C14 The Scheme of the Sky Fiends

A dense fog enveloped the area, shrouding a seemingly bottomless canyon below. Amidst this fog, sharp peaks emerged, their forms reminiscent of human ribs, ten in number, curving upwards with lethal points.

Beneath these rib-like stone mountains lay a palace, ancient and sinister, nestled within the thick mist.

Skeletons were strewn about like ridges, and bones scattered like a forest.

The path to the palace was littered with the remains of humans and Fellbeasts alike. The ground reeked of decaying flesh, creating a landscape of death and blood that was repugnant to the senses.

This brutal and odorous place was none other than the headquarters of the Sky Fiends, the Shadow Temple, concealed within the dense fog.

Yet, venture close to the Shadow Temple, and a starkly different scene unfolds.

Within a one-kilometer radius of the Shadow Temple, the environment transformed.

It was quaint and elegant, serene and expansive, with exotic grass and celestial flowers to the sides, and tall pines and verdant bamboo ahead and behind.

Despite the lingering malevolent aura, the area resembled a slice of paradise on earth.

It was as if hell and heaven had merged into one.

Inside the Shadow Temple, a middle-aged man with a fierce demeanor occupied the seat of power, his complexion as dark as ink.

This man radiated formidable energy; the power of Cave Heaven surged around him, his eyes alight with an overwhelming intent to kill.

He was Gu Yuanmo, the most powerful in the Shadow Temple, the leader of the Sky Fiends, a formidable middle-period Cave Heaven practitioner. His strength surpassed even the Head of Polaris, making him one of the most formidable beings in the world.

Flanking him were six figures seated on either side of the great hall, each emanating a dense, sinister energy, and each with an aura so potent it was palpable. All were beings of the God-Man realm, the elite among the elite.

"Our agent sent to disrupt the seal at the Polaris Holy Land has been extinguished," Gu Yuanmo announced to the six Chief Elders at his side, his voice laden with gravity. "Since the snuffing out of his Soul Lamp, there has been no sign of turmoil in Polaris. It is clear he has failed."

The six Chief Elders of the Sky Fiends exchanged grave looks, the weight of the situation evident on their faces.

They sensed the underlying madness and rage in the Sect Master's seemingly calm words.

"Today, I've called you all together to strategize our next moves against the Polaris Holy Land. We need to decide if we should activate our spies within their ranks to identify the person undermining our plans. Additionally, we'll have them sabotage the seal, inciting chaos throughout the Holy Land."

"Chief Elder, you were the one who placed our spies in the Polaris. Can we put them into action now?"

"The murder of my son isn't just about my personal vendetta. It's an affront to our entire Sky Fiends Sect. Rest assured, I am determined to avenge this insult," Gu Yuanmo declared, his face stoic as he turned his gaze to the Chief Elder seated at the forefront of the elders.

The spies weren't Gu Yuanmo's doing, and although he was aware of their identities, he still sought the Chief Elder's consent before deploying such assets.

As the Sect Master spoke, the six esteemed elders of the Sky Fiends fell into a contemplative silence, with five of them directing their gaze toward the Chief Elder.

The Sect Master's intent was clear to all: he would not rest until his son's death was avenged. Whether to unleash the spies and deal a crippling blow to the Polaris now hinged on the Chief Elder's approval.

Feeling the eyes of his peers upon him, the Sky Fiends' Chief Elder slowly lifted his head and addressed the Sect Master with a respectful fist-and-palm salute. "Sect Master, I will make the necessary arrangements. On the night of the next full moon, we will break the seal of the Polaris Holy Land. Amidst their ensuing turmoil, we will seize our chance to strike."

With the Sect Master's wishes made so explicit, the Chief Elder of the Sky Fiends would not dream of dissenting.

To do so would be to risk the wrath of the Sect Master.

As a seasoned member of the Sky Fiends Sect, the Chief Elder was acutely aware of the merciless nature of the Devil Sect. To oppose the Sect Master's will today could very well mean finding his own remains among the bone piles outside the Shadow Temple the following day.

The Devil Sect was known for its cruelty, bloodshed, and lack of compassion.

"Excellent. The responsibility of initiating the covert operation for Polaris falls to you. Before we proceed, I'll reach out to the other Devil Sects. We'll ensure Polaris receives a grand and lively welcome."

It seemed that the Sky Fiends' recent failure had inadvertently set the stage for another spectacle at the expense of Polaris.

Unbeknownst to Polaris, they remained oblivious to the looming threat.

Ye Chen continued his simple and spontaneous daily routine: tending to the cemetery, checking in, cultivating, and occasionally practicing with his rotund eldest senior brother, Lee Zhenfeng.

Lately, however, Lee Zhenfeng hadn't been guiding Ye Chen's cultivation as much. It wasn't that he had given up or that his teachings were for show; rather, he had hit a roadblock in his own cultivation journey.

Clang!

The sound of clashing swords echoed under the moonlight at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Ye Chen, returning from a walk in the back mountain, was intrigued by the sound.

"Is my eldest senior brother still practicing his swordplay at this late hour?"

He was surprised; although his eldest senior brother had been deeply immersed in cultivation lately, it was rare for him to practice his swordsmanship so late into the night.

In an instant, Ye Chen closed the distance to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and leapt up into a tree, observing Lee Zhenfeng's sword practice.

Watching his eldest senior brother, drenched in sweat from hours of practice, Ye Chen realized that he must have been at it for quite some time.

"The sun had already set when I went out for my stroll, and eldest senior brother was already practicing. He usually wraps up after a couple of hours, but what's driving him to push himself so hard today?"

Ye Chen watched his eldest senior brother, who showed no signs of slowing down after several hours, continuously swinging his sword. His brow furrowed with concern.

Despite his stout figure, Lee Zhenfeng was incredibly strong, and his understanding of the sword was profoundly intimidating.

With each swing, a powerful sword intent surged forth, seemingly intent on obliterating everything in its path—an awe-inspiring sight to behold.

The iron sword hung suspended in the air, surrounded by a swirling vortex of countless sword lights. Thousands of them burst forth, each one possessing immense power for attack.

The sword's edge surged like a tempest, an unceasing force of nature.

Such a sword, fierce as thunder and overwhelming like a torrential river, could at times be as gentle as a spring rain, yet it remained relentless and terrifying in its persistence.

Ye Chen believed that Lee Zhenfeng truly deserved his title as the eldest senior brother among their peers; his skill was indeed remarkable.

However, while watching Lee Zhenfeng practice his swordplay under the moonlight, Ye Chen sensed an agitation within him, as if he were chasing after the Dao and yet unable to grasp it.

"Is your heart in turmoil?" Ye Chen, although only in the middle period of Soul Nurturing, had cultivated the Tome of the Celestial Way, which granted him broader insights and the ability to perceive more.

From Lee Zhenfeng, who was fervently brandishing his sword, Ye Chen felt a heart in disarray, one overly fixated and chaotic in its pursuit of the Dao.

Ye Chen watched as Lee Zhenfeng's swordplay grew increasingly frantic and furrowed his brow in concern:

"If you continue down this path, you're at risk of falling into madness."