Chapter 605 - 603: Jiang Jichen... Is Already Dead

Chapter 605: Chapter 603: Jiang Jichen... Is Already Dead

Jiang Jichen was not in the Luochen Sect.

For now, Vice Sect Leader Ye Rou was in charge.

A year isn’t a long time, but it isn’t short, either.

But in that year, far too many major events had taken place in the Six Paths Illusion Realm.

The realm was in turmoil, the situation ever-changing.

Now, the Heavenly Dao Holy Mountain reigned supreme, dominating the Six Paths Illusion Realm.

Its position was unshakeable, and its will was not to be defied.

In the entire Six Paths Illusion Realm, perhaps only one place remained outside the Holy Mountain’s control and dared to be its enemy: the Luochen Sect in the Luochen Domain.

While other Young Venerables and top-tier Nascent Soul Ancestors were also not under the Holy Mountain’s control, they at least would never dare to oppose it openly.

But the people of the Luochen Sect were brazen, directly ambushing and killing anyone who came down from the Holy Mountain.

It was a blatant slap in the face that brought great shame upon the Holy Mountain.

Who would have thought that after one Jiang Jichen died, a new group of rampant bandits would appear in his place?

If not for the protection of the Six Paths Rules, the Luochen Domain would have been razed long ago and all its people slaughtered.

At that moment, in the Luochen Sect’s assembly hall, everyone’s expression was grim. There was no joy from having just successfully ambushed and killed a Nascent Soul Ancestor from the Holy Mountain.

"The latest news is that in ten days, the Holy Mountain will use a Secret Artifact to nullify the protections of the Luochen Domain for one hour!"

"At that time, the Holy Mountain will surely dispatch its most powerful forces to annihilate our Luochen Sect."

"If any of you have thoughts, now is the time to share them."

Ye Rou spoke, her face calm.

She betrayed no hint of emotion.

Moments like these were the truest test of a person’s heart.

After all, everyone knew that once the protection of the Six Paths Rules over the Luochen Domain failed, they would face certain annihilation.

Even if it was only for a single double-hour, that was more than enough time for the Holy Mountain to slaughter everyone here.

What’s more, they all knew the Holy Mountain had already declared its terms. If they did not surrender before the attack, no surrender would be accepted once it began. They would slaughter every living being in the Luochen Domain.

In the assembly hall at that moment were not only Ye Rou, Hua Xiaoling, the Two Beauties of Yunshui, Han Qing, Little Haas, Zhou Qiang, and Bing Xuanchen, but also a host of Elders and Stewards, all of whom had joined the Luochen Sect more recently.

Many of them had never experienced a true life-or-death crisis with the sect.

They weren’t like the cultivators brought from Chaotic City and the Land of Stray Bandits, who had truly integrated into the Luochen Sect and would live or die with it.

Even facing such a calamitous threat, they would never waver in their loyalty.

"Deputy Sect Leader Ye, do you know when the Sect Leader might return? I’ve heard a rather unfortunate rumor, though it’s been suppressed within the Luochen Sect for a year now."

A female Steward of the Luochen Sect spoke up.

This female Steward was young, uncommonly talented, and exceptionally beautiful. Her name was Su Huaqi.

After only a few decades of cultivation, she had already reached the level of a Nascent Soul Perfection Realm genius.

Though she had joined the Luochen Sect only recently, she fit in like a fish in water and was extremely popular.

Moreover, Su Huaqi’s skills and abilities were extraordinary, and she had been promoted to Steward in just a few short months.

Su Huaqi always had a sweet, coquettish smile on her face, and her captivating eyes gave her a powerful allure.

Within the Luochen Sect, at least, quite a few male cultivators fawned over her, already fallen for her charms.

Even now, a group of the Luochen Sect’s Stewards stood behind her, as if they all looked to her for leadership.

In fact, she truly did possess the ability to command a crowd within the Luochen Sect with but a single call.

Upon hearing Su Huaqi’s words, killing intent flashed in the eyes of Han Qing, Little Haas, and Hua Xiaoling.

But Ye Rou was in charge here, so they remained silent, merely watching coldly from the side.

Ye Rou’s gaze landed on Su Huaqi, then swept over the group of Stewards standing behind her.

A faint, inscrutable smile touched her lips.

As Ye Rou’s gaze swept over them, the male Stewards’ expressions turned unnatural.

Fear even flickered in some of their eyes.

For the past year, with Jiang Jichen gone, Ye Rou had managed the Luochen Sect.

She had demonstrated astonishingly powerful methods, establishing a supreme authority within the sect.

Unflustered, Ye Rou said, "Steward Su, if you have something to say, say it. The Luochen Sect is facing a matter of life and death. There’s no need to hold back."

"No matter what you say, I won’t hold it against you."

Hearing Ye Rou’s words, Su Huaqi smiled. "Actually, I’m sure Vice Sect Leader Ye already knows what I’m about to say. But since you’ve said you won’t blame me, I might as well say it, right?"

"Speak."

Ye Rou uttered the single word, raising one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

Su Huaqi’s gaze swept over the crowd. Ignoring the murderous glares from Han Qing, Hua Xiaoling, and the others, she continued with a light smile, "A year ago, Sect Leader Jiang Jichen was gravely injured and fell into the Extinct Spirit River. His fate remains a mystery. The truth is, all the disciples of the Luochen Sect know this in their hearts; it’s just that no one in the sect is allowed to speak of it."

At Su Huaqi’s words, the expressions of the Luochen Sect members finally changed.

Everyone standing in the assembly hall held a rank of Junior Steward or higher within the Luochen Sect.

Naturally, they knew what Su Huaqi was trying to say.

It was just that for the past year, the vast majority of the Luochen Sect had been on edge, and no one dared to speak of the incident.

Those who had discussed it previously had all mysteriously disappeared.

"Continue."

Only Ye Rou’s expression remained cool and unchanged as she spoke.

Su Huaqi, seemingly unafraid of Ye Rou, continued, "He was gravely wounded, his Life Force depleted, and he fell into the Extinct Spirit River, never to emerge. That is a guaranteed death. At first, you could say his fate was a mystery. But a year has passed, and Sect Master Jiang has not reappeared. That’s enough proof that he died in the Extinct Spirit River, corroded into the Void by its waters. The reality is, Jiang Jichen’s fate is no mystery. Jiang Jichen... is already dead."

When Su Huaqi uttered the words, "Jiang Jichen... is already dead," a deathly silence fell over the Luochen Sect’s assembly hall.

In truth, every sect member had had the same thought; they just hadn’t dared to say it aloud.

"And? What else do you want to say?"

Ye Rou’s expression remained calm, as if Su Huaqi’s words could not cause even the slightest emotional ripple.

’But in truth, her heart was trembling, aching with a silent pain.’

’Jiang Jichen, Xuanyuan Qingyi... the two most important people in her life. There had been no news of them for a year. Life or death... even she couldn’t be certain.’

’But she could only grit her teeth and believe. As long as she guarded the Luochen Sect, they would return one day.’

’This was her conviction, the driving force that kept her from ever falling.’

Su Huaqi’s gaze suddenly turned ice-cold as she stared at Ye Rou. "Since Sect Master Jiang is gone, and the Holy Mountain will soon break through the Luochen Domain’s defenses, why not let us decide for ourselves whether to stay or leave, Deputy Sect Leader Ye? Why not give us a path to survival?"

"If we surrender before the Holy Mountain attacks the Luochen Domain, we’ll have a way to survive. That’s better than waiting around to be buried along with this sect, isn’t it?"