Chapter 653: Divided Hearts

Apart from Immortal Venerable Fusheng, the other six Immortal Ascension cultivators on Chenping Continent each carried their own grudges and grievances.

The conflict between True Person Caiyun, Kong Yang of Kongshan Sect, and Realman Sun-Eroding, Liang Huan of Mirage Palace, might have been temporarily set aside thanks to Kong Yang returning the Abyssal Tower.

But the enmity between Realman Shuangyu, Yin Xia, and True Person Xuzhou, Lou Ye, was not so simple.

Because the eras in which these two were most active actually overlapped to a certain degree, and during that time, Lingxiao Temple had always lived in the shadow of Realman Shuangyu.

The grudge between these two could truly be called a generational blood feud.

However, if one were to speak of the most severe conflict of all, it would undoubtedly be the hostility between the Immortal Ascension cultivators of the Five Great Sects and the two Ascended cultivators of Heavenly Summit Mountain.

Especially the enmity between Liang Huan and Heavenly Summit Mountain.

It could be said to be a genuine grudge of family annihilation.

The current stability of Chenping Continent was entirely due to Chen Yan keeping a lid on things.

If Chenping Continent were to lose Chen Yan right now, the fragile "alliance" that had formed would collapse in an instant.

No one knew what would happen, though it probably wouldn't escalate into another Great Chaos of the Immortals.

Chen Yan had gone to the Endless Sea.

No one knew whether this Immortal Ascension cultivator, who had only become the Steward of Chenping Continent a year ago, would ever return.

But for now, no one dared to make any rash moves.

"So, True Person Yin, what business brings you to see True Person Chen today?"

Kong Yang asked.

There was no animosity between Kong Yang and Yin Xia.

In fact, after the revival of the immortal path, they had initially formed an invisible alliance on Heavenly Summit Mountain—Caiyun and Shuangyu standing together against Sun-Eroding and Xuzhou.

"The matter of my Wind Ravine Valley disciple Liang Qianbo being killed, as well as the attack on Lingxiao Temple's disciple Bai Jinye—to this very day, Du Cang Mountain has yet to make any response whatsoever."

Yin Xia said slowly:

"I originally came to inquire of True Person Chen how he intends to handle this matter."

Two Guardians of the Dao on Du Cang Mountain had been attacked within the span of just a few days, with one injured and one dead. If Du Cang Mountain couldn't produce a sufficiently forceful response to this level of provocation, it would seriously damage Du Cang Mountain's prestige across Chenping Continent.

Back in the days of Heavenly Summit Mountain, they had never suffered such a great loss.

It was always the same pattern—an incident would occur in the first half hour, and in the second half hour, Heavenly Summit Mountain's Daomen Xingzou would already be at the culprit's doorstep carrying an immortal artifact to demand an explanation.

That was the momentum a sacred land of cultivation on Chenping Continent ought to possess.

Looking across the entire history of Chenping Continent's cultivation world, only the Kongshan Sect under Yan Yunhe's stewardship had ever given Heavenly Summit Mountain even a modicum of pause.

But even Kongshan Sect had never dared to show any offense toward Heavenly Summit Mountain, still openly deferring to it as supreme.

What the cultivators of Chenping Continent didn't know, however, was that during Yan Yunhe's stewardship of Kongshan Sect, the true reason Kongshan Sect never crossed a single step over the line was not the gap in strength between the two sects.

It was the relationship between "Yan Yunhe" and Heavenly Summit Mountain.

"Speaking of the successive attacks on Du Cang Mountain's Guardians of the Dao—True Person Yin, I hear you've already captured the murderer of Liang Qianbo and brought him back to Wind Ravine Valley."

Kong Yang said.

"That is indeed the case."

Yin Xia replied.

"And? Any results?"

Kong Yang asked.

"He's tight-lipped."

Yin Xia shook her head:

"Moreover, the murderer placed a restriction on his own sea of consciousness. If anyone were to forcibly break into it, all his memories would be destroyed... I even think that if we had a Mirage Palace Grand Elder proficient in the Weaving Dreams Night Sky Observation Mirror present at this moment, things would be much easier to handle."

That was no exaggeration.

Mirage Palace had always been an outlier on Chenping Continent, yet the other four great sects still tolerated its existence.

Because they needed Mirage Palace as well.

Of course, this was on the condition that Mirage Palace didn't cross the bottom line.

If the four great sects ever learned that Mirage Palace's Weaving Dreams Night Sky Observation Mirror had already developed branches capable of wantonly possessing others, they would all fight Mirage Palace to the death at any cost.

However, Kong Yang seemed to hold a different view on what Yin Xia had just said.

"If True Person Yin has nothing else, then I, Kong, shall take my leave first."

With that, Kong Yang turned around.

"Please stay a moment, True Person Kong."

Yin Xia called out:

"Recently, I seem to have heard certain rumors circulating on Du Cang Mountain—that True Person Kong personally ordered your sect's Li Haowen to give some guidance and attention to a young girl from Xuan Sheng Sect. May I ask if this is true?"

"That is indeed true."

Kong Yang nodded with an expressionless face.

There was nothing worth hiding about this, nor did Kong Yang have any intention of hiding it. After all, Du Cang Mountain was only so big, and there were fewer than fifty Guardians of the Dao on the mountain altogether.

Moreover, it would actually be best if this matter reached Realman Du Cang's ears.

"True Person Kong, as the Steward of Kongshan Sect, you really are meticulous to the smallest detail..."

Yin Xia said.

Kong Yang could detect the sarcasm in Yin Xia's words, but he said nothing, merely pretending not to understand at all.

"Furthermore, I've heard that the reason True Person Kong ordered this guidance for that little girl was simply because, before the Du Cang Mountain Dao Discussion began, True Person Chen casually mentioned this young girl's matter..."

With that, Realman Shuangyu paused for a moment:

"So I've been thinking lately—perhaps True Person Kong is willingly content to subordinate himself beneath True Person Chen. Is that so?"

Yin Xia's words were razor-sharp.

"True Person Chen is currently the Steward of Chenping Continent and will lead the cultivation world of Chenping Continent to jointly resist the coming calamity. It is only natural that we follow True Person Chen's commands."

Kong Yang said calmly.

"Is it truly as nobly righteous as True Person Kong just stated, or is it because True Person Kong has something to ask of True Person Chen?"

Yin Xia continued:

"True Person Kong's current dao resonance erosion rate seems to be far exceeding expectations."

"Why must True Person Yin belittle me in such a manner?"

Kong Yang's tone remained calm, his emotions entirely unshaken by Yin Xia's words.

"This is not belittlement. I simply feel that True Person Kong need not lower his posture to such a degree."

Yin Xia said.

To be sure, the current Chenping Continent could almost be called Chen Yan's own one-man rule.

But that didn't mean the other Immortal Ascension cultivators held absolute loyalty toward him.

Whether it was Kong Yang or Yin Xia—including the two Immortal Ascension cultivators of Heavenly Summit Mountain—they all executed Chen Yan's orders and instructions without any hesitation.

Otherwise, the Du Cang Mountain Dao Discussion from over a year ago could never have gone so smoothly.