Immortal Road.

Chapter 447: My disciple Lin Fan should take on this responsibility

There is still no definite explanation as to how the Yuanying Elder died, but the northeastern defense line was definitely breached.

Originally, the Yanyun Mountains were a barrier between the Song Dynasty and the Yan Dynasty, and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were the last buffer zone. Now the road ahead is flat and there are no obstacles.

The situation has become serious. The scale of the war will no longer be confined to a single area and will soon expand.

"Immediately dispatch additional personnel to re-establish a second line of defense in Qingzhou, Yuzhou, Bingzhou and other places in the rear to prevent the situation from getting worse!"

"Establish patrol envoys to urge the local clans and families to jointly guard the route and help resist the Yan State!"

"Collect relevant information, find out the truth behind Elder Hong Lei's death, and uncover all the details of this battle!"

"Send an envoy to the Yanyun Mountains to question the Fire Fox King as to why he sent troops!"

The leaders of all the peaks of Zixiao Sect reacted quickly, and suggestions came one after another in the hall.

The head master nodded and gave his orders one by one to start implementing them. He acted decisively without any delay. Now was a critical moment and there was no room for hesitation.

Deploying troops to hold the front line is the top priority.

And investigating the death of Elder Hong Lei is also of utmost importance!

After all, cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage are in control of the laws of nature and are extremely brilliant. In addition, thunder cultivators have the fastest speed in the world, so it is not easy to kill them.

The cause of death was extremely strange. Could the True Lord of the Demon Sect of Yan State and the Fire Fox King alone be able to surround and kill the elders of the Purple Sky Sect? No one in the entire sect believed it.

We must get to the bottom of this!
Of course, how to investigate and who to send to investigate is a secret matter and is the task of the intelligence department. It is not appropriate to make it public in this occasion. At most, we will get the truth afterwards and then give everyone an explanation.

In the four states of Qing, Ji, You and Bing, those local bullies must also take action and cooperate with the Zixiao Sect to guard the border. They can no longer hide in the back and fish in troubled waters.

The reason why Zixiao Sect has been shouldering the Yanyun defense line all along is not only to compete with Qianyun Pavilion in the northwest for the reputation of the Song Dynasty, but also to demonstrate its own strength.

In addition, after the Demonic Tribulation, they recovered the eastern part of the Luosong Mountains and the East China Sea, and liquidated and reshuffled a large area of ​​the affiliated forces of the Demonic Path. They gained too much territory and benefits, and accordingly they needed to take on more responsibilities.

In order to gain broad support from the cultivation community, the development rights of large tracts of the East China Sea were also delegated to various small and medium-sized sects, so that they could all eat the meat and drink the soup together.

Now that the frontline has failed and the high-ranking Yuanying stage Zhenjun has fallen, it is unreasonable for those people to continue watching the show. In addition, the enemy has already hit their doorstep, and these people have to find a way to save themselves.

The Zixiao Sect established an inspector general just to act as the leader and unite them into one team so that they no longer fight each other. That would only lead to them being defeated one by one, which would be detrimental to the overall situation.

After experiencing the chaos of the demonic calamity, the Zixiao Sect was already familiar with this kind of coordination operation, so the personnel were arranged quickly.

As for the stormy sea area in the East China Sea, the matter of the eight sects joining forces to encircle and suppress the mermaids failing and needing support can be put aside for now. We can think about it later when we have time. Let’s solve the urgent problem first.

After an intense discussion, the head master coordinated with the peak masters to arrange all matters and the personnel allocation for the various departures.

And then, because the matter is of great importance, I have to consult with the sect’s grand elder for the final approval.

The grand elder of Zixiao Sect.

A thousand-year-old monster in the late Nascent Soul stage, the longest-lived antique in the Song Dynasty.

His power is so great that it shocks the cultivation world of surrounding countries!

Several decades ago, during the late period of the Demonic Calamity Rebellion, at the junction of the two eastern states of Qing and Yu, a fierce battle lasted all night with the Dharma King of the Black Lotus Sect who had taken over another's body!
After that, no one knew what happened to him. He turned around and returned to Zixiao Sect and there was no news of him since then.

Just when the outside world was speculating, I didn’t expect that he is still alive!

The heads of all the peaks and the disciples of the hall masters were all excited and wanted to meet this legendary ancestor. However, the sect leader just took out a jade token and communicated with the great elder through it across the passage.

He himself could not see the Great Elder. The Great Elder was indeed in seclusion in Zixiao Sect, but no one knew exactly where he was. Moreover, his soul lamp had never been in the Patriarch's Hall, but was hidden in an unknown place.

As the pillar of Zixiao Sect, only by remaining secret and not leaking any information can the outside world be wary of him at all times and unable to figure out his true identity.

Even if he dies, it must be a death in obscurity, and he must maintain the illusion of being alive to the outside world.

However, the lifespan of the Nascent Soul stage is only 800 years. He has lived for a thousand years. He has probably tried all the common life-extending elixirs, so his death should not be far away.

Each longevity elixir can only be used once. Taking it more than once will no longer produce any effect. This is an iron law of nature.

Even if the Zixiao Sect gathered all its strength to search for the elixir of longevity, it would not be able to save the Great Elder's life. This was inevitable.

But the fact that he is still alive immediately gives everyone peace of mind.

After the great war between good and evil, there were heavy losses. The constant pressure and probing from Qianyun Pavilion, coupled with the recent death of an elder in the Nascent Soul stage, made the entire sect feel a little breathless.

Fortunately, the great elder is still here!
As long as this ancestor does not fall, the Zixiao Sect will still be the number one in Song Dynasty!

"Great Elder, this is what happened."

“We discussed and decided to do this.”

"What do you think?"

The head master explained the jade tablet in detail in a respectful tone, waiting for the decision.

There was silence after listening.

a long time.

Just when everyone in the hall was waiting impatiently.

"Junior Brother Hong Lei, unexpectedly, died."

The old voice was a little desolate and sad. The news was too shocking to be believed.

However, there was no expected rage, nor any earth-shattering waves.

The Grand Elder of Zixiao Sect just replied with one sentence.

"Just follow your arrangements."

The head master agreed. In front of so many people in the hall, it was not easy to inquire about the old ancestor's current condition. He just guessed from the reaction that the old ancestor's current condition might not be the same as before.

If it were the same as before, he would definitely be furious, leave the country with hatred, travel thousands of miles to the Yanyun Mountains to fight back!
But now,
I really don’t know what happened during the hunt for the Black Lotus Sect’s guardian Dharma King decades ago, which made several elders in the sect keep it a secret after they returned.

Without receiving any instructions, the head master was about to end the conversation channel.

But the Grand Elder of the Zixiao Sect opposite him suddenly changed his tone and asked him to stop.

"There's no need to send anyone to ask in the Yanyun Mountains. Since the Fire Fox King doesn't follow the rules, we can just use this as an excuse to find another place." "No need to ask?"

The master's hand trembled, and all the princes and the others couldn't believe it. The Zixiao Sect lost a Nascent Soul stage elder, but they just turned a blind eye to it?

We were once the most powerful sect in the Song Dynasty. Even though we are in decline now, our dignity cannot be challenged!

The Grand Elder of the Zixiao Sect on the other side of the jade token spoke calmly and composedly.

"Whether it's the Fire Fox King's personal behavior or a test by all the demon kings in the Yanyun Mountains, since the matter is done and the front line can't stop it, the best outcome is to escalate the situation."

"We need to ask for external help to muddy the water as much as possible, so that the Zixiao Sect can develop steadily during this period of great change and buy time to recover to its former strength."

"The sect is already short of manpower, and we can no longer force ourselves to stay on the front line and waste resources. If we continue to fight like this, we will become weaker and weaker. This will give Qianyun Pavilion an opportunity to take advantage of us."

"Let's attract other forces to join the battle. It doesn't matter if the Song Dynasty loses some territory. We can take it back in the future. The Zixiao Sect must not be dragged down."

When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked!
When did the Great Elder become so weak that he even had to cede land and ask for foreign aid!
Is this still the supreme overlord we knew before, who dominated the world, acted tyrannically, shook the world, and suppressed the Song Dynasty for a thousand years?

Could it be that he, the old man, is really...
A sense of sadness about a hero’s old age and the heaviness of old age’s powerlessness weigh on everyone’s heart.

The immortal cultivation sects regard the prosperity of their own heritage and the gains and losses of land far more seriously than the mortal kingdoms. They also have the concept of home and country, but they value their sect more.

Even if the Song Dynasty lost half of its land, like during the Demonic Rebellion, it would not reveal all its cards until the mountain gates were attacked and the survival was at stake.

After the situation has taken a turn for the better, sects such as Qianyun Pavilion and Yushou Valley will send out troops to counterattack.

It's not that they are short-sighted.

But when other sects are trying to protect themselves, if you are stubborn and confront your opponent head-on, it will only give those who are watching from the sidelines the opportunity to plot against you afterwards.

Since none of you want to be the first to take the lead, then I won't be one either. Let's all work together to conserve our strength. Someone will always be the first to give up anyway. It all depends on when the turning point comes.

Unfortunately last time, the three demonic sects chose to directly attack the Zixiao Sect, while the other two stood by and watched, ignoring it, and in the end they had to rely on themselves to make a comeback.

Now faced with such a predicament, the Grand Elder of Zixiao Sect simply gave up and could not let Zixiao Sect bear the damage alone anymore. They could no longer afford the losses!
You can say they are selfish, but in the world of cultivation, selfishness is the norm.

"But, Great Elder, if we bring in those people from the Western Desert Buddhist Sect to teach us, there will definitely be endless troubles!"

The head master couldn't help but remind them that if people's wisdom and beliefs were poisoned too much, the Song Dynasty would eventually become a Buddhist country, and the sects of cultivation would not be able to recruit suitable disciples and would gradually decline. This was a long-term plan.

The Grand Elder of the Zixiao Sect laughed.

"When did I say I wanted to bring in the Buddhist sect? Those bald monks have bad intentions. I will naturally not let those monks come in and cut off our roots."

"What do you mean?"

The master suddenly thought of another level, and suddenly had a guess in his mind, so he asked cautiously.

"Expand the confrontation with Yan State throughout the entire Song Dynasty and bring in another force as well."

"Now that there is no external aid, we can just abandon all of the northern plains and let them digest it slowly!"

"We just took advantage of the Fire Fox King's participation in the war to go to the Luosong Mountains to seek help from the Demon King!"

“When the time comes, we will find a way to intensify the conflict and turn it into a confrontation between the entire Luosong Mountain Range and the Yanyun Mountain Range!”

"Once the two demon tribes join the war, the numbers will change, and our human kingdom will become a supporting role. This is the strategy of using the opponent's strength to defeat the opponent!"

The Luosong Mountains run through the entire Song Dynasty from north to south, stretching for tens of thousands of miles. There are also some demon kings living there, which are in balance with the three major sects of the entire Song Dynasty and have lived in peace for thousands of years.

The Yanyun Mountains stretch across the north, at the border between the Great Song and the Great Yan. There are also some demon kings who have established their own capitals and their strength is not weaker than that of a certain country.

If we make a fuss about the Fire Fox King's personal participation in the war this time, it could be understood as the demons from the Yanyun Mountains joining forces with the Yan Kingdom's magic sect to march south.

Then, the demon kings in Luosong Mountains will definitely feel alert, and may even face the crisis of losing both their teeth and their lips.

By then, the orthodox sects of the Song Dynasty would be destroyed, and the surrounding lands would be occupied by the State of Yan. Wouldn’t they be surrounded?
The demon tribe is not united as one, and they also have to rely on the human race's sphere of influence as a buffer zone.

The demon tribes in the Song Dynasty were also afraid of invasion from other countries, which would damage their own interests.

Before, when the three evil sects attacked from the East China Sea, the demon king of Luosong Mountains did not react. That's because these three sects were originally local forces that fled from the Song Dynasty. It was like a fight between dogs in their own family. It didn't matter who won or lost, it was none of their business.

Later, when the evil forces of Yan State moved south, there was no need for them to interfere and they could just let the righteous humans of the Song Dynasty handle it themselves.

However, once the demon king of the Yanyun Mountains joins the war, the situation will become more serious. It may touch the red line of warning among the demons and break the balance of power between the two countries.

If there was a man with good eloquence at this time, who could go to Luosong Mountains to ask for help, he would induce the Demon King to lead his troops out of the mountains.

Then, it will definitely greatly alleviate the pressure on the Zixiao Sect and reduce their losses.

After the war, the demons will still have to return to the mountains and forests. They are also not used to living on the human territory, so the territory will still belong to the Song Dynasty.

It is much more cost-effective than asking the Western Desert Buddhist Sect to come for help!
Many people in the hall immediately figured out the key point and thought that the older you are, the wiser you get.

Instead of going to the Yanyun Mountains to question the Fire Fox King as to why he intervened, he directly made a judgment and sent people to the Luosong Mountains to ask other demon kings for help and to draw more forces into the water.

Sometimes, as the situation escalates and involves more and more people, it becomes increasingly difficult to prevent a fight, because both sides have too many things to consider and will think twice before acting!
This is the necessity of engaging in diplomacy and making more friends!
Of course, even if a fight really breaks out, with the Zixiao Sect involved, they don't have to bear the brunt of the fight like before, standing on the front line and fighting one-on-one with the Yan Kingdom's Demon Sect.

As the power of the demon king grows, the two sides of humans and demons will have a decisive battle, and mixing in the power to dilute it is equivalent to reducing the risk in disguise.

Discussions in the hall continued.

"This plan of the Great Elder is brilliant. It is indeed the best solution to face the invasion of Yan State now!"

"It's just that we have lived in peace with the Luosong Mountains for thousands of years, and we have no friendship with any demon king. We are afraid that if we are rejected, what should we do if the other party is unwilling to send troops?"

"It depends on the people and monsters. Maybe some monster kings are easy to talk to, have a long-term vision and are willing to send troops to help us share the pressure?"

"It's hard to say. We haven't had any contact with them for a long time. It's hard to guess what's going on there now."

"Then we can only find a reliable candidate who can use his eloquence to help us win over strong supporters!"

At this moment, a loud laugh suddenly came from the crowd in the hall.

“Hahahahaha, don’t worry, everyone. My disciple Lin Fan is eloquent and should be responsible for this task! With him taking action, we will surely succeed!”

(End of this chapter)