Chapter 584

Chapter 584: Taking on Responsibility

On Baoyan Peak, more than one person was dissatisfied; over a hundred had cold and hostile expressions as they looked at Li Xiao Jiu.

"Hmph! Only a mediocre person wouldn’t be envied. I knew these guys wouldn’t give in easily," Lian Luosha said with a frown, stepping forward to protect Li Xiao Jiu.

Qian Qiu Yue stepped out from the crowd and bowed respectfully to Elder Hongmeng, saying, "I hope Master can take charge. Junior Brother Li has a sincere heart, helping the Martial Emperor restore order in the Great Xia and leading the expedition against the Hongmo Sect to eliminate Shang Feiran. Since his accumulated accomplishments are ranked first, he is truly deserving of being the chief!"

"Chief? What a joke!" More disciples from the Jin Tian Sect stepped forward, unable to accept that Li Hui and Li Yingjun, who had not achieved fame before, suddenly overshadowed them.

Li Xiao Jiu stiffly said, "Those who are unconvinced, come up and face death."

"Arrogant!" Many disciples were infuriated. They saw that this body was only in the Late Condense Essence stage, leaving behind a sliver of spiritual sense to collect treasures. Once he completed this trip, he would likely need to rest. How dare he challenge them?

True, the body was in the Late Condense Essence stage, but that sliver of spiritual sense had the prowess of the Late Wanxiang Stage, making it one of the strongest in the Jin Tian Sect. Unless Hongfa or another high-level demon cultivator intervened, they could not suppress him.

"You all!" Elder Hongmeng spoke up, "Calm down. You are no match for the handsome boy. If you have the guts, try taking down a Hongmo Sect member! Shang Feiran has achieved the Mastery of the Demonic Path. Not to mention he is nearly unmatched among the early stage cultivators, but his cunning is even more terrifying. He has already faced tribulation but remains quiet, waiting for the handsome boy to approach, eventually leading the handsome boy into a perilous situation. Aside from Shang Feiran, just Blood Moni alone could cause chaos in the world; not to mention the others. Such bravery! Even if he chooses to inherit the legacy of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, he will not attain the position of the sect leader of Jin Tian Sect, but since he comes from our sect, he deserves a reward."

"Whoa…" The disciples were in an uproar, astonished at the idea that one could slay an early stage opponent and several high-level ones—especially when those opponents were demonic cultivators. Were they listening to a myth?

While such words might seem unbelievable coming from others, who would dare to question Elder Hongmeng? If Li Hui’s reputation were damaged, who could stand against him?

Many disciples calmed down and immediately ceased their provocations. However, a small group of proud cultivators, with their heads held high, still did not believe that Li Hui could possess such strength.

The first among them to point a sword at Li Xiao Jiu was Ju Daoli, a candidate for the Jin Tian Sect’s future leader. Aside from his arrogance, he was also of royal blood. Because the Heavenly Talisman Sect supported the Martial Emperor in suppressing his family, he harbored great resentment.

More than a dozen other disciples formed a similar alliance as they approached, driven by hatred or personal gain, subtly surrounding Li Xiao Jiu.

"Elder, Xiao Jiu… Xiao Jiu has erred today…" Ju Daoli stammered. His faltering manner made the other disciples chuckle quietly, looking down on him, thinking, "Even leaving behind a sliver of spiritual sense seems half-hearted. Li Hui, as the sect leader, coming to claim treasures on Baoyan Peak—can you at least try a little harder?"

"Forget… it… is… a calamity!" Li Xiao Jiu stepped forward, still stuttering. Earlier, he spoke better, but this sliver of spiritual sense could not last long, making his speech extremely disjointed. Nonetheless, it did not hinder him from showcasing his power.

"Clang…" Ju Daoli was shocked as he felt calamity power from Li Xiao Jiu, momentarily forgetting his own level. In just a brief moment, he sensed himself as equivalent to the Late Condense Essence stage. By the time he regained his clarity, the sword shadow had already crossed his neck.

Others daring to target Li Hui experienced the same shock, shouting, "No!"

This sword did not slaughter them, but it was meant to cut the Dao.

"Thud, thud, thud…" Nearly twenty cultivators, including Ju Daoli, fell to the ground, clutching their throats, eyes wide in terror as they stared at Li Xiao Jiu.

This was merely a body, a sliver of spiritual sense. Why was it so powerful?

"Alas!" Elder Hongmeng sighed, "I warned you all, and you still chose to humiliate yourselves. Do you think facing the leader of the Hongmo Sect, who has mastered the Mastery of the Demonic Path at the early stage, is an easy task? Not to mention the courage required just to face him. You think slaughtering a few ghostly creatures is impressive? Little do you know, the handsome boy has already transcended and is preparing for the great calamity. Let me start from the bottom: the Jin Tian Sect originally had only thirty-six true disciples. Why has it expanded tenfold overnight? Haha! Because once the calamity strikes, if there’s even a 10% survival rate, that’s a victory."

"What?!" The disciples were shocked.

Elder Hongmeng smiled but anyone could see the gravity behind that smile.

"You think I’m trying to scare you?" The plump elder laughed heartily, "Haha! Not just you; even I have to face the calamity. Once those formidable demonic creatures come, if I don’t run fast enough, I could end up as ash."

"Please enlighten us, Master," many disciples bowed deeply.

"Handsome boy, step forward and select three heaven-sent treasures," Elder Hongmeng commanded warmly, keeping his word.

"T-Thank you!" Li Xiao Jiu stammered even more, feeling a rush of understanding as he stepped forward. He was unapologetic and deliberately chose the heaviest treasures that were easy to carry and had vast space.

If he held back now, he would pay for it tenfold later! Fortune comes to those who strive; as for the ones who don’t fight, that’s because they are at a higher realm and can’t be imitated.

Not long after, Li Xiao Jiu picked a thirty-two-story exquisite treasure tower, a square hole gold coin, and a purple-red handkerchief—combined, these treasures were worth a Small Heavenly Cave.

At Baoyan Peak, the distribution of treasures meant that a significant portion of fortune rested on these three items.

Elder Hongmeng nodded, saying nothing more. The Heavenly Talisman Sect was not a branch of the Jin Tian Sect, but with Li Hui as a link, there would surely be many interactions in the future; perhaps one day, they would need to rely on the Heavenly Talisman Sect.

This time is different from the last; if Li Hui could successfully return, he would ask Elder Hongmeng for protection against Xun Zuoyuan taking advantage of the situation.

If he did not return, a mishap would have occurred, and they would need to switch to a defensive posture immediately! All disciples, followers, and friends would need to settle their affairs within six months to introduce heaven-sent treasures and enter secret places to avoid the world.

The beginning of the great calamity was the perfect time to adapt. Going into hiding was definitely not a good thing; once the enemy grew stronger, emerging later would surely lead to a heavy blow. So, Li Hui planned to send the heaven-sent treasures into a dire situation, allowing his disciples to endure harsh trials to grow strong.

Given such arrangements, the heaven-sent treasures were crucial and needed to accommodate two million people to take shelter, and he would never give an inch.

Disciples of the Jin Tian Sect eagerly gathered treasures, while Elder Hongmeng declared loudly, "Years ago, the Moko Buddhist nation amassed immeasurable merits, blocking the arrival of the great calamity. Ultimately, their efforts fell short, leading to the destruction of the Buddhist nation. The suffering of the living has caused the ancient Taichu Kingdom to falter. According to high-level estimates, when calamity strikes again, its severity will be a hundredfold or a thousandfold worse than last time. The Demonic Essence World will soon invade; the Yin Moon Dynasty is merely a pack of wolves they can drive at will. We, as cultivators, cannot escape the calamity!"