Ancient Witch Clan
The atmosphere became somewhat heavy due to Xie Chen's warning about the Celestial Court's "ultimate weapon".
Fang Qingyu frowned, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest of the seat.
“The Celestial Court is too powerful for my Li Yuan clan to contend with alone.” He spoke in a deep voice, breaking the silence. “A single tree cannot support a forest. To break this deadlock, we must unite all forces that can be united.”
No sooner had the words been spoken than a disciple on duty rushed in to report: "Reporting to the patriarch, there is a person outside the secret realm requesting an audience. He claims to be a secret envoy of the 'Ascension Alliance' and requests to see the patriarch and young lady."
Ascended Alliance?
Everyone in the hall was taken aback.
Fang Li blinked curiously, "The Ascended Alliance? That name sounds... like a workers' mutual aid society?"
System: [Host, you're spot on! According to fragmented data from this system, they're just a group of ascended brothers and sisters who were badly wronged by the Celestial Court, banding together for mutual support!]
Fang Qingyu and Yun Zhiruo exchanged a glance, a hint of understanding and seriousness flashing in their eyes: "Please."
Before long, a middle-aged man dressed in a faded blue robe, with a weathered face, entered the main hall, led by his disciple.
His aura was restrained, but upon closer inspection, he was revealed to be a powerful early-stage Celestial Immortal with solid cultivation! However, his aura was slightly stagnant, as if his foundation had been damaged.
The man's gaze swept over everyone in the hall, finally settling on Fang Qingyu and Fang Li. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Qin Yue, steward of the Ascended Alliance, greets Patriarch Fang and Miss Fang. I apologize for my intrusion and hope that Patriarch Fang and fellow Daoists will forgive me."
Fang Qingyu raised his hand: "Deacon Qin, there's no need for such formalities. May I ask what brings your esteemed alliance here today?"
Qin Yue gave a bitter smile, his smile filled with sorrow: "I have heard that the Fang Clan of Liyuan has raised its banner again to fight against the tyranny of the Celestial Court. Our alliance... is willing to become allies with your side to fight against the powerful enemy together!"
Qin Yue looked at Fang Li with a slightly questioning gaze, then gave a wry smile: "Miss, you may not know this. The Celestial Court... is not as glamorous as it claims. To us cultivators who have ascended from the myriad realms below, the Celestial Court has always regarded us as impurities, as beings that disrupt the pure order of the upper realm."
His tone became agitated: "They ostracize and suppress us at every turn! Ascended beings can hardly move an inch in the Upper Realm! The best spiritual veins and blessed lands, cultivation resources are simply not available to us! They even... they even secretly use all sorts of fabricated charges to eliminate those ascended beings who are too talented and may threaten their rule! Countless brilliant ascended predecessors have either mysteriously disappeared or been framed for treason and besieged to death!"
"We...we just refused to be slaughtered! We just wanted a way to survive! Out of desperation, the surviving Ascended beings secretly joined forces and formed this 'Ascended Alliance,' sticking together for warmth and barely clinging to life..." Qin Yue's voice choked with sobs. "Hearing that the Fang Clan of Liyuan had raised their banner in rebellion against the Celestial Court, we...we saw a ray of light in the endless darkness! We came here to join you, willing to serve you like dogs and horses, just hoping for...a sliver of hope!"
The hall was completely silent.
Fang Li felt heavy-hearted upon hearing this, and her disgust for the Celestial Court deepened even further.
Fang Qingyu pondered for a moment, then exchanged glances with Yun Zhiruo and several clan elders.
"The Celestial Court's perverse actions have aroused the wrath of both Heaven and Man." Fang Qingyu spoke slowly. "I deeply sympathize with your alliance's plight. Resisting the Celestial Court is not just a matter for my clan, but a common cause for all people of ambition throughout the world. If your alliance is willing to join hands, my Fang Clan of Liyuan will welcome you with open arms!"
The initial cooperation agreement was reached in this somber atmosphere.
Qin Yue bowed again with excitement and was led to a side hall to discuss the specifics.
Even after Qin Yue left, the atmosphere inside the hall remained largely unchanged.
Xie Chen waved his jade fan, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward and bowed deeply to Fang Qingyu, Yun Zhiruo, and especially Fang Li.
“Uncle, Aunt, Junior Sister, everyone…” He raised his head, the usual relaxed smile on his face gone. “Before, the situation was unclear, and there were some things that I did not explain. Now that the Celestial Court has shown its killing intent and we are surrounded by powerful enemies, there are some connections… that we should no longer hide.”
He paused, a look of grief and loneliness flashing in his eyes: "Recently, as my cultivation has recovered, the fragments of my past life's memories... have become increasingly clear. In my past life, I was not an ordinary rogue immortal, but... the last successor of the ancient sect 'Starfall Pavilion.'"
“Starfall Pavilion?” Fang Li repeated softly, the name sounded very prestigious.
“Yes,” Xie Chen nodded, his tone filled with reminiscence and pain, “The Starfall Pavilion was once an ancient sect in the Upper Realm renowned for its ability to deduce celestial secrets and establish calendars. Its status was extraordinary; it even once divined fortunes for the Celestial Court, stabilizing the world. However…”
He paused, his voice growing even lower and trembling slightly: "It is all because our ancestors, having exhausted their efforts, deduced a startling prophecy—'The tyranny of the Celestial Court, with its harsh laws, has accumulated resentment across all realms, ultimately triggering the Great Calamity of Chaos Returning to Nothingness, and recreating the world!'"
The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
This prophecy was so terrifying that it directly shook the foundations of the Celestial Court's rule!
Xie Chen closed his eyes, as if he could see that tragic scene again: "If this prophecy were to spread, the lie of 'order' that the Celestial Court relies on to maintain would crumble on its own. And so... annihilation would descend. The Celestial Court would accuse our Pavilion of 'bewitching people and disrupting the heavenly secrets,' and on a night when the starlight was dim, they would launch a surprise attack... That night, the pavilion collapsed, and the blood of our fellow disciples... stained the star trails that had been prophesied for generations..."
His voice choked for a moment, then he forced himself to calm down: "Only a few disciples, under the protection of their masters who paid the price with their lives, were able to preserve a trace of their remnant souls and escape into reincarnation... and I am one of the lucky ones who managed to preserve relatively complete memories."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
One can only imagine how horrific that scene must have been. The chill emanating from Ye Wuzhou intensified, Shen Yunzhou gripped his sword hilt tightly, and Ji Qianqiu's eyes reddened.
Fang Li's heart clenched as she listened. Seeing Xie Chen's usually smiling face now clouded with gloom, she couldn't help but whisper a comforting voice: "Xie Chen..."
Xie Chen opened his eyes, gave her a forced smile, and then his expression became serious again: "Because I inherited the divination techniques of the Starfall Pavilion, I have been trying my best to divine the so-called great weapon of the Celestial Court recently. Although the heavenly secrets are chaotic and the backlash is strong, it vaguely points to... the 'Ten Thousand Souls Blood Fiend' that the Soul Devouring Sect has condensed over the years by sacrificing countless living beings!"
The Soul Devouring Cult! The Bloodthirsty Fiend of Ten Thousand Souls! These two words caused everyone present to change their expressions once again.
They had already witnessed the blood debts of the Soul Devouring Sect. If they were to use that overwhelming resentment and filthy bloodlust as a foundation to forge a magic weapon, its power would be unimaginable!
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall, and Fang Yan rushed in, his face beaming with excitement: "Father! Mother! Little sister! We have news! The people we sent out have found traces of the ancient witch clan's activities on the edge of the Ancient Burial Star Ruins in the Northwest Wilderness!"
"The Ancient Witch Clan?" Qin Yue, who had just come out of the side hall, immediately said upon hearing this, "It is said that the Ancient Witch Clan inherited their lineage from the primordial era and is proficient in all kinds of mysterious witchcraft, especially adept at dealing with evil forces such as souls and demonic energy! If it is them, perhaps they really do have a secret method to counter the 'Ten Thousand Souls Blood Fiend'!"
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