Chen Xiong had been pursued before, fleeing all the way until he was already far from the Jade Balance Sword Palace. Thus, the place where Lin Xuan encountered him was still a considerable distance from the Jade Balance Sword Palace.
While Lin Xuan and his party hurried toward the Jade Balance Sword Palace, Fairy Cold Moon also traveled a thousand miles and arrived at Clear Breeze Valley in the Silver Frost Empire.
Clear Breeze Valley lay within a valley of lush vegetation rich in wind spiritual power. It primarily cultivated the Great Dao of Wood and possessed considerable strength.
Fairy Cold Moon did not wait long before meeting the master of Clear Breeze Valley.
She spoke frankly, explaining the predicament facing the Jade Balance Sword Palace. Slightly nervous, she stated the purpose of her visit.
"As long as Clear Breeze Valley lends our Jade Balance Sword Palace a hand, I will consider the favor you owed me from back then repaid. Besides that..." Fairy Cold Moon tossed out several more jade bottles, containing quite a few precious pills.
Their emanations alone revealed just how precious the pills inside were.
Fairy Cold Moon had truly spared no expense to persuade the master of Clear Breeze Valley.
As the valley master listened, his brows furrowed slightly, and he sank into thought.
Fairy Cold Moon's delicate brows also knitted slightly, uncertainty stirring in her heart.
Although the master of Clear Breeze Valley owed her a great favor from back then, the trouble facing the Jade Balance Sword Palace this time was truly considerable. The slightest misstep could lead to the sect's destruction.
Had she not been at the end of her rope, she would not have resorted to this.
Yet after considering it for a moment, the master of Clear Breeze Valley gently shook his head at Fairy Cold Moon.
"I'm sorry, Fairy Cold Moon. This matter... I cannot agree to it."
He sighed softly, as though filled with compassion for the world yet powerless to help.
"The matter between the Jade Balance Sword Palace and the Illusory Feather Sect is a conflict between sects, and more importantly, a conflict within your Heron Empire. As an outside force, our Clear Breeze Valley cannot intervene. Besides... the one who owed you a favor back then was me personally, not Clear Breeze Valley."
"If I help you now and take part in your struggle against the Illusory Feather Sect, people will inevitably believe that Clear Breeze Valley intends to get involved as well. I cannot gamble with the sect's future. If you have other difficulties, however, I can help you."
His words sounded righteous and principled, but a little thought made it clear that all his talk of what was inappropriate or improper was merely an excuse for his unwillingness.
In his view, he had indeed owed Fairy Cold Moon a considerable favor back then, but not one great enough to make him offend both the Illusory Feather Sect and Thundercloud Pavilion for the Jade Balance Sword Palace.
Although he was the master of Clear Breeze Valley, he alone did not have the final say in its affairs.
Moreover, dragging Clear Breeze Valley into a war between sects over a favor was, in his view, absolutely out of the question.
"Valley Master Yang..."
Growing anxious, Fairy Cold Moon frowned and wanted to say more, but the master of Clear Breeze Valley waved his hand, cutting her off.
"There is no need to say any more, Fairy Cold Moon. My mind is made up. Please leave."
Then he took an object from his Storage Bag and tossed it to Fairy Cold Moon.
"This is also a rare and precious treasure. Consider it full repayment of the favor I owed you back then."
Fairy Cold Moon caught it. As she looked at the treasure in her hand, all five flavors mingled in her heart.
Indeed, the master of Clear Breeze Valley had not lied. This item was truly precious. But with her sect about to perish, what use would even more treasures be?!
Yet the master of Clear Breeze Valley shut his doors to visitors outright, plainly sending her away and unwilling to speak further. Even if she talked until the heavens split, it would be wasted effort...
Despair filled her heart. Clenching her hands tightly, she gritted her teeth and left.
Now she could only pin her hopes on Elder Chen Xiong being able to bring the city lord of Cangnan. Otherwise, the Jade Balance Sword Palace was in peril!
With Clear Breeze Valley refusing to intervene, Fairy Cold Moon made no further attempt to persuade Valley Master Yang. She left Clear Breeze Valley and sped back toward the Jade Balance Sword Palace.
When she returned to the sect, she did not alert any disciples. But seeing the harmony within the sect, Fairy Cold Moon could not stop her heart from aching, her expression clouded.
The Jade Balance Sword Palace... the Jade Balance Sword Palace she had guarded for the palace master for so long... how could it perish like this before she returned!
But what else could she do?
Within the Jade Balance Sword Palace's council hall, nearly all the elders, supreme elders, and stewards had gathered. Every one of them was weighed down with worries, their faces troubled and their hearts filled with despair.
Just then, seeing Fairy Cold Moon return, they all looked over and questioned her anxiously.
"Deputy Palace Master, how did it go? Is Clear Breeze Valley willing to step in and help us?"
Han Yue was silent at first, then sat down and shook her head.
She said nothing. A shadow swiftly crept over the questioning elder's face, and he sank back into his seat, his face ashen.
"This... what are we to do...?"
Bitterness tugged at the corners of Fairy Cold Moon's mouth. Only despair filled the council hall, leaving it bleak and sorrowful.
She gently twitched the corners of her mouth and asked bitterly, "How have the disciples been reacting in private?"
"They do not know about this yet. Elder Li and I sealed off the news. The matter of the Illusory Feather Sect and Thundercloud Pavilion joining forces against our sect has not leaked out for now."
An elder answered first, then spoke again, unwilling to give up.
"Is Clear Breeze Valley truly unwilling to come to our aid? We can offer Spirit Stones! Pills! Anything we can give..."
Before Fairy Cold Moon could answer, a stern-faced elder beside him sighed and spoke.
"There is no point anymore. Even if Clear Breeze Valley changed its mind now, it would be useless."
Hearing this, Fairy Cold Moon froze, not understanding.
"What do you mean?"
"Deputy Palace Master, you do not know this, but shortly after you left, our informant sent word back. The one cooperating with the Illusory Feather Sect is not Thundercloud Pavilion, but... the Spirit Firmament Sect!"
"What? The Spirit Firmament Sect?!"
Fairy Cold Moon repeated it in disbelief and shock, her expression dazed as though she had been struck by lightning.
"How... how could it be the Spirit Firmament Sect?"
She could not believe it. Being pressed by two sects had already been despairing enough. Now, with Thundercloud Pavilion replaced by the Spirit Firmament Sect, it was despair piled upon despair, even leaving Fairy Cold Moon's heart like dead ashes...
Could their Jade Balance Sword Palace truly still be saved?
"This is... Heaven means to destroy our Jade Balance Sword Palace..."
But this was not even the most despairing news.
"Also, there is Elder Chen Xiong. We lost all word of him after he left. He probably..."
He probably faced far more ill fortune than good.
The elder did not say those words aloud, but everyone already understood.
No voices remained in the great hall. There was only deathly silence, with despair spreading through the air.
This was already a dead end.
There was no way out.
The Illusory Feather Sect, together with the Spirit Firmament Sect... with two great sects acting together, what could the Jade Balance Sword Palace fight them with?
Their lives?
They feared that even staking their lives would not be enough.
Just then, Fairy Cold Moon suddenly raised her head, her expression changing. Without hesitation, she flew out of the council hall and stood outside the main peak, her brows knitted as she stared gravely toward the horizon.
The other elders hurried after her. Before they could ask what was wrong, their expressions changed as well.
They sensed it... just outside the Jade Balance Sword Palace, several powerful presences were sweeping over from the horizon. Among them, the number of King Realm presences far exceeded ten!
"Activate the sect-protecting formation!"
"Order the disciples to form ranks, and have the lower-ranked disciples hide!"
"The people of the Illusory Feather Sect and the Spirit Firmament Sect are here!"
They swiftly issued their arrangements and hurried to the mountain gate with Fairy Cold Moon, only to freeze on the spot the instant they arrived.
Outside the mountain gate stood three King Realm cultivators from the Illusory Feather Sect. Although its sect master was absent, its deputy sect master and the others were all present!
As for the Spirit Firmament Sect... a full ten King Realm cultivators had come, including the sect master. Every one of them was there!
"They're here..."
The hearts of Fairy Cold Moon and the Jade Balance Sword Palace's elders sank, and despair appeared on all their faces.
With the sect-protecting formation separating the two sides, Fairy Cold Moon drew a deep breath, her face resolute, already prepared to sacrifice her life for righteousness. Yet before she could draw her weapon, she saw the Spirit Firmament Sect's master opposite her move a step ahead, drawing out...
No, he had not taken out a weapon at all. Instead, he took out two storage rings and bowed from afar to Fairy Cold Moon within the Jade Balance Sword Palace's mountain gate!