Chapter 7: The Cave Master

The silver-armored youth looked up at the dim sky and sighed, "These good days are over."

"General."

The many bronze demon guards beside him looked at the silver-armored youth with trepidation.

After sighing, the silver-armored youth turned and took a step, arriving at the numerous formations outside the forbidden area in the distance. He quickly traversed the formations, and outside them a large group of black-robed men and Donglin Sect members had already gathered. The earlier great upheaval and the fluctuations of spatial translocation had long attracted the attention of many outside.

"General." The Donglin Sect Master hurried forward, "What happened? Can our Donglin Sect be of service?"

"What happened?" The silver-armored youth muttered, then waved his hand. Suddenly a phantom mountain appeared out of thin air and crashed directly onto the Donglin Sect Master. With a splat, it smashed the Donglin Sect Master into a pulp, turning him to ashes on the spot.

The surrounding Donglin Sect disciples, including scattered immortals, earth immortals, and even primordial spirit cultivators, were all incredulous.

Some also showed expressions of delight: "Serves him right."

The Donglin Sect Master was a typical spineless sycophant, excessively fawning, which greatly displeased those disciples who silently cared for the sect.

The silver-armored general calmly commanded: "All Donglin Sect disciples, listen. Those willing to be loyal to me, submit to me, and voluntarily become my slaves, kneel immediately."

His voice seemed not loud.

Yet it resounded in the minds of every Donglin Sect disciple. Instantly, those scattered everywhere—whether patrolling, cultivating, or in seclusion—were all stunned.

"You have ten breaths to decide." The silver-armored general said indifferently.

"We are willing, we are willing." Immediately some disciples began to kneel obsequiously.

But many disciples still showed expressions of disbelief.

Loyalty? Submission?

That was simple.

But voluntarily becoming slaves? That was too extreme. They were cultivators, and they had long harbored dissatisfaction. The silver-armored general had previously treated them 'kindly.' But now he spoke of 'slaves'? A slave meant their lives belonged to him, completely under his command.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven..." The silver-armored general slowly counted, "Six, five!"

He suddenly stopped at five.

The silver-armored general smiled. With a step, he was already high in the sky. The heavens and earth trembled as massive mountains began to rise from all directions—east, south, west, north—which were the 'Nine Heavens Divine Flame Poison Furnace' used earlier against Ji Ning.

"Donglin Sect has over thirty-nine thousand disciples." The silver-armored general's voice boomed. "Over twenty thousand knelt. Among the kneelers, there are twenty-one earth immortals and scattered immortals, and three hundred and one primordial spirit cultivators. These three hundred and twenty-two are spared death. The rest must all die!"

The voice echoed throughout the Donglin Mountain range.

Then—

Endless flames began to split into streams, surging toward every part of the Donglin Mountains.

"General, it hasn't been ten breaths yet."

"General."

Some earth immortals and scattered immortals who had hesitated cried out in panic, and a few more primordial spirit cultivators, earth immortals, and scattered immortals began to kneel.

"Too late." The silver-armored general laughed heartily.

Streams of flame flowed everywhere. Whether hiding in meditation chambers, patrolling, or fleeing, anyone touched was burned to ashes. The Nine Heavens Divine Flame Poison Furnace posed a great threat even to celestial immortals; how could these Donglin Sect disciples withstand it?

"No, I submit, I submit! General, I am willing to be your slave!" A young man cried out shrilly before being burned to ashes by the flames.

"A mere Purple Mansion cultivator... what use do I have for you?" The silver-armored general sneered.

Despair enveloped the entire Donglin Mountain range.

Only those primordial spirit cultivators, Return to Void earth immortals who knelt before the count reached five survived. All other Donglin Sect disciples perished. Even those who chose to self-destruct had their souls absorbed by the great formation within the Donglin Mountains, then utterly annihilated—a complete slaughter.

After a moment, there was silence.

"Collect."

The silver-armored general waved his hand, and a huge cloth sack appeared in the sky. Its mouth opened, sucking up all the primordial spirit cultivators, scattered immortals, and earth immortals below.

He then went to the forbidden area and collected all the important items, including the puppet masters and the ancient castle.

"Let's go." The silver-armored general led a group of bronze demon guards to the black mist cave entrance and entered one after another.

After a while.

The black mist cave entrance completely dissipated.

The entire Donglin Mountain range fell silent. All living beings, including animals, were dead. Even the formations in the forbidden area and the Nine Heavens Divine Flame Poison Furnace were destroyed.

The Donglin Sect was thus truly erased from existence.

...

This was a vast world.

At the center of the world was a city that was an immense fortress, so huge that even a celestial immortal could not see its end.

"Back, finally back to the Fifth World."

A black mist cave entrance split open in the sky, and a silver-armored youth and a group of bronze demon guards emerged.

"Humm~~~" An invisible force swept over their squad.

"General." The many bronze demon guards looked at the silver-armored youth.

"All of you go to the camp and await orders." The silver-armored general sighed. "This time, I'll probably be transferred away, and you'll have to suffer with me."

"General, it's not your fault. Blame that Ji Ning."

"Right, that Ji Ning knows the Eighty-Nine Arcane Art; it's not the general's fault." The bronze demon guards said anxiously.

The silver-armored youth smiled: "Alright, I'm going to see the Cave Master. You go to the camp and wait."

"Yes." The bronze demon guards acknowledged.

The silver-armored youth transformed into a streak of light, diving from the sky into the fortress. A passage automatically opened for him. The other bronze demon guards had to descend and enter through the city gates. After all, the general was a celestial immortal, far higher in status.

...

Inside a great hall.

A man in a fiery red robe sat high on a throne, looking down. His terrifying aura was no less than that of the Grand Xia Emperor.

The silver-armored youth entered the hall, bowed respectfully, and said, "Greetings, Cave Master."

"Buchasi." The man in the fiery red robe looked down, frowning slightly. "Aren't you supposed to be in the Fire Fan Commandery of the Grand Xia World? Your task is to supervise the puppet forging, no mistakes allowed. Why did you leave the Grand Xia World without permission and come here?"

"Subordinate's stronghold in the Donglin Mountains of Fire Fan Commandery was infiltrated..." The silver-armored youth honestly recounted everything, knowing well the organization's power. Even if he didn't speak, within a day the organization would know all that happened in the Donglin Mountains.

"Eighty-Nine Arcane Art? Ji Ning?" The man in the fiery red robe frowned.

The silver-armored youth was anxious, sweat on his forehead.

"You truly disappoint me." The man in the fiery red robe shook his head with a sigh.

"Cave Master, I, I..." The silver-armored youth was also unwilling. It really wasn't his fault; any other stronghold encountering someone who knew the Eighty-Nine Arcane Art would also suffer.

"Merit must be rewarded, faults must be punished." The Cave Master said coldly. "Buchasi, because of you, invading the Grand Xia World has become more difficult. I punish you... take your squad to the 'Beishan Major World' to establish a stronghold, continue forging puppets, and kill at least five celestial immortals within a hundred years."

The silver-armored youth's heart trembled.

The Beishan Major World?

Unlike the Grand Xia World, which was unified, the Beishan Major World was more chaotic, with battles already raging. Going to the 'Grand Xia World' was a blessing, but going to the 'Beishan Major World' meant facing war at any time. Not to mention having to kill five celestial immortals.

Every celestial immortal was formidable; no one knew what tricks a long-lived celestial immortal might have. Just when one seemed to have the upper hand, the opponent's friends or master might suddenly arrive. Killing celestial immortals was very dangerous. Although he had killed over ten celestial immortals, that was accumulated over a long time, through many deadly trials, before he finally got an easy assignment in the Grand Xia World to forge puppets without combat missions.

Now the good days were over, and hard times had come. He might even die in the Beishan Major World.

This was already lenient. If Ji Ning hadn't needed something from him and sworn a Heavenly Oath not to reveal secrets, his punishment would have been harsher.

"Yes." The silver-armored youth replied respectfully.

"Set off immediately. Go." The Cave Master waved his hand.

The silver-armored youth withdrew and left the hall.

The hall fell silent.

Swish.

Behind the Cave Master appeared a seductive woman in white. Her slender waist was faintly visible through her translucent white robe. She said softly, "Master, Buchasi is one of your capable generals. Besides, hasn't that Ji Ning sworn a Heavenly Oath?"

"What do you know?" The Cave Master said calmly. "Ji Ning swore not to reveal the secrets of the ancient castle's puppet forging, but he is close to the Xia Emperor and can warn him. This makes invading the Grand Xia World even harder."

"A major world, and so cautious." The seductive woman muttered.

"The Grand Xia World is no ordinary major world." The Cave Master said. "The Xia Emperor is of the ancient Pangu World's imperial bloodline. His background is profound. Who knows what tricks this ancient imperial descendant might have? Moreover, the Xia Emperor and Patriarch Yinglong are sworn brothers. To invade the Grand Xia World, we must be wary of Patriarch Yinglong. How can we not be cautious?"

The seductive woman exclaimed, "Patriarch Yinglong? Master, you never mentioned that before."

"What use would telling you be? You're not even a celestial immortal." The Cave Master said helplessly.

"Is the Xia Emperor really sworn brothers with Patriarch Yinglong?" The seductive woman was still curious.

"It's a secret to you, but among the powerful in the Three Realms, few don't know." The Cave Master shook his head. "The Xia Emperor, afraid others wouldn't know, even built Yinglong Mountain higher than his own Tianmang Hall. Tianmang Hall is his imperial palace, representing the Xia Emperor. Yinglong Mountain is a head taller, so who does it represent? Naturally, someone stronger than him. In the Three Realms, the only one associated with 'Yinglong Mountain' is Patriarch Yinglong!"

The seductive woman realized: "So that's why you masters, all True Immortals and Heavenly Gods, haven't acted."

"Don't underestimate the Xia Emperor. Even if Patriarch Yinglong doesn't interfere, taking the Grand Xia World is no easy task. Ancient imperial clan? Hmph... that's not just a name. Even a branch of the ancient imperial clan is not to be trifled with." The Cave Master said.

...