Secrets of the War Between Immortals and Demons

Ji Zheng's face turned grave. "Something's happened."

From the raised platform, the Sect Master's voice reached every ear.

"A powerful swordsman has recently appeared in the martial world. We just received a distress signal from Flame Hall. He's cutting his way through it as we speak. Disciples, heed my command! Come with me to Flame Hall's aid!"

With a sweep of his hand, the Sect Master summoned a giant sword that rose slowly into the air.

The green sword could carry every disciple and elder present. It was the best way to travel.

Afraid Li Zi would ask the system a question and distract the other disciples, Fu Chaoqing lowered his voice to explain.

"The Cultivation World has only one enemy: the Demon Realm. Whatever grudges the great sects hold against each other mean nothing beside that struggle. A sect being wiped out is a grave matter. So even though we have our differences with Flame Hall, we'll go to its aid at once."

Li Zi gave him a thumbs-up. "That's the bigger picture."

[System, speaking of which, do you have any gossip about the Demon Realm?]

Her inner voice landed loud and clear in the ears of every elder and disciple.

In an instant, everyone turned to look at her.

Their gazes were sharp as drawn blades.

Li Zi's expression stiffened. Her raised thumb hung awkwardly in midair.

"Uh... did I say something wrong?"

The Sect Master cleared his throat. "It's nothing. We're about to leave. Steady your breathing so you'll be in peak condition when we reach Flame Hall."

Gossip about the Demon Realm?

Nothing would be better if they could get some!

The Demon Realm and the Cultivation World had faced each other for hundreds of thousands of years.

Whenever the Demon King descended, chaos swept the land and countless lives were lost.

The Cultivation World's strongest cultivators had paid far too high a price to preserve the peace of this world.

If they could learn the Demon Realm's secrets, wouldn't they understand the demonic cultivators a little better?

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you would never lose a battle!

If they truly came to understand demonic cultivators, they would face the next battle with greater confidence.

Li Zi, Li Zi, how many more surprises do you have in store?

The Sect Master gave her another look before turning back.

[Sure. There's plenty. Want to hear it, Host? Gossip about the Demon Realm gets a little gruesome, though.]

Li Zi scratched her cheek. [I've never even seen a demonic cultivator. I can't picture any of it, so the gossip wouldn't have much flavor. Let's save it for next time.]

The gathered experts shook their heads with rueful smiles.

She really was a child.

She had no idea how important gossip about the Demon Realm was to them.

The system said, [All right. Then I'll tell you about this sword cultivator. That's what I was about to bring up anyway. We're nearly there, so this is a good time to learn how it all began.]

At that, the experts perked up.

Even if they couldn't hear about the Demon Realm, at least they could find out who this powerful sword cultivator was.

The system said, [You actually know of him. He came up the last time we discussed Flame Hall's leader. He's Huo Fei's beloved, Gong Lin.]

The experts nearby sucked in a sharp breath.

They hadn't heard that earlier gossip, but they certainly knew about Huo Fei's lover!

The love story of Huo Fei and Wen Yun had spread throughout the Cultivation World.

Wen Yun loved Huo Fei to the bone, with a devotion that seemed too deep to endure. Huo Fei, though, was always making a fuss, turning their home into a place where chickens flew and dogs leapt.

Wait!

Huo Fei's beloved was called Gong Lin?

Then what was Wen Yun?

True, the two had later divorced, but... hadn't Wen Yun been taken for a fool?

Li Zi grew excited. [So that man loved Senior Huo Fei too? The two of them felt the same way?]

[Yes. He loved Huo Fei too. They just never told each other how they felt. I couldn't find much about him before, probably because there was nothing to say. But I have information now.]

Li Zi bristled on Huo Fei's behalf. [Where was he earlier? What was he doing while Senior Huo Fei was being tormented and plotted against by Wen Yun's harem? Now he finally shows up? Too late!]

That was a lot to take in!

Wen Yun had an excellent reputation in the Cultivation World.

He had a harem?

And from the sound of it, Huo Fei was the victim?

The system said, [Wen Yun once captured Gong Lin and tortured him for over three months. He destroyed Gong Lin's cultivation. After Gong Lin escaped, he fell on hard times. Then he heard that Wen Yun and Huo Fei had a loving marriage, and he sank into despair for a long while. He wandered the mortal world until he gained insight into Vast Ethereal Sword Intent. He only rose to prominence recently. He probably went to Flame Hall this time to see Huo Fei.]

[The records on him are still incomplete. He was so uninteresting that the gossip system never included him. His story only appeared after he recently began challenging sects across the Cultivation World.]

The Sect Master's brows drew together.

They still didn't have the whole story.

But at least they knew the sword cultivator's name and why he had gone to Flame Hall.

By the time the group arrived,

experts from the great sects had already gathered there.

Every sect stood ready for battle.

The cultivators of the Spirit Beast Sect rode fierce, powerful spirit beasts, cutting imposing figures.

Each Medicine King Sect expert had a precious gourd strapped to their waist, a protective artifact of their sect.

Five Elements Sect disciples were wreathed in spiritual energy of different attributes, ready to attack at any moment.

Li Zi rose onto her toes and looked toward the Five Elements Sect. When she failed to spot Meng Ning, she couldn't help feeling disappointed.

Everyone there was a stranger.

On the square atop Flame Hall's Main Peak, surrounded by the great sects, stood a man in tattered clothes, straight-backed and still.

A jet-black sword was planted in the ground before him, his hands resting on its hilt. Many Flame Hall disciples lay wounded around him.