Chen Ming arrived at the square and found all the inner sect disciples, the Seven Inner Sect Elders, and the Inner Sect Deacons and Outer Sect Deacons already assembled. Even the Peak Master was waiting on the platform.
"Ahem! Ahem! All right, everyone is here!"
"These are troubled times. The cultivation world of the Zhao State, which borders the Wangshui Kingdom, has been completely occupied by people from the Evil Path's Demon Sect. Lately, you have probably all noticed that the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, the Soul-Destroying Sect, and the Ten Thousand Monsters Sect have been growing increasingly active."
"There is a strong possibility that these sects within the Wangshui Kingdom have made contact with the Evil Path's Demon Sect over in the Zhao State. We face threats both within and without."
"A suspected Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Tomb has also been discovered in the Xilin Mountain Range. Some days ago, I went to investigate with the heads of Wild Blade Peak and Green Leaf Peak. Not only were we unable to deal with it, but it showed signs of awakening instead."
"After discussions between the Sect Master and the heads of the various peaks, our Falling Moon Sect has decided to follow the example of the Zhao State's cultivation world and put the greater good above all else."
"We will head west all the way to the Moxi Desert, pass through the Cheqi Kingdom, then turn toward the Beiliang Kingdom, and enter Great Jin from there."
"We leave after the bell tolls three times! Go back and rest!"
Li Changqing, the head of Iron Bamboo Peak, had cleared his throat twice before addressing the crowd below. Once he finished, he turned and left, leaving everyone standing there in bewilderment.
No one had expected matters to develop this way. From the look of things, they were abandoning the foundation built by generations, and leaving countless outer sect disciples behind without a second thought.
Chen Ming considered this for a moment, then walked down the mountain. When he reached his former residence in the outer sect, he spotted a familiar figure.
"Shen Gongbao, come here! I have something for you!"
Seeing Shen Gongbao emerge from next door, Chen Ming beckoned to him. As he spoke, he took a stack of Talisman Paper from his Storage Bag and offered it to him.
"Senior Brother Chen, what is this for?"
When Shen Gongbao saw that it was Chen Ming, he hurried over. Then he saw Chen Ming take out a stack of Talisman Paper-at least a hundred sheets, by the look of it-and hand it to him. Unable to understand what his senior brother intended, he asked.
"Take it! Look after yourself from now on."
Chen Ming pressed the Talisman Paper into Shen Gongbao's hands. There aren't many people in this world I know well enough to talk to. Perhaps we'll never have another chance to meet. That was why he had come.
The Talisman Paper was simply some of what Chen Ming had looted from corpses. Much of it was essentially useless to him, but for Shen Gongbao, who was in the Qi Refining Realm, it was a different matter entirely.
Whether Shen Gongbao survived would depend on his luck. I wonder whether the Shen Gongbao here also has the bear-flying omen, with an undying nature beneath the Great Tribulation. Chen Ming was quite curious. He gave Shen Gongbao a few appraising glances, then summoned his Flying Sword and returned to the inner sect.
Watching Chen Ming fly away on his sword, Shen Gongbao scratched his head in confusion. Then he looked down at the stack of Patterned Talismans in his hands and tucked it into his robes.
"Junior Brother Chen, where did you go just now?"
Chen Ming had barely returned to the outside of his house when Li Fengling's voice rang out.
"Senior Sister Fengling, you finished packing already?"
Chen Ming spoke with a light chuckle.
"What is there to pack?"
Li Fengling glanced sidelong at Chen Ming as she spoke.
An incense stick's worth of time later, three tolls rang out from Falling Moon Peak, the Falling Moon Sect's main peak. Hundreds of inner sect disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage, dozens of deacons and outer sect elders in the same stage, twenty or thirty inner sect elders at the Golden Core Stage, the heads of the various peaks, and the Sect Master all appeared in the sky above the Falling Moon Sect. Among them was a Grand Elder!
The Grand Elder led the way, flying through the air, with the Sect Master and six Peak Masters following behind him. Behind them came the inner sect elders at the Golden Core Stage from each peak. Bringing up the rear were the outer sect elders, deacons, and inner sect disciples, who could only fly on swords.
"Let's go!"
With that, Chen Ming and Li Fengling summoned their Flying Swords and followed.
At the sudden sound of the three bell tolls, the outer sect disciples froze for a moment and looked toward the main peak. The sight left them utterly stunned.
Most outer sect disciples merely took a look before returning to their work. Some of the sharper ones, however, immediately realized something was wrong.
Shen Gongbao stared at the scene, stunned at first, then came to his senses. Connecting it with Chen Ming's unexpected visit that day, he hurried back into his house, packed a few things, and rushed down the mountain.
After descending the mountain, Shen Gongbao did not head toward his clan. He simply followed the direction in which Chen Ming had disappeared.
Chen Ming flew along with the main group, and three days later, they stopped at Linghai City. The reason was simple: things seemed to have gone somewhat contrary to plan. They appeared to have strayed off course.
The sudden arrival of over a thousand cultivators at Foundation Establishment or above terrified the residents of Linghai City into hastily shutting their doors and closing their shops. Pedestrians in the streets fled as though they had gone mad.
Who knew whether these cultivators who had suddenly appeared would unleash a slaughter? Most people fled toward the city outskirts. The unknown was the source of their fear.
In mere moments, the once-bustling city descended into chaos, with chickens flying and dogs leaping. The streets emptied, and at the same time, an unusual silence settled over them.
"Junior Brother Chen, what are you thinking about?"
Seeing Chen Ming lost in thought, Li Fengling could not help asking.
"Nothing."
Chen Ming gave only a mild reply, but inwardly, he could not help reflecting, The Falling Moon Sect actually seems better than Yellow Maple Valley! At least they brought every cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage along when they fled, instead of selling some of them out.
Another thought suddenly occurred to Chen Ming. Since the Zhao State has already fallen, I wonder whether Han Li has reached the Chaotic Star Sea yet.
"In that case, why don't we head straight north and enter the Righteous Dao Alliance? What do you all think?"
The speaker was Yuan Youdao, the Falling Moon Sect's Sect Master.
"In my view, it would still be better to follow our original plan and enter Great Jin!"
Shen Changyuan, the Peak Master of Green Leaf Peak, spoke after a moment's consideration.
"That won't do. We've already strayed too far, and three days have passed. Those people from the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect should have noticed by now! If they catch up with us, it will be difficult to escape!"
Grand Elder Yang Wanli spoke up.
"If you ask me, why not just enter the Chaotic Star Sea? We're close to it anyway!"
Zhang Kuang, the head of Wild Blade Peak, abruptly suggested.
After further discussion, they settled the matter by vote and decided to head to the Righteous Dao Alliance.
"We'll rest here today and set out first thing tomorrow morning."
Yang Wanli spoke as he watched the sun gradually sink toward the western hills.
Yet he did not know that this very decision would expose the entire Falling Moon Sect to a tremendous crisis.
Just as the Falling Moon Sect's people entered Linghai City, a figure followed the fleeing crowds out of the city. After sprinting thirty li at top speed, he summoned a Flying Sword and headed east!
Two days earlier, upon learning that everyone in the Falling Moon Sect at the Foundation Establishment Stage or above had fled west, the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, the Soul-Destroying Sect, and the Ten Thousand Monsters Sect had sent large forces in pursuit.
The reason they pursued only the Falling Moon Sect was that, after learning the Zhao State had fallen, the Fire Cloud Sect, Jingfo Temple, and the Five Mountains Sword Sect had already secretly sent some of their people ahead to find places to settle, then gradually withdrawn.
The Falling Moon Sect, however, had been the slowest to react. To put it bluntly, they had been sold out without even knowing it.