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Chapter 378: Cahoots
🕑 Added 2023-04-26 13:00:07 +0000 UTC“Impossible!” the Drifting Feather Master said. If what Emperor Begonia said was true, didn’t that mean the Buzhou Immortal Sect could replicate the same act on the Anti-Heaven Alliance?
The Drifting Feather Sect Master and the other top echelons turned toward the Cloud Goddess. Although they felt uncomfortable at the Cloud Goddess Cult’s increasing influence, the Cloud Goddess was the supporting pillar in their hearts. Without the Cloud Goddess, they didn’t have the confidence to fight Sovereign Xi.
To their disappointment, the Cloud Goddess also showed shock. And it wasn’t just a little bit of a shock. Her expression could even be described as slack-jawed. If those pious believers of hers were to see her current expression, it was estimated a large portion of faith flowing to her would plummet.
Finally, the Cloud Goddess’s expression returned to normal, albeit with some unnaturalness. None of the immortal monarchs blamed her. Instead, they turned their attention to Emperor Begonia with suspicion. “You’re not making this up, are you?”
Emperor Begonia already expected this. “You can send your agents to check. The thousands of kilometers around the Eight Pillar Sect has turned into an inhospitable zone.”
His confidence caused the immortal monarchs to doubt themselves. What would they do if the information was true?
After this, all the first-rate forces mobilized all their connections. They had spies, true, but they also had some relationship with the third-rate forces on the Earth Continent. Asking them to send a few immortals to check on the vicinity of the Eight Pillar Sect was not a big deal. However, when each and everyone of them reported the same thing, they could no longer delude themselves.
“How?” one immortal asked, voicing the question in everyone’s mind.
They turned toward the Cloud Goddess for answers. Instead, it was Emperor Begonia who proposed a conjecture. “The attack came from above. According to my intel, the Buzhou Immortal Sect has stationed three palace-shaped artifacts in the Vast Void above the Huang Realm. Each of the artifacts is at least an emperor artifact. So I think the Buzhou Immortal Sect used those three artifacts to unleash the technique that wiped out the headquarters of the Eight Pillar Sect.”
“What, doesn’t that mean the Buzhou Immortal Sect can attack our headquarters at any time?!”
The Drifting Feather Sect Master said, face paling.
“Calm down,” the Nihility Sect Master rebuked. “If the Buzhou Immortal Sect could use such a technique easily, do you think they would wait until now?”
“You!” The Drifting Feather Sect Master snapped his gaze toward the Nihility Sect Master in fury.
“Both of you, calm down. In light of this, we can’t allow discord among us.” The Five Element Sect Master crossed his arm. “My question is why the Buzhou Immortal Sect chose to aim their spears at the Eight Pillar Sect instead of us.”
None of the immortals had an answer to that question. Monarch Fiendclaw turned his attention to Emperor Begonia. “Emperor, do you have an answer to our query?”
Emperor Begonia smiled. Instead of answering, he replied with another question. “Do you know the relationship between the Cultivator Alliance and the Anti-Earth Alliance?”
At this, the Cloud Goddess frowned, but she did not speak. Instead, it was the Jade Cauldron Sect Master that asked, “What do you mean?”
“Do you really think that an alliance of first-rate sects that popped up over three hundred years ago could equal a hegemonic sect that existed for over a million years? I have proof that the Eternal Night Sect, Yangsource Sect, Goldlight Sect, and Skymist Gorge were formed from the remnants of the Cultivator Alliance.”
“So what?” the Five Element Sect Master asked.
Emperor Begonia’s smile turned mysterious. “Then, do you know the relationship between the Buzhou Immortal Sect and the Cultivator Alliance?”
No matter how much the immortal monarchs revered an immortal emperor’s strength, they tired of Emperor Begonia’s dawdling. “Enough, just tell us what you know!”
Emperor Begonia’s gaze pierced the Jade Cauldron Sect Master, nailing him to the ground. But just as he did that, another gaze nailed him to the ground. Emperor Begonia looked up to see the Cloud Goddess staring at him with unkind eyes. He averted his gaze and coughed into his fist.
“The Cultivator Alliance is an offshoot organization of the Buzhou Immortal Sect. Originally, they were supposed to help the Buzhou Immortal Sect eliminate the Eight Pillar Sect and dominate the entire Huang Realm. Unfortunately for them, Confucius appeared and took over the Mortal Continent, forming the Saintly Scholar School.”
All the higher echelons stared at Emperor Begonia. It was as if a bomb had gone off in their minds. They thought the Buzhou Immortal Sect wiping the Eight Pillar Sect’s headquarters off the face of the Earth Continent was shocking enough, but this information was even more explosive. Even the Cloud Goddess and the Nihility Sect Master’s expressions had condensed.
“What proof do you have?” the Cloud Goddess asked.
“I don’t have proof about my last accusation, but don’t you find it strange how the Buzhou Immortal Sect suddenly allied themselves with the Anti-Earth Alliance?” Emperor Begonia asked. “Besides, even if my words are false, do you want to risk it? You know that once the Buzhou Immortal Sect annihilate the Eight Pillar Sect, they will destroy the Anti-Heaven Alliance, you, next.”
A heavy silence pervaded the sacred hall. Although they didn’t want to admit it, they couldn’t refute Emperor Begonia’s words.
“You didn’t come here just to tell us this, did you?” the Nihility Sect Master asked.
The founder of the destroyed Begonia Tower smiled. “How about letting me join the Anti-Heaven Alliance?”
“Although you are a soul emperor, we’re going to be attacking the Buzhou Immortal Sect’s headquarters. Soul techniques won’t do much against a formation,” the Nihility Sect Master said.
“Who said I’m alone?” The Soul Pagoda behind Emperor Begonia opened. Ten immortal monarchs stepped out, one of which was a youth in red with white hair and a horn growing out of his forehead. “Aside from them, I also have over a thousand true immortals waiting. Do I have the requirement to join?”
“You do,” the Cloud Goddess said, attracting everyone’s attention. “There’s no point in dragging it out. In three days, gather all the immortals and march to the Buzhou Immortal Sect. Emperor Begonia’s words are correct. If we lose this chance now, we may never have another opportunity.”
“Your holiness is wise,” Emperor Begonia said. “But does your holiness have a method to deal with the barrier?”
“You’ll know soon enough.” The Cloud Goddess only cast a side glance at Emperor Begonia. “For now, we shall organize our troops and form legions to best maximize their effect. Since everyone has their own war formations, we’ll focus on the extraneous immortals. After that, we’ll formulate a plan of attack.”
None of the immortals disagreed, not even Emperor Begonia. Three days later, a sea of cultivators gathered in front of the sacred hall of the Cloud Goddess Sect. Of the millions of cultivators, less than ten percent were immortals. The rest were venerables summoned to help form the war formations. They planned to use a higher ratio of venerables to immortals to increase the number of war formations.
In the sky, the Cloud Goddess looked at the millions of cultivators with cold eyes. Next to her, slightly lower than her position, floated the sect masters of the Nihility Sect, Jade Cauldron Sect, Drifting Feather Sect, Five Element Sect, and Emperor Begonia.
“Are you going to let your men out of the Soul Pagoda?” the Nihility Sect Master asked.
Emperor Begonia smiled. “It’s better to keep them in reserve. My existence is more meaningful if it’s concealed. What about your men? They’re hidden rather well.”
The Nihility Sect Master snorted but still answered. “You should know our trade.”
“Enough,” the Cloud Goddess said, sparring them a glance and causing the conversation to end. She turned back to the army of cultivators and sighed.
Closing her eyes, she sensed the massive amount of Karmic Merit condensed around her. To those that specifically sensed it, she would resemble a bright sun. However, she would lose most of it after today. “Let’s begin.”
Without warning, the Cloud Goddess and the Nihility Sect Master disappeared. Not just them, but all the cultivators of the Cloud Goddess Cult disappeared, leaving only the Jade Cauldron Sect, Drifting Feather Sect, Five Element Sect, and Emperor Begonia.
Emperor Begonia was the first to react. Sensing an ominous premonition, he summoned the Soul Pagoda and entered it. Hundreds of layers of light appeared around it and wrapped it up in a protective cocoon.
“What’s going on?” the Jade Cauldron Sect Master asked.
“Shut up!” the Drifting Feather Sect Master said. Like Emperor Begonia, he sensed something amiss. “Form the war formations, now!”
The cultivators of the Drifting Feather Sect were slow to react, mostly because of the sheer numbers and time it needed. Upon seeing this, the Drifting Sect Master directly told the true immortals and immortal monarchs to form the war formations by themselves without the venerables. The Five Element Sect Master also did the same.
However, they were a step too late as the ground started to shake. Fractures split the land, and spiritual qi burst from the crevices. That was just the beginning, as even a core formation master could sense the impending eruption of energy.
The Drifting Feather Sect Master and Five Element Sect Master couldn’t help but recall the incident of the Dark Heaven Sect’s last act. If the Cloud Goddess really replicated their act, why would she do such a self-harming action at this moment? The Buzhou Immortal Sect was still holed up in their headquarters. They couldn’t understand, but their actions only sped up.
No matter how slow the Jade Cauldron Sect Master was, he already had an inkling as to what would happen. “Hurry up and form the Jade Cauldron Emperor War Formation! I still haven’t reached the height of power. How can I perish like this!?”
No matter what they did, the inevitable would come. A bright light erupted from the fractured land and engulfed everyone in the Cloud Goddess Cult’s headquarters.
***
At a space not far from the Cloud Goddess Cult’s headquarters, Xi Mengfei and Sect Master Xia stood in the air. Behind them stood over a hundred immortal monarchs. In Sect Master Xia’s hand was an orb. Within that orb was a continent full of rivers and mountains. Upon closer inspection, one could see the numerous people waiting inside. This was one of the many realm artifacts Tianyi refined.
A moment later, clouds began to congregate next to them. The clouds swirled and formed a vortex denser than rock. Suddenly, the clouds dispersed to reveal the Cloud Goddess in all her glory. The immortal monarchs showed surprise, but they didn’t take action, and Sect Master Xia came forward and cupped his fists. “Welcome back, Grand Elder.”
The Cloud Goddess nodded with little emotion. Following Sect Master Xia’s action, the rest of the immortal monarch also welcomed the Cloud Goddess. All except one. She was an immortal monarch clad in an indolent air and held a smoking pipe in hand. She was Monarch Twinwisp.
Monarch Twinwisp flew forward, only stopping in front of the Cloud Goddess. “Long time no see, Main Body.”
The Cloud Goddess only nodded. With her clone stationed at the Buzhou Immortal Sect, she had never lost contact with them. Everything the Anti-Heaven Alliance had ever done was all calculated by the Buzhou Immortal Sect.
Next, the space around the Cloud Goddess blackened like a floating shadow. From within that floating shadow, the Nihility Sect Master walked out. He cupped his fist. “Greetings, Sovereign Xi, Sect Master Xia.”
Sect Master Xia smiled kindly. “It’s been hard on you.”
The Nihility Sect Master shook his head. “No, it’s what I should do.”
The conversation didn’t continue for long as a pillar of energy erupted from the Cloud Goddess Sect, engulfing everything. Upon seeing this, the Cloud Goddess couldn’t help but become melancholic. No matter what, it had been her home for hundreds of thousands of years.
The pillar of energy exuded a bright and terrifying light. It was akin to the sun and the region surrounding the former Cloud Goddess Sect headquarters resembled the sun while the location further away dimmed. It resembled Tianyi’s Constellation Cessation in a way, albeit far weaker.
When the pillar of destruction disappeared, all that was left was a wreckage. Nothing of the former Cloud Goddess Cult could be recognized. However, a few war formations and a cracked, four-storey pagoda could be seen.
“It seemed that a few of our enemies managed to survive,” Sect Master Xia said with a smile. “Come, let’s clean them up. After this, the Buzhou Immortal Sect will rise to another level.”
Mengfei, Sect Master Xia, and the Cloud Goddess all descended simultaneously. The hundred immortal monarchs and the Nihility Sect Master followed behind.
“W-Why?” the Five Element Sect Master croaked out upon seeing the Cloud Goddess. He’d have to be an idiot to not know the truth. “Why did you betray us?”
Not just him; the surviving Drifting Feather Sect Master and grand elders of their sect also turned their hatred-filled gaze at her. The Cloud Goddess didn’t speak, not even sparing them a glance. At this moment, the doors to the Soul Pagoda opened and out walked Emperor Begonia. His expression had a never before seen seriousness. “Since when have you been in cahoots?”
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