Jiang Ding returned to the Immortal Sect Homeworld.
He would remain there to ensure that nothing like the Ancient God Patriarch's attempt at possession happened again. He also convened a meeting.
"The Ancient God Patriarch's true body is still locked in a struggle with that unknown arm."
"He seems very weak right now. My instincts as a practitioner of the Great Sun Sword Dao stirred—he's an opponent I could kill, or at least one I have a sliver of hope of killing."
Jiang Ding reported to the Immortal Sect's other councilors: "But he's set up a terrifying eighth-tier Six Paths array in his lair. It would be formidable even among celestials. I can't do anything to him there."
"The only good news is that the Ancient God Patriarch doesn't dare step outside the array."
"If he did, the Immortal Sect might be able to kill him."
"The bad news is that if the Ancient God Patriarch wins his struggle with the unknown arm, he'll very likely regain his celestial strength. Then we'll all die."
"That struggle could take several thousand years, tens of thousands of years, or only a few hundred. I can't tell."
"What's happening there involves eighth-tier knowledge concerning celestials. I can't see through it yet."
Jiang Ding presented his report to the Immortal Sect's councilors, transmitting records of what he had seen and heard, along with his own understanding. Then he waited quietly for them to digest it all.
Several days later.
"In other words, we're racing against time," Yuan said slowly.
"Whoever gains celestial-level strength first will seize absolute supremacy over the Ancient God Domain and become its ruler."
"If we're even one step slower, we die."
"Yes. That's exactly it."
Jiang Ding nodded.
The Immortal Sect had faced such things too many times before.
A