454 - Rebirth of a Star: Another Day, Another Drama

Chapter 454: Sacrifice From Ye Tianming's account, Ye Linglong could infer the dire nature of the situation at the time. If not for Shen Jinghong's timely warning, the fate of the Glazed Sword Sect might have been catastrophic. The thought alone filled Ye Linglong with a surge of murderous intent. "Thank you. If it weren't for you, the Glazed Sword Sect might have been doomed," Ye Linglong expressed her gratitude to Shen Jinghong with sincere respect. Shen Jinghong gave a calm smile, "I simply disagreed with the ancestor's philosophy. Collaborating with the demon race is akin to plotting with a tiger—it offers no benefits. Non-human races differ inherently in thought, and should the demon race emerge, our human race will inevitably become their slaves." Shen Jinghong had keen insights into the issue, which is why he didn't hesitate to come to the Glazed Sword Sect to deliver the warning upon learning of Shen Hansong's intentions. "It's a pity that even things clear to you are ignored by the Tianji Pavilion's ancestor; or rather, he chooses not to acknowledge it because, to him, the lives of ordinary mortals and cultivators in this lower realm hold no weight and can be sacrificed at will," Ye Linglong said. All the demon race members and those from the demon sect in the Glazed Sword Sect had been thoroughly purged. The sect's cultivators were released from Yunhai Tower to reorganize the sect. It took only half a day to restore the sect to its former state. Following this, Ye Linglong prepared to visit her old friend Shen Mengjie, now known as Yan Ke, on the Jiuyou Continent. The departure was set for the next day, with Jiang Lingyun, Hongye, Huang Bufan, and Shen Jinghong accompanying her. Before leaving, Baili Ming set up a formidable mountain-protecting formation around the Glazed Sword Sect. As the final incantation was cast, a massive array soared into the sky, enveloping the entire sect instantly. Once the array was complete, Baili Ming descended from above and approached Ye Linglong. "How do you feel, Linglong? Any insights?" Baili Ming asked warmly. Ye Linglong, returning to her senses from the eye of the formation, replied, "I've gained some insights. I feel my understanding of formations has deepened significantly." A trace of pride flashed in Baili Ming's eyes. "Your current expertise in formations far surpasses mine back in the day. Linglong, you're the most talented formation master I've seen." Ye Linglong shook her head. "I still have a long way to go. Once the current affairs are settled, I plan to seclude myself and focus on breaking through in alchemy, aiming to become a heavenly-ranked alchemist as soon as possible." Recently, she had been delving into alchemy in her spare time and felt her grasp on alchemy had become much more profound. However, due to a lack of practice in a simulated alchemy room, she hadn't yet advanced to an earth-ranked alchemist. Baili Ming felt warmth in his heart upon hearing this, his mind momentarily filling with the image of Xuezhi, making him smile. But soon, a certain young man came to mind, and his mood plummeted. He couldn't comprehend what his precious daughter saw in that young man—just a pretty boy. The next day, Baili Ming taught Ye Tianming the core of the mountain-protecting array and the method to control it. With this heavenly-ranked formation, the Glazed Sword Sect became impregnable. Even if the demon race emerged, the formation would safeguard the sect. Only then did Ye Linglong feel secure enough to depart. Baili Ming summoned a flying shuttle, which expanded in size upon appearance. Once everyone boarded, it vanished from Ye Tianming and Jiang Fengyao's sight. Inside the shuttle, Jiang Lingyun warmly introduced Ye Linglong and the others to the concept of the demon race's so-called sacrifice. Shen Hansong, along with the Tianji Pavilion, Huang Ji Sect, and the Huangfu family, had spearheaded a collaboration with the demon race to release those sealed on the Jiuyou Continent. To break the demon race's seal, for two years, the demons and members of the demon sect had been capturing cultivators from the Xingdou and Tianqian Continents for sacrifice. It was said that with enough sacrifices, the demons could break the seal and return to the world. Knowing the cause and effect, Ye Linglong steeled her resolve to kill Yan Ke. Yet, she pondered whether this former darling of heaven would once again escape death. The shuttle traveled swiftly, and before long, they reached the domain of the demon race on the Jiuyou Continent. Along the way, they saved several cultivators being pursued by the demon race and the demon sect. Upon reaching the demon territory, under the powerful mental coverage of Ye Linglong and her companions, they quickly located the sacrificial altar. Baili Ming concealed the shuttle and approached stealthily, positioning above the altar, offering a perfect vantage point where they could observe everything below. Amongst the crowd, Huang Bufan quickly spotted his ancestor, while Shen Jinghong also recognized the Tianji Pavilion’s old ancestor, Shen Hansong. Both were filled with complex emotions. Seeing this, Ye Linglong comfortingly patted their shoulders. They nodded to Ye Linglong with a smile, indicating they were alright, as they had anticipated this outcome when they came to warn the Glazed Sword Sect. Below, around the altar, three factions gathered: the demon race led by Yan Ke, the demon sect under Feng Tianxi, and the remaining cultivators with Shen Hansong. Their focus was on the center of the altar, where numerous cultivators, both male and female of various ranks, were bound and ready for sacrifice. Despite their angry shouts and curses, it was all in vain. Yan Ke stood directly in front of the altar, chanting unknown words, and began a peculiar dance. As Yan Ke's dance sped up, the altar began to change, emitting a red glow. "Is she... performing the sacrifice?" Ye Linglong thought something was amiss. "The planned time for the sacrifice doesn't seem to be now." Jiang Lingyun nodded. "Yes, they likely started early due to your return, to avoid any long delays." Seeing the intensifying red glow of the altar, Ye Linglong's lips curled into a smile. "It seems we've arrived just in time. We absolutely mustn't let them succeed." Just as they were about to act, chaos erupted below. Suddenly, an arrow streaked through the air, aimed directly at Yan Ke, who was dancing. Forced to stop, the sacrifice was interrupted, and unexpectedly, a split occurred within the demon race, with two factions fighting each other, leading to a scene of chaotic tumult.