillance.

If Li Fan's estimation is correct, the monsters in the eastern and western camps are probably weaker. The three Divine Transformation likely didn't bring many subordinates. At least on both sides, there were no Nascent Soul Stage level demons following near the three Divine Transformation cultivators. They probably did intend to secretly break the seal.

However, after the first wave of fighting among these three demon kings attracted attention, the ownership of the Demon God Palace had already slipped out of their control. Now, it depends on the outcome of the conflict between the human and demon races in the north and south, and when a winner will be decided.

Based on this deduction, Li Fan estimated that the two Snake Demon probably possessed some kind of secret information about the temple, but they were not willing to share the temple's secrets with the other demons, nor were they willing to leave just like that. Perhaps they would wait until the next Lei Marsh opened, or perhaps they wanted to sneak into the swamp to seize the opportunity when the two groups were fighting.

But in fact, the other three groups are all on guard against these two. When Li Fan was scouting, he found that there were significantly more scouts to the west. Obviously, everyone was watching them, and it would be difficult to gain anything from this trip.

Of course, the fact that the Divine Transformation Demon Kings are in a standoff doesn't mean nothing is happening.

In fact, it wasn't just the patrol scouts and secret agents; the Nascent Soul and Golden Core Stage teams of both humans and demons were constantly fighting. Li Fan encountered several waves of fighting while scouting around the marshland. Humans were fighting demons, demons were fighting demons, and humans were fighting humans—everyone was fighting. Occasionally, when Human Race were at a disadvantage, the Thunder Department would descend from the sky to lend a hand. Sometimes, when humans were fighting each other, a passing pack of wolves would sneak up behind them and wipe them out. In short, there was swordplay and lightning everywhere. Wherever there was fighting, there were many like Li Fan, lurking in the shadows, coldly observing, looking for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack.

In short, despite the lively atmosphere, as long as the three Divine Transformation stage demons and the righteous immortal in the north remain unmoved, the fate of the Demon God Palace will still be uncertain.

During this process, Li Fan did not take action himself, but instead examined and assessed the strength and methods of all parties, while simultaneously mentally assessing and verifying his own abilities, thus gaining a preliminary understanding of his own strength.

If there's no need to worry about his Dao heart becoming unbalanced, then he shouldn't have much trouble facing a Nascent Soul Stage level demon head-on, nor should he have much trouble escaping from Divine Transformation level enemy.

If he were to use the Gui Xu Dao Yi to launch a sneak attack, the chances of a Nascent Soul Stage level demon escaping his grasp would be slim. As for a Divine Transformation level demon king, I'm not sure; I haven't tried it, and the risk is too great.

In the worst-case scenario, if he exhausts his True Essence and can no longer use the Gui Xu Dao Yi, and is besieged by a group of demons, he might have to fight his way out.

Of course, this is about fighting monsters, so we can assume that their cultivation levels are all one level lower. It's a different story when fighting against human cultivators.

After testing the waters with the human cultivators he occasionally encountered, Li Fan discovered that at least for now, Golden Core Stage cultivator daring to fight outside was truly capable. If he scanned them with his Divine Sense, it would definitely alert them. If the Gui Xu Dao Yi got too close, they would become aware of him. Although they might not be able to see Li Fan's presence yet, they would take out their magic treasures and set up formations in advance to guard against a sneak attack.

Although the true energy of Golden Core cultivator is not much different from that of a demon of the same level, and their physical fitness is slightly inferior, the cultivators who can summon magic weapons, talismans, and formations at any time are much more troublesome than those stupid and dull demons.

So Li Fan came up with a dirty trick. He deliberately hid next to a monster and used his Divine Sense to lock onto a human cultivator.

"Hmph! You monster are courting death!" The human cultivator raised his eyebrows, and as expected, he sensed something. He subconsciously assumed that the monster by the roadside was causing trouble, so he pointed his sword and shot out a fire phoenix, burning the bewildered monster hiding on the ground to ashes.

However, it could die in peace, because the moment the opponent made their move, a flash of Sword Light appeared, and Pitian severed the cultivator's head.

Hmph, Nangong-1, Li Fan really has to thank this family for being so easy to recognize; he doesn't have to worry about killing the wrong people...

This Nangong's skill level is average, not much higher than the rogue cultivators of the Nine Peaks, but he is still considered quite good among the Nangong Family's disciples. Li Fan guessed that this person must have guards accompanying him, so he immediately took out the Gu poison given by Asha and sprinkled it on Nangong's head. At the same time, he released a fake Vermilion Bird Fire Phoenix Talisman into the sky to ask for help. He then held the Fagui Sword in his hand and stood aside invisibly, waiting.

Sure enough, the Fire Phoenix Talisman hadn't been shining for long when a cultivator broke through the air and arrived. Upon seeing the decapitated corpse of the Nangong disciple, he was immediately shocked! Without time to check the authenticity of the talisman, he suddenly unleashed his Divine Sense to scan the surroundings. He turned his head around but found no trace of humans or demons. He could only land angrily and reach out to pick up the corpse on the ground.

He had just picked up the severed head, perhaps not even realizing it was poisoned, when Li Fan leaped out from the void behind him. Before he could even react, the Fagui Sword flashed and cleaved him in two.

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, "Sigh, how come Hengshan is only at this level now? It's utterly shameful."'

Hengshan? Is this really part of the Xuanmen (Daoist) sect?

Li Fan took a look. This person certainly didn't have the face of the Nangong Family, and was dressed in fine clothes and silk robes. How could anyone tell they were from Hengshan?

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Look at his sword. It's dazzlingly bright and incomparably sharp, but unfortunately, it's too much of a good thing. It's obviously a piece of junk discarded by the Zhu Ling Sword Pool. It's a pity to smash it, so I'll give it to the disciples below as a souvenir.'"

To receive a sword bestowed by Hengshan is at least a sign of being a highly regarded Outer Sect Disciple. Hengshan's swordsmanship is quite impressive, especially their four Sword Light: Xingzhen Jiheng. If mastered, they're not far behind the superior Sword Light of my Beichen Sword Sect.

Oh, that's impressive! But you still died at my hands.

Li Fan kicked the Nangong Family's head away, placed the two corpses a little further away, and planned to continue to hide and guard the head.

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Stop squatting. Arrange for Xuanmen disciples to follow you; there shouldn't be any extra bodyguards. Also, hurry up and leave. If you kill the Hengshan disciple, his master hiding in the palace will definitely come looking for you. If he gets angry and starts sweeping the area with his Sword Light, you're definitely dead.'"

Li Fan rolled his eyes. "Isn't that the perfect opportunity to kill him? I'll poison him, you freeze him, then I'll throw a frisbee. That's enough for me to slash him seven or eight times. Surely I can kill him then?"

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Hey! Don't seriously discuss with me how to kill people from the Xuanmen! Maybe he even bowed to me and served me tea when he was a child! Besides, all he did was help Nangong intimidate you once! You're too petty!'"

Wow, we're all in this together, and these bodyguards don't even have the awareness to get attacked? That's so unprofessional!

Li Fan asked in surprise, "Sword Intent, what's wrong with you? Isn't it basic etiquette for you Xuanmen members to fight each other when you meet? Do you have any disciples in the Hengshan Sect?"

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Bah! Where would I get so many disciples? The Daoist Tradition Mount Heng in the Southern Mountains is vast. Sword duels are fine as long as each person relies on their own ability. But if someone were to ambush Nascent Soul stage disciple in broad daylight, do you think Mount Heng wouldn't be able to figure it out? If you offend them to death, would you still have a place to stay in the Central Plains?'"

We must wait until we're hidden under the eaves, with an array blocking our view, making it impossible for anyone to determine who committed the murder before we can act. The Demon God Palace would be a good option, and the previous Immortal Palace would also be suitable, but definitely not under the heavens. Otherwise, the secrets of heaven cannot be concealed, and the Xuanmen people will surely sense it. Don't take the sword either; at this moment, it will be a prelude to disaster.

Tsk, it's really nice to have a powerful sect protecting you. Alright, for the sake of sword intent, I'll spare this Nascent Soul Stage's life for now.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent Dao, I freaking thank you!'

You're welcome.

Despite the commotion, Li Fan wasn't idle. He collected the Nangong Family's corpse for future use, and following the sword intent's advice, just to be safe, he didn't even take the Hengshan disciple's belongings. Instead, he took the corpse into the thick fog and sank it into the swamp, hoping to temporarily slow down the enemy's search. He also quickly deactivated the Fire Phoenix Talisman in the sky, cleaned up the crime scene, and immediately left.

However, I learned another trick: never kill members of the Xuanmen sect in broad daylight. Tsk, that fortune teller is so annoying, he's interfering with his performance.

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'I already told you to master arithmetic first; you'll need it to conceal your divine secrets and use cunning tactics against others.'"

Wow! In my hometown, math is only good for buying vegetables. I never knew your local arithmetic had such uses! How can he possibly ambush the people from the Immortal Palace now!

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'You can kill as many people as you want from the Immortal Palace. Even the Three Palaces themselves don't mind, so why should I?' The Outer Sect of the Nine Great Xuan Sects at the Golden Core Stage don't really care either. If you say it out loud, it's just that you're helping them get through their tribulations. It's just that I'm not capable enough to get through them."

However, those who have already joined the Inner Sect, such as those who cultivate with you and have a master to protect them, need to be careful. Some old men and women are petty and might hold a grudge for five hundred years if you kill one of their grandchildren. As for the Nascent Soul, the main force of the sect, who have families to support, you need to be even more cautious.

Sigh... But you've only been cultivating for a year and you're already trying to hunt down Nascent Soul cultivators? What's wrong with the Heavenly Dao...?

The world has changed, so we have to adapt to the times and survive...

Oh, another human cultivator spotted. Let's sneak over and take a look. Then I'll slaughter them all...

Hey, you know what? Li Fan flew over and took a look, and it really was from the Nangong Family. It seems that encountering a lone person earlier wasn't a coincidence. Moreover, this time, both sides in the fight were humans, and they must have been fighting over a spirit flower. The spirit flower looked like a bellflower, with black flowers and white stamens. Oh, isn't that Gurong? Li Fan picked one when he first entered the swamp, and it was even a little bigger than this one...

Looking again at the cultivators fighting against the Nangong Family, Li Fan couldn't help but sigh.

It's all old acquaintances. Sigh, the Nangong Family is at odds with Ink Bamboo Mountain again, can you believe it...?

However, this time it seems that the people from Ink Bamboo Mountain surrounded the Nangong Family.

On the Ink Bamboo Mountain side, there were more than twenty rogue cultivators in the Golden Core Stage, including Liu Qing, Yuan Tianxiao, Yuhengzi, and Xuanji, led by three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators, including Real Person of the Heavenly Pivot.

The Nangong Family group consisted of fewer than ten people, led by a female Nascent Soul Stage cultivator whose skill level was not particularly high. Judging from her attire, she was bare-chested and barefoot, sitting on a colorful cloud. She was probably just a dancer in the imperial harem, holding a pipa and guarding the Gurong flower.

Judging from their positions, it was indeed the Nangong Family who found the opportunity first, but Ink Bamboo Mountain refused to give it up. The Nascent Soul Stage female cultivator didn't make a move either, just watched as the Nangong Family's disciples fought against the rogue cultivators from Ink Bamboo Mountain.

The three Nascent Soul Stage from Ink Bamboo Mountain were clearly not bullying a mere woman; they sat atop the clouds, while below them, the Golden Core Stage cultivators engaged in a duel. Both sides were fighting one-on-one, with no group brawls... Of course, group brawls were something the Nangong Family only did when they had a large number of members...

From this perspective, the people of Ink Bamboo Mountain are still being reasonable and don't seem to intend to completely turn on each other and fight. It's probably just a best-of-five contest, with the winner vying for the Heavenly Treasure.

Of course, at a glance, it seems that Nangong's disciple couldn't win a single one of the five rounds of the competition. Well, you were given a chance but you didn't use it. This can't really be considered blatant robbery, can it?

And honestly, what kind of status does the Nangong Family have? They won't even give up a single flower. Then look at the Xiao Family's 100,000 strings of cash. Sigh, what a lack of vision.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent Dao, roar...'

What are you yelling about?

Then Li Fan heard it too. From the direction where he had just killed someone, came a roar, followed by a terrifying aura that shook the heavens and the earth. The Sword Light shot straight into the sky, shattering large swathes of clouds and water vapor.

Holy crap? Are the masters of the Xuanmen sect really this scary?

The Nascent Soul Nascent Soul Stage here were also alarmed. Real Person of the Heavenly Pivot and the others all looked up in the direction of the howling sound, whispering among themselves.

Then the female immortal from the Nangong Family, who was holding a pipa, suddenly brightened up. She pointed her hand towards the sky and shot out a huge Vermilion Bird Fire Phoenix, which shot straight into the sky, shining brightly under the sun, and could be clearly seen from a hundred miles away.

Ugh...