The World in Turmoil, Infiltration

For the next two months, the Jingyun Sect remained in a state of peaceful harmony.

The Supreme Elder emerged from seclusion to personally guide Meng Tangtang's cultivation.

When Lin Cheng learned of this, he felt no anger; instead, he was happy to have the free time.

With a massive pile of treasures at her disposal, combined with the innate talent of her constitution and the cultivation method of the Great Emperor of Dual Essence, Meng Tangtang's cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds over these two months. She jumped several levels from the Third Grade realm, catching up to some of the elders.

"Seventh Grade realm—not bad, not bad at all. Even for an innate constitution, such an improvement is truly terrifying."

Old Lady Xu, knowing her own time was limited, had treated Meng Tangtang like her own granddaughter over these past two months.

Watching the girl break through level after level, she couldn't stop smiling.

She felt that she had never been as happy in her entire life as she had been these last two months.

She truly felt that the heavens had been kind to her.

Meng Tangtang herself found it hard to believe.

For these past few months, she felt as if she were living in a dream.

Not only had she escaped the tragedy of her impending death, but she had also stepped onto the path of cultivation and soared forward.

In just a few short months, she had traversed a road that countless others could not finish in a lifetime.

And this was merely the starting point.

It is all thanks to Master. If he hadn't cured my terminal illness and bestowed upon me this cultivation method, I would never be where I am today. I could never repay this debt of gratitude even if I spent my entire life trying... Meng Tangtang thought, feeling joyful.

While the upper echelons of the Jingyun Sect were in high spirits, a storm was brewing in the outside world.

In the Jingyun Main Hall.

"Clang!"

Elder Hao smashed his beloved purple clay teacup to the ground. His eyes were overflowing with rage as he bellowed, "Bastards! Absolute bastards! Can someone tell me what the hell has been happening these past few days? Why have three of our affiliated sects been wiped out in a row!"

"Where is the culprit?"

"Where are they! Don't let me find out who did this. Such audacity—to dare bully their way onto the Jingyun Sect's doorstep!"

Elder Hao's usually smiling face was now twisted and ferocious; he looked like a lion in a blind rage.

The many scouts below looked at one another, sighing and wearing troubled expressions, but not a single one dared to provoke his wrath at such a moment.

This matter was of grave importance.

If handled poorly, the loss of face for the Jingyun Sect was a minor issue; the real danger was the loss of morale. At such a critical juncture, if this caused internal instability and led the subordinate forces to question the Jingyun Sect's capabilities, the losses would be catastrophic!

One had to ask: if the Jingyun Sect could not protect its own, what other forces would dare to rely on them?

Without these subordinates, the Jingyun Sect's deterrent power would shrink by more than half!

They might even fall out of the ranks of the Ten Great Sects!

The consequences were self-evident.

"Report!"

"Elder, we have results!"

Just then, a middle-aged man rushed into the hall.

"Well done!"

Elder Hao's eyes lit up. He stood up with a bang, radiating killing intent, and roared, "Speak! Who is so bold as to lay hands on the Jingyun Sect's affiliated forces? I will wipe out their entire clan!"

"According to our investigation, it appears to be the work of an alien race!"

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment before answering directly.

"An alien race?"

Elder Hao frowned in displeasure and snorted coldly, "How is that possible? If a large force of aliens had appeared in the heart of the Southern Region, how could we have received no word of it beforehand? Are you all useless? What use does the Jingyun Sect have for you?"

"Reporting to the Elder, it is not that your subordinates failed to investigate, but that the origin of this alien force seems to be related to the Beast Taming Mountain!" the middle-aged man finally revealed.

What!?

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall erupted in an uproar!

Everyone stared in shock, doubting their own ears.

Elder Hao's body trembled, and he spoke with rapid urgency.

"Say that again!"

"Does this matter truly involve the Beast Taming Mountain?"

The middle-aged man nodded firmly and replied, "It is absolutely true. Scouts have reported that the 'Ten Thousand Beast Canyon' guarded by the Beast Taming Mountain has been in turmoil recently. A large force of aliens broke through the defensive line, primarily consisting of the Demon Race, who are known for their brutality!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Hao fell silent.

The others were also struck speechless by the shock.

If this were truly the case, involving one of the Ten Great Sects, the matter would likely not be so simple.

If things went wrong, it could even lead to a full-scale war between the two factions!

Every force capable of being ranked among the Ten Great Sects was a titan in the Southern Region.

Once they went to war with each other, it would be a heaven-shattering event!

It would implicate countless others and leave the land in ruins!

At this moment, someone could not help but voice their confusion: "How could this be? The strength of Beast Taming Mountain is only stronger than our Jingyun Sect, not weaker. They even possess a Xiantian-realm guardian spirit beast that exerts absolute suppression over the Demon Race. Their defensive lines have always been as solid as gold; how could such a massive oversight occur?"

The middle-aged man shook his head and said, "The matter is still under investigation."

"Hmph!"

Elder Hao's anger remained unabated. He waved his large hand and continued, "So what if it involves Beast Taming Mountain? The impact of this incident is so severe; are we of the Jingyun Sect supposed to suffer such losses in vain? Beast Taming Mountain must provide an explanation!"

"Elder, there is no need to rush this matter; a conclusion will be reached in due time."

The middle-aged man stepped forward, his expression worried as he said, "The urgent priority right now is to deal with the rampaging demon beasts. If this drags on, the subordinate forces will likely lose their composure, and they may end up flocking to other major sects in search of protection."

"Furthermore, we must appease those sects that have been attacked, or there will surely be a major catastrophe."

Upon hearing this, Elder Hao nodded and immediately issued his orders: "This matter is indeed urgent. Pass on my command: issue a bounty mission. Hunt down all demon beasts within our sect's territory; for every one hunted, a corresponding reward can be claimed. All sect disciples who have reached the Third Grade realm or above are eligible to accept."

"Additionally, dispatch the sect's law enforcement teams and guard units to set out immediately. Search for the demon beasts' gathering points and purge them at once!"

"At the same time, send envoys to offer condolences to all major affiliated forces and families to soothe the public heart."

Order after order was issued methodically, and the entire Jingyun Sect began to operate rapidly.

In a short amount of time, the entire Jingyun Sect was in an uproar.

Countless disciples at the Third Grade realm and above were all excited. On the path of martial arts, progress required not only bitter cultivation but also the consumption of vast resources.

Usually, obtaining resources was incredibly difficult, and one could only receive rewards by making significant contributions to the sect.

But now, it was different!

"Hahahaha! I've been stuck at the Third Grade realm for a whole year, and I had already given up hope due to a lack of pills and resources. Who would have thought that things would take such a turn today! Demon beasts, your master is coming to get intimate with you!" A burly man with a broadsword laughed toward the sky.

"What? A single First Grade demon beast is worth three Qi-Recovery Pills? I'm taking this mission! Haha, I'm going to be rich!" someone exclaimed in delight.

"Hmph, last time I lost to that guy just because I lacked a decent weapon... the opportunity has arrived!" A sword-wielding man looked coldly in a certain direction and left rapidly.

Countless disciples in seclusion broke through their barriers one after another, surging toward the mission hall like a dark, overwhelming tide, unable to wait to head down the mountain to slay demons and eliminate evil.

Seeing this scene, Elder Hao and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

With this, the demon beast incident should be effectively contained... right?

Three days later, when a large number of disciples and elders had left the mountain and the Jingyun Sect's defensive strength was at its weakest.

In the dead of night, two black shadows suddenly flashed by. They skillfully avoided layers of blockades without alerting anyone, quickly infiltrated the depths of the Jingyun Sect, and soon vanished from sight.