Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Imminent War

After returning from Shangqing Sect, Yin Hanjiang shut himself in for an entire month. The seventh was tomorrow and Zhongli Qian had already prepared everything, pressuring the great sects so that they had no choice but to come, but would Yin Hanjiang be ready tomorrow?

While the two sect leaders secluded themselves, Zhongli Qian had to use various methods to "reassure" the Altar Masters and motivate the exceedingly lazy and individualistic Xuanyuan Sect key members to do work. He had finally completed the tasks the two sect leaders had set out for him, and when he thought he'd finally be free, the two refused to emerge.

In truth, the tracking curse and heart-linking parasite didn't really matter to him. After thirty years, he'd long gotten used to them. Besides, after Baili Qingmiao reached Mahayana, he wouldn't need the Altar Masters, as if he and Baili Qingmiao joined forces, they could simultaneously break the curse and expel the parasites.

As for this position as Altar Master, Zhongli Qian truly didn't want it anymore. He hoped after the Blood Demon was dealt with, the sect leaders could let him free to wander the world as he pleased and prepare for his tribulation.

"Altar Master Zhongli." The soft and feminine Altar Master Miao came up to him. "After you helped me tweak the method for raising king gu, I really have seen results. It's already made a cocoon, and when it emerges in a few days, it should have the power to kill a wandering immortal. I really must thank you. Also, I have a few other ideas, and after the king gu emerges I'd like to raise a few more gu with different effects, so I hope Altar Master Zhongli will help out then too."

Zhongli Qian maintained a faint smile, not mentioning how he had already decided to leave Xuanyuan Sect after everything was over tomorrow.

"Move!" Altar Master Ruan pushed aside Altar Master Miao. "Altar Master Zhongli, what you said was right. Things will tip back when at their extremes, so everything is at its strongest when it can find an equilibrium. After I added some flexibility to my Xuanwu Armor, its defensive power has skyrocketed. I grabbed a few gu and they were unable to burrow through my armor. In the past, they'd always find a way in."

Altar Master Miao paled. "Ruan Weiyi, you stole my gu?"

"No way, I just borrowed a few of the righteous disciples," Altar Master Ruan said, stiff-faced.

"Sir Zhongli, Sir Zhongli!" Helian Chu rushed over, holding a book. "Thank you so much for your pointers. When I presented the poem I wrote with your advice to the Protector, she especially favored me. I've written another poem today, so can you help me edit it?"

Zhongli Qian smiled slightly.

"Cough cough cough!" Altar Master Shi piled in. "Altar Master Zhongli, there's still a point I don't understand in desire of the seven sufferings, can you..."

Zhongli Qian kept smiling.

He didn't have power that far surpassed the cultivation realm like Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang, so in order to get the Altar Masters working for him, he had to coax them a little and get them helping him of their own free will.

The four Altar Masters of the Xuanyuan Sect crowding cheerfully together was truly a sight unprecedented since the sect's founding. With a yawn, Shu Yanyan leaned against a doorframe, watching them, a bit puzzled over whether Helian Chu was asking Zhongli Qian for poetry help in order to kiss up to her, or if he really wanted to spend more time with Zhongli Qian.

"What's the racket?" A black-robed woman with a frosty expression marched into the hall—Qiu Congxue.

She hadn't been in a good mood lately. It had taken a lot of effort to get rid of her flesh, but it had all regrown. Even though she'd risen in strength again, and it wouldn't take long for her to ascend to the immortal realm, she was still unhappy.