C6 The Dispute Outside the Sect

Seeing everyone engaged in discussion, Ye Chen felt a surge of curiosity.

"What's everyone talking about? It seems pretty lively."

Ye Chen whispered to himself as he cautiously moved closer.

Despite Ye Chen's low profile over the years, rarely participating in sect activities, he had developed a fondness for hearing the latest gossip.

He found himself drawn to the surrounding chatter.

"Have you heard? The demons from the Sky Fiends are commanding Fellbeasts to wantonly slaughter ordinary beings in the mortal realm, mercilessly killing the innocent. It looks like they're up to something big."

"Of course, I'm aware. I've descended from the mountain once and joined other senior brothers to visit a village that had been attacked. The scene was extraordinarily brutal. Everyone in the village had been drained of blood by some unknown means, leaving them as mummified corpses, and not even the children were spared. It was heinous."

An outer disciple at the pinnacle of the Soulcatch Stage spoke in a somber tone, intentionally lowering his voice. By the end of his account, he was visibly shaking. "I can't even talk about it. Just remembering that scene makes my skin crawl."

"Indeed, those from the devil path are incredibly vicious and bloodthirsty. I've encountered them too, and what I witnessed was even more gruesome than your experience. The Sky Fiends' members manipulated the Fellbeasts to raid the villages of common folk, using them as feed for the beasts. It's utterly monstrous." Another peak Soulcatch outer sect disciple chimed in, nodding in agreement. "To curb the chaos wrought by the Sky Fiends, the Skyborn Kingdom, our Polaris, and other forces of righteousness have repeatedly intervened, only for them to slip away each time. It's incredibly frustrating."

"However, this time our eldest senior brother took matters into his own hands and slew the young master of the Sky Fiends. It's a significant morale boost for us and deals a heavy blow to the vile aura of those wicked paths. But as a result, the sect master of the Sky Fiends has vowed to retaliate against our Polaris."

"Exactly. The Sky Fiends' threats have everyone on edge. I've been too apprehensive to leave the mountain lately."

The outer sect disciples continued their somber discussions, their expressions laden with concern over the threat posed by the Sky Fiends.

Ye Chen eavesdropped on the discussions of his fellow disciples and quickly grasped the unfolding events.

A Devil Sect known as the Sky Fiends was wreaking havoc far and wide, and their eldest senior brother had slain the young master of the Sky Fiends. This act incited the sect master of the Sky Fiends to threaten the disciples of Polaris, vowing to kill them until the eldest senior brother of their generation was dead.

The Sky Fiends were a formidable force, on par with, if not stronger than, Polaris. Such a declaration from a devil power could not be taken lightly by the Polaris Holy Land.

It was no surprise that the mood within Polaris had become fraught with tension.

"The Sky Fiends? Their modus operandi bears an uncanny resemblance to what happened in my village," Ye Chen mused, his brow furrowed as the harrowing memory of nearly being slaughtered by a Fellbeast flashed through his mind. His village had been ravaged by a horde of Fellbeasts, leaving no survivors.

Yet, Ye Chen couldn't discern whether these Fellbeasts were under someone's control or if they had merely stumbled upon the village, resulting in the massacre.

"It seems that when the time comes for investigation, the Sky Fiends will be a good starting point."

Ye Chen whispered to himself, audible to no one else.

He hadn't forgotten the events of three years prior. Most of his village had fallen to Fellbeasts under the sway of demons, and he himself had narrowly escaped being devoured.

The memories of that fateful day were etched in his mind, impossible to erase. Should he ever gain the strength, he was determined to seek retribution for the injustice suffered. The deceased at least deserved to know who was responsible for their demise.

"However, with the Sky Fiends targeting Polaris, they surely wouldn't dare to launch an assault, would they?"

Ye Chen harbored deep concerns upon learning of the Sky Fiends' intent for revenge against Polaris. He feared that the Sky Fiends might recklessly besiege the Holy Land.

Upon reflection, he deemed the likelihood slim. Polaris was no ordinary sect but a veritable dragon's lair, a tiger's den. Even if the Sky Fiends launched an offensive, scaling the mountain would be a formidable challenge.

Moreover, in times of crisis, there are always those who stand tall. Surely, no one would pay heed to an acolyte like him, tasked with the humble duty of tending to the mausoleum.

Ye Chen stood off to the side, eavesdropping on the outer sect disciples as they exchanged information. He was eager to learn how the Sky Fiends would retaliate; understanding their plans for revenge would allow him to prepare and ensure his own safety.

Over the last three years, Ye Chen had taken advantage of Zi Yuan's elder token to borrow various tomes from the Scripture Library, gaining a basic understanding of the world's power dynamics.

The world boasted eight great Holy Lands: Polaris, Hellforge, Charblades, Stormwraith Clan, Runningforce, Tamed Fang, Eventide, and Sunford. Each of these lineages was anchored by a Cave Heaven realm expert.

Beyond these eight Holy Lands, there was a multitude of sects, both large and small.

The Devil Sects were primarily composed of the Four Great Devil Sects: Sky Fiends, Firestriders, Hellflags, and Boulderstars. Alongside these major sects were countless other nefarious groups that wreaked havoc under their influence.

The Four Great Devil Sects were notorious for their malevolence across the Lunaria Continent. Devotees of the demon god, they orchestrated wars that led Fellbeasts to ravage the land repeatedly, leaving behind a trail of bloodshed and chaos.

In addition to these sects and Holy Lands, Lunaria was divided among three great empires: Skyborn Kingdom, Vacux, and Ruyoa. These empires prioritized their own conflicts, seldom intervening in the battles between good and evil.

Yet with the Eight Great Holy Lands and the three mighty dynasties underpinning Lunaria, the Devil Sects' attempts at disorder were consistently quelled, preventing any significant upheaval.

Recently, however, the Four Great Devil Sects appeared to be conspiring on a grand scale, secretly targeting and eliminating righteous sects. Tragically, some disciples dispatched by Polaris for investigation fell victim to their schemes.

Not long ago, the eldest senior brother from Polaris had a fateful encounter with the young master of the Sky Fiends. Witnessing his vile acts, the senior brother took action and executed him.

The Sky Fiends Sect issued a fierce declaration, vowing to exact vengeance on the Polaris Holy Land.

The outer sect disciples speculated that the masters of the Polaris Holy Land were devising a strategy to ensnare the Sky Fiends Sect in one decisive move.

Overhearing the chaos beyond, Ye Chen was acutely aware of the perilous nature of the outside world, realizing that Mount Polaris offered a haven of safety.

The malevolent practitioners of the Devil Dao were merciless, and the Fellbeasts were even more ferocious, craving human flesh and souls for their cultivation—a testament to their barbarity.

In this realm where power reigned supreme, unlike the law-abiding society of old, respect was accorded to the mighty, and might made right.

Ye Chen, despite his Soul Nurturing cultivation, was not deemed mighty among the ranks of the powerful. Consequently, he lacked the means to delve into the atrocity that had occurred.

The world outside was fraught with danger; it was wiser to stay home and focus on growth.

Realizing that no significant intelligence would be gleaned, Ye Chen decided not to eavesdrop any further. He planned to visit the Pill Hall to collect his Body Tempering Pill, sign in, and then retreat to continue his cultivation.