7

For the next two weeks, Shen Yuan began to devote himself to seclusion, consolidating his Chaos Dao Foundation and familiarizing himself with the power of the Foundation Establishment stage and the subsequent methods of the Chaos Evolution Scripture. Of course, he would occasionally switch to the identities of "Li Qing" or "Zhao Qian" to experience cultivation from different perspectives, which was quite a unique experience.

Just as he was pondering whether he should possess a few of his senior sisters for some fun, a series of bell tolls resounded throughout the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect!

"Thump—thump—thump—"

The bell tolled nine times, each chime more urgent than the last. This was the highest-level summons from the sect, only sounded for matters of life and ****!

"All inner disciples and elders, assemble at Lingyun Hall Square immediately! No mistakes allowed!" A grand voice resounded throughout the sect's peaks.

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow and pushed open the door. He saw streaks of light rising from Ice Cloud Peak, all flying towards the main peak, Lingyun Palace. Bai Zhi, Su Miao, and Luo Ling'er also appeared before Shen Yuan one after another.

"Junior brother, do you know what happened?" Bai Zhi asked Shen Yuan.

Su Miao and Luo Ling'er also looked over at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan shook his head: "I don't know, but the sect's rules say that this kind of thing only happens when the sect is in danger. Let's go."

"Yes, Master should have already gone ahead." Bai Zhi and the others immediately flew away on their swords.

When the group arrived at the square in front of Lingyun Hall, almost all the inner disciples, elders and stewards from various peaks were present, creating an extremely oppressive atmosphere.

On the high platform, the sect leader and the various Nascent Soul stage elders were prominently displayed. Even the illusory figures of several patriarchs, who were usually rarely seen, were suspended in mid-air with very solemn expressions.

The sect leader stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below, his authoritative voice reaching everyone's ears:

"Disciples and Elders! We have just received an urgent message from the highest-ranking garrison of the boundary barrier—"

"The demonic calamity has returned!"

"The demon army has breached the Void Dark Abyss defenses and is now frantically invading the northwestern continent of my Cangwu Realm! Countless immortal cities have fallen, and countless lives have been lost! The flames of war... will likely soon spread to my Eastern Region!"

"What?! The demons have invaded?!"

"Isn't the Northwest Continent guarded by the Sumeru Zen Sect and the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion? How could this be..."

"It's over... The demons have actually attacked..."

This news was like a bolt from the blue. For most young disciples, the demon race only existed in ancient books and the admonitions of their elders. They were synonymous with cruelty, bloodthirstiness, and power, and were the mortal enemies of the human race!

The sect leader raised his hand to suppress the commotion. "At this critical juncture of life and ****, this is not just a matter for my sect or school, but a calamity for the entire human race of the Cangwu Realm! I have reached a consensus with the other six immortal sects and the major dynasties. From this day forward, the human alliance will enter the highest state of combat readiness!"

"As one of the leading sects in the Eastern Region, the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect has an inescapable responsibility! We hereby issue the Sect Decree:"

"First, effective immediately, the sect shall enter a state of war, with all resources allocated to war preparedness!"

"Secondly, all disciples' cultivation tasks will be doubled, and the channels for obtaining contribution points will be increased. They can exchange battle merits for all resources!"

"Third, form a sect expeditionary **** to support the northwest front! Golden Core elders will lead the team, Foundation Establishment disciples will be the backbone, and high-level Qi Refining disciples can also accompany them for training!"

"Fourth, strengthen sect patrols and vigilance to prevent infiltration by demon spies!"

Shen Yuan stood in the crowd, his eyes slightly narrowed.

A demon invasion? That's unexpected. Chaos and crisis... but it also means opportunity.

His gaze swept over his fellow disciples, whose faces were filled with fear or excitement, especially the beautiful female disciples.

"Hmm, chaotic times produce heroes... but also wronged souls," he thought to himself. "Doesn't this make it even easier to 'collect corpses' and 'make friends'?"

You might even encounter some special demon "collections"?

……

After the sect conference, the atmosphere within the sect changed drastically.

The intensity of their training visibly increased, and the exchange of information and teamwork among disciples also increased. Shen Yuan was thinking about how to gain advantages in this chaotic world, and intelligence was naturally his top priority. He mingled in the crowd, carefully listening to the various discussions about the demon race.

"I heard from the Northwest that the demon vanguard is full of female demons wearing pointed hats and black robes! They can summon fireballs and ice spikes with a wave of their hands, and even summon skeletons!"

"More than that! My second uncle was at the post station and said he saw the image jade slip! Those demons didn't even get close; they chanted spells from a distance—earth spikes, wind blades, dark curses—it was impossible to defend against!"

"Yes, yes! They say they call themselves magicians, and they're even divided into elemental, dark, and summoning types... It's completely different from our cultivation methods!"

"Fancy and flashy! I think we can still win. Didn't they get driven back ten thousand years ago?"

"We mustn't underestimate them! I've heard that the energy they cultivate, called 'magic power,' is extremely strange; it specifically targets protective auras and can even interfere with divine sense!"

"The most troublesome are those witches! They're incredibly alluring, and they can even use mental charm. They're utterly cunning! They've already tricked many fellow cultivators, causing them to die unjustly..."

As Shen Yuan listened to the chatter around him, his expression gradually shifted from serious to puzzled, and finally, his lips twitched, leaving him both amused and exasperated.

He originally thought it would be a traditional demon race with blue faces and fangs, full of demonic energy, but he didn't expect that this "demon invasion" would actually be a "witch army".

Cultivators versus magicians?

Are you kidding me?

He couldn't help but complain: "Creator God, are you perhaps a game designer by training? This faction division is way too blatant. Eastern cultivation versus Western magic? Shouldn't we be adding elves and orcs next?"

"Hmm, magicians... witches... that sounds interesting." He stroked his chin, his face showing the look of a hunter eyeing rare prey. "I wonder what it feels like to play with their bodies? And how does magic flow differ from spiritual energy? And those witches... are they pretty?"

He was getting somewhat eager to try. The battlefield was dangerous? But the more dangerous the place, the more "high-quality collections" he would find!

"It seems we have **** but to join this expeditionary ****..."

Fairies in the cultivation world, witches in the magic world...tsk, as a certain transmigrator senior once said, "The taste of witches is really good."

……

Shen Yuan squeezed his way to the registration area in front of the mission hall with great interest. Everyone else looked solemn, but he was beaming with excitement.

"Name, Peak/Vein, Cultivation Level." The registration officer didn't even look up.

"Shen Yuan, Ice Cloud Peak, early stage of Foundation Establishment." Shen Yuan cheerfully announced his name.

The deacon paused, looking up at him: "You...you're Shen Yuan, the one with the Chaos Body? You're going to the front lines too?" He had heard that this was a genius Elder Mu had taken in as a treasure, and he had only recently reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Why was he heading to the Human-Demon Battlefield?

The surrounding disciples also cast surprised glances and whispered among themselves.

"He's Shen Yuan? That Chaos Body?"

"It really is him! What's he doing here?"

"Such excellent talent, going to the front lines in the early stages of Foundation Establishment? That's pure nonsense."

"Tsk, geniuses really do have different ideas, they're actually rushing to their deaths..."

Shen Yuan was completely unconcerned about the surrounding discussions and the looks of disbelief he received: "When the sect is in trouble, every citizen has a responsibility! Besides, as an inner disciple, I should do my part even more!"

The deacon's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything more. After registering the document, he handed over a jade token specially made for the expeditionary ****.

Shen Yuan accepted the jade token, feeling quite pleased with himself, and was about to leave when an aged yet gentle voice echoed in his mind:

"Little guy, come to the forbidden area in the back mountain."

The voice penetrated his divine sense defenses. Shen Yuan was startled. The one who could transmit a message to him so easily, without giving him the slightest thought of resistance, must be a figure at the level of a sect's patriarch!

He dared not delay and headed towards the forbidden area behind the mountain, a place that ordinary disciples dared not approach. Following the guidance in his mind, he passed through layers of mist and powerful restrictions, and a small courtyard with bamboo groves appeared ahead.

In the courtyard, an elderly man dressed in a simple gray robe, with white hair and beard, sat on a stone bench, sipping tea. The old man appeared unremarkable, like an ordinary old man, but Shen Yuan sensed an unfathomable aura emanating from him! Countless times more terrifying than his master, Mu Hanyan!

"Disciple Shen Yuan greets Ancestor!" Shen Yuan quickly bowed respectfully.

The old man put down his teacup and looked at him with gentle eyes. “No need for formalities. My Daoist name is Xuanji. I have summoned you here today because you have volunteered to go to the front line between humans and demons.”

He paused, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "A primordial Dao physique like the Chaos Body is a once-in-a-millennium find. You are the future hope of my Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, and I shouldn't let you venture into danger and gain experience so early. But since you have such ambition, I will not stop you. However, the battlefield is fraught with danger, and courage alone is not enough."

As he spoke, Ancestor Xuanji flicked his sleeve, and a jade talisman emitting a hazy blue light floated lightly to Shen Yuan's front. The jade talisman was engraved with an ancient small sword, seemingly ordinary, yet it faintly exuded a terrifying sword intent.

"This is the Myriad Spirits Sword Talisman, a little trinket I crafted in my younger days. Take it for your self-defense," Ancestor Xuanji said calmly, as if he were giving away a small toy.

Shen Yuan took the jade talisman, and after the system scanned it, he was startled.

【Myriad Spirits Sword Talisman】(Talisman Treasure)

[Rank]: Top Grade (Refined during the Nascent Soul stage)

[Effect]: Contains a trace of the sword dao origin and immense spiritual energy of the Xuanji Ancestor, which can be activated instantly at the user's will. Once activated, it can unleash a Myriad Spirits Sword Qi equivalent to a full-**** attack from an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. It automatically targets the enemy, ignoring the defenses of most cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, and is guaranteed to kill in one strike!

[Number of uses]: 7/7

Shen Yuan's eyes widened instantly, and his breath almost stopped.

A sword strike unleashed with all its might by a Nascent Soul cultivator?! Automatically targeting and capable of killing in one strike?! And it happened seven times?!

This is no small thing, it's a deadly weapon! With this, as long as he doesn't touch a true Nascent Soul stage monster, he can practically roam freely on the battlefield!

"Ancestor, this...this is too precious! Disciple..." Shen Yuan was so excited that he was almost incoherent.

Ancestor Xuanji waved his hand to interrupt: "No matter how good a treasure is, it is still an inanimate object. People are the foundation of a sect. Your talent is extraordinary, and it is only a matter of time before you become a Nascent Soul cultivator. The sect will need your support in the future. This talisman is not for you to bully the weak, but to give you a glimmer of hope in times of real crisis."

"Remember, use with caution."

His gaze was deep and meaningful, as if he were referring to something.

Shen Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing his elation: "Disciple will follow the Ancestor's teachings! I will certainly live up to the sect's high expectations!"

"Go." Ancestor Xuanji waved his hand, his figure gradually blurred, and then disappeared.

Shen Yuan left the courtyard, feeling the terrifying power contained in the jade talisman in his hand, and could no longer maintain his smile.

"Tsk, I was just wondering how to survive on the battlefield, what a coincidence."