Demon-Sealing Conference

Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang thoroughly enjoyed their meal.

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

Although the Day-Changing Alliance was destined to perish in the future, that was far off. At least for now, Chen Yuan did not need to worry about it.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Chen Yuan gave Luo Shisanlang some money since he had none, letting him stay at the inn and wait for the Demon-Sealing Conference to begin.

Luo Shisanlang was naturally immensely grateful to Chen Yuan. He only felt that Brother Chen was truly generous and righteous, extraordinarily capable, and pleasant to talk to.

He had originally felt somewhat dejected about this trip. He had failed to invite Zuo Xinglie, made the journey for nothing, and even lost his money.

But after meeting Chen Yuan as a friend, he felt the trip had been worthwhile after all.

During the remaining time before the Demon-Sealing Conference began, Chen Yuan and Luo Shisanlang stayed at the inn and chatted.

Chen Yuan mainly used the opportunity to ask Luo Shisanlang about matters in the martial world.

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

For example, 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, and Chen Yuan truly managed to learn much martial-world gossip he had not known before.

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

However, his parents and the twelve older brothers and sisters before him had all died in the 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, Yanzhou lay toward the northeast rather than the Central Plains. Its winters were bitterly cold, and its environment harsh.

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

Some of Luo Shisanlang's parents and siblings had died in mines, while others had died digging canals.

His last remaining older 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 his fury, Luo Shisanlang forged a blade himself and killed the overseer. Zhishilang happened to pass by, saw him, and took him in as his adopted son.

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

Nineteen provinces had been ravaged until only nine remained under its control, yet it still did not treat commoners as human beings.

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

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 out 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, while Luo Shisanlang's had been given to him by a martial artist he had helped after he righteously intervened and killed members of the Iron Garb Sect along the way.

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

The stronger factions received more, while weaker factions received fewer.

The remaining invitations were given to independent martial artists with some reputation in the borderlands between Youzhou and Ningzhou.

Since the invitations were unregistered, people even fought fiercely over them before every Demon-Sealing Conference.

Demon-Sealing Valley lay deep within uninhabited mountains, its roads remote and difficult. 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 fellow martial artists. None were weak; even the weakest possessed Blood-Shifting Realm cultivation.

Demon-Sealing Valley also had strength requirements for issuing invitations. After all, the Demon-Sealing Conference existed to suppress outbreaks of demonic qi, and participants needed to kill Corpse Monsters.

If weaker martial artists came, they would not merely fail to kill Corpse Monsters—they would likely be killed by them, contaminated by demonic qi, and turned into new Corpse Monsters. That would be nothing but causing trouble.

After walking along the mountain path for roughly two hours, Chen Yuan finally saw the full extent of Demon-Sealing Valley.

It was an enormous rift hidden deep in the mountains. Its upper reaches were covered by an array, which exuded blackish-gray mist.

The valley entrance was blocked by a huge manor. Its architectural style was exceedingly ancient and did not resemble that of Great Xia.

At the manor entrance, a Qi Forging Realm martial artist inspected invitations. Anyone holding one was allowed inside.

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

"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, striding toward them with murderous expressions.

Panyang City, where the Iron Garb Sect was based, was not far from the Youzhou-Ningzhou border, 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 possessing Qi Forging Realm cultivation.

The leader was a man in his early forties, with knotted muscles and a height of nearly two meters. He wore a dark-gold conical hat.

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

While in Northwatch Town, Chen Yuan had also asked local martial artists for detailed information about the Iron Garb Sect.

The Iron Garb Sect had once been an inconspicuous minor faction, similar to 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 one's origins, gathering many bullies and fierce bandits into the sect. While strengthening the Iron Garb Sect, he also madly encroached upon and plundered territory.

As a result, the Iron Garb Sect's power had surged over the past decade or so, and it had nearly become the local tyrant. Its conduct was domineering and overbearing, and no one dared provoke it.

In a sense, Wei Guangming was also a formidable figure. His contributions to the Iron Garb Sect were practically comparable to those of its founding patriarch.

"You dare kill disciples of my Iron Garb Sect? You two have quite the nerve!"

Beneath his dark-gold conical hat, Wei Guangming's gaze was icy. "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 develop the Iron Garb Sect to such a degree, the other disciples might have been domineering fools, but he 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 make a move.

Chen Yuan said nothing. Luo Shisanlang gave a cold snort. "Luo Shisanlang of the Day-Changing Alliance in Yanzhou! Even princes of the Court have died by my hand. Why would I fear killing a few iron-shelled turtles like you?"

Upon hearing Luo Shisanlang reveal his origins, Wei Guangming immediately relaxed, a flash of killing intent appearing in his eyes.

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

But wasn't the Day-Changing Alliance merely a group of rebels from Yanzhou? Most were poor commoners who had suffered bitterly, and they had now even been driven back by the Court.

Wei Guangming might still have been wary in Yanzhou, but this was Iron Garb Sect territory. It was not a place for these Yanzhou bumpkins to swagger about!

Wei Guangming could not be blamed for looking down on the Day-Changing Alliance.

At the Great Xia Court level, the Yanzhou uprising was naturally a major event, as it concerned 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, let alone local tyrants like the Iron Garb Sect, who lacked vision and only circled their own tiny patch of land.

"Yanzhou people dare act wildly in the lands of Youzhou and Ningzhou? Break every bone in their bodies and throw them back to Yanzhou!"

Wei Guangming subconsciously assumed Chen Yuan was also with the Day-Changing Alliance, so he gave him the same treatment as Luo Shisanlang.

Chen Yuan gripped the hilt of his blade, 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 when facing a Sea Wheel Realm expert, they had the courage to fight.

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

The Demon-Sealing Conference is a grand gathering held to seal demonic creatures and protect the safety of these Youzhou-Ningzhou borderlands. It is not a place for you to settle private grudges!

Whoever makes another move will have their invitation confiscated, and there will be no need for them 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 will give the Three Demon-Sealing Clans some face and spare your lives for now!"

Wei Guangming swept them with a vicious gaze, the killing intent in his eyes chilling.

Then he led his men to present their invitations and enter Demon-Sealing Valley.

To the surrounding factions, the Demon-Sealing Conference's original purpose had indeed been pure: sealing demonic creatures and preventing them from ravaging the borderlands between Youzhou and Ningzhou.

But later, the nature of the Demon-Sealing Conference gradually changed.

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

Whichever faction performed best at each Demon-Sealing Conference would naturally have its foundations witnessed by fellow martial artists.

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

Independent martial artists who performed outstandingly could likewise gain fame, and sects and aristocratic families would take the initiative to invite them to join as retainers or guest elders.

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

It was not worth delaying the Demon-Sealing Conference over these two.

But these two still had to die!

The Iron Garb Sect acted tyrannically and overbearingly outside. Whoever dared kill its disciples would inevitably face endless retaliation afterward.

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

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

If these two did not die, the Iron Garb Sect's reputation would surely suffer a severe blow.