Chapter 1154: Chapter 728: Anticipation (Part 4)

This time, Ao Dongcheng wants to make a big move. The East Sea Dragon Race has kept a low profile for too long, it’s time to show their sharpness and let the cultivators of the Eastern Province know the power of the Dragon Race.

Privately, Ao Dongcheng has been secretly setting up a grand array, and the Buddhist Sect hasn’t been idle either.

Xuan Ye, accompanied by Jin Xiang, came to visit Xuanjing of the Dragon Elephant Sect.

Xuanjing’s appearance was fair and tender like a woman’s, and his stature was somewhat short. From his appearance alone, no one would guess that this Xuanjing was skilled in the Dragon Elephant Celestial King Seal, possessing extraordinary divine power.

"Senior Brother has arrived, what guidance do you have for me?"

Xuanjing’s attitude towards Xuan Ye was indifferent. Without waiting for Xuan Ye to speak, he continued: "If Senior Brother wants to borrow the Dragon Elephant Demon-Slaying Pestle, then don’t bother saying it. The sect’s treasure cannot be lent out. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Xuan Ye asked.

"Unless you destroy our Dragon Elephant Sect, then Senior Brother can take whatever you want, without needing my opinion."

Xuan Ye felt a bit awkward, "Junior Brother, you joke too much."

Xuanjing waved his hand: "I’ve made myself clear. If Senior Brother has no other matters, you may leave."

"Wait, wait."

Xuan Ye was somewhat embarrassed but unwilling to leave just like that. He said to Xuanjing, "Junior Brother, do you know that all the brothers in the Northern Province Buddhist Sect have been killed?"

"A bunch of useless people are dead, so be it."

Xuanjing said calmly, "Though we are both part of the Buddhist Sect, there’s no need to stand up for the useless."

"Junior Brother, how can you not understand the situation? It’s not about standing up for anyone, it’s about others coming after us."

Xuan Ye was a bit angry. Xuanjing’s parochialism was too deep, only focusing on his own small domain without any sense of the bigger picture.

"The Dragon Race is becoming increasingly wary of our Buddhist Sect. I reckon it won’t be long before they make a move against us."

Xuan Ye said, "I want to kill Gao Xuan not just to stand up for the Buddhist Sect, but to unite everyone to resist the Dragon Race’s tyranny. Understand the stakes involved. The Buddhist Sect’s demise is imminent, what use is your little domain then?

"When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken!"

Xuanjing felt a bit embarrassed after being scolded. He was somewhat defiant, saying, "The Dragon Race is the boss, we’re the second, we don’t compete with them, why would they target us?"

"Naive. There’s no reasoning in power struggles. The Dragon Race sees us as a threat, so they will definitely act to eliminate the threat."

Xuan Ye said, "I’m not trying to alarm you, the Buddhist Sect is at a critical juncture of life and death now."

Xuanjing was silent for a moment and said, "Despite all you’ve said, I still don’t believe it. Besides, Jin Xiang is naturally gifted, clearly most suited to cultivate the Dragon Elephant Celestial King Seal, yet you insisted on taking him as your disciple. What’s the reasoning behind that?"

Xuanjing was always resentful over this matter. He really couldn’t trust Xuan Ye.

Xuan Ye was silent for a moment and then said, "It was my mistake to take Jin Xiang back then. You know, Jin Xiang has already cultivated to the Twelfth Layer of the Vajra Power King Scripture. In terms of divine power, he has already surpassed you."

Xuanjing felt a bit ashamed and annoyed, "So what, are you going to have Jin Xiang beat me to death?"

"That’s not what I mean. I mean that with Jin Xiang’s cultivation level, though he’s three times more domineering than you or me, in terms of power, he still loses to Gao Xuan."

"Impossible!"

Before Xuan Ye finished speaking, Xuanjing shouted: "How is that possible? Not even the Dragon Race could surpass Jin Xiang in power."

"Why would I lie to you? That’s the fact. Many elders witnessed it."

Xuan Ye thought for a moment and then said, "As long as you hand over the Dragon Elephant Demon-Slaying Pestle to Jin Xiang, I will have Jin Xiang join your Dragon Elephant Sect. How about that?"

"Really?"

Xuanjing was somewhat incredulous. Was Xuan Ye really so generous to let a reborn powerhouse from the Upper Realm be his disciple?

Jin Xiang had boundless potential. Having a master-disciple relationship with him would be immensely beneficial in the future.

Because of this, Xuanjing found it difficult to accept Xuan Ye forcibly taking Jin Xiang.

Xuan Ye said calmly, "For the greater good of the Buddhist Sect, these are trivial matters."

Xuanjing felt a bit ashamed after hearing this. He thought for a moment and then handed over the Dragon Elephant Demon-Slaying Pestle to Jin Xiang, "This treasure is temporarily lent to you. You must return it after the assembly."

The Dragon Elephant Demon-Slaying Pestle was not more than an inch long, with a thin cord strung through it, appearing just like a bronze pendant.

Jin Xiang was a bit at a loss and looked towards Xuan Ye. Though she was a reincarnated powerhouse, her past memories had not yet returned. Her behavior remained very naive.

In such a significant matter, she was accustomed to seeking Xuan Ye’s guidance.

"Just accept it. When we return, I’ll also give you the Golden Lotus Kasaya." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Xuan Ye sighed and said, "For the Celestial Dragon Dharma Assembly in a few days, we will be counting on you."

Seeing Xuan Ye being so earnest, Xuanjing felt more worried, "Senior Brother, is the situation really this bad?"

Xuan Ye shook his head and said, "These past few days, as I visualize the Future Buddha Venerable, I always see a scene of Blood Shadow. It’s a great sign of disaster; this time there will be a huge catastrophe..."

"Should we leave now then?"

Xuanjing felt a bit flustered upon hearing this. Since Celestial Dragon Island was so dangerous, there was no need to stay further. At most, leave a few elders to keep up appearances.

Before he finished speaking, a low rumble came from the depths of the night sky. Then, threads of thunder light flickered across the night sky.

The threads of thunder light were like a giant net, completely covering the sky above Celestial Dragon Island.

In an instant, that thunder light completely vanished again.

Most people on Celestial Dragon Island didn’t witness this scene. However, every Human Immortal level powerhouse sensed that an invisible thunder light barrier had formed in the sky above.

Looking at the deep night sky, Xuan Ye sighed deeply and said, "The grand array has been formed; now it’s a bit late to leave!"

His claims of the Future Buddha’s omens were fabricated solely to deceive Xuanjing.

Xuan Ye had sensed the Dragon Race’s hostility towards the Buddhist Sect, but with Gao Xuan standing at the forefront, the Dragon Race wouldn’t strike them first.

With this rationale, obtaining the Dragon Elephant Demon-Slaying Pestle could at least place Jin Xiang in an invincible position.

But now that a grand array appeared above Celestial Dragon Island, Xuan Ye felt something was amiss. At this point, he had no choice but to continue emphasizing the Dragon Race’s threat.

After all, it’s never a bad idea to stay vigilant.

In Xuan Ye’s heart, a strong sense of unease arose. With such momentum from the Dragon Race, were they planning to wipe out the Buddhist Sect as well?

With the grand array activated, the momentum was tremendous, and several powerhouses from the Daoist Sect also sensed trouble.

Jiang Yumei, Bai Yunsheng, and Withered Wood urgently gathered together. Withered Wood still appeared as dry and wood-like as ever, with no discernible expression.

Bai Yunsheng and Jiang Yumei both looked worried. The higher one’s cultivation, the more they could sense the power of the grand array above.

Why had the Dragon Race suddenly activated a grand array? Was it merely to kill Gao Xuan?

As the leaders of the sect, these three were not so naive.

Although the Daoist Sect was the weakest force, it was also the most fractured. If speaking of the Daoist Sect’s overall strength, it was actually stronger than the Buddhist Sect and not much weaker than the Dragon Court.

If the Dragon Court had the chance, they certainly wouldn’t mind eliminating a few Daoist powerhouses to serve as a warning to others.

Among the Daoist Sect, these three were the strongest and the most united. If the Dragon Court indeed moved against the Daoist Sect, the three of them would surely not escape.

With a worried expression, Bai Yunsheng said, "Could it be that our gifts to Gao Xuan angered the Dragon Court?"

Jiang Yumei glanced at Bai Yunsheng. This man had many ideas and was ambitious, but his fatal flaw was a lack of responsibility.

When faced with major issues, even before anything happened, he would rush to shirk responsibility.

Bai Yunsheng was eloquent and capable of organization, yet he could never unite the Daoist Sect. It was because he didn’t have the capacity for it.

Jiang Yumei said, "This grand array is severe and imposing; it seems to be primarily based on the Thunder Skill."

Withered Wood nodded and said to Bai Sheng, "You are most skilled in the Thunder Skill; what do you think?"

"It’s a bit hard to judge. The Thunder Power is immensely strong, comparable to the Twelvefold Tribulation Thunder."

As Bai Yunsheng differentiated the surging Thunder Power in the sky, his expression became even more anxious.

With such a formidable grand array, if they couldn’t find the formation’s nucleus, they probably couldn’t break it.

He said with a regretful face, "Had I known it would come to this, we shouldn’t have gifted the Shenxiao Thunder Emperor Painting to Gao Xuan. If we had the painting, at least we’d have a few more options to break the array."

Withered Wood seemed quite calm and said, "What’s done is done. We can’t go ask Gao Xuan to return the Shenxiao Thunder Emperor Painting. We shouldn’t worry too much; Ao Dongcheng will likely move to kill Gao Xuan first."

Jiang Yumei and Bai Yunsheng both frowned. If Gao Xuan died, it would be their turn next; then what?

Withered Wood understood their concern and added, "When Gao Xuan is dead, it’ll be Xuan Ye and the bald gang’s turn, and finally us."

Surprisingly, his withered, tree-like face showed a slight smile, "By then, if everyone is doomed, there’s nothing to fear."

Withered Wood looked up at the starry sky and said faintly, "Ao Dongcheng pulling this stunt makes me quite curious about the Celestial Dragon Dharma Assembly..."