As he pondered, Ju Hua returned to his tent. Without hesitation, he summoned the Loose Immortals in the army and told them that the army would be besieging Liufeng Mountain for twenty years!
Naturally, none of the Loose Immortals objected. Afterward, Ju Hua assigned each of them a patrol duty.
The meeting continued until midnight. Not long after the Loose Immortals left, Ju Hua began cultivating the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens in his tent.
Ten years ago, Ju Hua had cultivated the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens to the fourteenth layer. In the ten years since, his cultivation had long since broken through to the fifteenth layer. Now, he was already close to perfecting it.
However, the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens was the highest-grade Fiendgod body-refining method. Breaking through from the fifteenth to the sixteenth layer was equivalent to becoming a Void-Return Fiendgod from a Primordial Spirit Fiendgod. It was probably impossible for Ju Hua to make a smooth breakthrough now!
Of course, Ju Hua wasn't too worried!
The most important thing when cultivating the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens was insight, and right now, insight was what he had in greatest abundance. When the opportunity came, he would naturally break through!
Ju Hua cultivated for half the night. When the sky had just begun to brighten, he suddenly opened his eyes, as though he had sensed something.
Without hesitation, Ju Hua quickly got to his feet and headed out of the tent.
As soon as Ju Hua left the tent, an elegant figure approached.
It was none other than Ancestor Tianyang!
"Why has the ancestor come?" Ju Hua asked, cupping his hands.
"Good news!" Ancestor Tianyang smiled, then tossed Ju Hua a hexagonal stone.
"This is..."
Ju Hua paused, then asked, "Ancestor, is this a Mirror Stone?"
"Indeed, it's a Mirror Stone!" Ancestor Tianyang smiled. "I'd planned to give it to you after the war ended, but circumstances have changed. I'll give it to you now!"
"Do you mean for me to go to the Illusion Demon Realm now?" Ju Hua asked.
"You have nothing to do at the moment, and the war won't break out anytime soon. You can even entrust the army to someone you trust to manage for a while," Ancestor Tianyang said. "So why not go?"
"I'm worried the Fiendgods might suddenly attack. I can go after the war ends," Ju Hua said hesitantly.
"It doesn't matter. One less of you won't affect the overall situation if the Fiendgods attack." Ancestor Tianyang waved a hand. "Besides, as far as I know, Emperor Xia has already sent Celestial Immortals to investigate the Illusion Demon Realm thoroughly. If you don't go now, then once their investigation is over, it might not be so easy for you to go."
"Is Emperor Xia interested in this dangerous place?" Ju Hua asked, puzzled.
"The Illusion Demon Realm is extraordinary in its ability to temper the Dao Heart. Emperor Xia has countless cultivators under his command, and many need the realm to temper their Dao Hearts. How could he ignore it?" Ancestor Tianyang shook his head and said no more.
"I understand!" Ju Hua cupped his hands in salute. Since Ancestor Tianyang had put it that way, he would go. In truth, he was also eagerly anticipating this trip to the Illusion Demon Realm!
Ancestor Tianyang had come solely to deliver the Mirror Stone to Ju Hua. After Ju Hua accepted it, he soon left.
After Ancestor Tianyang departed, Ju Hua didn't hesitate. He called Qing Muling over.
"Fairy Ling, I may have to leave the army for a while. I'll be gone for about twenty years. I'll have to trouble you with all the army's affairs!" As he spoke, Ju Hua took out his Command Token as commander and handed it to Qing Muling.
But Qing Muling didn't take it.
"Daoist Ju Hua, are you joking?" Qing Muling looked at him in confusion. The war wasn't over yet. How could the commander leave the army?
"Fairy Ling, don't worry. Ancestor Tianyang has approved this trip," Ju Hua explained.
"Ancestor Tianyang approved it?"
Qing Muling paused, then instinctively accepted the Command Token Ju Hua held out. But after thinking it over, she quickly handed the commander's token back to him.
"Daoist Ju Hua, this is the Command Token for the Zhuanshui Clan's army. I can't accept it!" Qing Muling continued. "Why not give it to Daoist Pingqiu?"
"Zhuanshui Pingqiu has been badly wounded over the past fifteen years. His strength must have suffered greatly. If I give him the token, I doubt he'll be able to command everyone's respect," Ju Hua said flatly.
In the fifteen years of war, Immortal Fuyun had died early on, during its fiercest years. Zhuanshui Pingqiu had survived, but he had suffered severe injuries. Later, bound by his Heavenly Dao oath, he had been forced to keep charging into battle at the vanguard, which only made his injuries worse.
Ju Hua estimated that Zhuanshui Pingqiu's essence of elemental energy had regressed at least to the level of someone who had just entered the Earth Immortal stage. His foundation had fallen far behind, and his strength had naturally declined with it. He now barely possessed the strength of a top-tier Loose Immortal.
Of course, Ju Hua wasn't withholding the token solely because Pingqiu's strength had weakened. To be honest, he simply didn't trust Zhuanshui Pingqiu!
"No, I can't accept it!" Qing Muling was cautious. She had no intention of taking the Zhuanshui Clan's commander's token.
Qing Muling refused to accept it, and Ju Hua couldn't force her to take on the task. He could only put the token away.
"Then, Fairy Ling, act as my deputy and manage the army for now. If anyone refuses to follow orders, contact me," Ju Hua said.
"Fine!"
This time, Qing Muling didn't refuse again. Although she didn't want to take on this troublesome responsibility, she agreed after considering that Ju Hua was asking her for help.
For the past fifteen years, she had given Zhuanshui Juhua gifts every so often to cultivate his goodwill toward her. If she refused now, half of all that effort would have gone to waste.
On the other hand, if she handled this well, Zhuanshui Juhua's trust and goodwill toward her would surely grow even stronger!
If she ever needed Zhuanshui Juhua's help in the future, she could count on him to do his utmost.
Ju Hua had no idea what Qing Muling was thinking, and he didn't dwell on it. After making arrangements for the army, he eagerly set off for the Illusion Demon Realm.
Free of the army's burden and with no Fiendgods to obstruct him, Ju Hua traveled extremely fast. A few days later, he had crossed half of Autumn Mountain Great Marsh and reached the outskirts of the Illusion Demon Realm.
Looking at the Illusion Demon Realm, indistinguishable from the world outside, Ju Hua tightened his grip on the Mirror Stone. After taking a deep breath, he strode resolutely inside.