Chapter 499: Open intrigue |
The Northern Desert Qi Family intentionally leaked information about the precious inheritance of the Layered Mystery Sect, which is a naked plot. The Flying Swan Sect, even knowing the Northern Desert Qi Family's scheme, would still do whatever it takes to seize it.
As for why the Flying Swan Sect didn't first wipe out the Northern Desert Qi Family and Taiyi Sect before exterminating the Yachao and taking the treasure, it's probably because they are afraid of inviting more trouble in the long run.
Facing the goal pursued by the sect for hundreds of years, the Flying Swan Sect cannot afford to fail this time and must acquire it at all costs. In comparison, Taiyi Sect and Northern Desert Qi Family are insignificant and have been disregarded by the Flying Swan Sect.
If they delay too long, it might attract other contenders, which would be a huge problem.
Meng Zhang also admires the Northern Desert Qi Family's determination. At a critical moment, they dared to throw out such a bait that the Flying Swan Sect couldn't refuse.
Of course, when the family faces extinction, the significance of any inheritance becomes unimportant. As long as it helps the family escape its doom, any price will be paid.
Now, the Northern Desert Qi Family has leaked this information to Taiyi Sect, which also harbors ill intentions. The enmity between Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect cannot be concealed from the Northern Desert Qi Family.
If the Flying Swan Sect acquires the precious inheritance of the Layered Mystery Sect, their strength will significantly increase, and Taiyi Sect's situation will worsen.
Meng Zhang, as the Taiyi Sect Master, will definitely try to stop the Flying Swan Sect and might even compete for it.
The Northern Desert Qi Family isn't a good entity, and despite Meng Zhang's awareness of their schemes, he has no choice but to get involved.
However, even if he wants to obstruct the Flying Swan Sect, Meng Zhang must carefully consider his approach. It would be best to avoid direct conflict, ensuring that the Flying Swan Sect returns empty-handed.
After An Moran reported everything, seeing Meng Zhang lost in thought, he hesitated for a moment and disclosed another piece of information to him.
It turns out that when the True Monarch Li Zhong of the Layered Mystery Sect fled to the Endless Sea of Sand, he took on a named disciple by chance, who happened to be a member of the An Family.
Li Zhong, however, didn't consider it a significant matter and didn't inform the True Monarch Vermilion. Later, when Li Zhong was being hunted by the Purple Gold Sect, the named disciple didn't dare to reveal his true lineage.
At that time, Purple Gold Sect was the dominant power in the Endless Sea of Sand, and the Flying Swan Sect was just a subordinate sect of the Purple Gold Sect. The An Family was merely one of the numerous inconspicuous cultivation families in the Endless Sea of Sand.
Before dying during meditation, the named disciple of Li Zhong didn't dare to leave the inheritance directly in the An Family. Instead, he pretended to be a loose cultivator and left the legacy outside while setting up tests.
Only the An Family descendants who pass his tests can obtain the inheritance. When An Xiaoran and An Moran returned to the territory of the Flying Swan Sect the last time, it was to obtain this legacy.
The An Family ancestor who left the inheritance specifically emphasized that the future An Family members who get the inheritance must never reveal his true lineage.
In the Cultivation World, each cultivator has some hidden secrets. Even close relationships like father-son or master-disciple won't easily reveal them.
As for secrets, Meng Zhang has even more of them. He has never revealed his secret of being a transmigrator to anyone, not even the secret of how he entered the Taiyi Sect's Trial Ground.
Meng Zhang can understand the thoughts of the An Family siblings. Nevertheless, he playfully scolded An Moran a few times.
The An Family ancestor, who became the named disciple of the True Monarch Li Zhong, didn't receive much inheritance from the True Monarch Li Zhong. Due to various reasons, he remained a Foundation Building late stage cultivator his entire life, never breaking through to the Gold Core stage.
Of course, the guidance of a Primordial Spirit True Monarch, even if it's just a few words, is invaluable. Moreover, he was taught several techniques.
Regarding the precious inheritance of the Layered Mystery Sect, the An Family ancestor had heard the True Monarch Li Zhong mention it. He recorded the details in the information he left for future generations.
This inheritance treasure was called Myriad Layers Peak. When not activated, it appears as a palm-sized mountain toy.
To activate this treasure, one needs to use the Earth Vein's power and place it on a Third Rank spirit vein. Once activated, Myriad Layers Peak transforms into layers of real mountains, connecting and standing on the ground.
These mountains form a special great formation that can confound and trap enemies, making it nearly impossible to break through.
Hearing An Moran speak of this, Meng Zhang recalled something. Behind the Dark Crow Demon General's lair, Yachao, were a series of continuous mountains forming a long mountain range.
When he, Gu Yue Huaidie, and Luo Ye Daoist Master had attempted to attack Yachao together, he had felt those mountains were extraordinary.
He had even used the Deception Breaking Eye to observe them from a distance, but he couldn't see through them. At that time, he thought it was a formation left behind by the White Lion Demon King.
Fourth Rank demon beasts are known as Monster Kings, equal to human Primordial Spirit True Monarchs. With his mere Gold Core cultivation base, he naturally couldn't see through those formations.
Now, with An Moran's mention, Meng Zhang thought, could those continuous mountains be the transformed Myriad Layers Peak? White Lion Demon King, at least a Fourth Rank demon beast, even if it can't completely refine Myriad Layers Peak, it might be possible to activate it.
After sending An Moran away, Meng Zhang immediately flew towards Yachao and carefully observed the distant mountains. The more he looked, the more he felt that those mountains might indeed be the precious inheritance of the Layered Mystery Sect.
In his Deception Breaking Eye, those mountains emitted faint traces of treasure light. He wondered if the Northern Desert Qi Family and Flying Swan Sect were aware of the details of Myriad Layers Peak.
Meng Zhang glanced at the battle situation out of habit and noticed that in the short time he left, the situation had changed. Flying Swan Sect probably feared unexpected circumstances and didn't want to delay for too long. They were willing to let their disciples consume the various formations left by the White Lion Demon King, even at the cost of their lives.
In the eyes of the high-ranking members of Flying Swan Sect, when necessary, low-level disciples could be sacrificed. Don't think that low-level disciples with a lower Cultivation Base cannot play a significant role. In fact, once they form a formation and have the assistance of a formation's power, they can still have a significant impact, even defeating stronger opponents.
Flying Swan Sect's Four Directions Subduing Mountain Formation, a renowned large-scale war formation, truly lived up to its name. Many disciples, relying on the power of this formation, managed to wear down the enemy's strength and kill numerous demons.
Of course, the losses suffered by Flying Swan Sect were also significant. Two out of four stone pillars, which served as the formation's base, were destroyed in the battle, and low-level disciples suffered heavy casualties.
Meng Zhang couldn't help but admire the profound heritage of Flying Swan Sect. At critical moments, they could still bring out some hidden trump cards.
If Gu Yue Huaidie and Luo Ye Daoist Master were present, and they had so many powerful methods at their disposal, even if they had to sacrifice most of the Taiyi Sect disciples, they might have broken through Yachao long ago.
Even at the Gold Core Daoist Master level, in a major battle, one must go all out.
Unfortunately, the current Taiyi Sect was extremely lacking in Third Rank items.
Seeing that Yachao was on the verge of collapse, Poison Sand Demon General roared and attacked a Third Rank warship in the sky. It was hit and severely injured by the warship's explosion. Fei Jiang Daoist Master took the opportunity to kill Poison Sand Demon General on the spot.
Dark Crow Demon General was entangled by Fei Shi Daoist Master and couldn't spare any effort to assist.
Given Dark Crow Demon General's temperament, he should have fought desperately against the human cultivators. Somehow, he chose to endure a hit, abandon his lair, and fled towards the distant mountains.
Fei Shi Daoist Master shouted, and Fei Jiang Daoist Master and Wu Mingwei followed him, chasing Dark Crow Demon General into those mountains.
The changes in the battle were too fast, and Meng Zhang didn't have time to react.
Originally, according to Meng Zhang's original plan, Taiyi Sect was to avoid direct conflict with Flying Swan Sect and instead secretly assist Dark Crow Demon General in resisting them.
If there was no way to support Dark Crow Demon General, they could also secretly notify Fire Cloud Sect.
For many years, Fire Cloud Sect had been wanting to conquer the Endless Sea of Sand, and a significant part of their goal was to obtain the inheritance of the former Purple Gold Sect.
If news about the precious inheritance of the Layered Mystery Sect in Yachao spread, Fire Cloud Sect would surely do everything to seize it. Even if they couldn't succeed, they would do their best to hinder Flying Swan Sect and prevent them from succeeding.
But looking at the current situation, Yachao had already been broken through. The three Gold Core Daoist Masters of Flying Swan Sect were chasing Dark Crow Demon General into the mountains.
It wouldn't be long before Dark Crow Demon General would be killed. The precious inheritance of the Layered Mystery Sect would then fall into the hands of Flying Swan Sect.
Meng Zhang absolutely wouldn't watch such a situation happen and would do everything to stop it.
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