C19 Sacred Land? I Am Fighting for the Sacred Land!

"Pack up and follow me," Shen Jun instructed as he and his two disciples descended to the ground.

"Master, what should we do with the remaining members of the Heye Sect?" Wang Jingyu inquired.

Under normal circumstances, Wang Jingyu wouldn't bother with such insignificant beings. If he was feeling generous, he'd simply leave; if not, he might unleash a barrage of cannon fire until he felt content. However, with his master present, he knew better than to act without Shen Jun's guidance.

"Just handle those kids casually," Shen Jun dismissed with a wave of his hand. "We may not fear the Star Sea Holy Land, but let's keep things low-key for now to avoid unnecessary complications."

They would need to recruit some disciples with a focus on offense before they could properly contend with the Holy Land. While Wang Jingyu and Lee Hongyu were proficient in their cultivation, their paths were more supportive in nature, leaving something to be desired in terms of combat strength.

The two disciples exchanged a glance. Low-key? Concealed? Shen Jun had just obliterated the divine sense clone of an Ancestor, and now he was advising discretion? They kept their thoughts to themselves, knowing all too well the consequences of speaking out.

"Yes, we will heed Master's teachings," they responded in unison, bowing respectfully.

Lee Hongyu then projected his Divine Sense towards the aircraft carrier. In moments, over thirty Great Sage powerhouses emerged in succession, descending to the ground. These individuals were not young, some with hair as white as snow, signaling their advanced years.

In this world of fantasy, one's age couldn't be discerned by appearance alone. Yet, appearance could indicate one's innate talent. Wang Jingyu and Lee Hongyu were prime examples; they had attained their current youthful looks upon reaching the Great Sage Stage, and unless they chose otherwise, they would maintain this visage until the end of their lifespans.

As the group of forty to fifty Great Sages landed, they knelt in unison, fists cupped before them, and offered their reverent salutations, "Greetings, Lord!"

Shen Jun cast a glance at the group before him. These forty to fifty individuals were all formation masters, and not just any ordinary ones at that. It appeared that they were the operators of the light cannons aboard the aircraft carrier. No wonder the system boasted such high levels of automation and precision; it was powered by human effort.

After dispatching these people to deal with the aftermath, Lee Hongyu couldn't wait to return to Shen Jun's side. He now yearned to stick close to his master. Who would have guessed that Lee Hongyu, the notorious demon and esteemed president of the Array Masters' Union, could exhibit such endearing, even childish, traits?

Together, Shen Jun, his two disciples, and Wang Wu made their way back. Throughout the journey, the brothers chatted incessantly, eager to share every detail of their experiences from the past eight hundred years with Shen Jun. Wang Wu trailed behind, his heart pounding with fear. Despite their harmless appearance, these two were devil cultivators, feared demons in their own right. A mere gesture from the Half Emperor Expert could end his life.

And then there was the enigmatic Senior Shen, whose very presence was enough to make one hold their breath in awe.

Wang Wu was inwardly falling apart. Thankfully, upon their return, Shen Jun led his two disciples into a room at the Divine Phew Beef and promptly set up a barrier.

"Now that we're alone," Shen Jun said, looking intently at his disciples, a hint of unease in his voice, "tell me, has something happened to the others?"

Throughout the trip, every time Shen Jun broached the subject of their peers, Wang Jingyu and Lee Hongyu deftly steered the conversation away. But Shen Jun was not easily fooled.

The two disciples hung their heads in silence.

"Speak up! Your master is here; what is there to fear?" Shen Jun demanded, his voice thundering as he slapped the table.

Tears began to flow as the two disciples broke down. "Master... we were useless. We failed to protect our fellow disciples," they sobbed.

They proceeded to recount all the events of the recent years. With each word, Shen Jun's gaze grew more intense, his aura of fury palpable.

As it turned out, after he had passed away, many powerful factions had set their sights on his disciples.

They weren't just envious of their innate talent; they were also greedy for the priceless treasures they possessed. Shen Jun had eighty-one disciples, each a top-notch genius meticulously chosen by the system. With his devoted guidance, any one of them would outshine the so-called 'geniuses' of the Holy Lands by leaps and bounds!

Despite attempts at intimidation and temptation from various factions, not a single disciple wavered. Then disaster struck. For the high-and-mighty Holy Lands and sects, having such geniuses was like possessing precious gems. If they couldn't be turned to their advantage, then they had to be eliminated. Better to nip the threat in the bud than to let them grow into a future danger.

At the time, Shen Jun's disciples were still young and lacked the strength to withstand the onslaught of the powerful forces arrayed against them. They had no choice but to scatter. Some went into hiding in Central State, while others fled to the other eight Great Heavenly Domains. The eighty-one brothers each fought their own battles, desperately striving to increase their strength.

Hearing this, Shen Jun was seething with rage, and his heart was breaking. Without his protection, these children had been subjected to such cruelty. They were forced to flee their homes to evade their pursuers!

Taking a deep breath to quell his fury, Shen Jun asked in a grave tone, "How many can you get in touch with now?"

"We have thirteen people in Central State, but we've lost contact with the others," came the reply.

"Many return to pay homage to our Master every ten years, but without visiting their respective Heavenly Domains, we can't reach them. Senior Brother Tianji went to the Extraterritorial Battlefield for training a decade ago and we haven't heard from him in the last two years. Van Tong, however, has opened quite a few restaurants..."

They ticked off the details on their fingers, sharing all they knew. Shen Jun's expression was dark with concern. He had hoped to reunite all his disciples much sooner.

Unexpectedly, things had taken such a turn.

If push came to shove, he would have no choice but to traverse the Eight Great Heaven Territories himself.

Meanwhile, those who had remained in Central State over the years had not been idle; they had uncovered the mastermind behind the siege from years past.

It was none other than the Nine Great Sacred Grounds!

Every band of pursuers, every siege, was inextricably linked to the Nine Great Holy Lands!

Rage flared within Shen Jun in an instant.

My disciple, I can tease him, but heaven help anyone else who tries!

Holy Lands?

I'm taking the fight to the Holy Lands!

Eight hundred years of grievances, they'll pay it all back, with interest!

"Oh, Master, there's someone else I forgot to mention. Senior Brother Qinglian is also in Central State, but..."

"Senior Brother!"

Wang Jingyu was cut off mid-sentence by Lee Hongyu's forceful interjection.

A sense of foreboding gripped Shen Jun.

Lee Qinglian!

His fourth disciple, a master of the Sword Dao!

Even among these prodigies, his talent stood out as one of the finest.

By the time Shen Jun had entered his meditative state, Lee Qinglian had already achieved the Great Sage Stage!