Deep within the Yunmeng Marsh in the south.
Unlike the rumored deathtrap filled with dangers and miasma, the Spirit Valley presented a completely different scene.
Surrounded by mountains, spiritual energy drifted like mist as exotic flowers and herbs flourished.
Waterfalls and streams chimed between pavilions and terraces nestled among ancient trees and bamboo.
After more than a decade of painstaking effort by Lu Xiaoluo and Li Hanzhou, supplemented by the resources brought by Xiao Chen and others, this paradise had taken shape.
The grand formation was imposing, creating a magnificent atmosphere that made it the Alliance of Resistance's last and most solid stronghold.
However, the atmosphere in the main hall, "Ningxin Hall," was as heavy as the eternal miasma outside.
All the core members were present: Xiao Chen, Han Yu, Chen Xingcai, Lu Xiaoluo, Li Hanzhou, Jiang Che, and Hong Longxiang.
A piece of intelligence, obtained at great cost from a hidden operative in the Central Province, lay open on the jade table among them.
The report detailed the dramatic changes within the Sacred Dynasty in recent years.
Qin Ao had adopted Ye Fan's strategy, ruthlessly purging internal elements and forcefully implementing the so-called "Sacred Dynasty Prohibitions."
These banned wanton killing, plundering, and the practice of evil techniques.
Former demonic cultivators with meritorious service who violated these decrees were publicly executed.
Ye Fan's growing trust from Qin Ao, his rising power, and his nearly equal standing with the Ten Saints were also noted.
The Sacred Dynasty's reputation was mysteriously beginning to improve.
Xiao Chen's expression was exceptionally grim as his fingers tapped the desk unconsciously, creating a muffled sound.
His once-handsome face had grown more angular from years of worry, his brow locked in an unbreakable frown.
"Turning evil into good... winning hearts and minds..." Xiao Chen's voice was low, laced with an indescribable bitterness and defeat.
"Brilliant move, truly brilliant!"
"Ye Fan... he's trying to completely cut off our last foothold!"
They had hoped the Sacred Dynasty's brutal rule would alienate the people, giving them time to gather strength and wait for an opportunity.
But now, Qin Ao and Ye Fan's move was like removing the bottom of the cauldron.
If the Sacred Dynasty successfully whitewashed itself, established order, and even won popular support, they would become outlaws fighting against the tide of history.
Their rebellion would lose all appeal and ground for survival.
Chen Xingcai's lips were tightly pressed, her expression complicated.
Ye Fan had once been her disciple, and his betrayal and current "success" were like a thorn deeply embedded in her heart.
Lu Xiaoluo and Li Hanzhou also wore grave expressions, fully understanding the severity of this strategy.
A suffocating silence was broken by Han Yu's cold voice.
"Words are useless now. Their momentum is unstoppable. They control the fertile lands of Zhongzhou, with resources and manpower far beyond our swamp-bound forces."
"Public opinion can be guided, hearts can be bought. The path taken by Qin Ao and Ye Fan is indeed ruthless and effective."
He lifted his gaze, his icy eyes sweeping across the crowd before settling on Xiao Chen.
"Complaining is pointless. We must risk everything for a chance at rebirth. In this world, the final say on rules has never belonged to the masses, but to the fists at the peak!"
"The Spirit Realm and all other worlds ultimately come down to the might of the strongest warriors!"
His sharp and cruel words instantly awakened everyone.
"What do you mean, Brother Han?" Xiao Chen asked.
Han Yu's tone was resolute, filled with the desperation of burning one's bridges.
"We must give it everything, cultivate! Break through to the Saint Realm! If any of us can reach it first, the entire situation will reverse!"
"Then, it won't be them hunting us down, but us having the strength and opportunity to strike first and eliminate the traitors! This is our only chance!"
The Saint Realm. This was a heavy and distant word.
A chasm separated the Longevity Realm from the Saint Realm.
Throughout history, countless prodigies had never even touched the Heavenly Realm, let alone the Saint Realm.
Even Xiao Chen and the others had been just one step away from the Saint Realm before entering this place.
But their enemies were different. Their opponents were all Immortal Venerables who had long surpassed the Saint Realm.
Could they really reach the Saint Realm before them?
Yet, no one objected.
Because what Han Yu said was the only glimmer of hope they could see.
Xiao Chen took a deep breath, a sharp light returning to his eyes. He nodded heavily.
"Brother Han is absolutely right! We were too focused on shifting power dynamics and public sentiment, forgetting the foundation of cultivation!"
"Strength is everything's basis! From today, all valley resources go to cultivation first."
"Everyone, including you and me, must set aside all distractions and meditate! We must break through before the Sacred Dynasty completely secures its foundation!"
The order given, everyone's spirits lifted, as if seeing a guiding light through the mist. Yet that light remained faint, and the path ahead was still treacherous.
An indescribable unease still lingered in everyone's hearts. The Saint Realm was not so easily broken through. Could they truly create a miracle before the Holy Dynasty fully digested its victory, or before Qin Ao or the Ten Saints made their own breakthroughs?
Moreover... another great stone weighed on their minds.
Chen Xingcai sighed softly, his voice filled with endless worry.
"But... Shiniang... she is still missing to this day, with no news at all..."
Ji Hongli, Chen Chang'an's Dao companion, their Shiniang.
Ever since the Spirit Realm chess match began, she had entered the game with them, yet had never rejoined them, as if vanished into thin air.
They had never given up searching over the years, dispatching countless hands and using various secret arts to track her, but it was always like a stone sinking into the sea, neither seen alive nor dead.
A Shizun realm Shiniang would have lessened their pressure greatly and given them infinite confidence in their breakthrough to the Saint Realm.
Her disappearance was like a sword hanging over their heads, making true peace of mind impossible.
Xiao Chen fell silent for a moment, forcefully suppressing his anxiety, and said in a deep voice, "Continue to send more people to investigate Shiniang's whereabouts, but we must not let this disrupt our cultivation!"
"Now, we can only trust that Shiniang is protected by heaven, while doing everything in our power to the extreme! Cultivate desperately, wait for the opportunity, and prepare for the final battle!"
Everyone fell silent, knowing this was their only choice under the circumstances.
They each accepted their orders, carrying heavy pressure and slim hopes, and left the Xin Hall one after another to prepare for their seclusion.
...
Meanwhile, outside the Spirit Realm.
In the true Immortal Spirit Holy Land.
Jiang Shang held a horsetail whisk, sitting leisurely to one side, watching Chen Chang'an who was leisurely brewing and tasting tea opposite him, his face unable to conceal a relaxed smile.
"Immortal Venerate, with the chess game at this point, I wonder what brilliant move can turn the tide?" Jiang Shang's voice was gentle, tinged with ease.
"That Ye Fan boy is unexpectedly useful as a chess piece. Turning evil to good, haha, Qin Ao was truly ruthless and thorough."
"Now the Holy Dynasty's foundation is gradually stabilizing, the Black Tide has already covered the eight desolations. The blue light in the southern corner, though resilient, is like a candle in the wind."
"As long as one's eyes are not blind, anyone can see that we have the overwhelming advantage and the momentum is on our side."
He looked at Chen Changan with a smile, hoping to see a furrowed brow, anxious expression, or the embarrassment of forced calm on his face.
After all, the situation on the chessboard was already extremely dire for Chen Changan.
However, Chen Changan's reaction was completely beyond Jiang Shang's expectations.
Hearing Jiang Shang's words, Chen Chang'an merely blew on the steam rising from his teacup and took a sip. His face showed not a trace of anxiety, but rather an expression of extreme leisure, even contentment.
He looked up, his gaze sweeping across the vast darkness on the Starlight Go Board. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips, as if he were not watching his own precarious position, but rather a magnificent play unfolding before him.
"Brother Dao," Chen Chang'an set down his teacup, his voice calm and unhurried, "The tea is excellent, calming the mind. As for the game... heh, there's no need to rush."
His demeanor caused a faint, indescribable sense of uncertainty to rise in Jiang Shang's heart, who had been brimming with confidence.
After a moment of thought, Jiang Shang looked at Chen Chang'an again, his manner more composed than before, even carrying a hint of admonition.
He looked at the leisurely sipping tea opposite him and said sincerely, "Friend, the game has reached this point, black and white are clear... your last spark in the Spirit Realm is on the verge of extinction."
"To resign now, though you lose the initiative, would ultimately preserve your foundation. It's not too late to turn back."
He paused, his fingers brushing the edge of the board, creating a ripple. His tone held a condescending generosity: "Of course, the position on the 'List of Deification' promised earlier... the conditions, naturally, must be adjusted."
Hearing this, Chen Chang'an slowly set down his teacup and looked up at Jiang Shang. Instead of anger, his face held a faint, enigmatic smile.
His voice was calm yet sharp with an edge: "Oh? How so? Could it be, Brother Dao Jiang Shang, that you feel the stakes are insufficient?"
"Are you planning to include my Dao companion on your 'List of Deification' as well, to make it complete?"
The gentle smile on Jiang Shang's face stiffened slightly. A flicker of displeasure flashed in his eyes, but he quickly recovered with a sigh.
"This humble one merely wishes to say that a wise man knows when to yield. For some pawns, some lower realm beings, or even... a relationship, to risk your own ultimate path, is it worth it?"
"Friend, your cultivation is not easy; you must understand the importance of choice and sacrifice."
Chen Chang'an merely shook his head, no longer looking at Jiang Shang. His gaze returned to the Starlight Go Board, fixed on the southern light points almost swallowed by darkness.
His eyes were deep, lost in thought.
He neither refuted nor grew angry, simply rejecting this "kindness" with an almost indifferent attitude.
Seeing his reaction, that sense of uncertainty surfaced again in Jiang Shang's heart, but it was mostly mixed with the resentment of being looked down upon.
He shed the last of his feigned gentleness, his voice turning cold.
"Since you insist on being so obstinate, then... let us wait and see."
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