However, what gave Xiao Wenshan some relief was that Su Jie only glanced in this direction and then withdrew his gaze, without any intention of making trouble for him. To be honest, facing someone like Su Jie, Xiao Wenshan felt he had little chance of winning. He had witnessed the scenes of Su Jie’s battle just now; it was absolutely overwhelming and domineering. The Blood Sea Devouring Sky Demon Skill combined with the terrifying Innate Divine Body had already surpassed the limits of most Purple Mansion Middle Stage Cultivators. Not to mention there were the thousand-hand centipede and Ghost Bride by Su Jie’s side; if a fight broke out, it would be almost impossible for him to leave alive. Su Jie withdrew his gaze, not pursuing the guests of the Heavenly Patrol Department. Even before the battle began, Su Jie had noticed Xiao Wenshan’s presence and knew he came for Qin Yushang, but Su Jie didn’t pay too much attention to it. "Everyone, today the Esoteric Buddhism dared to come to Qingzhou to insult our Ghost Ridge Palace; an enemy invades, we shall retaliate. Today, we will return and attack the stronghold of the Esoteric Sect to make them understand the consequences of offending our Ghost Ridge Palace." Newest update provıded by 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝙣𝙚𝙩 After saying this, Su Jie then instructed Han Ruyan to stay behind to guard the Firefly Sea, while he, himself, took the Thousand-Handed Centipede and activated the Red Shining Immortal Palace to fly towards the west. Western Regions, on Lingjiu Mountain. Eighty-four thousand temples were scattered across the mountain, with Buddha’s light filling the sky and Fantian Demon Sound echoing, as monks and biqius busily worked on various tasks. Some monks were hastily forging various Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures in preparation for the upcoming conquest of the Da Li Dynasty. Some monks refined elixirs as logistical replenishments to maintain combat strength. Some monks gathered in large numbers, rehearsing formations and battle maps, with a murderous aura reaching straight into the heavens. "Everyone, look quickly, the Abbot is back." Suddenly, a monk saw a figure flying in the sky; it was none other than one of the Three Great Divine Monks of the Esoteric Sect, also the Abbot Batu Gu Fan Zhi. "Abbot, our sect monks are ready for war; we can set off now to destroy the Ghost Ridge Palace, this Demon Sect, and rescue the Da Li Dynasty’s people." A group of Daoist Platform Realm High Monks eagerly took flight to welcome him, impatiently waiting for good news, ready to sweep the southern lands of the Da Li Dynasty and bring that fertile land under their control. "Send my order; starting immediately, seal the mountain, and all monks are prohibited from going outside. Prepare to resist foreign enemies." However, Batu Gu Fan Zhi’s voice came from the void, leaving the high monks present bewildered. What’s going on? Aren’t we supposed to charge into Qingzhou, annihilate the Ghost Ridge Palace, and replace it to manage the Three States? Why are we suddenly going to seal the mountain for defensive purposes? This was not in the Esoteric Sect’s plan at all! But as Batu Gu Fan Zhi flew closer, the group of high monks saw his condition clearly, and their faces changed instantly. The normally dignified Divine Monk Batu Gu Fan Zhi now had his kasaya soaked in blood, turning it red. Blood occasionally flowed from his mouth and nose even as he flew. Seeing this, the high monks fell silent, all stunned. In everyone’s impression, the invincible Batu Gu Fan Zhi was at mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivation; who could harm him this badly? And why did Batu Gu Fan Zhi return alone, with no sign of the other two Divine Monks? Combining Batu Gu Fan Zhi’s injuries and his orders to seal the mountain and defend, a foreboding premonition arose in everyone’s heart. "Abbot, where are Divine Monks Awati and Yakup?" Someone tremblingly asked the crucial question. "The Demon Lord in Qingzhou is exceptionally fierce; Awati and Yakup fought to exhaustion for the sake of the people but couldn’t match the Demon Lord’s ferocity. Eventually, they fell short and perished in Qingzhou." Despite the sadness on his face, Batu Gu Fan Zhi couldn’t tell the truth of using Awati Poluo and Yakup Shadi as meat shields to explode themselves, allowing him to escape. As their premonitions became reality, every high monk present turned pale. Two Purple Mansion Divine Monks had actually fallen in Qingzhou, which meant the Esoteric Sect ran into Qingzhou eagerly only to suffer a loss akin to losing both the bride and the army. Instead of beheading Su Jie, it led to the loss of two Purple Mansion Divine Monks, a devastating blow to the Esoteric Sect. "Is Su Jie really that strong? How could the three Great Divine Monks lose when joining forces?" "What should we do now? Will Ghost Ridge Palace attack us?" "Go back and prepare; let the lower monks switch to defense immediately." As if they’d lost their home, the Daoist Platform Realm high monks’ morale plummeted upon hearing news of the two Divine Monks’ demise. They finally understood why Batu Gu Fan Zhi wanted them to switch to defense. Because if Su Jie had the strength to fight against the Three Great Divine Monks and even kill two, should he come for the Esoteric Sect, they might face the risk of annihilation. As these high monks flew back to Lingjiu Mountain, the entire Esoteric Sect quickly erupted into chaos. Even though they intended to conceal the news, the switch from an offensive to defensive stance was undeniable, and this shift in battlefield dynamics unambiguously confirmed the failure of the Three Great Divine Monks’ operation. All original battle plans aimed at occupying Qingzhou were forced to cancel, as every monk in the Esoteric Sect wretchedly converted to defense, anxiously awaiting a possible enemy. Above towering clouds, a Flying Palace moved swiftly through the sea of clouds. Flowing clouds surged outside the palace walls like waves, while the rune-carved jade steps disappeared and reappeared in the cloud mist, and the glazed tiles glinted with intersecting flows of red and gold under the sunlight. Groups of cultivators sat cross-legged in the palace either engaging in cultivation or idly chatting in threes and fours; this was the Red Shining Immortal Palace, Su Jie’s vehicle. "Sect Master, the land here in the Western Regions is truly barren; no wonder the Esoteric Sect thought of coming to our Da Li Dynasty for exploitation." On the viewing platform of the Red Shining Immortal Palace, Zhang Junwei pointed at the yellow sandy desert and rolling dunes below the sea of clouds. The view was filled with sand, and only occasionally did a bit of verdant green appear, marking an oasis in the Western Regions. That oasis’s scarcity made the land comparably poor, particularly against Da Li Dynasty’s abundant lands. Su Jie, dressed in a black gold robe, folded his hands behind his back and spoke with deep eyes, "Greedy enough to swallow an elephant; since the Esoteric Sect dared to reach out, it’s not just their paws we need to cut off but their heads as well." "That makes sense; we are already mortal enemies with the Esoteric Sect. Leaving these harms unchecked is an ongoing risk." Zhang Junwei nodded repeatedly, understanding the Demon Cultivator logic of eradicating threats entirely. Especially with Batu Gu Fan Zhi in the Esoteric Sect, he was a massive threat; should he strike Ghost Ridge Palace when Su Jie wasn’t there, it could mean losing all defenses. "Su Jie, three hundred miles ahead lies Lingjiu Mountain, the location of the Esoteric Sect." With a rush of footsteps, Qin Yushang moved quickly to the viewing platform, a slight blush of excitement on her face as she reported. She was the guide of the Red Shining Immortal Palace, as no one present was more familiar with the Esoteric Sect. Without a guide in the sprawling desert, the only option would be asking locals route by route, costing valuable time. "Send the order, let all cultivators prepare." Su Jie waved his hand; Zhang Junwei nodded and quickly left to notify the cultivators to ready themselves for battle. Su Jie casually asked upon seeing Qin Yushang’s flushed face. "Yes, thinking of eliminating the Esoteric Sect makes me uncontrollably excited." Qin Yushang openly admitted, seemingly reminiscing, "Over thirty years ago, during the Buddhist disaster in Fan State, for expanding, the Esoteric Sect used the Fantian Demon Sound to bewitch many locals, creating chaos. Later, the Heavenly Patrol Department came to restore order, and that’s when the Director took me in. Regarding my biological parents, although the Director didn’t clearly state it, I suspect they died during the chaos caused by the Esoteric Sect." "I see, so you want revenge against the Esoteric Sect." "After coming of age, I actively applied to spy on the Esoteric Sect; I can’t bear seeing other people go through my tragic fate." In her eyes wasn’t much sorrow, her focus solely on animosity towards the Esoteric Sect. "This time you can personally participate in the downfall of the Esoteric Sect; it can be considered avenging your parents." Su Jie patted Qin Yushang’s shoulder, then stepped past her towards the front of the Red Shining Immortal Palace. Qin Yushang bit her lip and, after a quick glance at Su Jie’s back, chose to follow swiftly.