Immortal Road.

With the appearance of the Azure Lotus Fairy and her magic, Youmei Ji stood up straight!
Everyone present sighed inwardly, knowing that they couldn't fight city hall, and they all understood what Fairy Qinglian meant.

In order to save the day, someone always has to make a sacrifice.

Since the Ancient Seeking Cult Leader was able to survive once from the hands of the Vast and Immortal Saint Lord, there might be a second or even a third time.

Others wouldn't have this ability. To some extent, Youmeiji's act of settling a personal score isn't so obvious; at least it's reasonable on the surface.

This is what makes Lin Shan most upset!

The Green Lotus Fairy's favoritism was unexpected, but upon closer examination, it made sense. It was impossible to change generals at the last minute just because of his commotion; otherwise, the Black Lotus Sect would fall apart.

"Since there are no objections, Leader Lin can rest for a while. Once our opponents at the front are in position, we will set off immediately."

At this moment, Venerable Burning Fire, Chi Hong, greeted him with a smile, his expression shifting between gloom and sunshine, playing the bad cop.

Lin Shan adjusted his mindset and didn't throw a tantrum. Instead, he suddenly laughed.

"Alright, in this next round, we'll be colleagues, so I hope you'll take good care of me, fellow Daoist."

"Hahaha, easy to talk about."

Chi Hong thought Lin Shan had resigned himself to his fate and hoped that he could help him when he encountered the Holy Lord Haoran again. He felt a sense of relief.

You want me to save you later?
Sure, if you beg me, I'll save you. Isn't that a simple thing to do?
He and You Meiji exchanged a glance, both of them smiled, and secretly communicated telepathically, their conversation revealing something unexpected.

“Senior Brother Chi Hong, the Xun Gu Sect Leader cannot die yet. If the Hao Ran Saint Lord insists on killing him, you will have to lead the people to protect him.”

"Oh? You mean..."

"It is an indisputable fact that we need him to restrain the Holy Lord Haoran. The World Honored One once offered a high price to hire him so that he could exchange with the other party's core figures. If he dies early, it will be detrimental to the future battle. After all, we are trying to win this war!"

"Junior sister, aren't you using this opportunity to settle a personal score?"

Chi Hong was very surprised and wondered if he had misheard.

"Who said I was using my position for personal revenge? Do you know what price the Buddha offered him?"

Youmeiji's tone was cold and sinister, and her words sent chills down one's spine.

"I don't know."

"The power of six hundred faiths!"

"Six hundred years???"

Chi Hong gasped and turned to look at the Xun Gu Sect Leader, who was sitting cross-legged overlooking the mountains. The other man seemed to be lost in thought as well.

"so much"

"Hmph, how much surplus faith does my Black Lotus Sect actually have? The World Honored One has suffered a huge loss this time, so naturally, this price must be paid in full!"

A cold glint flashed in Youmeiji's eyes again.

Do you know how much he sold me to the Black Lotus Cult for?

"I don't know."

"A hundred years of faith!"

"This"

Chi Hong didn't know what to say, and in his heart he was cursing.

Youmeiji gritted her teeth, the hatred etched into her very bones.

"Back then, he captured me from the land of Jiuli and plundered more than a hundred thousand faiths from the Cangluan Royal Court of the barbarians! This man is insatiably greedy, and his incense offerings are countless. I was imprisoned by him for so long, so consider this compensation. You should try to get it from him by any means, instead of simply killing him. That would be too easy for the Holy Lord Haoran."

"The incense offerings are on him? How could I possibly get them from him? Do you think I'm a match for him?"

Chi Hong shook his head, indicating that this matter was too dangerous and could easily go wrong.

"You're no match for him, so why don't you use someone else to do the dirty work?"

You Meiji's words were very persuasive, causing Chi Hong to fall into deep thought.

"Don't forget, when the World Honored One ascends to heaven, the number of people he can take with him is actually very limited. Who can go and who can't is entirely up to me."

If this secret were to reach the Black Lotus Cult's many allies outside, it would absolutely cause an uproar!

Chi Hong immediately made up his mind and made his stance clear.

"Holy Maiden, rest assured, I will do my best to find the incense offering for you! But how can you be sure that the incense offering is in this primordial avatar, and not entirely in his original body?"

"Don't worry, even if his avatar is inadequate, he still has a powerful spiritual treasure. Bring that treasure back to me as well, and I'll be waiting for your good news."

Youmeiji ate and took things without restraint, her arrogance reaching a fever pitch that made Chihong's throat tighten.

You want incense offerings, you want divine treasures, but can't you leave me any food?

However, since this woman was a favorite of the Azure Lotus Fairy, he couldn't afford to offend her and had to rely on her, so he could only obediently agree.

In reality, no one knows that they also possess a powerful weapon of mass destruction, and who knows who will be on whose side at that time!

The conference assigned tasks and set the tone. After only about two days of rest, news came from the front lines.

Half of Yunnan's territory fell into enemy hands, and hundreds of Black Lotus Sect strongholds were completely eradicated!
Wherever the four holy sites passed, they strictly followed the instructions of Layman Jinglian, executing all heretics, burning all religious scriptures, destroying all incense and gold statues, and rescuing all the misled people.

After a series of maneuvers, the army of the Inhuman Ice and Snow Alliance has gradually become separated from the other three routes, showing signs of flanking out.

The Black Lotus Cult mobilized its entire force, having already laid an ambush at the front lines, waiting for the enemy to take the bait.

Meanwhile, the other routes also took the initiative to attack as planned, providing cover and restraint from the sides.

The Venerable Burning Fire, Chi Hong, was responsible for confronting the Vast Holy Land along the way, and everyone was filled with trepidation and worry.

Aside from those below, those in the Nascent Soul stage and those with great supernatural powers all knew what they were about to face. Nascent Soul stage cultivators might have a slight sense of it, but those below were definitely cannon fodder, with no way to escape even if they wanted to!

"Master Lin, what are you thinking about?"

Chi Hong has been acting out of character lately, actively trying to get closer to Lin Shan, but the other party seems indifferent and always seems to be in a daze.

This gives him the illusion that if he seizes the opportunity to launch a close-range sneak attack now, the kid might not even be able to react in time!
But the risks of doing so are too great. First of all, there are so many people watching, and if he does something reckless, the team will fall apart. Moreover, they will soon be facing the army of the Haoran Holy Land, and they will have to rely on Lin Shan to hold the line at the front.

"It's nothing. How much longer until we arrive?"

"About an hour."

Lin Shan nodded, his thoughts drifting away again. He had been pondering a question, especially after witnessing the way the Azure Lotus Fairy treated him, which forced him to re-examine his situation.

Staying with the Black Lotus Cult will only lead to your demise at the hands of Youmeiji sooner or later!
However, Fairy Qinglian favored her own people and allowed this woman to act recklessly, leaving her with nowhere to appeal.

He desperately wanted to rebel against the Black Lotus Cult, but the final payment for the five hundred Gu Yuns hadn't been settled yet, and that was the biggest problem!

Whether it's Fairy Qinglian or Layman Jinglian, they all have to pay a deposit first, and only if their side wins can they settle the remaining balance!

Therefore, logically speaking, only one side can win; there is no possibility of a win-win situation. That's why he bet on both sides, ensuring that he always manages to profit from one side.

Compared to the conditions offered by Layman Jinglian, he actually preferred the Black Lotus Sect, and Gu Yun was more important to him.

With its classical charm, what can't be enhanced?

But the Black Lotus Sect must completely win this war before I can finally obtain the Ancient Rhyme!
If the Black Lotus Sect loses in the end, I can only receive the reward from Layman Jinglian, and Gu Yun won't get a single penny.

If they go all out to help the Black Lotus Sect win, but considering that treacherous You Meiji and Qinglian Fairy's bias, it's questionable whether they'll even get a settlement in the end!
Lin Shan likes to keep things in her own hands, rather than depending on whether the other party pities her so she can give them something in return. If she's in a good mood, she'll settle the account with you; if she's in a bad mood, she won't. What can you do about that?
If my own incarnation turns against me and wholeheartedly helps Layman Jinglian...
He was caught in a dilemma.

Most importantly, all the incense offerings were confiscated by Fairy Qinglian, so they should also be on the other party!
If I want to obtain incense offerings, I can only try to get them from Fairy Qinglian. If I kill her and give her belongings to Layman Jinglian, they will definitely be destroyed!

So these days he's been thinking about how to finally get what he wants.

The key to everything lies with Fairy Qinglian!

You Meiji was just a minor ailment, and he didn't even care about her. The key was the woman behind her. Her near-Void Realm was terrifying. A single glance from her Yuan Thoughts almost caused the Void Spirit to go berserk. How profound was that?

"A reincarnation of an immortal."

He silently pondered whether to play it safe and leave it to fate, or to fight desperately and risk everything.
After these days of brewing, a very scary and audacious idea has gradually emerged: in order to obtain the ancient charm, we may have to take a risk!
"Master Lin, Master Lin"

Chi Hong's annoying voice rang out again beside him, interrupting Lin Shan's thoughts multiple times. He felt like there was a fly buzzing around him, and he was so annoyed that he lost his temper on the spot!
"Are you ever going to stop?!"

"scare?"

Chi Hong was startled by his sudden outburst!
Instinctively, he jumped back, unleashing a multitude of magical artifacts with a clanging sound, stacking them in front of him as a fierce defense, fearing that he would be instantly killed by Lin Shan.

"."

Lin Shan was stunned by what he saw, and everyone in the sky and on the ground was also shocked!

What happened? Did the two big shots have a falling out?
Chi Hong's face turned pale and then red, and he realized that he had overreacted. The main reason was that he subconsciously regarded Lin Shan as a hypothetical enemy. Just a moment ago, he was considering whether to launch a sneak attack, but the other party suddenly made a startling move.

What kind of bad habit is this? Who did you learn it from?
"Brother Chihong?"

Lin Shan spoke with some doubt, instinctively sensing something was amiss, and his eyes began to narrow slightly.

Chi Hong's scalp was slightly sweaty. He quickly put away his magical artifacts and flew forward to apologize repeatedly.

"Please forgive me, Master Lin. You see, I have a sensitive constitution and I can't stand being startled. I'm as easily frightened as a deer, and I almost scared you away."

"Oh? It's rare to see someone so perceptive, fellow Daoist."

"Ah, hey, hey! Yes, I've always been particularly sensitive since I was little. I get easily startled by the slightest disturbance! But then again, if it weren't for this vigilance, I wouldn't have been able to rise from a nobody to where I am today!"

"Oh, I see. It seems I have accidentally disturbed you, fellow Daoist."

"Oh no, no, I was just making a big fuss over nothing, haha."

Chi Hong explained the reason, and Lin Shan did not pursue it further. This kid used to be arrogant when he was a great supernatural being, but now he is no longer taken seriously.

The key issue is that he somehow became Youmeiji's lackey, and he keeps nagging in my ear all day long. If I have the chance, I should kill him first.

Ok?
Thinking of this, his gaze toward Chi Hong turned dangerous.

"?!!"

Chi Hong was no ordinary person either; after all, he was a rogue cultivator who had fought his way up through countless trials and tribulations. He immediately understood the meaning in Lin Shan's eyes.

If I can't handle You Meiji, I can certainly handle you!

Today, I'll feign an attack on the Haoran Holy Land and find an opportunity to take you down, first severing Youmeiji's arm!
"No, Leader Lin, what did you mean by that look you gave me just now?"

"It means exactly what you're thinking."

At this moment, Lin Shan's lips curled slightly, his tone dangerous, and he was surprisingly no longer pretending!

You two conspired to scam me, so I might as well strike first and screw you over. Then I'll take down every single one of You Meiji's subordinates who comes along. We'll see!
"no."

Chi Hong was so frightened he was scared out of his wits!

The war hasn't even started yet, and you're already making personal threats? Are you kidding me?

He suddenly regretted taking on this task. Blackwater Cliff clearly held the initiative, but now he was in a difficult position. He asked, trembling, "Is this a problem?"

"Leader Lin, you...you...a great battle is imminent, don't joke around."

"I'm not kidding."

Lin Shan looked serious, as if he had figured it out.

Looking around at the Nascent Soul stage cultivators and powerful beings, they were all focused on getting on their way and adjusting their pre-battle state, and no one paid any attention to their little affair.

Chi Hong felt uneasy, sensing that disaster was about to befall him, and couldn't help but curse in his heart.

"Damn Youmeiji, she arranged for me and the Xun Gu Sect Leader to travel together. Isn't this a trap? He has a Heaven-Reaching Treasure, and I'm no match for him. I have to feign compliance and stop him in advance. If we end up on the battlefield and fight like real soldiers, I'm doomed!"

As they approached the woods ahead, a warning from a scout came through the magical artifact.

"My lord, the forces of the Vast Holy Land are only a hundred miles from here."

"Attention, everyone! Stop!"

At a distance of one hundred miles, they were almost at the edge of being detected by the divine sense of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. They could no longer fly swaggeringly, lest they be detected by the other party in advance.

So everyone lay in ambush and began to quickly set up their formation and hide.

Chi Hong's face flushed red and pale, Lin Shan gazed leisurely into the distance.

The stark contrast between the two, and the obvious difference before and after their departure, puzzled the other Nascent Soul stage cultivators and powerful cultivators.

"Master Lin, that..."

Lin Shan took out the Cangkun territory and began to examine the nearby earth veins to prepare an escape route. He methodically stirred up the terrain, and everyone could feel the ground trembling under their feet. Everyone was unsteady and staggered, but they could only swallow their anger.

"what happened?"

Chi Hong smiled ingratiatingly, clearly still resentful of the look he had just received.

"When the armies clash later, I'll leave the task of Lord Haoran to you. Once the other side succeeds, we'll retreat immediately after we've finished holding them back."

"Well, yes."

"Hehe, there are no eyes or ears on the battlefield. If anything happens to one of us, we'll support each other and neither of us will abandon the other. What do you think?"

"Oh?"

Lin Shan glanced at him sideways, then looked into the distance, where clusters of small dots had already appeared on the horizon.

"We'll see what happens then. Who knows what will happen next?" (End of Chapter)