Demon-Sealing Conference

Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang thoroughly enjoyed their meal.

Luo Shisanlang was honest and straightforward by nature, loyal and righteous—a friend worth making.

Though the Day-Changing Alliance was fated to perish in the future, that was a long way off. At the very least, Chen Yuan did not need to worry about it now.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Chen Yuan gave Luo Shisanlang some money since he had none, and they stayed at an inn to await the start of the Demon-Sealing Conference.

Luo Shisanlang was naturally immensely grateful to Chen Yuan. He felt that Brother Chen was truly bold and righteous, extraordinarily strong, and pleasant to speak with.

He had originally been somewhat dejected when he set out on this journey. He had failed to invite Zuo Xinglie, made a wasted trip, and even lost his silver.

But after making a friend like Chen Yuan, he felt that the journey had been worthwhile after all.

During the remaining time before the Demon-Sealing Conference began, Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang spent their days talking at the inn.

Chen Yuan was mainly asking Luo Shisanlang about matters in the martial world.

Though Chen Yuan knew the plot, some things had never been shown in it, yet were still happening along the true timeline.

For instance, Luo Shisanlang's attempt to invite Zuo Xinglie into the Day-Changing Alliance.

Luo Shisanlang was Zhishilang's adopted son. Though he was not good with words, he had heard plenty while following Zhishilang around, and Chen Yuan truly managed to draw out quite a few pieces of martial-world gossip he had not known.

Chen Yuan also learned that Luo Shisanlang was called Luo Shisanlang not only because of his brave feat of charging through enemy formations thirteen times, but also because he was thirteenth among his siblings.

However, his parents and the twelve elder brothers and sisters before him had all died in the Imperial Court's corvée labor.

Of the nineteen provinces under heaven, the Great Xia Court could actually control only the central nine provinces, and Yanzhou was one of them.

Geographically speaking, Yanzhou lay toward the northeast and was not part of the Central Plains. Its winters were bitterly cold, and its environment harsh.

Yet Yanzhou was rich in resources, with grain, mineral veins, and forests in abundance. Naturally, the Great Xia Court had to keep it firmly in its grasp.

Luo Shisanlang's parents and siblings had died in mines and riverworks.

His last remaining brother had been dragged into the forest in the dead of winter to fell century-old trees for the Prince of Yan, who governed Yanzhou, to build his palace. He had frozen to death there.

In a fit of furious indignation, Luo Shisanlang forged himself a blade and killed the overseer. Zhishilang happened to pass by, saw him, and took him in as an adopted son.

After hearing Luo Shisanlang's story, Chen Yuan could not help sighing. Great Xia truly was doomed sooner or later.

Nineteen provinces under heaven had been tormented until only nine remained under its control, yet it still did not treat the common people as human.

At present, half of Yanzhou was occupied by the Day-Changing Alliance. If not for some internal discord within the alliance, Yanzhou itself might already have changed hands.

Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang waited in Northwatch Town for half a month. When the day of the Demon-Sealing Conference arrived, they finally set off for Demon-Sealing Valley.

An invitation was required to enter the Demon-Sealing Conference, but the invitations bore no names. Whoever held one could enter.

Chen Yuan's invitation had been seized from the Zhu Family. Luo Shisanlang's had been given to him by a martial artist he had helped after he had spoken up for justice and killed members of the Iron Garb Sect along the road.

The Three Demon-Sealing Clans could not leave Demon-Sealing Valley, so whenever invitations were issued, they invited local intelligence networks to the valley, handed the invitations over, and had them distribute a set number according to the strength of nearby factions.

The strong received more, while the weak received fewer.

The remaining invitations were given to Rogue Cultivator martial artists of some renown in the Youning border region.

Since the invitations were not registered to anyone, people even came to blows over them before every Demon-Sealing Conference.

Demon-Sealing Valley lay deep within uninhabited mountains, reached by remote and difficult paths. Only when the Demon-Sealing Conference was held did the place become somewhat lively.

Along the way, Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang encountered quite a few martial artists traveling in the same direction. None were weak; even the weakest possessed Blood-Shifting Realm cultivation.

There were strength requirements for receiving an invitation from Demon-Sealing Valley as well. After all, the Demon-Sealing Conference was meant to suppress outbreaks of demonic qi, and Corpse Monsters had to be killed.

If weaker martial artists came, forget killing Corpse Monsters—they would likely be killed by them instead, tainted by demonic qi, and turned into new Corpse Monsters. That would be nothing but adding chaos to chaos.

After walking along the mountain road for about two hours, Chen Yuan finally saw the full appearance of Demon-Sealing Valley.

It was an enormous rift valley hidden deep in the mountains. Its upper reaches were covered by an array formation, from which black-gray mist drifted.

The mouth of the valley was blocked by a massive estate. Its architecture was exceedingly ancient and did not resemble Great Xia's style.

At the estate entrance, a Qi Forging Realm martial artist inspected invitations. Regardless of who they were, anyone holding an invitation could enter.

Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang walked over. Just as they handed over their invitations, an explosive shout suddenly came from beside them.

"Sect Master! These are the two who killed Senior Brother and the others in Northwatch Town!"

Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang turned around to see more than ten Iron Garb Sect martial artists, all wearing Iron Conical Hats and brimming with killing intent, striding toward them.

Panyang City, where the Iron Garb Sect was based, was not too far from the Youning border region, so it was only natural that they had been invited.

These dozen or so martial artists were all elites of the Iron Garb Sect, each with Qi Forging Realm cultivation.

Their leader was in his early forties, with knotted muscles all over his body and a height of nearly two meters. He wore a Black-Gold Conical Hat.

He was Wei Guangming, sect master of the Iron Garb Sect, and he possessed Sea Wheel Realm cultivation.

While in Northwatch Town, Chen Yuan had asked local martial artists about the Iron Garb Sect in detail.

The Iron Garb Sect had once been nothing more than an inconspicuous little faction, much like the Heavenly Wolf Gang. Its former sect master had only been in the Qi Forging Realm.

Only after Wei Guangming took control of the Iron Garb Sect did he disregard background and recruit numerous vicious bullies and bandits. While strengthening the sect, he had also crazily seized and plundered territory.

As a result, over little more than a decade, the Iron Garb Sect's power had surged. It had nearly become the local tyrant, and its conduct was overbearing and tyrannical. No one dared provoke it.

From a certain perspective, Wei Guangming was a formidable figure as well. His contributions to the Iron Garb Sect were practically comparable to those of its founding patriarch.

"You dared kill disciples of my Iron Garb Sect? You two have some nerve!"

Beneath his Black-Gold Conical Hat, Wei Guangming's gaze was cold and sinister. "State your names and origins. There are no nameless ghosts beneath Wei Guangming's hand!"

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

For Wei Guangming to have developed the Iron Garb Sect to such an extent, the other sect members might have been domineering fools, but he himself was no reckless brute.

His words were clearly meant to probe their backgrounds. If they had no backing, it would not be too late to strike.

Chen Yuan said nothing. Luo Shisanlang snorted coldly. "Luo Shisanlang, subordinate of Yanzhou's Day-Changing Alliance! Even princes of the Imperial Court have died by this grandpa's hand. Why would I fear killing a few iron-shelled turtles like you?"

Hearing Luo Shisanlang reveal his origins, Wei Guangming immediately relaxed, a glint of killing intent appearing in his eyes.

What he feared most was that they came from some major force in Youzhou or Ningzhou.

But was the Day-Changing Alliance not merely a band of rebels from Yanzhou? Most of them were poor commoners who had struggled through bitter hardship, and they had now even been driven back by the Imperial Court.

If this were Yanzhou, Wei Guangming would have shown some restraint. But this was Iron Garb Sect territory. It was not a place for Yanzhou bumpkins to run wild!

It was no wonder Wei Guangming looked down on the Day-Changing Alliance.

At the Imperial Court level, the Yanzhou uprising was naturally a major matter, one tied to the stability of Great Xia's rule over the central nine provinces.

But the Day-Changing Alliance had only just risen to prominence. Even some major factions looked down on it, much less a local despot like the Iron Garb Sect, which had no vision beyond its own little patch of land.

"Yanzhou people dare run wild on my Youning land? Crush every bone in their bodies and throw them back to Yanzhou!"

Wei Guangming instinctively assumed Chen Yuan was also a member of the Day-Changing Alliance and gave him the same treatment as Luo Shisanlang.

Chen Yuan gripped the hilt of his saber, while Luo Shisanlang removed the cloth wrapping from his Mystic Flood Dragon Spear.

Neither of them was an ordinary Qi Forging Realm martial artist. Even against a Sea Wheel Realm expert, they had the courage to fight.

At that moment, the Three Demon-Sealing Clans martial artist inspecting invitations at the entrance said coldly, "Everyone, if you wish to fight, go outside and fight!

"The Demon-Sealing Conference is a grand gathering held to seal Demonic Beasts and safeguard the Youning region. It is not a place for you to settle private grudges!

"Whoever makes another move will have their invitation taken back. Nor will we trouble you to attend future Demon-Sealing Conferences!"

Wei Guangming waved a hand, stopping the Iron Garb Sect martial artists behind him who were about to attack.

"Today, I'll give the Three Demon-Sealing Clans some face and spare your lives for now!"

Wei Guangming swept them with a vicious gaze, killing intent pressing down like a blade.

He then led his men forward, handed over their invitations, and entered Demon-Sealing Valley.

To the surrounding factions, the Demon-Sealing Conference's original purpose had indeed been pure: to seal Demonic Beasts and prevent the Youning border region from being ravaged by them.

But later on, the nature of the Demon-Sealing Conference had changed somewhat.

Some martial artists came to kill Corpse Monsters and obtain spirit pills, while others came to display their strength at the conference.

At every Demon-Sealing Conference, whichever faction performed best would naturally have its foundation and strength seen by fellow martial artists.

After the Demon-Sealing Conference, that faction's prestige and reputation would rise sharply as well.

If Rogue Cultivator martial artists performed outstandingly, they could also gain fame. Sects and great families would take the initiative to invite them to join as Attendants or guest elders.

Wei Guangming had performed excellently at the Demon-Sealing Conference twenty years ago, which was why he had been able to become the Iron Garb Sect's heir.

Delaying the Demon-Sealing Conference over these two was not worth it.

But these two still had to die!

The Iron Garb Sect acted forcefully and tyrannically outside. Anyone who dared kill Iron Garb Sect members would inevitably face endless retaliation afterward.

Only then could the Iron Garb Sect intimidate the several surrounding cities and ensure no one dared provoke it.

Now, its sect members had been killed in public. If the Iron Garb Sect did not retaliate, if it did not repay blood with blood, where would its might be? Where would its face remain?

If these two did not die, the Iron Garb Sect's prestige would surely plummet.