After the three of them held their private discussion on Five Palaces Mountain that day, Cheng Xinzhan indeed stopped involving himself in the matter.
In truth, he could do nothing about it anyway.
He could only sigh deeply. Emei ran rampant in the west, Dragon and Tiger schemed in the east, and the Blood Demon had risen as an unexpected force in the north. What had become of this world?
Was chaos about to engulf the land?
Yet, thinking carefully about these three matters, Dragon and Tiger was laying its plans, and the Blood Demon was lying low. In the near term, Emei still posed the greater threat. Compared with a few years ago, it seemed nothing had really changed.
But none of them was something a small fry like him could influence. For now, advancing his realm remained his first priority. Whatever else might be said, only after forming a Golden Core would his words be heard and his deeds be seen.
The sect leader's secret investigation was indeed secret. He had noticed no major stir in the mountains. He knew nothing of those in the higher realms, but Fang Weimin, whom he knew well, had entered seclusion shortly after returning to the mountain.
The sect leader's decree forbade him from leaving the mountains, but that was what he himself had intended anyway. He had gone to Dragon-Tiger Mountain just after breaking through the First Realm, and there was still much he had not had time to contemplate in detail.
After the private discussion, he made a special trip to Cinnabar Glow Mountain to pay his respects to Mountain Lord Ren, asking for some time to settle himself, consolidate his First Realm attainment, and deepen his understanding of the Five Elements.
Ren Wushi readily agreed, saying that alchemy was