Chapter 2290: Historical Records and Current Situation

However, at the current rate of consumption, the Golden Core's energy supply may not last more than twenty days, and that's assuming Cangyan does not continuously increase its excavation efforts.

Cangyan's high efficiency in planning and deployment deeply surprised Qixia Sect.

The dilemma facing Sect Master Yuan was very real:

What should they do next?

Although Wei'an City would certainly suffer from over twenty days without water, it seemed Cangyan could still help it endure; from this perspective, Qixia Sect's leverage seemed less substantial.

Were they really going to have to negotiate peace with Cangyan?

Huanzong possessed special methods of communication within their sect, and with abundant spiritual energy now filling the world, many immortal techniques could be used once more.

Liu Qingdao soon received a reply from the Jucheng Sutra Repository:

According to the oral records of True Immortal Qianhuan, from the end of the Immortal-Demon War until the early Middle Ages, there had indeed been an appearance of a Ravager.

This was the Ravager's first and only appearance on the historical stage, leaving an indelible mark.

At that time, in Longzhou Plain, which is today's southwest Beijia, there was a city of nearly 400,000 people. Leveraging its favorable geographical position, it had developed quite prosperously. Even in an era of abundant spiritual energy, this was no small city.

Because several major sects and aristocratic families resided in this city, and not only did the descendants of immortal masters flourish there, but legend also said dragon eggs were stored within the city, its city walls were built exceptionally thick, and its defensive arrays were very comprehensive.

However, one day, the Ravager suddenly appeared.

The city's thick walls and arrays were completely useless, because this disaster erupted directly from within the city!

The Ravager and its eight offspring first secretly killed dozens of people within the city for nourishment. By the time the city realized something was wrong, the Jin Du Ghouls' power had already grown, and they began to slaughter on a large scale.

Although born of the same parent, the combined power and efficiency of the eight Jin Du Ghouls in consuming people could not even compare to a fraction of the Ravager's.

In just two days, three to four hundred thousand people within the city were completely devoured by the Jin Du Ghouls, with only a few thousand managing to escape.

Of these, over ninety percent of the living beings were eaten by the Ravager itself.

Several major immortal sects, hearing the news, arrived one after another to subdue the demon, but it was too late; even a dozen or more immortals were no match, and six or seven of them were killed by it in retaliation.

At that time, no one knew it possessed a special talent: the more people it consumed within ten days of its birth, the stronger its abilities became, and the stronger the prey it devoured, the more its power increased.

After the Ravager devoured these immortals, its ferocity intensified even further, though it also sustained injuries. Immediately afterward, it went to other cities to continue its consumption of humans.

Among both immortal sects and the common people, it caused immense panic.

Finally, a True Immortal intervened, supported by many other immortals, and only then was this menace truly slain!

However, these immortal sects had already suffered severe damage during the ancient war, and their strength had not yet recovered. Then, they endured the Ravager's unexpected attack, resulting in several immortals falling or being gravely wounded. They were unable to sustain themselves thereafter, and quickly declined until their demise.

Among them, the leading immortal sect was Yuanshan.

Today's Qixia Sect is a collateral branch of the former Yuanshan Sect.

Upon hearing this, Dong Rui's face showed dawning realization:

“So, the Ravager recorded in history was annihilated by Yuanshan. That explains it; Qixia Sect inherited Yuanshan's legacy, and most likely inherited spoils of war from the Ravager as well.”

He Lingchuan looked at the two fragments on the table and blurted out:

“Brain core!”

“Huh?” Dong Rui hadn't heard clearly. “What did you say?”

“This is the Ravager's brain core! Just like a demon beast's inner core.” No wonder he kept thinking it looked familiar; He Lingchuan had one in the Panlong world too.

The Sky Demon had once deployed Jin Du Ghouls in Panlong City. After General Hong killed the Ravager in the mine, he extracted its brain core and gave it to He Lingchuan as a prize.

When he saw these two fragments, the reason he didn't immediately recognize them was their different colors and their vastly different sizes.

But after learning about the Ravager's history, he found the irregular textures on the fragments increasingly familiar.

Weren't these the convolutions of a brain?

“This Ravager, personally annihilated by Yuanshan's True Immortal, was exceptionally powerful. The mountain formed from its base can block the Bingjiang River's water, and whatever is excavated from it grows back. Moreover, it possesses sufficient divine abilities and self-preservation power.” He Lingchuan mused, “However, its power must also have a limit.”

“Previously, through the Sky Centipede, Qixia Sect obtained over a thousand catties of Black Crystals,” Liu Qingdao reminded him in a low voice. “If those are used to power this Ravager's brain core...”

“This is a test of time,” He Lingchuan narrowed his eyes. “Qixia Sect is very confident, believing Wei'an City's drought is more severe, and with a million people facing imminent water shortage, that we will compromise first.”

Dong Rui reached out and poked the fragments on the table. “Have you figured out a solution?”

“Either accelerate our attack on the underground brain core, or find the entrance to Qixia Sect's dwelling. Or, a combination of both.” Before Dong Rui arrived, He Lingchuan had been discussing this with Liu Qingdao. “Elder Liu believes that the blessed land where Qixia Sect secludes itself is a small world, not merely a deceptive illusion set up in Xunyang Mountain. If they remain hidden, no one will be able to find them, unless we discover the entrance.”

Liu Qingdao nodded in agreement.

Most immortal sects and great demons who went into seclusion during periods of spiritual energy scarcity would choose confined spaces to prevent the dissipation of precious spiritual energy, and once the entrance or gate was closed, enemies couldn't find or enter it. The Upside-Down Sea, for example.

If Qixia Sect didn't want to confront Cangyan head-on, they only needed to act like a reclusive turtle and watch as Wei'an City plunged into dire straits.

This was a form of coercion, but cleverly executed.

Seemingly without bloodshed, it actually endangered the lives of a million people, making it insidious and malicious.

“What a cunning tactic. We've dealt with so many newly emerged demons and immortals, but this Qixia Sect is somewhat different,” Liu Qingdao murmured. “However, when I spoke with Sect Master Yuan earlier, he was still as arrogant as he was a century ago.”

Just then, a guard rushed in from outside, knelt on one knee, and held a long arrow above his head:

“Report! A whistling arrow was shot from outside and it's lodged in a large tree in the forest.”

Liu Qingdao took it and casually asked, “Where's the archer?”

“Commander Weng has taken people to pursue them.”

A letter was attached to the arrow. Liu Qingdao, unafraid of poison on the note, unfolded it.

A token slipped out from the letter, which he caught in his hand.

Upon seeing it, he raised an eyebrow and quickly walked back to hand over the note:

“Your Majesty, please see!”

He Lingchuan glanced at it, seeing just a few lines on the letter:

“Qixia Sect Elder Xu Wenqin has led disciples to infiltrate Wei'an City to gather intelligence, and they are currently staying at the Yuefu Inn on Xiaozouma Road, south of the city.”

“Xu Wenqin?” He Lingchuan stroked his chin. “The Sky Centipede did confess that Qixia Sect's Elder Xu indeed has this name.”